August 2021

30 Days of Prayer Day 25 2021

August 31, 2021 by HOKKIEN HARVEST, posted in Hokkien Harvest post

30 Days of Fasting & Prayer Day 25 2021

To be born again and be saved – Part 1

Day 25 – September 1: Welcome to the Hokkien Harvest 30 days of fasting and prayer during this 7^th Lunar month, Ghost month. To access the Hokkien audio post which also includes Chinese script, just click below. At the bottom of this post we also provide a brief English summary. May God bless greatly during this 30 day period of fasting and prayer.

Ladies and gentlemen, pastors, and brothers and sisters in the Lord, I bring you greetings of peace. During these 30 days of fasting and prayer every day we can pray to the Lord for relatives and friends that have not yet come to know Jesus Christ as their Savior. We ask the Lord to use you and for the Holy Spirit to also move these relatives and friends to accept the Lord as their personal Savior. We pray that all glory will go to our Lord, Amen.

John 3:5

Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit.

One person once said: “I am a good person and often help others. I am better than the Christians around me, and I think I should go to heaven.” There are many “good people” in this world, and regarding religious faith they are also considered godly people. Yes, a person has to be good and godly in order to be sure that he can enter heaven, and to be rescued from hell. Today’s scripture will clarify this problem for us.

In the Bible, a religious person who saw Jesus’ work and teachings came to see Jesus. Jesus told him, “If a person is not born of water and the Holy Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.” What does this mean? Water is usually used to remove dirt Such as washing clothes, bathing and mopping the floor. The same is true for our lives. We also have dirt in our lives. Although we may not have killed others, robbed banks or committed adultery, no one can say that he never lied, never stole anything or been greedy. So a person who washes with water is one way to show confession and repentance of sin. However, repentance and being a good person cannot save a person. Even if a person has the will to avoid crime, he does not have the power to avoid wrong doing for his entire life or to overcome the feeling of guilt from the past.

Jesus said that we must be born again by the Holy Spirit. What does it mean? In I Corinthians 12:3 the Bible tells us that only through the touch of the Holy Spirit can people call Jesus Lord. Only through Jesus can we establish a relationship between our Heavenly Father and become children of God. Then we can call God “Abba Father”. This is the rebirth of the Holy Spirit that identifies us as children of God. We then can enter heaven and be rescued from hell.

Christians can enter heaven not because of what they do, but because they are children of God. For example, a horse, no matter how much it listens and obeys master’s words; it is still a horse, not a son. To be the master’s son, he must be born into the master’s family. This is the mysterious work of God’s Holy Spirit for believers that enables sinners to be born again and become children in the family of God.

At this moment, please bring the names before the Lord of those people whom you are acquainted with and do not yet know Christ.

Prayer:

Dear Father, we confess to you that we are sinners who need your forgiveness. We repent and come before your holiness. We thank the Holy Spirit for leading us to call on Jesus Christ to be our Savior and Lord and enabling us to be reborn as your children and enter the kingdom of God. Father, we are not worthy of such a great gift. At this time we pray for all of our unsaved relatives and friends, so that they can also repent, call on the name of Jesus to be saved and become a child of God. We pray in the name of Jesus, amen.

30 Days of Prayer Day 24 2021

August 30, 2021 by HOKKIEN HARVEST, posted in Hokkien Harvest post

30 Days of Fasting & Prayer Day 24 2021

Repent and return to the Lord – Part 2

Day 24 – August 31: Welcome to the Hokkien Harvest 30 days of fasting and prayer during this 7^th Lunar month, Ghost month. To access the Hokkien audio post which also includes Chinese script, just click below. At the bottom of this post we also provide a brief English summary. May God bless greatly during this 30 day period of fasting and prayer.

Acts 26:18

Open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.

Once, Dr. Song Shangjie in Chao’an taught about the filling of the Holy Spirit. He drew a heart on his coat, and then pointed out many of the sins in our lives such as hatred, adultery, lying, stealing . . . etc. While he was preaching he called several people to the stage and told them that their hearts were full of different kinds of filth. He also added that if they wanted to be filled with the Holy Spirit, then they must ask for the Lord to cleanse them with his precious blood and fill them with the Holy Spirit.

