Day #21

DIF Web AdminPrayer & Fasting 2025

One of the things God desires from us is to help the oppressed, feed the hungry, and be kind to the foreigner.

We see this come up over and over again in the Bible – in both the Old and New Testaments.

Isaiah 58 is one specific passage that highlights this invitation and responsibility.

God corrects the people in their fast before Him.

So passionate about this message, God doesn’t just “tell” Isaiah to “speak” to the people. No, God specifically instructs Isaiah to:

“Shout it aloud, do not hold back.
Raise your voice like a trumpet.”

God wanted their attention.

This is no soft spoken encounter. This was God instructing His messenger to stand up, shout, and scream out His word.

If you’ve been around toddlers before, it was almost like one of “those moments” when out in public at a shopping centre or the like where the toddler is “expressing themselves” so loudly and passionately that everyone in earshot turns to have a look.

God was wanting to get the attention of His people.

Today I ask you, what is God trying to tell you in this fast? What is He trying to shout out loud to you?

Sometimes we get so consumed with our check-lists and to-do lists, that we don’t stop to hear God speaking to us. We ignore His voice, paying attention to the shouts and demands of the world around us.

As God “spoke” to His people, He challenged them.

Is it only one day that they would bow their heads in prayer or is it only for one day they would humble themselves and then go back to rebellion? God was calling them to more – to be different – to choose Him every day.

He was calling them to:

loose the chains of injustice
and untie the cords of the yoke,
to set the oppressed free
and break every yoke?
Is it not to share your food with the hungry
and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—
when you see the naked, to clothe them

We are chosen to be different.

Different in the way we speak, the way we interact, the way we live – we are called to action! With this call to living differently than the world comes God’s blessings. Be a light shining in the darkness, a well-watered garden, and one who rebuilds that which has been broken.

Day #20

DIF Web AdminPrayer & Fasting 2025

Take a moment to imagine you are living in a cold place. It’s autumn and you are getting ready to leave for work on a night like any other autumn night. First, you get yourself bundled up and then you go out to the car, put your lunch inside and fire up the engine so it can begin warming up for you to leave. You go backside for 10 – 15 minutes and then you take off early because you need to pick up a co-worker on your way. You arrive at her house a few minutes after leaving your place and then you are off to work.

You are driving along, chatting, enjoy the evening drive when, BAAAM, a deer leaps onto and over your car. You slam on the breaks and, as you do, you let out a short explicative @(%#@. You’ve missed the deer – thank You, Jesus! Your car is okay and so are you and your co-worker.

You finish your journey to work and when you arrive, your co-worker starts re-telling the story of your heart-pounding drive into work. You are following along as she shares, adding-in embellishments when it’s appropriate. Then, all of a sudden, you realise you are now the story.

The reason your co-worker is re-telling the story isn’t just because you almost hit a deer and had a car crash but because everyone at your workplace knows you are a Christian and your coworker is surprised that you swore.

THEY WERE WATCHING!

This was one of the first times I realised for myself that, as a professed Christian, people will always be watching how I live my life – how we each live ours. I hadn’t tried to hide who I was as a Christ-follower, but, up until that point, I had never realised that when people know Whose you are, they are watching who you are and how you walk through situations in your everyday life. In that moment (and in the days that followed), I got to know about and live out Matthew 5:13 and be Jesus’ salt for this earth. What an eye-opening, revolutionising experience in Christ!

Now, fast-forward several years to Vietnam. Now you’re working in a school with many foreigners and Vietnamese colleagues. And this lesson from so many years ago – you are God’s salt – comes up again…. but this time not in such a favourable way.

You have been working at this school for a couple of years now and it’s that time of year when there’s school-wide event and students from around the city are gathered in your auditorium to take part. You are sitting next to one of your co-workers and you’ve been doing a bit of chatting throughout the event because you have a growing friendship. All of the sudden, she leans over and says of the person who is MC-ing, “That person is a Christian, watch out or he’ll try and convert you.”

You sit stunned. You are a Christian too. How do they not know that? How has this been missed? What do you do in this moment? Do you keep quiet? Your colleague didn’t seem to like the Christian on stage. Do you say something? What does this say about you if those you spend the most time around you don’t know that you’re a Christ-follower, too.

Instead of being Jesus’ salt to the people around you, you’ve somehow been hiding your light under a bush or a bucket. You’ve somehow laid aside that lesson from years ago – that people are always watching – you’ve somehow forgotten that you are to be Jesus’ salt, His light, and you are not supposed to be hiding Whose you are, but shining brightly for Him through who you are just like it says in Matthew 5:14-16.

