Lord, help us to get our priorities right - Your priorities. May our lives be more centred on You - less centred on ourselves. Help us to listen for Your Word - not to jump straight in with our own words. Help us to open our hearts to Your Holy Spirit. May He move among us - in power, in love, in holiness, in victory. Transform our life, O Lord - May we live as a new creation in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17). May we know the great blessing of knowing that Jesus, our Saviour, is always "God with us" (Matthew 1:23).
Genesis 1:4-13
Lord, when You speak to us, help us to say, ‘Your will be done’ (Matthew 6:10).
‘Let it be to me according to Your Word’ (Luke 1:38) - This was Mary’s prayer. May it also be our prayer. By ourselves, we are helpless and hopeless - Without Your help, we have no hope of doing Your will and pleasing You. We need Your Holy Spirit - May the Spirit’s ‘living water’ flow in us (John 7:37-39). Thank You, Lord, for the gift of Your Holy Spirit - He gives us the power to ‘walk in the light’ (1 John 1:7) with You. Lead us in the way of fruitfulness - the way of “love, joy, peace ... “(Galatians 5:22-23).
Genesis 1:14-25
Lord, You have made us - to praise You. You call us to live for Your glory. Praise to God, glory to God - Where does this come from? We look into our hearts - and it is not there. We look at our lives - and we say, "Where is this praise to God?, Where is this glory to God?" Lord, we can only praise You when You give to us the song of praise. You alone can fill our hearts with praise to You. You alone can fill our lives with Your glory. Without You, Lord, our life is a spiritual wasteland. Come, O Lord, to this spiritual wasteland. Come - and make our life a song of praise to You. Come - and make our life a hymn that says, "Glory to God."
Lord, You are our Creator. We have been created by You. We have been created for You. What have we done with this great blessing? We have turned away from You. We have gone our own way. We have done our own thing. Have You lost patience with us? Have You given up on us? We often feel like we are a waste of Your time - then we remember Jesus. That's when everything changes - We remember Jesus. He came from where You are. He came to where we are. From where we are to where You are - This is what Jesus does for us.
Lord, we look at ourselves, and we say, “This is my life. This is the way I’ve always been. I’ll never change. I’ll never be any different.” Is this all that we can say about ourselves? Is this what You’re saying about us? We’re always thinking about what we are. You’re always saying to us, “This is what you can become. This is what I am going to make you.” Help us to listen to what You’re saying to us. Help us to make a new “beginning” with You - as we believe and receive “the Good News of Jesus Christ, the Son of God” (Mark 1:1).
Lord, You are God. Who are we to tell You what to do? Who are we to say, “We’ll do what we like” - when You’re saying to us, “I know what’s best for you.” Help us to choose Your way - and stop insisting on getting our own way. How are we to do this? Jesus tells us, “If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed” (John 8:36). How, we wonder, does Jesus make us free?
He shows us “the truth” - the truth about ourselves, the truth about Jesus.
We are sinners. Jesus is our Saviour. This is the truth. It’s “the truth that sets us free” (John 8:32). We are sinners. Jesus is our Saviour. This is the truth that brings us out of the prison cell of our own making. This, Lord, is the truth which brings us on to the pathway of Your blessing, the pathway of true and lasting joy, the pathway to Your eternal glory.
He shows us “the truth” - the truth about ourselves, the truth about Jesus.
We are sinners. Jesus is our Saviour. This is the truth. It’s “the truth that sets us free” (John 8:32). We are sinners. Jesus is our Saviour. This is the truth that brings us out of the prison cell of our own making. This, Lord, is the truth which brings us on to the pathway of Your blessing, the pathway of true and lasting joy, the pathway to Your eternal glory.
Lord, we thank You that You have a place in Your heart for us. Why? What have we done that You should keep on loving us? Is there something good about us - something that makes us worthy of Your love? Whatever way we look at it - the answer’s always “No.” No! No! No!
There’s no way back to You, Lord, that begins with ourselves. We cannot begin with ourselves - but “Is there another starting-point?”
Lord, there is only one place. We begin with Your love - “God so loved the world that He gave His only Son ... “ (John 3:16). We hear these words, and we ask, “Why, Lord, have You loved us like this?”
From our side, there’s no answer to this question. We can only say, “We’re sinners.” There’s nothing else we can say about ourselves.
What do You, Lord, say to sinners? “God shows His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).
There’s no way back to You, Lord, that begins with ourselves. We cannot begin with ourselves - but “Is there another starting-point?”
Lord, there is only one place. We begin with Your love - “God so loved the world that He gave His only Son ... “ (John 3:16). We hear these words, and we ask, “Why, Lord, have You loved us like this?”
From our side, there’s no answer to this question. We can only say, “We’re sinners.” There’s nothing else we can say about ourselves.
What do You, Lord, say to sinners? “God shows His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).
Lord, we are often tempted - tempted to forget all about You. The pull towards self-centred living is so strong.We think that we can go it alone. We think that we don’t need You. We think that we can manage all right without You. Where does this kind of thinking come from? Does it come from You? - To ask the question is to give the answer. You would never make us think like that! This kind of thinking must come from somewhere else - from someone else. It can only come from Satan - the devil. He’s the one who wants us to forget all about You. Lord, You are “our Father” (Matthew 6:9). Satan is very different. He’s “the father of lies” (John 8:44). Lord, help us to stop listening to Satan - and to start listening to You.
Lord, we have wandered far from You. There seems to be no way back. We feel like we’re ready to give up in despair. Is this all that there is - wandering around in the wilderness of life, always travelling but never arriving at our destination? We’re groping around in the darkness - then something happens, something wonderful. Lord, You come to us. You come to us in our darkness. You come to us with Your light. It’s the light of Christ. It’s the light of love. It’s the light of salvation. "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners" (1 Timothy 1:15).
Lord, we have failed You over and over again. It never seems to stop - failure, failure, failure ..! This is the story of our life - from beginning to end. Can we escape from this - failure, failure, failure ...? This is nothing new - It goes back to the Garden of Eden. It started off so well - but it turned out so badly. Is there a way out of this - failure, failure, failure ...? Lord, we thank You that there is! Jesus has succeeded - where everyone else failed. “There was no other good enough to pay the price of sin, He only could unlock the gate of heaven and let us in.”
Genesis 3:16-24
Lord, we feel like we're making a right mess of things. Everything's going wrong. This is the story of today's world. It's not just everybody else's story. It's our story. None of us can escape the truth - we're sinners.
Thank You, Lord - That's only part of the truth concerning us. We are loved by You. We hear this, Lord - but still we wonder, "Can You do anything with us?" Has this world reached the end of the road? Is our situation hopeless? Is there any hope for any of us? We feel ourselves being dragged into a black hole - then we hear Your Word speaking to us: ‘the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord’ (Romans 6:23). Gift? - It's not earned by us. It's given to us. Hope? Where does it come from? - From Jesus Christ our Lord!
Lord, we feel like we're making a right mess of things. Everything's going wrong. This is the story of today's world. It's not just everybody else's story. It's our story. None of us can escape the truth - we're sinners.
Thank You, Lord - That's only part of the truth concerning us. We are loved by You. We hear this, Lord - but still we wonder, "Can You do anything with us?" Has this world reached the end of the road? Is our situation hopeless? Is there any hope for any of us? We feel ourselves being dragged into a black hole - then we hear Your Word speaking to us: ‘the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord’ (Romans 6:23). Gift? - It's not earned by us. It's given to us. Hope? Where does it come from? - From Jesus Christ our Lord!
Genesis 4:1-5
Lord, when we come to You, we come with our sin. We can’t do anything else. Sin is a part of what we are. It’s the heart of what we are.
Lord, when we come to You, we come with our sin. We can’t do anything else. Sin is a part of what we are. It’s the heart of what we are.
Lord, our life is a journey. We can be travelling with You – or we can be running away from You. Day-by day, we are further down the road – closer to You or further away from You. Day-by-day, we must choose: Will we travel with You, Lord? or Will we go our own way?
Often, we make bad choices. We take a wrong turning. Things go from bad to worse. We lose sight of You. We get lost. We wonder, “Is there a way back home? Is there a way back to the Lord?” We thank You, Lord, that You are waiting for us. In love, You are waiting for us to turn around – to make our way back to You. You are waiting for us to stop wandering – and start returning. Lead us, Lord. Lead us to Yourself. Lead us out of the wilderness of our sin. Lead us into the promised land of Your salvation.
Lord, You are always with us - but we are not always with You. There is never a time when You are not there at our side – but there are many times when we don’t realize that You are right there, beside us at every stage in our journey through life. Life isn’t easy! Bad things happen to us – and we take our eyes off You. Before we know it, we’re going round in circles – getting nowhere quickly. What are we to make of all this? Are we to say, “Why have You left me, Lord?” Our difficult circumstances are shouting at us, “God has left you. You’re on your own. Make the most of it – without Him.” Lord, help us, when we feel like this, to keep on listening for Your “still, small voice.” Help us to hear the “gentle whisper” of Your love (1 Kings 19:11-12). When our emotions are pulling us this way, pulling us that way, pulling us all over the place, help us to hear and believe Your precious promise: “I will be with you always” (Matthew 28:20).
Lord, where have all the years gone? Five years becomes ten years. Ten years becomes twenty years. Twenty years becomes forty years …. Is there something more than this? - We thank You that You are the eternal God. In all the changing circumstances of our life, help us to remember this: “The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms” (Deuteronomy 33:27). You are the eternal God. Your love is unchanged, unchanging and unchangeable. This is our encouragement – when everything around us is changing. We are encouraged. Lord, may we also be challenged: How much of our life is bringing glory to You?
Genesis 5:18-32
Lord, help us to walk with You. Sometimes, we wonder, “Where is our life leading us?” That depends, Lord, on who’s doing the leading. Are we being “led by the Spirit of God” (Romans 8:14)? or Have we allowed the devil to slip into the place where You alone should be? Lord, lead us to the place of blessing. Lead us by Your grace. Give us the faith which says, “Jesus is stronger than Satan and sin. Satan to Jesus must bow” (A.C.D.). When Satan – the intruder - tries to take Your place in our hearts, help us to give the answer of faith, “Satan has no authority here in this place. He has no authority here” (Debbye Graafsma). Help us to “leave no unguarded place, no weakness of the soul.” Help us “to keep our armour bright.” Help us to “attend with constant care, still walking in our Captain’s sight and watching unto prayer” (Charles Wesley).
Lord, help us to walk with You. Sometimes, we wonder, “Where is our life leading us?” That depends, Lord, on who’s doing the leading. Are we being “led by the Spirit of God” (Romans 8:14)? or Have we allowed the devil to slip into the place where You alone should be? Lord, lead us to the place of blessing. Lead us by Your grace. Give us the faith which says, “Jesus is stronger than Satan and sin. Satan to Jesus must bow” (A.C.D.). When Satan – the intruder - tries to take Your place in our hearts, help us to give the answer of faith, “Satan has no authority here in this place. He has no authority here” (Debbye Graafsma). Help us to “leave no unguarded place, no weakness of the soul.” Help us “to keep our armour bright.” Help us to “attend with constant care, still walking in our Captain’s sight and watching unto prayer” (Charles Wesley).
Lord, we thank You for Your “amazing grace” – “I once was lost but now am found” (John Newton). We think about our life. Did we find our way back to You? - No! You found us! You came looking for us – and You found us. We think about this – and we say, “Hallelujah!” We say, “Praise the Lord!” Do we say, “Hallelujah! We have found Him”? We do say this – but there is something more than this: “Hallelujah! He has saved me.” Thank You, Lord, for Your amazing grace.
Lord, we thank You for Your great love. There is no love like Your love. We think of Your Son giving Himself, in death, for us. We think of His suffering for us and we say, “Saviour of the world, what have You done to deserve this?” We look at the Cross, and we see more than suffering. We see love, and we say, “Saviour of the world … what have we done to deserve You?” Beyond “the mystery of undeserved suffering”, we catch a glimpse of something else – something very, very wonderful: “the deeper mystery of unmerited love” (Common Order, Prayer for Good Friday).
Lord, we thank You for Jesus - There is no-one like Him. What a great Saviour He is! He does for us something that we could never – ever – do for ourselves. He forgives our sins – and He forgets them!
The forgiveness of all our sins - What a great blessing this is! We read the words, “I will remember their sins no more” – and we think to ourselves, “How wonderful is this?” We think of Jesus. We think of all that He has done for us. He was crucified for us. He has risen for us.
Our sins have been forgiven – and forgotten. Can we even begin to understand this? Do we need to understand all of this? We do not understand it all. How can we possibly understand all that You have done for us? “Jesus Christ, we greet You! … risen from the grave … You have come: not to answer our questions, but to show us Your face” (Common Order, Prayer for Easter). Thank You, Lord, for Jesus – Your Son, our Saviour. Thank You for His love – Love is shining from His face. In His face, we see His smile. It is the smile of His love (“Still the night, holy the night!”)
Lord, we thank You for Jesus – He is the Rock of our salvation. Often, in our journey through life, we’re walking on shifting sand. As we walk along, we discover that it’s more than shifting sand – It’s quicksand! It’s sucking us in – and it’s dragging us down. Is there any hope for us? Is there any solid ground? Yes! There is! Jesus is “the Solid Rock” (“My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness … On Christ, the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand.”) Lord, we thank You that You’ve not left us to fall down in our own weakness. You’ve given us Jesus, our Saviour – We stand in His strength. When we feel like we’re sinking, help us, Lord, to look to You, to find new strength in You. When we’re almost overwhelmed by the flood of unbelief that seems to be coming at us all the time, help us to come to You and receive Your strength: “Be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might” (Ephesians 6:10).
Lord, we thank You for the rainbow – It tells us that You love us!
Sometimes, we see a rainbow. Do we wonder about it? Does it have a message for us? We look at the rainbow. Help us to look beyond the rainbow – to the Cross. There’s a great children’s song about the rainbow (it’s sung to the tune, “Early one morning just as the sun was rising … ). It’s a song about God’s love. “When you see a rainbow, remember God is love. When you see a rainbow, remember God is love. Yes, God is love. Yes, God is love. When you see a rainbow, remember God is love.” When the sun is rising … when the rainbow is in the sky … at all times of the day, help us to remember that You love us. Help us to look beyond the rising sun to the risen Son. Help us to look beyond the rainbow to the Cross: “upon the Cross we see, in shining letters, ‘God is love.’” Help us, when there’s no rainbow and there’s no sunshine, to keep on “singing the praise of Him who died, of Him who died upon the Cross” (Thomas Kelly).
Lord, we need Your strength.
Without Your strength, we fall. Without Your strength, we fail.
With Your strength, everything changes.
You lead us from our defeat into Your victory.
Help us, Lord, to trust You.
In ourselves, we are weak. In You, we are strong.
Where does this strength come from? – It comes from this: Jesus has risen – and He lives in us!
“Resurrect in our lives faith, hope, and love, as surely as You raised Jesus Christ from the grave” (Common Order, Prayer for Easter).
Lord, Your love makes us feel very special.
There are plenty of times when we’re down in the dumps – and we need some encouragement from You.
When we feel like this, help us to remember that Your love makes us very special: “I’m special because God loves me.”
How do we know that You love us? – You gave Your Son, Jesus, to be our Saviour.
What are we to say when we think of Jesus – crucified for us?
“Thank You Jesus, thank You Lord, for loving me so much.”
We look at ourselves – and we know that we’re nothing special.
We look at Jesus. We think of His love for us – and something happens. We begin to feel that we are very special – to You!
“Help me feel Your love right now, to know deep in my heart that I’m Your special friend” (Graham Kendrick).
Lord, help us not to get too big for our boots.
Sometimes, we get down in the dumps. When this happens, we need to get lifted up - by You!
Sometimes, we have a very different problem. We get too big for our boots – and we need to be brought back down to earth!
Brought down with a bump: How often this has happened to us – and it was just what we needed!
Bringing us down – We thank You, Lord, that this is only the beginning of Your work in us.
You never bring us down – to leave us there. You bring us down to build us up again!
Building us up – That’s what You do for us.
We’re broken down – and You put us together again!
Lord, this is so encouraging.
When we forget You, You never forget us.
When we feel like giving up, You say to us, “I haven’t finished with you yet. I’ll never be finished with You: What I have planned for you is nothing less than this - eternal life.”
Lord, sometimes, the things that happen to us don’t seem to make sense – to us!
We try to tell the story of our life. We try to make sense of it all. We try – but we fail.
Why? – We don’t know the full story.
Sometimes, we feel like we’re living on Dead End Street!
You say to us, “You’re missing the point! You don’t need to understand what it’s all about. You can leave that to Me.”
Help us, Lord, to know that we’re not alone – trying to make sense of our life. Help us to know that You’re with us. Help us to think of Jesus. He is “God with us” (Matthew 1:23).
When everything seems to be so confusing, help us to remember that
Jesus understands us. He knows what we’re like – and He hasn’t stopped loving us. He never will!
He loves us – and He’s praying for us: ”We praise You, our glorious Lord and Saviour, and are for ever glad that now there is in heaven One who understands and intercedes for us” (Common Order, Prayer for Ascension).
Lord, sometimes, we feel like we’re stuck in a rut.
When we feel like this, help us to see that You’ve moved on ahead of us. You’re calling us on – into Your future!
Do we need to see exactly where You’re leading us? – No! We don’t! We just need to keep on following You.
The future may be unknown to us – but it’s never unknown to You!
“Face the sun and the shadows will fall behind you. Look to the One who can put your past behind you. Be the one you were born to be – Don’t you want to be free? … There ‘ll be brighter days ahead” (Garry Brotherston).
Lord, let there be no more fear of an unknown future. Help us to look to the Son. Help us to know that, with Him, we can never be stuck in a rut! Help us to move forward with Him and for Him.
Lord, help us to make good choices.
When we’re at the crossroads of life, we can so easily head off in the wrong direction.
“Without the Way, there is no going. Without the truth, there is no knowing. Without the life, there is no living.”
Help us to choose well. Help us to choose Jesus.
Lord, give us this great testimony: “It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me” (Galatians 2:20).
Lord, help us to keep on praying this prayer: “May there be less of self and more of Christ in me” (John 3:30).
Lord, what are we to do when we can’t find any peace of mind?
Where are we to look? Are we to look inside of ourselves? Is that where we’ll find peace? Is there an inner peace – if we look deep enough, we’ll find it?
Peace is His gift to us. It’s not something that’s already there in our hearts – if we look deep enough we’ll find it. It’s something that has to be given to us. We have to receive it from Jesus.
Inner peace, peace of mind – All of this seems to be so much about ourselves: if you look deep enough, you’ll find it!
What does all this have to do with You, Lord? – Nothing at all! It’s all to do with ourselves. It’s all about self-discovery.
Lord, teach us Your way of peace. Show us that real peace is peace with You. Show us that this peace comes to us “through faith in our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1).
We can’t escape from our sin. It follows us everywhere we go.
Lord, when we come to You, You speak to us wonderful words of love, wonderful words of forgiveness, wonderful words of cleansing.
You say to us, “the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses you from all sin” (1 John 1:7). We worship You. We bring our praise to You. We sing to You, “Ransomed, healed, restored, forgiven, who like me His praise should sing?” Lord, lead us to the Cross. Lead us to Jesus - and may He lead us out of the emptiness of our life without Him and into His fullness: “a life made up of praise in every part.”
Genesis 15:1-21
Lord, we thank You that You are always with us – even when bad things are happening to us.
Lord, we thank You that You are always with us – even when bad things are happening to us.
Lord, living for You isn’t easy – Satan makes sure of that!
We try to escape his evil clutches – but he’s always there, and he’s up to no good!
Satan is such a determined enemy. Help us to remind him that he’s a defeated enemy.
We’re often tempted – and we feel so weak.
Help us to tell Satan that Jesus is Lord – and we belong to Jesus!
Satan wins some battles with us. He gives us a hard time. Often, he gets the better of us.
Help us to remind him that the final triumph belongs to Jesus.
Beyond our present conflict, there is His final triumph; “This day the noise of battle, the next the victor’s song” (from “Stand up, stand up for Jesus”).
Lord, everything seems so hopeless - when we take our eyes off You!
Help us to keep our eyes on You. Fill us with fresh hope.
Sometimes, we can be optimists. Often, we’re pessimists.
You’re always “the God of hope” (Romans 15:13). You’re always saying to us, “There is hope” (Jeremiah 31:17).
Lord, real hope comes from You. It’s more than human optimism. It’s Your gift to us. It’s Your “gift of eternal life” (Romans 6:23).
Lord, real hope comes from You. It’s more than just “hoping for the best.” It’s being lifted up by You, Lord – the God who raised Jesus from the dead (Acts 2::24).
Thank You, Lord, for the hope that You give to us when we stand upon Your great promises: “I will pour out My Spirit … and everyone who calls on the Name of the Lord will be saved” (Acts 2:18,21).
You lift us out of our hopelessness. You give us strength to face the future with confidence – the strength which comes from knowing that You are the God of hope.
Lord, Your love is greater than our sin.
You have a great purpose for every one of us – but our sin gets in the way!
You want to make us more like Jesus – but there’s so much of self in us!
You want to lead us in the pathway of victory – but Satan’s always trying to trip us up!
What are we to make of all this? Are we to give up in despair?
No! We must not give up – because You, Lord, never give up on us.
Your love is greater than our sin. You will fulfil Your great purpose in us. You will make us more like Jesus. You will lead us in the pathway of victory.
Our sin shall not triumph over Your love. Satan will be defeated. Your “love has the victory for ever!” (Mission Praise, 86).
To You, Lord, be all the glory – You have done so many great things for us.
So many blessings – and they all come from You, Lord.
Our sins have been forgiven. You’ve come to live in us.
Such great blessing – but this is just the beginning!
You’re leading us on to eternal life.
Lord, when our heads go down, help us to lift up our eyes.
Help us to “come and see the shining hope.” Help us to look through heaven’s “open door.” Help us to catch a glimpse of “the mighty multitudes of heaven … singing, ‘Alleluia!’ … Love has the victory for ever!” (Mission Praise, 86).
Lord, the world seems so strong – but You are stronger!
“The world is ever near … my foes are ever near me … but, Jesus, draw still nearer, and shield my soul from sin” (CH4, 644).
Sometimes, the battle seems to be too much for us. Sometimes, we feel like giving up.
Come to us, Lord. Show us Your love. Without Your love, we are helpless. Our situation is hopeless. Your love brings us help. Your love gives us hope. It’s Your love that makes us “more than conquerors” (Romans 8:37).
Lord, help us to walk with You.
We can be so good at talking the talk – but we’re not so good at walking the walk: “I can say, ‘I love you’, but do I show it by the way I live? … Talk is cheap. Lip-service is no service at all” (“Talk Is Cheap” – Garry Brotherston).
Lord, help us not to be content with saying the right things. Help us to live the right way.
We need Your grace every day – if we’re to walk the walk as well as talking the talk.
Lord, help us to walk with You.
Lord, what You have done for us – we could never have done for ourselves!
It’s so amazing what You have done for us.
We were making plans for ourselves - but our plans didn’t include You!
You came to us. You said to us, “I have a wonderful plan for your life.”
We look at the plans we had for ourselves, we look at the plan You have for us – and we say, ‘Your way is so much better than our own way.’
Your way is the way of blessing. It’s the way of giving glory to You.
Lord, where would be – if You had not come to us, if You had not led us into Your way, if You had not brought us into Your blessing?
You did not wait for us to start looking for You – You came looking for us.
You did not wait for us to start saying, ‘Bless us, Lord’ – You came to us with Your blessing.
You did not wait for us to lift ourselves up – You lifted us up.
Thank You, Lord.
Lord, You are with us – even when we feel that You are far away from us.
We think about what’s going on in our life – and we get it all wrong!
We look at what’s happening – and we think that You’ve gone away and left us.
When will we learn? – It’s us who’ve gone away and left you!
We start thinking, ‘You need to come back to me, Lord.’
You’re saying to us, ‘No! You’ve got it all wrong. It’s you that needs to come back to Me.’
Even in our darkest days, You’ve never gone away and left us.
You’ve always been there – all the time.
You’ve always been there – for us.
Thank You, Lord.
Lord, help us to remember that You are the everlasting God.
We are so changeable. Your love for us is unchanged, unchanging and unchangeable.
Our feelings take us here, there and everywhere. Your love brings us back to the place where our love for You grows strong.
How does our love for You grow strong? Is this something that we do for ourselves? – No! It’s something that You do for us.
You show us how much You love for us. You take us to the Cross of Christ.
You show us that Your love for us remains strong even when our love for You has become very weak.
This is the way in which our love for You grows strong. We are strengthened by a stronger love, a love that never becomes weak, a love that is always strong - everlasting love.
These are things we must never forget – Lord, help us to remember that You are the everlasting God. Help us to remember that Your love is everlasting love.
Lord, we thank You that Jesus came to earth for us – and we thank You that He died for us.
He ‘came to seek and to save the lost’ (Luke 19:10). He came to bring us back from our wandering about in the shadows of our life. He came to bring us into the light of Your love.
Lord, we give You thanks for Jesus.
Lord, we thank You that You guide us – You keep us in the right way. You lead us in the way that brings glory to You.
You show us Your love. You teach us to trust in Your faithfulness. You fill our hearts with praise. You fill our lives with Your ‘overflowing blessing’ (Malachi 3:10).
For all of these things, we give You our thanks.
Teach us, Lord, to count our blessings.
We try to think of all the good things You have done for us, all the great gifts You have given to us.
We cannot keep up with You, Lord. There is so much to count, so much for which we can only say, ‘Thank You, Lord.’
Lord, help us to prepare for the future – Your future.
Life without a future is no life at all. Often, we feel like we are stuck in the prison of the present.
You lift up our eyes. You show us Your future. You fill our pathway with Your light.
It is Your light that makes our future very bright – brighter than we can put into words, brighter than we can even imagine.
Lead us, Lord, into Your future. Help us to walk with You on Your pathway to glory – Your eternal glory.
Genesis 25:19-34
Lord, give us Your wisdom. Help us to see that walking in Your way is better than getting our own way. When we are being drawn away from Your way, bring us back again - back to the way of obedience, back to the way of blessing.
Genesis 26:1-35
Lord, when our hold on You is weak, help us to remember that Your hold on us is strong. Often, we get bogged down in our sin. Lift us up by Your grace. Give us strength to rise above our sin - strength to become all that You want us to be.
Genesis 27:1-40
Lord, we thank You that You want to bless us - more than we want to be blessed by You. We don't deserve to be blessed - but You keep on blessing us. Help us never to forget to say, "Thank You, Lord." Help us always to treasure Your blessing - and to keep on praying that it will grow and grow and ...
Genesis 27:41-28:9
Lord, we thank You that we're not left to go it alone. You've given us Your Spirit - the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of love, the Spirit of truth, the Spirit who leads us to Jesus, the Spirit who makes us more like Jesus. Thank You, Lord - with Your Spirit, we can go from strength to strength. Help us to walk in Your Spirit.
Genesis 28:10-22
Lord, we thank You that You are so determined to keep on blessing us. There are times when we're not expecting very much - and then You come to us with Your blessing, and everything changes. Everything becomes so much brighter. You are with us. You are leading us forward. You are leading us on into more and more of Your blessing. Thank You, Lord.
Genesis 29:1-30
Lord, Your way is the best way. We, often, wander off on our own. We forget that we are called to follow You, to walk in Your footsteps. Again and again, we need to be reminded that Your way is the best way. Help us to see that Your way is a wonderful way - even when it turns out to be very different from what we had expected.
Genesis 29:31-30:24
Lord, we can, so often, get preoccupied with the things that matter most to us - and we forget about the things that matter most to You. We start to get comfortable, sorting things out to suit ourselves - and then You come to us with a very challenging question, "What matters most to you?" Help us, Lord, to see that pleasing You is more important than pleasing ourselves.
Genesis 30:25-31:21
Guide us, Lord, by Your light and Your truth (Psalm 48:14; Psalm 43:3). Let Your light shine into our darkness. Let Your truth lift us out of the way that leads away from You and into the way that leads to You. Lead us to Jesus - He is "the Way, the Truth and the Life" (John 14:6).
Genesis 31:22-42
Lord, so often we forget the things that matter most. So often, we forget You. The more we forget You, the more we miss out on the blessing which comes from knowing that You are the Lord our God. You are the God who is with us - even when we feel that You are far away.
Genesis 31:43-32:21
Lord, help us to stand upon Your Word. You have given us a firm foundation for our faith. You have given us Your salvation. When everything around is shaking, we can stand firm because we know that You are our God. You are the God who has saved us through the death of Your Son. You are the God who gives us new power for living - the power of the Holy Spirit. You are the God who will lead us into the glory of Your eternal Kingdom - Your Kingdom of everlasting love, everlasting life and everlasting light.
Lord, give us Your wisdom. Help us to see that walking in Your way is better than getting our own way. When we are being drawn away from Your way, bring us back again - back to the way of obedience, back to the way of blessing.
Genesis 26:1-35
Lord, when our hold on You is weak, help us to remember that Your hold on us is strong. Often, we get bogged down in our sin. Lift us up by Your grace. Give us strength to rise above our sin - strength to become all that You want us to be.
Genesis 27:1-40
Lord, we thank You that You want to bless us - more than we want to be blessed by You. We don't deserve to be blessed - but You keep on blessing us. Help us never to forget to say, "Thank You, Lord." Help us always to treasure Your blessing - and to keep on praying that it will grow and grow and ...
Genesis 27:41-28:9
Lord, we thank You that we're not left to go it alone. You've given us Your Spirit - the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of love, the Spirit of truth, the Spirit who leads us to Jesus, the Spirit who makes us more like Jesus. Thank You, Lord - with Your Spirit, we can go from strength to strength. Help us to walk in Your Spirit.
Genesis 28:10-22
Lord, we thank You that You are so determined to keep on blessing us. There are times when we're not expecting very much - and then You come to us with Your blessing, and everything changes. Everything becomes so much brighter. You are with us. You are leading us forward. You are leading us on into more and more of Your blessing. Thank You, Lord.
Genesis 29:1-30
Lord, Your way is the best way. We, often, wander off on our own. We forget that we are called to follow You, to walk in Your footsteps. Again and again, we need to be reminded that Your way is the best way. Help us to see that Your way is a wonderful way - even when it turns out to be very different from what we had expected.
Genesis 29:31-30:24
Lord, we can, so often, get preoccupied with the things that matter most to us - and we forget about the things that matter most to You. We start to get comfortable, sorting things out to suit ourselves - and then You come to us with a very challenging question, "What matters most to you?" Help us, Lord, to see that pleasing You is more important than pleasing ourselves.
Genesis 30:25-31:21
Guide us, Lord, by Your light and Your truth (Psalm 48:14; Psalm 43:3). Let Your light shine into our darkness. Let Your truth lift us out of the way that leads away from You and into the way that leads to You. Lead us to Jesus - He is "the Way, the Truth and the Life" (John 14:6).
Genesis 31:22-42
Lord, so often we forget the things that matter most. So often, we forget You. The more we forget You, the more we miss out on the blessing which comes from knowing that You are the Lord our God. You are the God who is with us - even when we feel that You are far away.
Genesis 31:43-32:21
Lord, help us to stand upon Your Word. You have given us a firm foundation for our faith. You have given us Your salvation. When everything around is shaking, we can stand firm because we know that You are our God. You are the God who has saved us through the death of Your Son. You are the God who gives us new power for living - the power of the Holy Spirit. You are the God who will lead us into the glory of Your eternal Kingdom - Your Kingdom of everlasting love, everlasting life and everlasting light.
Genesis 32:22-32
We thank You, Lord, that we have the victory in Christ. This is not our own victory. It's His victory. On the Cross, He won the victory over Satan. How do we know that He has won the victory? - You raised Him from the dead. We thank You, Lord, that Jesus didn't win the victory for Himself. He won the victory for us. He gives His victory to us. Help us, Lord, to walk with You in victory. When we stumble and fall - as we so often do, pick us up and set us on our feet again. Help us to take our stand against Satan. help us to take our stand in Christ. Lead us on, Lord, from victory to victory.
Genesis 33:1-20
Lord, You call us to love You - and to love our neighbour. Help us never to think that we can grow in our love for You if we are not also learning to love our neighbour with the love that You give to us. Help us never to forget You. Help us always to rejoice in the love that You have for us - and to let Your love shine out through us to others. May our love for our neighbour never become a substitute for loving You.
Genesis 34:1-31
Lord, we thank You that You don't give up on us - even when we don't pay much attention to You. We can become so self-centred. Everything revolves around ourselves. You keep on coming to us. You come to us in love. You're calling us back to Yourself. You're calling us to bring You back into the centre of our lives. Lord, may it be less of self and more of You.
Genesis 35:1-15
Again and again, Lord, Your blessing comes to us. In Your blessing, we see Your love. Time and time again, we have failed You. When did You ever fail us? - Never! You are completely faithful, entirely trustworthy and absolutely reliable. You keep on loving us. Help us to keep on loving You.
Genesis 35:16-36:43
Lord, there are two ways of looking at every situation. There's the way of faith - and there's the way of unbelief. We can look up to You - and be lifted up by You. We can look at our circumstances and fail to see that You are there, waiting to lift us up, to raise us above our circumstances and make us "more than conquerors through Him who loved us" (Romans 8:37).
We thank You, Lord, that we have the victory in Christ. This is not our own victory. It's His victory. On the Cross, He won the victory over Satan. How do we know that He has won the victory? - You raised Him from the dead. We thank You, Lord, that Jesus didn't win the victory for Himself. He won the victory for us. He gives His victory to us. Help us, Lord, to walk with You in victory. When we stumble and fall - as we so often do, pick us up and set us on our feet again. Help us to take our stand against Satan. help us to take our stand in Christ. Lead us on, Lord, from victory to victory.
Genesis 33:1-20
Lord, You call us to love You - and to love our neighbour. Help us never to think that we can grow in our love for You if we are not also learning to love our neighbour with the love that You give to us. Help us never to forget You. Help us always to rejoice in the love that You have for us - and to let Your love shine out through us to others. May our love for our neighbour never become a substitute for loving You.
Genesis 34:1-31
Lord, we thank You that You don't give up on us - even when we don't pay much attention to You. We can become so self-centred. Everything revolves around ourselves. You keep on coming to us. You come to us in love. You're calling us back to Yourself. You're calling us to bring You back into the centre of our lives. Lord, may it be less of self and more of You.
Genesis 35:1-15
Again and again, Lord, Your blessing comes to us. In Your blessing, we see Your love. Time and time again, we have failed You. When did You ever fail us? - Never! You are completely faithful, entirely trustworthy and absolutely reliable. You keep on loving us. Help us to keep on loving You.
Genesis 35:16-36:43
Lord, there are two ways of looking at every situation. There's the way of faith - and there's the way of unbelief. We can look up to You - and be lifted up by You. We can look at our circumstances and fail to see that You are there, waiting to lift us up, to raise us above our circumstances and make us "more than conquerors through Him who loved us" (Romans 8:37).
Genesis 37:1-36
Lord, our situation seems hopeless - but it's not! You are there with us, every step of the way. This is what gives us hope: knowing that You're always there - even when the going gets tough!
Genesis 38:1-30
Lord, help us to put You first in our lives. No-one is more important than You. Why do we forget this - again and again. When we forget You, Lord, bring us back to the Cross of Christ. Show us - all over again - that You have not forgotten us, that You never will forget us.
Genesis 39:1-23
Lord, we make everything so complicated. We go our own way - and everything gets very messy. Everything would be so much simpler - if we kept our eyes on You. When we are tempted to turn away from You, help us, Lord, to keep on looking to You - and to know that we are "loved with everlasting love" (Jeremiah 31:3).
Genesis 40:1-23
Lord, our situation seems hopeless - but it's not! You are there with us, every step of the way. This is what gives us hope: knowing that You're always there - even when the going gets tough!
Genesis 38:1-30
Lord, help us to put You first in our lives. No-one is more important than You. Why do we forget this - again and again. When we forget You, Lord, bring us back to the Cross of Christ. Show us - all over again - that You have not forgotten us, that You never will forget us.
Genesis 39:1-23
Lord, we make everything so complicated. We go our own way - and everything gets very messy. Everything would be so much simpler - if we kept our eyes on You. When we are tempted to turn away from You, help us, Lord, to keep on looking to You - and to know that we are "loved with everlasting love" (Jeremiah 31:3).
Genesis 40:1-23
Lord, Your Word challenges us, "What do you want to get out of life?" Help us to look carefully at what is important to us. Are we 'looking after No. 1'? Lord, give us ambitions that do not centre on ourselves. Give us a deep persistent desire to glorify You in all that we do - and to find that this is the way of true and lasting joy!
Lord, we thank You that You are in control of the things that are happening to us. We do not always understand what's going on - but you do!
Sometimes, Lord, we wonder what it's all about! When we feel like this, help us to know that You love us. Help us to see that You are working in us - to teach us to love You.
Lord, we thank You that Your love is "an everlasting love" (Jeremiah 31:3). Human love can be strong. It can be weak. Human love can come to an end. Your love is always strong. Your love never comes to an end. Your love is "everlasting love" - the only "everlasting love"!
Genesis 44:1-34
So many things are changing, Lord. How are we to live in a changing world? We trust in Your unchanging love. In our changing world, Your love remains the same - unchanged, unchanging and unchangeable. You are also the changing God - the God who changes us. Your love is a changing love. Your love changes us. Help us, in our ever-changing world, to keep on praying for the best kind of change - being changed by You - changed by Your love. Help us to become less self-centred and more Christ-centred.
Genesis 44:1-34
So many things are changing, Lord. How are we to live in a changing world? We trust in Your unchanging love. In our changing world, Your love remains the same - unchanged, unchanging and unchangeable. You are also the changing God - the God who changes us. Your love is a changing love. Your love changes us. Help us, in our ever-changing world, to keep on praying for the best kind of change - being changed by You - changed by Your love. Help us to become less self-centred and more Christ-centred.
Lord, You're leading us on to glory. You're taking us to a better place - a place where there will be no more weakness, a place where we will be surrounded by the strength of Your love.
Lord, we thank You that we do not need to live in fear. Your love is greater than our fear. Where does fear come from? It comes from the devil. Who is he? He's our enemy. He's a determined enemy. He's also a defeated enemy. Lord, we rejoice in Your word of victory: "Thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Corinthians 15:57).
Lord, we give all the glory to You. We think of Jesus, crucified for us - and we say, "Thank You, Lord - You have done for us what we could never have done for ourselves." You have brought us out of the darkness of of our sin and into the light of Your salvation - out of sadness and into gladness. Help us never to forget that You have saved us. Help us to live, each day, as Your faithful servants.
Lord, help us to have faith in You - faith that is humble, and faith that is confident. Lord, give us a humble faith. Give us the humility that comes from knowing that You are God - and we're not God! Lord, give us the confidence which is confidence in You - and not self-confidence!
Lord, we thank You for Jesus, our Saviour. In Him, You have given us "every spiritual blessing" (Ephesians 1:3). What blessings You have given to us - the forgiveness of sins, the Holy Spirit living in us, eternal life with You (Ephesians 1:7,13-14). Help us to praise You today. Help us to praise You every day.
Lord, when hard times come our way, help us to remember that "Your steadfast love never ceases" (Lamentations 3:22). When bad things are happening to us, help us to keep on remembering that You are still the good God. Who are we to say that You are no longer with us – just because we’re going through a hard time? You’re with us in our bad days as well as our good days. You’ve promised to be with us every step of the way. Who are we to suggest that You’ve gone away and left us to go it alone? Help us to trust Your promises – and not to get dragged away from You by our feelings which can go up and down like a yoyo. Sometimes, we’re up. Sometimes, we’re down. With You, there are no ups and down – You’re always the faithful God. You’re always near to us – even when we feel that You’re far away from us. We’ve wandered far away from You – but You’re always near to us. Thank You, Lord, that You are always with us.
_____________________
EXODUS _____________________
Exodus 1:1-2:10
Lord, what are we to do when we're going through a hard time? Hard times can be the breaking of us - or the making of us. We can blame You - or we can trust You. Help us to trust You - to know that You are near, even when it feels like You are far away.
Exodus 2:11-3:22
We thank You, Lord, that You have blessed us. We have come to You with our sin - and You have forgiven us. We thank You, Lord, that You call us to bring Your blessing to others. We have received Your blessing. Help us to share it with others.
Exodus 4:1-31
Often, Lord, we fail You - and we wonder why You bother with us. We thank You, Lord,that You never fail us. When we let You down, You lift us up. Help us, Lord, not to be shaped by our failure. Help us to be transformed by Your love and power. Help us to respond to Your call to "attempt great things for You and expect great things from You" (William Carey).
Exodus 5:1-6:13
Lord, what are we to do when we face determined opposition from people who refuse to listen to what Your Word is saying to them? Lord, teach us to pray. Teach us to take our problems to You - and help us to leave them with You. When troubles come our way, help us to "wait upon You and renew our strength" (Isaiah 40:31).
Exodus 6:14-7:24
Lord, we come to You in our weakness. We receive Your strength. In our weakness, we fail. Through Your strength, we shall triumph. When we're stumbling along in weakness, help us to say, with ever-increasing faith, "Our God is marching on to glorious victory."
Exodus 7:25-8:32
Lord, show us our pride - and teach us to humble ourselves before You. Show us Your power and teach us to trust You to do great things in and through us.
Exodus 9:1-32
Lord, help us not to rest content with going through the motions of religion. Beyond religion, there is redemption. Beyond ritual, there is reality. May our faith in Jesus, our Saviour, be a real faith, a living faith, a faith that changes us, a faith that brings glory to You.
Exodus 10:1-29
Touch our hearts, Lord, with Your love. So often, our hearts are hard. How can this hardness be broken down? You must do it. We can't do this for ourselves. We can't do this by ourselves. It's Your love that changes us. It's Your love that makes us new. Open our hearts to Your love. Fill our hearts with Your love.
Exodus 11:1-12:28
Help us, Lord, to receive Your forgiveness - and to respond to Your call to holy living. You give to us Your peace. It comes to us with Your gift of forgiveness. You give to us Your power - the power to live for Your glory. May Your peace and Your power equip us for living as Your people.
Exodus 12:29-13:16
Often, Lord, we feel trapped - trapped by our sin. We try to break free - but we can't make it happen. Our sin has such a strong hold on us. We wonder, "Is there a way to freedom?" Jesus says, "Yes. There is." He says to us, "I am the Way to freedom." Set us free, Lord, from our self-centredness. May there be less of self and more of You in our lives.
Exodus 13:17-14:31
Lord, we are surrounded by so many temptations. We cannot avoid this. There's no getting away from it. It's part-and-parcel of our life in this world. What are we to do when temptation comes our way? What are we to do when we feel the powerful pull of the world, drawing us away from You? Lord, help us to turn to You. Help us to renew our strength - in You.
Exodus 15:1-21
We think, Lord, of Your redemption, and our hearts are filled with thanksgiving - and hope. We think - and we thank. we look back on all that You have done for us, and we say, "Thank You, Lord." Give us the spirit of thanksgiving, the attitude of gratitude - and, with it, give us the confidence to face the future, knowing that it is more than our future. It is Your future for us.
Exodus 15:22-16:36
Lord, You love us so much. Help us never to forget this. Help us to remember Jesus - to remember that His body was broken for us, and His blood was shed for us. Help us to feed on Jesus, and to be strong in Him. Lord, when the going gets tough, help us to remember that Your love keeps going and going and going ...It is a love that never comes to an end. It's everlasting love - the only everlasting love.
Exodus 17:1-18:27
Lord, we come to You with questions. You give us victory. Sometimes, our questions are not answered. Always, You give us the strength that we need to keep on walking with You. Lord, when our life gets busy, help us to take time to pray. When we have so many things to do, help us to find time for listening to what Your Word has to say to us. If we're too busy to pray, we're too busy! Help us, Lord, not to be "worried and upset about many things." Help us not to forget this: "only one thing is needed" - "listening to what Jesus is saying" to us (Luke 10:38-42).
Exodus 19:1-25
Lord, You have done so much for us. What are we doing for You? You tell us about Your redemption. You call for our response. Our response is inspired by Your redemption. Thank You for the grace of Your redemption - "By grace you have been saved." Give us the grace to make our response - "Saved through faith for good works" (Ephesians 2:8-10). Lord, help us to have less self-confidence and more confidence in You. Self-confidence is all about us. It has nothing to do with You. Confidence in You is so different. It comes from faith - not from pride. Help us to find our true strength. It's not our strength. It's Your strength.
Exodus 20:1-20
Less of our sin, more of Your love - Lord, this is our prayer. Our sin does us nothing but harm. Your love always does us good - nothing but good. We're sinners, Lord. Why do You keep on loving us? We don't know why - but we're glad that You do! We rejoice in this: "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners" (1 Timothy 1:15).
Exodus 20:21-21:32
Your redemption, Lord, is more than rules and regulations. It's not about the things that we do for You. It's about all that You have done for us. Jesus died for us - This is what inspires us to live for Him. What a great thing Jesus has done for us! Help us, Lord, to do great things for Him. Help us, Lord, to receive Your great salvation - and to give all the glory to You.
Exodus 21:33-22:31
Lord, we're on a journey. We're travelling from grace. We're travelling to glory. Everything comes to us from Your grace. Everything is leading us to Your glory. You have given us all that we need - all that we need to bring us into Your salvation, all that we need to take us on into Your glory. This is not our journey. It's Your journey. You're our Travel Guide. You're with us every step of the way. Thank You, Lord.
Exodus 23:1-33
We rejoice in Your love. Help us, Lord, not to forget Your holiness. You fill us with Your love. You call us to be holy. Lead us, O Lord, in Your way of love. Lead us in Your way of holiness. It won't be easy - walking with You on Your pathway of holiness. When the going gets tough, help us to remember that we're not on our own. You are with us every day. You are with us - all the way.
Exodus 24:1-18
Lord, You call us to speak Your Word - but, first, You call us to listen to Your Word. How can we speak for You if we're not listening to You? Help us to come to the Cross of Christ. Help us to hear the voice of Your love. Send us from the that holy place - the place of His crucifixion, the place of our salvation - back into the world. May we return to the world as people who've been changed - changed by the love of Christ.
Exodus 25:1-40
Lord, we thank You for Your Son, Jesus. What a wonderful Saviour He is. There is no-one like Him. None can compare with Jesus. He is greater than all the prophets. He is greater than all the apostles. The prophets cannot save us. The apostles cannot save us. They can only point away from themselves. They point us to Jesus. They are only servants. Jesus is the Saviour. We thank You that He was able to do what the prophets and apostles could never do for us - He "came into the world to save sinners" (1 Timothy 1:15).
Exodus 26:1-37
Open our eyes, Lord. Help us to see Jesus - to see Him in His holiness and confess our sin, to see Him in His love and receive His forgiveness, to see Him in His power and be changed by Him, to see Him in His glory and worship Him.
Exodus 27:1-19
Sometimes, Lord, we don't feel like the sun is shining upon us. When we feel like this, help us to know that the light and love of Your Son is always shining upon us. When we're feeling down, help us to remember that You raised Jesus up - "Up from the grave He arose with a mighty triumph o'er His foes." This is what we need to hear. This is what lifts us up: up - into Your presence, up - out of our sin, up - into Your salvation' upwards and onwards - to Your eternal glory.
Exodus 27:20-29:9
Sometimes, Lord, our lights are switched off. Sometimes, they're switched on. The light of Your love is never switched off. It's always switched on. Your love is 'all the time' love. There is no love like Your love for us. It's the only 'always and forever' love. Thank You, Lord, for the light that never stops shining - the light of Your undying love. This is the only light that is always shining.
Exodus 29:10-46
Often, Lord, we come to Your House with so little expectation of Your blessing. Where does this attitude come from? - It doesn't come from You. You are the great God. You fill our hearts with 'great expectations.' When Satan comes to us, filling our hearts with apathy - the 'couldn't-care-less' attitude, help us to tell him that You are the great God (Psalm 135:5) - great in holiness, power and love, the faithful God who comes to us with great promises of blessing. When, Lord, we are blessed by You, help us to give all the glory to You.
Exodus 30:1-38
So often, Lord, we get preoccupied with ourselves. Our words say that You are more important than anyone else. Often, our lives tell a very different story - 'It's all about us. It's all about what pleases us.' How can we be changed? Lead us to the Cross of Your Son, Jesus. Show us Jesus - dying for us. Teach us to live for Him. Lift us out of our weakness and failure into Your strength and victory - and help us to praise You with hearts that are becoming more God-centred and less self-centred.
Exodus 31:1-32:14
Lord, You call us to serve You. How are we to serve You? How can we serve You? - Our sin keeps on getting in the way. We start off well - and then, we take our eyes off Jesus, and things start to go badly. Lord, we need Your Spirit. He is the Holy Spirit. How can we possibly serve You - if we are not learning to walk with You in the way of holiness. Before we pray, "Help us to serve You better", help us to pray, "Lead us in the way of holiness."
Exodus 32:15-33:23
Lord, You are the God of holiness. You are the God of love. Your holiness is loving holiness. Your love is holy love. Help us to see that Your holiness and Your love belong together. It's not one without the other. It's not holiness without love. It's not love without holiness. We need both - Your holiness and Your love. Your holiness shows us our sin. Your love forgives our sin. You love us. Help us to love You - and be changed by Your holy love.
Exodus 34:1-35
Lord, You are the faithful God. You give us Your promises. You keep Your promises. You never go back on Your Word. You always stand by the Word that You have spoken. Your promises come to us from the past. They lead us on into Your future. What a wonderful future You are planning for us. We thank You for Jesus' great promise: "I go to prepare a place for you" (John 14:2). Help us to receive His Word, to rejoice in His promise, to be renewed by His love.
Exodus 35:1-36:7
Help us, Lord, never to think that we have nothing to offer to You. We can never save ourselves. That is something that You must do for us. We have been saved by Your grace. Now, we must serve You in Your strength. You gave Your Son for us. Help us to give ourselves to You. May we never be half-hearted in our devotion to You. Help us to be whole-hearted in all that we do for You.
Exodus 36:8-38
Teach us, Lord, that it's not all about us. It's not about getting ourselves noticed. It's all about You. It's about giving all the glory to You.
Exodus 37:1-29
We thank You, Lord, that Your Son, Jesus, is "pure gold." There's nothing better than Jesus. there's no-one better than Him. He's the very best. What Jesus has done for us - this is "pure gold." He died for us. He was raised to life for us. This is Good News. It's the best news we could ever hear. Lord, help us not to get bogged down in the bad news of our sin. Lord, lift us up with the Good News of our Saviour.
Exodus 38:1-31
Lord, there is work to be done. It's Your work. Help us all to play our part. We leave it to someone else - and it never gets done. Change us, Lord. Spectators can become workers. Help us not to hang back - on the sidelines. You're calling us to come into the centre of Your will and Your work. When we're tempted to stand back and watch, help us to come forward and work. Help us to remember this: "There's a work of Jesus none but we can do."
Exodus 39:1-43
Lord, we want blessing - but we're not so keen on obedience. Help us to learn from Jesus. For Him, obedience was everything. He was fully obedient. For Him, it meant the Cross (Philippians 2:8). Lord, help us not to be thinking, "What are we going to get out of this?" Help us to be praying, "How can we do Your will? How can we bring glory to You?"
Exodus 40:1-38
Lord, help us to listen to Your Word, walk in Your way and "worship You in Spirit and in truth" (John 4:24). These are the things that matter most. Are they our priorities? We know, Lord, that they should be our priorities - but we are often distracted. We lose our focus. Other things become more important to us. "Restore our souls and lead us in the paths of righteousness for Your Name's sake" (Psalm 23:3).
______________________________Exodus 20:1-20
Less of our sin, more of Your love - Lord, this is our prayer. Our sin does us nothing but harm. Your love always does us good - nothing but good. We're sinners, Lord. Why do You keep on loving us? We don't know why - but we're glad that You do! We rejoice in this: "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners" (1 Timothy 1:15).
Exodus 20:21-21:32
Your redemption, Lord, is more than rules and regulations. It's not about the things that we do for You. It's about all that You have done for us. Jesus died for us - This is what inspires us to live for Him. What a great thing Jesus has done for us! Help us, Lord, to do great things for Him. Help us, Lord, to receive Your great salvation - and to give all the glory to You.
Exodus 21:33-22:31
Lord, we're on a journey. We're travelling from grace. We're travelling to glory. Everything comes to us from Your grace. Everything is leading us to Your glory. You have given us all that we need - all that we need to bring us into Your salvation, all that we need to take us on into Your glory. This is not our journey. It's Your journey. You're our Travel Guide. You're with us every step of the way. Thank You, Lord.
Exodus 23:1-33
We rejoice in Your love. Help us, Lord, not to forget Your holiness. You fill us with Your love. You call us to be holy. Lead us, O Lord, in Your way of love. Lead us in Your way of holiness. It won't be easy - walking with You on Your pathway of holiness. When the going gets tough, help us to remember that we're not on our own. You are with us every day. You are with us - all the way.
Exodus 24:1-18
Lord, You call us to speak Your Word - but, first, You call us to listen to Your Word. How can we speak for You if we're not listening to You? Help us to come to the Cross of Christ. Help us to hear the voice of Your love. Send us from the that holy place - the place of His crucifixion, the place of our salvation - back into the world. May we return to the world as people who've been changed - changed by the love of Christ.
Exodus 25:1-40
Lord, we thank You for Your Son, Jesus. What a wonderful Saviour He is. There is no-one like Him. None can compare with Jesus. He is greater than all the prophets. He is greater than all the apostles. The prophets cannot save us. The apostles cannot save us. They can only point away from themselves. They point us to Jesus. They are only servants. Jesus is the Saviour. We thank You that He was able to do what the prophets and apostles could never do for us - He "came into the world to save sinners" (1 Timothy 1:15).
Exodus 26:1-37
Open our eyes, Lord. Help us to see Jesus - to see Him in His holiness and confess our sin, to see Him in His love and receive His forgiveness, to see Him in His power and be changed by Him, to see Him in His glory and worship Him.
Exodus 27:1-19
Sometimes, Lord, we don't feel like the sun is shining upon us. When we feel like this, help us to know that the light and love of Your Son is always shining upon us. When we're feeling down, help us to remember that You raised Jesus up - "Up from the grave He arose with a mighty triumph o'er His foes." This is what we need to hear. This is what lifts us up: up - into Your presence, up - out of our sin, up - into Your salvation' upwards and onwards - to Your eternal glory.
Exodus 27:20-29:9
Sometimes, Lord, our lights are switched off. Sometimes, they're switched on. The light of Your love is never switched off. It's always switched on. Your love is 'all the time' love. There is no love like Your love for us. It's the only 'always and forever' love. Thank You, Lord, for the light that never stops shining - the light of Your undying love. This is the only light that is always shining.
Exodus 29:10-46
Often, Lord, we come to Your House with so little expectation of Your blessing. Where does this attitude come from? - It doesn't come from You. You are the great God. You fill our hearts with 'great expectations.' When Satan comes to us, filling our hearts with apathy - the 'couldn't-care-less' attitude, help us to tell him that You are the great God (Psalm 135:5) - great in holiness, power and love, the faithful God who comes to us with great promises of blessing. When, Lord, we are blessed by You, help us to give all the glory to You.
Exodus 30:1-38
So often, Lord, we get preoccupied with ourselves. Our words say that You are more important than anyone else. Often, our lives tell a very different story - 'It's all about us. It's all about what pleases us.' How can we be changed? Lead us to the Cross of Your Son, Jesus. Show us Jesus - dying for us. Teach us to live for Him. Lift us out of our weakness and failure into Your strength and victory - and help us to praise You with hearts that are becoming more God-centred and less self-centred.
Exodus 31:1-32:14
Lord, You call us to serve You. How are we to serve You? How can we serve You? - Our sin keeps on getting in the way. We start off well - and then, we take our eyes off Jesus, and things start to go badly. Lord, we need Your Spirit. He is the Holy Spirit. How can we possibly serve You - if we are not learning to walk with You in the way of holiness. Before we pray, "Help us to serve You better", help us to pray, "Lead us in the way of holiness."
Exodus 32:15-33:23
Lord, You are the God of holiness. You are the God of love. Your holiness is loving holiness. Your love is holy love. Help us to see that Your holiness and Your love belong together. It's not one without the other. It's not holiness without love. It's not love without holiness. We need both - Your holiness and Your love. Your holiness shows us our sin. Your love forgives our sin. You love us. Help us to love You - and be changed by Your holy love.
Exodus 34:1-35
Lord, You are the faithful God. You give us Your promises. You keep Your promises. You never go back on Your Word. You always stand by the Word that You have spoken. Your promises come to us from the past. They lead us on into Your future. What a wonderful future You are planning for us. We thank You for Jesus' great promise: "I go to prepare a place for you" (John 14:2). Help us to receive His Word, to rejoice in His promise, to be renewed by His love.
Exodus 35:1-36:7
Help us, Lord, never to think that we have nothing to offer to You. We can never save ourselves. That is something that You must do for us. We have been saved by Your grace. Now, we must serve You in Your strength. You gave Your Son for us. Help us to give ourselves to You. May we never be half-hearted in our devotion to You. Help us to be whole-hearted in all that we do for You.
Exodus 36:8-38
Teach us, Lord, that it's not all about us. It's not about getting ourselves noticed. It's all about You. It's about giving all the glory to You.
Exodus 37:1-29
We thank You, Lord, that Your Son, Jesus, is "pure gold." There's nothing better than Jesus. there's no-one better than Him. He's the very best. What Jesus has done for us - this is "pure gold." He died for us. He was raised to life for us. This is Good News. It's the best news we could ever hear. Lord, help us not to get bogged down in the bad news of our sin. Lord, lift us up with the Good News of our Saviour.
Exodus 38:1-31
Lord, there is work to be done. It's Your work. Help us all to play our part. We leave it to someone else - and it never gets done. Change us, Lord. Spectators can become workers. Help us not to hang back - on the sidelines. You're calling us to come into the centre of Your will and Your work. When we're tempted to stand back and watch, help us to come forward and work. Help us to remember this: "There's a work of Jesus none but we can do."
Exodus 39:1-43
Lord, we want blessing - but we're not so keen on obedience. Help us to learn from Jesus. For Him, obedience was everything. He was fully obedient. For Him, it meant the Cross (Philippians 2:8). Lord, help us not to be thinking, "What are we going to get out of this?" Help us to be praying, "How can we do Your will? How can we bring glory to You?"
Exodus 40:1-38
Lord, help us to listen to Your Word, walk in Your way and "worship You in Spirit and in truth" (John 4:24). These are the things that matter most. Are they our priorities? We know, Lord, that they should be our priorities - but we are often distracted. We lose our focus. Other things become more important to us. "Restore our souls and lead us in the paths of righteousness for Your Name's sake" (Psalm 23:3).
LEVITICUS
Leviticus 1:1-2:16
We thank You, Lord, that Your Son, Jesus, is "the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world" (John 1:29). In His death for us, we see Your love for us. Help us to come to the Cross of Christ. Help us to worship You in the beauty of holiness. Help us to celebrate Your love in the spirit of thanksgiving.
Leviticus 3:1-4:35
We thank You, Lord, that "we have peace with You through our Lord Jesus Christ" (Romans 5:1). We thank You that "Jesus is our peace" (Ephesians 2:14). This peace is not something that comes from within ourselves. It comes to us from outside of ourselves. It comes from above. It comes to us from You. It's given to us. It's Your gift. We cannot give this gift to ourselves. We can only receive it by faith - faith in Jesus, our Saviour.
Leviticus 5:1-6:30
We thank You, Lord, that Your salvation is greater than our sin. We look at Christ's sacrifice - He gave Himself in death for us. We are glad that He is our Saviour. He has taken our sin upon Himself. He gives Your salvation to us. Thank You, Lord.
Leviticus 7:1-38
When, Lord, we think of Jesus, crucified for us, may our hearts be filled with joyful praise and heartfelt thanksgiving.
Leviticus 8:1-36
Lord, You love us. You call us to love You. Help us, Lord, to grow in our love for You - to obey Your Word, to do Your will, to walk in Your way.
Leviticus 9:1-10:20
Lord, You are holy. We are sinners. You see our sin - and You keep on loving us. We see Jesus - and we know that You will never stop loving us. Help us, Lord, to confess our sin and to receive Your forgiveness. Lead us out of our sin and into Your holiness - and help us to give all the glory to You.
Leviticus 11:1-47
Lord, we thank You that Your call to holiness begins with Your call to salvation. We're not left to go it alone. You come to us. You come as our Saviour. You take us as we are - but You don't leave us the way You found us. You start changing us. You have great plans for us. You're making us more like Your Son, Jesus. We trust Jesus. We receive His salvation. Help us to follow Him, to be changed by Him, to become more like Him.
Leviticus 12:1-13:46
Lord, we thank You that the blood of Your Son, Jesus, cleanses us from all sin (1 John 1:7). We come to the Cross of Christ in our failure. At the Cross of Christ, we receive Your forgiveness. We bring our sin to the Saviour. He gives to us His salvation. Bring us, Lord, out of the darkness of our sin and into the light of Your salvation.
Leviticus 13:47-14:32
We thank You, Lord, that "the vilest offender , who truly believes, that moment, from Jesus, a pardon receives." By faith, we receive Your forgiveness - but we never earn Your forgiveness. Forgiveness is always Your gift. It's never a reward. By faith, we look away from ourselves. We look to Jesus, our Saviour. We do not say, "How great is my faith." We say, "How great is my Saviour."
Leviticus 14:33-15:33
Lord, what are we to do about our sin? What can we do about it? It keeps on spreading. We can't do anything about this. It just gets worse and worse. What can be done about this? We can do nothing - but Jesus can do something about it. He's our Saviour. He comes to us in love. He comes to us in power. He forgives our sin. He gives us a new beginning. The past is put behind us. Jesus leads us on to Your eternal glory. Hallelujah! - "This is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes" (Psalm 118:23).
Leviticus 16:1-34
Lord, we sing of Jesus, Your Son. He is "the man of sorrows" (Isaiah 53:3) - but this does not make us sad. We look beyond His suffering. We see our salvation. We sing of Your salvation. With joy, we sing to You - "Hallelujah! What a Saviour!" We look at Jesus - and we ask the question, "Full atonement - can it be?" We rejoice in Your answer - "Full atonement - Yes it is!" What a a perfect Saviour we have! What a great salvation He has given to us! Help us, Lord, to say, in our hearts, "God forbid that I should ever boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ" (Galatians 6:14).
Leviticus 17:1-18:23
We thank You, Lord, that Your Son, Jesus, died - so that we might live. He was forsaken by You - so that we might live with You. We think of Jesus, suffering for us - "In my place, condemned, He stood." We think of the blessing that He brings to us: "Sealed my pardon with His blood." Here-and-now, there's a song of praise, arising in our hearts - but there's more than that: We look forward to the full glory of Your heavenly and eternal glory: "When He comes, our glorious King, all His ransomed home to bring, then anew this song we'll sing: Alleluia! What a Saviour!"
Leviticus 18:24-19:37
Lord, You are the God of perfect holiness. You are the God of perfect love. You call us to a life of holiness. You call us to a life of love. How are to live this life of holiness and love? We need the Holy Spirit - the Spirit of love. Without Him, we cannot even begin to live this new life - the life of holiness and love. We thank You, Lord, that You have not left us to live this life in our own strength - "the Holy Spirit ... lives in us" (2 Timothy 1:14).
Leviticus 20:1-27
Lord, if we are to become holy, it must be Your doing - not our own achievement. We come to our Saviour with our sin. We receive from Him Your forgiveness - and the Spirit of holiness. Our past is put behind us. Our sins are forgiven - and forgotten. You call us on into Your future. We are being changed by Your love and Your holiness. We look back at all that You have done for us - and we say, "To God be the glory! Great things He has done." We look forward to all that You will do for us - and we say, 'To God be the glory! There is more to come - "much more" (Romans 5:10). The best is yet to be! (1 Corinthians 2:9).'
Leviticus 21:1-22:16
Teach us, Lord, that "every virtue we possess ... every victory won ... every thought of holiness are Yours alone." Virtue, victory, holiness - Where do these things come from? They come from You, Lord. "In ourselves, there is no good thing" (Romans 7:18) - Our lives have been spoiled by our sin. We thank You, Lord, that You haven't given up on us. You haven't dismissed us as a lost cause. You keep on working in us, changing us, making us more like Jesus.
Leviticus 22:17-23:44
Lord, You call us to "worship You in spirit and in truth" (John 4:24). Where does true worship come from? - It comes from You. It comes from Your Spirit. It comes from Your Truth. We read the Holy Scriptures - and we begin to worship You. We open our hearts to the Holy Spirit - and the spirit of praise grows stronger in us. We listen to the voice of our Holy Saviour - and He leads in the pathway of true worship. True worship comes from You: "Fill Thou our life, O Lord our God, in every part with praise."