Then, Dr. Song pointed to one of them and painted a liar’s heart. That night, this friend cried the entire night. It turns out that not long ago he had an improper relationship with his girlfriend. People had doubts about him, but he would not admit to any wrong doing at all. That day he came to listen to Dr. Song with hidden sin. So when Dr. Song pointed out that he was a liar, it was as though a flash of light pierced into the very depths of his heart, and he couldn’t help crying and repenting for this sin.

Paul said “open their eyes”! “Opening their eyes” for Paul was a very deep and real experience in his own life! Before he met Jesus he was a persecutor of Christians. When he met Jesus, he encountered a very bright light that blinded him. He couldn’t see anything. The Lord then sent Ananias to pray for him so he could see the light again. The fact is that this is the experience of every Christian believer! The

Lord opens our eyes! Why is it so important for the Lord to open our eyes? When our eyes are opened, the scripture says that we “turn from darkness to the light, and turn from the power of Satan to God”. We trust in Jesus, receive forgiveness of sins, and share in the inheritance with all God’s sanctified people. In other words, if our eyes are not opened, we are in the darkness and are under the power of Satan. We are guilty, and we cannot receive the inheritance that God has for us.

When we depart from this world we take nothing with us. So if we open our eyes we will be able to see the benefits and abundant life that the Lord wants to give to us. Only if you open your eyes will you be able to see and receive God’s blessings in your life.

On June 30, 1956, the news reported that a United Airlines passenger plane was in flight and deviated 17 kilometers from its course. It collided with a TWA airliner, and unfortunately 135 people were killed. The sky is so huge that 17 kilometers is really not a big difference, and if the United Airlines’ plane had followed its own plan, today these 135 people would still be alive! But because of a deviation of 17 kilometers, these people are no longer with us.

On September 1, 1983, Korean Airlines 747 went off course and broke into Soviet airspace! Although the plane did not collide with another passenger plane, it was shot down by a Soviet missile! More than 300 people were killed. Aircraft have aviation lanes that they must follow just like vehicles. And people too have roads and paths that are designated by God. When our eyes are opened, we can walk the path that God has prepared for us.

At this moment, please bring the names before the Lord of those people whom you are acquainted with and do not yet know Christ.

Prayer:

Dear God, we desire for you to open our eyes so that we can know you and turn from darkness to your light. We can depart from a relationship with Satan and turn towards you, so that we can receive the abundant life that you have for us. We pray in the holy name of Jesus, amen.

30 Days of Prayer Day 23 2021

August 29, 2021August 29, 2021 by HOKKIEN HARVEST, posted in Hokkien Harvest post

30 Days of Fasting & Prayer Day 23 2021

Repent and return to the Lord – Part 1

Day 23 – August 30: Welcome to the Hokkien Harvest 30 days of fasting and prayer during this 7^th Lunar month, Ghost month. To access the Hokkien audio post which also includes Chinese script, just click below. At the bottom of this post we also provide a brief English summary. May God bless greatly during this 30 day period of fasting and prayer.

Acts 3:19

Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord,

In Matthew 4:17 the Bible tells us that repentance is a very important concept and an action that must be taken in our lives. The Lord Jesus came to serve. He declared: Repent! Because the kingdom of heaven is near.” In this passage Peter is preaching to the crowd after he healed a beggar who could not walk. That day, after he completed his message, he was captured by religious leaders and imprisoned. But many of the people who listened to him believed in the Lord. The Bible says that the number of men who believed was five thousand! The theme of Peter’s sermon was repent.

So, what does it mean to repent? How could they attract and lead so many people to believe in the Lord? In Peter’s sermon there were two main points made: Why repent? How to repent? First, let’s take a look at Why repent?. When we have committed sin and offended God, how does this harm us? And if we depart from the truth, is it possible to really repent? How can we repent? Repentance is not regret. Repentance requires action. In other words; not only do we need to know we have done something wrong, we must also leave from where we are and turn back to God. Any sin, mistakes or wrong doing will cause us to depart from the truth. So we must repent and return to God.