Today, your challenge is, are you being the saltiness in your community? Are you being that city on a hill shining brightly for all to see?

Day #19

DIF Web AdminPrayer & Fasting 2025

Who remembers (or still does) play organised sport at school? And who remembers the infamous “choosing of players” to create teams process?

In case you need a refresher, a coach would often divide their team into two mini teams at weekly practice and nominate two players to act as captains who would take it in turns to name a player for their team. The selected team mate would then walk over to their ‘captain’ and ‘team’, with the process continuing until all players had been allocated.

Day #18

DIF Web AdminPrayer & Fasting 2025

First, I want to declare that I am a beautiful daughter of God.

He created me in an amazing way. He has a plan for me on earth. I know that I am chosen not because of what I did, what I own, or even who I am. I am chosen because of His love, His compassion, and the blood that was shed on the cross for me. All my joy, confidence, happiness, and strength have been based on Christ’s foundation. I am chosen and loved even if no one loved me, or no one cared about me.

That is a shortcut that I hope everyone understands about me before reading the following.

I was born into a Christian family but when I was 18 years old, I started to have a personal relationship with God. From that moment, I knew I was chosen.

But what happened after that? What happened after I accepted Jesus as my Saviour? The answer is that I thought I needed to keep making decisions to keep my “chosen” life because I am still a sinner, the world is still so tempting for me.

At Age 20, I was so upset, and disappointed and even hated myself. This is because I kept doing things that God did not like and then repented and kept doing it like a circle. I cried a lot because I knew it was so wrong. It was a time that I could not forgive myself. I was struggling with human love, my job, wanting recognition from others, and even how I looked. It happened for many years and years.

Fortunately, God put a lot of people in my life who reminded me that He loves me so much and He never gives up on me.

When I saw how fruitful and beautiful they were when I interacted with them. I admired how close they were with God through their countenance, actions, and the words from their mouth, and their love for others. I told God that I want this life, the life that is close to Jesus.

I asked God for help. He answered with His words. He wants me to pay more attention to “self-control “and “ discipline” wherever or whenever I am.

I commit to work 8 hours per day. I should not use it for Facebook time or take a longer nap than expected (I love ‘hitting the hay’). I should monitor my mouth with what and how much I say to others in different situations. I need to go to bed early and wake up early so I have personal time with God before going out. And I should not eat a large amount of food when my body does not need that much.

For every single decision I face, with the Holy Spirit that is in me and not of my own strength, I can practice “self-control” and “discipline”.

Living a “self-controlled and disciplined” life may sound like a punishment, but really, it is a blessed life.

Of course, I am on this journey until I see Jesus face to face. Therefore, I know that if I do not give up God will help me to live a beautiful “chosen” life until the day I am face to face with Jesus.

He will call my name, and I will run to Him without any hesitation.

Day #17

DIF Web AdminPrayer & Fasting 2025

In December, my family had the opportunity to attend a live performance about Daniel at the Sight and Sound Theater. It was an unforgettable experience that transported us back to the historical period when the Israelites were exiled to Babylon.

Daniel was taken into captivity as a teenager, along with his Hebrew friends. He served under two Babylonian kings and one Persian king.

The play vividly portrayed how the Babylonians worshipped their gods—with offerings, songs, and rituals to idols. Witnessing their darkness, immorality, and wickedness was deeply unsettling.

King Nebuchadnezzar, a prideful and evil king but his successor, King Belshazzar, was even worse. Belshazzar desecrated the holy vessels from God’s temple, using them to drink wine and praise false gods during his feast. (Daniel 5).

Daniel lived in a challenging time: the Israelites were exiled for 70 years, as prophesied by Jeremiah (Jeremiah 29:10-11). Jerusalem was destroyed, the temple burned, and Daniel likely lost his family in the invasion. Despite being surrounded by idol worshippers and serving kings who could kill him at any moment, Daniel chose to remain faithful to God.

Though he must have experienced sadness, grief, and homesickness, Daniel displayed unwavering integrity. He refused to defile himself with the king’s food, continued praying three times a day despite the king’s decree and stood firm in his faith, even when cast into the lion’s den.

Similarly, Queen Esther faced her own trials.

The Israelites were oppressed under King Ahasuerus, and a plot to annihilate them was devised by Haman. Mordecai reminded Esther of her divine purpose, saying: “Who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14).

Esther courageously stepped forward, risking her life to save her people and glorify God.