Leviticus 24:1-25:24
Lord, we hear the questions, "Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord?" and "Who shall stand in His holy place?" - and we say, 'This is too much for us." We thank You, Lord, that there is Good News for us. There is One who has ascended the hill of the Lord. There is One who stand in Your holy place. Jesus has ascended the hill of the Lord. Jesus stands in Your holy place. He has ascended Your holy hill - for us. He stands in Your holy place - for us. He has "received blessing from You" - for us (Psalm 24:3-5). When , Lord, we come to worship You, help us to come in the Name of Jesus: Just as I am, without one plea but that Thy blood was shed for me ... "
Leviticus 25:25-55
Teach us, Lord, that what You have done for us is always so much greater than anything we could ever do for You. You gave Your Son, Jesus, to be our Saviour. Your Holy Spirit has come to live in our hearts. He's changing us. He's making us more like Jesus. You give us the privilege of serving You - sharing, with others, the wonderful love of Jesus. You've done so much for us. You've given so much to us. What have we done to deserve all of this? - Nothing! It's Your gift. We can only say, "Thank You, Lord."
Leviticus 26:1-46
Lord, help us never to think, "We are blessed because we are obedient." Help us always to say, "We are blessed because You love us and Jesus died for us." Your love for us, Jesus' death for us: This is where the blessing comes from - and it's where our obedience comes from! We think of Your great love for us. We think of Jesus, crucified for us. We say, "Lord, You love me. Help me to love You." We say, "Jesus, You died for me. Help me to live for You." This is how Your blessing comes to us - You show us how much You love us, You put Your love into our hearts, the obedience grows stronger - and so does the blessing!
Leviticus 27:1-34
What great love, Lord, You have for us. There is no love like Your love for us. It's the best love! What joy You give to us - the joy that comes from knowing that we are loved with "everlasting love" (Jeremiah 31:3). Help us, Lord, to rejoice in Your love, to be changed by Your love, to share Your love. Your love: It's the best thing we could ever receive from You - and it's the best thing we can pass on to other people!
____________________________NUMBERS
Numbers 1:1-54
Living for You, Lord, is not easy. We face determined opposition from Satan. He keeps coming back at us, again and again. We thank You, Lord, that we do not stand against him in our own strength. We stand in Your strength, in the victory of our risen Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, in the power of the Holy Spirit.Numbers 2:1-34
Lord, we thank You for Your Word. You have spoken to us. You are still speaking to us. It's Your Word that leads us on into Your future. Help us to listen to what You are saying to us, to build our lives on Your Word, to let Your Word flow out from us, to bring blessing to many.
Numbers 3:1-51
Before we began to serve You, Lord, You were calling us to be Your servants. Before we can serve You, we must be saved by You. We're saved to serve. Help us, Lord, to receive Your salvation and to give ourselves in Your service. Your salvation always comes first - never our service! Your salvation never stands on its own - it leads to our service!
Numbers 4:1-49
Lord, You're calling us to grow in Christ. You're calling us to be changed - changed in our way of thinking, changed in our way of living. You're calling us to be less self-centred - and more centred on You. May there be less doing our own thing - and more following Jesus, less living in the weakness of the flesh - and more living in the power of the Spirit.
Numbers 5:1-31
We thank You, Lord, that Jesus, Your Son, has taken our sin upon Himself. We thank You that He brings Your salvation to us. With Jesus as our Saviour, we cannot remain the same as we were before we met Him. Jesus changes us. He makes us new. Help us, Lord, to live in the power of this new life which Jesus gives to us. Help us to live in His power - the power of His love.
Numbers 6:1-27
Lord, You call us to "be filled with Your Spirit" (Ephesians 5:18) - the Spirit of holiness, the Spirit of love. You are the holy God, the loving God - our holy Father, our loving Father. May there be, in us, the family likeness. Help us to become more like You - more holy, more loving.
Numbers 7:1-47
Lord, You gave Your Son, Jesus - to be our Saviour. Help us to give ourselves to You - to be Your servants. Jesus died for us. Help us to live for Him. Help us never to forget His sacrifice - "Love so amazing, so divine." May we be challenged by His sacrifice - "Love so amazing, so divine, demands my soul, my life, my all." Help us to respond to His sacrifice - "Love so amazing, so divine, shall have my soul, my life, my all."
Numbers 7:48-89
Lord, You speak to us. Help us to speak to You. You're speaking. Are we listening? You're listening to us. Are we speaking to You? Your Word to us is the call of love. You tell us that You love us. You're calling us to love You. May our words (and our life) be our response to Your love - "loving Him who first loved me."
Numbers 8:1-26
We thank You, Lord, for Your Word. It's " a lamp to our feet and a light to our path" (Psalm 119:105). As we read Your written Word, we hear the voice of Jesus, Your living Word. Jesus speaks to us. He calls us out of our darkness. He calls us into Your light. It's the light of Your salvation. It's the light that changes everything. It's the light of Your love.
Numbers 9:1-23
We look back, Lord, to what You have done for us. We look forward to all that You will do for us. We remember our Saviour, crucified for us. We await our Saviour, coming for us. Fill our hearts, Lord, with thanksgiving for all that You have done for us. In Your great love for us, You have given to us Your great salvation. Fill our hearts with the faith that faces the future with the confidence that Your love will never fail us - You will lead us safely on to Your heavenly and eternal glory.
Numbers 10:1-36
We thank You, Lord, for Your Holy Spirit. He works in us to bring blessing to us. He works through us to bring blessing to others. Without the working of Your Spirit, there can be no blessing. May the "living waters" of Your Spirit flow in our hearts and out from our hearts to others to bring blessing to many (John 7:37-39).
Numbers 11:1-35
Lord, we have begun to follow Jesus. Help us to keep on following Him. Again and again, we are tempted to turn back, to return to the ways of this world. Help us to keep on saying, "I have decided to follow Jesus - No turning back. The world behind me, the Cross before me - No turning back. If no-one joins me, still I will follow - No turning back."
Numbers 12:1-13:33
Lord, we need Your Word of encouragement. Sometimes, our problems seem to be so big. Help us to see that Your power is always greater than our problems. When everything in us seems to be saying, "I can't", help us to hear - and speak - the Word of faith, " I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" (Philippians 4:13).
Numbers 14:1-45
Sometimes, Lord, we wonder, "Is there any light at the end of the tunnel?" Help us to hear Your answer - Yes. There is: "I will be with you. I will never leave you" (Joshua 1:5). Strengthened by Your wonderful promises, help us to rise up and face the future with the confidence that comes from knowing that You are leading us on into Your glorious future: "eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Romans 6:23).
Numbers 15:1-41
We thank You, Lord, that You are our God - the God of our salvation. You have called us to be Your people. we have been saved by Your grace. Help us to live for Your glory. May we always be learning to walk with You. May we never forget to say of Jesus, Your Son: "Hallelujah! What a Saviour!"
Numbers 16:1-50
Lord, we are, so often, dragged down to the world's way of living. Again and again, we fail to respond to "the upward call of God in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 3:14). We fail to rise to the challenge of walking with You on "the high way of holiness" (Isaiah 35:8). When we rejoice in Your gift of forgiveness, help us, also, to choose the way of holiness.
Far too often, Lord, we keep our distance from You. You're calling us into a closer walk with You - but we draw back from You. You're seeking to change us - but we're quite content to stay the way we are. Forgive us, Lord, and deliver us from our self-centredness. Make us the kind of people that You want us to become.
Numbers 17:1-18:32
We look at ourselves, Lord - and our heads go down. Again and again, Lord, we let You down - but You, Lord, never let us down. You lift us up. When we fail You, help us to remember Your faithful love - and to be lifted up into a life that is more faithful to You and more fruitful for You.
Numbers 19:1-22
We thank You, Lord, for Jesus - Your perfect Son, our perfect Saviour. In ourselves, there is sin. In Jesus, there is salvation: forgiveness for our guilty past, power for the challenges of our present - and glory, with You, forevermore.
Numbers 20:1-29
We thank You, Lord, that Your Son, Jesus is "the same yesterday and today and forever" (Hebrews 13:8). When everything around us seems to be changing, help us to remember that Jesus, our Saviour, is unchanged, unchanging and unchangeable in the great love that He has for us and the amazing grace that He shows to us.
Numbers 21:1-35
We thank You, Lord, for Your great salvation. Nothing comes from ourselves: nothing but our sin - our need of Your salvation. Everything comes from Jesus, our wonderful Saviour. Salvation is never our achievement. It's always Your gift. Help us, Lord, to say with all our heart, "To God be the glory!" Help us to thank You for Jesus, our Saviour - He "opened the life-gate that all may go in." Help us to say, "Praise the Lord."
Numbers 22:1-41
Help us, Lord, to look, listen and learn. We look into Your Word. We listen to what Your Word is saying to us.We look and we listen - so that we might learn to love You more. Love for You - This, Lord, is what our looking and listening are all about. What, Lord, have we learned if we're not learning to love You more? Teach us, Lord, to love You - more truly and more fully.
Numbers 23:1-30
Help us, Lord, to listen to Your Word - and speak Your Word. Help us to receive blessing from You - and to share Your blessing with others. You don't speak Your Word to us - so that we can keep it to ourselves. Speak to us, Lord - and speak through us.
Numbers 24:1-25
Lord, we thank You for Your Holy Spirit. He leads us to Jesus, our Saviour (John 15:26). Help us, Lord, to "hear what the Spirit is saying" to us (Revelation 3:22). He calls us to hear the voice of Jesus - "Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him ... "(Revelation 3:20). He calls us to receive us the new life which begins, for each one of us, when we say, "Come into my heart, Lord Jesus. Come in today. Come in to stay. Come into my heart, Lord Jesus."
Numbers 25:1-26:22
Lord, Your Word gives us a much-needed warning: "Don't let the world squeeze you into its mould" (Romans 12:2). You're challenging us. You're asking us a very disturbing question - "Are you becoming more like the world or more like the Lord?" This is not only a disturbing question. It's a life-changing question. Answering this question honestly - This is the beginning of a better life, a life that brings more glory to You and more blessing to us, a life more fully in line with the "good and acceptable and perfect will of God" (Romans 12:2).
Numbers 26:23-65
Lord, You call us to embrace good change - change that comes from You. You're teaching us to say, with the Apostle Paul, "It's no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me" (Galatians 2:20). Help us to say, with John the Baptist, "I must decrease. Christ in me must increase" (John 3:30).
Numbers 27:1-23
Lord, help us to put first things first. Giving glory to You is more important than anything else. You must come first in our life. Help us to "seek first Your Kingdom and Your righteousness" (Matthew 6:33).
Numbers 28:1-31
We thank You, Lord, that Your beloved Son, Jesus Christ, "died for our sins" and was "raised" from death for us (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). Help us to rejoice in "the Good News" (1 Corinthians 15:1) of our Saviour. Help us to hear Your great declaration concerning Jesus - "This is My beloved Son with whom I am well pleased" (Matthew 3:17). Help each of us to say of Jesus - "This is my beloved Saviour with whom I am well pleased."
Numbers 29:1-40
What blessing comes to us when the Holy Spirit comes to us! We thank You, Lord, for the gift of the Holy Spirit. Before the Holy Spirit can work through - to bring others to Christ, He must work in us - yo make us more like Christ. When, Lord, we pray for blessing, help us to pray for "the fruit of the Spirit - love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control" (Galatians 5:22-23).
Numbers 30:1-31:20
If, Lord, we are to live for You, we must learn to die to self: "Put to death what is earthly in you ... put off the old nature .... put on the new nature" (Colossians 3:5-11).When there is less of self in us and more of Christ in us, there will be more blessing for others: "death is at work in us, but life in you" (2 Corinthians 4:12).
Numbers 31:21-54
Lord, You call us to be "soldiers of Christ" - to "fight the good fight of faith" (2 Timothy 2:3-4; 1 Timothy 6:12). When "the battle is fierce", help us to remember that "the victory is secure. The victory is secure - What a great encouragement this is to us! It encourages us us to keep on going when we feel like giving up. When we feel like we're falling down in the weakness of the flesh, Your victory encourages us to keep on standing in Your strength (Ephesians 6:10-11).
Numbers 32:1-42
We say, "We want to be happy." You, Lord, say to us, "What about being holy?" Happiness is like 'the elusive butterfly." We try to catch it - and it keeps on evading our grasp." Lord, how can we find true happiness? Happiness comes to us when we are blessed by You, when we're learning to take delight in Your Word: "Blessed is the person who ... delights in the teachings of the Lord" How are we to enjoy the blessing of true happiness? We find true happiness when we're learning to rejoice in You, the God of our salvation, the God who leads us on the Highway of Holiness" (Psalm 1:1-2; Isaiah 35:8). Help us, Lord, to keep on taking the High Road - God-centred holiness. Help us never to be content with the low road - self-centred happiness.
Numbers 33:1-49
Help us, Lord, to put the past behind us. Help us to press on into Your future. We learn from the past. Help us not live in the past. Help us, Lord, to let the past be the past. Help us to make a new beginning with You. Help us to move forward with You and for You (Philippians 3:13-14).
Numbers 33:50-34:29
We thank You, Lord, that our determined enemy - Satan - is Your defeated enemy. To us, the devil seems so powerful. In Your eyes, He is defeated - defeated by Jesus, our crucified Saviour and risen Lord. Jesus has triumphed over Satan. He has won the victory for us (1 John 3:8; Hebrews 2:14-15). Lord, Your Word says, "Resist the devil and he will flee from you" (James 5:7). Will he really flee from us? He flees from Jesus - but, surely, not from us? Have we not forgotten something? - Jesus won the victory for us. He gives His victory to us. Help us to resist the devil - in the victorious Name of Jesus. He will flee from us. Why? Because Jesus is Lord over Satan. It's not us he's fleeing from. It's Jesus. When the devil comes 'knocking on our door', help us to send Jesus to the door - and send him packing!
Numbers 35:1-36:13
We thank You, Lord, that the devil flees from us when we flee to Jesus. What a precious promise is given to us in Your Word: "The Name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run into it and are safe" (Proverbs 18:10). Who are "the righteous" - Surely, not us? We've failed You so often. How can we be "the righteous"? Jesus Christ is "righteous" - and He has died for our sins (1 John 2:1-2). This changes everything - "There is therefore no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus" (Romans 8:1). What a Saviour! What a victory over Satan! Thank You, Jesus.
____________________________DEUTERONOMY
Deuteronomy 1:1-46
Lord, You call us with Your challenge. You call us to make our choice. We are to put the past behind us. We are to press on into the future - with You and for You. We hesitate - and we end up doing nothing. Help us, Lord, to turn from our self-centred ways. Help us to walk with You in Your way - the way of faith, the way of obedience.
Deuteronomy 2:1-37
We thank You, Lord, that You are greater than all our problems. As we look back on the way You've led us, help us to say, "Grace brought me safe this far." As we look to You to lead us into the future, help us to say, "Grace will lead me home." Thank You, Lord for Your "amazing grace."
Deuteronomy 3:1-29
Sometimes, Lord, Your blessing seems to be "so near and yet so far." Help us, Lord, as we seek Your blessing, to remember that it is never our own achievement. It is always Your gift to us. We do not achieve victory in our own strength. You give to us Your victory. When, Lord, we feel like we are in a barren wilderness, help us to remember that the place of testing can become the place of triumph - when we put our trust in You.
Deuteronomy 4:1-43
Lord, You have saved us. Help us to serve You. In all our service, may we never forget Your salvation. May we always serve You with "the attitude of gratitude."
Deuteronomy 4:44-5:33
We thank You, Lord, for the Scriptures. They lead us to our Saviour - Jesus. The Scriptures speak to us of His suffering and our salvation. When we think of all that Jesus has done for us, may we receive, from You, the spirit of thanksgiving - joyful thanksgiving, heartfelt thanksgiving.
Deuteronomy 6:1-25
Lord, we are called to fear You - and to love You. We tend to think that fear and love are opposites. You teach us something else, something very different. Fear and love belong together. You are the holy God, the God who cannot look upon our sin (Habakkuk 1:13). We fear You. You show us our sin so that we might be brought to Jesus, our Saviour. We come to Jesus. We learn how much You love us - and we begin to love You.
Deuteronomy 7:1-26
Lord, living for You is not easy. We have a fight on our hands. Satan is a determined enemy. Help us to remember that He's also a defeated enemy. When the battle seems to be getting too much for us, help us to remember that we are "kept by the power of God" (1 Peter 1:3-5).
Deuteronomy 8:1-9:21
We thank You, Lord, that "we do not live by bread alone" (Deuteronomy 8:3). We need bread for the body. We also need Jesus, the Bread of Life (John 6:35). Help us, Lord, not to become too easily satisfied by the things of this world. Help us never to forget that we need Jesus. Without Him, there will always be something missing. With Him, there will be a new - eternal - sense of meaning, purpose and direction.
Deuteronomy 9:22-10:22
Help us, Lord, to listen to You and live for You, to speak to You and speak for You. Help us to receive from You and respond to You. Help us not to get caught up in the "What do I get out of it?" way of thinking. Help us to ask the more important question: "How can I give myself more fully to You, Lord?"
Deuteronomy 11:1-32
Lord, You give us Your promises and Your warnings. You show us the better way - and You say to us, "Make sure that You don't go back to the old way of living, back to the world's way of living, back to the way of life that will never satisfy."
Deuteronomy 12:1-32
Who chooses what is important to us? Is it You, Lord? or Are we the ones who are in control? Help us, Lord, not to pay lip-service to You - without really opening our hearts to You and giving You first place in our lives.
Deuteronomy 13:1-14:21
Lord, You are the God of love. You are also the God of holiness. We like to hear about Your love. It makes us feel good. We're not so keen on hearing about Your holiness. You are the holy God. You are the God who calls us to be holy. Help us, Lord, not to be content with the half-truth, contained in the words, "All you need is love." We do need love - but we also need holiness. Help us to "strive ... for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord" (Hebrews 12:14).
Deuteronomy 14:22-15:23
Lord, You call us to belong to You. This is wonderful. It makes our hearts glad. You also call us to serve You. We're not to remain what we were before we became Your redeemed people. We're to be renewed - "beholding the glory of the Lord, we are being changed into His likeness from one degree of glory to another" (2 Corinthians 3:18).
Deuteronomy 16:1-17:13
Lord, we celebrate Your love. We rejoice in Your salvation. Your love is a dying love. We see Your love in the death of Jesus, our Saviour. It's also an undying love. It's the only love that never dies. It never comes to an end. It's eternal love, shown to us in the sacrificial death of "the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world" (John 1:29).
Deuteronomy 17:14-18:22
Help us, Lord, to be obedient to Your Word. Help us, in our obedience, to remain humble. How can we possibly bring glory yo You if we're thinking about how obedient we are when we should be rejoicing in the great love by which You have saved us and the great power by which You keep us walking in the way of faith? Even when we're pressing on to a closer walk with You, help us never to forget this: "Who is a God like You, forgiving sin ... " (Micah 7:18-20).
Deuteronomy 19:1-20:9
By Your grace, Lord, You call us to be Your soldiers and servants. Help us not to be "fearful and fainthearted" (Deuteronomy 19:19). Help us to be "good soldiers of Jesus Christ" (2 Timothy 2:3). When we hear your challenging question: "Who is on the Lord's side?", may we give our committed answer: "By Thy call of mercy, by Thy grace divine, we are on the Lord's side; Saviour, we are Thine."
Deuteronomy 20:10-21:23
We thank You, Lord, for Your amazing love - "while we were Your enemies we were reconciled to You by the death of Your Son" (Romans 5:10); "Once we were no people but now we are Your people; once we had not received mercy but now we have received mercy" (1 Peter 2:10).
Deuteronomy 22:1-30
Help us, Lord, to be caring people. Where does this love for one another come from? It comes from Your love for us. Where there is a growing appreciation of Your love for us, there will be an increasing commitment to sharing Your love with others. Help us to love people without loving the ways of those who "live as enemies of the Cross of Christ" (Philippians 3:18). May our love for them be a true expression of Your love for them. May it call them to return to You, to be forgiven by You, to make a new beginning with You.
Deuteronomy 23:1-25
Show us, Lord, what we really are - without You. Make us, more truly and more fully, what You want us to become - by Your saving grace. Fill us with Your holiness - and fill us with Your love. You've lifted us out of our sin and into Your salvation. This is Your doing. It's not our own achievement. we're called to be Your holy people - but we dare not imagine that we're better than everyone else. We're set apart for You - but we must never forget that we'll never be anything more than sinners, saved by Your grace. Your love has reached. Your love changes us. Make us more like Jesus - walking with You on the pathway of holiness and reaching out, in love, to others, inviting them to receive the Saviour's love and respond to His call: "Follow Me" (Matthew 4:19).
Deuteronomy 24:1-25:29
We thank You, Lord, that You love us. We thank You that You have done great things for us. We think of Your great love. We think of all that You have done for us - and we say, "To God be the glory."
Deuteronomy 26:1-27:10
Lord, You have saved us. You call us, now, to live in obedience to Your Word. Teach us Your way, Lord, and help us to walk in it. May the light of Your love shine upon us. May Your love for us fill us with more love for You.
Deuteronomy 27:11-28:24
Lord, You speak to us Your Word of warning - and Your promise of blessing. You call us back from the way of disobedience - and on to the pathway of obedience and blessing. Where does the blessing come from? Does it come from our obedience? No! It comes from Your love. It comes from Your promise. Your love reaches us in our sin. Your blessing increases in us as we learn to turn from our sin and give You first place in our lives.
Deuteronomy 28:25-68
Why, Lord, do You speak to us the Word of warning and the promise of blessing? There is a good way to which we must turn - and there's also a bad way from which we turn. How can we really appreciate and embrace the good way if we do not see the clear contrast between the good way and the bad way? Help us, Lord, to choose the good way - to choose Jesus, who is "the Way, the Truth and the Life" (John 14:6).
Deuteronomy 29:1-29
Lord, Your Word speaks to us about the "secret things" and "the things that are revealed" (Deuteronomy 29:29). There are some "things" that we will never understand. These "things" belong to You, Lord. Help us to focus our attention on "the things that are revealed", the teaching that comes to us from "the holy Scriptures", the Gospel which brings us to Jesus, our Saviour - calling us to put our faith in Him and live in obedience to Him (2 Timothy 3:14-17).
Deuteronomy 30:1-31:13
Lord, You are not a god who keeps his distance from us. You are not a god who keeps his silence.You come near to us. You speak Your Word to us (Deuteronomy 30:11-14). How do we know that You are near to us? How do we know that You speak Your Word to us? Jesus is "God with us" (Matthew 1:23). He is "the Word made flesh" (John 1:14). Thank You for Jesus - He comes near to us and He speaks to us. Help us, Lord, to treasure His presence and to respond to His Word.
Deuteronomy 31:14-32:18
We sing to You, Lord. We sing our song of praise. It's the song of Your salvation. It's the song that gives glory to You. May our song of praise be more than words. May it be the song that arises from our hearts. May it be the song that comes from lives that are being transformed by Your grace.
Deuteronomy 32:19-33:17
Lord, You speak to us the Word of condemnation. You tell us that we are "a perverse generation" You tell us that "You will hide Your face from us" (Deuteronomy 32:20). You also speak to us the Word of compassion - "The Lord will ... have compassion on His servants, when He sees their power is gone" (Deuteronomy 32:26). Help us, Lord, to hear the Word of condemnation - to know that "our power has gone", so that we can hear the Word of compassion, the Word that comes to us in our weakness, the Word that brings us into Your strength - "a new creation in Jesus Christ" (2 Corinthians 5:17).
Deuteronomy 33:18-34:12
We thank You, Lord, that You are "the eternal God." You are "our Refuge." You hold us in Your "everlasting arms" (Deuteronomy 33:27). This doesn't mean that life will be easy for us - but it does mean that You will be with us -whatever happens, and You'll never let us down. You'll always be there for us. You are "for us" - whatever problems we may have to face, may we learn to say, with triumphant faith, "If God is for us, who can be against us?" (Romans 8:31).
__________________________
JOSHUA
Deuteronomy 33:18-34:12
We thank You, Lord, that You are "the eternal God." You are "our Refuge." You hold us in Your "everlasting arms" (Deuteronomy 33:27). This doesn't mean that life will be easy for us - but it does mean that You will be with us -whatever happens, and You'll never let us down. You'll always be there for us. You are "for us" - whatever problems we may have to face, may we learn to say, with triumphant faith, "If God is for us, who can be against us?" (Romans 8:31).
__________________________
JOSHUA
Joshua 1:1-18
We thank You, Lord, that we have Your wonderful promise - "The Lord your God is with you" - as well as Your clear command - "Be strong" (Joshua 1:9). Without Your promise, the command is no use. Again and again, we fail to keep Your commands. Again and again, we need to be reassured. You are still with us. This is what we need to hear. This is where our strength comes from. It comes from Your promise. It comes from knowing that You never fail us. You have never failed us. You never will fail us.
Joshua 2:1-24
Help us, Lord, to "give a friendly welcome" (Hebrews 11:31). What a difference the friendly welcome makes! It's the word of encouragement that makes us feel loved. It's the act of kindness that lets us know that love is more than words. Lord, You are our Father. Help us to be like You - "when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him" (Luke 15:20). What amazing grace! Before the confession of sin - "Father, I have sinned... " (Luke 15:21), there is the friendly welcome. It's Your grace that inspires our confession of sin. It's Your grace that leads us into the joy of Your forgiveness. It's not only joy for us. It's joy for You - "my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to celebrate" (Luke 15:24).
Joshua 3:1-17
Help us, Lord, to be active for You - "the people who know their God will be strong and take action" (Daniel 11:32) - and to wait upon You - "those who wait upon the Lord will renew their strength" (Isaiah 40:31). We need both - prayer and action, seeking Your will and doing Your will. Give us wisdom to know Your will, and courage to do Your will.
Joshua 4:1-24
Lord, You have blessed us so much. Help us never to forget this. We look at the world You have made for us - and we say, "Thank You, Lord." We look at the Saviour You have sent to us - and we say, "Thank You, Lord." Why must we keep on remembering You? - We "remember" so that we might learn to fear You (Joshua 4:23-24). We remember so that we may have hope for the future - "times of refreshing" (Acts 3:19).
Joshua 5:1-15
Lord, we thank You that Your Son, Jesus, comes to us as more than our personal Saviour. He comes to us as the "commander of the army of the Lord" (Joshua 5:14). We thank You that "Christ, the Royal Master, leads against the foe." We thank You that He leads us "on to victory." Help us to be His faithful followers on His pathway of victory.
Joshua 6:1-27
We thank You, Lord, that victory comes from You - "I have handed Jericho over to you" (Joshua 6:2). Help us to receive Your victory by faith - "By faith the walls of Jericho fell down" (Hebrews 11:30). We don't achieve this victory in our own strength. You give us Your promise of victory. Help us to believe Your promise - to receive the victory as Your gift, to stand upon Your promise and claim the victory that You give to us.
Joshua 7:1-26
Help us, Lord, to take sin seriously. The world tells us that it doesn't matter how we live. Your Word tells us that it does matter how we live. Help us to think about our way of living. Help us to be honest with ourselves - to be honest with You: Are we living to please ourselves - or to bring glory to You?
Joshua 8:1-35
Help us, Lord, to do Your work in Your way - believing Your promise and obeying Your command (Joshua 8:7-8). How are we to do Your work in Your way? We must read "all that is written in Your book" - the strong warnings that call us back from the way of sin, and the precious promises that lead us on in the way of holiness.
Joshua 9:1-10:15
When we're following You, Lord, Satan is never very far away. He's always looking for ways of tripping us up and leading us away from You. Help us, Lord, to remember that You are stronger than Satan. Here-and-now, Satan has his successes - but he will not win the final victory. He will be defeated (Revelation 20:10) - and it will be clear to all that You are "King of kings and Lord of lords" (Revelation 19:16).
Joshua 10:16-11:15
We thank You, Lord, that we do not fight against Satan in our own strength. You fight for us (Joshua 10:42). Victory is never our own achievement. It is always Your gift: "Thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Corinthians 15:57).
Joshua 11:16-12:24
Where does victory come from? Does it come from ourselves? No! It comes from You, Lord. You give us the victory. We give You the glory: "To God be the glory! Great things He has done. So loved He the world that He gave us His Son ... Praise the Lord!"
Joshua 13:1-14:25
You call us, Lord, to "lead a life worthy of Your calling" (Ephesians 4:1). We say, 'I can't.' You say to us, "I have blessed you, in Christ, with every spiritual blessing" (Ephesians 1:3). Why we do allow our lives to be controlled by our own weakness when we can be transformed by Your strength? Help us, Lord, to think of all that You have given to us, in Christ, and to rise up, with new strength - Your strength - to live for You day-by-day.
Joshua 15:1-63
We thank You, Lord, for Your gift of the Holy Spirit. In Him, You give to us "rivers of living water" (John 7:37-39). How are these "rivers of living water" to flow in us and through us? - We need less of this world - "Do not be conformed to this world" - and more of Your Word - "Be transformed by the renewal of your mind" (Romans 12:2).
Joshua 16:1-17:18
When, Lord, we settle for anything less than Your very best, we miss out on Your blessing - and we have no blessing to pass on to other people. Help us, Lord, to move out of complacency and into commitment, out of the 'No' attitude - 'no time for You, Lord' - and into the 'Yes' actions - "Yes, Lord, I will follow You, I will serve You."
Joshua 18:1-19:51
Lord, we like to take it easy. We like to have a comfortable life. We don't want to be too committed. We've become half-hearted. Where does this apathy come from? Does it come from You? Are You not calling us to be whole-hearted? Lord, lift us out of a life pf paying lip-service to You and into a life of being changed by Your love and Your power.
Joshua 20:1-21:45
We thank You, Lord, that Your love goes on and on. We may stop loving You - but You will never stop loving us. What a wonderful love You have for us. There is no love like Your love. Thank You, Lord, for Your love.
Joshua 22:1-34
Help us, Lord, to hear Your Word, to speak Your Word, and to live Your Word. You speak to us. Are we listening? There are people who need to hear Your Word. Do we fail them? Do we keep Your Word to ourselves? the world is watching us. Are we living for You? In our hearing, speaking and living, help us, Lord, to be, more truly and more fully, all that You want us to be.
Joshua 23:1-16
Lord, You have done great things for us. You are still doing great things for us. You will continue to do great things for us. When we say, "Thank You, Lord, for Your many blessings", help us never to take Your blessing for granted. Help us to keep on living in obedience to Your Word. Help us to see, more clearly, the vital connection between obedience and blessing: Keep the obedience going, and the blessing will keep on coming.
Joshua 24:1-33
Help us, Lord, to mean what we say, and say what we mean. May our words of faith by backed up by a life of faith. In our life of faith, may we be unashamed to say, "I'm living this way because I love Jesus. It's not about me. It's about Jesus. He's changing me - "It is no longer I who live but Christ who lives in me" (Galatians 2:20).
____________________________JUDGES
Judges 1:1-2:5
When things are going well, help us, Lord, to thank You. When things are going badly, help us to trust You.
Judges 2:6-3:11
Sometimes, Lord, You say to us, "This is the way, walk in it" (Isaiah 30:21). Sometimes, You say to us, "This is not the way. Do not walk in it." Help us, Lord, to walk in Your way - and not in the way of the world.
Judges 4:1-5:11
Lord, may there be less trying to get our own way - and more walking in Your way.
Judges 6:11-7:14
We are weak. You are strong. Teach us, Lord, to look beyond our weakness to Your strength.
Judges 7:15-8:35
We find it so easy, Lord, to forget You and all that You have done for us. We feel the pull of the world - drawing us back to what we were before we met You, drawing us away from all that You are calling us to become. Give us grace, Lord, to remember You, to rejoice in You, and to be renewed by You.
Judges 9:1-49
Lord, there are two ways of living - the self-centred way and the God-centred way. Show us, Lord, that Your way is always the best way.
Judges 9:50-11:11
You call us, Lord, to get real with You, to mean what we say. We're not to say one thing, and do something else. We say, I will follow You, Lord." Help us to remember what we have said - and help us to remember what Jesus said, "I am with you always" (Matthew 28:20).
Judges 11:12-12:15
Lord, we don't go out looking for problems - but, sometimes, we can't avoid them. Help us, Lord, to turn obstacles into opportunities. When we're on the verge of collapse, may Your grace lead us on to spiritual growth.
Judges 13:1-14:9
Lord, may our lives be an echo of the words of Jesus: "The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me ... " (Luke 4:18-19). We look at what we are, and we ask, "How can we become more like Jesus?" It begins with the death of Jesus - "while we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8). It continues with the gift of the Holy Spirit - "the Holy Spirit has been given to us" (Romans 5:5). we look at Jesus, our Saviour. We look at the Holy Spirit. What do we see? we see Your love(Romans 5:8 and Romans 5:5). It's Your love that changes us. It's Your love that makes us more like Jesus.
Judges 14:10-16:3
Lord, we thank You that our lives are not controlled by what we are. They are transformed by what You are. We are sinners. You are the God of grace, Shall our sin triumph over Your grace? - "God forbid!" (Romans 6:1-2). "Sin shall not have dominion over us" (Romans 6:14). Your grace has brought us forgiveness. May it also bring us renewal: "The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control" (Galatians 5:22-23).
Judges 16:4-31
Lord, we find ourselves somewhere between tragedy and triumph. We look at ourselves - and we see our potential for tragedy. When we forget about You, we're like a runaway train - out of control and heading for a big crash. When, Lord, You take control, everything changes. You turn things around. You set us on the road to triumph: "Thanks be to God who always leads us to triumph in Christ" (2 Corinthians 2:14).
Judges 17:1-18:13
Lord, it's not easy to keep on praying, "Your will be done." Our will gets in the way. We start thinking about what we want - and we forget about what You want. We try to get the best of both worlds - pleasing You and pleasing ourselves. We become "lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God" (2 Timothy 3:4). Help us to become more like Jesus; "I seek not My own will but the will of Him who sent Me" (John 5:30).
Judges 18:14-19:30
Help us, Lord, to "be still, and know that You are God" (Psalm 46:10) - but help us not to remain silent when we should be speaking up for You: "If you confess with your mouth , 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved" (Romans 10:9).
Judges 20:1-28
Even when we get ourselves into a right mess, You're still in control. You are Lord. Nothing changes that. we wonder, "Can things be turned around?" You say to us, "Yes. They can." You say to us, "It's not all about you. I am there with you. I have never left you. I'm not going to leave you now. Trust Me. Let My love give you the strength that you need to keep on going, when the going gets tough."
Judges 20:29-21:25
Lord, we read in Your Word that "every man did what was right in his own eyes" (Judges 21:25) - and it seems like we are reading a description of today's world. We look around us, and we see so little love for You. Your Son is "despised and rejected by men" (Isaiah 53:3). Our Saviour is "ignored" (Hebrews 2:3). We seem to hear nothing but bad news. Is there any good news? Do You have something to say to us - something to lift us out of our darkness and into Your light? we thank You, Lord, that there is Good News - Jesus is "the Light of the world" (John 8:12). Help us, Lord, to pray that the light of Jesus will shine more brightly in our world. Help us to pray for revival - and help us to begin with ourselves: "O Holy Ghost, revival comes from Thee. Send a revival. Start the work in me" (J. Edwin Orr, "Search me, O God").
_____________________________RUTH
Ruth 1:1-2:23
Sometimes, Lord, it seems to us that some things just happen by chance. You're saying to us, "No. It's more than that." You are working in us. You are showing us Your love. Day-by-day, You are showing us that You are the faithful God. You are the God of "amazing grace." Help us to say more than "These things just happened." Help us to say, "God has blessed us. Thank You, Lord."
Ruth 3:1-4:22
Thank You, Lord, that Jesus has become one of us. He's come down to this earth for us - and He's gone to the Cross for us. He came from heaven - and He's taking us to heaven. He has taken our sin - and He's given us His forgiveness. When we think of Jesus - all that He has done for us, all that He is doing for us, all that He will do for us, may our hearts be filled with praise to You, the God of our salvation.
________________________
________________________
1 SAMUEL
1 Samuel 1:1-28
We come to You, Lord, with sadness. You give us gladness. How does this gladness come to us? It comes to us when we stand upon Your Word, when we believe Your promises. Our life is not controlled by our feelings - the feelings that drag us down, the feelings that pull us away from You. Your promises lift us out of these feelings. They lift us into Your presence. They assure us of Your love. They lead us into Your blessing. Thank You, Lord, for Your promises and Your presence, Your love and Your blessing.
1 Samuel 2:1-36
Lord, there are two ways of living. There's the way of holiness and joy, the way of living in the strength of Your Spirit. There's the way of living to please ourselves, living without the joy that comes from You, living in the weakness of the flesh. Help us, Lord, to keep on choosing Your way, and not to persist in going our own way and doing our own thing.
1 Samuel 3:1-4:22
"Here I am, Lord ... I have heard You calling in the night. I will go, Lord ... I will hold Your people in my heart" (Daniel L. Schutte). Lord, You come to us. You come with Your Word. It is a Word for ourselves. It is a Word for others. We receive Your Word. We share Your Word. Glorify Your Name, Lord- in us and through us.
1 Samuel 5:1-6:16
Lord, You are the true God, the living God, the everlasting God (Jeremiah 10:10). You are our Saviour (Isaiah 43:11). Speak to us Your truth. Breathe into us Your life. As Jesus draws near to us, help us to trust Him and be led by Him on the pathway to Your eternal glory.
1 Samuel 6:17-7:17
"Holiness, holiness, the only life that the Lord will bless" (Don Francisco). Lord, You are the holy God. You call us to be holy. The way of holiness is the way of blessing. Help us, Lord, to walk with You in Your way - the way of holiness, the way of blessing.
1 Samuel 8:1-9:10
Lord, You are the King. There is no king like You. No human king can even begin to compare with You - the divine King, the "King of kings" (Revelation 19:16). We lift to You our song of praise: "O worship the King, all glorious above. O gratefully sing, His power and His love."
1 Samuel 9:11-10:16
"Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the King of creation! O my soul, praise Him, for He is they health and salvation!" When, Lord, we say that You are the great King, may we not think only of the greatness of Your power. May we think also of the greatness of Your love.
1 Samuel 10:17-11:15
"Praise, my soul, the King of heaven; To His feet thy tribute bring. Ransomed, healed, restored, forgiven, who like thee His praise should sing?" No earthly king could ever bless us the way You, Lord, have blessed us. What a great Saviour You have given to us! Jesus is greater than any earthly king. He does for us what no earthly king could ever do for us. He brings us into Your everlasting Kingdom.
1 Samuel 12:1-13:15a
We thank You, Lord, that You speak to us the right Word at the right time. Sometimes, we need to hear Your Word of promise. Sometimes, we need to hear Your Word of warning. Assure us, Lord, that, in all life's changing circumstances, "Your grace is always sufficient for us" (2 Corinthians 12:9).
1 Samuel 13:15b-14:23
Is there any hope for us, Lord? Sometimes, we wonder. It seems like we're in a dark hole - and we can't get out! Then, Lord, You come to us. You say to us, "I am the God of hope, I will fill you with hope (Romans 15:13). In ourselves, there is no hope. With You, there is real hope. Our future is in safe hands - "The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms" (Deuteronomy 33:27).
1 Samuel 14:24-52
"We all make mistakes. If any one makes no mistakes ... he is a perfect man" (James 3:2). Lord, there is only one perfect Man - Jesus. When we get it wrong, help us to look to Him - to put it right, to make us right. Our difficulties may not disappear, but, with Jesus on our side, we will rise above them.
1 Samuel 15:1-35
Again and again, Lord, we take the easy way out. We avoid conflict. We side with evil, when we should be choosing good. Why are we like this? - We've always been like this. It's the story of our life. It's everybody's story. Can we be changed? We'll never be perfect, but we can begin to triumph over evil. Help us, Lord, to begin with You, to receive Your strength - strength to do good rather than evil.
1 Samuel 16:1-23
"Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me. Break me, melt me, mould me, fill me" (Daniel Iverson). Lord, it's Your Spirit who makes the difference. He changes us. We lose heart. He gives us new strength. We feel like giving up. He keeps us going on. Thank You, Lord, for Your Holy Spirit. Lead us out of our emptiness and into Your fullness.
1 Samuel 17:1-58
Often, Lord, we feel like David - facing Goliath (1 Samuel 17). Everything seems too much for us. Was Goliath too much for David? He wasn't too much for You - and You were on David's side. We're not alone. Help us to remember this. When we feel weak, help us to remember that You are strong - and Your strength has been given to us. Thank You, Lord.
1 Samuel 18:1-20
What a difference there is between the love of power and the power of love. The world is all about the love of power. You, Lord, are all about the power of love. Your power is never power without love. Your love is powerful love. Fill us with Your power - and help us to give glory to You, the God of loving power and powerful love.
1 Samuel 19:1-24
What are the most important things in our lives? Why are they so important to us? Everything revolves around ourselves, Lord. We forget about You. Call us back, Lord - back from the brink, back from "the broad way that leads to destruction" (Matthew 7:13). Call us into "safety, certainty and enjoyment" (George Cutting) - saved by You, assured of Your salvation, enjoying Your salvation.
1 Samuel 20:1-42
Where does true love come from? It comes from You, Lord. It comes from Your love. Give us real love. Give us Your love. When we know that we are loved by You, our love will grow strong - our love for You, our love for one another, our love for people who need You.
1 Samuel 21:1-22:23
Deliver us, O Lord, from religion without compassion. We don't want to be Pharisees. we want to be followers of Jesus. Give us compassion - but may it always be compassion without compromise. Help us not to sacrifice truth and righteousness for the sake of relevance. Help us "to be the best that we can be for truth and righteousness and Thee." Help us to see what relevance really is. Help us to see where relevance really comes from. It doesn't just emerge out of our own minds, our own creativity. It's based on truth. We didn't create truth - and we don't create relevance. "Your Word is truth" (John 17:17). Your Word is relevant - because it is truth: truth unchanged, unchanging and unchangeable. Lord, help us to be faithful to Your truth - and help us to care for people who need to be set free by Your truth, set free by Your Son (John 8:32,36).
1 Samuel 23:1-29
Help us, Lord, to be honest with You - Do we want to get our own way or to do Your will? Set us free from the self-centred illusion that You will always support us in everything that we decide to do. Help us to see that there's a great difference between 'what I want' and 'what You want.' Teach us to choose Your will rather than our own will.
1 Samuel 24:1-22
Help us, Lord, never to imagine that we can ever hope to be fruitful for You if we are not committed to being faithful to You. Help us, Lord, to be more than people who serve You. Help us to be people who love You. May we serve You because we love You. May we love You because "You first loved us" (1 John 4:19).
1 Samuel 25:1-44
Life is full of surprises. Sometimes, Lord, these surprises come from You - blessings that fill our hearts with your joy. Sometimes, the surprises come from Satan. He's trying to catch us off guard. He's trying to trip us up. He's trying to lead us away from You. Help us to turn Satan's surprises into Your surprises. When Satan comes to tempt us, to draw us away from You, help us to face him in Your strength. Help us to tell him that You were there before he arrived on the scene. - You are the eternal God. Help us to tell Satan that You are still here - the God who is with us to bless us, the God who is living in us to give us Your victory over Satan.
1 Samuel 26:1-25
Lead us, Lord, in the way of true wisdom - "the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom" (Psalm 111:10). How foolish we are when we choose to go our own way rather than walking in Your way. Help us, Lord, to choose Christ every day - "O happy day, that fixed my choice on Thee, my Saviour and my God ... That vow renewed shall daily hear."
1 Samuel 27:1-28:2
What a difference there is between fear - "I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul" - and faith - "The Lord will deliver me from the hand of the Philistine" (1 Samuel 27:1; 1 Samuel 17:37). Sometimes, fear, sometimes faith - this was the story of David's life. It's the story of our life. How, Lord, are we to overcome fear? How are we to grow strong in faith? It's Your "perfect love that casts out fear." It's Your love that makes us strong in faith and gives us the victory (1 John 4:18-19; 1 John 5:4-5). Lord, fill our hearts with Your love. May there be, in us, more faith and less fear.
1 Samuel 28:3-25
Help us, Lord, to take sin seriously - "Be sure your sin will find you out" (Numbers 32:23). Help us to take Your salvation even more seriously. Help us to believe that the story of our life is more than the story of our sin. It's also the story of Your salvation. When we are deeply aware of our sin, may we become even more deeply appreciative of Your promise of salvation: "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved" (Acts 16:31).
1 Samuel 29:1-30:15
When, Lord, things are going badly, we start feeling sorry for ourselves - when we should be getting strengthened by You. You are "our strength and our shield." You give us Your "strength" and Your "peace" (Psalm 28:7-8; Psalm 29:10-11). Give to us the peace that comes to us from knowing that we are not alone. May we not fall down in our weakness. May we stand up in Your victory.
1 Samuel 30:16-31:13
Far too easily, Lord, we accept defeat - when You're leading us on into Your victory. What's wrong with us? It's sin. That's our problem. It never goes away, this problem of ours - but we don't have to fight against it in our own strength. Our sin may seem to be inevitable - "That's the way I am. That's the way I've always been. That's the way I'll always be." Our sin isn't invincible. Jesus triumphed over sin. That's what He did when He died for us and rose again. Jesus won the victory for us. He gives His victory to us. Help us, Lord, to receive His strength, to walk in His victory, and to say. "This is the Lord's doing; it is marvellous in our eyes" (Psalm 118:23).
______________________
2 SAMUEL
1 KINGS1 Samuel 21:1-22:23
Deliver us, O Lord, from religion without compassion. We don't want to be Pharisees. we want to be followers of Jesus. Give us compassion - but may it always be compassion without compromise. Help us not to sacrifice truth and righteousness for the sake of relevance. Help us "to be the best that we can be for truth and righteousness and Thee." Help us to see what relevance really is. Help us to see where relevance really comes from. It doesn't just emerge out of our own minds, our own creativity. It's based on truth. We didn't create truth - and we don't create relevance. "Your Word is truth" (John 17:17). Your Word is relevant - because it is truth: truth unchanged, unchanging and unchangeable. Lord, help us to be faithful to Your truth - and help us to care for people who need to be set free by Your truth, set free by Your Son (John 8:32,36).
1 Samuel 23:1-29
Help us, Lord, to be honest with You - Do we want to get our own way or to do Your will? Set us free from the self-centred illusion that You will always support us in everything that we decide to do. Help us to see that there's a great difference between 'what I want' and 'what You want.' Teach us to choose Your will rather than our own will.
1 Samuel 24:1-22
Help us, Lord, never to imagine that we can ever hope to be fruitful for You if we are not committed to being faithful to You. Help us, Lord, to be more than people who serve You. Help us to be people who love You. May we serve You because we love You. May we love You because "You first loved us" (1 John 4:19).
1 Samuel 25:1-44
Life is full of surprises. Sometimes, Lord, these surprises come from You - blessings that fill our hearts with your joy. Sometimes, the surprises come from Satan. He's trying to catch us off guard. He's trying to trip us up. He's trying to lead us away from You. Help us to turn Satan's surprises into Your surprises. When Satan comes to tempt us, to draw us away from You, help us to face him in Your strength. Help us to tell him that You were there before he arrived on the scene. - You are the eternal God. Help us to tell Satan that You are still here - the God who is with us to bless us, the God who is living in us to give us Your victory over Satan.
1 Samuel 26:1-25
Lead us, Lord, in the way of true wisdom - "the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom" (Psalm 111:10). How foolish we are when we choose to go our own way rather than walking in Your way. Help us, Lord, to choose Christ every day - "O happy day, that fixed my choice on Thee, my Saviour and my God ... That vow renewed shall daily hear."
1 Samuel 27:1-28:2
What a difference there is between fear - "I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul" - and faith - "The Lord will deliver me from the hand of the Philistine" (1 Samuel 27:1; 1 Samuel 17:37). Sometimes, fear, sometimes faith - this was the story of David's life. It's the story of our life. How, Lord, are we to overcome fear? How are we to grow strong in faith? It's Your "perfect love that casts out fear." It's Your love that makes us strong in faith and gives us the victory (1 John 4:18-19; 1 John 5:4-5). Lord, fill our hearts with Your love. May there be, in us, more faith and less fear.
1 Samuel 28:3-25
Help us, Lord, to take sin seriously - "Be sure your sin will find you out" (Numbers 32:23). Help us to take Your salvation even more seriously. Help us to believe that the story of our life is more than the story of our sin. It's also the story of Your salvation. When we are deeply aware of our sin, may we become even more deeply appreciative of Your promise of salvation: "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved" (Acts 16:31).
1 Samuel 29:1-30:15
When, Lord, things are going badly, we start feeling sorry for ourselves - when we should be getting strengthened by You. You are "our strength and our shield." You give us Your "strength" and Your "peace" (Psalm 28:7-8; Psalm 29:10-11). Give to us the peace that comes to us from knowing that we are not alone. May we not fall down in our weakness. May we stand up in Your victory.
1 Samuel 30:16-31:13
Far too easily, Lord, we accept defeat - when You're leading us on into Your victory. What's wrong with us? It's sin. That's our problem. It never goes away, this problem of ours - but we don't have to fight against it in our own strength. Our sin may seem to be inevitable - "That's the way I am. That's the way I've always been. That's the way I'll always be." Our sin isn't invincible. Jesus triumphed over sin. That's what He did when He died for us and rose again. Jesus won the victory for us. He gives His victory to us. Help us, Lord, to receive His strength, to walk in His victory, and to say. "This is the Lord's doing; it is marvellous in our eyes" (Psalm 118:23).
______________________
2 SAMUEL
2 Samuel 1:1-27
So often, Lord, we start out well - and then something goes wrong. Our heads go down. We lose our way. We fall away from You. Where does this spirit of defeat, this spirit of giving up, come from? - It comes from Satan. He sweeps in. He sweeps us off our feet. He sweeps us away from You. When Satan attacks us, help us, Lord, to remember Your promise: You are "able to keep us from falling" (Jude 24-25). Help us to hear Your Word: "My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness" (2 Corinthians 12:9).
2 Samuel 2:1-32
There are times, Lord, when we need to start all over again. We need to make a new beginning with You. We've wandered away from You - and we wonder if You'll have us back again. Help us, Lord, to know, in our hearts, that You never lose patience with us. Your love for us remains constant, even when we're "in the far country" of our sin (Luke 15:13). You're always waiting for us to return to You. Our returning to You is not insignificant. It is important. How can we enter into Your blessing if we refuse to return to You? When we think about our returning to You, help us never to forget that it is never any more than a response to Your coming to us - "to seek and to save the lost" (Luke 19:10).
2 Samuel 3:1-39
Our sin is sad. Our sin is shameful. Can anything be done about our sin? When, Lord, we think about our sin, help us to remember this: You have done something about our sin. Our sin threatens to overwhelm us. we feel like we're going down. We don't have a chance. we can't do anything about it. We can't - but You can! You can - because You have! When Jesus died and rose again, He triumphed over sin. He won the victory for us. That was a long time ago - but it's still the reason we believe that Your triumph can become real in us and through us. What You did then, You can still do now. You raised Jesus from the dead. Give us Your strength to "walk with You in newness of life" (Romans 6:4).
2 Samuel 4:1-5:25
Lord, there are bad things happening to us, things that we wish weren't happening. Sometimes, all of this gets us down. We wonder, "Who really cares about us? Is there anybody out there - anybody who's really interested?" We thank You, Lord, that there is an answer to our question. It's not an answer that comes from the human side. It's an answer that comes from above, an answer that comes from You. It's the answer of Your love. You love us in the good times. You love us in the bad times. Thank You, Lord.
2 Samuel 6:1-23
Give to us, Lord, Your joy - "The joy of the Lord is our strength" (Nehemiah 8:10). When the devil tries to tear away our joy from us, help us to remind him that Jesus died and rose again so that we might have true and lasting joy. Help us to remind him of Jesus' words: "In the world you'll have trouble. But cheer up! I have overcome the world" (John 16:33).
2 Samuel 7:1-29
Life isn't easy. Sometimes, it seems like there are nothing but hard times. There doesn't seem to be alight at the end of the tunnel. That's the way it feels - but it's not the way it is! Our feelings will lead us away from You - if we let them! Our feelings can run riot over us. They can wreck our lives. Help us, Lord, to look beyond the chaos. Help us to look to You. Sometimes, it feels like You're far away. That's the way it seems to us - but it's not the way it really is! You are with us - now and always (Matthew 1:23; Matthew 28:20).
2 Samuel 8:1-9:13
"The Lord gave victory to David wherever he went" (2 Samuel 8:6,14). Help us, Lord, never to forget where the victory comes from. It comes from You. It's Your victory - and You give it to us. You direct our attention away from ourselves. You direct our attention to Jesus. He says to us, "Without Me, you can do nothing" (John 15:5). This is a warning to us. We must not try to live in our own strength. Help us to look to Jesus - and to say, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" (Philippians 4:13).
2 Samuel 10:1-11:27
"May the Lord do what seems good to Him" (2 Samuel 10:12). Lord, this is the way it should be. We should be saying, "Not my will but Yours be done" (Matthew 26:39). It's the way things should be - but it's not the way things are. Often, we make wrong choices. we choose our own way rather than Your way. Help us, Lord, to sop trying to get our own way. Help us to start walking in Your way. Help us to say, "As for God, His way is perfect" (2 Samuel 22:31; Psalm 18:30).
2 Samuel 12:1-31
You, Lord, convict us of our sin - "You are the man" (2 Samuel 12:7). We confess our sin to You - "I have sinned against the Lord" (2 Samuel 12:13). Conviction of sin always comes before confession of sin. How could we confess that we are sinners if You do not show us that we are sinners? You forgive our sin - "the Lord has taken away your sin" (2 Samuel 12:13). You lead us in the way of Your salvation - "washed ... anointed .... changed he went into the house of the Lord and worshipped" (2 Samuel 12:20). What blessing comes to those who confess their sin. You lead us to confess our sin. From there, You lead us into Your forgiveness. You lead us into the fullness of Your salvation. Thank You, Lord.
2 Samuel 13:1-39
Sometimes, Lord, it seems like You have left us. We feel like we're looking for You, but we're not finding You. We ask, "Where have You gone?" - then we start thinking, "Have you really left us?" or "Are we the ones who have wandered away from You?" Call us back to Yourself, Lord. Show us where we've gone wrong. Lift us above our changeable feelings into Your unchangeable love. Show us that You're beside us every step of the way - especially when we find it difficult to feel that You're really with us.
2 Samuel 14:1-33
We thank You, Lord, that You love us - and You forgive us. What a difference that makes! There are times when we feel unloved. We wonder, "How could You possibly forgive us?" When we feel like this, help us to remember that Jesus died for us. When we see ourselves in the light of the cross of Christ, our great Saviour, how can we keep on feeling unloved and unforgiven? Take us, Lord, to the cross. Show us Your love. Show us our Saviour, suffering for us. Show us our Saviour, praying for us: "Father, forgive them ..." (Luke 23:34).
2 Samuel 15:1-37
Who are we trying to please? Are we trying to please You, Lord? or Are we trying to please other people? Are we more interested in getting what we want or doing what You want? These, Lord, are searching questions. They call us to be honest with ourselves, to be honest with You. Help us, Lord, to see ourselves the way we really are. Help us to pray for change, real change, change in our hearts, change in our lives, change that brings blessing to us, change that brings glory to You.
2 Samuel 16:1-23
'He's a great guy.' We like it when people say this kind of thing about us. It makes us feel good about ourselves. What do You think of us, Lord? Yours is the one opinion that really matters. What does it mean to be truly 'great'? Do we want to be called 'great'? or Do we want to give all the glory to You? We know, Lord, that we'll never love You with a perfect love. Your love is the only perfect love. Help us, Lord, not to get discouraged, when we let You down. Lift us up, Lord. Make our love for You more real and more true, more life-changing and more pleasing to You.
2 Samuel 17:1-29
What do we do when everything seems to go wrong? Do we start complaining, blaming You for everything that's happening to us? or Do we start asking the question, 'Where is the Lord in all of this?' Help us to challenge our negative thinking - "Why are you discouraged, my soul?" (Psalm 43:5). Help us to rise above our negative thinking. Raise us up, Lord, for You alone can lift us out of our defeatism and into that special place with You where we know that we are truly blessed - because You love us, and will never stop loving us, even when our love for You is very weak.
2 Samuel 18:1-33
Often, we wish we could look into the future, and see what's going to happen to us. We can't. the future belongs to You, Lord - not to us. Help us to wait on You, Lord - to wait patiently for the time when Your future becomes our present. Our 'tomorrow' can never become our 'today' - until our 'today' becomes our 'yesterday.' Help us, Lord, to forget about gazing into some kind of 'crystal ball.' Give us the grace to walk with You in faith - one day at a time.
2 Samuel 19:1-39
The closer we get to Your servants, the smaller they become. Jesus is different - very different. The closer we get to Him, the bigger He becomes. Help us, Lord, to make less of Your servants and more of our Saviour. We speak about this one, and that one. Sometimes, we say good things. Often, we say bad things. Help us to speak more of our Saviour. Help us to say nothing but good things about Him.
2 Samuel 19:40-20:26
Our words can do a lot of good - and they can do a lot of harm! Lord, help us to watch what we say. May our words be words that heal - not words that hurt. May they be helpful words, words that will help others to love You more - not words that will lead them away from You.
2 Samuel 21:1-22:7
What are we to do when our whole life seems to be one problem after another? We're to pray - and, when we pray, we're to believe that You will hear and answer our prayers (2 Samuel 21:14; 2 Samuel 24:25). What are we to do when the going gets tough? We turn to You, Lord. It's not about how tough we are. It's about how trustworthy You are. You are absolutely trustworthy, completely dependable, utterly reliable. You are the faithful God. Those who trust You fully find You wholly true. Help us, Lord, to trust You - to know that You are faithful.
2 Samuel 22:8-51
Some things are worth repeating! Help us, Lord, never to tire of praising You, We can never praise You enough. You are greater than all of our praise. Help us, in our worship, to lift up our hearts to You. Help us to think of how great You are. Help us to rejoice in the greatness of Your love for us. Help us to remember all that You have done for us.
2 Samuel 23:1-39
Lord, we thank You for Your amazing grace. What we are, in ourselves, is nothing compared with what we can become through the power of Your love. Your love reaches us. It lifts us up - out of our sin, which drags us down, and into Your salvation, which renews our strength and makes us new men and women.
2 Samuel 12:1-31
You, Lord, convict us of our sin - "You are the man" (2 Samuel 12:7). We confess our sin to You - "I have sinned against the Lord" (2 Samuel 12:13). Conviction of sin always comes before confession of sin. How could we confess that we are sinners if You do not show us that we are sinners? You forgive our sin - "the Lord has taken away your sin" (2 Samuel 12:13). You lead us in the way of Your salvation - "washed ... anointed .... changed he went into the house of the Lord and worshipped" (2 Samuel 12:20). What blessing comes to those who confess their sin. You lead us to confess our sin. From there, You lead us into Your forgiveness. You lead us into the fullness of Your salvation. Thank You, Lord.
2 Samuel 13:1-39
Sometimes, Lord, it seems like You have left us. We feel like we're looking for You, but we're not finding You. We ask, "Where have You gone?" - then we start thinking, "Have you really left us?" or "Are we the ones who have wandered away from You?" Call us back to Yourself, Lord. Show us where we've gone wrong. Lift us above our changeable feelings into Your unchangeable love. Show us that You're beside us every step of the way - especially when we find it difficult to feel that You're really with us.
2 Samuel 14:1-33
We thank You, Lord, that You love us - and You forgive us. What a difference that makes! There are times when we feel unloved. We wonder, "How could You possibly forgive us?" When we feel like this, help us to remember that Jesus died for us. When we see ourselves in the light of the cross of Christ, our great Saviour, how can we keep on feeling unloved and unforgiven? Take us, Lord, to the cross. Show us Your love. Show us our Saviour, suffering for us. Show us our Saviour, praying for us: "Father, forgive them ..." (Luke 23:34).
2 Samuel 15:1-37
Who are we trying to please? Are we trying to please You, Lord? or Are we trying to please other people? Are we more interested in getting what we want or doing what You want? These, Lord, are searching questions. They call us to be honest with ourselves, to be honest with You. Help us, Lord, to see ourselves the way we really are. Help us to pray for change, real change, change in our hearts, change in our lives, change that brings blessing to us, change that brings glory to You.
2 Samuel 16:1-23
'He's a great guy.' We like it when people say this kind of thing about us. It makes us feel good about ourselves. What do You think of us, Lord? Yours is the one opinion that really matters. What does it mean to be truly 'great'? Do we want to be called 'great'? or Do we want to give all the glory to You? We know, Lord, that we'll never love You with a perfect love. Your love is the only perfect love. Help us, Lord, not to get discouraged, when we let You down. Lift us up, Lord. Make our love for You more real and more true, more life-changing and more pleasing to You.
2 Samuel 17:1-29
What do we do when everything seems to go wrong? Do we start complaining, blaming You for everything that's happening to us? or Do we start asking the question, 'Where is the Lord in all of this?' Help us to challenge our negative thinking - "Why are you discouraged, my soul?" (Psalm 43:5). Help us to rise above our negative thinking. Raise us up, Lord, for You alone can lift us out of our defeatism and into that special place with You where we know that we are truly blessed - because You love us, and will never stop loving us, even when our love for You is very weak.
2 Samuel 18:1-33
Often, we wish we could look into the future, and see what's going to happen to us. We can't. the future belongs to You, Lord - not to us. Help us to wait on You, Lord - to wait patiently for the time when Your future becomes our present. Our 'tomorrow' can never become our 'today' - until our 'today' becomes our 'yesterday.' Help us, Lord, to forget about gazing into some kind of 'crystal ball.' Give us the grace to walk with You in faith - one day at a time.
2 Samuel 19:1-39
The closer we get to Your servants, the smaller they become. Jesus is different - very different. The closer we get to Him, the bigger He becomes. Help us, Lord, to make less of Your servants and more of our Saviour. We speak about this one, and that one. Sometimes, we say good things. Often, we say bad things. Help us to speak more of our Saviour. Help us to say nothing but good things about Him.
2 Samuel 19:40-20:26
Our words can do a lot of good - and they can do a lot of harm! Lord, help us to watch what we say. May our words be words that heal - not words that hurt. May they be helpful words, words that will help others to love You more - not words that will lead them away from You.
2 Samuel 21:1-22:7
What are we to do when our whole life seems to be one problem after another? We're to pray - and, when we pray, we're to believe that You will hear and answer our prayers (2 Samuel 21:14; 2 Samuel 24:25). What are we to do when the going gets tough? We turn to You, Lord. It's not about how tough we are. It's about how trustworthy You are. You are absolutely trustworthy, completely dependable, utterly reliable. You are the faithful God. Those who trust You fully find You wholly true. Help us, Lord, to trust You - to know that You are faithful.
2 Samuel 22:8-51
Some things are worth repeating! Help us, Lord, never to tire of praising You, We can never praise You enough. You are greater than all of our praise. Help us, in our worship, to lift up our hearts to You. Help us to think of how great You are. Help us to rejoice in the greatness of Your love for us. Help us to remember all that You have done for us.
2 Samuel 23:1-39
Lord, we thank You for Your amazing grace. What we are, in ourselves, is nothing compared with what we can become through the power of Your love. Your love reaches us. It lifts us up - out of our sin, which drags us down, and into Your salvation, which renews our strength and makes us new men and women.
2 Samuel 24:1-25
Less pride and more praise - That's what we need, Lord. Less taking glory for ourselves and more giving glory to You - May that be the story of our life. Less living in our own weakness and more living in Your power - Lead us, Lord, into a life that is becoming less centred on ourselves and more centred on You.
________________________
Less pride and more praise - That's what we need, Lord. Less taking glory for ourselves and more giving glory to You - May that be the story of our life. Less living in our own weakness and more living in Your power - Lead us, Lord, into a life that is becoming less centred on ourselves and more centred on You.
________________________
1 Kings 1:1-53
No-one goes on forever. We read about David’s reign coming to an end, about David being replaced by Solomon (1 Kings 1:30). Help us, Lord, to pray that the future will be “greater” than the past (1 Kings 1:37,47). In all of life’s changes, help us to remember this: You are the living God (1 Kings 1:29) – the God who remains constant when everything else is changing, the God whose love is unchanged, unchanging and unchangeable.
1 Kings 2:1-46
We thank You, Lord, that You are the God of new beginnings. Your purpose doesn’t stand still. It moves forward. Will we move forward with You? – That, Lord, is the question that each of us must ask answer. We cannot stand still. There are two ways we can go. We can move forward with You. We can go back to the past, back to what we were before Christ saved us, before He took hold of our lives, before He began to make us new people. Dare we even think of going back to the old life? That life can’t even begin to compare with our new life in Christ. Help us, Lord, to press on into the future, Your future, the new life in Christ, eternal life.
1 Kings 3:1-28
Which is most important to us – “building our own house” or “building the House of the Lord” (1 Kings 3:1-3)? How often, Lord, do we think about the things that matter most to You? Are we too busy thinking about the things that matter most to ourselves? These are not questions to be ‘brushed under the carpet’. They are questions that demand our attention. They are questions that You, Lord, are asking us. You’re calling us to “consider our ways” (Haggai 1:5,7). Are we walking in Your way? or Are we going our own way? Call us back to Yourself, Lord. Call us back from a way ill lead us far from You. Call us into a way that will bring us close to You. Lead us to Jesus – He is “the way, the true and living way” (John 14:6).
