DAY 2 – SUNDAY – 2/3/2025

Reflection: Repent for the kingdom of God is at hand Bible Reading:

Matthew 3:1-6, (1) In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, (2) “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”(3) For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah when he said, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord; make his paths straight.’” (4) Now John wore a garment of camel’s hair and a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. (5) Then Jerusalem and all Judea and all the region about the Jordan were going out to him, (6) and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.

Reflection on the message of John the Baptist.

Both John the Baptist and Jesus preached the same sermon during their time: repent for the kingdom of God is at hand.

However, this is not a popular message nowadays. People still continue living in sin. We tend to be more attentive to how people feel about our messages and care less of how God feels about the way His message is being delivered to His church.

We tend to please men rather than God. We fear men rather than fear God more. Will we obey His voice if suddenly God says do not preach your nice messages but preach repentance in the church?

Prayer Focus

1. Pray that the message of repentance will be preached boldly from the pulpit with the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

2. Pray that the Holy Spirit will speak first to the preacher in a very special and gentle way. Pray also that this Spirit-led life-changing experiences in the preacher’s life will bless and transform the lives of his listeners.

3. Pray that the spirit of repentance will flood into the churches once again as it says in Habakkuk 2:14 For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD as the waters cover the sea.

4. Pray that the love of God will flow into people’s lives during this praying and fasting month. It is God’s love that leads people to repentance (Romans 2:4).