2WeekWeek

From the 18th - 24th January

International Christian Centre - Nairobi

PRAYING BASED ON THE BOOK OF MALACHI

2WeekWeek The book of Malachi starts with an assurance from God to Israel, “I have loved

you.” God wanted to settle it in the hearts of the Israelites that despite what they were going through, He loved them. This applies to us today. God is love, and He demonstrated His love to us that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us (Romans 5:6-8). It is one thing to talk about the love of God and another thing to know and experience that love. This is the reason as to why Paul prays in Ephe-sians 3:17-19; being rooted, knowing this love, and grasping it.

God loves us for sure and His love is unconditional but we find ourselves in a place of doubting this love and feeling like we need to work for it. All that is expected of us is to receive it, and pass it on to others.

John was the disciple that received this love for sure. He refers to himself as the one who was loved- it’s no wonder his writings are mainly about the love of God. He had experienced it. He had no doubt he was loved (John 13:23). Our prayer is that you receive this love of God, and that it moves from your head to your heart.

The Lord appeared to us in the past, saying: I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness (Jeremiah 31:3). God declares that He has loved us with an everlasting love.

• Pray that as believers, we shall understand just how much the Father loves us (1 John 3:1; Malachi 1:1-2)

• Pray that we shall receive this love of God in our hearts (grasp it, know it)

• Pray that we shall pass on that love to those around us, family especially, and neighbours

• Pray that we shall be compelled to reach out with that same love to the ‘ unlovable’ of family and society (the outcasts of society)

• Pray that we shall study Scriptures to comprehend God’s love for us

• Pray that as Kenyans we shall love one another as God has loved us irrespective of our tribes or political affiliations.

• Pray that the love of God will compel people to forgive one another of past mistakes in families, work places, and neighbourhoods

• Pray for healing and restoration in marriages

MONDAY THE 18THCORPRATE BIBLE READING: MARK 12-16DEVOTIONAL: THE LOVE OF GOD (MALACHI 1:1-5)

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TUESDAY THE 19THCORPORATE BIBLE READING: LUKE 1-5DEVOTIONAL: THE LORD’S TABLE (MALACHI 1:6-14)

It has its origin in Exodus 12:1-30. God commanded the Israelites to commemorate this throughout their generations (14). This was something that was done to remind the Israelites of what it cost them for their freedom. It was part of their religious history.

Jesus came on the scene and gave this table a whole new meaning (Luke 22:1-22). He identifies Himself as the Passover Lamb of God whose blood was shed for the redemption of mankind and His body was broken for our healing. He commands His disciples to do it often in remembrance of Him just as the Israelites were com-manded to commemorate the Passover Festival

He is the fulfilment of the Passover lamb that was slain in the Old Testament by the Israelites. John recognized Him as the Lamb of God in John 1:29, “Look, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” Paul says in 1 Corinthians 5:7 that “Christ is our Passover Lamb” and in 1 Corinthians 11:23-33, he gives directions on how the Church is to celebrate the Lord’s Table in a manner that honours Him. He urges believers to examine themselves before they take part in the Lord’s Table.

It breaks the heart of God when we take lightly the Lord’s Table. The death of Jesus Christ is what purchased our salvation. We cannot take it lightly. This is the reason God was angry with the children of Israel in the book of Malachi. They profaned His Table by bringing lame animals, yet it was a commemoration of what purchased their freedom in Egypt.

God does not take it lightly also when as His children we partake of His Table and that of the enemy (1 Cor. 10:14-22). We cannot serve two masters (Matthew 6:24).

How serious do you take the Lord’s Table? Is it just one of those church rituals or do you understand its meaning? Do you find yourself at the Table of the Lord and that of the enemy? Are you a believer on Sunday and something else the rest of the week?

Purpose in 2021 to honour the Lord’s Table and celebrate its provisions

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• Pray that the Lord will forgive His church for taking the Lord’s Table casually

• Pray that the Lord will forgive His church for our hypocrisy and double dealings

• Pray that there shall be such healing and restorations during Holy Communion services

• Pray that we will die to self and live for the Lord (Luke 9:23-26)

• Pray that we will honour the Lord with our bodies (1 Cor. 6:19-20)

• Pray that believers will live their lives in reverence and honor of God especially our spiritual leaders (Malachi 2:5)

• Pray that ministers of the Gospel will rightfully divide the word of truth, no manipulation, no deception (Malachi 2:6-9; 2 Tim. 2:15)

• Pray that the Lord will purify His people (Malachi 3:2-4)

• Pray that believers will live out their testimony everyday of their lives. They will stand out and be distinct.