1 Kings 4:1-34
Lord, give us wisdom (1 Kings 4:29). Help us to share this wisdom with others (1 Kings 4:32-34). What, Lord, is wisdom? Is it knowing a lot about history, geography and science? No, Lord, true wisdom is knowing Jesus, knowing that He is our Saviour, knowing that He shows us what life is all about, knowing that His love is the greatest love of all, the love that changes everything, the love that changes us. Help us to share His love with others. This is wisdom – knowing Jesus, knowing that He loves us, being changed by His love. Christ is “our Wisdom” (1 Corinthians 1:30). Help us to rejoice in Him – and to share His love with the people that we meet.
1 Kings 5:1-6:13
Lord, You want to “establish Your Word” among us (1 Kings 6:120. Do we “rejoice greatly” when we hear Your Word (1 Kings 5:7)? Help us to welcome Jesus Christ, “the Word made flesh”, the living Word who “dwells among us, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14). Help us to welcome Him as “Emmanuel – God with us” (Matthew 1:23). May we rejoice greatly when Jesus stands among us as our loving Saviour, when He comes to us as the risen Lord, when He speaks to us as Your living Word.
1 Kings 6:14-7:12
We read about Solomon – he built “his own house”, and he built “the House of the Lord” (1 Kings 6:37-7:1). Which was the most important to him? Which is most important to us – pleasing ourselves or serving You? Help us, Lord, not to be “lovers of self, lovers of money, lovers of pleasure”. “Lovers of God” – this is what You call us to be (2 Timothy 3:1-5). Help us, Lord, to keep on making our choice – to become the kind of people that You want us to be.
1 Kings 7:13-8:13
Lord, You’re calling us to choose the life of fruitful service – “gold, silver, precious stones”. You’re calling us to leave behind the unfruitful life – “wood, hay, straw” (1 Corinthians 3:12-15). Help us to hear and answer Your call: “Rise up, O Church of God. Have done with lesser things. Give heart and soul and mind and strength to serve the King of kings.”
1 Kings 8:14-53
What, Lord, is most important to us – the person who leads us in worship, the place where we worship, or the God whom we worship? We know what our answer should be – but, often, our lives tell a very different story. Help us, when we worship, to learn that nothing and no-one can ever be more important than You. May our lives start catching up with the lessons that we learn when we are reading Your Word.
1 Kings 8:54-9:28
What is happening, Lord, when we are gathered together for worship? Is this merely a human thing, something that we do? – No! there is something more than this. Before we even thought of coming to Your House, You were there waiting for us. You welcome us. You speak Your Word to us: “Let your heart be wholly true to the Lord your God” (1 Kings 8:61). You’re calling us into a life of “joy and gladness” – a life of “walking before You with integrity of heart” (1 Kings 8:66; 1 Kings 9:4). This is true worship. It’s not just something that we do on a Sunday morning. It’s learning to walk with You all the days of our life. Lord, help us to worship You today – and every day.
1 Kings 10:1-11:13
We look, Lord, at “King Solomon” – and we see ourselves! “He was greater in riches and wisdom than all the other kings of the earth” (1 Kings 10:23). We like to think that we’re ‘getting on in the world.’ There was something seriously wrong with Solomon – “His heart was not fully devoted to the Lord his God …he did not follow the Lord completely” (1 Kings 11:4,6). This is our problem. There’s too much of the world in our way of life – and not enough of You, Lord! How much do the things of this world really matter – if we don’t have Jesus as our Saviour (Mark 8:36)?
1 Kings 11:14-12:24
“Do not go up to fight against your brothers” (1 Kings 12:24). Lord, Your Word seems so simple – but we don’t always listen to what You’re saying to us! Less ‘This is what I think’ and more ‘What is the Lord saying to me?” – that’s what we need. Help us, Lord, to listen to You – and to be changed by Your Word.
1 Kings 12:25-13:34
“A son shall be born” (1 Kings 13:2). There would be a new king and a better future. Where, Lord, does our hope for the future come from? Does it come from earthly kings? No! It comes from Jesus, our Saviour. He’s the “King of kings.” He’s the “Lord of lords” (Revelation 19:16). We read the words of prophecy: “to us a child is born … a son.” We read what Your Word says about Him. He is “Wonderful.” From Him, we receive wonderful blessings (Isaiah 9:6-7). Thank You, Lord, for Your Son, Jesus.
1 Kings 14:1-15:8
What are we to do when everything seems to be hopeless? – We turn to You, Lord. You are the God of hope. Our hope is in You. You can turn things around. Your love changes everything. Your love changes us. Thank You, Lord, for Your love. It’s Your love that gives us hope for the future. We look to the future – and we look to You. We say, “I know not what the future holds, but I know who holds the future.”
1 Kings 15:9-16:28
“Asa did what was right in the eyes of the Lord … The heart of Asa was wholly true to the Lord all his days” (1 Kings 15:11,14). Lord, help us to be more like Asa – to put You first in our lives. You want to take control of our attitudes and our actions. Change us, Lord. Change the way we think. Change the way we live. May pleasing You be our top priority – the thing that matters most to us.
1 Kings 16:29-18:16
We read about Elijah: “The Word of the Lord came to Elijah”; “You are a man of God and the Word of the Lord in your mouth is the truth” (1 Kings 18:1; 1 Kings 17:24). You’re challenging us to be all that You’re calling us to be – people who love You, people who are listening to You and speaking for You, people who are living for You. Lord, help us to rise to the challenge: to live as Your people, people who know You, love You and serve You.
1 Kings 18:17-19:21
Life is full of ups and downs. There are high-points – “The fire of the Lord fell” and “all the people said, ‘The Lord, He is God’” ( 1 Kings 18:37-39), and there are low-points – ”O Lord, take away my life” (1 Kings 19:4). Lord, we are so changeable. Sometimes, we’re full of joy. At other times, we’re at the point of despair. We find ourselves in a turmoil of confused and confusing emotions. What are we to do? What can we do? Can we pull ourselves together? We try – but we fail. Lord, help us to look beyond our own efforts. Help us to look to You, to believe that You can change us, You can come to us in our weakness, You can give us Your strength – the strength that we need to love You more and bring more glory to Your Name, the Name of our salvation.
1 Kings 20:1-43
Sometimes, Lord, we say, “I can’t”, when we really mean, “I won’t.” We decide what’s important to us. You look at our chosen way of life, and You say, “You yourself have decided it.” You see our self-centred life, and You say, “So shall your judgment be” (1 Kings 20:40). Can we change? Yes! You say to us, “Come, strengthen yourself, and consider well what You have to do” (1 Kings 20:12). You say to us, “Be strong in the Lord” (Ephesians 6:10). Help us to “wait on You and renew our strength” (Isaiah 40:31).
1 Kings 21:1-22:14
Lord, we rejoice in Your Word of forgiveness and eternal life (1 John 1:9; 1 John 5:11-12). When our hearts grow cold and we start taking Your love and Your blessing for granted, help us to pay careful attention to the Gospel warning: “How shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation?” (Hebrews 2:3). Help us, Lord, when we hear Your Word, not to keep it to ourselves: “What the Lord says to me, that I will speak” (1 Kings 22:14).
1 Kings 22:15-53
We read, Lord, about Ahaziah – “He …provoked the Lord, the God of Israel, to anger in every way that his father (Ahab) had done” (1 Kings 22:51-53). We read about Jesus– “I do as the Father commanded Me” (John 14:31). Help us, Lord, not to be like Ahaziah – he walked in the ways of his father … the ways of sin” (1 Kings 22:52). Help us to be like Jesus – walking in the ways of our Heavenly Father.
_________________________2 KINGS
2 Kings 1:1-2:13
Lord, there is always something more to be done for You. Help us never to say, “I’ll leave it to someone else” or “I’ll leave it until tomorrow.” The things that are left to someone else or left until tomorrow often end up becoming the things that never get done. Help us, Lord, to be less casual and more committed in our attitude to Your work.
2 Kings 2:14-3:27
We think, Lord, about the future, and all we can say is this, “We don’t know what the future holds.” We turn to You. We ask You, “What does the future hold for us?” You give us Your answer to our question. It may not be the answer that we were looking for – but it is always the true answer, the best answer, the only answer. You say to us, “I know what the future holds.” Help us, Lord, to trust You. Help us to say more than, I know not what the future holds.” Help us to say something else – “I know who holds the future.”
2 Kings 4:1-44
What are we to do when our situation seems hopeless? Help us, Lord, to do what Elisha did – He “prayed to the Lord” (2 Kings 4:33). Our prayer may not be eloquent – but it must come from the heart. Lord, look beyond our inadequate words. Look into our hearts. Hear the cry of our heart – and bring us out of hopelessness and into a new beginning with You, a new beginning filled with Your blessing.
2 Kings 5:1-27
How, Lord, are we to receive Your blessing? Are we to “do some great thing”? Are we to prove ourselves worthy of Your blessing? No! Your Word says this: “Wash and be clean” (2 Kings 5:130. Our salvation isn’t something that we’ve paid for. It isn’t something that we’ve earned. We don’t come to You, saying, “Look at me. Look at my religion. Look at my morality.” We look away from ourselves to Jesus – and we hear Your Word of salvation: “The blood of Jesus Christ, God’s Son, cleanses us from all sin” (1 John 1:7).
2 Kings 6:1-23
Loving You, Lord, is more important than anything else – but it’s not always the most important thing in our lives. Sometimes, other things get in the way of our love for You. Help us to love You more truly and more fully – and help us to show our love for You by sharing Your love with our neighbour.
2 Kings 6:24-7:20
We read, Lord, about “windows in heaven” – and we read about “a day of good news” (2 Kings 7:2,9). What a wonderful day of good news it was when You opened the windows of heaven and sent Your Son, Jesus, to this earth (Luke 2:10-11). Help us, Lord. to give ourselves, whole-heartedly, to You – as Jesus gave Himself, completely for us. May we see You at work among us, “opening the windows of heaven and pouring down an overflowing blessing” (Malachi 3:10).
2 Kings 8:1-29
Lord, help us to be faithful in hearing Your Word, reading Your Word, obeying Your Word and sharing Your Word.
2 Kings 9:1-37
Sometimes, Lord, it seems like You are far away from us. Why do we feel like this? It’s because we have wandered away from You. We’ve allowed something else to come between ourselves and You. Call us back to Yourself, back from the brink, back to a new beginning, back to the blessing that will grow stronger and stronger as we learn to trust You and say, from the heart, “The Lord is God. He is our God. He has blessed us, and we are glad.”
2 Kings 10:1-36
When, Lord, we turn aside from Your Word, we start to think that we’re quite all right – without You. This is what we think – and we’re wrong! We need to be reminded of what we really are: sinners who need to be saved – saved by You, saved for You. Lift us, Lord, out of what we are in ourselves – and into what You are making us by Your saving grace.
2 Kings 11:1-12:21
Help us, Lord, to give ourselves to You. May there be less Grudge-Giving – “I have to”, less Duty-Giving – “I ought to”, and more Thanksgiving – “I want to.”
2 Kings 13:1-14:16
We compare ourselves to other people. We like to think that we’re doing pretty well. What, Lord, do You think about all of this? Are You impressed? You’re saying to us, “What about Jesus? How do you compare to Him? Help us, Lord, to look at Jesus – and see where we need to be changed. Help us to look to Him – and be changed by Him.
2 Kings 14:17-15:22
Lord, we’re always making choices. Sometimes, we make good choices. Sometimes, we make bad choices. Life can be very confusing. We wonder, “What’s for the best? What are we to do?” Show us Your way. Lead us in Your way. Give us the strength that we need to walk in Your way.
2 Kings 15:23-16:20
Lord, we’re being pulled in two different directions. You’re drawing us to Yourself. The world is pulling us away from You. Help us to confess our sin – we need to be better than we are. Help us to trust in Your power – You’re the only One who can make us better than we are.
2 Kings 17:1-41
What happens to us, Lord, when we turn away from You? Everything starts falling apart. It may seem like we’re getting on well – but there’s an “emptiness” (2 Kings 17:14) at the heart of everything that we do. Having Jesus as our Saviour – this is all that really matters. there’s nothing more important than this. Help us to keep on coming to Jesus, to keep on enjoying “the fullness of life” that He gives to us (John 10:10),
2 Kings 18:1-37
Lord, we give up so easily. We start well – then, we lose our way. we don’t stick at it. How are we to keep on going – when the going gets tough? You keep on going – when we feel like giving up. Keep us by Your power (1 Peter 1:5). Keep us from falling (Jude 24). Keep us – looking to Jesus (Hebrews 12:1-2).
2 Kings 19:1-37
“Do not be afraid because of the words you have heard” (2 Kings 19:6). Help us, Lord, to listen to Your Word. When the world’s voice seems to be so loud, help us to hear Your voice. Help us to hear Your Word of encouragement: !The zeal of the Lord will do this” (2 Kings 19:31). When fear threatens to overwhelm us, help us to remember that You are “able” (Daniel 3:17) – “able to help those who are tempted” (Hebrews 2:18), “able to provide us with every blessing in abundance” (2 Corinthians 9:8), “able to do far more abundantly than all we ask or think” (Ephesians 3:20).
2 Kings 20:1-21:18
“Carried off to Babylon” (2 Kings 20:17); “Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great!” (Revelation 14:18 & 18:2). Everything seems to be falling round about us. We hear so much bad news. We wonder, “What, Lord, do You think of all this?” Even “in Babylon” there were “the chosen” – people who belonged to You (1 Peter 5:13). Help us to be Your people – “in the world” but “not of the world” (John 17:11,16).
2 Kings 21:19-23:3
A book was found – “the book of the law” (2 Kings 21:8). Everything changed. When, Lord, we listen to Your Word and act upon what it says, nothing remains the same. When, Lord, we stop listening to Your Word, we get dragged down into the ways of the world. When this happens, help us to “return to the ancient paths”, to “the good way” – You way, the way of salvation, the way of holiness (Jeremiah 6:16).
2 Kings 23:4-30
“Hezekiah trusted in the Lord” (2 Kings 18:5). Josiah did “according to the law of Moses” (2 Kings 23:25). Help us, Lord, to trust and obey. Give us faith – faith that changes the way we live, faith that leads to obedience.
2 Kings 23:31-24:17
“The king of Babylon brought captive to Babylon all the men of valour … all of them strong and fit for war” (2 Kings 24:16) – A prisoner war is taken out of the battle. What a sad state of affairs it is, Lord, when Satan sweeps in and takes control of our lives. Help us to resist Satan – in Your strength. You are stronger than Satan. Help us to remind him of this: “Greater is He that is in us than he that is in the world” (1 John 4:4).
2 Kings 24:18-25:30
“Finally, in the end, it came to the point that He cast them out of His presence” (2 Kings 24:20). Help us, Lord, to hear and heed Your Word of warning. We thank You, Lord, that You are “patient … not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9). Help us never to presume upon Your patience – “Shall we go on sinning, so that grace may increase? God forbid!” (Romans 6:1-2).
__________________________
__________________________
1 CHRONICLES
1:1-54
Sometimes, Lord, we read, in your Word, things that make us wonder, "What's this all about?" What are You saying to us in the parts of the Bible that don't jump out at us? We ask, "Do we really need to read a long list of names?" You say to us, "All of these people were important to Me. I loved every one of them. You are important to me. I love you," Thank You, Lord, for Your love. You know each one of us by name. You never forget us. You always remember us. You remember us - because You love us.
2:1-55
Thank You, Lord, for giving us our own name. It makes us feel special - "I'm me. I'm not somebody else." We thank You, even more, for giving us the Name of Jesus. His Name is the Name of our salvation. Among all the many names of people, from all over the world, there's one Name that stands out. It's the Name of Jesus. Why is Jesus so special? It's because He's Your Son - and He's our Saviour.
3:1-4:23
"Jabez called upon the God of Israel, 'Oh that You would bless me ...' And God granted his request" (1 Chronicles 4:10). Help us, Lord, when we ask for Your blessing, to pray for your mercy - "Have mercy on me, O God, a sinner" (Luke 18:13). Help us to make Your blessing the most important thing in our life. What's the point of having plenty of friends, if we fall out with You? "Oh that you would bless me" - May this be our heartfelt prayer.
4:24-5:26
Lord, You want to lead us in the way of victory (1 Chronicles 5:22). You don't want us to be disobedient and defeated. You want us to be obedient and victorious. Why do we draw back from the kind of commitment that will bring blessing into our lives? Do we think You're going to 'lead us up the garden path?' Do we think You're 'taking us on a wild goose chase?' Do we think that You're going to take us so far along Your way, and, then, leave us to go it alone? Teach us, Lord, that Your way is better than the world's way. Show us that you're always with us, supporting us and giving us the strength that we need to keep on walking in Your way.
6:1-60
Lord, we often forget names. You never forget our names. You forget our sins - but you never forget us. You forget our sins - how great Your forgiveness is! You never forget us - How great Your love is! What can we say about Your love and Your forgiveness? All we can say is this: "Thank You, Lord."
6:61-7:40
In Your Word, Lord, we read about "a city of refuge" (1 Chronicles 6:67). We take refuge in You, Lord. You are "our refuge and our strength, a very present help in trouble" (Psalm 46:1). Refuge, strength and help - What great blessings You give to us! Where do we find these blessings? - we find them all in Christ. When "evil" threatens to overwhelm us (1 Chronicles 7:23), we run to Jesus, we are strengthened by Him, and we receive help from Him. what are we to do when You bless us so much? - we are to give all the glory to You. Without You, Lord, we "can do nothing" (John 15:5). With You, we can "do all things" - because you give us the strength that we need.
8:1-40
Lord, some of the names, in Your Word, make us think about ourselves: What kind of people are we? What kind of people are we becoming? "Esh-Baal" (1 Chronicles 8:33) means "man of Baal" or "man of shame." "Merib-Baal" started off as "opponent of Baal", then it became "loved by Baal" or "my Lord is Baal." We wonder, Lord, how does Baal, the god worshipped by the Canaanites, get among Your people? The answer is not hard to find. We let him in. We give him the chance to wreck our lives. Forgive us, Lord. We have taken our eyes off Jesus. Help us not to be "double-minded" (James 1:8) - trying to listen to both You and Satan at the same time. Help us to be single-minded in our devotion to Jesus (Matthew 6:22).
9:1-44
Lord, You speak to us about "very able men", who were called to do "the work of the service of the house of God" (1 Chronicles 9:13). Some have been called to preach Your Gospel and teach Your Word. All of us have been called to serve You. We may not preach or teach - but there will be something for us to do. Some were "chosen to be gatekeepers." Some were "assigned to take care of the furnishings ..." Some were "entrusted with the responsibility for baking." Some were "singers or musicians" (1 Chronicles 9:22,29,31,33). Lord, You have something for all of us. As we do Your work, help us to hear Your Spirit saying to us, "'Tis a task the Master just for you has planned ... There's a work for Jesus none but you can do."
10:1-11:19
Saul "was unfaithful to the Lord." Help us, Lord, not to become like Saul who "did not keep the command of the Lord ... and did not seek guidance from the Lord" (1 Chronicles 10:13-14). Saul had started well. At the beginning, everything had looked so promising. What went wrong? Lord, we think about Saul - and we think about ourselves. It happened to Saul. It can happen to us. Drifting away from You happens when we start to lose interest in worshipping You, reading Your Word and speaking to You. Everything falls apart. We become like Saul - a shadow of what we once were. we wonder, "Can things be turned around?" Yes! Your Word is alive. Your Spirit is alive. Renew in us the life that comes from Your Word and Your Spirit.
11:20-12:7
We read, Lord, of "the mighty men of the armies", "the mighty men who helped ... in war" (1 Chronicles 11:26; 1 Chronicles 12:1). Lord, You're teaching us about spiritual warfare - "We are not carrying on a worldly war ... the weapons of our warfare are not worldly ... the weapons of our warfare ... have divine power to destroy strongholds." You're calling us to "take every thought captive to obey Christ" (2 Corinthians 10:3-6). Lord, help us to become "mighty" for You - "mighty" in Your strength, "mighty" in Your victory.
12:8-13:14
"The kingdom of Saul was turned over to David according to the Word of the Lord" (1 Chronicles 12:23). Lord, You're calling us to be spiritual leaders - "let us bring again the ark of our God" (1 Chronicles 13:7). We're to call the people to return to You and rejoice in You (1 Chronicles 13:4,8). We're to warn the people that failure to do Your will leads to the withdrawal of Your blessing (1 Chronicles 13:9-10). Where Your Word is honoured and given its rightful place, there will be blessing among Your people (1 Chronicles 13:14). Help us, Lord, to be faithful in hearing Your Word and doing Your Word. This is the way of obedience and blessing (James 1:22,25).
14:1-15:15
It was You, Lord, who "established David king over Israel" (1 Chronicles 14:2). Help us to be like David. He "inquired of You" (1 Chronicles 14:10,14). He "did as You commanded him" (1 Chronicles 14:16). He gave all the glory to You (1 Chronicles 14:11,17). Help us, Lord, to seek Your will, to do Your will, and to give all the glory to You.
15:16-16:6
Lord, You're calling us to worship You - to "raise sounds of joy," to praise You with "loud music," to worship You "continually (1 Chronicles 15:16; 1 Chronicles 16:6). May we bring to You true "spiritual worship" - the dedication of our lives to You (Romans 12:1).
16:7-36
Our whole life is to be a song of praise to You, Lord - "O give thanks to the Lord ... Sing praises to Him ... Glory in His holy Name ... Seek His presence continually" (1 Chronicles 16:8-11). "Continually" - Lord, this is more than gathering together with others for worship. "Fill Thou our life, O Lord our God, in every part with praise ... "
16:37-17:27
Sometimes, Lord, Your "No" - "You shall not build Me a House to dwell in" (1 Chronicles 17:1-4) - means "Not now - later" - "one of your sons ... shall build a House for Me" (1 Chronicles 17:11-12). What are we to say about the 'delay'? We call it a delay. You, Lord, give us Your promise - "the Lord will build you a House" (1 Chronicles 17:10). You say to us, "Still the vision awaits its time ... If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come, it will not delay" (Habakkuk 2:3).
18:1-20:8
Lord, there are no "giants" able to stand in Your presence (1 Chronicles 20:8). We face the "giants" of unbelief, disobedience, spiritual pride and self-righteousness. By Your "divine power", these "giants" will be brought to nothing (2 Corinthians 10:4-5). Let the "giants" come tumbling down. Let us "grow in grace." Let us give all the "glory" to You, Lord (2 Peter 3:18).
21:1-22:1
"Satan stood up against Israel ... " (1 Chronicles 21:1). Satan is much more powerful than we are. He's not more powerful than You, Lord. Satan prevails against us. He does not prevail against You. Help us, Lord, to come to You - and receive Your prevailing power. In our own strength, we cannot stand against Satan. In Your strength, we shall stand against him - and we shall triumph over him.
22:2-23:32
In Your work, Lord, we need visionaries, managers and workers. David was a visionary. He had the original idea of building the Temple. Solomon was a manager. Under his leadership, the vision became a reality. The people were important. They built the Temple. Help us, Lord, to find our place. Help us to play our part. Help us to "do the work for the service of the House of the Lord" (1 Chronicles 23:24) - and help us never to forget this: "thanking and praising the Lord" (1 Chronicles 23:30). Help us to remember that You're more important than all of us - the visionaries, the managers and the workers.
24:1-25:31
Lord, You are our Commander-in-Chief. Your work is to be done in your way - "as the Lord God of Israel had commanded" (1 Chronicles 24:19). Help us never to 'get too big for our boots.' Help us never to imagine that we're more important than we really are. You're the One that's important. You're the One that's at the centre of everything. Help us, Lord, to exalt You - and not ourselves.
26:1-27:34
Lord, You're calling us to serve You. We're to serve You in the world. Before we can serve You in the world, there must be this: "ministering in the House of the Lord" (1 Chronicles 26:12). Part of our worship involves the dedication of "gifts for the maintenance of the House of the Lord" (1 Chronicles 26:12). When we're worshipping You in Your House, when we're supporting the work that is centred on Your House, help us to remember this: When our service of worship ends, our service in the world begins. Help us, Lord, to offer our whole life to You - not just the 'religious' part of it. Help us to serve You every day of the week.
28:1-29:5
"It is Solomon your son who shall build My House (1 Chronicles "8:6). Lord, this was the Word that You spoke to Your servant, David. what a Word of hope this was! David had heard the words, "You are not to build a House for My Name" (1 Chronicles 28:3). His heart sank - but You lifted him up again. It wasn't all about David - and it isn't all about us. It's all about You. You do things Your way - not our way. May we learn to say, "Not My will, Lord. Your will be done."
29:6-30
Joyful, generous and wholehearted giving (1 Chronicles 29:9) - Where, Lord, does this kind of giving come from? It comes from You, Lord. It comes to us when we're learning to worship You, when we're learning to say, from deep in our hearts, "Yours, O Lord, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty" (1 Chronicles 29:10). It's this kind of worship that inspires our giving. When we're learning to worship like this, our giving will become a joyful privilege rather than a legalistic burden. Our giving will become thanksgiving - "Our God, we thank You ... Everything comes from You. We give only what has come from Your hands" (1 Chronicles 29:13-14).
__________________________
2 CHRONICLES
2 Chronicles 1:1-2:18
Lord, we need Your wisdom (2 Chronicles 1:10). We need Jesus – He is Your wisdom (1 Corinthians 1:30). Without Jesus, we’re fools. We may think that we’re wise – but we’re not. Jesus makes us wise. True wisdom comes from Him. When we build our lives on Jesus, we are truly wise (Matthew 7:24-27). Lord, give us Your wisdom – the wisdom that knows the most important thing: Jesus is our Saviour.
2 Chronicles 3:1-5:1
Lord, You call us to work for You, to “work in the Temple of the Lord” (2 Chronicles 4:11; 2 Chronicles 5:1). This is no ordinary work. It’s spiritual work. It is “most holy” (2 Chronicles 3:8,10; 2 Chronicles 4:22). Real work come for You emerges from true worship of You. Before we can be Your workers, we must be your worshippers. Teach us, Lord, to worship You. As we worship You, may we receive from You the strength that we need to work for You.
2 Chronicles 5:2-6:42
Without Your blessing, Lord, our worship is empty. We need Your blessing. We pray for Your blessing. May “the glory of the Lord fill the House of God” (2 Chronicles 5:14). This is our prayer. We pray for the preachers. We pray for the people. May each and every one of us be blessed by You. May we be “clothed with Your salvation.” May we “rejoice in Your goodness” (2 Chronicles 6:41).
___________________________
__________________________
2 CHRONICLES
2 Chronicles 1:1-2:18
Lord, we need Your wisdom (2 Chronicles 1:10). We need Jesus – He is Your wisdom (1 Corinthians 1:30). Without Jesus, we’re fools. We may think that we’re wise – but we’re not. Jesus makes us wise. True wisdom comes from Him. When we build our lives on Jesus, we are truly wise (Matthew 7:24-27). Lord, give us Your wisdom – the wisdom that knows the most important thing: Jesus is our Saviour.
2 Chronicles 3:1-5:1
Lord, You call us to work for You, to “work in the Temple of the Lord” (2 Chronicles 4:11; 2 Chronicles 5:1). This is no ordinary work. It’s spiritual work. It is “most holy” (2 Chronicles 3:8,10; 2 Chronicles 4:22). Real work come for You emerges from true worship of You. Before we can be Your workers, we must be your worshippers. Teach us, Lord, to worship You. As we worship You, may we receive from You the strength that we need to work for You.
2 Chronicles 5:2-6:42
Without Your blessing, Lord, our worship is empty. We need Your blessing. We pray for Your blessing. May “the glory of the Lord fill the House of God” (2 Chronicles 5:14). This is our prayer. We pray for the preachers. We pray for the people. May each and every one of us be blessed by You. May we be “clothed with Your salvation.” May we “rejoice in Your goodness” (2 Chronicles 6:41).
2 Chronicles 7:1-22
Lord, You’re calling us to pray – and You’re giving us Your promise of blessing (2 Chronicles 7:14). We ask, “Where is the blessing?” You turn our question around. You say to us, “Where is the prayer?” This is challenging, Lord. Help us to keep on praying – and to keep on believing that there will be blessing, Your blessing – the forgiveness of our sin and the healing of our land (2 Chronicles 7:14).
2 Chronicles 8:1-9:31
Lord, we look at Solomon – and we see ourselves. There is strength (2 Chronicles 8:16) – and there is weakness (2 Chronicles 8:11; 2 Chronicles 9:12). We want to love You more, but the world keeps on pulling us back – away from you and into sin. We come to You, Lord. We come in our weakness. We ask for Your strength. May our comfort and convenience never become more important to us than our consecration and commitment to You.
2 Chronicles 10:1-11:23
Lord, we see division among Your people: "Israel has been in rebellion against the house of David to this day" (2 Chronicles 10:19). You are not pleased. You say, "Do not go up to fight against your brothers" (2 Chronicles 11:4). This is not just ancient history. It's our problem. It's a big problem. We still need to hear the words of Jesus - "a house ... divided against itself cannot stand" (Mark 3:25). There are to be "no divisions" among us (1 Corinthians 1:10). We are "all one in Christ Jesus" (Galatians 3:28). Lord, help us, in our praying and our living, to echo the prayer of Jesus: "May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that You sent Me and have loved them even as You have loved Me" (John 17:21,23).
2 Chronicles 12:1-13:22
Lord, You're calling us to make our choice - What kind of life will we live? Will it be "He did evil because he had not set his heart on seeking the Lord" (2 Chronicles 12:14)? or Will it be "As for us, the Lord is our God and we have not forsaken Him" (2 Chronicles 13:10)? When, Lord, unbelief and disobedience are threatening to take over our lives, help us to hear Your Word of warning: "Do not fight against the Lord ... you will not succeed" - and help us to speak the words of faith: "God is with us; He is our Leader" (2 Chronicles 13:12).
2 Chronicles 14:1-16:14
Lord, we see so much of ourselves in Asa. He started well - "Asa did what was good and right in the eyes of the Lord his God" (2 Chronicles 14:2). He ended badly - "He did not rely on the Lord his God ... even in his disease he did not seek the Lord" (2 Chronicles 16:7-9,12). Help us, Lord, to hear and heed the words of Jesus: "No-one who puts his hand to the plough and looks back is fit for the Kingdom of God" (Luke 9:62); "He who endures to the end will be saved" (Mark 13:13). Help us to "go on" with You and for You (Hebrews 6:1).
2 Chronicles 17:1-18:34
Lord, we read of “the first ways of … David” (2 Chronicles 17:3). He had started off so well – “the Spirit of the Lord came upon David in power” (1 Samuel 16:13). Sadly, he took his eyes off You – and he fell away from You (2 Samuel 11:2-5). What about us, Lord? Have we “lost our first love” (Revelation 2:4)? You’re calling us back to Yourself. Help us to return to You – “Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me. Break me, melt me, mould me, fill me.”
2 Chronicles 19:1-20:37
Lord, we see two sides of Jehoshaphat (2 Chronicles 19:2-3) – two sides of ourselves! There is the godly side – “O Lord … our eyes are upon You” (2 Chronicles 20:12). There is the sinful side – “Jehoshaphat … made an alliance with Ahaziah … who was guilty of wickedness” (2 Chronicles 20:35). Lord, You know our weakness. Help us to come to You, in our weakness. Help us to receive new strength, Your strength, the strength that we need to live a more godly life, a life that brings glory to You and blessing to us.
2 Chronicles 21:1-23:21
Lord, we're living in difficult times. Many are choosing to do what is “evil in the sight of the Lord” (2 Chronicles 21:6). Help us to make another choice, a better choice. Help us to choose to “be the Lord’s people” (2 Chronicles 23:16) – “O happy day! that fixed my choice on Thee, my Saviour and my God … ‘Tis done, the great transaction’s done! I am my Lord’s, and He is mine! … High heaven that heard the solemn vow, that vow renewed shall daily hear… “
2 Chronicles 24:1-25:28
Lord, we read the words – “He turned away from the Lord” (2 Chronicles 25:27), and our hearts are sad. Is this only the story of other people? Is it not also our own story? You’re calling us to stop turning away from You. You’re calling us to start turning to You. Help us to walk with You in the light of Your Word – “Be watchful, stand firm in your faith, be courageous, be strong” (1 Corinthians 16:13).
2 Chronicles 26:1-28:27
Help us, Lord, to learn from the failure of King Uzziah. He began well – “He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord … He set himself to seek God” (2 Chronicles 26:4-5). He lost his way – “When he was strong, he grew proud, and he was false to the Lord his God” ( 2 Chronicles 26:16). Help us, Lord, to become better people – not bitter people!
2 Chronicles 29:1-36
Lord, You're calling us to be holy (2 Chronicles 29:5) - and You're calling us to be joyful (2 Chronicles 29:30). It's not to be holiness without joy. It's not to be joy without holiness. It's to be holiness and joy. Lord, make us holy - and make us joyful.
2 Chronicles 30:1-31:10
You call us, Lord, to return to You. You promise to welcome us (2 Chronicles 30:9). Where does our returning come from? Where does our rejoicing come from? They both come from You. You put it into our hearts - to return to You (2 Chronicles 30:12). What joy there is for us when we return to You - "The good Lord pardons every one who sets his heart to seek God" (2 Chronicles 30:18-19).
2 Chronicles 31:11-32:33
You call us, Lord, to seek You - and You also call us to serve You (2 Chronicles 31:20-21). Where does our seeking and serving come from? It comes from Your salvation. We read the words, "The Lord saved Hezekiah" ( 2 Chronicles 32::22) - and we think of our salvation. We rejoice in Your precious promise - "All the ends of the earth, turn to Me and be saved" (Isaiah 45:22). We rejoice in our gracious Saviour - Jesus Christ, "the Saviour of the world" (John 4:42).
2 Chronicles 33:1-34:13
Very quickly, Lord, good work can be undone (2 Chronicles 33:1-3). Bad work can be undone - if we will make a new beginning with You (2 Chronicles 34:1-4). Help us, Lord, to make a new beginning with You - and a new beginning for You.
2 Chronicles 34:14-35:19
We read, Lord, about the reign of King Josiah. There was spiritual revival (2 Chronicles 34:33). Where did this spiritual revival come from? - It came from You. It came from the rediscovery of Your Word. Where was Your Word found? - It was found "in the House of the Lord" (2 Chronicles 34:15). Beyond the written Word, there is Jesus Christ, the living Word of God. When Your Word is preached to us, help us to listen for the voice of Jesus Christ, the true and living Word of God. Open up our hearts to Your Word. Open up our hearts to Your Spirit. Let "rivers of living water" flow out from our hearts to others (John 7:37-39).
2 Chronicles 35:20-36:23
Lord, we've read good things about King Josiah (2 Chronicles 34:15,33) - but it wasn't all good: "He did not listen to the words of Neco from the mouth of God ... " (2 Chronicles 35:22-24). After Josiah's time, there was terrible spiritual decline (2 Chronicles 36:1-2 / 2 Kings 23:31-32; 2 Chronicles 36:,5,9,11-12). We think of today's world. We wonder, "Is there any hope for the future?" Help us to draw encouragement from this: "The Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus, king of Persia ... to build Him a house at Jerusalem" (2 Chronicles 36:22-23). - and help us to say to our neighbours, "Let us go to the House of the Lord" (Psalm 122:1). Help us, Lord, to keep on believing that the time of Your blessing may not be far away.
2 Chronicles 10:1-11:23
Lord, we see division among Your people: "Israel has been in rebellion against the house of David to this day" (2 Chronicles 10:19). You are not pleased. You say, "Do not go up to fight against your brothers" (2 Chronicles 11:4). This is not just ancient history. It's our problem. It's a big problem. We still need to hear the words of Jesus - "a house ... divided against itself cannot stand" (Mark 3:25). There are to be "no divisions" among us (1 Corinthians 1:10). We are "all one in Christ Jesus" (Galatians 3:28). Lord, help us, in our praying and our living, to echo the prayer of Jesus: "May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that You sent Me and have loved them even as You have loved Me" (John 17:21,23).
2 Chronicles 12:1-13:22
Lord, You're calling us to make our choice - What kind of life will we live? Will it be "He did evil because he had not set his heart on seeking the Lord" (2 Chronicles 12:14)? or Will it be "As for us, the Lord is our God and we have not forsaken Him" (2 Chronicles 13:10)? When, Lord, unbelief and disobedience are threatening to take over our lives, help us to hear Your Word of warning: "Do not fight against the Lord ... you will not succeed" - and help us to speak the words of faith: "God is with us; He is our Leader" (2 Chronicles 13:12).
2 Chronicles 14:1-16:14
Lord, we see so much of ourselves in Asa. He started well - "Asa did what was good and right in the eyes of the Lord his God" (2 Chronicles 14:2). He ended badly - "He did not rely on the Lord his God ... even in his disease he did not seek the Lord" (2 Chronicles 16:7-9,12). Help us, Lord, to hear and heed the words of Jesus: "No-one who puts his hand to the plough and looks back is fit for the Kingdom of God" (Luke 9:62); "He who endures to the end will be saved" (Mark 13:13). Help us to "go on" with You and for You (Hebrews 6:1).
2 Chronicles 17:1-18:34
Lord, we read of “the first ways of … David” (2 Chronicles 17:3). He had started off so well – “the Spirit of the Lord came upon David in power” (1 Samuel 16:13). Sadly, he took his eyes off You – and he fell away from You (2 Samuel 11:2-5). What about us, Lord? Have we “lost our first love” (Revelation 2:4)? You’re calling us back to Yourself. Help us to return to You – “Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me. Break me, melt me, mould me, fill me.”
2 Chronicles 19:1-20:37
Lord, we see two sides of Jehoshaphat (2 Chronicles 19:2-3) – two sides of ourselves! There is the godly side – “O Lord … our eyes are upon You” (2 Chronicles 20:12). There is the sinful side – “Jehoshaphat … made an alliance with Ahaziah … who was guilty of wickedness” (2 Chronicles 20:35). Lord, You know our weakness. Help us to come to You, in our weakness. Help us to receive new strength, Your strength, the strength that we need to live a more godly life, a life that brings glory to You and blessing to us.
2 Chronicles 21:1-23:21
Lord, we're living in difficult times. Many are choosing to do what is “evil in the sight of the Lord” (2 Chronicles 21:6). Help us to make another choice, a better choice. Help us to choose to “be the Lord’s people” (2 Chronicles 23:16) – “O happy day! that fixed my choice on Thee, my Saviour and my God … ‘Tis done, the great transaction’s done! I am my Lord’s, and He is mine! … High heaven that heard the solemn vow, that vow renewed shall daily hear… “
2 Chronicles 24:1-25:28
Lord, we read the words – “He turned away from the Lord” (2 Chronicles 25:27), and our hearts are sad. Is this only the story of other people? Is it not also our own story? You’re calling us to stop turning away from You. You’re calling us to start turning to You. Help us to walk with You in the light of Your Word – “Be watchful, stand firm in your faith, be courageous, be strong” (1 Corinthians 16:13).
2 Chronicles 26:1-28:27
Help us, Lord, to learn from the failure of King Uzziah. He began well – “He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord … He set himself to seek God” (2 Chronicles 26:4-5). He lost his way – “When he was strong, he grew proud, and he was false to the Lord his God” ( 2 Chronicles 26:16). Help us, Lord, to become better people – not bitter people!
2 Chronicles 29:1-36
Lord, You're calling us to be holy (2 Chronicles 29:5) - and You're calling us to be joyful (2 Chronicles 29:30). It's not to be holiness without joy. It's not to be joy without holiness. It's to be holiness and joy. Lord, make us holy - and make us joyful.
2 Chronicles 30:1-31:10
You call us, Lord, to return to You. You promise to welcome us (2 Chronicles 30:9). Where does our returning come from? Where does our rejoicing come from? They both come from You. You put it into our hearts - to return to You (2 Chronicles 30:12). What joy there is for us when we return to You - "The good Lord pardons every one who sets his heart to seek God" (2 Chronicles 30:18-19).
2 Chronicles 31:11-32:33
You call us, Lord, to seek You - and You also call us to serve You (2 Chronicles 31:20-21). Where does our seeking and serving come from? It comes from Your salvation. We read the words, "The Lord saved Hezekiah" ( 2 Chronicles 32::22) - and we think of our salvation. We rejoice in Your precious promise - "All the ends of the earth, turn to Me and be saved" (Isaiah 45:22). We rejoice in our gracious Saviour - Jesus Christ, "the Saviour of the world" (John 4:42).
2 Chronicles 33:1-34:13
Very quickly, Lord, good work can be undone (2 Chronicles 33:1-3). Bad work can be undone - if we will make a new beginning with You (2 Chronicles 34:1-4). Help us, Lord, to make a new beginning with You - and a new beginning for You.
2 Chronicles 34:14-35:19
We read, Lord, about the reign of King Josiah. There was spiritual revival (2 Chronicles 34:33). Where did this spiritual revival come from? - It came from You. It came from the rediscovery of Your Word. Where was Your Word found? - It was found "in the House of the Lord" (2 Chronicles 34:15). Beyond the written Word, there is Jesus Christ, the living Word of God. When Your Word is preached to us, help us to listen for the voice of Jesus Christ, the true and living Word of God. Open up our hearts to Your Word. Open up our hearts to Your Spirit. Let "rivers of living water" flow out from our hearts to others (John 7:37-39).
2 Chronicles 35:20-36:23
Lord, we've read good things about King Josiah (2 Chronicles 34:15,33) - but it wasn't all good: "He did not listen to the words of Neco from the mouth of God ... " (2 Chronicles 35:22-24). After Josiah's time, there was terrible spiritual decline (2 Chronicles 36:1-2 / 2 Kings 23:31-32; 2 Chronicles 36:,5,9,11-12). We think of today's world. We wonder, "Is there any hope for the future?" Help us to draw encouragement from this: "The Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus, king of Persia ... to build Him a house at Jerusalem" (2 Chronicles 36:22-23). - and help us to say to our neighbours, "Let us go to the House of the Lord" (Psalm 122:1). Help us, Lord, to keep on believing that the time of Your blessing may not be far away.
EZRA
Ezra 1:1-2:35
"Rebuild the House of the Lord" (Ezra 1:3). This, Lord, is what You're calling us to do. Who are You calling? Is it just a few 'special' people? - No! It's "all those whose spirits God had moved" (Ezra 1:5). Help us, Lord, never to say, "There's nothing for me to do." There's always something we can do. Help us to open our hearts to You, to lay our lives before You, and to do the work that You give us to do for You.
Ezra 2:36-3:13
At the heart of Your work, Lord, there is worship - "praising and giving thanks to the Lord" (Ezra 3:11). Help us to see the importance of worship. Nothing can take the place of worship. Where would we be without worship? Could we even begin to serve You? Help us, Lord, to come to You, with this heartfelt prayer: "I will worship You with all of my heart ... with all of my mind ... with all of my strength" (Jude Del Hierro).
Ezra 4:1-5:17
Sometimes, Lord, we're so busy, looking at the opposition that we fail to see the opportunity. Sometimes, the opposition can have some success - "the work on the House of God came to a standstill" (Ezra 4:24). Whenever Satan attacks Your work, You raise up Your servants to keep the work going: "Zerubbabel ... arose and began to rebuild the House of God in Jerusalem (Ezra 5:2). When our heads go down, You will lift them up - and Your work will go on.
Ezra 6:1-7:28
Lord, Your work makes good progress when Your people receive strength from Your Word. It's Your Word that inspires us to keep on working for You. Your House is rebuilt, and Your people rejoice (Ezra 6:14-16). Help us, Lord, to turn, often - again and again - to Your Word. May Your Word lead us in the pathway of joyful obedience.
Ezra 8:1-36
Lord, the return of Your people to Jerusalem was more than a geographical return. It was a spiritual return. Help us to return to You - and to seek Your blessing (Ezra 8:21). Without Your blessing, we are nothing. Help us to hold on to Your promise: "The hand of our God is for good upon all that seek Him" (Ezra 8:22).
Ezra 9:1-10:44
Lord, the return of Your blessing comes with a real confession of our sin - "Our sins are higher than our heads and our guilt has reached to the heavens" (Ezra 9:6), You don't bless us because we deserve to be blessed. You bless us because You love us. This is where Your blessing comes from. It comes from Your love. Despite all of our sin, You encourage us to believe that You may yet "grant us some reviving to set up the House of our God" (Ezra 9:8-9).
____________________NEHEMIAH
Nehemiah 1:1-2:18
When we have big problems, help us to remember that You are bigger than all of our problems. Where do our problems come from? They come from our sin. That’s our biggest problem. That’s no problem to You, Lord – “Christ has put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself” (Hebrews 9:26). Thank You, Lord, for Jesus. What a great Saviour He is!
Nehemiah 2:19-4:9
What are we to do when we encounter opposition? We’re seeking to serve You – and the enemies of Christ and His Gospel are making life difficult for us. Help us, Lord, to look to You. May we know, in our hearts and lives, the truth of Your Word: “The people who know their God will be strong” (Daniel 11:32).
Nehemiah 4:10-5:13
“Our God will fight for us” (Nehemiah 4:20). What tremendous encouragement there is in these wonderful words! We are not alone in our battle against Satan. You are with us – and You are stronger than Satan! When Satan attacks us, teach us, Lord, to take our stand on Your Word: “The Lord your God will go with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to give you the victory” (Deuteronomy 20:4).
Nehemiah 5:14:6:19
What are we to do when we face those who are “scheming to harm” Your servants and Your work? We are to devote ourselves to Your work – and we are to pray for your strength (Nehemiah 6:2; Nehemiah 5:16; Nehemiah 6:9). When Satan, our great enemy, tries to pick an argument with us, help us to give him this answer: “I am doing a great work and I cannot come down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and come down to you” (Nehemiah 6:3). Help us, Lord, to keep on working for You – and to pray that “many will see and fear, and put their trust in the Lord” (Psalm 40:3).
Nehemiah 7:1-73
What kind of people are we? Are we “faithful and God-fearing” people? Lord, it is so easy to lose our way. We forget You – and we wander away from You. Draw us back to Yourself. Speak to us in love. Assure us that You haven’t given up on us. Let us know that “There’s a way back to God from the dark paths of sin.” Bring us to “Calvary’s Cross” – and let us begin again with You.
Nehemiah 8:1-9:5
What happens when Your people “gather together” (Nehemiah 8:1)? We hear Your Word (Nehemiah 8:2-3,8). We thank You for Your Son (Nehemiah 8:13-18; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26). We dedicate our lives to You (Nehemiah 9:2). We worship You (Nehemiah 9:5). Lord, help us to enter in, with all our hearts, to all that You promise to bring into our lives when we respond to Your gracious call: “Let us worship God.”
Nehemiah 9:6-38
What a great God You are – “You are a God ready to forgive, gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love” (Nehemiah 9:17). Your love is greater than our sin. We look at ourselves – and everything seems to be hopeless. We look to You - and everything changes. We see Your grace and Your mercy. Your love fills us with hope.When everything seems to be getting too much for us, we remember that Jesus died for us – and we rejoice: “His blood cleanses us from all sin” (1 Corinthians 15:3; 1 John 1:7).
Nehemiah 10:1-39
Lord, You’re calling us to commit our lives to You. At the heart of this commitment, there must be worship: “We will not neglect the House of our God” (Nehemiah 10:39). Help us to worship You. This is our reason for coming to Your House. We come to worship You. May our worship be more than words. Help us, Lord, to give ourselves to You.
Nehemiah 11:1-12:30
Our lives lay in ruins until You put us together again. You call us to build our lives on Christ (Matthew 7:24-27). Help us, Lord, to come to You, again and again – confessing our sin, receiving Your forgiveness, building on Christ, our Saviour. When we feel ourselves being pulled away from You, help us to choose Christ. May we choose to be holy. May we choose the way of blessing, the way that brings glory to You.
Nehemiah 12:31-13:31
“Songs of praise and thanksgiving to God” (Nehemiah 12:46) – Where does the song of praise come from? It comes from You: “God had given them great joy” (Nehemiah 12:43). You look at the way we are living – and what do You see? “Why is the House of God forsaken?” (Nehemiah 13:11). Does it have to be this way? Is there not a better way? Can we stop forgetting You – and start remembering You? Can we rise above our failure – and be lifted up into Your victory? Help us to keep on believing that You have not abandoned us. You have not turned Your back on us. You still love us. Let Your love come to us – and fill us with Your joy.
___________________________
ESTHER
Esther 1:1-2:18
Our story is a human story. It's more than that. You, Lord, are in our story - even when we don't realize it. We find it difficult to put this into words - but we believe it's true. You are there with us, every step of the way.
Esther 2:19-4:17
"If I perish, I perish" (Esther 4:16). Esther was ready to put her life on the line. We thank You, Lord, that Jesus did lay down His life. He died for us. Now, because He died in our place, we will live forevermore. Thank You, Lord, for sacrificial love and everlasting life.
Esther 5:1-6:14
We read about Mordecai. He nearly lost his life (Esther 5:14). Then, he was honoured by the king (Esther 6:10-11). We look beyond Mordecai to Jesus. We see Jesus, crucified for us. We see Him, risen from the dead (Acts 2:23-24). We thank You, our Father, for Jesus, Your Son. He is our Saviour. He is "both Lord and Christ" (Acts 2:36).
Esther 7:1-8:17
We read about "a foe and enemy! The wicked Haman!" (Esther 7:6). There's a more powerful enemy than Haman - Satan! "Haman was hanged on the gallows he had prepared for Mordecai" (Esther 7:10). Satan tried to get rid of Jesus - but Jesus turned the tables on him. We thank You, Lord, for the defeat of Satan - and the victory of Jesus, our Saviour and Lord.
Esther 9:1-10:3
Lord, You turn our sorrow into joy and our mourning into celebration (Esther 9:22). Our joy comes from Jesus. Our celebration is centred on Him. What joy we have in Jesus! It's a joy while the world can neither give to us nor take away from us. What a celebration there is when we gather together at the Lord's Table! We celebrate the greatest love of all the love of Christ, our Saviour. We have been "redeemed with the blood of Christ" (1 Peter 1:18-19).
____________________________
JOB
Job 1:1-2:13
Lord, Your power is greater than the power of Satan. Help us never to forget this. Satan is “roaming through the earth”, “prowling around like a roaring lion, seeking for someone to devour” (Job 1:7; 1 Peter 5:8) – but he can only do what You allow him to do (Job 1:12; Job 2:6). When Satan seems to be getting the upper hand, remind us that You’re the One who’s in control – not him!
Job 3:1-4:11
What are we to do when, like Job, we find ourselves sinking into a state of deep depression? Help us, Lord, to remember Jesus. Help us to remember His suffering. He suffered for us. He suffers with us. We thank You that Jesus knows how we feel. He’s been there. He went to the Cross – for us. Behind His suffering, we see His love. In our suffering, we need Jesus. We need His love. Without His love, things will only get worse. Thank You for Jesus – for His love and His help.
Job 4:12-6:7
Lord, we read about Eliphaz. We see so much pride. We don’t see much love. Satan is speaking through Eliphaz. Help us not to listen to Satan. He’s trying to put us down. He’s trying to keep us down. Help us to listen to the voice of Your love. Your Word lifts us up. Help us to look to You, to be lifted by You, and to give all the glory to You.
Job 6:8-7:21
We read about Job, going through hard times. We remember Jesus, suffering for us - ‘My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me? At the Cross, there is no Voice from heaven, saying, ‘This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased’ (Mark 15:34; Matthew 3:17). Job is suffering. Jesus is suffering. What are we to make of this? Where are You, Lord, while all this is happening? What are You doing about it? We remember the words, spoken by Jesus to His enemies, shortly before His crucifixion: ‘This is your hour, and the power of darkness’ (Luke 22:53). You allow Satan to have his ‘hour’. ‘The power of darkness’ appears to have the upper hand. This is not the end of the story. There is ‘a happy ending’. Job is raised from his depression (42:10,12). Jesus is ‘raised’ from the dead (Acts 2:23-24). Help us, Lord, to look beyond what’s happening to us right now. Help us to catch a glimpse of the glorious future for which You are preparing us.
Job 8:1-9:19
We read the words of Bildad. He speaks as a ‘know-it-all’. He sees what has happened to Job, and he thinks, ‘Job must have forgotten God’. He fails to see that Job has not forgotten God. Help us, Lord, to see that bad things can and do happen to people who love You as well as people who don’t love You. When things are going badly, help us, Lord, to remember Your long-term purpose. You’re preparing us for ‘eternal life’ (Matthew 19:29). Help us to look beyond our sufferings. They are ‘slight and short-lived’. Help us to look ahead to the ‘eternal glory that is greater than anything we can imagine’ (2 Corinthians 4:17).
Job 9:20-10:22
What are we to do, Lord, when, like Job, we think that You are “against” us (Job 10:2)? Where do such negative thoughts come from? Do they come from You? No! They come from Satan, the “accuser ” of Your people (Revelation 12:10). When Satan attacks us, help us to remember that You love us, that Jesus died for us, that “there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus”, and that “we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us” (Romans 5:8; Romans 8:1; Romans 8:37).
Job 11:1-12:25
We read, Lord, about Job – “a righteous and blameless man! (Job 12:4). He was suffering, and he was confused. Was He being punished by You? That’s what Zophar was telling him - Job must have done something pretty awful to deserve this. You, Lord, were saying something very different – “My servant Job” (Job 1:8). When Satan is hurling his accusations at us, help us, Lord, to keep on listening to what You’re saying to us. May the voice of Your love lift us out of the pit of our despair.
Job 13:1-14:22
Sometimes, Lord, we need to say, “The less said, the better.” We read what Job said about his ‘friends’ – “Oh that you would keep silent, and it would be your wisdom!” (Job 13:5). We feel for Job. From his ‘friends’, there was nothing but one accusation after another. What was he to do? What are we to do? We turn to You, Lord. Can we look beyond our suffering? Is there something better? – “If a man dies, shall he live again?” (Job 14:14). We thank You, Lord, for the answer of faith: “I know that my Redeemer loves … Even after my skin has been stripped off my body, I will see God … ” (Job 19:25). Help us, Lord, to look to Jesus, the risen Lord, to hear His Word of triumph: “Death is swallowed up in victory”, and to offer to You our joyful praise – “Thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 15:20,54,57).
Job 15:1-16:5
Lord, we feel the pain of Job. He’s been listening to Eliphaz. Now, Job says, “how often have I heard all this before! What sorry comforters you are!” (Job 16:1). Job needed “words of encouragement” (Job 16:5) – but he didn’t get them from Eliphaz. Where, Lord, does true comfort come from? It comes from the Holy Spirit – “the comforter” (John 14:26). Help us, Lord, to listen to the voice of the Spirit – and to speak with His voice, the voice of “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23).
Job 16:6-17:16
“There is no violence in my hands, and my prayer is pure” (Job 16:17). We wonder, Lord, ‘Is this no more than Job’s own opinion of himself?” Your Word tells us that it’s also Your view of Job: “My witness is in heaven, and He that vouches for me is on high” (Job 16:19). As we read about Job and his suffering, Help us to think about ourselves. How do we react when suffering comes our way? Do we become bitter – blaming You and turning away from You? Or, do we become better – “the righteous holds to his way, and he that has clean hands grows stronger and stronger” (Job 17:9)? How, Lord, can we become better – and not bitter? It’s Your love that changes us (Romans 5:3-5). It’s Your love that lifts us when we feel like we’re falling down. Lead us, Lord, out of the bitter way and into the better way.
Job 18:1-19:7
“How long will you torment me, and break me in pieces with words?” (Job 19:2). Lord, we read Job’s reply to the harsh words, spoken by Bildad, and we ask, “What about us? What effect do our words have on other people? Lord, You speak to us about our use of words “The tongue is a fire … set on fire by hell …With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, this should not happen!” (James 3:6,9-10). As we think about what You are saying to us, help us to pray that “our conversation will be always full of grace” (Colossians 4:6). Lord, may our words “bring a blessing to those who hear” them (Ephesians 4:29).
Job 19:8-29
“I know that my Redeemer lives … In the end He will stand upon the earth” (Job 19:25-26). Lord, we read these great words of faith, spoken by Job, and our thoughts turn to Jesus. We think of His resurrection – He “has risen” from the dead” (Matthew 28:6). We think of His return – He will return “with power and great glory” (Matthew 24:30). We think of “our redemption” – “When He appears, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is”; “We shall always be with the Lord” (Luke 21:27-28); 1 John 3:2; 1 Thessalonians 4:17). We think of all of these things – Christ’s resurrection, His return, our redemption, and we give to You, Lord, our thanks, our praise, our hearts and our lives. To You, Lord, be all the glory!
Job 20:1-29
Lord, we read Zophar’s detailed description of “the wicked man’s portion from God, the heritage decreed for him by God” (Job 20:29). We wonder if Zophar has ever thought of asking the question:’ Help us, Lord, to learn from Zophar ‘Does all of this apply to Job? Is Job a wicked man? Is Job being punished by God? Help us, Lord, to learn from Zophar’s mistakes. Help us to listen to what You’re saying to us before we start telling other people what we think You should be saying to them. May our words be Gospel words – words of love, words of encouragement, words of hope. May our words bring glory to Your Name, the Name of love, the Name of Your salvation.
Job 21:1-34
Lord, we sense Job’s deep disappointment, as he says to his ‘comforters’, “How then will you comfort me with empty nothings? There is nothing left of your answers but falsehood” (Job 21:34). We thank You, Lord, that Job was looking beyond his ‘comforters’. He was looking to You: “He knows the way that I take; when He has tried me, I shall come forth as gold” (Job 23:10). When life is hard, and it’s difficult to understand what’s going on, help us to hold on to Your promise: “Those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles … ” (Isaiah 40:31).
Job 22:1-23:7
Lord, we read Job’s question: “Would He contend with me in the greatness of His power?” We also read his answer: “No; He would give heed to me” (Job 23:6). We thank You that You are not only the God of great power. You are also the God of great love. If You, Lord, were nothing but power, we would have good reason to be terrified of You. At the Cross of Jesus, we see how much You love us. In Jesus’ resurrection, we see Your power. It’s not just the power to do strange and mysterious miracles. It’s the power of Your love – the love that lifts us when we’re down, the love that leads us on to a life, in which there will be “no more death or mourning or crying or pain” (Revelation 21:4).
Job 23:8-24:5
Lord, life can be so confusing. We see Job, trusting in You – “he knows the way that I take … ” (Job 23:10). We also hear him saying, ” … the Almighty has terrified me … ” (Job 23:16-17). where, Lord, do these negative thoughts come from? Do they come from You? No! They come from Satan! This is not “the fear of the Lord which is the beginning of wisdom” (Psalm 111:10; Proverbs 1:7). This is the fear that comes from Satan What are we to do when fear threatens to overwhelm us? What are we to do when fear threatens to destroy our trust in You? We look to You, Lord. You “have not given us a spirit of fear.” You’ve given us Your “Spirit of power and love.” You give us “a sound mind.” Help us, Lord, to keep on looking to You. May Your “perfect love cast out our fear” (2 Timothy 1:7; 1 John 4:18).
Job 25:1-27:6
Lord, we hear biting sarcasm in Job’s response to his ‘comforters’: “How you have helped him who has no power! How you have saved the arm that has no strength!” (Job 26:2). We hear Job’s searching question: “With whose help have you uttered words, and whose spirit has me forth from you?” (Job 26:4), and we pray, “Lord, help us to listen for the voice of Your love – and not to be deceived, discouraged, and distressed by words that come to us from Satan.”
Job 27:7-28:28
“The fear of the Lord – that is wisdom, and to shun evil is understanding” (Job 28:28). Give to us, Lord, the wisdom that is centred on Christ, the wisdom that receives “salvation through faith in Christ Jesus”, the wisdom that leads us to become “mature in Christ”, the wisdom that is Christlike, the wisdom that gives glory to Christ (1 Corinthians 1:30-31; 2 Timothy 3:15; Colossians 1:28; James 3:17).
Job 29:1-30:31
When, Lord, we start wondering, ‘Why are these bad things happening to us?’, help us to start thin king something else: “Why have You blessed us with so many good things?” (Job 30:27,31; Job 29:4-5). Help us, Lord, to thank You for Your good days, and to trust You in our bad days.
Job 31:1-40
“Job … was blameless and upright, one who feared God, and turned away from evil” (Job 1:1). Again and again, Lord, we fall far short of this ideal (Romans 3:23). How can our sins be forgiven? How can our guilt be removed? We thank You that “the blood of Jesus, Your Son, cleanses us from all sin” (1 John 1:7). This is more than having our sins forgiven. You, Lord, are leading us n the paths of righteousness. Create in us a deeper longing to become more like Jesus, our Saviour – and help us to give all the glory to You (Psalm 23:3; Psalm 51:10).
Job 32:1-33:18
“Understanding” comes from “the breath of the Almighty” (Job 32:8). “God does speak – now, one way, now another – though man may not perceive it” (Job 33:14). We thank You, Lord, that You have spoken to us through Your Word. You still speak to us through Your Word. It’s Your Spirit who brings Your Word to us. We do not always understand what You are saying to us. There is always more than we can take in. When, Lord, we feel that we’re out of our depth, help us to keep on listening, to keep on believing – and to pray for “understanding” that will lead to new life; a life that is grounded in the Scriptures, a life that is centred on the Saviour, a life that is filled with the Spirit, a life that brings glory to You.
Job 33:19-34:20
When things are going well, help us to remember to say, “Thank You, Lord.” When things start going badly, help us to remember that You are still with us – and You haven’t stopped loving us. You haven’t left us on our own. You’re there beside us, every step of the way. In all of life – our times of suffering as well as our times of blessing, draw us, Lord, closer to Yourself and give us this powerful testimony; “He redeemed my soul from going down to the pit, and I shall love to enjoy the light” (Job 33:28-30).
Job 34:21-35:16
“If you have sinned” (Job 35:6). Help us, Lord, to think about Job, about Jesus, and about ourselves. “Job feared God and shunned evil” (Job 1:1). Job wasn’t being singled out for special punishment, because he was much more sinful than anyone else – but this doesn’t mean that he had never sinned (Job 7:21; Job 13:26). Help us, Lord, to look beyond Job to Jesus. He did not sin (Hebrews 4:14-16) – but He did suffer: “He suffered for us … He bore our sins … He died for us … He died for our sins” (1 Peter 2:21-24; Romans 5:8; 1 Corinthians 15:3). Thank You, Lord, for Jesus, our Saviour. When we sin, help us to come to Jesus. He is our “Redeemer” (Job 19:25). He gives us “quietness” and “songs in the night” (Job 34:29; Job 35:10). Help us, Lord, to “be still and know that You are our God.” Help us to “shout for joy to You” (Psalm 46:10; Psalm 98:4).
Job 36:1-33
“God is mighty, and does not despise any” (Job 36:5). Lord, You are great in power. You are great in love. How sad it would be if You had great love for us, but did not have the power to save us. How terrifying it would be if You had great power, but had no love, in Your hear, for us. What a joy it is to know that You are both the God of great power and the God of great love. You are “abundant in power.” You “heal the broken-hearted and … lift up the downtrodden.” We think, Lord, about Your great power and Your great love, and we say, “Praise the Lord!” We “sing to You with thanksgiving.” We “make melody to You.” We “sing praises to You” (Psalm 147:1-7).
Job 37:1-24
“The Almighty is great in power and … He does not oppress” (Job 37:23). Lord, Your power is loving power. Your love is powerful love. We see Your power in Jesus – “He is able to save to the uttermost all who come to God through Him” (Hebrews 7:25). We see Your love in Jesus – “I will never turn away any one who comes to Me” (John 6:37). In the world, we see the love of power. It’s a very destructive thing. In Jesus, we see the power of love. Hew uses His power to show us His love. He shows us His love when, through His mighty power, He saves us. Thank You, Lord, for Jesus. What a great Saviour He is!
Job 38:1-38
Lord, we do an awful lot of talking about ourselves, and not very much listening to You. When it seems to us that our problems are bigger than Your power, help us to start listening to what Your Word is saying to us. There are many questions for which we have no answers – Why has this happened to us? Why did it turn out this way? Why this? Why that? When, Lord, it seems to be all questions and no answers, help us to remember this: “I lift up my eyes to the hills. Where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth” (Psalm 121:1-2).
Job 38:39-40:14
"I am unworthy - how can I reply to You? I put my hand over my mouth ... I have no answer ... I will say no more" (Job 40:3-5). When, Lord, You speak to us about sin - "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God", we have nothing to say in our own defence: "every mouth is silenced" (Romans 3:23,19). We thank You, Lord, that, when You speak to us about our sin, You also speak to us of Your love, the death of Christ for our sins, the forgiveness of our sins and the cleansing of our hearts and lives (Romans 5:8; 1 John 1:7-10).