People definitely will make mistakes; however, repentance allows us to return to God to experience his presence and grace and receive his blessings.

Once after John Wesley finished speaking, a middle-aged lady stepped forward and said to him: “Sir, I know I am a sinner. “Wesley said: “Yes! You are indeed a sinner.” The lady’s face changed, and she turned to leave. After taking ten steps, she glanced at Wesley again. So she said she was guilty, and she said it with kind words; however, unexpectedly, Wesley took it very serious, so she was angry. The lady said: “When I spoke about myself, I was polite, but others can’t talk that way to me? I’m a hundred times better than my neighbor. If I am a sinner, then who is he? Afterwards, Wesley opened his Bible and shared with her according to the scriptures. He asked her several questions, but she didn’t know how to answer. Then with tears in her eyes she said to Wesley: “I am truly a big sinner. Please pray with me as I confess my sins.” Wesley knelt down with her as she prayed and confessed her sins before the Lord.

At this moment, please bring the names before the Lord of those people whom you are acquainted with and do not yet know Christ.

Prayer:

Oh God! Thank you for teaching us the truth of repentance. You have helped us to be honest before you, because we know that there is nothing that we can conceal from you. Help us to live life so in whatever we do we will please you. We desire to always walk in the truth. Thank you Jesus. In the name of Jesus we pray, amen!

30 Days of Prayer Day 22 2021

August 28, 2021 by HOKKIEN HARVEST, posted in Hokkien Harvest post

30 Days of Fasting & Prayer Day 22 2021

Trust in the Lord and be saved – Part 2

Day 22 – August 29: Welcome to the Hokkien Harvest 30 days of fasting and prayer during this 7^th Lunar month, Ghost month. To access the Hokkien audio post which also includes Chinese script, just click below. At the bottom of this post we also provide a brief English summary. May God bless greatly during this 30 day period of fasting and prayer.

Romans 10:9

If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

Someone once asked: What kind of people are easily trusted? Some people say: those who speak with confidence, with firm eyes, or people who speak elegantly are easily believed. A person who has these qualities is probably a leader. Someone said that it is a “sincere person.” That’s good too, because there is too much hypocrisy and deception in today’s society. I think a more interesting answer is: “People who are willing to believe in others first.” After all, the relationship between people regarding how they

get along and trust each other serves as a bridge. Without mutual trust, it is inevitable that there will be mutual suspicion which is very destructive. So, what do we believe in the Christian faith? We believe in Jesus. Certainly! But do you believe in Jesus? The apostle Paul clearly tells us that in Romans 10:9 Paul said: “If you confess that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved”. This is at the very center of the Christian faith.

We believe two things about Jesus: First, we must confess that Jesus is Lord. Second, we must believe in our heart that Jesus rose from the dead. Let’s start with the first one: What does it mean to “confess that Jesus is Lord with your mouth”? In Paul’s day, we must recognize that those who confessed that Jesus is their Lord admitted that they belonged to Jesus. Therefore, to confess that Jesus is Lord is a declaration to give your life to Jesus.

Secondly, we must believe in our heart that Jesus rose from the dead. Have you seen the resurrection of a dead person? I have not. However, we can believe in our heart that the dead will be resurrected, because Jesus was resurrected. Easter is celebrated every year around the world, because Jesus rose from the dead. He died on the cross for us, bore our sins and shed his blood as a sacrifice to wash away our sins. On the third day he rose from the grave as our living Lord and Savior.