Both Daniel and Esther understood that their lives were not accidental. They were chosen in unique positions to fulfill God’s purposes. Their willingness to sacrifice everything, including their lives, inspires us even today.

Daniel and Esther’s stories reveal a timeless truth: God always has a plan, even in the darkest of circumstances.

God does not call us to live easy lives but meaningful ones. Mordecai told Esther that if she chose not to act, God would still accomplish His plan, but she would miss the opportunity to be part of it.

Corrie ten Boom once said: “If you look at the world, you’ll be distressed. If you look at God, you’ll be at rest.”

In a world filled with evil and challenges, choose to look to God, as Daniel and Esther did.

Perhaps you and I are called and chosen for such a time as this—to live faithfully, boldly, and completely surrendered to God.

Day #16

DIF Web AdminPrayer & Fasting 2025

Who has ever been blessed with a thoughtful mother, aunt, grandmother, or other relative who have shown their love to you through homemade clothing?

My Nanna loved to knit and was a croquet-blanket making ninja. I have some of her smaller pieces with me here in Vietnam, including croquet-embellished handtowels which hang in our kitchen so a little piece of her is with me every time I wash then dry my hands.

But I’m not talking about that kind of blessing – I’m talking about the ‘creative expression’ sort where photos were printed onto t-shirts and puff paints liberally applied as borders to said gigantic full-colour photo of yourself. I’m talking about the matching florescent harem pants that each of the cousins or siblings got for that ‘perfect family photo’ (and yes, there are photos). I’m talking about the handmade matching sweatshirt and sweatpants for the whole family with quilting fabrics and, you guessed it, more puff paints.

In case you can’t tell, yes, I was blessed with many (too many) of these ‘gems’ during my childhood and yes, I can show you photos (for a price).

Yes, I will loudly confess that they were tacky then and even tackier now (sorry Mum). But! Now, I can look back and realise that I was literally clothed in my mother’s love, puff paints and all.

What a powerful gift it is to be clothed in love.

As great as my mother is, God’s love is even better – it is unconditional and unreserved in measure. More precious and powerful than that matching polkadot nightgown from Mum is the powerful gift of ‘God’s wardrobe’ – the epitome of ‘homemade’ God-style clothing that He’s hand-picked out for us to wear daily.

Indeed, it is the kind of clothing that, as Isaiah 61:10 [CEV] notes, causes us to “celebrate and shout” because “His saving power and justice are the very clothes I wear” now.

This declaration of His power, grace, and kingdom-minded justice is expressed eloquently in the hymn called, “Clothed in Righteousness” by Dr. R.C. Sproul, of which a portion is shared:

Clothe us in Your righteousness
Hide filthy rags of sin
Dress us in Your perfect garb
Both outside and within
Scarlet souls are now like snow
By Thy atoning grace
Crimson hearts become like wool
For Adam’s fallen race
No work of ours is good enough
For evil to atone
Your merit, Lord, is all we have
It saves and it alone

God and God alone is our treasure. He chose us. He has set us apart to be holy and dearly loved. He alone is good enough. His merit, His power, His glory, His goodness, and His grace is all we have – “it saves and it alone”. All we need to do is respond.

To live like one who is “chosen, set apart, holy, and dearly loved” requires action. It is not accidental nor is it coincidence. It demands humble and intentional action – all led by and through His Spirit. We are to choose to wear His hand-selected wardrobe.

As the song notes, such action is to take place “both outside and within” – it requires change internally and externally so all the world will know Whose you are and how different you are because of your relationship with Him. So, what will that look like for you today?

Day #15

DIF Web AdminPrayer & Fasting 2025

Your dream of opening a café is close to becoming a reality and your excitement is palpable. You have done your research on what other cafes you may be competing against in your area, what their fit-outs and furnishings are like, and what they have on their menus, and now determined what your café will look like, including the staff you want, and the products you will serve.

You have found the ideal building and location and have signed the lease. Now begins the process of choosing the builder to do the fit-out, choosing the furnishings and equipment, choosing the coffee and food supplies and choosing the staff. You meet with the builder who was recommended to you only to find that the examples of his work that he showed you were very sub-standard. It was the same with the person showing you their furniture and catering equipment. It was poor quality and some seemed old and faulty.

You then began the process of choosing your staff, only to find that everyone who applied had no experience and turned up for their interview looking scruffy, unprepared and late. To top off this disappointment, the potential food supplier’s samples were bruised, spoiled or close to their ‘use by date’. You wouldn’t choose any of it. How disheartened you would feel as nothing and nobody was up to the standard you needed to see your dream realised.