Job 40:15-41:34
"Who can stand before Me?" (Job 41:10). Lord, You put this question to every one of us. There are two answers to this question. The first speaks to us of our sin. The second speaks to us of our Saviour. When, Lord, You speak to us of our sin, it's bad news: "There is no-one righteous, not even one" (Romans 3:10). When You speak to us of our Saviour, it's Good News. Jesus is "without sin." He is "Your beloved Son with whom You are well pleased." He has "died for our sins" (Hebrews 4:14-16; Matthew 3:16-17; 1 Corinthians 15:3). Thank You, Lord, for Jesus - Your beloved Son, our wonderful Saviour.
Job 42:1-17
We read, Lord, about Job being brought close to You, his 'friends' being forgiven by You and everyone being happy about the way things turned out for Job (Job 42:5-11). We wonder, "Is there always a happy ending?" In this earthly life, we will never reach a stage where there will be no more problems, and everything will be just fine. Help us, Lord, to look beyond this earthly life. Help us to catch a glimpse of the "salvation ready to be revealed in the last time." Our suffering will be for "a little while." We thank You, Lord, that Your salvation will be forever (1 Peter 1:5-7).
____________________________
PSALMS
Psalm 1:1-6
Lord, we thank You that Your way is the best way. It’s ‘make up your mind’ time. Every day, we must make up our mind – Will it be the way of the world? Will it be the way of the Word? It cannot be both. It must be one or the other.
Lord, help us to choose Your way. Help us to keep on choosing Your way. May we always know, in our hearts, that Your way is the best way.
Lord, we thank You that Your way is the best way. It’s ‘make up your mind’ time. Every day, we must make up our mind – Will it be the way of the world? Will it be the way of the Word? It cannot be both. It must be one or the other.
Lord, help us to choose Your way. Help us to keep on choosing Your way. May we always know, in our hearts, that Your way is the best way.
Psalm 2:1-12
We thank You, Lord, for Jesus Christ – Your Son, our Saviour. What a great Saviour He is! When we think of Jesus, may our hearts be filled with true and lasting joy. We search for happiness – but we don’t find it. Why? – Because we look in the wrong place. We look within ourselves. What do we find? – An emptiness which keeps on gnawing away at us, ‘There must be more than this.’ There is. There’s Jesus. He changes our focus. We start looking less at ourselves and more at Him. We see that real happiness – true and lasting joy – doesn’t come from within ourselves. It comes from Jesus – “Hallelujah! I have found Him … Through His blood I now am saved.”
We thank You, Lord, for Jesus Christ – Your Son, our Saviour. What a great Saviour He is! When we think of Jesus, may our hearts be filled with true and lasting joy. We search for happiness – but we don’t find it. Why? – Because we look in the wrong place. We look within ourselves. What do we find? – An emptiness which keeps on gnawing away at us, ‘There must be more than this.’ There is. There’s Jesus. He changes our focus. We start looking less at ourselves and more at Him. We see that real happiness – true and lasting joy – doesn’t come from within ourselves. It comes from Jesus – “Hallelujah! I have found Him … Through His blood I now am saved.”
Psalm 3:1-6
Lord, we are surrounded by so many enemies. They are Your enemies, enemies of Your Gospel, enemies of Your truth, What are we to do? What can we do? Left to ourselves, we are helpless. Our situation is hopeless – until You come to us with Your love and Your power. You assure us that You love us. You are with us and You lead us in the pathway of holiness and victory. You lead us on the pathway that brings glory to You.
Lord, we are surrounded by so many enemies. They are Your enemies, enemies of Your Gospel, enemies of Your truth, What are we to do? What can we do? Left to ourselves, we are helpless. Our situation is hopeless – until You come to us with Your love and Your power. You assure us that You love us. You are with us and You lead us in the pathway of holiness and victory. You lead us on the pathway that brings glory to You.
Psalm 4:1-8
Lord, we thank You that You answer the sinner’s prayer. Jesus is Your Answer. He is our Saviour. He is the Gospel Answer. He is the Good News that we need to hear. He is the Good News of Your amazing love. He is the Good News of Your saving power. Lord, we thank You for Jesus – our wonderful Saviour.
Lord, we thank You that You answer the sinner’s prayer. Jesus is Your Answer. He is our Saviour. He is the Gospel Answer. He is the Good News that we need to hear. He is the Good News of Your amazing love. He is the Good News of Your saving power. Lord, we thank You for Jesus – our wonderful Saviour.
Psalm 5:1-12
Lord, without Your help, we are nothing and we can do nothing. We need You, Lord. We can never be what You call us to be if we don’t come to You and receive strength from You. We come to You in our weakness. It is the weakness of our sin. We come to receive Your strength. It is the strength of Your salvation.
Lord, without Your help, we are nothing and we can do nothing. We need You, Lord. We can never be what You call us to be if we don’t come to You and receive strength from You. We come to You in our weakness. It is the weakness of our sin. We come to receive Your strength. It is the strength of Your salvation.
Psalm 6:1-10
Lord, help us not to get bogged down in what’s happening to us right now. Help us to lift up our eyes and see Jesus. Help us not only to see Him as a figure from the past – a man who lived a long time ago. Help us to see Him as the Lord who is coming to us from the future, coming to us from the glory coming to us from heaven. coming with His salvation, coming to establish Your eternal Kingdom.
Lord, help us not to get bogged down in what’s happening to us right now. Help us to lift up our eyes and see Jesus. Help us not only to see Him as a figure from the past – a man who lived a long time ago. Help us to see Him as the Lord who is coming to us from the future, coming to us from the glory coming to us from heaven. coming with His salvation, coming to establish Your eternal Kingdom.
Psalm 7:1-17
Sometimes, Lord, we feel like we’re in a deep, dark hole. We don’t want to be in this place – but we are! Help us to know that You’re there with us. You’re not there to blame us for getting into this mess. You’re there to assure us that there is hope.
Psalm 8:1-9
Lord, we thank You that You don’t keep Your distance from us. You come near to us. You show us Your love. You give us Your peace. You fill our hearts with Your joy. You lead us forward with hope. Thank You, Lord.
Psalm 9:1-20
Lord, when it feels like You’ve forgotten us, help us to see the truth as it really is. We have forgotten You. We’ve taken our eyes off You – and now everything’s out of focus. There’s a blurring of our vision. Lord, take us to the Cross of Jesus. Show us that we’re not forgotten. We’re remembered.
Psalms 11:1-13:6
We thank You, Lord, that You have opened up for us a great future. What glory awaits us in Your eternal Kingdom. What encouragement this gives to us when we’re going through a hard time! Help us, Lord, to lift up our eyes, to catch a glimpse of Your glory, to be changed by Your glory (2 Corinthians 3:18). Help us to “turn our eyes upon Jesus”, to “look full in His wonderful face.” As we look upon Jesus, may “the things of earth grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace.”
Psalms 14:1-15:5
When our faith is being sorely tested, help us, Lord, to turn to You. Help us to know that, through it all, You are there with us – suffering with us, leading us into Your joy. Teach us, in our suffering, to wait for the day when You will “restore our fortunes”, when You will answer our prayer: “O that salvation … would come”, when we will, again, “rejoice” and be “glad” in You (Psalm 14:7).
Psalm 16:1-11
True and lasting joy comes from You, Lord. This joy doesn’t depend on good things happening to us. Even when bad things are happening to us, this joy, Your joy, is still there – because You are still there. You’re with us – and You’re for us. The world cannot give this joy to us. Joy is Your gift. The world cannot take this joy away from us. Whatever happens to us, there’s one thing that never changes – You are our God. This is where our joy comes from. It comes from Your faithfulness. Help us to remember this – especially when everything seems to be pulling us away from You.
Psalm 17:1-15
Lord, we long for a closer walk with You. Sometimes, Lord, we take our eyes off Jesus, our Saviour – and we wander far away from You. Always, You are calling us back to Yourself. In love, You wait for us to return to You. You call us to make a new beginning with You.
Psalm 18:1-24
Lord, You are “our strength, our rock, our fortress, our deliverer, our shield and the horn of our salvation, our stronghold (Psalm 18:1-2). What more can we ask for? You are all that we need – and more! Help us, Lord, not to stagger along in our own strength when You’re calling us to stand in Your strength and march on with You to victory (Ephesians 6:13). Our own strength isn’t strength. It’s weakness. Your strength is the only true strength. We are strong when we stand upon Your gracious promise – “My grace is sufficient for you. My strength is mad e perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9).
Psalm 18:25-50
We thank You, Lord, for Your salvation and Your victory. Help us to walk with You in salvation and victory, obeying Your command – “Clothe yourselves in humility”, heeding Your warning – “God opposes the proud”, and trusting Your promise – He “gives grace to the humble” (1 Peter 5:5).
Psalm 19:1-14
Lord, You’re always speaking to us. Every day and every night,You speak to us through Your created world. You prepare us for hearing the voice of Jesus, Your living Word. He speaks to us through the Scriptures, Your written Word. Help us, Lord, to become aware of Your presence, to listen to the voice of Jesus – calling us to come to You, and to receive new life, as we put our trust in Jesus, our Saviour.
Psalms 20:1-21:13
“We trust in the Name of the Lord our God…Through the unfailing love of the Most High’ we ‘shall not be moved” (Psalms 20:7; 21:7). Lord, we thank You that You are a solid rock for our faith. You are the only solid rock for our faith. Without You, Lord, the foundations are shaking. We’re about to collapse. You pick us up. We’re broken in pieces. You put us together again. Our life is going nowhere. You give us a new sense of direction. Without this input from You, our lives are empty. Everything we do is futile. When You are there with us, everything changes. It’s Your love that makes the difference. It’s Your love that changes us. Thank You, Lord, for Your love.
When our future seems so uncertain, help us, Lord, to put our trust in You. Help us to remember Your Son, Jesus. Help us to remember that He is our Saviour. When we fear the worst, may we always remember that our Saviour is absolutely trustworthy and completely dependable. When our love for Him seems so weak, may we remember that His love is never weak. It’s always strong. When we fail Him, may we remember that He will never fail us. His love is an unfailing love. When we’re feeling down, may the love of Jesus lift us up. When we don’t feel like singing, may we look to You to fill our hearts with praise to You.
Psalm 22:1-18
“My God, my God, why have You forsaken me?” (Psalm 22:1). This was the Psalmist’s prayer. Often, it’s our prayer - it’s the way we feel, even if we don’t actually speak the words! More than that, it was our Saviour’s prayer (Matthew 27:46|). On the Cross, “our sin was laid on Him” (Isaiah 53:6). When we’re suffering, help us to see Jesus – suffering for us. Help us to see Him – risen, exalted and returning for us. Help us to say, “Thank You, Lord. I am not forsaken. I am forgiven.”
Psalms 22:19-23:4
We thank You, Lord, for Jesus Christ, our great Saviour. He died for us. He was raised from the dead for us. He is coming again for us. We think of all that He has done for us, and we say, “Hallelujah! What a Saviour!”
Psalm 23:1-6
Sometimes, we nibble at our food. We don’t feel like eating. We’re off-colour. Often, Lord, we’re like that with Your Word. We could be enjoying a feast – but we’re not! We’re too easily satisfied. There’s no real hungering and thirsting for Your life-giving Word. Lord, give us more hunger for You. Fill us with a deeper desire for Your presence and Your blessing. Help us to feast on Your Word – the Word of life, the Word which we need so much, the Word which leads us into all the blessing that You want so much to give to us.
Psalm 9:1-20
“I will give thanks to You, Lord, with all my heart …My enemies turn back; they stumble and perish before you .… The Lord reigns forever … The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble” (Psalm 9:1,3,7,9).
We give thanks to You, Lord. Where does our thanksgiving begin? It begins with thinking. We think – and we thank. We think about what You have done for us. We thank You for what You have done for us.
We thank You, Lord, that we have the victory in Christ. When Satan attacks us, help us to remind him that Jesus is Lord. Help us to tell him, “Jesus is my Saviour – and He’s a lot stronger than you are!” We thank You, Lord, that Satan – our determined enemy – is also our defeated enemy. He’s been defeated by Jesus – and Jesus gives His victory to us! When Satan to us, “I’m stronger than you are”, help us to answer him with Your Word: “Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 15:57).
Psalm 10:1-18Lord, when it feels like You’ve forgotten us, help us to see the truth as it really is. We have forgotten You. We’ve taken our eyes off You – and now everything’s out of focus. There’s a blurring of our vision. Lord, take us to the Cross of Jesus. Show us that we’re not forgotten. We’re remembered.
Psalms 11:1-13:6
We thank You, Lord, that You have opened up for us a great future. What glory awaits us in Your eternal Kingdom. What encouragement this gives to us when we’re going through a hard time! Help us, Lord, to lift up our eyes, to catch a glimpse of Your glory, to be changed by Your glory (2 Corinthians 3:18). Help us to “turn our eyes upon Jesus”, to “look full in His wonderful face.” As we look upon Jesus, may “the things of earth grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace.”
Psalms 14:1-15:5
When our faith is being sorely tested, help us, Lord, to turn to You. Help us to know that, through it all, You are there with us – suffering with us, leading us into Your joy. Teach us, in our suffering, to wait for the day when You will “restore our fortunes”, when You will answer our prayer: “O that salvation … would come”, when we will, again, “rejoice” and be “glad” in You (Psalm 14:7).
Psalm 16:1-11
True and lasting joy comes from You, Lord. This joy doesn’t depend on good things happening to us. Even when bad things are happening to us, this joy, Your joy, is still there – because You are still there. You’re with us – and You’re for us. The world cannot give this joy to us. Joy is Your gift. The world cannot take this joy away from us. Whatever happens to us, there’s one thing that never changes – You are our God. This is where our joy comes from. It comes from Your faithfulness. Help us to remember this – especially when everything seems to be pulling us away from You.
Psalm 17:1-15
Lord, we long for a closer walk with You. Sometimes, Lord, we take our eyes off Jesus, our Saviour – and we wander far away from You. Always, You are calling us back to Yourself. In love, You wait for us to return to You. You call us to make a new beginning with You.
Psalm 18:1-24
Lord, You are “our strength, our rock, our fortress, our deliverer, our shield and the horn of our salvation, our stronghold (Psalm 18:1-2). What more can we ask for? You are all that we need – and more! Help us, Lord, not to stagger along in our own strength when You’re calling us to stand in Your strength and march on with You to victory (Ephesians 6:13). Our own strength isn’t strength. It’s weakness. Your strength is the only true strength. We are strong when we stand upon Your gracious promise – “My grace is sufficient for you. My strength is mad e perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9).
Psalm 18:25-50
We thank You, Lord, for Your salvation and Your victory. Help us to walk with You in salvation and victory, obeying Your command – “Clothe yourselves in humility”, heeding Your warning – “God opposes the proud”, and trusting Your promise – He “gives grace to the humble” (1 Peter 5:5).
Psalm 19:1-14
Lord, You’re always speaking to us. Every day and every night,You speak to us through Your created world. You prepare us for hearing the voice of Jesus, Your living Word. He speaks to us through the Scriptures, Your written Word. Help us, Lord, to become aware of Your presence, to listen to the voice of Jesus – calling us to come to You, and to receive new life, as we put our trust in Jesus, our Saviour.
Psalms 20:1-21:13
“We trust in the Name of the Lord our God…Through the unfailing love of the Most High’ we ‘shall not be moved” (Psalms 20:7; 21:7). Lord, we thank You that You are a solid rock for our faith. You are the only solid rock for our faith. Without You, Lord, the foundations are shaking. We’re about to collapse. You pick us up. We’re broken in pieces. You put us together again. Our life is going nowhere. You give us a new sense of direction. Without this input from You, our lives are empty. Everything we do is futile. When You are there with us, everything changes. It’s Your love that makes the difference. It’s Your love that changes us. Thank You, Lord, for Your love.
When our future seems so uncertain, help us, Lord, to put our trust in You. Help us to remember Your Son, Jesus. Help us to remember that He is our Saviour. When we fear the worst, may we always remember that our Saviour is absolutely trustworthy and completely dependable. When our love for Him seems so weak, may we remember that His love is never weak. It’s always strong. When we fail Him, may we remember that He will never fail us. His love is an unfailing love. When we’re feeling down, may the love of Jesus lift us up. When we don’t feel like singing, may we look to You to fill our hearts with praise to You.
Psalm 22:1-18
“My God, my God, why have You forsaken me?” (Psalm 22:1). This was the Psalmist’s prayer. Often, it’s our prayer - it’s the way we feel, even if we don’t actually speak the words! More than that, it was our Saviour’s prayer (Matthew 27:46|). On the Cross, “our sin was laid on Him” (Isaiah 53:6). When we’re suffering, help us to see Jesus – suffering for us. Help us to see Him – risen, exalted and returning for us. Help us to say, “Thank You, Lord. I am not forsaken. I am forgiven.”
Psalms 22:19-23:4
We thank You, Lord, for Jesus Christ, our great Saviour. He died for us. He was raised from the dead for us. He is coming again for us. We think of all that He has done for us, and we say, “Hallelujah! What a Saviour!”
Psalm 23:1-6
Sometimes, we nibble at our food. We don’t feel like eating. We’re off-colour. Often, Lord, we’re like that with Your Word. We could be enjoying a feast – but we’re not! We’re too easily satisfied. There’s no real hungering and thirsting for Your life-giving Word. Lord, give us more hunger for You. Fill us with a deeper desire for Your presence and Your blessing. Help us to feast on Your Word – the Word of life, the Word which we need so much, the Word which leads us into all the blessing that You want so much to give to us.
Psalms 23:5-24:10
Lord, we thank You that You are preparing a wonderful future for us. It’s glory with You. It’s eternal life: “I shall dwell in the House of the Lord forever” (Psalm 23:6). Fill our hearts, O Lord, with resurrection hope – the true and living hope, the sure and steadfast hope that comes from knowing You, the God who has raised Your Son, the God who raises us up, with Jesus, to everlasting life.
Lord, we thank You that You are preparing a wonderful future for us. It’s glory with You. It’s eternal life: “I shall dwell in the House of the Lord forever” (Psalm 23:6). Fill our hearts, O Lord, with resurrection hope – the true and living hope, the sure and steadfast hope that comes from knowing You, the God who has raised Your Son, the God who raises us up, with Jesus, to everlasting life.
Psalm 25:1-22
Knowing You, Lord, is more important than knowing a lot about this, that and the other subject. Where does the best education come from? It comes from You. You teach us about the things that really matter. you teach us about eternal things. You teach us what life is really all about. You are “the God of our salvation.” You “lead us in Your truth” – the truth that changes us, the truth which inspires us to become all that You want us to be (Psalm 25:5).
Knowing You, Lord, is more important than knowing a lot about this, that and the other subject. Where does the best education come from? It comes from You. You teach us about the things that really matter. you teach us about eternal things. You teach us what life is really all about. You are “the God of our salvation.” You “lead us in Your truth” – the truth that changes us, the truth which inspires us to become all that You want us to be (Psalm 25:5).
Psalm 26:1-27:12
“Your love is ever before me, and I will walk continually in Your truth” (Psalm 26:3). Lord, it’s Your love for us that inspires our loyalty to You. You love us. This is what makes us want to walk with You. In Your love, You lead us in the way of Your salvation. We don’t begin with walking with You. We begin with worshipping You. We celebrate Your love for us, and we receive Your strength – strength for living the new life, the life that brings glory to You.
Psalms 28:1-29:11
Lord, You are “the strength of Your people.” May each of us say, “You are my strength” (Psalm 28:7-8). Your strength comes to us through fellowship. We receive strength from others, and we give strength to them. Your strength is more than human strength – the strength that comes to us through fellowship. It is the strength which comes to us through faith – faith in You, our Lord and our God.
Lord, You are “the strength of Your people.” May each of us say, “You are my strength” (Psalm 28:7-8). Your strength comes to us through fellowship. We receive strength from others, and we give strength to them. Your strength is more than human strength – the strength that comes to us through fellowship. It is the strength which comes to us through faith – faith in You, our Lord and our God.
Psalm 30:1-12
“I will exalt You, O Lord” (Psalm 30;1). Lord, You are not exalted because we exalt You. We exalt You because You are exalted. How do we come to the point where we exalt You? We realize our need of You – “when You hid Your face, I was dismayed” (Psalm 30:7). We look to You for mercy – “To You, O Lord, I called; to the Lord, I cried for mercy” (Psalm 30:8). You hear and answer our prayer – “You turned my wailing into dancing. You removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy” (Psalm 30:11). You call us to worship You – “Sing praises to the Lord, O you His saints, and give thanks to His holy Name” (Psalm 30:4). Help us, Lord, to worship You: “O Lord my God, I will give thanks to You forever” (Psalm 30:12).
Psalm 31:1-24
“Into Thy hand, I commit my spirit” (Psalm 31:5). As we read these words, Lord, our thoughts turn to Jesus Christ, crucified for us. In death, He gave Himself for our sins (Luke 23:46). Beyond His “affliction and the anguish of His soul”, there was the “spacious place” of His resurrection – and there was, for us, “eternal salvation” (Psalm 31:7-8; Hebrews 5:7-9). Lord, we look to Jesus, our crucified Saviour, and we say, “Praise be to the Lord, for He showed His wonderful love to us” (Psalm 31:21). We thank You for Jesus, our risen Lord. In Him, we are “strong and our hearts take courage” (Psalm 31:24).
Psalm 32:1-11
We come to You, Lord, with our sin. You come to us with Your forgiveness. What a tremendous blessing this is – the forgiveness of our sins (Psalm 32:1-2). You give Your promise to us: “If we confess our sins, God is faithful and just, and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). We bring our prayer to You: “I make my sins known to You, and I did not cover up my guilt. I decided to confess them to You, O Lord. Then You forgave all my sins” (Psalm 32:5).
Psalm 33:1-22
“Rejoice in the Lord, O you righteous” (Psalm 33:1). Lord, we have so many reasons for rejoicing in You. You have opened Your heart to us (Psalm 33:11). You have shown Your love to us (Psalm 33:5). Help us to trust in Your Word, and rest in Your faithfulness (Psalm 33:4). We rejoice in “Your unfailing love” (Psalm 33:20,22).
Psalm 34:1-22
Lord, we rejoice in Your salvation (Psalm 34:4-6). We say, “I will bless the Lord at all times” (Psalm 34:1). Help us to bring others with us, calling on them to worship You, with joy (Psalm 34:3,8). Help us to share Your Word with them (Psalm 34:11), and to lead them on to spiritual maturity (Psalm 34:14; Hebrews 5:14).
Psalm 35:1-28
“Contend, O Lord, with those who contend with me; fight against those who fight against me!” (Psalm 35:1). When, Lord, we feel that we are under pressure from the unbelieving world, help us to remember the words of Jesus: “In the world, you have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). Help us to rejoice in Your victory (Romans 8:31; 1 Corinthians 15:57). Help us to say, from our hearts, “I will thank Thee … I will praise Thee … all day long” (Psalm 35:18,2,8).
Psalm 36:1-12
We thank You, Lord, for “Your steadfast love” (Psalm 36:5,7,10). Your love is the best love. It’s the greatest love of all. Your love is very wonderful. We rejoice in Your love. We are amazed at Your love. We look at Jesus, Your Son, crucified for us, and we say, “Amazing love, how can it be that Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?” Jesus died for us. Now, He lives in us. In love, You are leading us on into Your future – on to “fullness of joy in Your presence” (Psalm 16:11).
Psalm 37:1-40
Lord, You tell us that “those who trust in You … will dwell in the land”, and those who turn from You will “perish” (Psalm 37:3,20). You’re calling us on to “a heavenly country” (Hebrews 1:16). It will be better than anything we’ve ever known here on earth. You’ve shown us the way to this heavenly country. Jesus is the Way. He opens the door for us – and He will welcome us. Help us, Lord, to trust in Jesus, our Saviour, now – and to look forward to being welcomed by Him into Your eternal Kingdom.
Psalm 38:1-22
“My guilt has overwhelmed me. Like a heavy load, it is more than I can bear” (Psalm 38:4). What, Lord, are we to do when things seem to be going from bad to worse? What are we to do when everything seems to be falling apart? When, Lord, we are “completely devastated” and our “heart is in turmoil” (Psalm 38:8), help us to join with the Psalmist in saying, “I wait with hope for You, O Lord” (Psalm 38:15).
Psalm 39:1-13
Some live to a ripe old age. Others die young. What are we to make of this? What, Lord, are You saying to us about this? We read what the Psalmist says, “My life span is nothing compared with Yours” (Psalm 39:5). Help us, Lord, to think about the quality of our living – “How am I living?” as well as the quantity of our years. “How long have I lived?” Teach us that life is not only about survival – living for a long time. It’s also about revival – living in the light of eternity. Help us to put “our hope in You” (Psalm 39:7), and to live as “citizens of heaven,” who are looking forward to the return of our Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ” (Philippians 3:20).
Psalm 40:1-17
Lord, we thank You for Your gifts – salvation, security, singing and sharing. You have saved us – “He drew me up from the desolate pit … ” (Psalm 40:1). You give us security – You “set my feet on a rock, making my feet secure” (Psalm 40:1). You give to us “a new song … a song of praise to our God” (Psalm 40:3). You give us something wonderful to share with other people – “I have not hidden Thy saving help within my heart, I have spoken of Thy faithfulness and Thy salvation … ” (Psalm 40:10). Thank You, Lord.
Psalm 41:1-13
When everything seems to be going wrong, help us, Lord, not to forget about You. Things will only get worse, if we turn away from You. Help us to turn to You, and receive help from You. Give us the strength that we need to say, with confident faith, “My enemy has not triumphed over me” (Psalm 41:1). Help us to rejoice in You, Lord, and to say, from our hearts, “Blessed is the Lord .. ” (Psalm 41:13).
Lord, help us to move beyond the shallow waters – to move, with You, into the deeper waters of Your love and Your blessing. We think of deep water – and we think of danger. Yes! There is danger – but there is also something else. You are with us – and You assure us that, though the dangers are great, You are greater than they are! Lord, lead us into the deeper waters – not with fear of the dangers, but with expectation of Your blessing!
We ask the question – “Why are you downcast, O my soul?” You give us Your answer: “Put your hope in God” (Psalm 42:5,11; Psalm 43:5). Often, Lord, our minds are so full of our questions that we fail to hear Your answers. Help us to stop talking and start listening – “Speak, for Your servant is listening” (1 Samuel 3:8-10). It’s Your Word that brings us out of our darkness, and into Your light. – “Send forth Your light and Your truth, let them guide me … ” (Psalm 43:5).
Psalm 44:1-26
Victory comes from You, Lord. In ourselves, we are defeated. In You, there is victory. It’s so easy to forget this. We take our eyes off You, and we get despondent – “You have rejected and humbled us …You have made us retreat before the enemy … You gave us up to be devoured like sheep … My disgrace is before me all day long … ” (Psalm 44:9-16). What are we to do when such negative thoughts fill our minds? Lord, help us to pray, “Awake, O Lord! … Rise up and help us; redeem us because of Your unfailing love” (Psalm 44:23,26).
Psalm 45:1-17
We thank You, Lord, that Jesus is “the most excellent of men” (Psalm 45:2). He is much more than that. We look at Jesus Christ, the risen Lord (Acts 2:24, 36), and we say, “Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever” (Psalm 45:6; Hebrews 1:8). Help us to approach our Lord Jesus Christ with “reverence”, “honouring” Him, “bowing down” before Him, “worshipping” Him, and “obeying” Him (Psalm 45:11).
Psalms 46:1-47:9
You call us, Lord, to “be still and know that You are God” (Psalm 46:10). You call us to “shout to You with songs of joy” (Psalm 47:2). Your Word brings peace to our hearts – “In quietness and in confidence shall be your strength” (Isaiah 30:15). Your blessing is not to be kept to ourselves – “Sing to the Lord … Let them shout from the top of the mountains. Let them give glory to the Lord, and declare His praise in the coastlands” (Isaiah 42:10-12). Help us, Lord, to rejoice in Your love for us, and to share Your love with others.
Psalm 48:1-14
Lord, we worship You in the place of worship – “Within Your Temple, we meditate on Your unfailing love.” Help us to go out from there, and play our part in seeing that Your praise “reaches to the ends of the earth” (Psalm 48:: 9-11). How will other people know of Your love, if we don’t tell them? How will they find their way to Your House, if we don’t invite them? When we share Your Word with others, help us to remember Your promise: “My Word … will not return to Me empty, but will … achieve the purpose for which I sent it” (Isaiah 55:11).
Psalm 49:1-20
How can I be saved? Is there a more important question than this? In Your Word, Lord, You speak to us about our need of salvation and Your provision of salvation. You call us to receive Your salvation. We cannot save ourselves – “No man can ransom himself, or give to God the price of his life. The price to be paid for his soul is too costly” (Psalm 49:7-8). We thank You that Your Son,Jesus, came to earth “to give His life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45). Help us, Lord, to believe Your promise – “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved” (Acts 16:31), and to enter into the blessing that is promised – “He who believes in the Son has eternal life” (John 3:36).
Psalm 50:1-23
“Our God comes, He does not keep silence … God the Lord speaks” (Psalm 50:3,1). We thank You, Lord, that You do not keep Your distance from us. You come near to us. We thank You that You do not keep Your silence. You speak to us. How do You come near to us? How do You speak to us? You come near to us in Jesus. He is “the Word made flesh” (John 1:14). You speak to us through Jesus, Your living “Word” (John 1:1).
Psalm 51:1-19
“Create in me, a clean heart, O God … Cast me not away from Thy presence … Restore to me the joy of Thy salvation” (Psalm 51:10-12). Lord, these words come to us from thew ancient past. They can become words that change our future – words for making a new beginning with You. We have sinned. We need to be forgiven. May Your love reach us. May Your power change us. May we know the truth and power of Jesus’ gracious and precious promise: “I will never turn away anyone who comes to Me” (John 6:37).
Psalms 52:1-53:6
“I am like a green olive tree in the House of God” (Psalm 52:9). Here, Lord, we have a picture of growth and fruitfulness. In Your House, we can grow spiritually. In Your House, we can become spiritually fruitful. When, Lord, we pray for Your blessing, help us not to think only of ourselves. Help us to pray for all of Your people – “Oh, that salvation for Israel would come from Zion.” “Restore the fortunes of Your people.” May all of Your people “rejoice and be glad” (Psalm 53:6).
Psalms 54:1-55:23
Sometimes, Lord, we face opposition from people who are outside of Your Church: “Strangers are attacking me; ruthless men seek my life – men with no regard for God” (Psalm 54:3). Sometimes, the opposition comes from people we know very well: “my close friend, with whom I enjoyed sweet fellowship, as we worshipped together at the House of God” (Psalm 55:13-14). What are we to do? Are we to run away from it all – “I would flee far away … far from the tempest and storm” (Psalm 55:6-8)? Would it not be better to remember this: “God is my Helper” (Psalm 54:4). Help us, Lord, to remember Your promise: “Cast your burden on the Lord, and He will sustain you.” Help us to say, “I will call upon God, and the Lord will save me” (Psalm 55:16,22).
Psalms 56:1-57:11
“Be gracious to me, O God … Be merciful to us, O God” (Psalm 56:1; Psalm 57:1). In mercy, Lord, You don’t send to us the judgment we deserve. In grace, You give to us the salvation we don’t deserve.
How do You do this for us? You make Your grace and mercy available to us through Your Son, our Saviour, Jesus Christ. How do we receive Your grace and mercy? We look to the Cross of Christ. There, we see Your “steadfast love and faithfulness” (Psalm 57:3,10). Your love is eternal love. It’s love unchanged, unchanging and unchangeable – “I will give thanks to You, O Lord … I will sing praises to You … Be exalted, O God” (Psalm 57:9-11).
Psalms 58:1-59:17
“Surely there is a God who judges the earth … Deliver me from my enemies, O my God” (Psalm 58:11; Psalm 59:1). May these words send us to the Cross of Christ. We come in our need. Lord, we need Your forgiveness and Your victory. What do we find at the Cross of our Saviour? – “My God in His steadfast love will meet me … My God will let me look in triumph over my enemies” (Psalm 59:10). What a great Saviour we have! We think of His love and His power, and our hearts are filled with praise to You – “I will sing of Your strength … I will sing of Your love … O my Strength, I sing praises to You; You, O God, are my Fortress, my loving God” (Psalm 59:16-17).
Psalms 60:1-61:8
“With God we shall gain the victory, and He will trample down our enemies” (Psalm 60:12). When, Lord, we’re feeling defeated, Your Word gives us great encouragement. The battle isn’t ours. It’s Yours. The victory isn’t ours. It’s Yours. In the heat of the battle, You are our “strong tower against the enemy” (Psalm 61:3). When we’re feeling the ferocity of Satan’s hostility towards the truth of Your Word and the Gospel of Your grace, help us to remember that You, Lord, are “enthroned for ever” (Psalm 61:7).
Psalms 62:1-63:11
You, Lord, are “our rock and our salvation” (Psalm 62:2,6). We think of Your Son, Jesus Christ – the “Rock of our salvation” (1 Corinthians 10:1-4,16), and we say, “Your steadfast love is better than life … I will praise You as long as I live” (Psalm 63:3-4). We look at Jesus, our great Saviour, and we say, “Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift” (2 Corinthians 9:15).
Psalms 64:1-65:13
“Let the righteous rejoice in the Lord” (Psalm 64:10). Lord, You give us joy – true joy, lasting joy. This is Your joy. It’s not just a passing emotion. It’s more than a feeling that doesn’t last very long. Your joy changes us. It gives us the strength to live as “a new creation” (2 Corinthians 5:17).
Psalm 66:1-67:7
“Come and see what God has done …Come and hear, all you who fear God, and I will tell you what He has done for me” (Psalm 66:5,16). Lord, You invite us to read the story of all that You have done for us. You invite us to let the story of Your salvation become real in our lives. Help us, Lord, to come to You with this prayer – “May God be gracious to us and bless us … ” Help us to receive Your answer – “God has blessed us”, to “be glad and sing for joy,” and to call “all the ends of the earth” to “worship You” (Psalm 67:1,4,6-7).
Psalm 68:1-35
Lord, You are “the God of salvation.” You are “our salvation” (Psalm 68:19-20). Your salvation covers our past, present and future. You have saved us – You have forgiven our sins (Romans 5:1). You are saving us – You are making us the kind of people that You want us to be (Romans 5:3-5). You will save us – You’re leading us on to Your eternal glory (Romans 5:9-10). From beginning to end, salvation is Your work. It is such a great salvation. Help us to rejoice in You – and to give all the glory to You (Psalm 68:13,35).
Psalm 69:1-36
When, Lord, we are going through “the deep waters” of suffering, help us to pray to You for deliverance (Psalm 69:16). We have sinned against You. We do not try to hide this – "the wrongs that I have done are not hidden from You, my guilt is not hidden from You” (Psalm 69:5). You are the God of “steadfast love” and “abundant mercy” (Psalm 69:16). We remember that “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.” You don’t send the judgment we deserve – This is Your mercy. You send the blessing we don't deserve – This is Your grace. Help us to come to You and receive Your “mercy” and Your “grace” (1 Timothy 1:13-16; Hebrews 4:14-16).
Psalms 70:1-71:24
“May all, who seek You, rejoice and be glad in You! May those who love your salvation continually say, ‘God is great!’” (Psalm 70:4). When, Lord, we’re going through “many terrible troubles”, help us to look beyond our problems, to look to You, to know that You are our “rock of refuge” and our “strong fortress” (Psalm 71:3, and to say, from our hearts, “You have done great things, O God … You will revive us again” (Psalm 71:19-20).
Psalm 72:1-20
Lord, we read the words – “His Name shall endure for ever” (Psalm 72:17), and we think of Your Son, Jesus. His Name is “the Name above all other names.” He is “the King of kings and Lord of lords” (Philippians 2:9-11; Revelation 19:16). We read the words – “all nations shall call Him blessed” (Psalm 72:17), and, again, our thoughts turn to Jesus, our Saviour. “From every tribe and language and people and nation, “Your people have been redeemed by His precious blood” (Revelation 5:9). We read the words – “May His glory fill the whole earth!” (Psalm 72:19), and we rejoice in Jesus Christ, “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). Thank You, Lord, for Jesus. What a wonderful Saviour He is!
Psalm 73:1-28
Lord, it’s so easy for us to lose our way – “my feet had almost stumbled.” We look at “the prosperity of the wicked”, and we become “envious of the arrogant” (Psalm 73:2-3). When others are forgetting about You, help us to keep on saying, “For me, it is good to be near God! – in “the sanctuary of God” (Psalm 73:28). When we leave the place of worship, help us to tell others what You “have done” for us. Help us to say to others, “O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His Name together” (Psalm 34:3).
Psalm 74:1-23
Lord, You have “redeemed” us. You have brought “salvation” to us (Psalm 74:2,12). We rejoice in the Old Testament story of redemption (Deuteronomy 7:8). We have much greater joy when we think of Jesus: “In Him we have redemption through His blood.” This is “the Gospel of our salvation.” It is “good news of a great joy.” Through faith in Him, we “rejoice with unutterable and exalted joy.” We look forward to “the salvation of our souls.” We say “Hallelujah! Salvation ans glory and power belong to our God” (Ephesians 1:7,13; Luke 2:10; 1 Peter 1:5,8-9; Revelation 19:1).
Psalms 75:1-76:12
“We give thanks to You, O God … I will rejoice for ever, I will sing praises to the God of Jacob. Make your vows to the Lord your God, and perform them” (Psalm 785:1,9; Psalm 76:11). Teach us, Lord, that true rejoicing in You is more than singing praise to You. Teach us to live what we sing. “Fill Thou our life, O Lord our God, in every part with praise.” “Take my life, and let it be consecrated, Lord, to Thee.” Such words are not to be forgotten as soon as we leave the place of worship. They’re more than words for singing. They’re words for living. How, Lord, can we live a life of praise and consecration? – “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13).
Psalm 77:1-20
Sometimes, Lord, we have more questions than answers (Psalm 77:7-9). The questions keep flooding into our minds. We wonder where the answers are going to come from. What, Lord, are we to do when this happens? We remember what You have done for us (Psalm 77:11-12). Help us, Lord, to look back over the “years” – and remember that Your “hand” has been upon us (Psalm 77:5,10). May the memories of Your many blessings fill us with strength – to face the future with confidence in You. Help us, Lord. to trust in You – and be truly happy.
Sometimes, Lord, we have more questions than answers (Psalm 77:7-9). The questions keep flooding into our minds. We wonder where the answers are going to come from. What, Lord, are we to do when this happens? We remember what You have done for us (Psalm 77:11-12). Help us, Lord, to look back over the “years” – and remember that Your “hand” has been upon us (Psalm 77:5,10). May the memories of Your many blessings fill us with strength – to face the future with confidence in You. Help us, Lord. to trust in You – and be truly happy.
Psalm 78:1-39
When, Lord, we’re asking the question, “Can God spread a table in the wilderness?” (Psalm 78:19), help us to hear Your answer: “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.” At Your “table”, You bless us – “You anoint my head with oil, my cup overflows” (Psalm 23:5). Help us to come to Jesus, Your Son. He is our Saviour. Help us to come to His “table”, to drink from “the cup of salvation” and to be “anointed with the oil of gladness” (Psalm 116:7; Psalm 45:7).
When, Lord, we’re asking the question, “Can God spread a table in the wilderness?” (Psalm 78:19), help us to hear Your answer: “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.” At Your “table”, You bless us – “You anoint my head with oil, my cup overflows” (Psalm 23:5). Help us to come to Jesus, Your Son. He is our Saviour. Help us to come to His “table”, to drink from “the cup of salvation” and to be “anointed with the oil of gladness” (Psalm 116:7; Psalm 45:7).
Psalm 78:40-72
Lord, You led Your people out of Egypt, through the desert and into Your “holy land” (Psalm 78:52, 42-43,51,54-55). You did great things for Israel. You do great things for us – “You restore our soul. You lead us in the paths of righteousness for Your Name’s sake” (Psalm 23:3). We thank You, Lord, for Your many blessings – “peace with God”, standing in Your “grace”, “our hope of sharing the glory of God”, “Your love poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit” (Romans 5:1-5).
Lord, You led Your people out of Egypt, through the desert and into Your “holy land” (Psalm 78:52, 42-43,51,54-55). You did great things for Israel. You do great things for us – “You restore our soul. You lead us in the paths of righteousness for Your Name’s sake” (Psalm 23:3). We thank You, Lord, for Your many blessings – “peace with God”, standing in Your “grace”, “our hope of sharing the glory of God”, “Your love poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit” (Romans 5:1-5).
Psalm 79:1-13
So many people are turning away from You, Lord. They no longer worship You. We wonder, “Can things be turned around?” It would be so easy to give up and go the way of the world. “Help us, O God of our salvation” (Psalm 79:9) – to keep on praising You: “W, Your people, the flock which You shepherd, will give thanks to You forever. We will praise You throughout every generation” (Psalm 79:13).
Psalm 80:1-19
“Restore us, O God, make Your face shine upon us, that we may be saved” (Psalm 80:3). When, Lord, we come to You with the question of salvation – “What must I do to be saved?”, You come to us with Your answer – “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved” (Acts 16:30-31). In Christ, You have “blessed us with every spiritual blessing” (Ephesians 1:3). Thank You, Lord.
Psalm 81:1-16
“Sing aloud to God; shout for joy to the God of Jacob” (Psalm 81:1). Teach us, Lord, to worship You with joy. You have blessed us in the past: “I am the Lord your God, who brings you out of the land of Egypt.” You will bless us in the future: “Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it” (Psalm 81:10). Help us, Lord, to thank You for Your past blessings, and to trust You for Your future blessings.
Psalms 82:1-83:18
“A friend loves at all times” (Proverbs 17:17). Help us, Lord, to look beyond human love and human friendship. Help us to see Jesus. His love is the greatest love. He is our greatest Friend. Thank You, Lord, for Jesus. Thank You for His love. He’s our Forever Friend. May we know, in our hearts, that His love is ‘always and forever’ love.
“Sing aloud to God; shout for joy to the God of Jacob” (Psalm 81:1). Teach us, Lord, to worship You with joy. You have blessed us in the past: “I am the Lord your God, who brings you out of the land of Egypt.” You will bless us in the future: “Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it” (Psalm 81:10). Help us, Lord, to thank You for Your past blessings, and to trust You for Your future blessings.
Psalms 82:1-83:18
“A friend loves at all times” (Proverbs 17:17). Help us, Lord, to look beyond human love and human friendship. Help us to see Jesus. His love is the greatest love. He is our greatest Friend. Thank You, Lord, for Jesus. Thank You for His love. He’s our Forever Friend. May we know, in our hearts, that His love is ‘always and forever’ love.
Psalm 84:1-12
‘How I love Your Temple, Almighty Lord! How I want to be there! I long to be in the Lord’s Temple. With my whole being I sing for joy to the living God’(Psalm 84:1-2). Lord, we read this words, and we know that this is much more than paying lip-service to You. This is real. ‘I long for You, O God. I thirst for You, the living God; when can I go and worship in Your presence’(Psalm 42:1-2). ‘Let Your light and Your truth guide me… to the place where You dwell. Then will I go to the altar of God, to God, my joy and my delight…’(Psalm 43:4). Here, Lord, we meet a man who found great joy in worshipping You.‘O God, You are my God, and I long for You. My whole being desires You… my soul is thirsty for You’(Psalm 63:1). Here, Lord, we meet a man who worshipped You with his whole heart. This is real worship, joyful worship, heartfetlt worship. Lord, help us to worship You like that!
Psalm 85:1-13
Help us, Lord, to pray for revival – ‘Restore us again, O God our Saviour… Will You not revive us again that Your people may rejoice in You?’(Psalm 85:4,6). Help us to pray that You will ‘grant us Your salvation.’ Help us to pray that ‘Your saving presence will remain in our land’, that ‘Your glory may dwell in our land’(Psalm 85:7,9). Help us to pray for real listening – ‘I will listen to what God the Lord will say’- , a real turning to You – ‘turning to You in our hearts’- , and a real sense of Your blessing – ‘You will speak peace to Your people’(Psalm 85:8). Teach us, Lord, that prayer for revival does not begin as a prayer for others. It begins with ourselves: ‘O Holy Ghost, revival comes from Thee; send a revival – start the work in me’. It begins with this prayer: “Lord, take my life, and make it wholly Thine; fill my poor heart with Thy great love divine.’
Psalm 86:1-17
‘You are forgiving and good, O Lord, abounding in love to all who call to you… Teach me Your way, O Lord, and I will walk in Your truth… I will praise You, O Lord my God, with all my heart… For great is Your love towards me’(Psalm 86:5,11-13). Lord, You love us. You forgive our sins. We receive Your love. We want to love You more. Your love inspires our praise – ‘I will praise You…’. Your love inspires our prayer – ‘Teach me Your way…’. Our whole life is to be a celebration of Your love – ‘Great is Your love towards me’. We are to celebrate His love with ‘joy’(Psalm 86:4). We rejoice in You because of who You are- ‘You, O Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness’- and what You have done for us – ‘You, O Lord, have helped me and comforted me’(Psalm 86:15,17).
Psalm 87:1-7
‘Glorious things are said of you, O city of God… The Lord will write in the register of the peoples: “This one was born in Zion”. As they make music they will sing, “All my fountains are in You”’(Psalm 87:3,6-7). We thank You, Lord, that the ‘city of God’ is our glorious destination – ‘we are looking for the city that is to come’, ‘the Holy City’(Hebrews 13:14; Revelation 21:2). It is also the place of our heavenly birth – ‘This one was born in Zion’. The heavenly birth – This is where our journey to the ‘city of God’ begins: ‘No one can see the Kingdom of God without being born from above’(John 3:3). Between our heavenly birth and our glorious destination, there is life in the Spirit: As we journey with You, in this life in the Spirit, may we thank You for the words of the Psalmist - ‘All my fountains are in You’ – and the promise of Jesus: ‘Rivers of living water shall flow from the heart of anyone who believes in Me’(John 7:38).
Psalm 88:1-18
Lord, we see the Psalmist ‘down in the dumps.’ He feels like he is ‘in the depths of the Pit.” He feels like he is ‘in the darkest depths’(Psalm 88:6). This is the way he feels, but he has not stopped praying – ‘O Lord, the God who saves me, day and night I cry out before You… I call to You, O Lord, every day… I cry to You for help, O Lord; in the morning my prayer comes before You’(Psalm 88:1,9,13). Lord, we read his prayer – and it doesn’t make pleasant reading: ‘My soul is full of trouble… I am like a man without strength… Your wrath lies heavily upon me… the darkness is my closest friend’(Psalm 88:3-4,7,18). How can we be helped when we feel like this? We thank You, Lord, that we can be helped by Jesus. He knows what it feels like. For us, He has entered the ‘darkness’- ‘My God, my God, why have You forsaken Me?’. For us, He has triumphed – ‘risen from the dead’(Matthew 27:45-46; 28:5-7). Thank You, Lord, for Jesus, our great Saviour.
Psalm 89:1-37
‘I will sing of the Lord’s great love for ever; with my mouth I will make known Your faithfulness through all generations’(Psalm 89:1). Lord, we read these words from so long ago. Many generations have come and gone since these words were written. The years come and go. The centuries run their course. One generation gives way to another generation. Time moves on relentlessly. None of us can halt the march of time. Many changes have taken place over the course of time. We thank You, Lord, that there is something that has never changed – Your great love for us. As we think of Your great love, may we say, in our hearts – The Lord is to be praised ‘for ever.’ He is to be praised ‘through all generations.’ Help us to look back and remember that Jesus Christ was crucified for us, that He has risen for us. We thank You, Lord, for the Good News which inspires our praise: ‘I will sing of the Lord’s great love for ever…’
Psalms 89:38-90:17
‘Lord, You have been our dwelling place throughout all generations… From everlasting to everlasting, You are God’(Psalm 90:1-2). Lord, we read the words, ‘In the beginning, God…’, and we know, in our hearts, that You are ‘the eternal God’. You are ‘the high and exalted One’. You are the God ‘who inhabits eternity’. You are the God ‘who lives for ever’. You have no beginning. You have no end. You are ‘the beginning and the end’. Our life on earth has a beginning. It has an end. We trust in You, ‘the eternal God.’ We rejoice in Your precious promises – ‘The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms’; ‘I have loved you with an everlasting love’; ‘The free gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord’(Genesis 1:1; Deuteronomy 33:27; Isaiah 57:15; Revelation 21:6; Jeremiah 31:3; Romans 6:23).
Psalm 91:1-16
‘Surely He will save you from the traps of the hunter’(Psalm 91:3). Lord, You have given us Your warning. We must ‘be alert’- ‘Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour’. You have also given us Your promise – ‘Resist the devil, and he will flee from you’. How are we to resist the devil? – We are to ‘resist him, standing firm in the faith’(1 Peter 5:8-9; James 4:7). Help us not to try to resist the devil in our own strength. We will be defeated. He is much more powerful than we are. Help us to resist him in the strength of our Lord Jesus Christ. In Christ, we have the victory – ‘Thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ’(1 Corinthians 15:57). Help us never to forget that Satan is out to get us. He’s trying to trap us. Help us never to forget this: Jesus is able to ‘deliver us from the evil one’(Matthew 6:13).
Psalms 92:1-93:5
‘You, O Lord, are exalted for ever… The Lord reigns, He is robed in majesty…’(Psalm 92:8; Psalm 93:1-2). You, Lord, are ‘exalted’. Help us to exalt You in our worship. You are not exalted because we exalt You. We exalt You because You are exalted. You are ‘exalted far above all gods’. That is why we sing, ‘I exalt Thee, O Lord’. ‘He is exalted, the King is exalted on high’- This is the truth concerning You, Lord. ‘I will praise Him’- This is our response to Your truth. We sing, ‘Jesus, we enthrone You, we proclaim You our King’. This is our response to the eternal truth concerning our Saviour: ‘The Lord is enthroned as King for ever’. ‘From all eternity’ the Lord is ‘robed in majesty’. Help us, Lord, to respond to His majesty. Help us to ‘magnify’ You, Lord – ‘O Lord our God, how majestic is Thy Name’(Psalm 97:9; Psalm 29:10; Mission Praise, 158,217,388,507).
Psalm 94:1-23
‘When I said, “My foot is slipping”, Your love, O Lord, supported me’(Psalm 94:18). You, Lord, are ‘able to keep us from falling’. We are ‘kept by Your power’. Help us to put our trust in You. May we be confident of this: ‘God, who began His good work in us, will carry it through to completion on the Day of Christ Jesus’. Help us to ‘press on towards the goal to win the prize for which God has called us heavenwards in Christ Jesus’. As we ‘press on’, may we never forget this: ‘It is God who works in us to will and to work according to His good purpose’. Help us to ‘fix our eyes on Jesus’, trusting in His promise: ‘My sheep listen to My voice… I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no-one can snatch them out of My hand…’(Jude 24-25; 1 Peter 1:3-5; Philippians 1:6; 3:14; 2:13; Hebrews 12:2; John 10:27-30).
Psalm 95:1-11
‘Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord… Let us come before Him with thanksgiving… Come, let us bow down in worship…’(Psalm 95:1-2,6). Lord, You’re calling us to worship You with joyful thanksgiving. We rejoice in You. We give thanks for Your love. You are ‘the great God’. You are ‘our God’. You are the God of creation – ‘In His hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to Him. The sea is His, for He made it, and His hands formed the dry land’. You are the God of salvation – ‘We are the people of His pasture, the flock under His care’(Psalm 95:3-5,7). When, Lord, we hear You calling us to worship You with joyful thanksgiving, help us to open our hearts to You: ‘Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts’(7-8). When we hear Your call to worship, may we open our hearts to the Spirit of worship.
Psalms 96:1-97:12
‘The Lord reigns’(Psalm 96:10; Psalm 97:1). Lord, You are the King. You are not only ‘the King all-glorious above’. You are ‘the King of love’. You are ‘our Maker, Defender, Redeemer and Friend!’ You are not only ‘the King of heaven’. You are ‘the God of grace’. You are ‘the King of mercy.’ Your reign is not to be restricted to some faraway heaven. It is not to be a reign that is far removed from the practicalities of our everyday life. You want to reign in our hearts. You want to reign in every part of our life. May Your reign of love begin. May Your grace and mercy control all that we do.
Psalms 96:1-97:12
‘The Lord reigns’(Psalm 96:10; Psalm 97:1). Lord, You are the King. You are not only ‘the King all-glorious above’. You are ‘the King of love’. You are ‘our Maker, Defender, Redeemer and Friend!’ You are not only ‘the King of heaven’. You are ‘the God of grace’. You are ‘the King of mercy.’ Your reign is not to be restricted to some faraway heaven. It is not to be a reign that is far removed from the practicalities of our everyday life. You want to reign in our hearts. You want to reign in every part of our life. May Your reign of love begin. May Your grace and mercy control all that we do.
Psalms 98:1-100:5
‘Exalt the Lord our God... Make a joyful noise to the Lord’(Psalm 99:5,9; Psalm 98:4,6; Psalm 100:1). Lord, You're calling us to worship You with joy. You're calling us to glorify You. You want us to enjoy You. In our worship, may we never forget Your holiness: ‘He is holy!... The Lord our God is holy!’(99:5,9). In our worship, may we rejoice in Your love: ‘His steadfast love endures for ever... He has done marvellous things!’(Psalm 100:5; Psalm 98:1). You are the God of ‘awesome purity’ - and You love us with the most perfect love of all: ‘No earthly father loves like Thee...’. Help us to worship You with holy fear and heartfelt love.
Psalms 101:1-102:28
‘I will sing of Your love... I will walk with integrity of heart...’(Psalm 101:1-2). Lord, we read these words, from many centuries ago, and, too quickly, we say, ‘Things are very different now.’ Are they really so different? Are worshipping You and walking with You out-of-date now? Are they to be forgotten? So many people have no time for You, Lord. They feel that they can do without You. They refuse to worship You. They do not walk with You. In our ever-changing world, You keep on speaking to us about something we must never forget: You, Lord, are ‘enthroned for ever’. Your ‘Name endures to all generations’. In all the changes of life, You, Lord, ‘remain the same’. Your ‘years go on through all generations’. Your ‘years will never end’(Psalm 102:12,24,27). Lord, we read Your Word, and we say, "These words were ‘written for a future generation’". They were written for us. Help us never to forget to ‘praise You’(Psalm 102:18)!
Psalms 101:1-102:28
‘I will sing of Your love... I will walk with integrity of heart...’(Psalm 101:1-2). Lord, we read these words, from many centuries ago, and, too quickly, we say, ‘Things are very different now.’ Are they really so different? Are worshipping You and walking with You out-of-date now? Are they to be forgotten? So many people have no time for You, Lord. They feel that they can do without You. They refuse to worship You. They do not walk with You. In our ever-changing world, You keep on speaking to us about something we must never forget: You, Lord, are ‘enthroned for ever’. Your ‘Name endures to all generations’. In all the changes of life, You, Lord, ‘remain the same’. Your ‘years go on through all generations’. Your ‘years will never end’(Psalm 102:12,24,27). Lord, we read Your Word, and we say, "These words were ‘written for a future generation’". They were written for us. Help us never to forget to ‘praise You’(Psalm 102:18)!
Psalm 103:1-22
‘Praise the Lord’(Psalm 103:1-2,20-22). Lord, You're calling us to praise You for His ‘steadfast love’. You are ‘abounding in steadfast love’(Psalm 103:8). How are we to respond to Your ‘steadfast love’? Are we to say, ‘God loves me. I can do what I like’? No! We must not think like this. We’re not to say, ‘I’ll keep on sinning. God will keep on forgiving’(Romans 6:1-2). Your Word tells us something very different. You love us. Teach us to love You. When Your ‘steadfast love’ has really touched our hearts, it changes our lives: ‘As the heavens are high above the earth, so great is His steadfast love toward those who fear Him... The steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon those who fear Him’(Psalm 103:11,17). We thank You, Lord, for Your love. Help us to live to please You!
Psalm 104:1-35
‘I will sing to the Lord all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live’(Psalm 104:33). Sometimes, Lord, we feel like giving up. Other things become more important to us. Worshipping You gets pushed out to the edge of your life. Wrong attitudes creep in. It starts with the idea, ‘Worship’s just an hour on a Sunday’. Then, it becomes, ‘I’ll worship the Lord when I feel like it’. It soon becomes, ‘I’ll worship the Lord when I’ve nothing better to do’. Before long, all desire for worshipping You Lord has gone! Little-by-little, we drift away from the Lord. It’s time, for us, to start thinking about what’s happening. It’s time for a new beginning. It’s time for an ‘all my life’ commitment to worshipping You, Lord - not just on a Sunday, not only when I feel like it, not only ‘when there’s nothing better to do’!
‘I will sing to the Lord all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live’(Psalm 104:33). Sometimes, Lord, we feel like giving up. Other things become more important to us. Worshipping You gets pushed out to the edge of your life. Wrong attitudes creep in. It starts with the idea, ‘Worship’s just an hour on a Sunday’. Then, it becomes, ‘I’ll worship the Lord when I feel like it’. It soon becomes, ‘I’ll worship the Lord when I’ve nothing better to do’. Before long, all desire for worshipping You Lord has gone! Little-by-little, we drift away from the Lord. It’s time, for us, to start thinking about what’s happening. It’s time for a new beginning. It’s time for an ‘all my life’ commitment to worshipping You, Lord - not just on a Sunday, not only when I feel like it, not only ‘when there’s nothing better to do’!
Psalm 105:1-22
‘Look to the Lord and His strength; seek His face always. Remember the wonderful works that He has done...’(Psalm 105:4-5). Lord, You give strength to those who put their trust in You. Trusting in Christ, we have this great testimony: ‘I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me’(Philippians 4:13). How, Lord, do we receive Your strength? We must '‘seek Your face always'. We must not think we can face difficult circumstances in our strength. Without Your strength, we will be defeated. You have helped us in the past. Help us never to forget this. Help us to give thanks to You for every victory won. As we face temptation, help us to remember Your promise of victory: ‘God is faithful, and He will not let you be tempted beyond your strength. With the temptation, He will also provide the way of escape...’(1 Corinthians 10:13).
‘Look to the Lord and His strength; seek His face always. Remember the wonderful works that He has done...’(Psalm 105:4-5). Lord, You give strength to those who put their trust in You. Trusting in Christ, we have this great testimony: ‘I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me’(Philippians 4:13). How, Lord, do we receive Your strength? We must '‘seek Your face always'. We must not think we can face difficult circumstances in our strength. Without Your strength, we will be defeated. You have helped us in the past. Help us never to forget this. Help us to give thanks to You for every victory won. As we face temptation, help us to remember Your promise of victory: ‘God is faithful, and He will not let you be tempted beyond your strength. With the temptation, He will also provide the way of escape...’(1 Corinthians 10:13).
Psalm 105:23-45
‘He brought His people out with joy’(Psalm 105:43). When things are going badly and we feel like giving up, help us, Lord, to remember Your Word: ‘The joy of the Lord is your strength’(Nehemiah 8:10). You're calling us to ‘rejoice in You always’. You do not leave us on our own when our time of testing comes. You are there for us in our time of need: ‘My God will supply every need of yours according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus’(Philippians 4:4,19). When we are deeply conscious of our own weakness, You come to us with Your Word of strength: ‘My grace is sufficient for you. My power is made perfect in weakness’(2 Corinthians 12:9). Through Your Word, we receive strength. Your Word brings joy to us. May we sing ‘glad songs of victory’: ‘The Lord is my Strength, my Song, my Saviour’(Psalm 118:14-15).
Psalm106:1-48
Lord, we read about Israel’s sin - ‘They soon forgot what He had done and did not wait for His counsel... They despised the pleasant land; they did not believe His promise... They grumbled in their tents and did not obey the Lord... They rebelled against the Spirit of God’(Psalm 106:13,24-25,33). This is not only ancient history. It’s the story of our life! We read this, and we must join in Israel’s confession of sin: ‘We have sinned, even as our fathers did; we have done wrong and acted wickedly’(Psalm 106:6). We thank You, Lord, that the history of Israel is not only a history of sin. It's also a history of salvation: ‘He saved them...’(Psalm 106:8,10). When, Lord, we read of Your salvation, may we echo the prayer of Your people - ‘Save us, O Lord our God...’ May we join with them in praising You - ‘Praise be to the Lord...’(Psalm 106:47-48).
Psalm 107:1-43
Lord, there are some things that are worth repeating! The story of Your amazing grace is worth repeating over and over again - ‘Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and He delivered them from their distress’(Psalm 107:6,13,19,28). The call to praise You is also something we need to hear again and again - ‘Let them give thanks to the Lord for His unfailing love and His wonderful deeds for men’(Psalm 107:8,15,21,31). Help us, Lord, 'consider Your great love.' Help us to ‘give thanks to You’(Psalm 107:43,1).
Psalm 108:1-13
‘With God we shall gain the victory. He will trample down our enemies’(Psalm 108:13). In ourselves, Lord, there is only defeat. We are no match for ‘our enemies’- the world, the flesh and the devil. We are surrounded by the world - ‘The world is ever near. I see the sights that dazzle. The tempting sounds I hear’. We live with the constant problem of the flesh - ‘the storms of passion, the murmurs of self-will.’ Behind the world and the flesh, there is an even stronger enemy - the devil: ‘Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against... the spiritual forces of evil...’(Ephesians 6:12). Lord, our situation seems to be utterly hopeless. How can we possibly win the victory? The simple truth is: We cannot. There is, however, a deeper truth: You, Lord, are with us - and ‘with God we shall win the victory’!
Psalm 109:1-31
Lord, we come to You, recognizing that, without You, our situation is hopeless - ‘I am poor and needy, and my heart is wounded within me. I fade away like an evening shadow’(Psalm 109:22). When our enemies are on the attack, we are no match for them. What are we to do when the world, the flesh and the devil are threatening to overwhelm us? We must come to You, Lord, praying for Your help, asking You to save us - ‘Help me, O Lord my God; save me in accordance with Your love’(Psalm 109:26). Help us, Lord, to look away from ourselves and our own weakness. Help us to put our trust in You and Your strength. You will not fail us. You ‘stand beside’ us in our time of testing. You ‘save’ us from our enemies. Help us to keep on praising You: ‘I will greatly praise the Lord with my mouth. I will praise Him among many people...’(Psalm 109:30-31).
Psalm 110:1-7
‘The Lord says to my Lord: ‘Sit at My right hand...’(Psalm 110:1). Lord, we read these words, and we think of our Lord Jesus Christ: When ‘He was taken up into heaven, He sat at the right hand of God’(Mark 16:19). When Jesus ascended to Your Father’s right hand, the Holy Spirit was sent down from heaven to fill our lives with Your blessing (John 7:37-39). Through the power of the Holy Spirit, our lives are changed: ‘In the Day of Your power, Your people will come to You willingly...’. We come to You, Lord, in our weakness, and You ‘renew our strength’. We come to You in our weariness, and we are ‘refreshed’ by Your ‘streams of living water’(Psalm 110,7). ‘Come, Thou Fount of every blessing, tune my heart to sing Thy grace. Streams of mercy never ceasing call for songs of loudest praise.’
Psalms 111:1-112:10
'Praise the Lord... To Him belong eternal praise... Blessed is the man who fears the Lord... His heart is secure, he will have no fear; in the end he will look in triumph on his foes...'(Psalm 111:1,10; Psalm 112:1,8). Those who 'fear' You, Lord, have no need to live in fear of man. Those who know that ‘eternal praise’ belongs to You, Lord, can face their enemies with confidence. Our confidence is not in ourselves. Our confidence is You. We know how good You have been to us - ‘He provided redemption for His people’. We thank You that we have heard and believed the Good News of Christ. We need not ‘fear’ any ‘bad news’ which the devil sends our way. We 'trust' in You, Lord, confident that the ‘light ‘will triumph over the ‘darkness’. We thank You that the Good News of Christ will triumph over the devil’s bad news (Psalm 111:9; Psalm 112:4,7).
Psalms 111:1-112:10
'Praise the Lord... To Him belong eternal praise... Blessed is the man who fears the Lord... His heart is secure, he will have no fear; in the end he will look in triumph on his foes...'(Psalm 111:1,10; Psalm 112:1,8). Those who 'fear' You, Lord, have no need to live in fear of man. Those who know that ‘eternal praise’ belongs to You, Lord, can face their enemies with confidence. Our confidence is not in ourselves. Our confidence is You. We know how good You have been to us - ‘He provided redemption for His people’. We thank You that we have heard and believed the Good News of Christ. We need not ‘fear’ any ‘bad news’ which the devil sends our way. We 'trust' in You, Lord, confident that the ‘light ‘will triumph over the ‘darkness’. We thank You that the Good News of Christ will triumph over the devil’s bad news (Psalm 111:9; Psalm 112:4,7).
Psalms 113:1-114:8
‘The Lord is high above all nations... Who is like the Lord our God, who is seated on high?... Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord, who turns the hard rock into springs of water’(Psalm 113:4-5; Psalm 114:7-8). Lord, You are greater than we could ever imagine. There is no greatness like Your greatness. All human greatness cannot even begin to compare with Your greatness. Your greatness is not only the greatness of Your power. It is also the greatness of Your love. When we sing, ‘How great Thou art’, we sing not only of Your power - ‘Thy power throughout the universe displayed’. We sing also of Your love - ‘And when I think that God His Son not sparing, sent Him to die - I scarce can take it in, that on the Cross my burden gladly bearing, He bled and died to take away my sin...’