There once was a certain mountain climber who believed in God. On one occasion about half way up the mountain he realized that the sky was getting dark, and he became anxious and quickly climbed to the top to rest and spend the night. However he wasn’t careful enough and fell off the mountain. Fortunately, he was able to quickly grasp a small tree on the side of the mountain and did not fall all the way down. As he hung there he shouted for help. Suddenly a voice from above said to him: Can I help you? The mountain climber said: Please save me! The voice said: If you believe I can save you, release your hands and let go of the tree. The climber asked: Who are you! The man said: I am the God you believe in. That mountain climber thought for a bit and said: Is there anyone else up there? There was no answer. The next morning at dawn the mountain climber discovered that he was only less than a foot off the ground where he had been standing. People who say that they believe that there is God, but do not believe in their hearts will lose a huge blessing, even the opportunity for salvation.

At this moment, please bring the names before the Lord of those people whom you are acquainted with and do not yet know Christ.

Prayer:

Lord, thank you for dying for us so that we will no longer be dominated by the devil and sin, and be able to overcome our weaknesses and wrong doing to live a victorious life. You raised us to a new life and brought us eternal hope. We want to be children of God. Oh God! We believe in you and are willing to live for you, and ask the Lord to give us strength so we can be a good witness for you. Enable us to spread your gospel to our family, friends, and neighbors so that they can also receive the benefits of the gospel. In the name of the Lord we pray, amen.

30 Days of Prayer Day 21 2021

August 27, 2021August 28, 2021 by HOKKIEN HARVEST, posted in Hokkien Harvest post

30 Days of Fasting & Prayer Day 21 2021

Trust in the Lord and be saved – Part 1

Day 21 – August 28: Welcome to the Hokkien Harvest 30 days of fasting and prayer during this 7^th Lunar month, Ghost month. To access the Hokkien audio post which also includes Chinese script, just click below. At the bottom of this post we also provide a brief English summary. May God bless greatly during this 30 day period of fasting and prayer.

John 1:12

To all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.

One day Mr. Tan and Mr. Lim had a conversation. Mr. Tan asked Mr. Lim: Today people’s hearts are so complicated, so do you have someone that you would call a very good friend? Mr. Lim answered: Yes, I do. Mr. Tan then asked: So what kind of a person is considered a good friend? Mr. Lim: Friends today are not like they were in the past. Mr. Tan answered: How are they not the same? Mr. Lim said: In the past if someone had a financial need they could automatically go borrow money from a friend. Mr. Tan: What about today’s practice? Mr. Lim: Well today if you borrow money, you better repay it as quickly as you can. Mr. Lim: If you’re willing to lend money to someone, isn’t that counted as a friend? Mr. Tan: No, they are not counted as a friend. They are considered to be a noble person.

This is a very meaningful conversation. As the times and trends change, people’s views on things will also change. In today’s society, economies continue to develop and prosper, but human relationships have weakened. So, is there anything that is consistent and never changes? Yes there is. God NEVER changes. In the beginning of the Gospel of John the Bible tells us that in the beginning of time the Word existed and the Word was God. God surpasses time and space and never changes. There is just one problem. God created people and all things that exist. However, the world doesn’t accept him.

So God established a standard which is John 1:12: To all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God. Humans are not the masters of this world, and they never recognize God’s sovereignty in the world. God must quell the rebellion. When we receive Jesus, we acknowledge that God is creator of this world and everything in the world is a reward and gift that is given to us.

There was an elderly wealthy man in India who organized Christmas celebrations for the villagers every year. In addition to inviting the villagers to a feast, everyone could also choose a gift to take home with them. However, the man noticed a child who was just standing there looking around. With all the gifts available and every kind of food that you could imagine, the child just stood there. The elderly man asked the child what he would like to have. The child said that he wanted a dad! He was an orphan. To hear this little boy say this, the rich man was sad, but quickly said that he would be his father. Although the man was wealthy, he and his wife could not bear children, but he really desired a child. The man and the little boy were so happy and just hugged. Together our Heavenly Father also desires us to be his children.

At this moment, please bring the names before the Lord of those people whom you are acquainted with and do not yet know Christ.