• Pray for people who are involved in sexual and drug addictions in this country to be set free because Christ has purchased their freedom

• Pray for our leaders and Kenyans as a whole to be set free from the sins of greed, corruption, and social injustices. That they will die to selfishness

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WEDNESDAY THE 20THCORPORATE BIBLE READING: LUKE 6-10DEVOTIONAL: THE COVENANT OF MARRIAGE (MALACHI 2:10-16)

Marriage is a covenant relationship ordained by God, it is His idea. It is a union between a man and a woman. It was the first institution in Genesis 2:20-25. The intention of God is that both man and woman have a relationship with Him before they get into this union (both Adam and Eve met God first before they knew each other). God’s idea for marriage is that there is no exit, it is until death (1 Cor. 7:39; Malachi 2:16). This does not mean that he hates those who have gone through divorce. His ideal is that marriage only ends when one spouse dies.

It is also clear in God’s word that He desires that as believers we are not unequally yoked with unbelievers (Malachi 2:11; 2 Cor. 6:14). However, if you came to faith when you are already married, the Bible says you stay as long as your spouse is willing to keep the relationship (1 Cor. 7:12-16).

God desires a godly offspring from our marriages (Malachi 2:15). This calls for us parents to take seriously the responsibility of raising up our children in the ways of The Lord (Proverbs 22:6). It calls us to a place of commitment to prayer for our children (Lamentations 2:19). We should also model Christ before our children because faith is more caught than taught (1 Cor. 11:1). In as much as God desires a godly offspring, marriage is still complete without children. It is majorly meant for companionship. A husband and wife are to help each other be all that God intended them to be.

It breaks the heart of God when we walk in unfaithfulness towards our spouses (Malachi 2: 10,14-15). He says that He is the witness between us spouses. He chal-lenges us to be on our guard. This means there are many things that can easily lead us to a place of unfaithfulness. May The Lord help us.

If you are married, how are you doing in your relationship? Are faithful to your spouse? If you are blessed with children, are you doing everything possible to raise them in the ways of The Lord? If you are divorced, can you trust The Lord to heal your brokenness? If you are walking through a divorce, could you pause and consider it with The Lord?

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2• Pray for people with unbelieving spouses

• Pray for couples struggling with infertility issues

• Pray for parents with wayward children

• Pray for estranged spouses

• Pray for people who are walking through a divorce

• Pray for those already divorced

• Pray for healing in homes

• Pray against homicides, suicidality, depression, addictions, and all manner of issues working against families

• Pray for provisions in families especially in the aftermath of 2020

• Pray that marriages will stand, that people will honour this institution

• Pray for healing in parents-children relationships (daddy and mummy issues)

• Pray for widows and widowers

• Pray for those trusting God to get married

• Pray for families as The Lord will lead you

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2THURSDAY THE 21STCORPORATE BIBLE READING: LUKE 11-15DEVOTIONAL: SOCIAL INJUSTICES (MALACHI 2:17; 3:5)

God is concerned about the issue of social justice. In the Old Testament, He was very clear on how He expected the Israelites to treat the poor, the foreigners, and the widows (Leviticus 19:33-34; Proverbs 22:22-23; Psalm 68:5-6). This theme continues in the New Testament. Jesus at the beginning of His ministry said that it was twofold; spiritual and social justice (Luke 4:18-20). There are so many New Testament refer-ences to this aspect of social justice (James 1:27; Galatians 2:10; 1 Cor. 16:1-2; James 2:1-7).

God cares about how we treat each other as human beings. This is because all of us, irrespective of our social status, gender, tribe, nationality, or race, we have been created in His image and likeness (Genesis 1:26-27). God is against any manner of social injustice.

How do you treat people who are different from you? Do you have any prejudices against any group of people?