Psalm 115:1-18
‘Not to us, O Lord, not to us but to Your Name be the glory because of Your love and faithfulness’(Psalm 115:1). We thank You, Lord, that You love us. You love us with a faithful love, ‘an everlasting love’, a ‘love that will not let us go’. Your love ‘never comes to an end’. Nothing can separate us from Your love (Jeremiah 31:3; Lamentations 3:22-23; Romans 8:38-39). What have we done to deserve such love? Absolutely nothing! We are ‘sinners’. We do not deserve to be loved by You. We have done nothing to earn Your love. Love begins with You, Lord. It comes from You. How do we know that You love us? Have we proved ourselves worthy of Your love? No! - ‘God shows His love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us’(Romans 5:8). ‘To God be the glory!’
Psalms 116:1-117:2
‘I love the Lord... I will call on Him as long as I live’(Psalm 116:1-2). Our love for God is to be a lifelong life. It is to be the love of our life. What are we to do when our love for God grows weak? We must remember His love for us - ‘Great is His love towards us. The faithfulness of the Lord endures forever’(117:2). When we find it difficult to keep on loving God, we must remember how much He loves us. When we feel like giving up on loving God, we must remember that He never gives up on loving us. He loves us when our love for Him is strong. He loves us when our love for Him is weak. In love, He reaches out to us. He brings us out of our weakness and into His strength. Let His strong love reach you in your weakness and give you His strength: ‘Loving Him who first loved me.’
Psalm 118:1-29
‘The Lord is my Strength and my Song. He is my Saviour’(Psalm 118:14). We thank You, Lord, that Jesus Christ is our Saviour. We thank You that He gives us a song to sing: ‘Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine... This is my story, this is my song, praising my Saviour all the day long’. Help us, Lord, to grow in our knowledge of Jesus Christ, our Saviour. May we sing His song with strength, committing ourselves to His service, earnestly seeking to win others for Him.
Psalm 119:1-24
Lord, You show us the way of blessing. It is the way of obedience (Psalm 119:1,9,11,17). Many will choose the way of disobedience - ‘influential people sit together and slander me’. Help us to choose the way of obedience - ‘Your servant will meditate on Your teachings’ (Psalm 119:23). We know, Lord, that following Jesus Christ will not be easy. We see many people turning back from following Him. We are tempted to join them. We feel the pull of the world. We must not return to the world’s way of living. Help us to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus. Help us to remember all that Jesus has done for us - ‘He loved us and gave Himself for us’ (Galatians 2:20) - and recommit ourselves to following Him: ‘I have decided to follow Jesus... The world behind me, the Cross before me... Though none go with me, I still will follow... No turning back, no turning back’ (Mission Praise, 272).
Psalm 119:25-48
‘Revive me according to Your Word’ (Psalm 119:25). How, Lord, do You revive us according to Your Word? You give us Your salvation: ‘Let Your unfailing love come to me, O Lord - Your salvation according to Your Word’ (Psalm 119:41). You give us Your strength: ‘My soul is weary with sorrow. Strengthen me according to Your Word’ (28). You give us a change of heart: ‘I have chosen the way of truth; I have set my heart on Your laws... I run in the path of Your commands, for You have set my heart free... Give me understanding, and I will keep Your law and obey it with my whole heart... Turn my heart to Your testimonies...’ (Psalm 119:30,32,34,36). You give us ‘new life’: ‘When someone becomes a Christian he becomes a brand new person inside. He is not the same anymore. A new life has begun!’ (Psalm 119:40; 2 Corinthians 5:17).
Lord, You show us the way of blessing. It is the way of obedience (Psalm 119:1,9,11,17). Many will choose the way of disobedience - ‘influential people sit together and slander me’. Help us to choose the way of obedience - ‘Your servant will meditate on Your teachings’ (Psalm 119:23). We know, Lord, that following Jesus Christ will not be easy. We see many people turning back from following Him. We are tempted to join them. We feel the pull of the world. We must not return to the world’s way of living. Help us to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus. Help us to remember all that Jesus has done for us - ‘He loved us and gave Himself for us’ (Galatians 2:20) - and recommit ourselves to following Him: ‘I have decided to follow Jesus... The world behind me, the Cross before me... Though none go with me, I still will follow... No turning back, no turning back’ (Mission Praise, 272).
Psalm 119:25-48
‘Revive me according to Your Word’ (Psalm 119:25). How, Lord, do You revive us according to Your Word? You give us Your salvation: ‘Let Your unfailing love come to me, O Lord - Your salvation according to Your Word’ (Psalm 119:41). You give us Your strength: ‘My soul is weary with sorrow. Strengthen me according to Your Word’ (28). You give us a change of heart: ‘I have chosen the way of truth; I have set my heart on Your laws... I run in the path of Your commands, for You have set my heart free... Give me understanding, and I will keep Your law and obey it with my whole heart... Turn my heart to Your testimonies...’ (Psalm 119:30,32,34,36). You give us ‘new life’: ‘When someone becomes a Christian he becomes a brand new person inside. He is not the same anymore. A new life has begun!’ (Psalm 119:40; 2 Corinthians 5:17).
Psalm 119:49-72
Lord, Your Word makes such a difference! When everything seems so hopeless, we turn to Your Word, and we find that there is ‘hope’ (Psalm 119:49). When we are going through a time of terrible ‘suffering’, we turn to Your Word, and we find ‘comfort’ (Psalm 119:50,52). When everything seems to be going so badly, help us, Lord, to keep on reading Your Word: ‘The wicked have laid a trap for me, but I do not forget Your law’ (Psalm 119:61). Through Your Word, You are teaching us to see Your purpose in our sufferings: ‘The punishment You gave me was the best thing that could have happened to me, for it taught me to pay attention to Your laws’ (Psalm 119:71). You, Lord, are showing us what is really important: ‘The law that You gave means more to me than all the money in the world’ (Psalm 119:72). Teach us to see Your ‘love’ in every part of our life (Psalm 119:64).
Psalm 119:73-96
Lord, we rejoice in Your ‘constant love’. This is our ‘comfort’ - You keep on loving us, no matter what’s going on in our lives. We may be going through really hard times - ‘Men persecute me with lies... They have almost succeeded in killing me’. There’s one thing that never changes - Your ‘constant love’. You love us in the hard times as well as in the happy times. Your love inspires us to keep on loving You when we feel like giving up in despair (Psalm 11976,86-88). We see many changes taking place in our world. Sometimes, we wonder, ‘Where are You, Lord, in all of this? Have You abandoned us? Can we keep on trusting You and rejoicing in Your Word?’. When our minds are full of negative thoughts, help us, Lord, to remember Your Word - ‘Your Word, O Lord, will last for ever... Your faithfulness endures through all the ages’ (Psalm 119:89-90).
Psalm 119:97-120
Lord, You have so much to teach us – and we have so much to learn. How do we learn from You? – You open up Your Word to us. You speak to us words of life. You shine Your light upon us. You show us how much You love us. Every day You have something to say to us. Every day, You have something to share with us. Every day, You show us more of Your love for us. Help us, each and every day, to take time to learn from You.
Throughout life, Lord, we have to make choices. Some choices are relatively straightforward. Others are very much more difficult. Some choices don’t affect the rest of our life very much. There are, however, choices which affect the whole of our life. Help us, Lord, to make the one choice which is more important than any other – Choosing the Lord Jesus Christ as your Saviour. Those who refuse to choose are ‘double-minded’(Psalm 119:113). They can’t make up their mind. They know that they should be following Christ – but they are still ‘in love with the world’. They are ‘lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God’ (I John 2:15; 2 Timothy 3:4). Lord, give us the strength to keep on choosing Christ. Help us to say to the world, ‘Away from me, you evildoers, that I may keep the commands of my God’. Help us to say to You, ‘I have decided to obey Your laws until the day I die’ (Psalm 119:115,112).
Psalm 119:121-144
‘The entrance of Your words gives light’ (Psalm 119:130). Lord, Your Word brings light into our lives. Sadly, many people ‘love darkness rather than light’. They refuse to ‘come to the light’. They prefer to remain in the darkness. They refuse to listen to what You are saying to them through Your Word. Then, when things are not going so well for them, they blame You. They say, ‘It’s all Your fault’! Things could have been so different. They could have learned to spend time with God. They could have learned the lessons of faith which are found in Your Word. They could have learned to cope with life’s difficulties. They could have been filled with Your strength. They would not be complaining against Him. They would be rejoicing in You. What about us, Lord? How much are we moulded by the world’s way of thinking? Have we pushed You out to the edges of our life? Lord. Lord, You have “called us out of darkness into Your marvellous light” (1 Peter 2:10). Help us to walk with You in the light of Your Word.
Psalm 119:145-176
‘With my whole heart I cry; answer me, O Lord!’ (Psalm 119:145). Lord, You’re calling us to pray. There is nothing more important than this. If other things have become more important in our lives, we need to think about the way we are living. You want to send Your blessing into our lives: ‘Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you’ (Matthew 7:7). Your blessing will come to those who seek him with their whole heart: ‘You will seek Me and find Me when you seek me with all your heart’ (Jeremiah 29:13). If we do not ask, we will not receive: ‘You do not have, because you do not ask’ (James 4:2). Your blessing is not given to those who are half-hearted. You’re calling us to love You with our whole heart: ‘I long for Your salvation, O Lord, and Your law is my delight’ (Psalm 119:174).
Psalms 120:1-121:8
‘Deliver me, O Lord, from lying lips’ (Psalm 120:2). Lord, You’re calling us to ‘believe the truth’, ‘love the truth’ and ‘follow the truth’. We are to be people who ‘do what is true’ (2 Thessalonians 2:10-11; 3 John 3-4; John 3:21). How can we be such people? Help us to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus. He is ‘the Truth’ (Hebrews 12:2; John 14:6). When we’re tempted to turn away from the pathway of truth, help us to remember this: ‘My help comes from the Lord’. Help us to remember Your promise: ‘The Lord is your Keeper…The Lord will keep you from all evil’. Your promise is not only for ‘this time’. It’s ‘for evermore’ (Psalm 121:2,5,7-8). Give to us the glorious hope that fills our hearts as we keep on looking to Christ,‘eagerly awaiting’ His Return ( Hebrews 9:28).
Psalms 122:1-124:8
‘I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go into the House of the Lord”’ (Psalm 122:2). Why, Lord, do we go to Your House? We go ‘to give thanks to the Name of the Lord’ (Psalm 122:4). We seek Your mercy for our past sins: ‘Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us!’ (Psalm 123:3). We seek Your help for our future temptations: ‘Our help is in the Name of the Lord…’ (Psalm 124:8). We receive mercy and help from You, Lord. Help us to worship You: ‘Blessed be the Lord’ (Psalm 124:6). In our worship, we ‘look to You, the Lord our God. We draw encouragement from Your Word: ‘The Lord is on our side’ – In Him we have the victory (Psalm 123:2; Psalm 124:1-5). Help us, Lord, to rejoice in Your blessing and to pray for others: ‘May they prosper who love You’ (Psalm 122:6).
____________________Psalms 122:1-124:8
‘I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go into the House of the Lord”’ (Psalm 122:2). Why, Lord, do we go to Your House? We go ‘to give thanks to the Name of the Lord’ (Psalm 122:4). We seek Your mercy for our past sins: ‘Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us!’ (Psalm 123:3). We seek Your help for our future temptations: ‘Our help is in the Name of the Lord…’ (Psalm 124:8). We receive mercy and help from You, Lord. Help us to worship You: ‘Blessed be the Lord’ (Psalm 124:6). In our worship, we ‘look to You, the Lord our God. We draw encouragement from Your Word: ‘The Lord is on our side’ – In Him we have the victory (Psalm 123:2; Psalm 124:1-5). Help us, Lord, to rejoice in Your blessing and to pray for others: ‘May they prosper who love You’ (Psalm 122:6).
Psalms 125:1-127:5
‘Those who trust in the Lord… cannot be moved…’. When, Lord, we put our trust in You, we are like the ‘wise man who built his house on the rock’. His house ‘did not fall because it had its foundation on the rock’. When we don’t put our trust in You, we are like the’ foolish man who built his house on sand’. His house ‘fell with a great crash’. Help us never to forget that ‘Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labour in vain’ (Psalm 125:1; Psalm 127:1; Matthew 7:24-27). Help us to remember that ‘Jesus Christ’ is the ‘sure Foundation’ upon which our faith is built. He is ‘the solid Rock’, our ‘mighty Rock of spiritual refreshment’ (1 Corinthians 3:11; 10:3-4). We thank You, Lord, that ‘Christ died for our sins… He was raised on the third day’. Help us to keep on rejoicing in Him: ‘The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy’(Psalm 126:3; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4).
Psalms 128:1-129:8
‘Blessed are all who fear the Lord, who walk in His ways’ (Psalm 128:1). If, Lord, we are to enjoy Your blessing, we must fear You and walk in Your ways. Many people despise the place of worship. They ‘pass by’. They have no desire to know ‘the blessing of the Lord’. Lord, You’re warning us that we must not allow this attitude to grow in us: ‘May all who hate Zion be put to shame’. We must take care that our love for You doesn’t ‘wither’ away. Help us to keep on praying that our love for You will ‘grow’. If we place no value on Your blessing, our lives will be empty. May we come to You, our Lord, with this prayer: ‘The greatest thing in all my life is knowing You, loving You, serving You. I want to know You more, love You more, serve You more’. He will ‘fill’ your life with His blessing (Psalm 129:5-8; Mission Praise, 646).
Psalms 130:1-131:3
Lord, we’re not to pray to You with superficial words that don’t mean very much to us. Our prayer is to be a real cry from the heart: ‘Out of the depths I cry to You, O Lord’ (Psalm 130:1). We are to ‘cry for mercy’ with a deep awareness of how sinful we really are: ‘If You, O Lord, kept a record of sins, O Lord, who could stand?’ (Psalm 130:3). Help us to come to You with deep humility – ‘My heart is not proud, O Lord’ (Psalm 131:1). When we truly confess our sin, we receive Your ‘unfailing love’ and ‘forgiveness’ Psalm 130:(4). ‘In You, Lord’ we have ‘full redemption’ (Psalm 130:7). It is for ‘now’ – ‘The vilest offender who truly believes, that moment from Jesus a pardon receives’. It is ‘for evermore’ – ‘But purer and higher and greater will be our wonder, our transport, when Jesus we see!’. ‘Praise the Lord!… Give Him the glory!’ (Psalm 131:3).
Psalm 132:1-18
Psalm 132:1-18
‘Let us go to the Lord’s House; let us worship before His throne’ (Psalm 132:7). Lord, You're calling us to worship You. We are to gather together as Your worshipping people. As we gather for worship, may we remember that You, Lord, are ‘King’. May we give You more than the praise of our lips. May we give You the praise of our lives. We do not only sing to You. We live for You. We come ‘before Your throne’ with this prayer, ‘Take my heart - it is Thine own; It shall be Thy royal throne’. You hear and answer our prayer. You give us Your strength. We rise to Your challenge: ‘Rise up, O Church of God! Have done with lesser things; Give heart and soul and mind and strength to serve the King of kings.’ Lord, when the service of worship comes to an end, may our service of living begin - and never end!
Psalms 133:1-134:3
Lord, You send ‘Your blessing’ when Your people gather together for worship: ‘How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity!’ (Psalm 133:1,3). Many people like to think of themselves as ‘believers’, yet they show no interest in worshipping together with Your people. What does Your Word say about this? - ‘Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another...’ (Hebrews 10:25). ‘Praise the Lord, all you servants of the Lord who minister by night in the House of the Lord’ (Psalm 133:1; Psalm134:1). Lord, there are some people never miss a Sunday morning service - but they always miss the Sunday evening services! They are missing out on so much of Your blessing. Lord, help us to seek Your blessing on Sunday evenings as well as Sunday mornings (Psalm 134:2)!
Psalm 135:1-21
‘Praise the Lord’ (Psalm 1-3,19-21). ‘The Lord is good... The Lord is great’ (Psalm 135:3,5). In our worship, Lord, we focus on both Your greatness and Your goodness. You are great in power: ‘Great is our Lord and mighty in power’ (Psalm 147:5). You are also great in love: ‘How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!’ (1 John 3:1). When we praise You, Lord, may we sing of Your greatness and Your goodness. May we think of the greatness of Your power - ‘I see the stars, I hear the mighty thunder, Thy power throughout the universe displayed’ - and the greatness of His love - ‘And when I think that God His Son not sparing, sent Him to die - I scarce can take it in, that on the Cross my burden gladly bearing, He bled and died to take away my sin’ (Mission Praise, 506).
Psalms 137:1-138:8
‘Praise the Lord’ (Psalm 1-3,19-21). ‘The Lord is good... The Lord is great’ (Psalm 135:3,5). In our worship, Lord, we focus on both Your greatness and Your goodness. You are great in power: ‘Great is our Lord and mighty in power’ (Psalm 147:5). You are also great in love: ‘How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!’ (1 John 3:1). When we praise You, Lord, may we sing of Your greatness and Your goodness. May we think of the greatness of Your power - ‘I see the stars, I hear the mighty thunder, Thy power throughout the universe displayed’ - and the greatness of His love - ‘And when I think that God His Son not sparing, sent Him to die - I scarce can take it in, that on the Cross my burden gladly bearing, He bled and died to take away my sin’ (Mission Praise, 506).
Psalm 136:1-26
We thank You, Lord, that ‘Your love endures for ever’. What a great message this is! It's a message worth repeating - over and over again! Your love is an everlasting love - ‘I have loved you with an everlasting love’ (Jeremiah 31:3). Your love is an unfailing love - ‘My unfailing love for you will not be shaken’ (Isaiah 54:10). We ‘give thanks’ to You for Your love (Psalm 136:1-3,26). In Your love, You have provided for us ‘an everlasting salvation’. Your ‘salvation will last for ever’ (Isaiah 45:17; 51:6). Lord, Your Word tells us about those who refuse to love You - ‘Pharaoh... great kings... mighty kings ...’ (Psalm 136:15,17-20). Your Word tells us that those who reject Your love will not receive ‘eternal life’. Their future will be very different - the ‘raging fire that will consume the enemies of God’ (John 3:16-18; Hebrews 10:26-27). Why, Lord, do You speak to us about Your righteous judgment? You're speaking to us Your strong Word of warning. You're leading us away from the way of unbelief and into the way of faith. You're leading us to embrace Your precious promises, the promises which speak to us of Your eternal salvation. Help us, Lord, to listen and learn - as we hear Your Word, with its stern warnings and its wonderful promises. Help us to see our sin. Help us to bring it to our Saviour. Help us to receive His forgiveness.
Psalms 137:1-138:8
‘How can we sing the songs of the Lord while in a foreign land?’ (Psalm 137:4). Lord, it is not easy to keep on worshipping You when so many show no interest in worshipping You. What are we to do when our faith seems so weak and we are on the verge of giving up? ‘Ask the Saviour to help you, comfort, strengthen and keep you’. What will we find when we come You, Lord, looking to You for strength? ‘He is willing to aid you. He will carry you through’. You give us strength - ‘You answered me when I called to You. With Your strength, You strengthened me’ (Psalm 138:3). ‘To him that o’ercometh, God giveth a crown. Through faith we shall conquer, though often cast down. He who is our Saviour, our strength will renew. Look ever to Jesus. He will carry you through.’
Psalm 139:1-24
We thank You, Lord that, through Christ our Saviour, You lead us ‘in the way everlasting’: ‘God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son’ (Psalm 139:24; 1 John 5:11). Your great purpose of eternal salvation seems ‘too wonderful’ - ‘too good to be true’! ‘It is a thing most wonderful, almost too wonderful to be, that God’s own Son should come from heaven and die to save a child like me, and yet I know that it is true...’ (Psalm 139:6). You have a glorious future planned for us. We can hardly even begin to take it in: ‘Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain’. We know that ‘no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love Him’ yet we rejoice in this: ‘God has revealed it to us by His Spirit’ (6; 1 Corinthians 2:9-10). ‘Lead me in the way everlasting!’(24). Thank You, Lord.
Psalm 140:1-13
When we are threatened by ‘men of violence’, teach us, Lord, to put our trust You, our ‘strong Deliverer’. We pray that the ‘men of violence’ will not succeed in their ‘evil plans’: ‘Do not let their plans succeed... May disaster hunt down the men of violence’ (Psalm 140:1-2,7-8,11). The ‘men of violence’ may seem to be getting things all their own way. Help us, Lord, not to allow them to pull us down to their level. Help us, Lord, in our battle against the ‘men of violence’, to use Your ‘weapons’: ‘truth... righteousness... peace... faith... salvation... prayer’. These ‘weapons’ have ‘divine power to demolish the strongholds’ of Satan (Ephesians 6:13-18; 2 Corinthians 10:4). Help us never to forget this: ‘“Vengeance is mine, I will repay”, says the Lord’ (Romans 12:19).
Psalms 141:1-142:7
Help us, Lord, to see the importance of ‘prayer’ in our battle against ‘evildoers’: ‘My prayer is ever against the deeds of evildoers’ (Psalm 141:5). We pray that their ‘wicked deeds’ will not succeed. We pray that they will see ‘the error of their way’, returning to You and being ‘led in the paths of righteousness for Your Name’s sake’ (Psalm 141:5; Psalm 23:3; James 5:19-20). We may feel that our ‘persecutors’ are ‘too strong’ for us. Help us never to think that ‘no one cares’. Help us, Lord, to bring our fear to You, praying, ‘Set me free from my prison, that I may praise Your Name’. When we are faced with powerful enemies, help us to remember this: The Lord is our ‘portion in the land of the living’. In the face of fierce opposition, may we learn to say, ‘Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I shall dwell in the House of the Lord for ever’ (Psalm 142:4-7; Psalm 23:6).
Psalm 143:1-12
‘Rescue me from my enemies, O Lord’ (Psalm 143:9). When we pray this kind of prayer, may we be concerned about more than our own welfare. May we be concerned about Your glory: ‘For Your Name’s sake, O Lord, preserve my life’ (Psalm 143:11). How, Lord, do You lead us in victory? How are You glorified in our lives? You bring to us the teaching of His Word - ‘Let the morning bring me Word of Your unfailing love’ (Psalm 143:8). You give to us the strength of Your Spirit - ‘May Your good Spirit lead me in good paths’ (Psalm 143:10). Through Your Word and Your Spirit, You show us Your ‘unfailing love’. You enable us to say, ‘You are my God’, ‘I have put my trust in You’ and ‘I am Your servant’. You ‘show us the way we should go’. You ‘teach us to do Yours will’. You give us victory over our ‘enemies’ (Psalm 143:8,10,12). Thank You, Lord.
Psalm 144:1-15
‘Praise be to the Lord my Rock, who trains my hands for war, my fingers for battle’(Psalm 144:1). Lord, You are ‘the One who gives victory’ to Your people (Psalm 144:10). What a great God You are! You are ‘our loving God, our Fortress, our Stronghold, our Deliverer, our Shield’ (Psalm 144:2). What great blessing You send into our lives! You fight for us (Exodus 14:14; Deuteronomy 1:30; 3: 22; Nehemiah 4:20). You are ‘our Strength’ (Psalm 28:7-8; Psalm 59:17). ‘With God we shall gain the victory’ (Psalm 60:12). We pray You will pour out Your blessing upon us: ‘Part Your heavens, O Lord, and come down... Reach down Your hand from on high...’ (Psalm 144:5,7). Lord, we think of how much You have blessed us. Help us to sing our song of praise to You: ‘I will sing a new song to You, O God’ (Psalm 144:9).
Psalm 145:1-21
‘Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised. His greatness is beyond understanding’. We worship You, Lord - our great God: ‘I will exalt You, my God the King. I will praise Your Name for ever and ever. Every day I will praise You and extol Your Name for ever and ever’ (Psalm 146:1-3). You, Lord, are the God whom we worship. You are so much greater than the worship we bring to You. Our worship is to be a ‘joyful celebration’. We celebrate Your great love: ‘The Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love’. We rejoice in Your great faithfulness: ‘The Lord is faithful to all His promises’. Here on earth, we have only begun to worship You, our great God. Our worship will continue in Your ‘everlasting Kingdom’. There, we will ‘praise Your Name for ever and ever’ (Psalm 146:7-8,13,21).
Psalm 146:1-10
‘I will praise the Lord all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live’ (Psalm 145:2). Praising You, the Lord our God: This is a lifelong commitment. We cannot maintain this lifelong commitment in our own strength. We need Your help. Help us never to forget this: ‘Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labour in vain’ (Psalm 127:1). We thank You, Lord, that we are not expected to maintain this lifelong commitment in our own strength. We have Your help. May we always remember this: ‘Our help is in the Name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth’ (Psalm 124:8). ‘Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord his God, who made heaven and earth, the sea and all that is in them, the Lord who remains faithful for ever’ (Psalm 145:5-6).
Psalm 147:1-20
‘The Lord builds up Jerusalem. He gathers the exiles of Israel. he heals the broken-hearted and binds up their wounds’ (Psalm 147:2-3). Help us, Lord, to look beyond the building of the city of Jerusalem with bricks and mortar. May we see clearly that this is You blessing Your people as they gather together to worship You. In Christ, we are ‘being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by His Spirit’ (Ephesians 2:22). You, Lord, are drawing us to Yourself. You're bringing us into fellowship with Your people. You're calling us to worship You: ‘Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving’. You ‘bless’ us through ‘Your Word’. You ‘bless’ us in ‘the Spirit’: ‘You send Your Word... and the waters flow’ (Psalm 147:7,12-13,18; John 7:37-39).
Psalms 148:1-150:6
‘Praise the Lord.’ We bring to You, Lord, our personal song of praise to God - ‘Praise be to the Lord my Rock... I will sing a new song to You, O God... I will exalt You, my God the King; I will praise Your Name for ever and ever; Every day I will praise You... My mouth will speak in praise of the Lord... I will praise the Lord all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live’ (Psalms 144:1,9; 145:1-2,21; 146:2). Our personal worship is just a small part of something so much richer and fuller - ‘Let everything that has breath praise the Lord’ (Psalm 150:6). As we read these great Psalms of praise, may we be inspired to praise You more truly and more fully.
PROVERBS
Proverbs 1:1-7
Lord, help us to be doers of Your Word. Hearing Your Word is easier than doing Your Word. We hear what You’re saying to us – but do we do what You’re telling us to do? This is the great question we must always ask ourselves. It’s the great question that You’re always putting to us. It’s a question that calls for an answer – ‘Not my will but Yours be done’ (Matthew 26:39).
Proverbs 1:8-19
Lord, when Satan comes, we are very weak. We need a strength which is not our own. We need Your strength. Your strength – this is the strength against which Satan cannot stand. Lord, help us to take our stand against Satan. Help us to stand in Your strength.
Proverbs 1:20-33
Lord, help us to win others for You. You’ve called us to be Your witnesses. How can we be Your witnesses – when there is so much about us that is unworthy of You, so much that speaks so loudly of ourselves, so little that proclaims the amazing grace of Jesus? Lord, we thank You that, along with this high calling – “you shall be My witnesses”, you give to us Your wonderful promise: “you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you” (Acts 1:8).
Proverbs 2:1-15
Lord, help us to grow in Christ. Help us to go often to Your Word. There, we will find strong warnings and precious promises. Help us to heed the warnings and trust the promises - to grow in Christ.
Proverbs 2:16-34
Lord, we love to hear Your promises of love. Sometimes, we need to hear Your words of warning. In Your warnings, we hear the voice of Your love. In Your love, You’re calling us back from a way that will do us great harm. You call us into a better way – the way of Your great salvation. Lord, when we are being pulled away from You, bring us back to Yourself. Speak to us with Your Word of warning, the Word that calls us back so that we can move forward with You and for You. When we don’t want to hear it – That’s when we most need to hear it. Speak to us, O Lord, and help us to listen. “How shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation?” (Hebrews 2:3).
Proverbs 3:1-18
Lord, we want everything to go smoothly – but that’s not what You’ve promised us! Your way can seem like a long and winding road – but it’s better to be facing problems, as we walk with You on the pathway of holiness, than to be having an easy time of it because we’ve stopped standing up for You.
Proverbs 3:19-35
Lord, our faith is often put to the test. Soon, we become aware that our faith is very weak. When we start to feel that our faith is so weak, help us to remember something – Our God is always strong. With You, as our God, we go from strength to strength. It’s not our own strength. It’s Your strength.
Proverbs 4:1-9
Thank You, Lord, that You do not keep Your distance from us. In Your Son, Jesus, our Saviour, You have come to us. This is more than “From a distance, God is watching us.” From a distance, You have come to us. Help us to come to You. Help us to know that you are near to us.
Proverbs 4:10-19
There are times, Lord, when it seems like the light has gone out, and we can see nothing – nothing but darkness. When this happens to us, help us to catch a glimpse of the brightest light of all – the light of Your love. This is the light which will never go out. It is not our faith that lifts us out of the darkness. It’s Your love – the love that we see in Jesus, in His dying for us, His rising for us and His returning for us.
Proverbs 4:20-27
When we feel like giving up, Lord, help us to keep our eyes fixed on Your Son, Jesus. He is our Saviour. He’ll give us the strength that we need to keep on walking with You in the way of faith. He’ll give us the strength that we need to keep on living in obedience to Your Word. We are often weak. He is always strong. When we feel like we can’t go on, when all of our love has gone, help us to remember the love of Jesus: “Jesus loves me! He will stay, close beside me all the way; He will always be my Friend, and His love will never end.”
Proverbs 5:1-14
Lord, we are so easily entangled in the ways of the world. We try to disentangle ourselves – but we can’t do this by ourselves. we need Your power. We need Your love. It’s Your love that changes everything. It’s Your power that makes us new. Show us Your love. Show us Your power. May Your love lift us out of our sin. May Your power lead us in the way of Your salvation.
Proverbs 5:15-23
We thank You, Lord, for the love of Jesus. There is no love like the love He has for each and every one of us. Before we ever thought of loving Him, He loved us. Before we were even born, He gave Himself, in death, for us. What a wonderful love! It’s the greatest love of all.
Proverbs 6:1-15
What is our opinion of ourselves? Is it the same, Lord, as Your opinion of us? You see as we really are – sinners. That’s not all that You see. You see something else, something that fills us with hope for the future. You don’t write us off as hopeless cases. You see us as sinners, saved by grace. It’s Your grace that makes the difference. It’s Your grace that changes us.
Proverbs 6:16-35
Lord, Your Word is our “lamp” and “light” (Proverbs 6:23; Psalm 119:105). Your Word shows us the ways we are to avoid – and it shows us the way we are to follow: Your way, the way of obedience and blessing. Help us, Lord, to watch how we live, to take care that we do not drift away from You, to keep on choosing Your way, the way that brings glory to You.
Proverbs 7:1-27
You teach us, Lord, “to distinguish good from evil” (Hebrews 5:14). Show us the wrong way so that we can avoid it. Show us the right way so that we can choose it. Often, Lord, we know what is right but we don’t do what’s right. We need the power that comes from You. Without the power of the Holy Spirit, we fail, over and over again. With the Holy Spirit, living in us, we are learning to choose the good way of living, the way that pleases You and brings glory to You.
Proverbs 8:1-36
We seek, Lord, for the way of wisdom – and we find that it is also the way of happiness (Proverbs 8:32-34). The world seeks happiness in wealth. Your Word teaches us that wisdom is better than “silver, gold and jewels” (Proverbs 8:10-11). How are we to find wisdom? We find wisdom when we find Jesus. He is our Wisdom (1 Corinthians 1:30). He is also our Joy. When this world is getting us down, He says to us, “Be of good cheer. I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).
Proverbs 9:1-18
Lord, You come to us with bread and wine. You come to us in Jesus, our Saviour. You come to us in love. You show us how much You love us. There is no love like Your love for us. It’s the best love. It’s the greatest love. It’s love “so amazing.” It’s love “so divine.” Thank You, Lord, for Your wonderful love.
Proverbs 10:1-22
There is a wise way of living – and there is a foolish way. We’re always being pulled away from the wise way. We’re always being dragged into the way of foolishness. Sometimes, Lord, we don’t need much persuasion to turn away from following You. Our hearts are already drifting away from You – before Satan comes with his subtle – yet strong – temptations. Help us, Lord, to choose the “way that leads to life” – and not the “way that leads to destruction” (Matthew 7:13-14). Help us to choose Jesus, our Saviour. Help us to know that, in Him, we have the forgiveness of sins, given to us as Your gift of grace; the power of the Holy Spirit, enabling us to live for You; and eternal life, being prepared for us in Your heavenly glory.
Proverbs 10:23-11:11
“With his mouth the godless man would destroy his neighbour” (Proverbs 11:9). Lord, this is straight talking – from Your holy Word. We need to hear this kind of thing. It keeps us on the right track. It keeps us from going off the rails. When, Lord, we’re tempted to speak words that will hurt other people, help us remember Your Word to us: “The tongue is a fire … With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse men … this ought not to be so” (James 3:6-10). Help us, Lord, to keep quiet – or end up saying, I wish I had never said that – It’s better to ‘put a zip on it’ than to ‘put our foot in it’. When we have nothing good to say, help us to say nothing at all.
Proverbs 11:12-31
Lord, You’re calling us to win others for You. You’re calling us to share Your love with them. You’re calling us to bring Jesus to them. Help us, Lord, not to keep Your Good News to ourselves. Help us to pray, “Here I am, wholly available – as for me, I will serve the Lord” (Chris Bowater).
Proverbs 12:1-14
Lord, show us the way we are to go: “The root of the righteous stands firm” (Proverbs 12:12). – and the way we are not to go: “He who follows worthless pursuits has no sense” (Proverbs 12:11). Does it make any sense to follow “worthless pursuits” when we can be “filled with all the fullness of God”? You show us the most sensible way to live “Let Christ dwell on your hearts through faith” (Ephesians 3:17-21).
Proverbs 12:15-28
What harm can be done by “reckless words” (Proverbs 12:18)! Lord, teach us to take care how we speak. Help us to remember that we are Your witnesses. We have a testimony to maintain. Teach us that there is a better way than the way of “lying lips” (Proverbs 12:22). Help us, Lord, to bring “glory” to You, as we keep on confessing our faith: “Jesus Christ is Lord” (Philippians 2:11).
Proverbs 13:1-11
“The light of the righteous rejoices” (Proverbs 13:9). We thank You, Lord, that Jesus is our Light. He’s “the Light of the world” (John 8:12). In Him, we rejoice (Romans 5:11 – “the blood Of Jesus, Your Son, cleanses us from all sin” (1 John 1:7). We thank You that, through Jesus, You have “called us out of darkness into Your marvellous light” (1 Peter 2:9). When, Lord, we’re going through hard times, help us to see the light at the end of the tunnel – “the salvation of your souls” (1 Peter 1:6-9).
Proverbs 13:12-25
What, Lord, do we do with Your Word? How do we respond to Your Word? Do we respect Your Word? Do we despise Your Word? There’s a right way and a wrong way of hearing Your Word (Proverbs 13:13). Teach us, Lord, to turn from the wrong way, and to turn to the right way (Proverbs 29:1; Psalm 19:7-14).
Proverbs 14:1-19
“A perverse man will be filled with the fruit of his ways, and a good man with the fruit of his deeds” (Psalm 14:14). Lord, You speak to us about two kinds of fruit – good fruit and bad fruit. How are we to have good fruit in our lives? We need Your Word (Psalm 1:1-3). We need Your Spirit (Ephesians 5:18). Help us, Lord, to throw away our bad fruit – “strife, jealousy, anger, selfishness … ” – and enjoy Your good fruit – “love, joy, peace … ” (Galatians 5:19-24).
Proverbs 14:20-35
“Righteousness lifts up a nation, but sin is a disgrace in any society” (Proverbs 14:34). Lord, we wonder about the future. Can times of blessing come again to our nation? Yes! They can – but there needs to be a big change in our way of thinking and our way of living. There needs to be less “This is what we think”, and more, “What is the Lord saying to us?” There needs to be less, “Look at what I’ve done”, and more “This is what the Lord has done for us.” Lord, we pray for a revival – a revival of looking to You, listening to you, learning from You and living for You.
Proverbs 15:1-33
“The path of life leads upward for the wise” (Proverbs 15:24). Where, Lord, does wisdom come from? It comes from Jesus. We look to Him, and we are led in the way that leads to the “Father’s House” (John 14:2-3,6). “Better is a little with the fear of the Lord than great treasure and trouble with it” (Proverbs 15:17). We thank You, Lord, that Jesus teaches us the way to live wisely: “Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven” (Matthew 6:20). “The lips of the wise spread knowledge” (Proverbs 15:7). We thank You, Lord, that Jesus is our Wisdom” (1 Corinthians 1:30). Help us to “confess with our lips that Jesus is Lord” (Romans 10:9).
Proverbs 16:1-17
“Wisdom is better than gold” (Proverbs 16:16). Where, Lord, will we find wisdom? Your Word tells us that Jesus Christ is “our Wisdom” (1 Corinthians 1:30). When we find Him, we find wisdom. Jesus says to us, “Seek, and you will find” (Matthew 7:7). Set us free from the idea that we already know what wisdom is before we start looking for it. Help us to look for Jesus – and to find that He was already looking for us before we started looking for Him. We thank You, Lord, that, when Jesus finds us, we find the “wisdom” which “is better than gold.”
Proverbs 16:18-33
Help us, Lord, to think about the way we’re living. Is it a self-centred life? – “There is a way which seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death” (Proverbs 16:25). Is it a God-centred life? – “He who gives heed to the Word will prosper, and happy is he who trusts in the Lord” (Proverbs 16:20). Help us, Lord, to turn from the world’s way of living – “the wages of sin is death.” Help us to choose Your way, the way that leads to eternal life – “the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23).
Proverbs 17:1-12
What kind of people are we to be? What kind of life are we to live? Lord, You’re calling us to live a life of “love” (Proverbs 17:9). How, Lord, do we learn what love is? – We learn from You. You show us what love is – “God so loved the world that He gave His only Son … ” (John 3:16). In Jesus, we see perfect love – “The Son of God loved me and gave Himself for me” (Galatians 2:20). The Holy Spirit fills our lives with Your love – “The fruit of the Spirit is love” (Galatians 5:22). Help us, Lord, to live a Godly, Christlike, Spirit-filled life – a life of love.
Proverbs 17:13-28
“A friend loves at all times” (Proverbs 17:17). Help us, Lord, to look beyond human love and human friendship. Help us to see Jesus. His love is the greatest love. He is our greatest Friend. Thank You, Lord, for Jesus. Thank You for His love. He’s our Forever Friend. May we know, in our hearts, that His love is ‘always and forever’ love.
Proverbs 18:1-24
Lord, we thank You that ‘the fountain of wisdom is an overflowing stream’ (Proverbs 18:4). We read the joyful testimony of Paul: ‘The grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus’ (1 Timothy 1:14), and we say, in our hearts, ‘This is the “wisdom” we must seek – the wisdom which receives “salvation through faith in Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 3:15). True wisdom finds its overflowing joy in the Saviour: ‘The Name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe’ (Proverbs 18:10). We rejoice in Jesus. He is Your Son – ‘You shall call His Name Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High’ (Luke 1:31-32). He is our Saviour – ‘You shall call His Name Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins’ (Matthew 1:21). He is ‘the Friend who sticks closer than a brother’ (Proverbs 18:24). Help us, Lord, to be wise. Help us to invite Jesus, Your Son, to be our Saviour and our Friend.
Proverbs 19:1-29
‘The fear of the Lord leads to life’ (Proverbs 19:23). ‘The friendship of the Lord is for those who fear Him’ (Psalm 25:14). Lord, we read these words, and we think, ‘What a strange combination – friendship and fear!’ We ask, ‘How can there be friendship where there is fear?’ Here, we have a special kind of friendship – ‘the friendship of the Lord’ – and a special kind of fear – ‘the fear of the Lord’. Why is this friendship and fear so special? It’s because You, Lord, are special! You are the God of perfect holiness – ‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty.’ Help us to come before You in ‘the fear of the Lord’ – ‘Woe is me! I am undone; I am a man of unclean lips…’. You are the God of perfect love. You He call us into friendship with Yourself – ‘Your guilt is taken away and your sin forgiven’ (Isaiah 6:3,5,7). We rejoice in ‘the friendship of the Lord’. Help us to respect You with ‘the fear of the Lord’.
Proverbs 20:1-30
‘Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler; whoever is led astray by it is not wise’ (Proverbs 20:1). Lord, teach us the truth of these words – before it’s too late! Teach us that there is a better way than the way of drunkenness. It is the way of being filled with the Holy Spirit: ‘Don’t get drunk on wine, which leads to wild living. Instead, be filled with the Spirit’ (Ephesians 5:18). Help us not to ‘live according to the flesh.’ You’re calling us to ‘live according to the Spirit.’ You warn us against making the wrong choice: ‘To set the mind on the flesh is death.’ You show us the way of blessing: ‘To set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.’ You say to us, ‘Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.’ Help us, Lord, to turn from ‘the works of the flesh’ and seek ‘the fruit of the Spirit’ (Romans 8:5-6; Colossians 3:2; Galatians 5:19-23).
Proverbs 21:1-31
‘The victory belongs to the Lord’ (Proverbs 21:31). Lord, when defeat seems inevitable, You come to us with Your Word of encouragement: ‘The Lord your God is with you. He is mighty to save, a Warrior who gives victory. He will take great delight in you. He will renew you in His love. He will rejoice over you with singing’ (Zephaniah 3:17). Your Word shows us the way of victory. You lead us into the way of faith in our Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: ‘This is the victory that overcomes the world, our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?’ (1 John 5:4). You, Lord, ‘give victory’ to us. Help us to receive Your victory by ‘faith’. Living for Christ is never easy – ‘In this world you will have trouble’. Help us not to let this get us down. Help us to remember Jesus’ words: ‘Be of good cheer. I have overcome the world’ (John 16:33).
Proverbs 22:1-29
‘So that your trust may be in the Lord, I teach you today, even you’ (Proverbs 22:19). Lord, there are many people who say, ‘It’s not for me’. They know that others have been greatly blessed through reading God’s Word. Still, they do not take the trouble to read Your Word for themselves. They can’t be bothered. Receiving God’s blessing doesn’t really matter that much to them. Help us, Lord, not to miss out on Your blessing. Your Word is for every one of us. It’s not just for somebody else. To each one of us, You say, ‘It’s for you – ‘even you’. Some people say, ‘I’ll read God’s Word tomorrow’. When ‘tomorrow’ comes around, they’re still saying the same thing – ‘I’ll read God’s Word tomorrow’! Sadly, their ‘tomorrow’ never comes. They never get round to reading God’s Word. They’re missing out on so much. Help us not to say, ‘I’ll leave it till tomorrow’. Help us to read Your Word ‘today’.
Proverbs 23:1-18
‘Continue in the fear of the Lord all day long. Let reverence for the Lord be the concern of your life’. When, Lord, we put You first in our lives, You give Your great promise of blessing, ‘There is surely a future hope for you. You have a bright future. Surely you have a wonderful future ahead of you’ (Proverbs 23:17-18). What a glorious future lies ahead of those who love You: ‘No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love Him’ (1 Corinthians 2:9)! Keep us, Lord, from becoming ‘short-sighted’. Help us to keep on looking ahead to ‘the eternal Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ’. You, Lord, have given us ‘His very great and precious promises’. Help us to press on in ‘faith’, becoming more and more ‘active and effective in our knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ’ (2 Peter 1:3-11).
Proverbs 23:19-35
‘Keep your heart on the right path’ (Proverbs 23:19). Lord, we read these words, and we wonder, ‘How are we to do this?’ Help us to seek ‘truth, wisdom, instruction and understanding’ (Proverbs 23:23). Help us to give our hearts to Christ. He is ‘the Truth’ (John 14:6). Help us to open our hearts to Christ. He is ‘our Wisdom’ (1 Corinthians 1:30). Opening our hearts will mean opening our Bibles. Giving our hearts to Christ will mean giving time to reading Your Word. As we read ‘the Scriptures’, we will receive ‘instruction’. We will learn about ‘salvation through faith in Christ Jesus’. We will receive ‘instruction for right living’ (2 Timothy 3:14-17). Help us, Lord, as we read Your Word, to pray that the Holy Spirit will give us ‘understanding’ (1 Corinthians 2:9-13). May we ‘be filled with the Spirit’ and may ‘the Word of Christ dwell in us richly’ (Ephesians 5:18; Colossians 3:16).
Proverbs 24:1-14
‘Wisdom is sweet to your soul. If you find it, there is a future hope for you’ (Proverbs 24:14). Lord, we read what Your Word says to us about wisdom, and wonder, ” How do we find wisdom?” You tell us to read Your written Word and to seek Your promised blessing: ‘The law of the Lord is perfect and revives the soul. The Lord’s instruction never fails. and makes the simple wise’. As we read Your written Word, keeping our eyes fixed on Christ, the living ‘Word’ of God’, we discover that He is the ‘Wisdom’ which is ‘sweeter than honey’and we rejoice in Him, our ‘Hope of glory’ – ‘You believe in Him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls’ (John 1:1-2,14; 1 Corinthians 1:30; Psalm 19:7,10; Colossians 1:27; 1 Peter 1:8). When, Lord, we ‘ask You’ God’ for ‘wisdom’, help us to remember Your promise: ‘Seek and you will find’ (James 1:5-8; Matthew 7:7).
Proverbs 24:15-34
‘Though a righteous man falls seven times, he rises again’ (Proverbs 24:15). Lord, You ‘keep us by Your power.’ We do not raise ourselves. You, Lord, are ‘able to keep us from falling’. You ‘know how to deliver the godly out of temptations’ (1 Peter 1:5; Jude 24; 2 Peter 2:9). When our ‘faith’ is ‘tested by fire’, help us to pray that You will give us His victory: ‘Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace’ (1 Peter 1:6-7;Daniel 3:17). When our strength is almost gone, You come, with Your Word: ‘My grace is sufficient for you. My power is made perfect in weakness’ (2 Corinthians 12:9). Thank You, Lord.
Proverbs 25:1-28
‘The Lord will reward you’ (Proverbs 25:22). Lord, the work, done by Your servants, is tested by fire: ‘the fire will test what sort of work each one has done’. There is work of real ‘quality’ – ‘gold, silver, precious stones’. There is work which has no real value – ‘wood, hay, straw’. Lord, You want us to think about the work we do in Your Name. We are to ‘remove the dross from the silver’ (Proverbs 25:4). Help us not to be content with superficial work which does not lead to changed lives. Our words are to be ‘apples of gold in a setting of silver’. They are to be words of wisdom, words which are ‘better than fine gold’, words which ‘surpass choice silver’ (Proverbs 25:11;Proverbs 8:19). Help us to bring Your Word – ‘good news’ – and Your Spirit -‘rivers of living water’ – to our hearers (25; 1 Peter 1:12,23-25; John 7:37-39).
Proverbs 26:1-28
‘There is a lion in the road, a fierce lion roaming the streets!’ (Proverbs 26:13). This, Lord, is the voice of fear speaking. Give to us the voice of faith – ‘I believed, and so I spoke’ (2 Corinthians 4:13). When ‘the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour’, he can fill us with fear. Help us not to not let him do this. Help us to face him with faith – ‘Resist him, standing firm in the faith’ (1 Peter 5:8-9). When we ‘resist the devil’, standing firm in the faith, ‘he will flee from us’ (James 4:7). Help us, Lord, Let us face the ‘roaring lion’ with faith in an even more powerful ‘Lion’. Jesus Christ – ‘the Lion of Judah’ – ‘has conquered’ Satan. He ‘has triumphed’ over him (Revelation 5:5). May Christ’s ‘perfect love drive out our fear’ (1 John 4:18).
Proverbs 27:1-27
‘Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring’ (Proverbs 27:1). Lord, You speak to us about today. You say to us, ‘Now is the day of salvation’. Today, we are in ‘the valley of decision’. We must make up our mind about Jesus Christ. Today may be our last opportunity to act on Your precious promise: ‘Everyone who calls on the Name of the Lord will be saved’ (Joel 3:14; 2:32; Acts 2:21). Tomorrow may be too late. Our life may be over before tomorrow comes. Tomorrow, we may hear Yours Word of judgment: ‘I never knew you. Depart from Me, you evildoers!’. Tomorrow, we may face ‘eternal punishment’ (Matthew 7:23; 25:46). Tomorrow need not be a day of judgment. Help us, Lord, to choose Christ today – to let today be our ‘day of salvation’.
Proverbs 28:1-28
‘Blessed is the one who always fears the Lord. If you harden your heart, you will be ruined’ (Proverbs 28:14). Lord, Your blessing comes to us through the Gospel of Jesus Christ our Saviour: ‘The Gospel is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes’. To those who refuse to come to Christ and receive His salvation, You speak solemn words of warning: ‘Because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the Day of God’s wrath, when His righteous judgment will be revealed’ (Romans 1:16; Romans 2:5). You call us to receive ‘salvation’ through faith in Christ, ‘the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world’. May we not be among those who reject Christ and His salvation, those who must face ‘the wrath of the Lamb’ (John 1:29; Revelation 7:10; 6:16).
Proverbs 29:1-27
‘The righteous care about justice for the poor, but the wicked have no such concern’. Lord, there are so many people who have a ‘couldn’t care less’ attitude. They have stopped listening to Your Word and they have lost interest in living Your way – ‘Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint’. For those who are ignoring You, refusing to listen to Your Word and turning away from the pathway of obedience, You have a stern Word of warning: ‘If you get more stubborn every time you are corrected, one day you will be crushed and never recover’. You, Lord, are calling us to leave the pathway of disobedience and disaster and to walk in the way of obedience and blessing: ‘Blessed is he who keeps the law’ (Proverbs 29:7,1,18). Help us to hear what You’re saying to us and to do what You tell us to do.
Proverbs 30:1-33
In Proverbs 30:5, we learn about Your Word. Your Word is ‘true’. Your Word is ‘pure’. Your Word is full of blessing for those who ‘put their trust in You’. When, Lord, we trust in You, we learn that ‘Your Word is truth’. Your Word is full of blessing for those who ‘live according to Your Word’. When, Lord, we live in obedience to Your Word, we find that Your Word makes us ‘pure’. Through Your Word of truth, You lead us in the pathway of holiness. Help us never to forget that Jesus is praying for us: ‘Make them pure and holy through teaching them Your Words of truth’. Lord, Your Word is ‘more precious than gold’. Help us to ‘hide Your Word in our hearts that we might not sin against You’ (John 17:17; Psalms 19:10; 119:9,11).
Proverbs 31:1-31
‘A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies… Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised’ (Proverbs 31:10,30). Lord, You’re calling us to seek ‘treasures in heaven’ rather than ‘treasures on earth’ (Matthew 6:19-21). You’re showing us that the riches of this world will not last for ever: ‘All your riches and splendour have vanished, never to be recovered… “Woe! Woe, O great city, dressed in fine linen, purple and scarlet, and glittering with gold, precious stones and pearls! In one hour such great wealth has been brought to ruin!”’ Help us to remember that there is one treasure which lasts forever – the treasure of salvation. As we think of the eternal treasure of Your salvation, may we grow stronger, may our hearts be filled with praise for our Saviour: ‘Hallelujah! Salvation and power and glory belong to our God’ (Revelation 18:14-17; 19:1).
ECCLESIASTES
Ecclesiastes 1:1-2:26
Life is empty without You, Lord. You fill our lives with Your blessing. You give to us new life, abundant life, eternal life (2 Corinthians 5:17; John 10:10; 1 John 5:11-12). All of these blessings come to us through Jesus, Your Son. He brings us out of emptiness. He brings us into a life that has meaning, purpose and direction. We thank You, Lord, for Jesus, our Saviour.
Ecclesiastes 3:1-4:16
We look, Lord, for happiness, but we cannot find it. Why do we keep missing happiness? We’re looking in the wrong place. We try to find happiness in ourselves. You’re saying to us, “You’ll only find happiness when you come to Jesus. Only Jesus can fill the God-shaped blank in your heart.” Teach us, Lord, to listen to Your voice, speaking to us of Jesus, calling us to come to Him and receive from Him Your gift of salvation. Help us to rejoice in Jesus, to be glad that He is our great Saviour.
Ecclesiastes 5:1-6:12
Lord, there’s something hollow at the heart of the world’s way of thinking and living: “The man who loves money can never have enough” (Ecclesiastes 5:10). You call us away from the world’s way of thinking and living: “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth.” You show us a different way, a better way: “Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven” (Matthew 6:19-20). When the world is pulling us down, help us, Lord, to keep on looking to You – to lift us up to a greater love for You, a stronger faith in You and a closer walk with You.
Ecclesiastes 7:1-29
“Do not be over-righteous and do not be over-wise” (Ecclesiastes 7:16). Help us, Lord, not to take pride in our own righteousness or our own wisdom. Help us to trust in Christ – “our Righteousness and our “Wisdom” (1 Corinthians 1:30). “Through faith in Him, we are made righteous” and we become “wise for salvation” (Romans 3:21-26; 2 Timothy 3:14-17).
Ecclesiastes 8:1-9:10
Lord, what a great difference there is between life “under the sun” (Ecclesiastes 9:9) and Life in the Son. The world tells us that there is nothing beyond “the grave” (Ecclesiastes 9:10). Our Saviour promises us “an inheritance from the Lord as a reward” (Colossians 3:24). Help us, Lord, never to lose sight of the eternal dimension. This is what gives our life real depth, true meaning and a strong sense of purpose.
Ecclesiastes 9:11-10:20
“Wisdom is better than weapons of war” (Ecclesiastes 9:18). We ask, Lord, about wisdom – “Where does wisdom come from? How will wisdom change our way of thinking and living?” You tell us that real “wisdom comes from heaven.” You show us that true wisdom will make us more “peace-loving” (James 3:18).
Ecclesiastes 11:1-12:14
“Fear God and keep His commandments” (Ecclesiastes 12:13). Lord, we read these words, and we wonder, “How can we even begin to fear You and keep Your commandments when our hearts are full of sin?” We ask, “How can our hearts be cleansed from sin?” We cannot do this for ourselves. Only You can do this for us. Through Your Son, Jesus Christ, You give us such great blessings: “I will cleanse you. I will give you a new heart and put a new Spirit in you” (Ezekiel 36:24). Thank You, Lord.
_____________________
SONG OF SOLOMON
Song of Solomon 1:1-17
Lord, You've called us to be the Bride of Christ: "a pure Bride", a Bride beautifully dressed" for our Saviour - "the Bride, the wife of the Lamb" (Ephesians 5:25-33; 2 Corinthians 11:2; Revelation 21:2,9). May we hear the voice of Jesus, saying to us, "You are beautiful, my love." May we worship Him: "You are beautiful, my Beloved, truly lovely" (Song of Solomon 1:15-16).
Song of Solomon 2:1-17
We thank You, Lord, that Jesus comes to us in love: "the voice of my Beloved! Look! Here He comes" (Song of Solomon 2:8). We thank You that He calls us to come to Him: "Arise, my love, my beautiful one, and come away" (Song of Solomon 2:10). He calls us to belong to Him - to have the assurance of salvation, which has this joyful testimony: "My Beloved is mine, and I am His" (Song of Solomon 2:16). Help us, Lord, to receive the love of Jesus, and to rejoice in His love.
Song of Solomon 3:1-4:8
We thank You, Lord, that Jesus says to us, "Seek and you will find" (Matthew 7:7). When we have found Him, may we say, with joy, "I found Him whom my soul loves - my true love" (Song of Solomon 3:4). What, Lord, does it mean to find Jesus? It means that He found us. Before we ever thought of seeking for Him, He came seeking for us. Before we ever thought of loving Him, He loved us: "I have loved you with an everlasting love" (Jeremiah 31:3). Before we can say, "Hallelujah! I have found Him", He finds us: "I once was lost, but now am found."
Song of Solomon 4:9-5:16
There are times, Lord, when You come very near to us. We pray, "Let my Beloved come to His garden" (Song of Solomon 4:16). You answer, "I come to My garden ... My Bride" (Song of Solomon 5:1). There are times when You seem to be far away from us: "I opened to my Beloved, but my Beloved had turned and gone" (Song of Solomon 5:6). What, Lord, we are to do when Your presence does not seem so real to us? Help us to remember the great promise that comes to us from the risen Christ: "I am with you always" (Matthew 28:20). Help us to hold on to this promise, believing that the times of blessing will return: "His speech is sweet; He is altogether lovely ... my Beloved ... my Friend" (Song of Solomon 5:16).
Song of Solomon 6:1-7:9
"You are beautiful ... How beautiful you are" (Song of Solomon 6:4; 7:6). We wonder, Lord, how You can possibly see any beauty in us? we are sinners - "We have all strayed like sheep. Each one of us has turned to his own way." We thank You, Lord, that Christ died for sinners: "the Lord laid all our sins on Him" (Isaiah 53:6). When You look upon us, You do not see our sin. You see our Saviour, Your Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. When You look at us, this is what You see: "The blood of Jesus, Your Son, cleanses us from all sin" (1 John 1:7). This, Lord, is the beauty You see - the beauty of Jesus, our Saviour.
Song of Solomon 7:10-8:14
"Love is as strong as death ... It burns like a blazing fire, like a mighty flame. Many waters cannot quench love, neither can floods drown it" (Song of Solomon 7:6-7). We thank You, Lord, that Your love is the greatest love of all: "Nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 8:38-39(. We can never earn Your love: "If a man offered for love all the wealth of his house, it would be utterly scorned" (Song of Solomon 8:7). Your love is always Your gift to us. May Your love burn, in our hearts, "like a blazing fire, like a mighty flame" - a fire that burns up our dross, a refining fire that purifies us, a flame that burns for Your glory.
_______________________
ISAIAH
Isaiah 1:1-31
We thank You, Lord, that You invite us to “come” to You and receive salvation – “though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow.” Along with Your promise, there is also Your warning: “if you refuse and rebel … ” (Isaiah 1:18-20). You call us to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and be saved. With the Gospel promise, there is also the Gospel warning: “Whoever does not believe is condemned already because he does not believe in the Name of the only Son of God” (John 3:17-18). Help us, Lord, to receive Your “great salvation” – and to remember the Gospel warning: “How shall we escape if we neglect or ignore such a great salvation/” (Hebrews 2:3).
We thank You, Lord, that You invite us to “come” to You and receive salvation – “though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow.” Along with Your promise, there is also Your warning: “if you refuse and rebel … ” (Isaiah 1:18-20). You call us to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and be saved. With the Gospel promise, there is also the Gospel warning: “Whoever does not believe is condemned already because he does not believe in the Name of the only Son of God” (John 3:17-18). Help us, Lord, to receive Your “great salvation” – and to remember the Gospel warning: “How shall we escape if we neglect or ignore such a great salvation/” (Hebrews 2:3).
Isaiah 2:1-22
Lord, You’re calling us to worship You – “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord.” You’re calling us to walk in Your ways – “Come, let us walk in the light of the Lord” (Isaiah 2:3,5). We’re moving towards the Day when “the pride of men shall be humbled and brought low”, the Day when “the Lord alone will be exalted” (Isaiah 2:11-12,17). How, Lord, are we to get ready for the Return of our Lord Jesus Christ? You’re calling us to keep on worshipping You and walking with You. As we worship You and walk with You, may our pride be humbled, and may our Saviour be exalted.
Lord, You’re calling us to worship You – “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord.” You’re calling us to walk in Your ways – “Come, let us walk in the light of the Lord” (Isaiah 2:3,5). We’re moving towards the Day when “the pride of men shall be humbled and brought low”, the Day when “the Lord alone will be exalted” (Isaiah 2:11-12,17). How, Lord, are we to get ready for the Return of our Lord Jesus Christ? You’re calling us to keep on worshipping You and walking with You. As we worship You and walk with You, may our pride be humbled, and may our Saviour be exalted.
Isaiah 3:1-26
Lord, You call us to make our choice. Will we follow the way of “the righteous” or the way of “the wicked” (Isaiah 3:10-11)? We recall the words of Jesus: “Enter by the narrow gate … only a few find the narrow gate, the hard way that leads to life. His words are not popular. Many don’t like it when Jesus says, “the gate to hell is wide and the road that leads to it is easy, and there are many who travel it” (Matthew 7:13-14). Help us, Lord, to listen to all that Jesus is saying to us – and not only the ‘nice’ things that we like to hear.
Lord, You call us to make our choice. Will we follow the way of “the righteous” or the way of “the wicked” (Isaiah 3:10-11)? We recall the words of Jesus: “Enter by the narrow gate … only a few find the narrow gate, the hard way that leads to life. His words are not popular. Many don’t like it when Jesus says, “the gate to hell is wide and the road that leads to it is easy, and there are many who travel it” (Matthew 7:13-14). Help us, Lord, to listen to all that Jesus is saying to us – and not only the ‘nice’ things that we like to hear.
Isaiah 4:1-5:17
“Those who are left … will be called holy” (Isaiah 4:3). Lord, we hear worldly people speaking of ‘the holy people who need to learn to live in the real world.’ They speak with contempt. When You, Lord, call Your people “holy”, You speak with affection. You look upon us in love. You tell us that we are special to You. You tell us that we are precious in Your eyes. Lord, You’re calling us to be holy. Help us to look beyond this world, to catch a glimpse of “the things that are unseen and eternal”, and to “press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (2 Corinthians 4:18; Philippians 3:14).
“Those who are left … will be called holy” (Isaiah 4:3). Lord, we hear worldly people speaking of ‘the holy people who need to learn to live in the real world.’ They speak with contempt. When You, Lord, call Your people “holy”, You speak with affection. You look upon us in love. You tell us that we are special to You. You tell us that we are precious in Your eyes. Lord, You’re calling us to be holy. Help us to look beyond this world, to catch a glimpse of “the things that are unseen and eternal”, and to “press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (2 Corinthians 4:18; Philippians 3:14).
Isaiah 5:18-6:13
Lord, You reveal Your holiness: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts.” In Your holiness, we see our own sinfulness: “I am a man of unclean lips” (Isaiah 6:3,5). Lord, You are perfectly holy: “Your eyes are too pure to look on evil” (Habakkuk 1:13). When we look at ourselves in the light of Your perfect holiness, we see ourselves as we really are: “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). Help us, Lord, to confess our sin and pray for your forgiveness: “God, be merciful to me, a sinner” (Luke 18:13). Help us to hear Your Word of forgiveness – “your guilt is taken away, and your sin forgiven.” Help us to speak our words of commitment – “Here am I! Send me” (Isaiah 6:7-8).
Lord, You reveal Your holiness: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts.” In Your holiness, we see our own sinfulness: “I am a man of unclean lips” (Isaiah 6:3,5). Lord, You are perfectly holy: “Your eyes are too pure to look on evil” (Habakkuk 1:13). When we look at ourselves in the light of Your perfect holiness, we see ourselves as we really are: “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). Help us, Lord, to confess our sin and pray for your forgiveness: “God, be merciful to me, a sinner” (Luke 18:13). Help us to hear Your Word of forgiveness – “your guilt is taken away, and your sin forgiven.” Help us to speak our words of commitment – “Here am I! Send me” (Isaiah 6:7-8).
Isaiah 7:1-25
We thank You, Lord, that Jesus, Your Son, is “Immanuel” – “God with us” (Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:23). We look forward to the Second Coming of Immanuel: “Now the dwelling of God is with men, and He will live with them” (Revelation 21:3). When our thoughts turn to the Return of Christ, may we think of His urgent call to faith: “When the Son of man comes, will He find faith on earth?” (Luke 18:8). Lord, give us strength to “stand firm in our faith”, to “believe and be saved” (Isaiah 7:9; Hebrews 10:37-39).
Isaiah 8:1-22
“Immanuel … God is with us” (Isaiah 8:8,10). Lord, we read these words – and we thank You that Jesus has come to be with us so that we may go to be with Him. He has come from heaven to earth so that we might go from earth to heaven. He died for us so that we might live with Him. Thank You, Lord, for Jesus, our great Saviour.
Isaiah 9:1-10:4
Lord, we read the words of prophecy – “To us a Child is born, to us a Son is given … ” – and we rejoice in the fulfilment of prophecy – “Today in the town of David, a Saviour has been born to you.” What a great Saviour Jesus is – He is our “Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6; Luke 2:11). Lord, this is “Good News of great joy” – for “all the people” and for “all generations” (Luke 2:10; Luke 1:46-50). Thank You, Lord.
Isaiah 10:5-34
“A few, the remaining few of Jacob, will return to the mighty God” (Isaiah 10:21). So few people make time for worshipping You, Lord. Are we to become discouraged? No! We must take encouragement for Your Word: “The Light of Israel will become a fire, their Holy One a flame” (Isaiah 10:17). Lord, give us grace to “truly rely on” You, “the Lord, the Holy One of Israel” (Isaiah 10:20), to keep on believing that You will, again, send Your blessing – even in the difficult times when disappointment and discouragement threaten to engulf and overwhelm us.