Prayer:

Oh God! We praise you. Your glory is revealed in the heavens, and how beautiful is your name in all the earth! We desire to be like David, because we know you, we are full of gratitude and offer sacrifices to you in song and praise. During this 7^th Lunar Month, we desire to see you more and more people become Christians. We pray that they will accept you to be their Lord and Savior, so they too can also receive blessings as children of God. We pray in the holy name of Jesus, amen.

30 Days of Prayer Day 20 2021

August 26, 2021August 28, 2021 by HOKKIEN HARVEST, posted in Hokkien Harvest post

30 Days of Fasting & Prayer Day 20 2021

The impact of the precious blood- Part 2

Day 20 – August 27: Welcome to the Hokkien Harvest 30 days of fasting and prayer during this 7^th Lunar month, Ghost month. To access the Hokkien audio post which also includes Chinese script, just click below. At the bottom of this post we also provide a brief English summary. May God bless greatly during this 30 day period of fasting and prayer.

I John 1:7-9

⁷But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from allsin. ⁸If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. ⁹If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

There is a Chinese proverb that says: “有子万事足，无官一身轻”When you have children you will be satisfied. If you don’t have to be entangled in official duties, you will feel relaxed. After accepting Christ, some people slightly changed this sentence to say: When you have the Lord you will be satisfied. Without sin you will be relaxed. It is true that sin entangles us and puts us in bondage with no freedom. If we carry the burden of sin around in our lives, the road of life gets harder and harder, and we become more and more tired. And sometimes people get to the point that they can’t take it anymore and just want to die. In this kind of scenario, overtime our conscience has no real feeling and we ask ourselves “What’s wrong with this”? Everyone is doing it. This is what everyone says. “The crows in the world are all black.” Despite all of this, many people still insist that nothing is wrong. This is just like an alcoholic who says that he does not have a problem. However, here in this Bible passage John tells us that if we say we have not sinned and done wrong, then we are deceiving ourselves and we lead ourselves astray.

On the other hand, if we recognize our own sins, then God will forgive us of everything. God no longer remembers our past. Everything has been erased and the blood of the Lord Jesus will wash away all of our unrighteousness. We can then live a holy life. The Bible tells us that without the shedding of blood, there is no remission of sin. In other words, only the blood of the Lord Jesus can wash away and cleanse us of our sins.

Once an Irish pastor, Pastor Mullin, met a man who told him that he had not sinned in 30 years. The pastor replied and told him to hang on for three and half more years and he could take first place in heaven. The Lord Jesus lived on the earth for 33 ½ years and never sinned.

At this moment, please bring the names before the Lord of those people whom you are acquainted with and do not yet know Christ.

Prayer:

Dear Lord Jesus, with repentant hearts we ask you to grant forgiveness and grace to our relatives and friends. During this Ghost Festival in the 7^th month of the Lunar Year, whenever we see things that frighten us, please allow your Holy Spirit to shine in our lives so that our friends and relatives will confess their sins and receive forgiveness and cleansing through your precious blood that was shed on the cross. In the holy name of Jesus we pray, amen.

30 Days of Prayer Day 19 2021

August 25, 2021 by HOKKIEN HARVEST, posted in Hokkien Harvest post

30 Days of Fasting & Prayer Day 19 2021

The impact of the precious blood- Part 1

Day 19 – August 26: Welcome to the Hokkien Harvest 30 days of fasting and prayer during this 7^th Lunar month, Ghost month. To access the Hokkien audio post which also includes Chinese script, just click below. At the bottom of this post we also provide a brief English summary. May God bless greatly during this 30 day period of fasting and prayer.

Isaiah 1:18

“Come now, let us settle the matter,” says the Lord. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool”.

I would like to pose a question for us to consider. When we are at our work place or at home cleaning the house and our hands are really dirty, how do we get them clean? That’s easy. We just use water to wash our hands. If our hands are still dirty, then we use soap to wash away the dirt and any bad odor that is there. After all that filth is washed away, our hands are really clean and we have such a pleasant happy feeling.