• Pray that The Lord will forgive us for treating those who are different from us with disdain

• Pray that The Lord will forgive us for ignoring the poor and the less fortunate in our society

• Pray that The Lord will forgive us for the injustices in our courts against the poor

• Pray that The Lord will forgive us for grabbing what belongs to the poor

• Pray for forgiveness for injustices against the foreigners

• Pray for forgiveness for low wages and non-payments to our domestic workers and low cadre people in society

• Pray for forgiveness for the injustices in our public sector (bribery, theft, manipulation)

• Pray for forgiveness for the use of witchcraft and sorcery to manipulate leadership in this country

• Pray for forgiveness for dishonest weights, fake products,

• Pray that The Lord will have mercy upon us and heal our land of tribalism, nepotism, male chauvinism, extreme feminism, religious tensions, etc.

• Pray that we will love and honour one another as God’s creation

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• Pray that the church will be distinct in being an example of honouring people irrespective of who they are

• Lord heal our land

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DAYS OF PRAYER AND FASTING

FRIDAY THE 22NDCORPORATE BIBLE READING: LUKE 16-20DEVOTIONAL: GIVING TO THE LORD (MALACHI 3:6-12)

God is a giving God. He demonstrated this by giving us His very best (John 3:16). We can never out- give Him. Our giving is a response to His goodness to us even when we do not deserve it.

When God asks us to give, it is not to His benefit but ours (Psalm 50:9,12-15). The Bible says that “the earth and everything in it belongs to God” (Psalm 24:1). “A thousand cattle on the hills belong to Him” (Psalms 50:10). “Silver and gold are His” (Haggai 2:8). We literally own nothing; He has only given it to us to steward it on His behalf. He desires us to give of ourselves, our resources, and our gifts and talents when He requires to use them (Luke 19:31)

Giving is a principle running in the entire Bible (2 Cor. 9:6-11; Deut. 14:22; Genesis 28:22). The desire of God is that we give out of a relationship, not the law. When we give, we honour God, we demonstrate our trust in Him to provide for us, and it is a declaration that He is more important than stuff.

He wants us to give our tithes and offerings, however the greatest gift you can give God is you. The truth of the matter is that once you give yourself to Him, your wallet will follow. The Bible uses tough words to describe those of us who may not be faithful with our tithes and offerings. God calls us robbers, not so kind a word but that is what it is friends! (Malachi 3:8). We give our way out of financial issues (Malachi 3:9-12)

Are you struggling with giving? Could it be that you have not really given yourself wholly to God? Could it be a scarcity mentality? He challenges us to test Him on this principle! Could you make 2021 that year where you will action this principle?

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• Pray that The Lord will forgive us for robbing Him in our tithes and offerings

• Pray that He will forgive the ministers of the gospel for using this principle to their advantage

• Pray that The Lord will forgive some of our political leaders and government workers for using the taxes to advance their own agenda

• Pray that as God’s people we shall be faithful with our tithes and offerings

• Pray that the church will be accountable with the resources God gives them

• Pray that God’s people will be taken care of

• Pray that ministers do not take advantage of the flock of God in this area of giving

• Pray that taxes collected in this country will be used for the right purpose

• Pray that there shall be political good will to reduce public debt

• Pray that there shall be political will to reduce the tax burden over citizens

• Pray that The Lord will restore this land to abundance in our farms and industries

• Pray that there shall be job creation and that creativity and innovation will rise

• Lord restore us

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SATURDAY THE 23RDCORPORATE BIBLE READING: LUKE 21- JOHN1DEVOTIONAL: THE LORD WILL MAKE A DISTINCTION OF HIS PEOPLE (MALACHI 3:13-18)

Most people, believers included, found themselves in difficult situations in 2020 due to the effects of COVID-19. We have suffered losses of all kinds, and it is so easy to find yourself complaining and grumbling against God. It is painful when you have lost a loved one whom you cried out to God to spare; it does not make sense when you have been faithful in your giving and yet you lose a job or experience a pay cut; It hurts so badly to be that faithful and committed spouse and your partner walks out on you. It hurts so deeply that it is easy to go through a crisis of faith because many times we think we have figured out God and He must work in a particular way, if not, He is not God.

The Bible says that all things work together for good for those who have been called according to God’s purposes (Romans 8:29). Could it be that God is so concerned about His eternal purposes in us that He will work behind situations both the good and the bad to bring this to pass? The Bible says that the purposes of God stand (Proverbs). I can’t stop but think about Joseph whose life took different tough turns on His way to the throne. Humanly speaking there was nothing good in the pit, in prison, or in Potiphar’s house. Yet God was working to push this young boy towards a dream which God had given him at age 17!