Isaiah 11:1-12:6
We thank You, Lord, for Jesus Christ – ” a Banner for the nations”, “the Saviour of the world” (Isaiah 11:12′ John 4:42). We thank You that He has “died for the sins of the whole world.” This is “Good News” for “all the world.” It’s a call to receive the “forgiveness os sins.” It’s a call to become His “disciples” (1 John 2:2; Mark 16:15; Luke 24;27; Matthew 28:19). As we look to Jesus, our Saviour, may our personal faith – “I will praise You, O Lord … God is my Salvation … The Lord is my Strength and my Song …” – become our public testimony – making Christ “known among the nations,” telling “all the world! what the Lord has done for us (Isaiah 12:1-2,4-5).
Isaiah 13:1-22
“The Day of the Lord is near; it will come like destruction from the Almighty … The Day of the Lord is coming – a cruel Day with fierce anger … “; “When the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven … He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the Gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord … ” Lord, we read these words, and we wonder, “Is this what lies ahead of us?” We thank You, Lord, that You speak to us of something else, something very much more wonderful – the Day of Christ’s Return, the Day of our salvation: “the Day He comes to be glorified in His holy people and to be marvelled at among all those who have believed” (Isaiah 13:6,9; 2 Thessalonians 1:7-10).Why, Lord, do You speak to us about judgment? Does this have anything at all to do with the Good News of our salvation? you show us, Lord, what we have been saved from – so that we might appreciate more deeply, more truly and more fully, the wonder of Your great salvation. You speak to us Your warning, ‘Don’t let the Day of the Lord “surprise you like a thief” – to bring us to “Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath,” and to lead us on to the Day of “salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Thessalonians 5:1-4,9; 1 Thessalonians 1:9-10).
Isaiah 14:1-23
We read, Lord, about “the king of Babylon” (Isaiah 14:4) – and we see Satan. He is full of pride – “I will climb to the highest heaven and be like the Most High.” He is fallen – “How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer.” He will be brought to nothing – “you will be brought down to the pit f hell … ” (Isaiah 14:12-15). We look at the king of Tyre – and, again, we see Satan – “you were on the holy mountain of God … you sinned; so I cast you as a profane thing from the mountain of God … your heart was proud … you have come to a dreadful end … ” (Ezekiel 28:12-19). We look beyond Satan (the devil) – and we see Jesus, our great Saviour. By “the authority of Christ,” Satan “has been thrown down.” In Christ, we have the victory over Satan: “they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb … “(Revelation 12:7-12). Thank You, Lord, for Your Son, Jesus – and the great victory over Satan that He has won for us.
Isaiah 14:24-15:9
“My heart cries out for Moab” (Isaiah 15:5). Lord, we read these words – and we catch a glimpse of Your loving heart. You take “no pleasure in the death of the wicked.” You do “not want anyone to perish.” You long for “everyone to come to repentance” (Ezekiel 33:11; 2 Peter 3:9). When, Lord, we look at Your Son, Jesus – our Saviour, we see your loving heart: “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, killing the prophets and stoning those who are sent to you! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you would not!” (Matthew 23:27). When we look at Paul, the Apostle, we see Your loving heart. Paul saw the nation of Israel, turning away from You – and he was filled with compassion: “I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart” (Romans 9:2). Help us, Lord, to feel for the lost, to look upon them with Your love, and to long for them to be saved.
Isaiah 16:1-17:3
‘In love a throne will be established; in faithfulness a Man will sit on it – One from the house of David…’ (Isaiah 16:5). Lord, we read these words, and we look beyond David – to Jesus, ‘the Son of God’ (Romans 1:4). David was the king of Israel. Jesus is the King of kings. In Jesus, Your Perfect Son, we see Your love and Your faithfulness. Thank You, Lord.
Isaiah 17:4-18:7
‘You have forgotten the God of your salvation, and have not remembered the Rock of your refuge’ (Isaiah 17:10). Lord, we find is so easy to forget – and so hard to remember. You have loved us so much. We should remember to say, ‘Thank You, Lord’. Very often, we forget. When Jesus healed ten lepers, only ‘one of them came back’ to say ‘Thank You’. Far too often, we are like ‘the other nine’ (Luke 17:11-19). We forget to thank You for Your love. We take Your love for granted. We should be celebrating. We should be letting You know how much we love You. We forget ‘our first love’ (Revelation 2:4). Help us to let Jesus be our first love, our only love – for the whole of our life.
Isaiah 19:1-20:6
‘The Lord Almighty will bless them, saying, “Blessed be Egypt My people, Assyria the work of My hands, and Israel my heritage”’ (Isaiah 19:25). ‘There is neither Jew nor Greek… you are all one in Christ Jesus’ (Galatians 3:28). How, Lord, can people who seem to be opposites be brought together? Jesus Christ brings them together. He breaks down ‘the barrier’. He removes ‘the dividing wall of hostility’. We are brought ‘near’ to one another through ‘the blood of Christ’. Help us, Lord, to come to ‘the Cross’ of Christ. There, at ‘the Cross’, we will find each other. We will discover what it means to be ‘one body’ in Christ (Ephesians 2:13-16). When Satan comes, creating misunderstanding, filling our minds with suspicion and undermining our hopes of peace, help us to remind him of Your Word, ‘You are all one in Christ Jesus’.
Isaiah 21:1-17
Lord, we live in a situation of conflict. We are at war with the enemy. Satan is Your enemy. Satan is our enemy. Satan is a very determined enemy. Satan is a defeated enemy. ‘Fallen, fallen is Babylon…’ (Isaiah 21:9). We read these words, repeated again in Revelation 14:8; 18:2. You, Lord, are assuring that Satan will not prevail over You and Your people. The victory is Yours, Lord. You give Your victory to us. When the going gets tough, when Satan seems to have the upper hand, Help us to remember this: ‘Fierce may be the conflict, strong may be the foe, but the King’s own army none can overthrow. Round His standard ranging, victory is secure, for His truth unchanging makes the triumph sure’. May we never hesitate to commit ourselves to Christ: ‘Joyfully enlisting, by Thy grace divine, we are on the Lord’s side; Saviour, we are Thine.’
Isaiah 22:1-25
We read, Lord, about ‘the Valley of Vision’ (Isaiah 22:1,5). You are to be our Vision: ‘Be Thou my Vision, O Lord of my heart; Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art, Thou my best thought, by day or by night, waking or sleeping Thy presence my light.’ When we’re down in the valley, the mountain-top experience seems a long way off. What are we to do when everything seems to be hard-going? When there seems to be no way out of the valley, no way back to the mountain-top, help us to keep on ‘looking to Jesus’ (Hebrews 12:1-2). When we’re in the ‘valley’, help us to say, ‘My goal is God Himself, not joy nor peace, nor even blessing, but Himself, my God’. May our ‘valley’ become Your ‘valley of vision’, the place where we are learning to ‘turn our eyes upon Jesus.’
Isaiah 23:1-18
‘Look at the land of the Babylonians, this people that is now of no account!’ (13). We read these words, Lord, and we wonder, “What about our nation? Is there any hope for our nation?” To the nation which turns to You, Lord, You speak Your promise of blessing – ‘Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord …’ (Psalm 33:12). To the nation which turns away from You, You speak Your warning of judgment – ‘For lack of guidance a nation falls’ (Proverbs 11:14). We must choose. Help us, Lord, to choose to listen to You, to submit our lives to You,, to follow the guidance You have given to us in Your Word. Your way leads to blessing – ‘Righteousness exalts a nation.’ The way of self leads to judgment – ‘sin is a disgrace to any people’ (Proverbs 14:34). Raise us, Lord, above the way of “the Babylonians” – to the better way, the way that brings glory to You: ‘They will see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven’ (Matthew 5:16).
Isaiah 24:1-23
‘They raise their voices, they shout for joy; from the west they acclaim the Lord’s majesty. Therefore in the east give glory to the Lord, exalt the Name of the Lord, the God of Israel, in the islands of the sea. From the ends of the earth we hear singing: “Glory to the Righteous One”’ (Isaiah 24:14-16). Lord, this is such a beautiful picture of a land that is enjoying Your blessing, praising You and giving glory to You. Looking around us, we see a very different picture – ‘The earth is defiled by its people; they have disobeyed the laws… therefore a curse consumes the earth; its people must bear their guilt’ (Isaiah 24:5-6). Can the dark picture of sin and guilt be turned into the brighter picture of salvation and rejoicing? Lord, You are ‘able to do so much more than we can ask for, or even imagine’ (Ephesians 3:20). Help us, Lord, to be bold – and keep on praying that You will send revival in our time.
Isaiah 25:1-26:9
‘O Lord, You are my God; I will exalt You and praise Your Name… You have done marvellous things’ (Isaiah 25:1). We remember what You, Lord, have done for us. You sent Your Son, Jesus Christ, to be our Saviour. We rejoice in Jesus. He died for us. We rejoice in Jesus. He rose again for us. We look forward to His Return. We look forward to the Day when You, Lord, ‘will swallow up death for ever.’ On that Day, ‘the Lord God will wipe away the tears from all faces.’ On that Day, we will look back and say, ‘Surely this is our God; we trusted in Him, and He saved us.’ On that Day, we will ‘rejoice and be glad in Your salvation’ (Isaiah 25:8-9). Here and now, help us to ‘trust in’ You. May we know that we can trust in You ‘for ever.’ You are ‘the everlasting Rock’ – ‘the Rock of our salvation’ (Isaiah 26:4; Psalm 95:1).
“This is our God; we trusted in Him, and He saved us …Let us rejoice and be glad in His salvation” (Isaiah 25:9).
Lord, we remember what You have done for us. We remember Your Son, Jesus Christ. We rejoice in Him. He died for us. He rose again for us. We look forward to His Return – the Day when ‘He will swallow up death for ever.’ On that Day, Lord, You ‘will wipe away the tears from all faces.’ On that Day, we will say, ‘Lord, You are our God; we have trusted in You, and You have saved us.’ On that Day, we will ‘rejoice and be glad in Your salvation.’ Here and now, may we learn to trust in You. May we know that You are ‘the everlasting Rock’ – ‘the Rock of our salvation.
Isaiah 26:10-27:13
We thank you, Lord, that Jesus is our Saviour – ‘Lord, You establish peace for us’; ‘We have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ’. We cannot save ourselves. We can only look away from ourselves to Jesus – and be saved by Him: ‘all that we have accomplished You have done for us’; ‘By grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not your own doing, it is the gift of God’ (Isaiah 26:12; Romans 5:1; Ephesians 2:8). We thank You that Jesus is our Lord – ‘Lord, our God… You alone are our Lord’. How are we to live once we have received salvation through faith in Jesus Christ? – ‘Just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in Him’. Help us not to ‘keep on sinning so that You, Lord, can keep on showing us more and more kindness and forgiveness.’ Help us to live a life of ‘good works’ (Isaiah 26:13; Colossians 2:6; Romans 6:1; Ephesians 2:10).
Isaiah 28:1-22
We thank You, Lord, that Your Son, Jesus Christ, is ‘the precious Cornerstone’. He is ‘the sure Foundation’ (Isaiah 28:16). Jesus is the Name of our salvation – ‘Salvation is found in no-one else… there is no other name… by which we must be saved’ (Acts 4:10-12). There is only one ‘Foundation’ for our faith – ‘Jesus Christ’ (1 Corinthians 3:11). He is the ‘chosen and precious Cornerstone’ – ‘to you who believe, this Stone is precious’ (1 Peter 2:6-7). Help us, Lord, to build our life on Christ, ‘the solid Rock’ - ‘My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness; no merit of my own I claim, but wholly trust in Jesus’ Name. When weary in this earthly race, I rest on His unchanging grace… When earthly hopes are swept away, He will uphold me on that Day. On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand. All other ground is sinking sand’ (Matthew 7:24-27).
Isaiah 28:23-29:16
‘The wisdom of the wise will perish’ (Isaiah 29:14). As, Lord, we read these words, may we know that there is another ‘wisdom’, a ‘wisdom’ which shall not perish, a ‘wisdom’ which is ‘wiser than man’s wisdom’. Christ is ‘the Wisdom of God’ (1 Corinthians 1:24-25). May we know that, with Christ as our Saviour, we ‘shall not perish.’ Through faith in Him, we receive the ‘wisdom’ which brings ‘salvation’ (John 3:16; 2 Timothy 3:15). He is ‘the Way, the Truth and the Life’ (John 14:6). He is the Way to true wisdom. He is the Truth upon which true wisdom is based. He is the Life which is based on true wisdom. He is true Wisdom. Help us, Lord, not to seek wisdom apart from faith in Jesus Christ – ‘the world did not know God through wisdom.’ May we know that there is one true wisdom which does ‘not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God’ – faith in ‘Christ crucified’ (1 Corinthians 1:21-23; 2:1-5).
Isaiah 29:17-30:17
‘In returning and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength, but you would have none of it. You said, “No!”’ (Isaiah 30:15-16). Lord, You want to bless us. You want to be our ‘salvation.’ You want to be our ‘strength.’ How do You bless us? How do You become our ‘salvation’? How do You become our ‘strength’? We must want Your blessing. We must want Your ‘salvation.’ We must want Your ‘strength.’ We must return to You and rest in You. We must quietly listen to Your Word, putting our trust in You. There is no ‘salvation’ without ‘returning and rest.’ There is no ‘strength’ without ‘quietness and trust.’ You, Lord, do not force Yourself upon us. We can say, ‘No! I will have none of it’. You want to bless you. Help us, Lord, to say, ‘Yes, Lord! I want You to be my “salvation.” I want You to be my “strength.”’
Isaiah 30:18-31:19
‘Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help and rely on horses, who trust in chariots because they are many and in horsemen because they are strong, but do not look to the Holy One of Israel or consult the Lord!’ (Isaiah 31:1). Lord, we can so easily forget You. We try to go it alone, and we forget to look to You for help. Even when we forget You, You do not forget us. When we turn our back on You, You call us to ‘return to You’ (Isaiah 31:6). You remind us that our true help is found in You: ‘Our help is in the Name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth’ (Psalm 124:8). We need not look around here, there and everywhere for an answer to the question, ‘Where does my help come from?’ There is only one true answer to this question: ‘My help comes from You, Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth’ (Psalm 121:1-2). Thank You, Lord, that You are our God – our Maker and our Helper.
Isaiah 32:1-20
Isaiah 33:1-24
Isaiah 34:1-17
Isaiah 35:1-10
Isaiah 32:1-20
‘Abandoned… deserted… a wasteland…’ (Isaiah 32:14). Lord, we read these words, and we wonder,”Can such a desperate situation be turned around?” Your answer is “Yes!” - When ‘the Spirit is poured upon us from on high… the wilderness becomes a fruitful field’ (Isaiah 32:15). Help us not to lose heart. May we keep on calling on You. Help us to keep on believing that You, Lord, are able to turn things around. When the situation seems hopeless, help us to put our trust in You, ‘the God of hope.’ Help us to keep on praying that You will send Your blessing: ‘May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope’ (Romans 15:13).
Isaiah 33:1-24
‘O Lord…Be our strength every morning, our salvation in the time of trouble’ (Isaiah 33:2). Help us, Lord, not only to pray to You ‘in the time of trouble.’ Help us to pray to You ‘every morning.’ May we not keep You at a distance, calling on You only when things are going badly. When we keep You at a distance, our life tells its own sad story – ‘O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear – all because we do not carry everything to God in prayer.’ When we draw near to You, Lord, You draw near to us, and everything becomes very different – ‘What a Friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear! What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer!’ (James 4:8). Lord, let Your ‘love’ come to us ‘new every morning’ – ‘fresh as the morning , as sure as the sunrise’ (Lamentations 3:22-23).
Isaiah 34:1-17
Lord, You call us to ‘draw near’ to You. You want us to ‘pay attention’ to You. Help us to ‘listen’ to His Word (Isaiah 34:1). Your Word is not always what we want to hear. It will always be what we need to hear. ‘The Lord is angry with all nations’ (Isaiah 34:2). We don’t like to hear about Your anger. We prefer to be told ‘You’re doing fine.’ We need to hear about God’s anger. We need to hear about how far we have wandered away from God – ‘We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us turned to his own way.’ We are sinners. We have turned away from You, Lord. We have chosen our own way rather than Your way. We must hear this ‘bad news’ before we can really appreciate the ‘Good News’ – ‘the Lord has laid all our sins on Jesus’, ‘Christ died for us while we were still sinners’, ‘Christ died for our sins’ (Isaiah 53:6; Romans 5:8; 1 Corinthians 15:3).
Isaiah 35:1-10
What blessings are given to those who draw near to You, Lord - ‘Your God… will come and save you’ (Isaiah 35:4). The Good News of Christ comes to us as a call to faith – ‘Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved’ (Acts 16:31). We have been saved through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. We cannot remain the same. You have called us to live a new life. You call us to travel on the Your ‘highway’ – ‘the Way of Holiness’ (Isaiah 35:8). This is ‘the Way’ which leads to ‘everlasting joy’ (Isaiah 35:10). This ‘Way’ is so different from the world’s way. The world has no time for those who seek to live a holy life. Help us to remember what Jesus says about the world’s way of life: ‘the gate is wide and the way is wide that leads to destruction’ (Matthew 7:13). Whatever the world may say, may we never forget this: ‘Without holiness, no-one will see the Lord’ (Hebrews 12:14).
Isaiah 36:1-37:20
We read, Lord, about Hezekiah, facing a very powerful enemy – ‘Sennacherib, king of Assyria’ (Isaiah 36:1). We read his prayer for deliverance – ‘O Lord our God, deliver us from his hand’. He prays for salvation – ‘O Lord our God, save us…’ (Isaiah 37:20). We face an even more powerful enemy – Satan, ‘the ruler of this world’, ‘the god of this world.’ We pray for deliverance. We look to You, Lord, for salvation. Help us to pray with faith in Jesus Christ. Satan ‘has no power over’ Jesus. When Jesus was ‘lifted up from the earth’ (crucified), He won a mighty victory over Satan. Jesus died for us so that Satan, ‘the ruler of this world’ might be ‘cast out.’ We thank You, Lord, that Satan’s power is broken when ‘the light of the Gospel of the glory of Christ’ shines ‘in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the faceworld’, ‘the god of this world.’ We pray for deliverance. We look to You, Lord, for salvation. Help us to pray with faith in Jesus Christ. Satan ‘has no power over’ Jesus. When Jesus was ‘lifted up from the earth’ (crucified), He won a mighty victory over Satan. Jesus died for us so that Satan, ‘the ruler of this world’ might be ‘cast out.’ We thank You, Lord, that Satan’s power is broken when ‘the light of the Gospel of the glory of Christ’ shines ‘in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ’ (John 14:30;12:31-33; 2 Corinthians 4:4-6).
Isaiah 37:21-38:8
“Sennacherib, the king of Assyria, will not enter this city or shoot an arrow here… By the way that he came he will return… I will defend this city to save it” (Isaiah 37:33-35). This, Lord, was Your answer to Hezekiah’s prayer for salvation. What a great God You are! You are the God of our salvation. You will answer our prayer for salvation. You love us: ‘God so loved the world that He gave His only Son…’. Your Son, Jesus, died for us: ‘God made Him who knew no sin (Christ) to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God’. Jesus promises to receive all who come to Him for salvation: ‘I will never turn away anyone who comes to Me’ (John 3:16; 6:37; 2 Corinthians 5:21). Thank You, Lord.
Isaiah 38:9-39:8
‘The Lord will save me, and we will sing with stringed instruments all the days of our life in the House of the Lord’ (Isaiah 38:20). Lord, we hear many people saying, ‘I can be a Christian without going to Church.’ You’re teaching us something very different. You’re showing us that believing in You leads to worshipping You.. It doesn’t make sense. for us, to say, ‘I believe in You, Lord’ but I’m not interested in worshipping You.’ We believe in Jesus. He has saved by us. We Have received a new Spirit of worship: ‘God has sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, “Father, my Father!”’ (Galatians 4:4). Help us, Lord, never to rest content with being believers without also being worshippers.
Isaiah 40:1-31
Isaiah 40:1-31
‘The Lord is the everlasting God… He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak… those who wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength…’ (Isaiah 40:28-31). Far too often, Lord, we say, ‘I can’t’ when we really mean ‘I won’t’. ‘I can’t’ – This, Lord, is an insult to Your power of God. You call us to do something special for Him. We say, ‘I can’t’. What are we really saying? We’re saying – ‘Lord, I don’t believe Your promise – “Those who wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength”’. Help us, Lord, to stop saying, ‘I can’t’. Help us not to get so busy with other things that we fail to wait upon You, Lord, and renew your strength. When You call us to serve Him, help us to say, ‘Yes, Lord, I will wait upon You. I will renew my strength. I will do Your will’.
Isaiah 41:1-29
‘Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God, I will strengthen you and help you… I am the Lord your God who… says to you, Do not fear; I will help you… I Myself will help you, declares the Lord, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel’ (Isaiah 41:10-14). When, Lord, we have something important to say, we repeat ourselves. We want to make sure that our message gets across. We say, ‘Do you get the point? Do you see what I mean?’ This, Lord, is what You are doing. Three times, You say, ‘I will help you’. You want us to get the point. You want to leave us in no doubt. You want us to be sure of this: ‘I will help you’. You don’t want us to go around thinking, ‘I wonder if God will help me?’ You really do want to help us. You say it once. You say it twice. You say it three times: ‘I will help you’. Thank You, Lord.
Isaiah 42:1-25
‘Here is My Servant, whom I uphold, my Chosen One in whom I delight; I will put My Spirit on Him, and He will bring justice to the nations’ (Isaiah 42:1). Lord, these words turn our thoughts towards Your Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. At His baptism, we hear Your voice – ‘This is My Son, whom I love; with Him I am well pleased’. At His baptism, we see ‘the Spirit of God coming down like a dove and resting on Him’. Jesus is the fulfilment of Your Word of prophecy: ‘All mankind shall see the Saviour sent from God’. After His resurrection, we hear Jesus Himself speaking. He says, ‘Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the Name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit…’ (Matthew 12:15-21; 3:16-17; 28:18-20; Luke 3:6). Help us, Lord, to bring Christ to the nations. Help us to serve You in the power of the Spirit.
Isaiah 43:1-28
‘I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Saviour… I am the Lord, apart from Me there is no saviour’ (Isaiah 43:3,11). Lord, these words turn our thoughts towards Jesus, our Saviour. The Name of Jesus is the Name of our salvation: ‘Salvation is found in no-one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved’
Isaiah 44:1-28
‘I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground; I will pour out My Spirit on your offspring, and My blessing on your descendants’ (Isaiah 44:3). Lord, we hear You speaking to us of the mighty outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost – ‘They were all filled with the Holy Spirit…’ (Acts 2:4). We thank You for the Spirit. He brings ‘streams of living water’ into our lives. We thank You for the Spirit. He sends ‘streams of living water’, flowing out from us to others (John 7:37-39). Help us, Lord, to ‘be filled with the Spirit’. ‘Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ’ – May our lives be full of praise to You: ‘filled with the Spirit’ (Ephesians 5:18-20).
Isaiah 45:1-25
‘I am the Lord... I will strengthen you’ (Isaiah 45:5). How, Lord, do You strengthen us? You strengthen us with salvation. You come to us as our ‘God and Saviour’. You call us to come to You and receive salvation: ‘Turn to Me and be saved...’. Through faith in Christ, we are ‘saved by the Lord with an everlasting salvation’ (Isaiah 45:15,17,21-22). We are strengthened with ‘everlasting salvation’. We look ahead to Christ’s Return ‘in power and great glory’ (Matthew 24:30). We thank You, Lord, that, on that Day, the glory of Jesus, our Saviour, will be fully revealed: ‘At the Name of Jesus every knee shall bow in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father’. Jesus is our Saviour. His ‘Name is above every name’. We thank You that our ‘strength’ comes from Him (Isaiah 45:23-24; Philippians 2:10-11).
Isaiah 45:1-25
‘I am the Lord... I will strengthen you’ (Isaiah 45:5). How, Lord, do You strengthen us? You strengthen us with salvation. You come to us as our ‘God and Saviour’. You call us to come to You and receive salvation: ‘Turn to Me and be saved...’. Through faith in Christ, we are ‘saved by the Lord with an everlasting salvation’ (Isaiah 45:15,17,21-22). We are strengthened with ‘everlasting salvation’. We look ahead to Christ’s Return ‘in power and great glory’ (Matthew 24:30). We thank You, Lord, that, on that Day, the glory of Jesus, our Saviour, will be fully revealed: ‘At the Name of Jesus every knee shall bow in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father’. Jesus is our Saviour. His ‘Name is above every name’. We thank You that our ‘strength’ comes from Him (Isaiah 45:23-24; Philippians 2:10-11).
Isaiah 46:1-47:15
‘I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me... I am bringing My righteousness near, it is not far away; and my salvation will not be delayed’ (Isaiah 46:9,13). We thank You, Lord, that You don't keep Your distance from us. You come near to us - ‘The Word is near you, on your lips and in your heart (that is, the Word of faith which we preach). God does not delay His salvation. He comes to us with His promise: ‘If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord”, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved’ (Romans 10:8-9). Jesus is the Word of God. He is our Saviour. He is our Lord (John 1:1,14; 20:28,31). Help us, Lord to worship Jesus. He is ‘the Holy One of Israel’. He is ‘our Redeemer’. ‘The Lord Almighty is His Name’ (Isaiah 47:4). ‘O come, let us adore Him, Christ the Lord’.
Isaiah 48:1-22
‘I am the Lord your God, who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go’ (Isaiah 48:17). Lord, You know what's best for us. You help us to say, ‘As for God, His way is perfect’ (Job 23:10; 2 Samuel 22:31).How do You help us to see that Your way is best? You invite us to consider Your love. We are to think about all that You have done for us - ‘the mercies of God’. You call us to dedicate our lives to You - ‘present your bodies, as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God’. Dedicating our lives You, Lord - This is ‘our ‘spiritual worship’. We are not to live for this world - ‘Do not be conformed to this world’. We are to live for the Lord - ‘be transformed by the renewal of your mind’. ‘God’s will is good, pleasing and perfect’. May we learn this for ourselves as we learn to dedicate our lives to You (Romans 12:1-2).
Isaiah 49:1-26
‘I, the Lord, am your Saviour, your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob’. Help us, Lord, not to keep this to ourselves. You want ‘all mankind’ to ‘know’ (Isaiah 49:26). ‘Jesus, the Name to sinners dear, the Name to sinners given, it scatters all their guilty fear, it turns their hell to heaven’ - This is not something to keep to ourselves. We must make Christ known to others - ‘Oh, that the world might taste and see the riches of His grace! The arms of love that compass me, would all mankind embrace. His only righteousness I show, His saving truth proclaim: ‘tis all my business here below to cry: “Behold the Lamb!”. Happy, if with my latest breath I may but gasp His Name: preach Him to all, and cry in death: “Behold, behold the Lamb!”’ (Mission Praise, 385). Help us, Lord, to be obedient to Your call to ‘go into all the world and preach the Good News’ (Mark 16:15).
Isaiah 50:1-51:8
‘The Lord God has given me the tongue of those who are taught, that I may know how to sustain with a word him that is weary. He wakens me morning by morning, wakens my ear to listen like one being taught’ (Isaiah 50:4). Help us, Lord, to listen to You. Help us to speak for You. Teach us that we cannot speak for You unless we are listening to You. Before we can speak for You, we must speak to You. We must pray, ‘Speak, Lord, for Your servant is listening’ (1 Samuel 3:9-10). Listening to You, Lord, comes before speaking for God. First, we wait on You - ‘I waited patiently for the Lord’. Then, we witness for You - ‘He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God’. Waiting on You, Lord, and witnessing for You, we will win others for You - ‘Many will see and fear and put their trust in the Lord’ (Psalm 40:1-3).
Isaiah 51:9-23
‘Awake, awake!... O arm of the Lord; awake, as in days gone by... The ransomed of the Lord will return. They will enter Zion with singing; everlasting joy will crown their heads. Gladness and joy will overtake them... I am the Lord your God... I have put My words in your mouth...’ (Isaiah 51:9,11,15-16). Teach us, Lord, to pray for revival in this generation. Help us to pray for a revival of joyful worship and a revival of powerful preaching. Where will revival come from? It comes from You, Lord. You hear the prayers of His people - ‘Awake, awake!... O arm of the Lord; awake, as in days gone by’. You answer the prayers of His people - ‘The ransomed of the Lord will return... Gladness and joy will overtake them’. Revival comes when You send Your Word of power - ‘I am the Lord your God... I have put My words in your mouth’.
Isaiah 52:1-12
We thank You, Lord, for Your ‘Good News’ - Help us to ‘shout for joy’. As we receive ‘Good News’from You, may we sing ‘songs of joy’. We thank You for the Good News of Your reign - ‘Your God reigns’ and the Good News of our redemption - ‘The Lord has redeemed’ us. Help us not to keep the Good News to ourselves. This ‘news of happiness’ is to be shared with everyone. May we let ‘all the ends of the earth see the salvation of our God’. ‘Christ died for our sins’ - This is Good News. Christ was ‘raised on the third day’ - This is Good News. ‘Jesus is Lord’ - This is Good News. This is the Good News we must ‘pass on’ to others. In our world, Lord, there is so much bad news. Help us not to let the Good News be drowned out by the bad news. Help us to make sure that the people hear the Good News - loud and clear (Isaiah 52:7-10; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4; Mission Praise, 249).
Isaiah 52:13-53:12
We thank You, Lord, that You have given to us words of prophecy, wonderful words that point us to Jesus Christ, crucified for us - ‘the Lord has laid all our sins on Him’ - and risen from the dead - ‘After the suffering of His soul, He will see the light of life’ (Isaiah 53:6,11). ‘Were you there when they crucified my Lord?’ (Mission Praise, 745). We might put this question to Isaiah. In one sense, he wasn’t there. He lived long before the time of Christ. In another sense, he was there. You, Lord, opened his eyes. You gave him a glimpse of what was going to happen in the future. ‘Were you there when they crucified my Lord?’ In one sense, we weren’t there. These things happened long before we were even born. In another sense, we were there. It was our sins which Christ took with Him to the Cross. It was our sins which He left behind Him when He rose from the dead (Romans 4:25). Thank You, Lord, for Jesus, our Saviour. Thank You for all that He has done for us.
Isaiah 54:1-17
Lord, You are not only ‘the Holy One of Israel’. You are ‘the God of the whole earth’ (Isaiah 54:5). We thank You that the Gospel is for ‘all nations’. The ministry of Christ’s apostles began in ‘Jerusalem’. We thank You that it did not end there. The Gospel was to be taken ‘to the ends of the earth’ (Luke 24:46-47; Acts 1:8). Taking the Gospel out from Jerusalem to the ends of the earth was not easy. The apostles faced much opposition. We thank You that they stood upon Your promise: ‘No weapon formed against you shall prosper’ (Isaiah 54:17). When, Lord, we face opposition, help us to our stand on Your Word: ‘If God is for us, who can be against us?’ (Romans 8:31). Even when our words seem to fall on stony ground, give us the strength that we need to keep on speaking the Word of Your love: ‘With everlasting love I will have compassion on you, says the Lord, your Redeemer’ (Isaiah 54:8).
Isaiah 54:1-17
Lord, You are not only ‘the Holy One of Israel’. You are ‘the God of the whole earth’ (Isaiah 54:5). We thank You that the Gospel is for ‘all nations’. The ministry of Christ’s apostles began in ‘Jerusalem’. We thank You that it did not end there. The Gospel was to be taken ‘to the ends of the earth’ (Luke 24:46-47; Acts 1:8). Taking the Gospel out from Jerusalem to the ends of the earth was not easy. The apostles faced much opposition. We thank You that they stood upon Your promise: ‘No weapon formed against you shall prosper’ (Isaiah 54:17). When, Lord, we face opposition, help us to our stand on Your Word: ‘If God is for us, who can be against us?’ (Romans 8:31). Even when our words seem to fall on stony ground, give us the strength that we need to keep on speaking the Word of Your love: ‘With everlasting love I will have compassion on you, says the Lord, your Redeemer’ (Isaiah 54:8).
Isaiah 55:1-13
Lord, You call us to return to You: ‘Seek the Lord while He may be found...’ (Isaiah 55:6-7). No one seems to be listening. What are we to do? Help us to remember Your promise: ‘My Word will not return to Me empty’ (Isaiah 55:11). We do not see all that You are doing. You are doing much more than we realize - ‘My thoughts are not your thoughts...’ (Isaiah 55:8-9). We may be feeling very despondent - ‘Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything’ (Luke 5:5). You still come to us with His Word of encouragement: ‘You shall go out with joy...’ (Isaiah 55:12). Before there is joy, there may be many tears. When there seems to be nothing but disappointments, help us to remember Your promise: ‘Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy...’ (Psalm 126:5-6). When we feel discouraged, help us not to ‘judge before the time...’ (1 Corinthians 4:5).
Isaiah 56:1-57:10
‘My House will be called a House of prayer for all nations’ (Isaiah 56:7). Lord, You are gathering Your people together ‘from every tribe and language and people and nation’ (Revelation 5:9). ‘Salvation comes from the Jews’. We thank You, Lord, that it doesn’t end there - ‘The Gospel is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile (the rest of the world)’ (John 4:22; Romans 1:16). We were ‘foreigners’. Now, we are ‘no longer foreigners...’(Isaiah 56:6; Ephesians 2:19). We thank You that Christ has ‘broken down the dividing wall of hostility’. ‘We are no longer Jews or Gentiles’. ‘We are one in Christ Jesus’. Christ has ‘made the two one’. We thank You that we ‘have been brought near through the blood of Christ’. We are ‘one body’ - Jews and Gentiles brought together ‘through the Cross’ of Christ (Ephesians 2:13-16; Galatians 3:28). Thank You, Lord, for our great Saviour - Your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.
Isaiah 57:11-58:14
‘To the far and to the near’, Lord, You speak Your Word of ‘peace’ (Isaiah 57:19). Christ is Your Word of ‘peace’ (Ephesians 2:13-14). Christ is for ‘the Jews’. He is for ‘the Gentiles’. There is one way of salvation. Jesus Christ is our Saviour. Help us to put our ‘faith’ in Him. It's through Him, Lord, that we have ‘peace with You’ (Romans 3:29-30; Romans 5:1). Your Word invites us to ‘call upon Your Name and be saved’ (Isaiah 58:9; Acts 2:21). We thank You that, in Christ, there is true ‘joy’ - ‘I delight greatly in the Lord; my soul rejoices in my God. For He has clothed me with garments of salvation...’ (Isaiah 58:14; Isaiah 61:10). We rejoice in Jesus Christ. He is ‘the High and Exalted One’. He has come from His ‘high and holy place’. He has become ‘Emmanuel’, ‘God with us’. He is our peace and joy, our Saviour and our God’ (Isaiah 57:15; Matthew 1:21, 23; John 20:28). Thank You, Lord, for Jesus. He's such a great Saviour.
Isaiah 59:1-21
Lord, what are we to do ‘when the enemy comes in like a flood’? Help us to look away from ourselves to Jesus Christ. He has ‘come’ as our ‘Redeemer’. Trusting in Him, we pray that ‘the Spirit of the the Lord will come like a rushing stream’. We pray that ‘the wind of the Lord’ will come sweeping through us with much blessing (Isaiah 59:19-20). In ourselves, there is no blessing - ‘salvation... is far from us’. ‘Our sins have separated us from God’. We need to receive ‘salvation’ from You, Lord (Isaiah 59:11,2,17). May we not delude ourselves. Satan is stronger than we are. We have no hope of victory over Satan - until we put our trust in Jesus Christ. Without Christ, we are helpless and hopeless. With Him, we shall be victorious. He is ‘the Rock of our salvation’ (Matthew 7:24-27; 2 Samuel 22:47; 1 Corinthians 10:4). We thank You, Lord, that, in our battle against Satan, we are not alone. Jesus is with us - every step of the way.
Isaiah 60:1-22
Isaiah 60:1-22
‘Arise, shine; for your Light has come... the Lord will be your everlasting Light’ (Isaiah 60:1,19-20). We thank You, Lord, that Your Son, Jesus Christ is ‘the Light of the world’. When we ‘follow Him’, we ‘will not walk in darkness’. We ‘will have the light of life’ (John 8:12). We are living in difficult times. We are surrounded by much darkness. Help us, Lord, not to become discouraged - ‘the lamp of God has not yet gone out’ (1 Samuel 3:3). When the darkness threatens to overcome the Light, may we take encouragement from Your Word - ‘The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it’ (John 1:5). When the darkness seems to be everywhere, help us to put our trust in the Lord - 'The Lord is my light and my salvation - whom shall I fear?' May ‘Your Word’ be ‘a lamp to our feet and a light to our path’ (Psalms 27:1; 119:105).
Isaiah 61:1-11
‘The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me... to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour’ (Isaiah 61:1-2). We thank You, Lord, that Jesus has fulfilled these words (Luke 4:18-21). Jesus has come, ‘proclaiming the Good News of God’. He tells us that ‘the time has come’. This is the time of opportunity, the time for making our response to Jesus Christ. He calls for our response - ‘Repent and believe the Good News!’ Help us, Lord, to make our response now - ‘now is the acceptable time... now is the day of salvation’ (Mark 1:14-15; 2 Corinthians 6:2). There will come a time when the time of opportunity comes to an end. When Christ returns ‘with power and great glory’, it will be ‘the Day of vengeance of our God’. We do not know when Christ will return. He calls us to get ‘ready’ for His Return. Help us to put our ‘faith’ in Him (Isaiah 61:2; Matthew 24:30,36,44; 25:13; Luke 18:8).
Isaiah 62:1-12
Lord, You have given us ‘a new Name’. It is ‘the Name which is above every name’, the Name of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ (2; Philippians 2:9-11). Christ loves us. He has given Himself for us. He calls us His ‘Bride’ (Ephesians 5:25-27; 2 Corinthians 11:2; Revelation 21:2,9). We thank You that, through faith in Christ, we have become ‘the Holy People’. Through Him, we are ‘the Redeemed of the Lord’. We have been ‘Sought After’ by the Lord. In Him, we are ‘the City No Longer Deserted’ (Isaiah 62:12; 1 Peter 2:9-9-10; 1:18-19; Luke 19:10; John 14:18).
Isaiah 63:1-19 - We thank You, Lord, for Your power. You are ‘mighty to save’. We thank You for Your love. You have shown Your ‘steadfast love’ to us. You have become our ‘Saviour’. ‘In Your love’, You have ‘redeemed’ us (Isaiah 63:1,7-9). What love You have for us - ‘God so loved the world that He gave His only Son...’ (John 3:16)! What power there is in Your Gospel of love - ‘The Gospel is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes’ (Romans 1:16)! What a ‘Saviour’ we have - Our Lord Jesus Christ is ‘able to save to the uttermost all who come to God through Him’ (Hebrews 7:25)! We think of Jesus Christ. We think of His love, His power, His salvation. We thank You, Lord, for all that Jesus has done for us - ‘Alleluia! What a Saviour!’
Isaiah 64:1-65:12
We confess our sins to You, Lord - ‘We sinned... All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags’. We look to You for forgiveness - ‘Do not remember our sins for ever’ (Isaiah 64:5-6,9). We know that You hear and answer our prayer. Jesus Christ is Your Answer to our prayer. He has ‘come down’ from heaven to earth. ‘The Son of the Most High’ has been ‘born’ into our world. Jesus Christ is Your way of saying ‘Here am I! Here am I!’. He is ‘God with us’ (64:1; 65:1; Luke 1:32,35; Matthew 1:23). ‘The blood of Jesus, God’s Son, cleanses us from all sin’. Help us, Lord, to ‘confess our sins’. ‘The blood of Jesus, God’s Son, cleanses us from all sin’ - Help us to come to You with faith, believing that You ‘will forgive our sins’. (1 John 1:7,9). May we rejoice in Jesus, our Saviour!
Isaiah 65:13-66:4
Help us, Lord, to see clearly the great contrast between those who belong to Christ - ‘My servants will sing out of the joy of their hearts’ - and those who have refused to come to Christ for salvation - ‘You will cry out from anguish of heart and wail in brokenness of spirit’ (Isaiah 65:14). You are preparing a great future ‘for those who love Him’ - ‘I will create a new heaven and a new earth’. You are calling us away from our sins - ‘Past things will not be remembered. They will not come to mind’. You are calling us to Your ‘holy mountain’. How can we enter into our full enjoyment of God’s eternal salvation? Your Word tells us: ‘I will pay attention to those who are humble and sorry for their sins and who tremble at My Word’ (Isaiah 65:17,25; Isaiah 66:2; 1 Corinthians 2:9). Help us to make sure that we belong to Christ. May we put our faith in Him (John 3:18,36).
Isaiah 66:5-24
‘Hear the Word of the Lord’. How, Lord, are we to listen to Your Word? We are to ‘tremble at Your Word’. We are to ‘drink deeply with delight’ (Isaiah 66:5,10-11). There is to be the fear of the Lord. There is to be joy in the Lord. These are not opposites. They belong together - ‘Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling... Rejoice in the Lord’ (Philippians 2:12; 3:1). May we hear Your warning, and ‘tremble’. To those who ‘sin deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth’, You say this: ‘It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God’ (Hebrews 10:26,31). We hear Your promise, and we ‘rejoice’: ‘The eternal God is your dwelling place, and underneath are the everlasting arms’ (Deuteronomy 33:27). Help us to ‘hear the Word of the Lord’ - the warning as well as the promise!
JEREMIAH
Jeremiah 1:1-19
Serving You, Lord, doesn’t begin with our choice. It begins with Your call. The initiative is Yours – not ours. Thank You, Lord, that You love us so much. Thank You for saving us – and calling us to be Your servants.
Jeremiah 2:1-19
They had turned away from the Lord. They had chosen to go their own way (Jeremiah 2:13). When, Lord, our message isn’t popular, help us to remember that it’s Your message – not ours. You have not called us to preach a superficial message. You’ve called us to preach a searching message. We are to invite our hearers to think about what their wrong choices were doing to them: ‘Have you not brought this on yourselves by forsaking the Lord your God when He led you in the way?’ (Jeremiah 2:17). We are to leave them in no doubt about where their wrong choices are leading them – ‘“Your own evil will punish you, and your turning from Me will condemn you. You will learn how bitter and wrong it is to abandon Me, the Lord your God, and no longer to remain faithful to Me”, I, the Sovereign Lord Almighty, have spoken’ (Jeremiah 2:19). This isn’t what people want to hear. It’s what they need to hear. Help us to be faithful to You – even when it’s difficult and discouragement is never very far away from us.
Jeremiah 2:20-37
‘Where then are the gods you made for yourselves? Let them come if they can save you when you are in trouble!’ (Jeremiah 2:28). Teach us, Lord, that man-made ‘gods’ cannot ‘save’. They cannot even begin to compare with You – ‘the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth’ (Isaiah 40:28). There is no comparison between You, Lord, and the gods – ‘I am God, and there is no other’. For ‘all the makers of idols’, the future holds nothing but ‘shame’ and ‘disgrace’. You’re calling us on to a much better and brighter future. ‘Saved by the Lord with an everlasting salvation.’ We thank You, Lord, that this is the great and glorious future which awaits all who obey Your call to salvation: ‘Turn to Me and be saved, all you ends of the earth’ (Isaiah 45:15-17,22).
Jeremiah 3:1-25
Lord, You call us to ‘return’ to You (Jeremiah 3:14,22). You call us to make our response to You. You invite us to say, ‘Yes, we will come to You, for You are the Lord our God’ (Jeremiah 3:22). How are we to come to You? We are to come to You, confessing our sins – ‘We have sinned against the Lord our God’ (Jeremiah 3:25). We are to come to You, trusting You to save us – ‘Surely in the Lord our God is the salvation of Israel’ (Jeremiah 3:23). We thank You, Lord, for all the blessings that You give to those who return to You. You are ‘merciful’ to us. You do ‘not treat us as our sins deserve’ (Jeremiah 3:12, Psalm 103:10). We become Your children. We call You, ‘Father’ (Jeremiah 3:19; Galatians 4:6). You ‘cure us of our backsliding.’ ‘In Christ’, we become ‘a new creation’ (Jeremiah 3:22; 2 Corinthians 5:17). Thank You, Lord.
Jeremiah 4:1-18
‘If you will return, O Israel,… then the nations will be blessed…’ (Jeremiah 4:1-2). Help us, Lord, not only to seek blessing for ourselves. Teach us to pray that others will be blessed also. Your blessing is not to be kept to ourselves. It is to be shared. We are not to be small-minded people – ‘What will I get out of it?’. Help us to remember what Jesus said to His first disciples, ‘Go and make disciples of all nations’. This is still Your Word to us today. May we never rest content with being an inward-looking Church. Christ has given us a worldwide mission: ‘You will be My witnesses… to the ends of the earth’. We are not left to face this great task on our own. Christ says, ‘I am with you always’. We thank You, Lord, that we do not take up this great challenge in our own strength. Christ says to us, ‘You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you’ (Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 1:8).
Jeremiah 4:19-5:9
‘One disaster follows another. The whole land is ruined… My people are fools. They don’t know Me… They are experts in doing wrong, and they don’t know how to do good’ (Jeremiah 4:20,22). Lord, we read the daily news. We wonder, ‘What’s going to happen next?’ We ask, ‘Where will it all end?’ Are we to give up hope? No! Teach us, Lord, to look beyond the things that are happening in our world today. Help us to keep on looking to You, Lord – ‘the God of hope’. You say to us, ‘There is hope for your future.’ Sometimes, we feel like things are just going from bad to worse. When we feel like this, help us to remember Your Word: ‘I know the plans I have for you… to give you a future and a hope’. ‘May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit’ (Jeremiah 29:11; Jeremiah 31:17; Romans 15:13).
Jeremiah 5:10-6:8
‘A horrible and shocking thing has happened in the land: The prophets prophesy lies, the priests rule by their own authority, and My people love it this way’ (Jeremiah 5:31)! Sometimes, Lord, people are happy to listen to ‘prophets’ – so long as their preaching isn’t too challenging. They’re happy to attend the services conducted by ‘priests’ – so long as nobody expects them to change their way of life. They don’t want ‘prophets’ and ‘priests’ who take Your Word seriously. Help us, Lord, to be serious about preaching Your Word. Help us to be serious about living in obedience to Your Word. This won’t be popular. We won’t be didn’t give people what they want – but we’ll be giving them what they what they need. We’ll be challenging them to ‘get real’ with You, Lord. Help us, Lord to do what You want us to do – not what other people want us to do.
Jeremiah 6:9-30
‘Their ears are closed… The Word of the Lord is offensive to them; they find no pleasure in it’ (Jeremiah 6:10). Sometimes, Lord, we feel like we’re ‘hitting our head off a brick wall’. So few people show any real interest in hearing and obeying Your Word. It seemed like Your Word is ‘going in one ear and out the other.’ It would be so easy for us just to ‘settle down’, to start ‘taking it easy.’ This is what so many people do: ‘They dress the wound of My people as though it were not serious. “Peace, peace”, they say, when there is no peace’ (Jeremiah 6:13-14). Help us, Lord, to be faithful to You – not to settle for being popular with those whom ‘the Lord has rejected’ (Jeremiah 6:30).
Jeremiah 7:1-8:3
‘Stop believing these deceitful words, “We are safe! This is the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord!”’ (Jeremiah 4:4). Help us, Lord, never to allow the place of worship to become more important than the Person we worship. We worship You, Lord. May we not talk a lot about ‘the Church’ – and never speak of Christ! May we not become more concerned about ‘the Church’ looking good than we are about what You, Lord, see when You ‘look at the heart’ (1 Samuel 16:7)! Deliver us, Lord, from self-centred talk – ‘I love my Church. I never miss my Church. I always support my Church’. Help us to see that there’s a great deal of ‘I’ in this kind of talk – but Christ is conspicuous by His absence! May there be less ‘Look at what I have done for my Church’ and more ‘It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me’ (Galatians 2:20).
Jeremiah 8:4-22
‘Wise people are put to shame, confused, trapped. They have rejected the Word of the Lord. They don’t really have any wisdom’ (Jeremiah 8:9). Deliver us, Lord, from thinking that we’re smart. Keep us from becoming wise in their own eyes. Deliver us from the ‘know it all’ attitude. May we not have an answer for everything – except the most important question, the question of salvation: ‘What must I do to be saved?’ Deliver us from knowing know so much – yet knowing so little about what really matters! ‘The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved’ (Jeremiah 8:20). Keep us, Lord, from becoming so obsessed with getting on in the world that we make no time for You. When, Lord, we’re getting too busy enjoying all the pleasures of this world, help us to remember Jesus’ words: ‘What good will it do you if you gain the whole world – and lose eternal life?’ (Matthew 16:22).
Jeremiah 9:1-26
We read, Lord, about those who are ‘circumcised only in the flesh.’ They remain ‘uncircumcised in the heart’ (Jeremiah 9:25-26). Teach us, Lord, that salvation is not a matter of outward conformity to religious rituals. What we need is ‘circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit’ (Romans 2:28-29). Help us to remember Jesus’ words: ‘You must be born again’ (John 3:7). Help us to see clearly that even when we’ve been ‘brought up in the Church’, we still need to open our hearts to Christ. Even when we’ve heard Your Word preached many times, we still need to be born again through the power of ‘the Spirit of the living God’ (2 Corinthians 3:3). Teach us, Lord, that our religious rituals mean nothing if, in our hearts, we remain unconverted: ‘Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything; what counts is a new creation’ (Galatians 6:15).
Jeremiah 10:1-25
‘The Lord is the true God; He is the living God, the eternal King’ (Jeremiah 10:10). Can there ever be anything more important than worshipping You, Lord? We know the answer as soon as we ask the question! Very often, our lives gives a very different answer. We have taken our eyes off You, Lord. We have forgotten that You are the true and living God. We sing the words, ‘O Lord, Thou art my God and King… Each day I rise, I will Thee bless…’ – but they have a hollow ring about them! Help us, Lord, to make a real commitment of our life to You: ‘Teach me to live, day by day, in Your presence, Lord… Teach me to praise, day by day, in Your Spirit, Lord… Teach me to love, day by day, in Your power, Lord… Teach me to give, day by day, from my wealth, O Lord…’ (Mission Praise, 627).
Jeremiah 11:1-23
Lord, You speak Your Word to us. You call us to obedience. You say to us, ‘Obey My voice.’ Often, Lord, the story of our life is summed up in the words: ‘They did not listen or pay attention. They did not obey’ (Jeremiah 11:7-8). Your Word is not just ‘something to think about.’ When You call us to obedience, we’re not to say, ‘I’ll think about that later.’ ‘Now’ is the time for obedience to Your Word: ‘Obey now the voice of the Lord’ (Jeremiah 38:20). Help us, Lord, not to put this off until tomorrow. You’re looking for our obedience today: ‘Today, when you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts’ (Hebrews 4:7). When, Lord, we’re deeply involved in religious ritual – ‘burnt offerings and sacrifices’ – , You say to us, ‘To obey is better than sacrifice’ (1 Samuel 15:22). Help us, Lord, to see that obedience involves our whole life – not just ‘never missing a service’!
Jeremiah 12:1-17
‘“If any nation does not listen, I will completely uproot and destroy it”, declares the Lord’ (Jeremiah 12:17). When, Lord, we are challenged by Your Word, help us not to look out to the world and say, ‘That’s what’s happening “out there”’. Teach us to look into our own hearts. Help us to ask, ‘What’s happening “in here”?’ Teach us to pray, ‘Search me, O God, and know my heart’ (Psalm 139:23). When the searchlight of Your Word begins to shine on our lives, it becomes clear that ‘all is not as it seems’: ‘They speak well of You with their lips, but their hearts are far from You’ (Jeremiah 12:2). Our situation seems hopeless. We cannot change ourselves: ‘Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard his spots? Neither can you do good who are accustomed to doing evil’ (Jeremiah 13:23). We thank You, Lord, that You speak to us Your Word of hope. We can be changed. You can change us: ‘I will give you a new heart’ (Ezekiel 36:26).
Jeremiah 13:1-27
‘These wicked people, who refuse to listen to My words, who follow the stubbornness of their hearts and go after other gods to serve and worship them will be… completely useless’ (Jeremiah 13:10). Lord, Your Word challenges us to think seriously about ourselves: Am I on the way to becoming ‘completely useless’? Each of us must think about what’s been happening in our lives? – ‘Where is the blessedness I knew when first I saw the Lord? Where is the soul-refreshing view of Jesus and His Word? What peaceful hours I once enjoyed! How sweet their memory still! But they have left an aching void the world can never fill.’ Teach us, Lord, for real change – for ‘a closer walk’ with You: ‘Return, O Holy Dove!… The dearest idol I have known… Help me to tear it from Thy throne, and worship only Thee. So shall my walk be close with God…’
Jeremiah 14:1-22
In ourselves, Lord, there is sin – ‘O Lord… we have sinned against You’. In You, Lord, there is salvation – ‘O Lord our God… our hope is in You’ (Jeremiah 14:20,22). In You, Lord, there is no sin – ‘You are too pure to look on evil’ (Habakkuk 1:13). In ourselves , there is no salvation. We are ‘spiritually dead because of our disobedience and sins.’ We need to be ‘made alive’. How can this happen? It is not something we can do for ourselves. The new birth can only be received as Your gift. Help us to stop trying to save ourselves. It cannot be done. Salvation cannot be earned. It is Your gift. It must be received by ‘faith’. Teach us to look away from ourselves to Christ. In Christ, we see Your ‘great love for us.’ Through receiving Christ as Saviour, we are ‘born of God’ (Ephesians 2:1,4-5,8; John 1:12-13). ThankYou, Lord, for such a great Saviour and such a great salvation.
Jeremiah 15:1-21
Lord, some of our problems come from outside of ourselves. Other people cause problems for us – ‘This people will fight against you’ (Jeremiah 15:20). Some of our problems come from within our own hearts. Our own sins cause problems for us. There are ‘fightings and fears within’. We are ‘tossed about with many a conflict, many a doubt.’ Help us to tell You all about it – how it really is. ‘Just as I am’ – This is how we must come to You, Lord. Our ‘fightings and fears’ do not simply disappear the moment we pray, ‘O Lamb of God, I come.’ We do, however, have Your promise: ‘They will fight against you, but they will not overcome you’ (Jeremiah 15:20). We thank You, Lord, that You will lead us in the way of victory (Colossians 2:8-10).
Jeremiah 16:1-21
‘O Lord, my Strength and my Stronghold, my Refuge in the day of trouble, to You the nations will come from the ends of the earth… They will know that My Name is the Lord’ (Jeremiah 16:19,21). Give us, Lord, a faith that is personal – The Lord is my Strength, my Stronghold, my Refuge. Teach us that our faith must not be private. It is not to be kept to ourselves. There is to be no ‘us and them’ attitude. We are not to have a ‘we are the people’ attitude. The Gospel is for the nations. Help us not to say, ‘I’m okay. That’s all that matters.’ The Gospel is to be taken to the ends of the earth. Help us to reach out to others – to share the Gospel with the people we meet. Help us, Lord, to tell people what You have done for us. Help us to tell them what You can do for them. May we let them know how much You love them. May they come to know that our God can be their God too.
Jeremiah 17:1-27
‘The Lord’ is ‘the Fountain of living water’ (Jeremiah 17:13). You say to us, ‘With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation’ (Isaiah 12:3). We can be ‘like a tree planted by water’, a tree that ‘does not cease to bear fruit’ (Jeremiah 17:8; Psalm 1:3). You speak Your Word to us: ‘“Where is the Word of the Lord?” Let it come!’ (Jeremiah 17:15; Psalm 1:2) You bring Your salvation to us: ‘Save me, and I will saved’(Jeremiah 17:14; Psalm 1:6). You give Your blessing to us: ‘Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord’ (Jeremiah 17:7: Psalm 1:1). We rejoice in Your ‘eternal love. We drink from ‘the streams of living waters’ – and we discover that ‘grace,… like the Lord the Giver, never fails from age to age.’ Help us, Lord, to press on to our heavenly and eternal glory: ‘In Your presence is fullness of joy. At Your right hand are pleasures for evermore’ (Psalm 16:11).
Jeremiah 18:1-23
‘The pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands, so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him’ (Jeremiah 18:4). Lord, this is what You're doing in our lives. You are ‘the Potter’. We are no more than ‘jars of clay’ (Jeremiah 18:6; Isaiah 64:8; 2 Corinthians 4:7). Our lives are ‘marred’ by sin. Often, we feel like giving up on ourselves. We thank You, Lord, that You never give up on us. You look beyond what we are now. You see what we will become. You are preparing us for ‘eternal glory’. ‘We are being renewed day by day’. ‘We are being transformed into His likeness with ever-increasing glory’ (2 Corinthians 4:16-17; 2 Corinthians 3:18). ‘Jesus, You are changing me. By Your Spirit, You’re making me like You... You are the Potter and I am the clay. Help me to be willing to let You have Your way...’ (Mission Praise, 389).
Jeremiah 19:1-20:6
‘Listen! I am going to bring on this city and the villages around it every disaster I pronounced against them, because they were stubborn and would not listen to My Word’ (Jeremiah 19:15). Lord, You're warning Your people. You're calling us back from the way of sin and disobedience. You're calling us to return to You. You're looking for people who will take You seriously. You're calling us to live in obedience to Your Word. You're calling us to worship You with the dedication of our lives and not only the words of our lips. Sometimes, we wonder, ‘Will Your blessing be lost forever? Is there a way of rediscovering Your blessing in our lives?’ ‘There’s a way back to God from the dark paths of sin. There’s a door that is open and you may go in. At Calvary’s Cross is where you begin, when you come as a sinner to Jesus’ (Mission Praise. 682).
Jeremiah 20:7-18
‘Cursed be the day I was born!... Why did I ever come out of the womb to see trouble and sorrow and to end my days in shame?’ (Jeremiah 20:14-18). Lord, we read about Jeremiah. We see that he is deeply depressed. He has been preaching Your Word. He’s getting nothing but abuse in return: ‘The Word of the Lord has brought me insult and reproach all day long’ (Jeremiah 20:8). We thank You, Lord, that he didn't stop preaching. He kept on going. He felt like giving up: ‘If I say, “I will not mention Him or speak any more in His Name”’. We thank You, that he was driven on by a greater Power - ‘His Word is in my heart like a fire’. No matter how much he tried to keep silent, he could not do it (Jeremiah 20:9). We thank You, Lord, that he moved forward in triumphant faith: ‘The Lord is with me like a mighty warrior’ (Jeremiah 20:11). We thank You that he called upon Your people to worship You: ‘Sing to the Lord! Give praise to the Lord!’ (Jeremiah 20:13). Help us, Lord, to keep on worshipping You and witnessing for You - especially when the going gets tough.
Jeremiah 21:1-14
‘Perhaps the Lord will perform wonders for us as in times past...’ (Jeremiah 21:2). Lord, we read about "times past" - and we say, "That was then. What about now?" Help us never to assume that You will always bless us. May we never forget that yesterday’s blessing belong to the past. Teach us not to live in the past. Keep us from saying, ‘He has blessed us in the past. He will keep on blessing us.’ Help us to ask ourselves the searching question, "Do we really want to keep on enjoying Yours blessing? Help us to keep on seeking Your blessing. If, Lord, we do not seek You, there will be no promise of blessing. We will hear a very different Word from You: ‘I have determined to do this city harm and not good... I will punish as your deeds deserve’ (Jeremiah 21:10,14). May we never take Your blessing for granted. May we never forget that we could be ‘in for a rude awakening’ - if we do not start seeking You, Lord. Help us to start seeking You today: ‘You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart’ (Jeremiah 29:13).
Jeremiah 22:1-30
We thank You, Lord, that Jeremiah kept on speaking to people who had given up on worshipping You (Jeremiah 22:9). His message was clear: ‘O land, land, land, hear the Word of the Lord?’ (Jeremiah 22:29). Lord, You're speaking Your Word to us. Are we listening? You're looking for people who will listen to You. You want us to pay attention to Your Word. Your Word is like ‘the sound of a trumpet.’ It demands our attention. Many people say, ‘We will not listen.’ Your Word shows us ‘the good way’ and calls us to ‘walk in it.’ Many people say, ‘We will not walk in it.' What about us, Lord? What do we say to You? What is our response to Your Word? We thank You, Lord, for Your Word of warning: ‘I am bringing disaster on this people... because they have not listened to My Word.’ May we not bring this judgment on ourselves. Help us to listen to Your Word and walk in Your way (Jeremiah 6:16-19).
Jeremiah 23:1-20
‘Woe to the shepherds who are destroying and scattering the sheep of my pasture!’ (Jeremiah 23:1). Help us, Lord, not to be like the false ‘prophets’: ‘They speak visions from their own minds, not from the mouth of the Lord.’ What were these false ‘prophets’ saying? - ‘They keep saying to those who despise Me, “The Lord says: You will have peace.” To all those who follow the stubbornness of their hearts, they were saying, “No harm will come to you”’ (Jeremiah 23:16-17). Lord, You're calling us to be faithful. It will not be easy. Often, we will be tempted to ‘take the easy way out.’ We will feel the pull of the world: ‘Just be the same as everybody else.’ When we feel that we are being pulled towards the ‘easy’ option, show us, Lord, that there is something else we must never forget: The 'easy' option is also ‘the broad road that leads to destruction.’ Help us to keep on following Christ on ‘the narrow road which leads to life’ (Matthew 7:13-14).
Jeremiah 23:21-40
‘I did not send these prophets, yet they have run with their message; I did not speak to them, yet they have prophesied’ (Jeremiah 23:21). Before we can speak for You, Lord, we must take time to listen to You. Teach us that we dare not attempt to speak for You if we are not prepared to spend time listening to You. Everything could have been so different - if ‘these prophets’ had taken time to listen to You: ‘If they had stood in My council, they would have proclaimed My words to My people and would have turned them from their evil ways’ (Jeremiah 23:22). Lord, You don't force us to listen to Your Word. You invite us to listen. The choice is ours. We can allow other things to become more important than spending time with You. Help us, Lord, never to become ‘too busy’ for the ‘one thing’ that is more important than anything else - listening to Your Word (Luke 10:41-42).
Jeremiah 24:1-25:14
Lord, we wonder, "Can our lives be changed?" You say to us, " Yes! They can be changed. I can change them: ‘I will give them a heart to know that I am the Lord.’ This, Lord, is no superficial change. This is real change, change which makes a difference. It's a change of heart: ‘they shall return to Me with their whole heart’ (Jeremiah 24:7). Lord, we wonder, "How are we changed?" You tell us, 'I will change you': ‘I will put My Spirit within you, and you shall live’ (Ezekiel 37:14). We become new people - ‘alive to God in Christ Jesus’ (Romans 6:11). This is the great change, the change that makes all the difference. It’s not just a little change here and there. It’s everywhere. No part of our life remains the same. Every part of life is changed. When there’s a real change of heart, everything changes - ‘all things have become new’ (2 Corinthians 5:17). ‘Change my heart, O God...’ (Mission Praise, 69).
Jeremiah 25:15-38
‘I am beginning to bring disaster on the city that bears My Name’ (Jeremiah 25:29). We thank You, Lord, for the privilege of being Your people. With this great privilege, there is also the great responsibility of living as Your people. We are not to be Your people in name only. We are to live the life of Your people. Help us, Lord, never to think that we can enjoy the privilege of being Your people, if we are not prepared to bear the responsibility of living as Your people. Teach us that privilege and responsibility belong together: ‘You only have I chosen of all the families of the earth; therefore I will punish you for all your sins’ (Amos 3:2). We cannot say, ‘I belong to You, Lord’ and then live whatever way we like. We have been ‘raised with Christ.’ We have received new life through faith in Him. Help us to keep on living this new life: ‘Set your hearts and minds on things above, not on earthly things’ (Colossians 3:1-2).
Jeremiah 26:1-24
‘He has spoken to us in the Name of the Lord our God’ (Jeremiah 26:16). We thank You, Lord, that Jeremiah was Your true servant. We need people like him today. He was faithful. He was unashamed of You. He was unafraid to speak up for You. We see this same faithfulness in Christ’s apostles: ‘Day after day, in the temple and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and preaching the Good News that Jesus is the Christ’ (Acts 5:42). We could do with people like that today, people who are enthusiastic about sharing the Gospel, people who are eager to win others for Christ. We, Lord, can become people like that. You can make us like that - if we let You! As we hear Your Word in Church, as we read Your Word in our own homes, may we pray that You will give us the strength to share, with others, the Word You have given to us.
Jeremiah 27:1-22
‘They will be taken to Babylon and there they will remain until the day I come for them. Then I will bring them and restore them to this place’ (Jeremiah 27:22). Lord, You had a great purpose for Your people - but they had to wait for Your time. You have a great purpose for us. Christ is preparing a great ‘place’ for us: ‘In My Father’s House are many mansions... I am going there to prepare a place for you’. We thank You that Christ has promised that He will return to take us to that great ‘place’: ‘I will come again and will take you to Myself, that where I am you may be also’ (John 14:2-3). We rejoice in this: Christ is coming. Help us to wait patiently for Him. Teach us to wait for His time, the time of His Coming, the Day when He comes for us. We thank You, Lord, that You have not forgotten Your promise. He will come ‘to save those who are eagerly waiting for Him’ (Hebrews 9:28).