Aren’t you glad that our God doesn’t make His choices the way we do? He chose you and I with all our flaws, our shortcomings, our failures, and our lack of qualifications.

When Jesus chose His disciples I wonder how they would have felt when He said these powerful words to them in John 15:16a: “You did not choose me. I chose you.’

Our perfect Saviour picked some of the most imperfect people to be part of His team: Peter (a hothead), Thomas (a doubter), and Matthew (a despised tax collector). Most of the disciples came from lowly, insignificant backgrounds. They were flawed, unrefined and unqualified. They were often overlooked, yet Jesus saw them as they were and chose them anyway.

We read in scripture about many others, and everyone who knew them, or knew about them, would see them as flawed and unworthy of doing anything of significance, however, God ‘chose’ them for great purposes. Moses fled Egypt a murderer and spent 40 years in the desert tending his father-in-law’s sheep, however, he was then ‘chose’ by God to go back to Egypt, as the one to lead the Children of Israel out of their bondage.

In the Book of Acts we read of Saul, who persecuted Christians and went everywhere with the intent of destroying the church. He certainly wouldn’t be our first, or even last choice as one that would champion and grow the church, however, Jesus ‘chose’ Saul, who became Paul, as an ‘apostle to the gentiles’, and one who wrote a substantial part of the New Testament.

The good news is that you too are chosen, you are declared holy, you are dearly loved and set apart. You are chosen for good works. God has a specific plan for you to impact the world positively. You are chosen to broadcast God’s glorious wonders throughout the world. God loved you so much that He sent His son Jesus as a sacrifice to rescue you from darkness and give you eternal life. God CHOSE you on purpose, for a significant purpose. As with the disciples, as with Moses, as with the Apostle Paul, God sees you, and He chooses you!

As you read, and maybe reread the scriptures in this devotion, be encouraged that you are incredibly loved by God, you are significant, you have been called, you have been set apart, and commissioned for great purpose. You are chosen.

Day #14

DIF Web AdminPrayer & Fasting 2025

Throughout His ministry, Jesus often spoke in parables and gave sermons to thousands of people.

One particular example that I’d like to draw your attention to today is the “Parable of the Sower” which is found in Mark 4:1-20.

After He shares the parable itself, Jesus told the crowd, “whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.”

Later on, “when He was alone, the Twelve and the others around Him” asked what this (and the parables) meant. He told them, “the secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But to those on the outside everything is said in parables so that, ‘they may be ever seeing but never perceiving, and ever hearing but never understanding…’” (Mark 4:9-12 NIV).

We see again that, “with many similar parables Jesus spoke the word to them, as much as they could understand. He did not say anything to them without using a parable. But when He was alone with His own disciples, He explained everything.” (Mark 4:33-34 NIV).

When I read this recently in my personal devotion time, I couldn’t help but ask myself, what determines who is on the “outside” versus the “inside”? Why didn’t Jesus explain the meaning of the parables while the crowd was still there so that everyone could know the meaning? Why were only some “chosen” to both hear and understand?

Then I realised that those who heard the explanations were those who followed Jesus and asked to understand.

Jesus didn’t leave the crowd confused because they were not chosen to understand. He left the crowd with as much wisdom as they were willing and able to take in. “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear” was not a judgment to separate those who were chosen from those who were not but was an invitation.

Jesus used such an invitation frequently. He gave all of those with the ears, hearts, and minds who were willing to lean in, listen, and continue seeking the understanding He alone can offer.

The crowd walked away satisfied enough with what they heard, but the disciples and others chose to follow Christ and seek understanding.

So how does this apply to us?

The truth is, we are all chosen as God’s dearly beloved children.

The most famous verse of all time says God sent His Son so that all who believe in Him will have everlasting life. He created each one of us with plans and a purpose. He will be found by all who seek Him.

These verses prove that the question is not about “if” we are chosen or not, but “whether we will choose” to accept the invitation to follow God and seek understanding of the good plans He has already prepared for us.

Day #13

DIF Web AdminPrayer & Fasting 2025

For anyone who has been around young children for longer than ten minutes, chances are you have read “The Very Hungry Caterpillar”. It is a 1969 classic children’s picture book designed, illustrated, and written by Eric Carle.

If haven’t enjoyed the delights of this special tale, what an epic adventure you have missed!

The beautifully illustrated story follows the delectable journey of one very hungry caterpillar (hence the name) that consumes quite the variety of foods before pupating and becoming a butterfly after this season is done.

Hang on, ‘pupating’… what on earth is that?