Could it be that in our relationship with God, we can never say, we have fully figured out His ways and thoughts (Isaiah 55:10-11)? Could it be that we still have so much in God to discover? Could it be that we cannot really put Him in a box? Could it be that we are so limited as human beings?I believe that what God calls us to do is to trust Him, to put our hands into His and allow Him to lead us along unfamiliar paths (Isaiah 42:16). There are for sure unfamiliar paths! We all need God to lead the way. Will you trust Him to do it for you in 2021 with all its uncertainties?

He promises that He does not forget His very own. That He will make a distinction between those who serve Him and those who don’t. I do believe that there is a reward for staying faithful. The Bible says that those who have left things and people for the sake of Christ will receive a hundred fold in this life and eternal life later (Matt. 19:29; Mark 10:29; Luke 18:29).

God will for sure make a distinction for His people in this year, He will fight your bat-tles, He will protect you in the midst of trouble, He will watch over you, He will do it! Would you trust him to do it His way?

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. Ask The Lord to forgive us for complaining and grumbling when things did not work out our way

• Ask The Lord to forgive us for doubting His character and promises

• Ask The Lord to forgive us of resentment and bitterness towards Him

• Pray that The Lord will heal our brokenness (Malachi 4:2)

• Pray that The Lord will help us allow Him into our grieving spaces

• Pray that The Lord will wipe away our tears, minister comfort to us

• Pray that we shall believe again, we shall pray again

• Pray that we will go back to our relationship of trust in Him even when we do not understand

• Pray for those who lost loved ones in 2020. Pray as the Lord will lead you

• Pray for restoration of businesses and jobs

• Pray for hope in God’s people

• Pray for faith to arise

• Pray that The Lord will restore our joy (Malachi 4:2)

• Pray that The Lord will set us apart as oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of His splendour (Isaiah 61:1-3)

• Pray that out of the ashes, God will birth ministries (Isaiah 61:4)

• Lord make a distinction in our lives we pray, may we be a people set apart for you.

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SUNDAY THE 24THCORPORATE BIBLE READING: JOHN 2-7DEVOTIONAL: REVIVAL/RENEWAL/RESTORATION (MALACHI 4:1-6)

There are times when in our relationship with the Lord we may plateau. Sometimes it may be because of the challenges we face in life, and our hearts just get cold. Other times it could just be that we get busy with life and before we know it, the excitement of walking with The Lord has been choked out. In these times we need The Lord to set our hearts afresh on fire. We need Him to renew us, to revive us. It’s no wonder the Psalmist says in Psalm 85:6, “Will you not revive us again, that your people may rejoice in you?

Revival is preceded with prayer and a waiting on God. The Holy Spirit then breathes afresh on hearts that do hunger and thirst after God. He causes rivers of living waters to flow out of their bellies (John 7:38) and that water gives life wherever it goes (Ezekiel 47:8-9).

• Pray that as churches fast this year, they will cry out for revival

• Pray that the word of God will be restored as the final authority in the lives believers (Malachi 4:4)

• Pray that the church of Jesus Chris will rise up to her rightful place, victorious over the Kingdom of darkness (Malachi 4:3)

• Pray that gifts of the Holy Spirit will be operational in the body of Christ (Malachi 4:5; 1 Cor. 12:1-11)

• Pray for restoration in our homes, that fathers will take their rightful place

• Pray that there will be healing of father wounds (Malachi 4:6)

• Pray that spiritual son/daughters will honour their spiritual fathers/mothers

• Pray that spiritual fathers/mothers will bless their spiritual sons/daughters

• Pray that people will honour spiritual authority over them

• Pray that in Kenya there shall be respect for leaders

• Pray that leaders will walk in integrity

• Pray for mentorship and discipleship to be embraced in the church

• Pray against competition between spiritual leaders and their followers

• Pray that there will be proper process of training and releasing of young leaders both in the church and political sphere.

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• Restore honour in our land oh Lord

• Revive us once again oh Lord

• Find among us a people who will not stop crying out for revival until we experience it

• May we be a people on fire for The Lord, a people that are consumed by nothing but the will of God.

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DAYS OF PRAYER AND FASTING