Jeremiah 28:1-17
‘Listen, Hananiah, the Lord has not sent you, and you have made this people trust in a lie’ (Jeremiah 28:15). Lord, there is such a difference between those who wait on You for Your strength and those who rush ahead in their own strength! Your Word warns us against trying to serve You in our own strength: ‘Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted’. If we are to be true servants of the Lord, we must learn to wait upon the Lord and receive His strength: ‘Those who wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength’. What a difference the strength of the Lord makes - ‘They shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint’ (Isaiah 40:30-31)! Teach us to exchange our weakness for Your strength - then we will truly be ‘sent’ by You and will speak Your truth.
Jeremiah 29:1-32
‘I know the plans I have for you... to give you a future and a hope’. Lord, this was Your long-term purpose for Your people. It was important that they did not lose sight of this. There would be ‘seventy years’ of captivity in Babylon (Jeremiah 29:10-11). At times, they must have wondered, ‘Will this ever end? Is there really something better still to come?’ Our life on earth may sometimes seem like the ‘seventy years’ in Babylon: ‘The length of our days is seventy years... yet all they bring us is trouble and sorrow’! We wonder, Lord, ‘Is there a glorious future still to come?’ In our times of ‘suffering’ and ‘sorrow’, teach us to draw our ‘strength’ from Your Word. May we look forward to ‘the Day’ when Christ ‘comes to be glorified in His holy people and to be admired in all who believe’ (Psalms 90:10; 119:28; 2 Thessalonians 1:4-5,10).
Jeremiah 30:1-24
‘I am with you to save you’. This, Lord, was Your Word to Your people. You assured Your people that their ‘captivity’ in Babylon would not last forever. You gave Your promise to them: ‘I will restore the fortunes of My people... I will bring them back to the land which I gave to their fathers’ (Jeremiah 30:10-11,3). ‘I am with you to save you’. This is still Your Word to us. You tell us that our ‘captivity’ will not last forever. Christ has died to ‘free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death’. Help us, Lord, to look beyond our earthly life. Give us a life-changing glimpse of our glorious future - ‘Death’ will be ‘swallowed up in victory’. ‘Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ’. Let us ‘be steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord, our labour is not in vain’ (Hebrews 2:14-15; 1 Corinthians 15:54,57-58).admired in all who believe’ (Psalms 90:10; 119:28; 2 Thessalonians 1:4-5,10).
Jeremiah 31:1-20
‘I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness’ (Jeremiah 31:3). So often, Lord, we have been like ‘the prodigal son’ (Luke 15:11-24). We have walked away from Your House. We have wandered off into ‘the far country’. We feel that we are far from You, yet still You draw near to us. You, Lord, are at work in our hearts. You are bringing us ‘to our senses’. You are reminding us of Your love. You are drawing us back to Yourself. In love, You are calling us home again. You are speaking to our hearts. You are saying to us, ‘I have loved you with an everlasting love’. As Your love reaches our hearts, ‘the prodigal son’ becomes ‘the returning son’: ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son’. ‘Bring me back, let me come back, for you are the Lord my God!’ (Jeremiah 31:18).
Jeremiah 31:21-40
‘Set up road signs; put up guideposts. Take note of the highway, the road that you take’ (Jeremiah 31:21). Lord, it’s so easy, for us, to take a wrong turning. We lose our sense of direction. We get confused. We're not sure which way to go. We get lost. We're getting more and more lost all the time. We can’t find our way back home again. We need someone who knows the way to come and be our guide. We wonder, "Is there someone who can get us on the right road again? Is there someone who can guide us safely home?" We thank You, Lord, that You have answered our question. Your answer is "Yes!" We thank You that Jesus is ‘the Way, the True Way, the Living Way’ (John 14:6). We thank You for Jesus - our Guide and our Saviour.
Jeremiah 32:1-25
‘Nothing is too hard for You’ (Jeremiah 32:17). Lord, we face many difficult situations. What are we to do when we feel we can take no more? Help us to remember You. Nothing is too hard for You. Help us to remember Your promise: ‘The Lord is faithful, and He will strengthen and protect you from the evil one’ (2 Thessalonians 3:3). May we hear the voice of Jesus, calling us to follow Him. May we hear His word of warning - ‘the way is hard.’ May we also know that He is our loving Saviour. He does not leave us to go it alone. We thank You, Lord, that Jesus gives us His strength - ‘My yoke is easy and my burden is light’ (Matthew 4:19; 7:14; 11:30). We thank You, Lord,
Jeremiah 32:26-44
‘I will bring them back to this place’ (Jeremiah 32:37). Lord, You're bringing us into Your ‘place.’ You're bringing us close to Yourself: ‘They will be My people, and I will be their God’ (Jeremiah 32:38). You're bringing us into the ‘place’ of obedience: ‘I will inspire them to fear Me, so that they will never turn away from Me’ (Jeremiah 32:40). You're leading us to the ‘place’ of blessing: ‘I will give them singleness of heart and action, so that they will always fear Me for their own good and the good of their children after them’ (Jeremiah 32:39). Sometimes, Lord, our life seems like ‘a desolate waste.’ Help us never to lose sight of Your purpose: ‘I will rejoice in doing them good and will assuredly plant them in this land with all My heart and soul’ (Jeremiah 32:43,41). We thank You, Lord, that You will not leave us in our ‘desolate waste.’ You will lead us to a better ‘place’ - the ‘place’ of obedience and blessing.
Jeremiah 33:1-26
‘I will bring Judah and Israel back from captivity and will rebuild them as they were before. I will cleanse them from all the sin they have committed against Me... Then this city will bring Me renown, joy, praise, and honour before all nations on earth...’ (Jeremiah 33:7-9). What great blessing lay ahead of Your people! Lord, You were pointing Your people to the place of blessing: Jesus Christ - ‘the righteous Branch from David’s line’ (Jeremiah 33:15-16). We thank you that 'in Christ’, we have ‘every spiritual blessing’: ‘No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love Him’ (Ephesians 1:3; 1 Corinthians 2:9). We thank You, Lord, that You have so much blessing to give to us. Help us to come to You and receive Your blessing: ‘Call to Me, and I will answer you; I will show you wonderful and marvellous things that you know nothing about’ (Jeremiah 33:3).
Jeremiah 34:1-22
We read, Lord about slaves being ‘set free.’ We think, "This is great!" Then, we read about things going wrong - ‘Afterwards they changed their minds and took back the slaves... and enslaved them again’ (Jeremiah 34:8-11). What, Lord, do You have to say about this? - ‘You have turned round and dishonoured Me... You took back the slaves... You forced them into slavery again... You have not obeyed Me’ (Jeremiah 34:16-17). We thank You that Jesus isn’t like these slavemasters! He doesn’t only promise us freedom. He gives us our freedom: ‘If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed’. He doesn’t come to us with ‘a pack of lies’ - promising this, that and the other, and then breaking every promise. We thank You that He sets us free with His Word of truth - ‘You shall know the truth, and the truth will set you free’ (John 8:36,32; Psalm 119:45).
Jeremiah 35:1-19
‘Will you not learn a lesson and obey My words?’ (Jeremiah 35:13) - ‘Jonadab, son of Rechab, ordered his sons not to drink wine and this command has been kept... I have spoken to you again and again, yet you have not obeyed Me’ (Jeremiah 35:14). Lord, help us not to say, ‘I will follow You’ and then change our mind (Luke 9:57). Help us not to sing, ‘Take my life, and let it be consecrated, Lord, to Thee’, and then live a life which contradicts our prayer of commitment to You. Help us to mean what we say - to follow through our words of commitment with a life of obedience, a life that is pleasing to You. We read about the Rechabites. They were obedient to Jonadaab’s command - and You blessed them (Jeremiah 35:18-19). Obedient and blessed - That’s what You want us to be. Help us, Lord, to obey You - and look to You for the blessing.
Jeremiah 36:1-32
‘The king cut it with the penknife, and threw it into the fire’ (Jeremiah 36:23). Help us, Lord, not to be like this king. He didn’t like Your Word. He thought he could get rid of Your Word. What a fool he was! You saw what was going on. The king’s attempt to silence You was utterly futile. You would not be silenced. You continued to speak Your Word. Soon, the king was hearing another Word from Youd: ‘You burned that scroll...’ (Jeremiah 36:29)! Lord, You’re still speaking to us today. You’re calling us to listen to You. You’re calling us back from the way of ‘wickedness’, back from the brink of ‘disaster’ (Jeremiah 36:31). You’re calling us back from the way of unbelief, the way that leads to ‘the eternal fire, prepared for the devil and his angels.’You’re calling us to be ‘blessed.’Help us to have faith in the Saviour - to receive ‘the Kingdom prepared for us since the creation of the world’ (Matthew 25:41,34).
Jeremiah 37:1-21
‘Is there any Word from the Lord?’ - ‘Yes! There is a Word from the Lord.’Lord, Your Word wasn’t exactly what the king wanted to hear - ‘You will be handed over to the king of Babylon’ (Jeremiah 37:17). You were going to bless Your people - but they would have to be patient: Things were going to get an awful lot worse before they would get much better! Before their restoration - “I will bring them back and restore them to this place’, Your people faced captivity - ‘They will be taken to Babylon.’There was bad news - a captivity of ‘seventy years.’There was good news - the captivity wouldn’t last forever (Jeremiah 37:27:22; 29:10-11)! Lord, You speak of Your blessing - ‘It will certainly come’, but You also say, ‘Wait for it’ (Habakkuk 2:3). Help us to listen to all that You say to us - and not ‘only hear what we want to hear’!
Jeremiah 38:1-28
‘No Surrender’ - Lord, was this the way forward for Your people? ‘No Surrender’ - What would happen if Your people adopted this attitude? Jeremiah speaks Your Word to the people. He calls them to make their choice. They can ‘surrender’ and ‘live’. They can say, ‘No Surrender’ - and face certain death (Jeremiah 38:17-18). Captivity in Babylon would not be easy. They would be heartbroken as they recalled happier times - ‘By the rivers of Babylon we sat and wept when we remembered Zion.’It would be so difficult to keep on praising You - ‘How shall we sing the Lord’s song in a foreign land?’ (Psalm 137:1,4). Life in Babylon would be difficult - but ‘it would not be the end of the world’! They could still look forward to the fulfilment of Your ‘gracious promise’: ‘I will come to you and bring you back to this place’ (Jeremiah 29:10).
Jeremiah 39:1-18
You can take the man out of Babylon, but you can’t take Babylon out of the man! We may have never set foot in the ancient city of Babylon, but we know all about the spirit of Babylon! ‘The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately corrupt’ (Jeremiah 17:9) - This, Lord, is the spirit of Babylon. It’s ‘the spirit of disobedience’, the spirit which is ‘at work’ in every one of us: ‘All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God’ (Ephesians 2:2; Romans 3:23). Is there any hope for us? We cannot change ourselves: ‘Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard its spots? Neither can you do good who are accustomed to doing evil’ (Jeremiah 13:23). Lord, You can change us. To those who ‘trust’ in Him, You say, ‘I will save you’ (Jeremiah 39:18). You want to bless us. Help us to put our trust in You. May Your blessing flow into our hearts (Jeremiah 17:7).
Jeremiah 40:1-16
‘The Lord your God pronounced this evil against this place; the Lord has brought it about, and has done as He said. Because you sinned against the Lord, and did not obey His voice, this thing has come upon you’ (Jeremiah 40:3). Lord, we hear a great deal today about ‘the feel good factor.’People need to get a good feeling: ‘Give them a pat on the back. Make them feel good about themselves.’There’s not much of a ‘feel good factor’ in Jeremiah’s preaching! The people must have been wondering, ‘Where did they dig him up from? He has nothing good to say about anyone or anything.’Help us, Lord, to rise above the sarcasm of those who have no time for Your Word. May we ask, ‘Where did Jeremiah’s message really come from?’- and may we hear Your answer: ‘The Word came to Jeremiah from the Lord’ (Jeremiah 40:1).
Jeremiah 41:1-42:6
Terrible things were happening! Things were going from bad to worse. ‘What next?’ - The people were wondering where it would all end. Lord, what are we to do when everything seems to be getting totally out of control? There is one thing we must never forget. It is the most important thing of all. We must ‘pray to the Lord our God.’We must ask You, Lord, to ‘show us the way we should go.’You will ‘show us the thing that we should do’ (Jeremiah 42:2-3). May we learn that it’s time to stop complaining and start praying.
Jeremiah 42:7-43:7
‘Do not go to Egypt’ (Jeremiah 42:19). We may never set foot in the country known as ‘Egypt’ - but the spirit of ‘Egypt’ may be in our hearts: ‘Who is the Lord, that I should obey Him...?’ (Exodus 5:2). ‘Egypt’ is an attitude of the heart. It is an attitude of rebellion against You, Lord. Teach us to say ‘No’ to ‘Egypt.’Teach us to say ‘No’ to the spirit of rebellion against You. For Your people, ‘Egypt’ was a place of slavery, a place from which they needed to be set free by You, Lord (Exodus 2:23-25; 3:7-10). Each of us must choose how we will live. We can remain in the place of slavery - ‘slaves of sin’ - , or we can be ‘obedient from the heart’, stepping out from that place into the place of freedom, ‘the new life of the Spirit’ - ‘`the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set me free from the law of sin and death’ (Romans 6:17-18; 7:6; 8:2). Teach us, Lord, to choose Your way - not our own way.
Jeremiah 43:8-44:14
‘The Word of the Lord came to Jeremiah’ (Jeremiah 43:8). Lord, You speak Your Word to those who are prepared to make time for listening to You. Help us to come to Your Word, praying that it will be ‘a lamp to your feet and a light to your path.’May we come with the prayer, ‘Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in Your Word.’Help us to ‘live according to Your Word’: ‘I have hidden Your Word in my heart that I might not sin against You’ (Psalm 119:105,18,9,11). ‘Speak’ to us, Lord - and teach us to ‘listen’ to what You say to us (1 Samuel 3:10). ‘Say to them, “This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel says...”’ (Jeremiah 43:10). Help us not to keep Your Word to ourselves. Help us to share Your Word. May we not listen to You without also speaking for You. May we always remember that we cannot really speak for You unless we are also listening to You.
Jeremiah 44:15-45:5
‘Egypt’ was to be a place of punishment. Lord, You speak to those who remain in the the place of rebellion. You say to them, ‘I will punish you in this place.’This is Your Word of warning. We don’t need to remain in the place of rebellion and punishment. We can ‘return’ to ‘Judah’, the place of obedience and blessing (Jeremiah 44:28-29). This is not about places we will find on a map of the world. It’s a call to look into the secret places of our hearts. Teach us, Lord, to search our hearts. What will You find when You look into our hearts? Will You find rebellion? Will You find obedience? You want us to leave the place of rebellion and punishment. You want us to return to the place of obedience and blessing. ‘Search me, O God, and know my heart!... See if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!’ (Psalm 139:23-24).
Jeremiah 46:1-28
‘Egypt rises like the Nile, like rivers whose waters surge. He said, “I will rise, I will cover the earth, I will destroy cities and their inhabitants”’ (Jeremiah 46:8). Lord, the spirit of rebellion against You is very powerful. Many lives have been destroyed by the attitude of proud unbelief: ‘Who is the Lord, that I should obey Him...?’ (Exodus 5:2). Help us to take our stand against this attitude. Help us, Lord, to stand up for You. We see the world going from bad to worse. Help us to keep on believing Your Word. When, Lord, we are filled with fear, You come to us with Your Word, ‘Do not fear... Do not be dismayed...’When we feel the spirit of rebellion sweeping over us, You come to us with Your promise: ‘I will surely save you out of a distant place.’ You give us ‘peace and security’ - ‘Do not fear... I am with you’ (Jeremiah 46:27-28).
Jeremiah 47:1-48:17
‘The day has come to destroy all the Philistines... The Lord is about to destroy the Philistines... Woe to you, O Moab! The people of Chemosh are destroyed’ (Jeremiah 47:4). That seems like ancient history - nothing to do with us! What about this? - ‘A curse on him who is lax in doing the Lord’s work!’ (Jeremiah 48:17). Lord, Your Word was written many centuries ago - but it still has a great deal to do with us! We miss the point if we read the Bible as no more than a book of ancient history. Lord, You’re still speaking to us through your Word. You’re still calling us to sit up and take notice. You’re still demanding our attention. Help us not to be lazy in Your work. Teach us to be Your faithful servants. ‘Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord... your labour in the Lord is not in vain’ (1 Corinthians 15:58).
Jeremiah 49:1-22
‘Afterwards I will restore the fortunes...’ (Jeremiah 49:6). Sometimes, Lord, when we’re going through a particularly difficult time, we wonder, ‘Will this ever end?’You, Lord, speak to us Your Word of encouragement. There will be an ‘afterwards.’There will be a ‘restoration of our fortunes.’’The Lord will not cast us off for ever. Though He brings grief, He will show compassion according to His steadfast love. He does not willingly bring suffering or grief to anyone’ (Lamentations 3:31-33). May there come a time when we will be able to look back at our most distressing circumstances and say from the heart, ‘God meant it for good’ (Genesis 50:20). In our most testing and trying times, Lord, You’re teaching us to say, with confidence in You, ‘We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him’ (Romans 8:28).
Jeremiah 49:23-39
‘I will restore the fortunes... in days to come’ (Jeremiah 49:39). Lord, You’re calling us on to Your future, a glorious future, a future full of heavenly and eternal glory. We look ahead to ‘days to come.’We look ahead to the greatest Day of all - the Day of Christ’s Return. It will be a glorious Day - ‘the Day He comes to be glorified... in all who have believed.’What a glorious Day it will be - the Day of ‘the Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ’, the Day of ‘our being gathered to Him’: ‘The Lord Himself will come down from heaven... We will be with the Lord for ever.’Help us, Lord, to get ready for Christ’s Return. May we not be like those who ‘perish.’They ‘do not obey the Gospel of our Lord Jesus.’They ‘refuse to love the truth and be saved.’May we have ‘faith’ in Christ and be ‘saved’ (2 Thessalonians 1:7-10; 2:1,10,13-14; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18).
Jeremiah 50:1-28
‘The people... will go in tears to seek the Lord their God... They will come and bind themselves to the Lord in an everlasting covenant that will not be forgotten’ (Jeremiah 50:4-5). Lord, You’re calling us to come to You. You’re calling us to commit ourselves to You. We’re to come to You Lord with ‘tears’: ‘Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation’ (2 Corinthians 7:10). Our commitment to You is not to be a half-hearted thing. It is to be a whole-hearted dedication of our lives to You. You love us. You have blessed us so much. You have drawn us to Yourself. You have heard and answered our prayer for salvation. How are we to respond to Your love? Teach us, Lord, to give ourselves to You as ‘a living sacrifice.’This is our ‘spiritual worship.’It is ‘holy and pleasing’ to You, Lord (Romans 12:1).
Jeremiah 50:29-46
‘The arrogant one will stumble and fall’ (Jeremiah 50:32). Lord, Your Word warns us - ‘Pride goes before... a fall’, ‘Arrogance will bring your downfall’ (Proverbs 16:18; 29:23). Help us not to trust in ourselves. Help us to put our trust in You, Lord - Our ‘Redeemer is strong. The Lord Almighty is His Name’ (Jeremiah 50:34). Help us not to boast of ourselves. Salvation is ‘not our own doing.’Teach us to ‘boast’of You, Lord.’Salvation is ‘the gift of God’ (1 Corinthians 1:31; Ephesians 2:8-9). When we are tempted to take pride in ourselves - ‘Lord, I thank You that I am not like other men...’ (Luke 18:11-12), teach us to come to the Cross of Christ, praying the sinner’s prayer - ‘Lord, have mercy on me, a sinner’ (Luke 18:13) - and boasting only of You, our Lord and Saviour - ‘God forbid that I should glory except in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ’ (Galatians 6:14).
Jeremiah 51:1-33
‘Lift up a banner in the land! Blow the trumpet among the nations!’ (Jeremiah 51:27). Lord, You call us to be Your witnesses. If we are growing in our fellowship with You, we will want others to know what they’re missing. We will want them to know how much blessing they could know - if they put their faith in Christ and began to walk with Him day-by-day. Help us to give our testimony: ‘The Lord is my Banner’, ‘His banner over me is love’ (Exodus 17:15; Song of Solomon 2:4). Help us to make sure that our ‘trumpet’ gives out ‘a clear call’, calling people to come to Christ. May we point them to Christ, calling them to trust Him as Saviour and obey Him as Lord. Teach us, Lord, to show them the way to true happiness: ‘Trust and obey, for there’s no other way to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey’ (Mission Praise, 760).
Jeremiah 51:34-64
‘When you get to Babylon, see that you read all these words aloud’ (Jeremiah 51:61). Lord, Your Word is not to be kept within the place of worship. We are to take Your Word to ‘Babylon.’Help us to speak Your Word in the places where You are not worshipped. May we call people to turn from their sinful ways. May we call them to return to You, Lord. This will not be an easy message to speak. Many people won’t want to hear it. Help us, Lord, to Your faithful messengers, warning people that they must not neglect Your salvation and put themselves in danger of Your judgment. Help us to speak of the Day, when everyone of us must ‘answer’ to You concerning the way we have lived our lives (Hebrews 2:3; 4:13). Teach us to call on people to ‘believe in the Lord Jesus’ and ‘be saved’ (Acts 16:31).
Jeremiah 52:1-34
We need ‘a portion for each day... all the days of our life’ (Jeremiah 52:34). When, Lord. we pray, ‘Give us this day our daily bread’, teach us to look beyond our physical need for food. May we remember our spiritual need for ‘the Bread of life’: ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every Word of God’ (Matthew 6:11; John 6:35; Luke 4:4). Teach us, day-by day, to pray for spiritual feeding: ‘Break Thou the Bread of life, dear Lord to me, as Thou didst break the bread beside the sea. Beyond the sacred page I seek Thee, Lord. My spirit longs for Thee, Thou living Word! Thou art the Bread of life, O Lord, to me, Thy holy Word the truth that saveth me. Give me to eat and live with Thee above. Teach me to love Thy truth, for Thou art love.’
_______________________
LAMENTATIONS
Lamentations 1:1-22
Jerusalem had fallen into hard times - ‘she who once was great among the nations... has now become a slave’ (Lamentations 1:1). Lord, we wonder why this happened. The explanation for this sad situation was not hard to find - ‘Jerusalem has sinned greatly and so has become unclean...’ (Lamentations 8-9). We wonder, "Could things be turned around? Could there once again be blessing?" We thank You, Lord, that there was a way back to You - the way of being honest before You. They needed to look seriously at their way of life and think seriously about their attitude towards You, Lord. They were not to adopt an arrogant attitude - ‘There’s really nothing wrong with us. We’re doing all right.’ They were to come to You with a real confession of sin: ‘The Lord is righteous, yet I rebelled against His command... O Lord,... I have been most rebellious’ (Lamentations 1:18,20). We thank You, Lord, that Your blessing will begin again when we confess our sin.
Lamentations 2:1-22
We think, Lord, about Jerusalem’s fall into hard times. This wasn't ‘just one of those things that happens.’ Your people brought it on themselves. They didn't take You seriously - but You continued to take them seriously. They ignored You, Lord, but You didn't ignore their disobedience to You. They sinned against You - and You were angry with them: ‘How the Lord in His anger has set the daughter of Zion under a cloud!’ (Lamentations 2:1). This was not just a case of glibly saying, ‘The good times will come again.’ They needed to recognize why the bad times had come: ‘The Lord has... carried out His threat’ (Lamentations 2:17). Lord, You had warned Your sinful people. Judgment was on its way - if they refused to listen to You. Now, in the time of You judgment, You are still calling us back to Yourself: ‘Cry aloud to the Lord!...’ (Lamentations 2:18-19). Help us, Lor, to return to You?
Lamentations 3:1-24
Lord, there are times when it seems nothing is going right for us: ‘I am the man who has seen affliction...’ (Lamentations 3:1-3). In such times, Help us to remember this: ‘The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases. His mercies never come to an end.’ When we find ourselves in circumstances of great distress, may we learn to look beyond the things that are happening to us. Teach us, Lord, to look You, and say, ‘Great is Your faithfulness.’ We don't find it easy to see You at work in our lives when everything seems to be going wrong. Teach us to be patient, as we wait for Your blessing return to our lives. May we put all our hope in You, Lord. Teach us to trust in Your precious promise: ‘The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul that seeks Him. It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord’ (Lamentations 3:22-26).
Lamentations 3:25-42
Teach us, Lord, In our ‘grief’, not to forget Your ‘compassion’ (Lamentations 3:32). You understand us. You care for us. How, Lord, do we know that You love us? ‘Christ died for us’ (Romans 5:8). This is the greatest demonstration of Your love for us. How can we doubt Your love for us when we think of Your Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, dying on the Cross for us as our Saviour? When we think of Your love for us, may we remember that You call us to love You. Teach us not to take Your love for granted - ‘God loves me. I can do what I like.’ Help us to appreciate Your love - ‘God loves me. I will love Him.’ You love us. Christ died for us. How can we say, ‘I’ll do what I like’? How can we refuse to be changed by Your love?‘ Teach us, Lord, to examine our ways and turn back to You. Teach us to open our hearts to You’ (Lamentations 3:40-41).
Lamentations 3:43-66
‘You came near when I called You... O Lord... You redeemed my life’ (Lamentations 3:57-58). We wonder, Lord, ‘Will You answer our prayer for salvation?’ Yes! At the Cross of Christ, we learn that You love us and answers our prayer. ‘You did not wait for me to draw near to You, but You clothed yourself in frail humanity. You did not wait for me to cry out to You, but You let me hear Your voice calling me. And I’m forever grateful to You, I’m forever grateful for the Cross; I’m forever grateful to You that You came to seek and save the lost.’ ‘Thank You for the Cross, the price You paid for us, how You gave Yourself so completely, precious Lord, precious Lord. Now our sins are gone, all forgiven, covered by Your blood, all forgotten, thank You Lord, thank You Lord’ (Songs of Fellowship, 631; Mission Praise, 632).
Lamentations 4:1-22
We thank You, Lord, that no human king can even begin to compare with our Lord Jesus Christ, ‘the King of kings’ (Revelation 19:16). The people of Jerusalem were full of confidence. They ‘trusted their king to protect them from every invader.’ They thought Jerusalem was invincible: ‘No one anywhere, not even rulers of foreign nations, believed that any invader could enter Jerusalem’s gates.’ They were wrong. They thought it would never happen - but it did! The unthinkable happened! ‘They captured the source of our life, the king the Lord had chosen.’ Why, Lord, did it happen? Your Word gives us the reason: ‘It happened because of the sins of her prophets and... priests’. The king - ‘the Lord’s anointed’ - was unable to prevent Jerusalem’s defeat (Lamentations 4:12-13,20). We praise You, Lord - We have a greater King: our Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ!
Lamentations 5:1-22
‘You, O Lord, reign for ever; Your throne endures from generation to generation’. Help us to remember this when we feel like You have ‘forgotten’ us. When we feel like You have ‘abandoned’ us, may we remember this: ‘You, O Lord, are King for ever, and will rule to the end of time’ (Lamentations 5:19-20). Teach us not only to pay lip-service to You, our Lord and our King. May we crown You as King of our hearts and our lives. How, Lord, are we to do this? Teach us to pray, ‘Bring us back to You, Lord!’ (Lamentations 5:21). Lord, You're looking for a real return to You and a real difference in our lives. ‘In your hearts enthrone Him. There let Him subdue all that is not holy, all that is not true...’; ‘So let us learn how to serve and in our lives enthrone Him, each other’s needs to prefer, for it is Christ we’re serving’ (Church Hymnary, 300; Mission Praise, 162).
__________________________Jerusalem had fallen into hard times - ‘she who once was great among the nations... has now become a slave’ (Lamentations 1:1). Lord, we wonder why this happened. The explanation for this sad situation was not hard to find - ‘Jerusalem has sinned greatly and so has become unclean...’ (Lamentations 8-9). We wonder, "Could things be turned around? Could there once again be blessing?" We thank You, Lord, that there was a way back to You - the way of being honest before You. They needed to look seriously at their way of life and think seriously about their attitude towards You, Lord. They were not to adopt an arrogant attitude - ‘There’s really nothing wrong with us. We’re doing all right.’ They were to come to You with a real confession of sin: ‘The Lord is righteous, yet I rebelled against His command... O Lord,... I have been most rebellious’ (Lamentations 1:18,20). We thank You, Lord, that Your blessing will begin again when we confess our sin.
Lamentations 2:1-22
We think, Lord, about Jerusalem’s fall into hard times. This wasn't ‘just one of those things that happens.’ Your people brought it on themselves. They didn't take You seriously - but You continued to take them seriously. They ignored You, Lord, but You didn't ignore their disobedience to You. They sinned against You - and You were angry with them: ‘How the Lord in His anger has set the daughter of Zion under a cloud!’ (Lamentations 2:1). This was not just a case of glibly saying, ‘The good times will come again.’ They needed to recognize why the bad times had come: ‘The Lord has... carried out His threat’ (Lamentations 2:17). Lord, You had warned Your sinful people. Judgment was on its way - if they refused to listen to You. Now, in the time of You judgment, You are still calling us back to Yourself: ‘Cry aloud to the Lord!...’ (Lamentations 2:18-19). Help us, Lor, to return to You?
Lamentations 3:1-24
Lord, there are times when it seems nothing is going right for us: ‘I am the man who has seen affliction...’ (Lamentations 3:1-3). In such times, Help us to remember this: ‘The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases. His mercies never come to an end.’ When we find ourselves in circumstances of great distress, may we learn to look beyond the things that are happening to us. Teach us, Lord, to look You, and say, ‘Great is Your faithfulness.’ We don't find it easy to see You at work in our lives when everything seems to be going wrong. Teach us to be patient, as we wait for Your blessing return to our lives. May we put all our hope in You, Lord. Teach us to trust in Your precious promise: ‘The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul that seeks Him. It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord’ (Lamentations 3:22-26).
Lamentations 3:25-42
Teach us, Lord, In our ‘grief’, not to forget Your ‘compassion’ (Lamentations 3:32). You understand us. You care for us. How, Lord, do we know that You love us? ‘Christ died for us’ (Romans 5:8). This is the greatest demonstration of Your love for us. How can we doubt Your love for us when we think of Your Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, dying on the Cross for us as our Saviour? When we think of Your love for us, may we remember that You call us to love You. Teach us not to take Your love for granted - ‘God loves me. I can do what I like.’ Help us to appreciate Your love - ‘God loves me. I will love Him.’ You love us. Christ died for us. How can we say, ‘I’ll do what I like’? How can we refuse to be changed by Your love?‘ Teach us, Lord, to examine our ways and turn back to You. Teach us to open our hearts to You’ (Lamentations 3:40-41).
Lamentations 3:43-66
‘You came near when I called You... O Lord... You redeemed my life’ (Lamentations 3:57-58). We wonder, Lord, ‘Will You answer our prayer for salvation?’ Yes! At the Cross of Christ, we learn that You love us and answers our prayer. ‘You did not wait for me to draw near to You, but You clothed yourself in frail humanity. You did not wait for me to cry out to You, but You let me hear Your voice calling me. And I’m forever grateful to You, I’m forever grateful for the Cross; I’m forever grateful to You that You came to seek and save the lost.’ ‘Thank You for the Cross, the price You paid for us, how You gave Yourself so completely, precious Lord, precious Lord. Now our sins are gone, all forgiven, covered by Your blood, all forgotten, thank You Lord, thank You Lord’ (Songs of Fellowship, 631; Mission Praise, 632).
Lamentations 4:1-22
We thank You, Lord, that no human king can even begin to compare with our Lord Jesus Christ, ‘the King of kings’ (Revelation 19:16). The people of Jerusalem were full of confidence. They ‘trusted their king to protect them from every invader.’ They thought Jerusalem was invincible: ‘No one anywhere, not even rulers of foreign nations, believed that any invader could enter Jerusalem’s gates.’ They were wrong. They thought it would never happen - but it did! The unthinkable happened! ‘They captured the source of our life, the king the Lord had chosen.’ Why, Lord, did it happen? Your Word gives us the reason: ‘It happened because of the sins of her prophets and... priests’. The king - ‘the Lord’s anointed’ - was unable to prevent Jerusalem’s defeat (Lamentations 4:12-13,20). We praise You, Lord - We have a greater King: our Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ!
Lamentations 5:1-22
‘You, O Lord, reign for ever; Your throne endures from generation to generation’. Help us to remember this when we feel like You have ‘forgotten’ us. When we feel like You have ‘abandoned’ us, may we remember this: ‘You, O Lord, are King for ever, and will rule to the end of time’ (Lamentations 5:19-20). Teach us not only to pay lip-service to You, our Lord and our King. May we crown You as King of our hearts and our lives. How, Lord, are we to do this? Teach us to pray, ‘Bring us back to You, Lord!’ (Lamentations 5:21). Lord, You're looking for a real return to You and a real difference in our lives. ‘In your hearts enthrone Him. There let Him subdue all that is not holy, all that is not true...’; ‘So let us learn how to serve and in our lives enthrone Him, each other’s needs to prefer, for it is Christ we’re serving’ (Church Hymnary, 300; Mission Praise, 162).
EZEKIEL
Ezekiel 1:1-2:10
‘The heavens were opened and I saw visions of God... The Word of the Lord came to Ezekiel’(Ezekiel 1:1-2). Lord, You open our eyes to ‘see the light of the Gospel of the glory of Christ’ (2 Corinthians 4:4). You Lord speak to us. Help us to listen to You: ‘Speak, Lord, for Your servant is listening’ (1 Samuel 3:9-10). ‘The Spirit came into me... Do not be afraid of them or their words’ (Ezekiel 2:2,6). Through Your Spirit, we receive wisdom - ‘We have received the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand what God has freely given us’ - and strength - ‘God strengthens us with power through His Spirit in our inner being’ (1 Corinthians 2:12; Ephesians 3:16). ‘Be Thou my Vision, O Lord of my heart... Be Thou my Wisdom, Thou my true Word... Be Thou my Battleshield, sword for the fight.’
Ezekiel 3:1-4:17
Lord, You speak to us: ‘The Word of the Lord came to me’ (Ezekiel 3:16). We speak to You: “Ah, Lord God!’ (Ezekiel 4:14). We speak for You: ‘When I speak to you, I will open your mouth and you shall say to them, “This is what the Lord God says, Whoever will listen, let him listen...”’ (Ezekiel 3:27). How can we keep on listening to You, speaking to You and speaking for You? We need to be strengthened with the power of the Holy Spirit: ‘The Spirit came into me and raised me to my feet’ (Ezekiel 3:24). We thank You, Lord, that the Spirit is our ‘Helper.’He helps us to listen to You: ‘The Holy Spirit will teach you all things’ (John 14:26). He helps us to speak to You: ‘The Spirit helps us in our weakness’ (Romans 8:26). He helps us to speak for You: ‘You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be My witnesses’ (Acts 1:8).
Ezekiel 5:1-6:14
‘Because you have defiled My sanctuary... I Myself will withdraw My favour’ (Ezekiel 5:11). To those who despise Your Word and treat the place of prayer with contempt, Jesus still speaks His Word of judgment: ‘My House will be called a House of prayer, but you have made it a den of thieves’ (Matthew 21:13). Lord, You’re warning us: ‘You have abandoned the love you had at first. Remember the height from which you have fallen! Return to Me and change the way you think and act. If you don’t change, I will come to you and remove your lamp from its place’ (Revelation 2:4-5). When, Lord, You remove Your blessing, there is nothing left but ‘a desolate waste’ (Ezekiel 6:14). Help us to make sure that we don’t become like Samson - ‘“I will go out as at other times, and shake myself free.”He did not know that the Lord had left him’ (Judges 16:20).
Ezekiel 7:1-8:18
‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says to the land of Israel: The end!’ (Ezekiel 7:2). Why, Lord, did You say, ‘This is “the end? ”’You had been taking a good look at what was going on among His people: ‘the utterly detestable things the house of Israel is doing here, things that will drive Me far from My sanctuary’ (Ezekiel 8:6). You came to this conclusion - ‘This is the end of the road. It’s the end of the time of blessing. It’s now time for judgment’: ‘The end is now upon you and I will unleash My anger against you. I will judge you according to... all your detestable practices...’ (Ezekiel 7:3-4). Why did You say, ‘This is “the end”’ - the end of a time of blessing, the beginning of a time of judgment? The answer is clear: If there is no obedience, there can be no blessing. Disobedience can lead to only one thing - judgment. Teach us, Lord, to obey Your Word. Lead us on the pathway of blessing.
Ezekiel 9:1-10:22
For many people, the time of blessing had come to an end and the time of judgment had begun. Some, however, would escape the judgment, They had been obedient to You, Lord. You protected them in the time of judgment: ‘Put a mark on the foreheads of those who grieve and lament over all the detestable things that are done... Do not touch anyone who has the mark’ (Ezekiel 9:4,6). They were marked out as Your faithful people. They had continued to worship You when so many others were turning away from You. For many people, life can be summed up in these sad words: ‘The glory of the Lord departed’(Ezekiel 10:18). ‘I looked and I saw...’ (Ezekiel 10:1,9): In a time when many show no interest in You, Lord, there are those who look to You and catch a glimpse of Your glory - ‘the glory of the God of Israel was above them’ (Ezekiel 10:19).
Ezekiel 11:1-12:16
Lord, You speak to us about our sin - ‘Son of man, you are living among a rebellious people’ - and Your salvation - ‘I will... put a new spirit in them...’ (Ezekiel 12:2; Ezekiel 11:19-20). Show us, Lord, that we must receive’ with humility, the bad news concerning our sin - ‘The wages of sin is death’ - before we can receive, with gladness, the Good News concerning Your salvation - ‘The free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord’ (Romans 6:23). You want each of us to be saved: ‘The Lord... does not want anyone to perish; He wants everyone to turn away from their sins’ (2 Peter 3:9). To those who refuse to be saved, dismissing the bad news concerning their sin and closing their hearts to the Good News concerning Your salvation, You speak Your Word or warning: ‘...I will punish them for what they have done’ (Ezekiel 11:21).
Ezekiel 12:17-13:23
‘Hear the Word of the Lord!’ (Ezekiel 13:2). Lord, Your Word warns us: ‘The time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn away from listening to the truth and wander into myths.’When, Lord, we see this happening, help us to commit ourselves to You. May we live as Your faithful servants: ‘As for you, always be steady, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfil your ministry’ (2 Timothy 4:3-5). When, Lord. people are looking for a ‘feel good’ type of message, a message with plenty of entertainment and no real challenge, may we never forget that Your Word is to be used for ‘teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness...’ (2 Timothy 3:16-17).
Ezekiel 14:1-15:8
‘Some of the elders of Israel came to’ Ezekiel. He spoke the Word of the Lord to them: ‘Repent! Turn from your idols and renounce all your detestable practices!’ (Ezekiel 14:1,8). This, Lord, may not have been what they wanted to hear. It was what You wanted them to hear. They did not want to hear this, but they needed to hear it. Lord, You were warning them what would happen if they did not make a real return to You: ‘I will make the land desolate because they have been unfaithful’ (Ezekiel 15:8). Your Word demands a response. What will our response be? Will we say, ‘We don’t want the Lord “to reign over us”’ (Luke 19:14)? Will we be, like Peter, who ‘took Jesus aside and began to rebuke Him...’ (Matthew 16:22)? Help us, Lord, not to be like those who dismiss Your Word with arrogant pride. Help us to listen to Your Word - and be changed by Your Word.
Ezekiel 16:1-34
Without Christ, we are naked and dirty. He covers our nakedness and washes away our dirtiness (Ezekiel 16:8-9). We thank You, Lord, that Jesus is our Saviour. Teach us to come to Him with this prayer: ‘Nothing in my hand I bring, simply to Thy Cross I cling; Naked, come to Thee for dress; Helpless, look to Thee for grace; Foul, I to the fountain fly; Wash me, Saviour, I die.’Lord, You hear and answer this prayer. You have given us Your promise: ‘Whoever comes to Me, I will never drive away’ (John 6:37). When You have heard and answered our prayer for salvation, we have this joyful testimony: ‘I delight greatly in the Lord, my soul rejoices in my God; for He has clothed me with the garments of salvation, He has covered me with the robe of righteousness’ (Isaiah 61:10). May we rejoice in this: ‘He saved us by washing away our sins’ (Titus 3:5).
Ezekiel 16:35-63
Lord, You call Your unfaithful people to listen to Your Word: ‘You prostitute, hear the Word of the Lord!’ (Ezekiel 16:35). You speak to them of ‘sin, righteousness and judgment’ (John 16:8). You show them their sin - ‘your filthiness and your nakedness’ (Ezekiel 16:36). You speak to them as the righteous God, the God of perfect holiness - ‘Your eyes are too holy to look at evil. You cannot stand the sight of people doing wrong’ (Habakkuk 1:13). You warn them that there will be judgment: ‘I will judge you” (Ezekiel 16:38). Why, Lord, do You speak to us of sin, righteousness and judgment? This is Your way of bringing us to repentance - ‘I will make you stop being a prostitute’ - and salvation - “My anger will be over, and I will be calm’ (Ezekiel 16:41-42). Lord, we know that our sin is great - but we thank You that we know something else: our Saviour is greater - ‘Wonderful grace of Jesus, greater than all my sin... Praise His Name!’
Ezekiel 17:1-24
To those who adopt a ‘rebellious’ attitude to You, Lord, You speak Your Word of warning - They shall ‘not escape’ Your judgment (Ezekiel 17:12,18). For those who abandon this attitude of rebellion, there is a way of salvation. We thank You, Lord, for the words of prophecy which looks forward to the coming of the Messiah, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ . We thank You for Your promise: ‘I the Lord have spoken, and I will do it’(Ezekiel 17:22-24). We thank You that You have fulfilled Your promise. You have sent Your Son to be our Saviour (Matthew1:22-23). We now await the fulfilment of prophecy concerning Christ’s Return: ‘I will come gain’’, This same Jesus... will come back.’, ‘The Lord Himself will come down from heaven.’We thank You that Jesus has given us His promise - “I am coming soon.’We hear His promise, and we say, ‘Come, Lord Jesus’ (John 14:3; Acts 1:11; 1 Thessalonians 4:16; Revelation 22:20).
Ezekiel 18:1-32
‘The soul that sins shall die’ (Ezekiel 18:4). ‘If a man is righteous... he shall surely live’ (Ezekiel 18:5-9) Lord, what hope is there for us? If we look, with honesty, into our own hearts, we discover this dark truth concerning ourselves: ‘None is righteous... All have sinned’ (Romans 3:10,23). Is there any Good News for us? Is there a way that leads to eternal life? ‘Suppose there is a truly good man, righteous and honest...’ (Ezekiel 18:4). Lord, is there such a man? Is there a man concerning whom You say, ‘That man is righteous; he will surely live’ (Ezekiel 18:9). Yes! There is! Who is this man? What does Your Word tell us about Him? He is Jesus Christ, our Saviour. He ‘died for our sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring us to God’ (1 Peter 3:18). We put our faith in Him. He gives us ‘eternal life’. We ‘pass from death to life’ (1 John 5:11-13; John 5:24). Thank You, Lord, for Jesus, our great Saviour.
Ezekiel 19:1-14
Lord, You look upon the sinfulness of His people - and Your heart is filled with sadness. If we truly love You, we will have great sadness when we see people turning away from You and ruining their lives. We have joy in You, Lord - ‘Rejoice in the Lord always’ (Philippians 4:4). There is also ‘great sorrow’ in our hearts when we think of those who refuse to come to Christ for salvation. This ‘sorrow’ leads us to pray: ‘My heart’s desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved’ (Ezekiel 19:1,14; Romans 9:2; 10:1). Help us, Lord, to pray for our ‘dry and thirsty land.’We pray that You will come to our ‘wilderness’: ‘He will come to us as the showers, as the spring rains that water the earth.’We pray that people will ‘return’to You. We pray that they will ‘press on to know’You (Ezekiel 19:13; Hosea 6:1-3).
Ezekiel 20:1-26
What great things, Lord, You did for Your people, Israel. You ‘brought them out of the land of Egypt.’You led them to ‘a land flowing with milk and honey’ (Ezekiel 20:6). We think of what You have done for us. You have brought us out of our sin and into Your salvation: ‘He called you out of darkness into His marvellous light’ (1 Peter 2:9). Lord, You saved Your people, Israel - and they were to live for You: ‘I am the Lord your God. Obey My laws and My commands’ (Ezekiel 20:19). You have saved us: ‘You have been saved by grace through faith. This is not your own doing. It is the gift of God.’You call us to live for You. We have been ‘saved... for good works.’ Our ‘good works’ are to ‘bring glory to our Father in heaven’ (Matthew 5:16). Help us, Lord, to ‘walk in the light’, rejoicing in our Saviour - ‘the blood of Jesus cleanses us from all sin’ (1 John 1:7).
Ezekiel 20:27-49
You speak to us, Lord, about Your purpose for our lives: ‘Through you I intend to display My holiness for all the nations to see’ (Ezekiel 20:41). You want other people to notice that we are different. You want them to see that You have changed us: ‘As the Spirit of the Lord works within us, we become more and more like Him’ (Ezekiel 20:2 Corinthians 3:18). May this is to be our testimony: ‘What a wonderful change in my life has been wrought since Jesus came into my heart!... I have ceased from my wandering and going astray since Jesus came into my heart! And my sins which were many are all washed away since Jesus came into my heart!’Lord, help us to live as ‘a new creation’, being ‘renewed every day.’May we make it our ‘aim’ to ‘live’for You and ‘please’You (2 Corinthians 4:16-18; 5:9,15,17).
Ezekiel 21:1-32
Lord, we read about ‘the time of final punishment’ (Ezekiel 21:25,29). Your Word speaks to us about ‘eternal punishment’ as well as ‘eternal life’: ‘Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not have life, but will remain under God’s punishment’ (Matthew 25:46; John 3:36). Lord, You love us. You sent Your Son to be our Saviour. You calls us to put our faith in Christ (John 3:16-18). You speak to us Your Word of promise - ‘Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved’ - and Your Word of warning - ‘How shall we escape if we ignore such a great salvation?’ (Hebrews 2:3). Lord, You’re calling us to ‘flee from the wrath to come’ (Luke 3:7). Help us to turn from sin - ‘Turn away from your sins and live’ - and turn to You - ‘Turn to Me and be saved’ (Ezekiel 18:32; Isaiah 45:22).
Ezekiel 22:1-31
‘I looked for a man..., but I found none’ (Ezekiel 22:30). Lord, You’re looking for people who will be faithful in prayer. What happens when Your people refuse to pray? Your Word leaves us in no doubt - ‘I will pour out My anger on them..., bringing down on their own heads all they have done’ (Ezekiel 22:31). What a tragedy! The people refused to pray - and there was no blessing from You, Lord: ‘You do not have, because you do not ask God’ (James 4:2). Things could have been so different: ‘If My people, who are called by My Name, will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land’ (2 Chronicles 7:14). Lord, You want to bless us. Help us to pray for Your blessing. ‘Ask and it will be given to you...’ (Matthew 7:7-8).
Ezekiel 23:1-49
‘Because you have forgotten Me and turned your back on Me, you will be punished for all your sin’ (Ezekiel 23:35). Lord, help us not to forget You. Help us to remember You. Help us not to let Your Word ‘go in one ear and out the other’. Help us to be ‘doers of the Word’ as well as ‘hearers of the Word’ (James 1:22-25). May we put the past behind us and make a new beginning with You: ‘Return to Me, and I will return to you’ (Malachi 3:7). ‘Have mercy on me, O God... Cleanse me from my sin... Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me. Do not cast me away from Your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation’ (Psalm 51:1-2,10-12). May this be the prayer of our hearts, and may Your blessing flow into our lives.
Ezekiel 24:1-27
‘I will punish you because of the way you lived’ (Ezekiel 24:14). Lord, You're calling us to think about the way we are living. You want us to leave behind the old, self-centred way of living. You want us to begin a new life, a life that is centred on You. Real change comes from You, Lord. We pray that You will change us - ‘Change my heart, O God. Make it ever true. Change my heart, O God. May I be like You’. We must pray for a deep work of the Spirit of God in our hearts - ‘Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me... Break me, melt me, mould me, fill me...’. We must pray that we will become more like Jesus - ‘Let the beauty of Jesus be seen in me, all His wondrous compassion and purity. Oh, Thou Spririt divine, all my nature refine, till the beauty of Jesus be seen in me’ (Mission Praise, 69,613,410).
Ezekiel 25:1-17
Lord, we read about Your judgment upon sinful nations - Ammon (Ezekiel 25:1-7), Moab (Ezekiel 25:8-11), Edom (Ezekiel 25:12-14) and Philistia (Ezekiel 25:15-17). You speak to us. You say to us, ‘You will know that I am the Lord’ (Ezekiel 25:5,7,11,17). You speak to us as our Judge. You speak to us about ‘sin, righteousness and judgment’ (John 16:8-11). We are sinners. You are righteous. There will be a Judgment. This, Lord, is Your way of showing us how much we need Your love. You show us how much we need to be saved so that we might learn to be truly thankful to You for the Good News of Your love, the Gospel of our salvation - ‘God so loved the world that He gave His only Son...’; ‘Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners’; ‘Christ died for our sins’ (John 3:16; 1 Timothy 1:15; 1 Corinthians 15:3). Teach us to ‘rejoice in God our Saviour’ (Luke 2:47).
Ezekiel 26:1-21
‘I am against you, O Tyre... You will be no more... You will never again be found...’ (Ezekiel 26:3,21). Lord, Your Word is spoken against us: ‘There is no-one righteous... All have turned away... There is no-one who does good... All have sinned...’ (Romans 3:10,12.23). You speak Your Word against us ‘so that every mouth may be silenced’ (Romans 3:19). You want us to to stop making excuses for ourselves. You want us to start listening to what You have to say to us. For the city of Tyre, the situation was hopeleess. For us, there is a Word of hope. Jesus Christ has come ‘to seek and to save the lost’. Jesus Christ has ‘died for our sins’ (Luke 19:10; 1 Peter 3:18). We thank You, Lord, that ‘through faith in Jesus Christ’, we hear Your Word of forgiveness: ‘I will remember their sins no more’ (Romans 3:22; Hebrews 8:12; Hebrews 10:17).
Ezekiel 27:1-36
‘Your wealth... will sink into the heart of the sea on the day of your shipwreck’ (Ezekiel 27:27). Teach us, Lord, that we will sink if we don’t ‘keep our eyes fixed on Jesus’. Help us not to allow ourselves to get weighed down. Keep us from becoming ‘entangled’ in the world’s way of living. Help us to ‘throw off everything that hinders’ our spiritual growth. We thank You, Lord, that Jesus is ‘the sure and strong Anchor for our lives’. He will keep us from sinking. Teach us to look to Him and learn from Him: ‘Do not lay up treasures on earth... Lay up treasures in heaven’ (Hebrews 12:1-2; 6:19; 2 Timothy 2:4; Matthew 6:19-20). ‘Will your anchor hold in the storms of life...? We have an Anchor that keeps the soul , steadfast and sure while the billows roll, fastened to the Rock which cannot move, grounded firm and deep in the Saviour’s love!’ (Church Hymnary, 412).
Ezekiel 28:1-26
‘You were on the holy mount of God... You were blameless in your ways... You sinned... I drove you in disgrace from the mount of God’ (Ezekiel 28:14-16). This is much more than the ‘long time ago’ story of ‘the king of Tyre’ (Ezekiel 29:12). As we read these words, Lord, may we catch a glimpse of ‘the spiritual forces in the heavenly realms’. We read about ‘war in heaven’. We read about the downfall of ‘Satan’. Your Word is warning us: ‘Our struggle is not against flesh and blood’. You're showing us that we face a much more poweful ‘enemy’ - ‘Satan’. He ‘disguises himself as an angel of light’. Help us not be fooled by him. He is no ‘angel of light’. He is ‘a roaring lion’. He is ‘prowling about, looking for someone to devour’. We thank You, Lord, that we shall overcome him ‘by the blood of the Lamb...’ (Ephesians 6:12; Revelation 12:7-9,11; 2 Corinthians 11:14; 1 Peter 5:8).
Ezekiel 29:1-21
Lord, in Your dealings with Egypt, we see both Your wrath - ‘Egypt will become a desolate wasteland’ - and Your mercy - ‘At the end of forty years... I will restore the fortunes of Egypt’ (Ezekiel 29:9,13-14). Your wrath is Your response to Egypt’s pride - ‘Because you said, “The Nile is mine; I made it”, therefore I am against you’ (Ezekiel 29:9-10). In Your merciful restoration, You place Your restraint on Egypt’s pride - ‘It shall be the most lowly of the kingdoms, and will never again exalt itself above the other nations’ (Ezekiel 29:15). Lord, we come to You as sinners. We confess our sins, praying, ‘In wrath, remember mercy’. You save us by ‘Your mercy’. Your way of salvation - ‘through Jesus Christ our Saviour’ - is a constant rebuke to our pride: ‘This is not your own doing. It is the gift of God’ (Habakkuk 3:2; Titus 3:4-6; Ephesians 2:8).
Ezekiel 30:1-26
‘The day of the Lord is near... A sword will come against Egypt... The day of Egypt’s doom is sure to come’ (Ezekiel 30:3-4,9). Teach us, Lord, not to take You lightly. Show us that we can’t do what we like and get away with it. We must not ‘trample the Son of God under foot’. We must not ‘treat Christ’s blood as an unholy thing’. We must not ‘insult the Spirit of grace’. Help us never to forget this: ‘It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God’. Lord, You're speaking to us concerning ‘the Day of the Lord’, the Return of Christ: ‘He who is coming will come...’. You're speaking to us Your Word of warning: ‘Those who shrink back are destroyed’. He speaks His Word of promise: ‘Those who believe are saved’ (Hebrews 10:29,31,37-39). ‘When Christ comes, will He find faith...?’. Teach us to pray, ‘Search my heart, O God...’ (Luke 18:8; Psalm 139:23-24).
Ezekiel 31:1-18
‘Pharaoh, king of Egypt’ had the appearance of ‘majesty’ - ‘Who can be compared with you in majesty?’ - yet he was ‘brought down’ (Ezekiel 31:2,18). Teach us, Lord that there is one Majesty who will never be brought down. May we never forget our Lord Jesus Christ. He is ‘the same yesterday and today and for ever’. He will receive ‘glory for ever and ever’. To Him alone, You say, ‘Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever’ (Hebrews 13:8,21; 1:8). This is real Majesty! ‘Majesty, worship His Majesty. Unto Jesus be glory, honour and praise. Majesty, Kingdom authority, flows from His throne unto His own. His anthem raise. So exalt, lift up on high the Name of Jesus. Magnify, come glorify, Christ Jesus the King. Majesty, worship His Majesty, Jesus who died, now glorified, King of all kings’ (Mission Praise, 454).
Ezekiel 32:1-32
‘Pride goes before destruction’ (Proverbs 16:18). ‘Pharaoh, king of Egypt’ was arrogant and ruthless: ‘You are like a lion among the nations;you are like a monster in the seas, thrashing about in your streams, churning the water with your feet and muddying the streams’ (Ezekiel 32:2). Soon, it would be ‘the day of his downfall’: ‘The sword of Babylon will come against you... Pharaoh and all his hordes will be killed by the sword’ (Ezekiel 10-11,32). Teach us. Lord, not to be like the rich fool - ‘You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry’. He couldn’t have been more wrong! - You said to him, ‘You fool! I will demand your life from you tonight!' Help us, Lord to hear and heed Your Word of warning: 'This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich towards God’ (Luke 12:19-21).
Ezekiel 33:1-33
Ezekiel was to be ‘a watchman for the house of Israel’: ‘whenever you hear a Word from My mouth, you shall give them warning from Me’. He was to ‘warn the wicked to turn from his way’ (Ezekiel 33:7-9). This, Lord, is Your warning of love. You love us. It is because You love us that You ‘have no pleasure in the death of the wicked’. In Your love, You show us our sin so that we might come to You with a real confession of sin: ‘Our sins are upon us’. In Your love, You create in us a desire for Your salvation: ‘How then can we live?’ In Your love, You call us to return to You: ‘Turn back from your evil ways’. You love us. You do not want us to ‘die’: ‘Why will you die?’ (Ezekiel 33:10-11). In love, You show us our sin - ‘The wages of sin is death.’ We thank You, Lord, that You also call us to receive Your ‘free gift’ - ‘eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord’ (Romans 6:23).
Ezekiel 34:1-31
Lord, You speak to us in love. You say to us, ‘I Myself will be the Shepherd of My sheep’ (Ezekiel 34:15). We rejoice in Your love. We say, ‘The Lord is my Shepherd’ (Psalm 23:1). We thank You that Jesus is our Shepherd. He is ‘the good Shepherd’. He laid down His life for us that we might receive the forgiveness of our sins. ‘Christ died for our sins’. We tahnk You that Your Son, Jesus - ‘the Righteous’ - died for us - ‘the unrighteous’ - ‘to bring us to You’ (John 10:11; 1 Corinthians 15:3; 1 Peter 3:18). He is ‘the great Shepherd’. He was ‘raised’ from the dead’. Through His resurrection, we receive eternal life. We thank You that He says to us, ‘Because I live you will live also’ (Hebrews 13:20-21; 1 Corinthians 15:4; John 14:19). He is ‘the chief Shepherd’. We thank You that He will come again with ‘the unfading crown of glory’ for His ‘good and faithful servants’ (1 Peter 5:4; Matthew 25:21).
Ezekiel 35:1-15
‘You will be desolate, O Mount Seir, you and all of Edom. Then they will know that I am the Lord’ (Ezekiel 35:15). The people of Edom knew You, Lord, as their Judge. We thank You there is a much better way of knowing You. We can know You as our Saviour. Those who refuse to come to Jesus Christ, trusting in Him as Saviour, place themselves under God’s judgment. They are ‘condemned already because they have not believed in the Name of God’s one and only Son’. They will know the Lord as their Judge - but they could have known Him as their Saviour if they had submitted to Your saving purpose for their lives: ‘God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him’ (John 3:17-18). Each of us must choose. You're asking us a very important question - Do you know Christ as Saviour, or will you face Him as Judge? Give us faith, Lord - faith in Your Son, our Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ.
Ezekiel 36:1-38
‘I will look on you with favour’ (Ezekiel 36:9). Through Christ our Saviour, You, Lord, look upon us with favour. Teach us to rejoice in the ‘wonderful grace of Jesus.’ It is ‘greater than all our sin.’ It 'reaches us.' We thank You, Lord, for Your wonderful grace: ‘Let me introduce you to a friend called Grace. Doesn’t care about your past or your many mistakes. He’ll cover your sins in a warm embrace. Let me introduce to a friend called Grace’. ‘His grace reaches lower than your worst mistake and His love will run further than you can run away’. ‘He believes in lost causes when common sense would just give up. He believes in lost causes and changes people with His love. There’s nobody too far gone, no one beyond His reach. He believes in lost causes ‘cause He believed in me’ (Phillips, Craig and Dean). Teach us to let Jesus be our Joy!
Ezekiel 37:1-28
It was ‘a valley of dry bones’ (Ezekiel 37:1-2). Then, Lord, You changed everything - ‘I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live’ (Ezekiel 37:5). What a difference You make! ‘Breathe on me, Breath of God. Fill me with life anew’ (Church Hymnary, 103). What happens, Lord, when Your Spirit breathes new life into Your Church? - ‘The Church that seemed in slumber has now risen from its knees and dry bones are responding with the fruits of new birth’. ‘Holy Spirit, we welcome You. Let the breeze of Your presence flow that Your children here might truly know how to move in the Spirit’s flow... Holy Spirit, we welcome You. Please accomplish in us today some new work of loving grace, we pray. Unreservedly, have Your way. Holy Spirit, we welcome You’ (Mission Praise, 274,241).
Ezekiel 38:1-23
We read, Lord, of Your judgment upon ‘Gog from the land of Magog’: ‘When Gog attacks the land of Israel, My hot anger will be aroused... I will execute judgment upon him...’ (Ezekiel 38:1,18,22). The names ‘Gog and Magog’ are also found in Revelation 20:7-10. There, we read of rebellion against You, Lord - ‘They marched across the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of God’s people...’ We read of Your judgment - ‘Fire came down from heaven and consumed them’. In this divine judgment upon ‘Gog and Magog’, we see Your final triumph over ‘Satan’: ‘The devil who had deceived Gog and Magog was thrown into the lake of fire and sulphur’ to be ‘tormented day and night for ever and ever’. ‘Hallelujah! Our Lord God Almighty reigns’ (Revelation 19:6).
Ezekiel 39:1-29
We read, Lord, about Gog's defeat. Teach us to look beyond this to Satan’s final defeat (Ezekiel 39:1-6; Revelation 20:10). We look ahead to Your final victory over Satan. While we’re here on earth, teach us never to forget that Satan is a very powerful enemy. He will do all that he can to make us sin against You, Lord. We see this in the life of Your people, Israel. They allowed Satan to get the upper hand - and You were not pleased with them: ‘The nations shall know that the people of Israel went into captivity for their sin, because they were unfaithful to Me’(Ezekiel 39:23). We thank You, Lord, that Your Word assures us that - even when Satan has gained the upper hand - , we can be ‘brought back’ to the place of blessing. We thank You, Lord, that You will ‘have mercy’ on us. You will ‘pour out Your Spirit’ upon us (Ezekiel 39:25,29). ‘Restore us, O God...’ (Psalm 85:4).
Ezekiel 40:1-49
Lord, You were revealing Yourself to Ezekiel. ‘The hand of the Lord was upon’ him. He received ‘visions of God’ (Ezekiel 40:1-2). You told him not to keep this revelation to himself: ‘Tell the house of Israel everything you see’ (Ezekiel 40:4). Help us to learn from ‘the prophets who spoke in the Name of the Lord’. Like them, we are to seek to bring ‘sinners’ back to the Lord, showing them ‘the error of their ways’ and pointing them to Your way of salvation. This work is to be done prayerfully. May we never forget that ‘the prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective’ (James 5:10,16,19-20). We thank You, Lord, that You promise great blessing to those who are faithful in this work of winning others for You: ‘Those who lead many to righteousness will shine like the stars for ever and ever’ (Daniel 12:3).
Ezekiel 41:1-42:20
‘This is the Most Holy Place’ (Ezekiel 41:4). Here, Lord, You're speaking about the Temple. The Temple was the place where Your people were to gather together to worship You. There is another ‘holy place’, another place where You are to be glorified: ‘Your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit... Glorify God in your body’ (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). We worship You, Lord, when we are in the place of worship. That is only a part of our worship. Our heart is to be a ‘holy place’ where You alone are worshipped. Teach us to worship Him in everything we do: ‘Be holy in all you do’. At the heart of our worship, may there be thanksgiving for Your love. At the heart of the holy life, there is love. Teach us to ‘obey the truth’ - to ‘love one another deeply from the heart’ (1 Peter 1:15-16,22).
Ezekiel 43:1-27
Lord, this is not only about the glory of the Temple. It’s about ‘the glory of the God of Israel’. This is the greater glory - ‘the glory of the Lord filled the Temple’ (Ezekiel 43:1,5). Lord, You're not only concerned about the creation of a beautiful place of worship. You want our lives to be ‘radiant with Your glory’. This happens when ‘the Spirit lifts us up’ and brings us close to You - ‘into the inner court’ (Ezekiel 43:2,5). We pray that Your glory will fill the place of worship: ‘May the fragrance of Jesus fill this place’. We pray that ‘the glory of Jesus’ will ‘fill His Church’. We are not only praying for Your glory in the place of worship. We are praying for Your glory in our lives: ‘May the beauty of Jesus fill my life... Fill my thoughts, my words, my deeds’ (Mission Praise, 462).
Ezekiel 44:1-31
'I looked and saw the glory of the Lord filling the Temple of the Lord...’ (Ezekiel 44:4). We look to You, Lord. We catch a glimpse of Your glory - and ‘we become more and more like You’. You're leading us out of our life of sin, a life that ‘falls short of Your glory.’, You're leading us into Your life of salvation, a life of ‘being transformed into Your likeness with ever-increasing glory’ (2 Corinthians 3:18; Romans 3:23). We have not yet arrived at our full deliverance from sin: ‘When He appears, we shall be like Him’ (1 John 3:2). As we await the return of our Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, may we keep on praying: ‘Change my heart, O God... May I be like You’. Teach us, Lord to ‘turn our eyes upon Jesus." May we 'look full on His wonderful face.' May 'the things of earth grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace’. (Mission Praise, 69,712).
Ezekiel 45:1-25
We read, Lord, about 'the sin offerings, cereal offerings, burnt offerings, and peace offerings, to make atonement for the house of Israel’ (Ezekiel 45:17). We thank You that all of this points forward to the single Sacrifice for sin made by our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ: ‘Christ died for sins once for all, the Righteous for the unrighteous, to bring us to God’ (1 Peter 3:18). ‘We have been forgiven and made clean through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all’ (Hebrews 10:10). Teach us to look beyond the many sacrifices to the one Sacrifice: ‘Christ has offered one Sacrifice for sins, an offering that is effective for ever’. Teach us to rejoice in our Saviour: ‘He is able for all time to save those who draw near to God through Him’ (Hebrews 10:12; 7:25).