The color white in the above Bible verse refers to an extremely white color like snow. And the red color is so red that it is like the red that is in wool, a very deep red color. When we paint and apply this color it doesn’t easily fade. Snow is the color that is used to describe whiteness. Think about that. It’s very difficult for crimson to turn white, right? It is actually impossible. In much the same way, to receive a pardon from an official magistrate for killing, murdering or hurting someone is definitely not easy to obtain. Even if the judge gave a criminal a long-term sentence, imprisonment means that he is exempt from death. However, he will have this on his conscience for the rest of his life and feel that he has a debt to pay.

Thank you Lord Jesus! No matter how many sins we have committed; as long as we are humble, confess our sins and repent, the precious blood of Jesus Christ can cleanse us so that we are as white as snow. Today many people have already experienced God’s great pardon. It doesn’t matter if a person is given a death sentence, sentenced to serve jail time, or maybe a person is a blue collar worker or just an ordinary citizen, no matter what kind of person we are, receiving God’s forgiveness is like having a heavy burden lifted. We can experience a new beginning in Christ. We then have the courage and hope to move forward with our life.

I know a man who in the past has been in and out of prison. Today he still is still in and out of prison, but it is not the same. Now he is a free man and has the freedom to come and go in order to help the inmates inside. In India the Ganges River is 1560 miles long. According to the Gandhi Peace Foundation’s Report, this river is the world’s dirtiest and worse smelling river. But the people of this area bathe in it and drink the water hoping that their sins will be pardoned, even though on the side of the river there are signs posted warning people not to drink the untreated river water.

At this moment, please bring the names before the Lord of those people whom you are acquainted with and do not yet know Christ.

Prayer:

Dear Lord Jesus, we know that the water in this world cannot wash away our sins. The only way we can receive forgiveness is to trust in you Lord because you shed your precious blood on the cross for us. We claim the promise of 1 John 1:9: You said that if we confess our sins, you are faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. We pray in the holy name of the Lord Jesus, amen.

30 Days of Prayer Day 18 2021

August 24, 2021 by HOKKIEN HARVEST, posted in Hokkien Harvest post

30 Days of Fasting & Prayer Day 18 2021

The only way to be saved – Part 2

Day 18 – August 25: Welcome to the Hokkien Harvest 30 days of fasting and prayer during this 7^th Lunar month, Ghost month. To access the Hokkien audio post which also includes Chinese script, just click below. At the bottom of this post we also provide a brief English summary. May God bless greatly during this 30 day period of fasting and prayer.

Ladies and gentlemen, pastors, and brothers and sisters in the Lord, I bring you greetings of peace. During these 30 days of fasting and prayer every day we can pray to the Lord for relatives and friends who have not yet come to know Jesus Christ as their Savior. We ask the Lord to use you and for the Holy Spirit to also move these relatives and friends to accept the Lord as their personal Savior. We pray that all glory will go to our Lord, Amen.

I Timothy 2:5

For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus.

When a criminal who is about to be sentenced stands before a judge, he must have a lawyer present. He hopes that this lawyer will serve as his mediator to plead with the judge on his behalf, hoping that his crime would be reduced or forgiven. The Bible says that all people are destined to die and after that will face judgment. Have you ever thought about that? When you stand before God at the judgment who will be your mediator to intercede for you?

Jesus is our only mediator, our only guarantor. The precious blood of Jesus has already washed away our sins. The Bible tells us that if we are in Christ that we are a new creature. The old has passed away, and the new has come. The Bible also tells us that there is only one God, and He created all things. This is God whom we Christians believe in and worship. Most other beings that are called gods are created by man and are false gods. God alone is the true God. Through looking at our magnificent universe we have proof of this truth. In the middle of God and man there is only one mediator. The meaning of mediator is intermediary or guarantor, someone who intercedes for us. This mediator who is the very foundation of mankind is Jesus. He is both God and man. On the one hand this mediator needs to be a perfect God; however, on the other hand he also needs to be human in order to represent man.