Well, simply put, pupation is the fancy scientific term to describe the stage or process when a caterpillar stops growing in its current form and transitions to a new season of change and growth, undergoing a fast and quite fabulous physical transformation (both internal and external) to become a moth or butterfly.

What does this lovely little process have to do with us? Well, a lot more than we may think.

If you read Colossians 3:10, bar the fancy scientific term I just used above, this verse details a similar process for each of us once we’ve ‘said yes to Jesus’ and declared His eternal Lordship in our lives.

We have begun “to live the new life” with that decision. This term ‘begun’ is a powerful one not to be glossed over. It is a verb – meaning ‘action is required’ – and it delineates a process – something that is ongoing.

The ICB version continues with this ‘language of becoming’, stating that in our new life “you are being made new” – indeed “becoming like the One who made you”. What good news!

As only God can, not only are we given the gift and blessing of a new life, but He also graces us with the time (each day until we meet Him face-to-face) and resources (His Word and Spirit) to become like Him and have “the true knowledge of God”.

In each day and each phase of its life, a caterpillar come moth or butterfly, trusts in its Creator and way they’ve been designed. They trust each part of the process of the becoming so implicitly that they willingly submit to the transformation without thought.

Imagine trusting your Creator with the ‘process of becoming’ so implicitly that you willingly submit to each phase of the transformation without question let alone whimper.

I’m not there yet but I sure want to be. How about you?

Day #12

DIF Web AdminPrayer & Fasting 2025

If you’d told me a few years ago, before I came to Christ, that I’d been created by God to be one of His ‘chosen people’, part of His ‘royal priesthood’, a citizen of His ‘holy nation’ and His ‘special possession’, then I probably would have told you that you’re out of your mind…or that you’d got the wrong person!!

But now, as I meditate on 1 Peter 2:9-10 as someone who’s thankfully come to know the Truth and is in a personal relationship with God, I’d tell you something very different! It fills me with immense awe, wonder, and thankfulness as I think about the truth of who we are and whose we are.

How amazing, that from the moment anyone chooses to give their life to Jesus, they can receive the fullness of this brand new identity and enjoy walking in it daily! What an incredibly merciful, gracious, loving Heavenly Father we have, that He would choose to take us from our sinful, rebellious state and bring us into a life of such privilege and purpose!

As Peter explains, He ‘… called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.’ ‘Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.’ (vv. 9-10).

As if our Father hasn’t blessed us enough through His decision to sacrifice His own Son so we could be forgiven, redeemed, restored and saved (Colossians 1:13-14), He also decided to give us high positions of privilege, authority and responsibility within His eternal Kingdom!

We are ‘a chosen people’:
‘And now that you belong to Christ, you are the true children of Abraham. You are his heirs, and God’s promise to Abraham belongs to you.’ (Galatians 3:29). Staying faithful to the promise He made Abraham to bless all the families of the Earth through him (Genesis 12:3), God has now chosen us as the people He wants to use to bless the whole world! Wow…just think about that for a moment!

We are ‘a royal priesthood’:
Yes, did you know you’re now a priest?! A royal priest, in fact! Jesus holds the position of both the great High Priest (Hebrews 4:14) and the King of Kings (Revelation 6:15). So every person who receives Christ, automatically receives the status of royalty, and at the same time, the ministry of a priest. We are now seated with Jesus in ‘heavenly places’ (Ephesians 2:6) and will rule and reign with Him in His eternal Kingdom (Daniel 7:27).

We also have full access to the largest inheritance known to man as His co-heirs! (Romans 8:17). Our priestly work involves coming before God to intercede for people, as we now have direct access to His holy presence through the blood of Jesus (1 Timothy 2:1-2 and Hebrews 10:19-25). Additionally, we should represent God to people and live lives of sacrifice and service (Romans 12:1).

We are a ‘holy nation’ and ‘God’s special possession’:
Through our faith in Jesus’s redemptive work, we have been cleansed from our sins, and now belong to our Heavenly Father. We are now His treasured group of people who He’s called to be Holy like He is, so that we stand out from the rest of the world (1 Peter 1:15-16). As the apostle Paul says, we need to ‘…live a life that measures up to the standard God set when he called you.’(Ephesians 4:1-6)

So, what is God’s greater purpose in giving us this new identity? ‘..that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.’ (1 Peter 2:9). It’s to declare both with our lips and with our lives, the greatness and glory of God! Firstly, we can declare His own praise back to him in worship. And then, we can tell others about who He is what He’s done in our lives, causing them to declare His praises too!