Jesus is God’s son, so he is God. He also came into this world in the flesh, so he is also a human being. After his death and resurrection, he was still God and man, so he is forever qualified to serve as our mediator. Jesus Christ alone is the mediator between God and man. Only by trusting in him can we make peace with God. And only by relying and trusting in Him can we enter into the kingdom of heaven and have fellowship with God.

There was a father whose son had gone off to war and lost his life. Before this happened, this father had lived an unscrupulous life and did not believe in God. However, after the death of his son he went before God and experienced major changes in his life. One day he was standing in front of his son’s grave looking at his name and picture. He was very moved and said: “I see that my son’s death was for my salvation”. This is exactly would Jesus did as a mediator. He gave his life allowing us to see God’s love and leading us before God himself.

At this moment, please bring the names before the Lord of those people whom you are acquainted with and do not yet know Christ.

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, thank you for being our mediator, for dying on the cross because of our sin so that we can make peace with God and receive your salvation. We also beseech you, Lord, to be a mediator for our relatives and friends and bring them to yourself. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

30 Days of Prayer Day 17 2017

August 23, 2021 by HOKKIEN HARVEST, posted in Hokkien Harvest post

30 Days of Fasting & Prayer Day 17 2021

The only way to be saved – Part 1

Day 17 – August 24: Welcome to the Hokkien Harvest 30 days of fasting and prayer during this 7^th Lunar month, Ghost month. To access the Hokkien audio post which also includes Chinese script, just click below. At the bottom of this post we also provide a brief English summary. May God bless greatly during this 30 day period of fasting and prayer.

Ladies and gentlemen, pastors, and brothers and sisters in the Lord, I bring you greetings of peace. During these 30 days of fasting and prayer every day we can pray to the Lord for relatives and friends who have not yet come to know Jesus Christ as their Savior. We ask the Lord to use you and for the Holy Spirit to also move these relatives and friends to accept the Lord as their personal Savior. We pray that all glory will go to our Lord, Amen.

Acts 4:12

Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.

Secular people have a saying: “All roads lead to Rome”. So many people think that all religions are the same, and they all lead to heaven. You don’t have to necessarily believe in Jesus to receive salvation and go to heaven. And some people believe that all religions have their reasons and opinions; consequently, they don’t believe in anything. Even more, some people believe that all religions advise people to be good, so they think that we should all accept an attitude of tolerance, be patient, support and accept all religions. They feel that no one should pressure others to believe in their religion.

If it is true that all religions are the same, then is it a waste of time for those of us who are Christians to go out and encourage people to believe in Jesus? Are we just asking for trouble? Why would God send his only son into the world and suffer on a cross? His death would certainly not be necessary.

In Acts 4:12 the Bible says, Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved. What is this saying? The Bible clearly tells us that there is only salvation in Jesus. This verse refers to “Jesus”. Only in Jesus is there salvation. There is only one road to salvation, and that is through Jesus. There is no way for us to save ourselves or to put our trust in someone else to save us. Why does man even need to be saved? We need to be saved, because all people have sinned and destroyed the relationship between man and God. The result of this sin separates us from God and we are doomed to face judgment that prevents us from receiving salvation and sends us into eternal separation from God in hell.

The only road to salvation is to receive Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. Because (1) Outside of Jesus there is no other way to be saved. (2) Jesus is given to us by God, and there is no other name under heaven that can provide salvation for us.

There was an elderly woman who journeyed on a ship from America to England to visit her daughter. During the journey they experienced a large typhoon. It was fierce enough to sink the ship. The passengers on the ship were scared to death. Only this elderly woman was calm. The other passengers marveled at her calmness. They wondered what her secret was to be so quiet and calm. Finally the typhoon quieted down. The passengers asked the elderly woman how she could be so calm in the middle of the storm. The woman answered: “I have two roads ahead of me. If all goes well, I will see my daughter. However, if the ship sinks and I lose my life I will not have the opportunity to see my daughter; but, I will go to heaven and will see Jesus. Just look, she had so much faith and clearly had Jesus in her heart. Jesus was her salvation.

At this moment, please bring the names before the Lord of those people whom you are acquainted with and do not yet know Christ.

Prayer:

Lord, you are our hope and foundation. Only you can allow us to overcome death, be saved and receive eternal life. You alone are our Lord and Savior, because there is no other name under heaven given to mankind that can save us. We beseech you to forgive the stubborn hearts and sin of our relatives and friends, and move their hearts to receive your salvation. In the name of Jesus Christ we pray, amen.

30 Days of Prayer Day 16 2021

August 22, 2021August 22, 2021 by HOKKIEN HARVEST, posted in Hokkien Harvest post

30 Days of Fasting & Prayer Day 16 2021

The Savior seeks the lost – Part 2

Day 16 – August 23: Welcome to the Hokkien Harvest 30 days of fasting and prayer during this 7^th Lunar month, Ghost month. To access the Hokkien audio post which also includes Chinese script, just click below. At the bottom of this post we also provide a brief English summary. May God bless greatly during this 30 day period of fasting and prayer.

Ladies and gentlemen, pastors, and brothers and sisters in the Lord, I bring you greetings of peace. During these 30 days of fasting and prayer every day we can pray to the Lord for relatives and friends who have not yet come to know Jesus Christ as their Savior. We ask the Lord to use you and for the Holy Spirit to also move these relatives and friends to accept the Lord as their personal Savior. We pray that all glory will go to our Lord, Amen.

Matthew 20:28

Just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.

One day, Salome, the mother of James and John, came to ask Jesus to let her sons be in Jesus’ kingdom, one would sit on his right and one on his left. At that time, his disciples were very unhappy and angry to hear this. Jesus said, Whoever wants to be head must first be a servant. A servant is like a person who humbly serves others, and desires to serve the Lord. Next the Lord said that the Son of Man came to serve, and to give his life for others.

Philippians 2:7

He made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.

The Lord came from heaven into this world. He emptied himself first, and then he took the form of a servant and became a human being. The Son of Man came not to be served by others, but to serve people. And he comes to complete God’s will and follow this path of serving others. He paid the ransom price by laying down his own life for us. So if we believe in Him, we will be redeemed and freed to be God’s children. This is really amazing, and is also the greatest love. Because Jesus is God, He should be served by others. But we all know that not everyone who is born is cute or easy to get along with. Not everyone is easy to serve. The truth is that serving other people requires a lot of effort and is not easy.

The Lord Jesus really loves us. He doesn’t complain about us in any way, and accepts us as we are. Knowing that he is looking for us and serving us through all the hardships, shows us how much the Lord loves us. Are we moved by His love and willing to accept Him? Are we willing to allow him to serve us? Are we willing to serve other people and sharing the good news with them?

In modern times there was a great man named He Chuan Phongiam. Early on He Chuan Phongiam had contact with Christianity and it held a strong attraction for him. Then one day he heard a voice in his heart. The voice said: “God! Make me like Jesus.” Even though he was suffering from lung disease, he showed no thought or care for himself and took a vow of poverty and lived among the poor. Later he said something that really moved people: “God is living in the places where the lowest kind of people live. He is with these dirty kind of people. He is also with those who sin and are in jail, with beggars, the sick and those who are unemployed. If one wants to really see God, then he should be willing to go to places like jails. Before going to church, first go and visit the hospitals. Before you read your Bible, go and visit poor communities to serve others.

At this moment, please bring the names before the Lord of those people whom you are acquainted with and do not yet know Christ.

Prayer:

Dear Lord Jesus, we didn’t love you first, you first loved us. We didn’t first come searching for you, you first came seeking us. You were willing to take the form of a servant to serve us, to be crucified on a cross giving yourself as a sacrifice for us. We want to say that we are so grateful for all that you have done. May your love inspire us to be willing to learn from your example. We hope that during this Chinese 7^th Month, Ghost Month, that our relatives and friends will be touched and moved by your love and come to know you personally, face to face. We are so grateful and we pray in the holy name of the Lord Jesus, amen.