Ezekiel 46:1-24
We read, Lord, about the ‘offering’ of ‘a lamb without defect’. This was to happen ‘morning by morning’ (Ezekiel 46:13). From these offerings , we look on to another Offering, ‘a single Offfering’, the ‘once for all’ Offering of Jesus Christ as ‘the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world’. Jesus Christ - the Lamb of God - has ‘offered for all time a single Sacrifice for sins’ (John 1:29; Hebrews 10:10,12,14). As we read about the many lambs, we hear Your voice calling out to us, directing our attention to our Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: ‘Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world’ (John 1:36). We thank You, Lord, that ‘Christ’ is ‘our Passover Lamb’. We thank You that He ‘has been sacrificed’ for us. Teach us to rejoice in this - Through His ‘precious blood’, we are ‘redeemed’ (1 Corinthians 5:7; 1 Peter 1:18-19).
Ezekiel 47:1-23
We read, Lord, about the rising of the ‘river’ of Your blessing - ‘ankle-deep... knee-deep... up to the waist ... deep enough to swim in - a river that no-one could cross’ (Ezekiel 47:3-5). This is the river of ‘life’ - ‘a great number of trees.... Swarms of living creatures will live wherever the river flows... large numbers of fish because... where the river flows everything will live’ (Ezekiel 47:7-9). We thank You, Lord, that ‘the Spirit’ brings ‘rivers of living water’ into our lives (John 7:38-39). Help us not to settle for a shallow experience of Your blessing - ‘ankle-deep’, ‘knee-deep’. ‘Deep calls to deep’. May ‘the Spirit’ lead us into ‘the deep things of God’. Teach us to ‘launch out into the deep’. May we ‘swim’ in Your mighty ‘river’ of blessing. May we ‘be filled with the Spirit’ (Ezekiel 47:3-5; Psalm 42:7; Luke 5:4; 1 Corinthians 2:10; Ephesians 5:18).
Ezekiel 48:1-35
‘The Lord is there’ (Ezekiel 48:35). We thank You, Lord, that You are with us when we gather for worship: ‘Where two or three are gathered together in My Name, there am I in the midst of them’ (Matthew 18:20). You love to be among us when we are worshipping You: ‘He looks down upon us, delight in His face, enjoying His children’s love, enthralled by our praise’. Teach us to come into Your presence with joyful praise - ‘The King is among us. His Spirit is near. Let’s draw near and worship. Let songs fill the air!’ - and reverent fear - ‘Be still, for the presence of the Lord, the Holy One, is here. Come bow before Him now with reverence and fear’ (Mission Praise, 650,50). When we leave the place of worship, may we take Your promise with us: ‘I am with you always’ (Matthew 28:20).
_____________________
DANIEL
HOSEA
Teach us, Lord, to leave the old way of sinful disobedience and follow the new way of faith and obedience: ‘Come, let us return to the Lord... Let us press on to know the Lord.’ As we return to You, pressing on to know You, Your blessing returns to us. You lead us in the way of fruitfulness: ‘He will come to us as the showers, as the spring rains that water the earth’ (Hosea 6:1,3). Help us not to be like those who react to Your Word with ‘pride’: ‘They do not return to the Lord their God’. God longs to ‘redeem’ them, yet they ‘rebel against’ Him: ‘They do not turn to the Most High God’ (Hosea 7:10,13,16). May our ‘love’ for You not be ‘like the early dew that disappears.’ Teach us to ‘acknowledge our guilt and seek Your face.’ May we love You with a ‘steadfast love’ (Hosea 5:15; Hosea 6:4,6).
JOEL
AMOS
OBADIAH
‘The Kingdom will be the Lord’s’ (21). When, Lord, Your Kingdom comes, there will be both salvation - ‘The house of Jacob will possess its inheritance’ - and judgment - ‘There will be no survivors from the house of Esau’ (17-18). ‘Not by works but by Him who calls’ - This is the great contrast between ‘Jacob’ and ‘Esau’. We thank You that we have not been saved ‘because of any good deeds that we have done.’ We have been saved ‘by grace’. We can never be saved ‘by works.’ We can never receive Your grace ‘by works.’ Teach us, Lord, to receive Your grace ‘by faith.’ May we look away from ourselves to You, and say, ‘He saved us.’ ‘It is by grace that you have been saved through faith... not by works, so that no-one can boast’ (Romans 9:10-13, 30-32; 11:6; Titus 3:4-7; Ephesians 2:8-9).
______________________
JONAH
MICAH
1:1-2:13
Ezekiel 3:1-4:17
Lord, You speak to us: ‘The Word of the Lord came to me’ (Ezekiel 3:16). We speak to You: “Ah, Lord God!’ (Ezekiel 4:14). We speak for You: ‘When I speak to you, I will open your mouth and you shall say to them, “This is what the Lord God says, Whoever will listen, let him listen...”’ (Ezekiel 3:27). How can we keep on listening to You, speaking to You and speaking for You? We need to be strengthened with the power of the Holy Spirit: ‘The Spirit came into me and raised me to my feet’ (Ezekiel 3:24). We thank You, Lord, that the Spirit is our ‘Helper.’He helps us to listen to You: ‘The Holy Spirit will teach you all things’ (John 14:26). He helps us to speak to You: ‘The Spirit helps us in our weakness’ (Romans 8:26). He helps us to speak for You: ‘You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be My witnesses’ (Acts 1:8).
Ezekiel 5:1-6:14
‘Because you have defiled My sanctuary... I Myself will withdraw My favour’ (Ezekiel 5:11). To those who despise Your Word and treat the place of prayer with contempt, Jesus still speaks His Word of judgment: ‘My House will be called a House of prayer, but you have made it a den of thieves’ (Matthew 21:13). Lord, You’re warning us: ‘You have abandoned the love you had at first. Remember the height from which you have fallen! Return to Me and change the way you think and act. If you don’t change, I will come to you and remove your lamp from its place’ (Revelation 2:4-5). When, Lord, You remove Your blessing, there is nothing left but ‘a desolate waste’ (Ezekiel 6:14). Help us to make sure that we don’t become like Samson - ‘“I will go out as at other times, and shake myself free.”He did not know that the Lord had left him’ (Judges 16:20).
Ezekiel 7:1-8:18
‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says to the land of Israel: The end!’ (Ezekiel 7:2). Why, Lord, did You say, ‘This is “the end? ”’You had been taking a good look at what was going on among His people: ‘the utterly detestable things the house of Israel is doing here, things that will drive Me far from My sanctuary’ (Ezekiel 8:6). You came to this conclusion - ‘This is the end of the road. It’s the end of the time of blessing. It’s now time for judgment’: ‘The end is now upon you and I will unleash My anger against you. I will judge you according to... all your detestable practices...’ (Ezekiel 7:3-4). Why did You say, ‘This is “the end”’ - the end of a time of blessing, the beginning of a time of judgment? The answer is clear: If there is no obedience, there can be no blessing. Disobedience can lead to only one thing - judgment. Teach us, Lord, to obey Your Word. Lead us on the pathway of blessing.
Ezekiel 9:1-10:22
For many people, the time of blessing had come to an end and the time of judgment had begun. Some, however, would escape the judgment, They had been obedient to You, Lord. You protected them in the time of judgment: ‘Put a mark on the foreheads of those who grieve and lament over all the detestable things that are done... Do not touch anyone who has the mark’ (Ezekiel 9:4,6). They were marked out as Your faithful people. They had continued to worship You when so many others were turning away from You. For many people, life can be summed up in these sad words: ‘The glory of the Lord departed’(Ezekiel 10:18). ‘I looked and I saw...’ (Ezekiel 10:1,9): In a time when many show no interest in You, Lord, there are those who look to You and catch a glimpse of Your glory - ‘the glory of the God of Israel was above them’ (Ezekiel 10:19).
Ezekiel 11:1-12:16
Lord, You speak to us about our sin - ‘Son of man, you are living among a rebellious people’ - and Your salvation - ‘I will... put a new spirit in them...’ (Ezekiel 12:2; Ezekiel 11:19-20). Show us, Lord, that we must receive’ with humility, the bad news concerning our sin - ‘The wages of sin is death’ - before we can receive, with gladness, the Good News concerning Your salvation - ‘The free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord’ (Romans 6:23). You want each of us to be saved: ‘The Lord... does not want anyone to perish; He wants everyone to turn away from their sins’ (2 Peter 3:9). To those who refuse to be saved, dismissing the bad news concerning their sin and closing their hearts to the Good News concerning Your salvation, You speak Your Word or warning: ‘...I will punish them for what they have done’ (Ezekiel 11:21).
Ezekiel 12:17-13:23
‘Hear the Word of the Lord!’ (Ezekiel 13:2). Lord, Your Word warns us: ‘The time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn away from listening to the truth and wander into myths.’When, Lord, we see this happening, help us to commit ourselves to You. May we live as Your faithful servants: ‘As for you, always be steady, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfil your ministry’ (2 Timothy 4:3-5). When, Lord. people are looking for a ‘feel good’ type of message, a message with plenty of entertainment and no real challenge, may we never forget that Your Word is to be used for ‘teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness...’ (2 Timothy 3:16-17).
Ezekiel 14:1-15:8
‘Some of the elders of Israel came to’ Ezekiel. He spoke the Word of the Lord to them: ‘Repent! Turn from your idols and renounce all your detestable practices!’ (Ezekiel 14:1,8). This, Lord, may not have been what they wanted to hear. It was what You wanted them to hear. They did not want to hear this, but they needed to hear it. Lord, You were warning them what would happen if they did not make a real return to You: ‘I will make the land desolate because they have been unfaithful’ (Ezekiel 15:8). Your Word demands a response. What will our response be? Will we say, ‘We don’t want the Lord “to reign over us”’ (Luke 19:14)? Will we be, like Peter, who ‘took Jesus aside and began to rebuke Him...’ (Matthew 16:22)? Help us, Lord, not to be like those who dismiss Your Word with arrogant pride. Help us to listen to Your Word - and be changed by Your Word.
Ezekiel 16:1-34
Without Christ, we are naked and dirty. He covers our nakedness and washes away our dirtiness (Ezekiel 16:8-9). We thank You, Lord, that Jesus is our Saviour. Teach us to come to Him with this prayer: ‘Nothing in my hand I bring, simply to Thy Cross I cling; Naked, come to Thee for dress; Helpless, look to Thee for grace; Foul, I to the fountain fly; Wash me, Saviour, I die.’Lord, You hear and answer this prayer. You have given us Your promise: ‘Whoever comes to Me, I will never drive away’ (John 6:37). When You have heard and answered our prayer for salvation, we have this joyful testimony: ‘I delight greatly in the Lord, my soul rejoices in my God; for He has clothed me with the garments of salvation, He has covered me with the robe of righteousness’ (Isaiah 61:10). May we rejoice in this: ‘He saved us by washing away our sins’ (Titus 3:5).
Ezekiel 16:35-63
Lord, You call Your unfaithful people to listen to Your Word: ‘You prostitute, hear the Word of the Lord!’ (Ezekiel 16:35). You speak to them of ‘sin, righteousness and judgment’ (John 16:8). You show them their sin - ‘your filthiness and your nakedness’ (Ezekiel 16:36). You speak to them as the righteous God, the God of perfect holiness - ‘Your eyes are too holy to look at evil. You cannot stand the sight of people doing wrong’ (Habakkuk 1:13). You warn them that there will be judgment: ‘I will judge you” (Ezekiel 16:38). Why, Lord, do You speak to us of sin, righteousness and judgment? This is Your way of bringing us to repentance - ‘I will make you stop being a prostitute’ - and salvation - “My anger will be over, and I will be calm’ (Ezekiel 16:41-42). Lord, we know that our sin is great - but we thank You that we know something else: our Saviour is greater - ‘Wonderful grace of Jesus, greater than all my sin... Praise His Name!’
Ezekiel 17:1-24
To those who adopt a ‘rebellious’ attitude to You, Lord, You speak Your Word of warning - They shall ‘not escape’ Your judgment (Ezekiel 17:12,18). For those who abandon this attitude of rebellion, there is a way of salvation. We thank You, Lord, for the words of prophecy which looks forward to the coming of the Messiah, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ . We thank You for Your promise: ‘I the Lord have spoken, and I will do it’(Ezekiel 17:22-24). We thank You that You have fulfilled Your promise. You have sent Your Son to be our Saviour (Matthew1:22-23). We now await the fulfilment of prophecy concerning Christ’s Return: ‘I will come gain’’, This same Jesus... will come back.’, ‘The Lord Himself will come down from heaven.’We thank You that Jesus has given us His promise - “I am coming soon.’We hear His promise, and we say, ‘Come, Lord Jesus’ (John 14:3; Acts 1:11; 1 Thessalonians 4:16; Revelation 22:20).
Ezekiel 18:1-32
‘The soul that sins shall die’ (Ezekiel 18:4). ‘If a man is righteous... he shall surely live’ (Ezekiel 18:5-9) Lord, what hope is there for us? If we look, with honesty, into our own hearts, we discover this dark truth concerning ourselves: ‘None is righteous... All have sinned’ (Romans 3:10,23). Is there any Good News for us? Is there a way that leads to eternal life? ‘Suppose there is a truly good man, righteous and honest...’ (Ezekiel 18:4). Lord, is there such a man? Is there a man concerning whom You say, ‘That man is righteous; he will surely live’ (Ezekiel 18:9). Yes! There is! Who is this man? What does Your Word tell us about Him? He is Jesus Christ, our Saviour. He ‘died for our sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring us to God’ (1 Peter 3:18). We put our faith in Him. He gives us ‘eternal life’. We ‘pass from death to life’ (1 John 5:11-13; John 5:24). Thank You, Lord, for Jesus, our great Saviour.
Ezekiel 19:1-14
Lord, You look upon the sinfulness of His people - and Your heart is filled with sadness. If we truly love You, we will have great sadness when we see people turning away from You and ruining their lives. We have joy in You, Lord - ‘Rejoice in the Lord always’ (Philippians 4:4). There is also ‘great sorrow’ in our hearts when we think of those who refuse to come to Christ for salvation. This ‘sorrow’ leads us to pray: ‘My heart’s desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved’ (Ezekiel 19:1,14; Romans 9:2; 10:1). Help us, Lord, to pray for our ‘dry and thirsty land.’We pray that You will come to our ‘wilderness’: ‘He will come to us as the showers, as the spring rains that water the earth.’We pray that people will ‘return’to You. We pray that they will ‘press on to know’You (Ezekiel 19:13; Hosea 6:1-3).
Ezekiel 20:1-26
What great things, Lord, You did for Your people, Israel. You ‘brought them out of the land of Egypt.’You led them to ‘a land flowing with milk and honey’ (Ezekiel 20:6). We think of what You have done for us. You have brought us out of our sin and into Your salvation: ‘He called you out of darkness into His marvellous light’ (1 Peter 2:9). Lord, You saved Your people, Israel - and they were to live for You: ‘I am the Lord your God. Obey My laws and My commands’ (Ezekiel 20:19). You have saved us: ‘You have been saved by grace through faith. This is not your own doing. It is the gift of God.’You call us to live for You. We have been ‘saved... for good works.’ Our ‘good works’ are to ‘bring glory to our Father in heaven’ (Matthew 5:16). Help us, Lord, to ‘walk in the light’, rejoicing in our Saviour - ‘the blood of Jesus cleanses us from all sin’ (1 John 1:7).
Ezekiel 20:27-49
You speak to us, Lord, about Your purpose for our lives: ‘Through you I intend to display My holiness for all the nations to see’ (Ezekiel 20:41). You want other people to notice that we are different. You want them to see that You have changed us: ‘As the Spirit of the Lord works within us, we become more and more like Him’ (Ezekiel 20:2 Corinthians 3:18). May this is to be our testimony: ‘What a wonderful change in my life has been wrought since Jesus came into my heart!... I have ceased from my wandering and going astray since Jesus came into my heart! And my sins which were many are all washed away since Jesus came into my heart!’Lord, help us to live as ‘a new creation’, being ‘renewed every day.’May we make it our ‘aim’ to ‘live’for You and ‘please’You (2 Corinthians 4:16-18; 5:9,15,17).
Ezekiel 21:1-32
Lord, we read about ‘the time of final punishment’ (Ezekiel 21:25,29). Your Word speaks to us about ‘eternal punishment’ as well as ‘eternal life’: ‘Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not have life, but will remain under God’s punishment’ (Matthew 25:46; John 3:36). Lord, You love us. You sent Your Son to be our Saviour. You calls us to put our faith in Christ (John 3:16-18). You speak to us Your Word of promise - ‘Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved’ - and Your Word of warning - ‘How shall we escape if we ignore such a great salvation?’ (Hebrews 2:3). Lord, You’re calling us to ‘flee from the wrath to come’ (Luke 3:7). Help us to turn from sin - ‘Turn away from your sins and live’ - and turn to You - ‘Turn to Me and be saved’ (Ezekiel 18:32; Isaiah 45:22).
Ezekiel 22:1-31
‘I looked for a man..., but I found none’ (Ezekiel 22:30). Lord, You’re looking for people who will be faithful in prayer. What happens when Your people refuse to pray? Your Word leaves us in no doubt - ‘I will pour out My anger on them..., bringing down on their own heads all they have done’ (Ezekiel 22:31). What a tragedy! The people refused to pray - and there was no blessing from You, Lord: ‘You do not have, because you do not ask God’ (James 4:2). Things could have been so different: ‘If My people, who are called by My Name, will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land’ (2 Chronicles 7:14). Lord, You want to bless us. Help us to pray for Your blessing. ‘Ask and it will be given to you...’ (Matthew 7:7-8).
Ezekiel 23:1-49
‘Because you have forgotten Me and turned your back on Me, you will be punished for all your sin’ (Ezekiel 23:35). Lord, help us not to forget You. Help us to remember You. Help us not to let Your Word ‘go in one ear and out the other’. Help us to be ‘doers of the Word’ as well as ‘hearers of the Word’ (James 1:22-25). May we put the past behind us and make a new beginning with You: ‘Return to Me, and I will return to you’ (Malachi 3:7). ‘Have mercy on me, O God... Cleanse me from my sin... Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me. Do not cast me away from Your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation’ (Psalm 51:1-2,10-12). May this be the prayer of our hearts, and may Your blessing flow into our lives.
Ezekiel 24:1-27
‘I will punish you because of the way you lived’ (Ezekiel 24:14). Lord, You're calling us to think about the way we are living. You want us to leave behind the old, self-centred way of living. You want us to begin a new life, a life that is centred on You. Real change comes from You, Lord. We pray that You will change us - ‘Change my heart, O God. Make it ever true. Change my heart, O God. May I be like You’. We must pray for a deep work of the Spirit of God in our hearts - ‘Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me... Break me, melt me, mould me, fill me...’. We must pray that we will become more like Jesus - ‘Let the beauty of Jesus be seen in me, all His wondrous compassion and purity. Oh, Thou Spririt divine, all my nature refine, till the beauty of Jesus be seen in me’ (Mission Praise, 69,613,410).
Ezekiel 25:1-17
Lord, we read about Your judgment upon sinful nations - Ammon (Ezekiel 25:1-7), Moab (Ezekiel 25:8-11), Edom (Ezekiel 25:12-14) and Philistia (Ezekiel 25:15-17). You speak to us. You say to us, ‘You will know that I am the Lord’ (Ezekiel 25:5,7,11,17). You speak to us as our Judge. You speak to us about ‘sin, righteousness and judgment’ (John 16:8-11). We are sinners. You are righteous. There will be a Judgment. This, Lord, is Your way of showing us how much we need Your love. You show us how much we need to be saved so that we might learn to be truly thankful to You for the Good News of Your love, the Gospel of our salvation - ‘God so loved the world that He gave His only Son...’; ‘Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners’; ‘Christ died for our sins’ (John 3:16; 1 Timothy 1:15; 1 Corinthians 15:3). Teach us to ‘rejoice in God our Saviour’ (Luke 2:47).
Ezekiel 26:1-21
‘I am against you, O Tyre... You will be no more... You will never again be found...’ (Ezekiel 26:3,21). Lord, Your Word is spoken against us: ‘There is no-one righteous... All have turned away... There is no-one who does good... All have sinned...’ (Romans 3:10,12.23). You speak Your Word against us ‘so that every mouth may be silenced’ (Romans 3:19). You want us to to stop making excuses for ourselves. You want us to start listening to what You have to say to us. For the city of Tyre, the situation was hopeleess. For us, there is a Word of hope. Jesus Christ has come ‘to seek and to save the lost’. Jesus Christ has ‘died for our sins’ (Luke 19:10; 1 Peter 3:18). We thank You, Lord, that ‘through faith in Jesus Christ’, we hear Your Word of forgiveness: ‘I will remember their sins no more’ (Romans 3:22; Hebrews 8:12; Hebrews 10:17).
Ezekiel 27:1-36
‘Your wealth... will sink into the heart of the sea on the day of your shipwreck’ (Ezekiel 27:27). Teach us, Lord, that we will sink if we don’t ‘keep our eyes fixed on Jesus’. Help us not to allow ourselves to get weighed down. Keep us from becoming ‘entangled’ in the world’s way of living. Help us to ‘throw off everything that hinders’ our spiritual growth. We thank You, Lord, that Jesus is ‘the sure and strong Anchor for our lives’. He will keep us from sinking. Teach us to look to Him and learn from Him: ‘Do not lay up treasures on earth... Lay up treasures in heaven’ (Hebrews 12:1-2; 6:19; 2 Timothy 2:4; Matthew 6:19-20). ‘Will your anchor hold in the storms of life...? We have an Anchor that keeps the soul , steadfast and sure while the billows roll, fastened to the Rock which cannot move, grounded firm and deep in the Saviour’s love!’ (Church Hymnary, 412).
Ezekiel 28:1-26
‘You were on the holy mount of God... You were blameless in your ways... You sinned... I drove you in disgrace from the mount of God’ (Ezekiel 28:14-16). This is much more than the ‘long time ago’ story of ‘the king of Tyre’ (Ezekiel 29:12). As we read these words, Lord, may we catch a glimpse of ‘the spiritual forces in the heavenly realms’. We read about ‘war in heaven’. We read about the downfall of ‘Satan’. Your Word is warning us: ‘Our struggle is not against flesh and blood’. You're showing us that we face a much more poweful ‘enemy’ - ‘Satan’. He ‘disguises himself as an angel of light’. Help us not be fooled by him. He is no ‘angel of light’. He is ‘a roaring lion’. He is ‘prowling about, looking for someone to devour’. We thank You, Lord, that we shall overcome him ‘by the blood of the Lamb...’ (Ephesians 6:12; Revelation 12:7-9,11; 2 Corinthians 11:14; 1 Peter 5:8).
Ezekiel 29:1-21
Lord, in Your dealings with Egypt, we see both Your wrath - ‘Egypt will become a desolate wasteland’ - and Your mercy - ‘At the end of forty years... I will restore the fortunes of Egypt’ (Ezekiel 29:9,13-14). Your wrath is Your response to Egypt’s pride - ‘Because you said, “The Nile is mine; I made it”, therefore I am against you’ (Ezekiel 29:9-10). In Your merciful restoration, You place Your restraint on Egypt’s pride - ‘It shall be the most lowly of the kingdoms, and will never again exalt itself above the other nations’ (Ezekiel 29:15). Lord, we come to You as sinners. We confess our sins, praying, ‘In wrath, remember mercy’. You save us by ‘Your mercy’. Your way of salvation - ‘through Jesus Christ our Saviour’ - is a constant rebuke to our pride: ‘This is not your own doing. It is the gift of God’ (Habakkuk 3:2; Titus 3:4-6; Ephesians 2:8).
Ezekiel 30:1-26
‘The day of the Lord is near... A sword will come against Egypt... The day of Egypt’s doom is sure to come’ (Ezekiel 30:3-4,9). Teach us, Lord, not to take You lightly. Show us that we can’t do what we like and get away with it. We must not ‘trample the Son of God under foot’. We must not ‘treat Christ’s blood as an unholy thing’. We must not ‘insult the Spirit of grace’. Help us never to forget this: ‘It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God’. Lord, You're speaking to us concerning ‘the Day of the Lord’, the Return of Christ: ‘He who is coming will come...’. You're speaking to us Your Word of warning: ‘Those who shrink back are destroyed’. He speaks His Word of promise: ‘Those who believe are saved’ (Hebrews 10:29,31,37-39). ‘When Christ comes, will He find faith...?’. Teach us to pray, ‘Search my heart, O God...’ (Luke 18:8; Psalm 139:23-24).
Ezekiel 31:1-18
‘Pharaoh, king of Egypt’ had the appearance of ‘majesty’ - ‘Who can be compared with you in majesty?’ - yet he was ‘brought down’ (Ezekiel 31:2,18). Teach us, Lord that there is one Majesty who will never be brought down. May we never forget our Lord Jesus Christ. He is ‘the same yesterday and today and for ever’. He will receive ‘glory for ever and ever’. To Him alone, You say, ‘Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever’ (Hebrews 13:8,21; 1:8). This is real Majesty! ‘Majesty, worship His Majesty. Unto Jesus be glory, honour and praise. Majesty, Kingdom authority, flows from His throne unto His own. His anthem raise. So exalt, lift up on high the Name of Jesus. Magnify, come glorify, Christ Jesus the King. Majesty, worship His Majesty, Jesus who died, now glorified, King of all kings’ (Mission Praise, 454).
Ezekiel 32:1-32
‘Pride goes before destruction’ (Proverbs 16:18). ‘Pharaoh, king of Egypt’ was arrogant and ruthless: ‘You are like a lion among the nations;you are like a monster in the seas, thrashing about in your streams, churning the water with your feet and muddying the streams’ (Ezekiel 32:2). Soon, it would be ‘the day of his downfall’: ‘The sword of Babylon will come against you... Pharaoh and all his hordes will be killed by the sword’ (Ezekiel 10-11,32). Teach us. Lord, not to be like the rich fool - ‘You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry’. He couldn’t have been more wrong! - You said to him, ‘You fool! I will demand your life from you tonight!' Help us, Lord to hear and heed Your Word of warning: 'This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich towards God’ (Luke 12:19-21).
Ezekiel 33:1-33
Ezekiel was to be ‘a watchman for the house of Israel’: ‘whenever you hear a Word from My mouth, you shall give them warning from Me’. He was to ‘warn the wicked to turn from his way’ (Ezekiel 33:7-9). This, Lord, is Your warning of love. You love us. It is because You love us that You ‘have no pleasure in the death of the wicked’. In Your love, You show us our sin so that we might come to You with a real confession of sin: ‘Our sins are upon us’. In Your love, You create in us a desire for Your salvation: ‘How then can we live?’ In Your love, You call us to return to You: ‘Turn back from your evil ways’. You love us. You do not want us to ‘die’: ‘Why will you die?’ (Ezekiel 33:10-11). In love, You show us our sin - ‘The wages of sin is death.’ We thank You, Lord, that You also call us to receive Your ‘free gift’ - ‘eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord’ (Romans 6:23).
Ezekiel 34:1-31
Lord, You speak to us in love. You say to us, ‘I Myself will be the Shepherd of My sheep’ (Ezekiel 34:15). We rejoice in Your love. We say, ‘The Lord is my Shepherd’ (Psalm 23:1). We thank You that Jesus is our Shepherd. He is ‘the good Shepherd’. He laid down His life for us that we might receive the forgiveness of our sins. ‘Christ died for our sins’. We tahnk You that Your Son, Jesus - ‘the Righteous’ - died for us - ‘the unrighteous’ - ‘to bring us to You’ (John 10:11; 1 Corinthians 15:3; 1 Peter 3:18). He is ‘the great Shepherd’. He was ‘raised’ from the dead’. Through His resurrection, we receive eternal life. We thank You that He says to us, ‘Because I live you will live also’ (Hebrews 13:20-21; 1 Corinthians 15:4; John 14:19). He is ‘the chief Shepherd’. We thank You that He will come again with ‘the unfading crown of glory’ for His ‘good and faithful servants’ (1 Peter 5:4; Matthew 25:21).
Ezekiel 35:1-15
‘You will be desolate, O Mount Seir, you and all of Edom. Then they will know that I am the Lord’ (Ezekiel 35:15). The people of Edom knew You, Lord, as their Judge. We thank You there is a much better way of knowing You. We can know You as our Saviour. Those who refuse to come to Jesus Christ, trusting in Him as Saviour, place themselves under God’s judgment. They are ‘condemned already because they have not believed in the Name of God’s one and only Son’. They will know the Lord as their Judge - but they could have known Him as their Saviour if they had submitted to Your saving purpose for their lives: ‘God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him’ (John 3:17-18). Each of us must choose. You're asking us a very important question - Do you know Christ as Saviour, or will you face Him as Judge? Give us faith, Lord - faith in Your Son, our Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ.
Ezekiel 36:1-38
‘I will look on you with favour’ (Ezekiel 36:9). Through Christ our Saviour, You, Lord, look upon us with favour. Teach us to rejoice in the ‘wonderful grace of Jesus.’ It is ‘greater than all our sin.’ It 'reaches us.' We thank You, Lord, for Your wonderful grace: ‘Let me introduce you to a friend called Grace. Doesn’t care about your past or your many mistakes. He’ll cover your sins in a warm embrace. Let me introduce to a friend called Grace’. ‘His grace reaches lower than your worst mistake and His love will run further than you can run away’. ‘He believes in lost causes when common sense would just give up. He believes in lost causes and changes people with His love. There’s nobody too far gone, no one beyond His reach. He believes in lost causes ‘cause He believed in me’ (Phillips, Craig and Dean). Teach us to let Jesus be our Joy!
Ezekiel 37:1-28
It was ‘a valley of dry bones’ (Ezekiel 37:1-2). Then, Lord, You changed everything - ‘I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live’ (Ezekiel 37:5). What a difference You make! ‘Breathe on me, Breath of God. Fill me with life anew’ (Church Hymnary, 103). What happens, Lord, when Your Spirit breathes new life into Your Church? - ‘The Church that seemed in slumber has now risen from its knees and dry bones are responding with the fruits of new birth’. ‘Holy Spirit, we welcome You. Let the breeze of Your presence flow that Your children here might truly know how to move in the Spirit’s flow... Holy Spirit, we welcome You. Please accomplish in us today some new work of loving grace, we pray. Unreservedly, have Your way. Holy Spirit, we welcome You’ (Mission Praise, 274,241).
Ezekiel 38:1-23
We read, Lord, of Your judgment upon ‘Gog from the land of Magog’: ‘When Gog attacks the land of Israel, My hot anger will be aroused... I will execute judgment upon him...’ (Ezekiel 38:1,18,22). The names ‘Gog and Magog’ are also found in Revelation 20:7-10. There, we read of rebellion against You, Lord - ‘They marched across the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of God’s people...’ We read of Your judgment - ‘Fire came down from heaven and consumed them’. In this divine judgment upon ‘Gog and Magog’, we see Your final triumph over ‘Satan’: ‘The devil who had deceived Gog and Magog was thrown into the lake of fire and sulphur’ to be ‘tormented day and night for ever and ever’. ‘Hallelujah! Our Lord God Almighty reigns’ (Revelation 19:6).
Ezekiel 39:1-29
We read, Lord, about Gog's defeat. Teach us to look beyond this to Satan’s final defeat (Ezekiel 39:1-6; Revelation 20:10). We look ahead to Your final victory over Satan. While we’re here on earth, teach us never to forget that Satan is a very powerful enemy. He will do all that he can to make us sin against You, Lord. We see this in the life of Your people, Israel. They allowed Satan to get the upper hand - and You were not pleased with them: ‘The nations shall know that the people of Israel went into captivity for their sin, because they were unfaithful to Me’(Ezekiel 39:23). We thank You, Lord, that Your Word assures us that - even when Satan has gained the upper hand - , we can be ‘brought back’ to the place of blessing. We thank You, Lord, that You will ‘have mercy’ on us. You will ‘pour out Your Spirit’ upon us (Ezekiel 39:25,29). ‘Restore us, O God...’ (Psalm 85:4).
Ezekiel 40:1-49
Lord, You were revealing Yourself to Ezekiel. ‘The hand of the Lord was upon’ him. He received ‘visions of God’ (Ezekiel 40:1-2). You told him not to keep this revelation to himself: ‘Tell the house of Israel everything you see’ (Ezekiel 40:4). Help us to learn from ‘the prophets who spoke in the Name of the Lord’. Like them, we are to seek to bring ‘sinners’ back to the Lord, showing them ‘the error of their ways’ and pointing them to Your way of salvation. This work is to be done prayerfully. May we never forget that ‘the prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective’ (James 5:10,16,19-20). We thank You, Lord, that You promise great blessing to those who are faithful in this work of winning others for You: ‘Those who lead many to righteousness will shine like the stars for ever and ever’ (Daniel 12:3).
Ezekiel 41:1-42:20
‘This is the Most Holy Place’ (Ezekiel 41:4). Here, Lord, You're speaking about the Temple. The Temple was the place where Your people were to gather together to worship You. There is another ‘holy place’, another place where You are to be glorified: ‘Your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit... Glorify God in your body’ (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). We worship You, Lord, when we are in the place of worship. That is only a part of our worship. Our heart is to be a ‘holy place’ where You alone are worshipped. Teach us to worship Him in everything we do: ‘Be holy in all you do’. At the heart of our worship, may there be thanksgiving for Your love. At the heart of the holy life, there is love. Teach us to ‘obey the truth’ - to ‘love one another deeply from the heart’ (1 Peter 1:15-16,22).
Ezekiel 43:1-27
Lord, this is not only about the glory of the Temple. It’s about ‘the glory of the God of Israel’. This is the greater glory - ‘the glory of the Lord filled the Temple’ (Ezekiel 43:1,5). Lord, You're not only concerned about the creation of a beautiful place of worship. You want our lives to be ‘radiant with Your glory’. This happens when ‘the Spirit lifts us up’ and brings us close to You - ‘into the inner court’ (Ezekiel 43:2,5). We pray that Your glory will fill the place of worship: ‘May the fragrance of Jesus fill this place’. We pray that ‘the glory of Jesus’ will ‘fill His Church’. We are not only praying for Your glory in the place of worship. We are praying for Your glory in our lives: ‘May the beauty of Jesus fill my life... Fill my thoughts, my words, my deeds’ (Mission Praise, 462).
Ezekiel 44:1-31
'I looked and saw the glory of the Lord filling the Temple of the Lord...’ (Ezekiel 44:4). We look to You, Lord. We catch a glimpse of Your glory - and ‘we become more and more like You’. You're leading us out of our life of sin, a life that ‘falls short of Your glory.’, You're leading us into Your life of salvation, a life of ‘being transformed into Your likeness with ever-increasing glory’ (2 Corinthians 3:18; Romans 3:23). We have not yet arrived at our full deliverance from sin: ‘When He appears, we shall be like Him’ (1 John 3:2). As we await the return of our Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, may we keep on praying: ‘Change my heart, O God... May I be like You’. Teach us, Lord to ‘turn our eyes upon Jesus." May we 'look full on His wonderful face.' May 'the things of earth grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace’. (Mission Praise, 69,712).
Ezekiel 45:1-25
We read, Lord, about 'the sin offerings, cereal offerings, burnt offerings, and peace offerings, to make atonement for the house of Israel’ (Ezekiel 45:17). We thank You that all of this points forward to the single Sacrifice for sin made by our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ: ‘Christ died for sins once for all, the Righteous for the unrighteous, to bring us to God’ (1 Peter 3:18). ‘We have been forgiven and made clean through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all’ (Hebrews 10:10). Teach us to look beyond the many sacrifices to the one Sacrifice: ‘Christ has offered one Sacrifice for sins, an offering that is effective for ever’. Teach us to rejoice in our Saviour: ‘He is able for all time to save those who draw near to God through Him’ (Hebrews 10:12; 7:25).
Ezekiel 46:1-24
We read, Lord, about the ‘offering’ of ‘a lamb without defect’. This was to happen ‘morning by morning’ (Ezekiel 46:13). From these offerings , we look on to another Offering, ‘a single Offfering’, the ‘once for all’ Offering of Jesus Christ as ‘the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world’. Jesus Christ - the Lamb of God - has ‘offered for all time a single Sacrifice for sins’ (John 1:29; Hebrews 10:10,12,14). As we read about the many lambs, we hear Your voice calling out to us, directing our attention to our Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: ‘Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world’ (John 1:36). We thank You, Lord, that ‘Christ’ is ‘our Passover Lamb’. We thank You that He ‘has been sacrificed’ for us. Teach us to rejoice in this - Through His ‘precious blood’, we are ‘redeemed’ (1 Corinthians 5:7; 1 Peter 1:18-19).
Ezekiel 47:1-23
We read, Lord, about the rising of the ‘river’ of Your blessing - ‘ankle-deep... knee-deep... up to the waist ... deep enough to swim in - a river that no-one could cross’ (Ezekiel 47:3-5). This is the river of ‘life’ - ‘a great number of trees.... Swarms of living creatures will live wherever the river flows... large numbers of fish because... where the river flows everything will live’ (Ezekiel 47:7-9). We thank You, Lord, that ‘the Spirit’ brings ‘rivers of living water’ into our lives (John 7:38-39). Help us not to settle for a shallow experience of Your blessing - ‘ankle-deep’, ‘knee-deep’. ‘Deep calls to deep’. May ‘the Spirit’ lead us into ‘the deep things of God’. Teach us to ‘launch out into the deep’. May we ‘swim’ in Your mighty ‘river’ of blessing. May we ‘be filled with the Spirit’ (Ezekiel 47:3-5; Psalm 42:7; Luke 5:4; 1 Corinthians 2:10; Ephesians 5:18).
Ezekiel 48:1-35
‘The Lord is there’ (Ezekiel 48:35). We thank You, Lord, that You are with us when we gather for worship: ‘Where two or three are gathered together in My Name, there am I in the midst of them’ (Matthew 18:20). You love to be among us when we are worshipping You: ‘He looks down upon us, delight in His face, enjoying His children’s love, enthralled by our praise’. Teach us to come into Your presence with joyful praise - ‘The King is among us. His Spirit is near. Let’s draw near and worship. Let songs fill the air!’ - and reverent fear - ‘Be still, for the presence of the Lord, the Holy One, is here. Come bow before Him now with reverence and fear’ (Mission Praise, 650,50). When we leave the place of worship, may we take Your promise with us: ‘I am with you always’ (Matthew 28:20).
_____________________
DANIEL
1:1-2:16
‘Daniel resolved not to defile himself’ (Daniel 1:8). We thank You, Lord, that Daniel was devoted to You. It was not easy to live as Your faithful servant. His dedication to You was put to the test - ‘Test your servants’ (Daniel 1:12). Our faith is put to the test. We ‘suffer many trials’. Why, Lord, do You allow our faith to be tested by ‘all kinds of trials? - ‘The testing of your faith produces steadfastness’. ‘These have come so that your faith, which is much more precious than gold, may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honour when Jesus Christ is revealed’ (1 Peter 1:6-7; James 1:2-3). Knowing that ‘every trial falls from above, traced upon our dial by the Sun of Love’, may we learn to ‘trust You fully’ and ‘find You wholly true’ (Mission Praise, 421).
‘Daniel resolved not to defile himself’ (Daniel 1:8). We thank You, Lord, that Daniel was devoted to You. It was not easy to live as Your faithful servant. His dedication to You was put to the test - ‘Test your servants’ (Daniel 1:12). Our faith is put to the test. We ‘suffer many trials’. Why, Lord, do You allow our faith to be tested by ‘all kinds of trials? - ‘The testing of your faith produces steadfastness’. ‘These have come so that your faith, which is much more precious than gold, may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honour when Jesus Christ is revealed’ (1 Peter 1:6-7; James 1:2-3). Knowing that ‘every trial falls from above, traced upon our dial by the Sun of Love’, may we learn to ‘trust You fully’ and ‘find You wholly true’ (Mission Praise, 421).
2:17-49
‘In the time of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a Kingdom that will never be destroyed’ (44). We thank You, Lord, that Your Kingdom is the only Kingdom which stands forever. Your Kingdom is eternal. We thank You that, through Christ, ‘the Kingdom of God has come near to us’ (Luke 10:9). Christ is the ‘King of kings’ (Revelation 17:14; 19:16). ‘His throne will last for ever and ever’. ‘His Kingdom will never end’. ‘He will reign for ever and ever’ (Hebrews 1:8; Luke 1:33; Revelation 11:15). Teach us, Lord, to sing, from our hearts, 'Christ triumphant... ever reigning... enthroned for ever’: ‘Sin and death and hell shall never stifle hymns of love. So, our hearts and voices raising through the ages long... this shall be our song: Yours the glory and the crown...’ (Mission Praise, 77).
‘In the time of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a Kingdom that will never be destroyed’ (44). We thank You, Lord, that Your Kingdom is the only Kingdom which stands forever. Your Kingdom is eternal. We thank You that, through Christ, ‘the Kingdom of God has come near to us’ (Luke 10:9). Christ is the ‘King of kings’ (Revelation 17:14; 19:16). ‘His throne will last for ever and ever’. ‘His Kingdom will never end’. ‘He will reign for ever and ever’ (Hebrews 1:8; Luke 1:33; Revelation 11:15). Teach us, Lord, to sing, from our hearts, 'Christ triumphant... ever reigning... enthroned for ever’: ‘Sin and death and hell shall never stifle hymns of love. So, our hearts and voices raising through the ages long... this shall be our song: Yours the glory and the crown...’ (Mission Praise, 77).
3:1-30
‘We want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up’ (Daniel 3:18). We have no other king but You, Lord. You, alone, are King. You, alone, are to be worshipped. We are to ‘have no other gods before You’. We are ‘not to make for ourselves an idol’ which takes the place of the Lord (Exodus 20:3-4). You, Lord, must come first in our lives. You are to be our ‘first love’ - ‘the love of our heart: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart...’ (Revelation 2:4; Mark 12:30). Jesus asks us, ‘Do you love me?’ He waits for our reply: ‘I love You’ (John 21:15-17). May we sing, from our hearts, ‘I love the Name of Jesus. King of my heart, He is everything to me’. ‘I love You, O Lord, You alone... my God who shall have all my praise’. (Mission Praise, 285,286).
‘We want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up’ (Daniel 3:18). We have no other king but You, Lord. You, alone, are King. You, alone, are to be worshipped. We are to ‘have no other gods before You’. We are ‘not to make for ourselves an idol’ which takes the place of the Lord (Exodus 20:3-4). You, Lord, must come first in our lives. You are to be our ‘first love’ - ‘the love of our heart: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart...’ (Revelation 2:4; Mark 12:30). Jesus asks us, ‘Do you love me?’ He waits for our reply: ‘I love You’ (John 21:15-17). May we sing, from our hearts, ‘I love the Name of Jesus. King of my heart, He is everything to me’. ‘I love You, O Lord, You alone... my God who shall have all my praise’. (Mission Praise, 285,286).
4:1-37
‘His Kingdom is an eternal Kingdom; His dominion endures from generation to generation’ (Daniel 4:3). The generations rise and fall - ‘You sweep men away in the sleep of death; they are like the new grass of the morning... by evening it is dry and withered’; ‘As for man, his days are like grass... the wind blows over it and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more’ (Psalms 90:5-6; 103-15-16). You, Lord, are ‘the everlasting God’: ‘From everlasting to everlasting You are God’. Your love is an ‘everlasting’ love: ‘From everlasting to everlasting the Lord’s love is with those who fear Him’. You, Lord, ‘have established Your throne in heaven, and Your Kingdom rules over all’. We thank You that You are ‘our dwelling-place throughout all generations’ (Isaiah 40:28; Psalms 90:1-2; 103:17,19).
‘His Kingdom is an eternal Kingdom; His dominion endures from generation to generation’ (Daniel 4:3). The generations rise and fall - ‘You sweep men away in the sleep of death; they are like the new grass of the morning... by evening it is dry and withered’; ‘As for man, his days are like grass... the wind blows over it and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more’ (Psalms 90:5-6; 103-15-16). You, Lord, are ‘the everlasting God’: ‘From everlasting to everlasting You are God’. Your love is an ‘everlasting’ love: ‘From everlasting to everlasting the Lord’s love is with those who fear Him’. You, Lord, ‘have established Your throne in heaven, and Your Kingdom rules over all’. We thank You that You are ‘our dwelling-place throughout all generations’ (Isaiah 40:28; Psalms 90:1-2; 103:17,19).
5:1-31
Teach us, Lord, not to ‘praise the gods of gold and silver...’ (Daniel 5:4). Material possessions must never take the place of God. Seeking material prosperity is not to be the most important thing in our lives. We are to ‘seek first Your Kingdom...’. We are to ‘grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ’ (Matthew 6:33; 2 Peter 3:18). Teach us to say, from our hearts, ‘I’d rather have Jesus than silver or gold, I’d rather be His than have riches untold...I’d rather have Jesus... than to be the king of a vast domain and be held in sin’s dread sway. I’d rather have Jesus than anything this world affords today. I’d rather have Jesus than men’s applause, I’d rather be faithful to His dear cause; I’d rather have Jesus than world-wide fame, I’d rather be true to His holy Name’ (Mission Praise, 319).
Teach us, Lord, not to ‘praise the gods of gold and silver...’ (Daniel 5:4). Material possessions must never take the place of God. Seeking material prosperity is not to be the most important thing in our lives. We are to ‘seek first Your Kingdom...’. We are to ‘grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ’ (Matthew 6:33; 2 Peter 3:18). Teach us to say, from our hearts, ‘I’d rather have Jesus than silver or gold, I’d rather be His than have riches untold...I’d rather have Jesus... than to be the king of a vast domain and be held in sin’s dread sway. I’d rather have Jesus than anything this world affords today. I’d rather have Jesus than men’s applause, I’d rather be faithful to His dear cause; I’d rather have Jesus than world-wide fame, I’d rather be true to His holy Name’ (Mission Praise, 319).
6:1-28
‘He is the living God and He endures for ever; His Kingdom will not be destroyed, His dominion will never end’ (Daniel 6:26). You, Lord, are the living God. You are also the loving God - ‘His love endures forever’ (Psalm 136). You are the King. You're a very special kind of king. You're ‘the King of Love’. The coming of Your Kingdom will be the victory of Your love: ‘Kingdoms of the world become the kingdoms of the Lord: Love has the victory for ever!’ May we enjoy the victory of Your love as we lift our hearts to You in worship: ‘Who can see Your greatest Gift and fail to worship You?’ May we enjoy the victory of Your love as we give our lives to You in service: ‘Let us labour for the Master... Let us talk of all His wondrous love...’ (Church Hymnary, 388; Mission Praise, 86,759).
‘He is the living God and He endures for ever; His Kingdom will not be destroyed, His dominion will never end’ (Daniel 6:26). You, Lord, are the living God. You are also the loving God - ‘His love endures forever’ (Psalm 136). You are the King. You're a very special kind of king. You're ‘the King of Love’. The coming of Your Kingdom will be the victory of Your love: ‘Kingdoms of the world become the kingdoms of the Lord: Love has the victory for ever!’ May we enjoy the victory of Your love as we lift our hearts to You in worship: ‘Who can see Your greatest Gift and fail to worship You?’ May we enjoy the victory of Your love as we give our lives to You in service: ‘Let us labour for the Master... Let us talk of all His wondrous love...’ (Church Hymnary, 388; Mission Praise, 86,759).
7:1-28
‘There before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven... His Kingdom is one that will never be destroyed’ (Daniel 7:13-14). We thank You, Lord, for these great words. They point us to Christ’s description of His Second Coming, the Coming of His Kingdom: ‘They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory’ (Matthew 24:30). In Revelation 1:7, we have another echo of Daniel’s ‘vision.’ As we think of these great things, may we be inspired to lift up our hearts to You in praise: ‘Look, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him’. ‘Lo! He comes, with clouds descending... Yea, Amen! let all adore Thee, high on Thine eternal throne; Saviour, take the power and glory, claim the Kingdom for Thine own. O come quickly! O come quickly! O come quickly! Alleluia! Come, Lord, come!’ (Church Hymnary, 316).
‘There before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven... His Kingdom is one that will never be destroyed’ (Daniel 7:13-14). We thank You, Lord, for these great words. They point us to Christ’s description of His Second Coming, the Coming of His Kingdom: ‘They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory’ (Matthew 24:30). In Revelation 1:7, we have another echo of Daniel’s ‘vision.’ As we think of these great things, may we be inspired to lift up our hearts to You in praise: ‘Look, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him’. ‘Lo! He comes, with clouds descending... Yea, Amen! let all adore Thee, high on Thine eternal throne; Saviour, take the power and glory, claim the Kingdom for Thine own. O come quickly! O come quickly! O come quickly! Alleluia! Come, Lord, come!’ (Church Hymnary, 316).
8:1-27
We read, Lord, about a ‘vision’ concerning ‘the distant future’, ‘the time of the end’ (Daniel 8:26,17). We catch a glimpse of Satan, the very powerful enemy of God’s people. Satan’s power is very frightening - ‘His power shall be great, and he shall cause fearful destruction...’. It was the power of Satan which lay behind the ‘stern-faced king’: ‘He will become very strong, but not by his own power’ (Daniel 8:23-24). We thank You, Lord, that Satan’s power will be broken. We thank You that Satan faces certain defeat - ‘He will be defeated.’ How will he be defeated? We will not defeat him - ‘He will not be destroyed by human power.’ There is only one Power able to destroy the power of Satan: ‘He shall be broken by the hand of God’. ‘Thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ’ (1 Corinthians 15:57).
9:1-27
‘O Lord, listen! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, hear and act!’ (Daniel 9:19). How, Lord, do we know that You will hear and answer our prayer as we look to You for salvation? - ‘The Lord our God is merciful and forgiving, even though we have rebelled against Him’ (Daniel 9:9). We come to You with our sin - We are ‘dead in our sins and wickedness.’ You come to us with Your grace - ‘By grace you have been saved through faith.’ We come to You, Lord, deeply conscious of our sin. We know, in our hearts, that we can do nothing to save ourselves. The way of salvation can never begin with the word, ‘I’. It always begins with You, Lord. It begins with Your love - Your great love for us’: ‘God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in our sins’ (Ephesians 2:1,4-5,8).
We read, Lord, about a ‘vision’ concerning ‘the distant future’, ‘the time of the end’ (Daniel 8:26,17). We catch a glimpse of Satan, the very powerful enemy of God’s people. Satan’s power is very frightening - ‘His power shall be great, and he shall cause fearful destruction...’. It was the power of Satan which lay behind the ‘stern-faced king’: ‘He will become very strong, but not by his own power’ (Daniel 8:23-24). We thank You, Lord, that Satan’s power will be broken. We thank You that Satan faces certain defeat - ‘He will be defeated.’ How will he be defeated? We will not defeat him - ‘He will not be destroyed by human power.’ There is only one Power able to destroy the power of Satan: ‘He shall be broken by the hand of God’. ‘Thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ’ (1 Corinthians 15:57).
9:1-27
‘O Lord, listen! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, hear and act!’ (Daniel 9:19). How, Lord, do we know that You will hear and answer our prayer as we look to You for salvation? - ‘The Lord our God is merciful and forgiving, even though we have rebelled against Him’ (Daniel 9:9). We come to You with our sin - We are ‘dead in our sins and wickedness.’ You come to us with Your grace - ‘By grace you have been saved through faith.’ We come to You, Lord, deeply conscious of our sin. We know, in our hearts, that we can do nothing to save ourselves. The way of salvation can never begin with the word, ‘I’. It always begins with You, Lord. It begins with Your love - Your great love for us’: ‘God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in our sins’ (Ephesians 2:1,4-5,8).
10:1-11:13
Daniel came to God in great weakness - ‘I am helpless... My strength is gone...’ (Daniel 10:16-17). We thank You, Lord, that Daniel received great strength from You - ‘The One who looked like a man touched me and gave me strength... When He spoke to me, I was strengthened...’. Daniel’s strength came from Your love and Your peace. You assured him of Your love for him. You called him a ‘man greatly beloved.'. We thank You, Lord, that You spoke Your Word of peace to Daniel: ‘Peace be with you.’ As You revealed Your love and peace to him, he came to realize that there was no need to be afraid. He could ‘be strong’ in You (Daniel 10:18-19). When we are weak, help us, Lord, to come to You and receive your strength - ‘His grace is sufficient for us. His strength is made perfect in weakness’ (2 Corinthians 12:9).
Daniel came to God in great weakness - ‘I am helpless... My strength is gone...’ (Daniel 10:16-17). We thank You, Lord, that Daniel received great strength from You - ‘The One who looked like a man touched me and gave me strength... When He spoke to me, I was strengthened...’. Daniel’s strength came from Your love and Your peace. You assured him of Your love for him. You called him a ‘man greatly beloved.'. We thank You, Lord, that You spoke Your Word of peace to Daniel: ‘Peace be with you.’ As You revealed Your love and peace to him, he came to realize that there was no need to be afraid. He could ‘be strong’ in You (Daniel 10:18-19). When we are weak, help us, Lord, to come to You and receive your strength - ‘His grace is sufficient for us. His strength is made perfect in weakness’ (2 Corinthians 12:9).
11:14-45
Help us, Lord, to live for You - ‘The people who know their God shall be strong and do great things.’ Help us to stand against Satan - ‘The people who know their God will firmly resist him’ (Daniel 11:32). Teach us that, if we are to live for You and stand against Satan, we must ‘put on the whole armour of God’. ‘Strong in the Lord’, we ‘take our stand against the devil’s schemes’ (Ephesians 6:10-11). Help us to rise to the great challenge of living for You and standing against Satan: ‘Soldiers of Christ, arise and put your armour on, strong in the strength which God supplies through His eternal Son... From strength to strength go on, wrestle and fight and pray, tread all the powers of darkness down and win the well-fought day that, having all things done and all your conflicts past, ye may o’ercome through Christ alone and stand complete at last’ (Church Hymnary, 441).
Help us, Lord, to live for You - ‘The people who know their God shall be strong and do great things.’ Help us to stand against Satan - ‘The people who know their God will firmly resist him’ (Daniel 11:32). Teach us that, if we are to live for You and stand against Satan, we must ‘put on the whole armour of God’. ‘Strong in the Lord’, we ‘take our stand against the devil’s schemes’ (Ephesians 6:10-11). Help us to rise to the great challenge of living for You and standing against Satan: ‘Soldiers of Christ, arise and put your armour on, strong in the strength which God supplies through His eternal Son... From strength to strength go on, wrestle and fight and pray, tread all the powers of darkness down and win the well-fought day that, having all things done and all your conflicts past, ye may o’ercome through Christ alone and stand complete at last’ (Church Hymnary, 441).
12:1-13
We read, Lord, of two very different futures - ‘everlasting life’ and ‘everlasting contempt’ (Daniel 12:2). We thank You that we receive ‘eternal life’ through ‘believing that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God.’ Through faith in Him, we ‘know that we have eternal life.’ You give us Your promise: ‘He who has the Son has life.’ To those who ‘overcome’, through ‘believing that Jesus is the Son of God’, You give this promise: ‘I will never blot his name out of the Book of Life.’ Alongside Your promise, there is also Your warning: ‘He who does not have the Son of God does not have life.’ To those who refuse to come to Christ for salvation, You give this warning: ‘If anyone’s name was not written in the Book of Life, he was thrown into the lake of fire’ (John 20:31; 1 John 5:5,11-13; Revelation 3:5; Revelation 20:15). Help us, Lord, to heed Your warning and trust Your promise.
_____________________ We read, Lord, of two very different futures - ‘everlasting life’ and ‘everlasting contempt’ (Daniel 12:2). We thank You that we receive ‘eternal life’ through ‘believing that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God.’ Through faith in Him, we ‘know that we have eternal life.’ You give us Your promise: ‘He who has the Son has life.’ To those who ‘overcome’, through ‘believing that Jesus is the Son of God’, You give this promise: ‘I will never blot his name out of the Book of Life.’ Alongside Your promise, there is also Your warning: ‘He who does not have the Son of God does not have life.’ To those who refuse to come to Christ for salvation, You give this warning: ‘If anyone’s name was not written in the Book of Life, he was thrown into the lake of fire’ (John 20:31; 1 John 5:5,11-13; Revelation 3:5; Revelation 20:15). Help us, Lord, to heed Your warning and trust Your promise.
HOSEA
1:1-3:5
‘Hosea’ means ‘salvation’. Married to ‘an adulterous wife’, Hosea spoke with great compassion to ‘the land’ which was ‘guilty of the vilest adultery in departing from the Lord’ (Hosea 1:2). We thank You, Lord, that Hosea brought Your Word of love to the people: ‘I will show My love to the one I called, “Not My loved one”’. He spoke to them of the life-changing power of God’s love: ‘I will say to those called, “Not My people”, and they will say, “You are My God”’ (Hosea 2:23). We thank You that He brought a Word of hope to Your people: ‘The Israelites will return and seek the Lord their God... They will come trembling to the Lord and to His blessings in the last days’ (Hosea 3:5). We thank You that Hosea's words of hope point us to our Saviour, Jesus Christ - ‘In these last days, God has spoken to us by His Son’ (Hebrews 1:2).
‘Hosea’ means ‘salvation’. Married to ‘an adulterous wife’, Hosea spoke with great compassion to ‘the land’ which was ‘guilty of the vilest adultery in departing from the Lord’ (Hosea 1:2). We thank You, Lord, that Hosea brought Your Word of love to the people: ‘I will show My love to the one I called, “Not My loved one”’. He spoke to them of the life-changing power of God’s love: ‘I will say to those called, “Not My people”, and they will say, “You are My God”’ (Hosea 2:23). We thank You that He brought a Word of hope to Your people: ‘The Israelites will return and seek the Lord their God... They will come trembling to the Lord and to His blessings in the last days’ (Hosea 3:5). We thank You that Hosea's words of hope point us to our Saviour, Jesus Christ - ‘In these last days, God has spoken to us by His Son’ (Hebrews 1:2).
4:1-5:14
We read, Lord, about Israel’s rebellion against You: ‘A spirit of prostitution leads them astray. They are unfaithful to their God... A spirit of prostitution is in their heart. They do not acknowledge the Lord’ (Hosea 4:12; 5:4). You, Lord, are not pleased with them. You speak Your Word of ‘judgment against’ them (Hosea 5:1). Help us, Lord, to look closely at our lives. What kind of people are we becoming? Are we becoming ‘slaves of sin’? You're calling us to be changed by Your love and power: ‘Now that you have been set free from sin, and have become slaves of God, the benefit you reap is holiness, and the result is eternal life’ (Romans 6:16,22). May Your love show us that You have not abandoned us because of our sin. May Your power assure each one of us that You can make us ‘a new person’ (2 Corinthians 5:17).
5:15-7:16We read, Lord, about Israel’s rebellion against You: ‘A spirit of prostitution leads them astray. They are unfaithful to their God... A spirit of prostitution is in their heart. They do not acknowledge the Lord’ (Hosea 4:12; 5:4). You, Lord, are not pleased with them. You speak Your Word of ‘judgment against’ them (Hosea 5:1). Help us, Lord, to look closely at our lives. What kind of people are we becoming? Are we becoming ‘slaves of sin’? You're calling us to be changed by Your love and power: ‘Now that you have been set free from sin, and have become slaves of God, the benefit you reap is holiness, and the result is eternal life’ (Romans 6:16,22). May Your love show us that You have not abandoned us because of our sin. May Your power assure each one of us that You can make us ‘a new person’ (2 Corinthians 5:17).
Teach us, Lord, to leave the old way of sinful disobedience and follow the new way of faith and obedience: ‘Come, let us return to the Lord... Let us press on to know the Lord.’ As we return to You, pressing on to know You, Your blessing returns to us. You lead us in the way of fruitfulness: ‘He will come to us as the showers, as the spring rains that water the earth’ (Hosea 6:1,3). Help us not to be like those who react to Your Word with ‘pride’: ‘They do not return to the Lord their God’. God longs to ‘redeem’ them, yet they ‘rebel against’ Him: ‘They do not turn to the Most High God’ (Hosea 7:10,13,16). May our ‘love’ for You not be ‘like the early dew that disappears.’ Teach us to ‘acknowledge our guilt and seek Your face.’ May we love You with a ‘steadfast love’ (Hosea 5:15; Hosea 6:4,6).
8:1-9:17
‘Israel’ had ‘forgotten’ and ‘forsaken’ the Lord (Hosea 8:14). Lord, we have not remembered You. We have turned away from You. We have forgotten You. We have been ‘unfaithful’ to You. This is the sad story of our life - a story of forgetting and forsaking You. You, Lord, are very different from us. You have not forgotten us. You have not forsaken us. You have ‘remembered’ us. You have been ‘faithful’ to us. You have shown us Your ‘salvation’ (Psalm 98:3). How do we know that You remember us? How do we know that You are faithful to us? - ‘Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners’; ‘While we were still sinners, Christ died for us’ (1 Timothy 1:15; Romans 5:8). ‘If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot be false to Himself’ (2 Timothy 2:13).
‘Israel’ had ‘forgotten’ and ‘forsaken’ the Lord (Hosea 8:14). Lord, we have not remembered You. We have turned away from You. We have forgotten You. We have been ‘unfaithful’ to You. This is the sad story of our life - a story of forgetting and forsaking You. You, Lord, are very different from us. You have not forgotten us. You have not forsaken us. You have ‘remembered’ us. You have been ‘faithful’ to us. You have shown us Your ‘salvation’ (Psalm 98:3). How do we know that You remember us? How do we know that You are faithful to us? - ‘Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners’; ‘While we were still sinners, Christ died for us’ (1 Timothy 1:15; Romans 5:8). ‘If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot be false to Himself’ (2 Timothy 2:13).
10:1-12:9
We thank You, Lord, that Your love for us is much greater than our love for You. So often, we are like ‘Israel’ - ‘they did not fear the Lord.’ Our love for You grows weak. Your love for us remains strong. You refuse to give up on us. We wander away from You. You call us back to Yourself - ‘It is time to seek the Lord’; ‘You must return to your God’ (Hosea 10:3,12; Hosea 11:1,8; Hosea 12:6). When we return to You, Lord, You lead us in the way of Your ‘love.’ You teach us to ‘walk in the Spirit.’ You produce in us ‘the fruit of the Spirit’ (Hosea 10:1; Hosea 11:3-4; Galatians 5:16-18,22-25). Help us to grow strong in our love for You - ‘the Spirit helps us in our weakness.' Help us ‘not to quench the Spirit.’ Help us ‘not to grieve the Holy Spirit of God’ (Romans 8:26; 1 Thessalonians 5:19; Ephesians 4:30).
12:10-14:9
We thank You, Lord, that You love us. You invite us to come to ‘know’ You as our ‘Saviour.’ Teach us to ‘return’ to You and receive the blessings of Your salvation. You ‘forgive all our sins.’ You lead us in the way of ‘fruitfulness.’ You give us eternal life - ‘I will ransom them from the power of the grave. I will redeem them from death ...’ (Hosea 13:4,14; Hosea 14:1-2,4,8). Your call to receive salvation from the Lord is a call to choose which way we will live. Help us to choose to be ‘righteous’ rather than ‘rebellious.’ Teach us to acknowledge that ‘the ways of the Lord are right.’ May we choose the way of ‘the righteous’ who ‘walk in the Lord’s ways.’ Help us to reject the way of ‘the rebellious’ who ‘stumble over the Lord’s ways.’ Teach us to 'walk in the light of the Lord’ (Hosea 14:9; Isaiah 2:5).
________________ We thank You, Lord, that Your love for us is much greater than our love for You. So often, we are like ‘Israel’ - ‘they did not fear the Lord.’ Our love for You grows weak. Your love for us remains strong. You refuse to give up on us. We wander away from You. You call us back to Yourself - ‘It is time to seek the Lord’; ‘You must return to your God’ (Hosea 10:3,12; Hosea 11:1,8; Hosea 12:6). When we return to You, Lord, You lead us in the way of Your ‘love.’ You teach us to ‘walk in the Spirit.’ You produce in us ‘the fruit of the Spirit’ (Hosea 10:1; Hosea 11:3-4; Galatians 5:16-18,22-25). Help us to grow strong in our love for You - ‘the Spirit helps us in our weakness.' Help us ‘not to quench the Spirit.’ Help us ‘not to grieve the Holy Spirit of God’ (Romans 8:26; 1 Thessalonians 5:19; Ephesians 4:30).
12:10-14:9
We thank You, Lord, that You love us. You invite us to come to ‘know’ You as our ‘Saviour.’ Teach us to ‘return’ to You and receive the blessings of Your salvation. You ‘forgive all our sins.’ You lead us in the way of ‘fruitfulness.’ You give us eternal life - ‘I will ransom them from the power of the grave. I will redeem them from death ...’ (Hosea 13:4,14; Hosea 14:1-2,4,8). Your call to receive salvation from the Lord is a call to choose which way we will live. Help us to choose to be ‘righteous’ rather than ‘rebellious.’ Teach us to acknowledge that ‘the ways of the Lord are right.’ May we choose the way of ‘the righteous’ who ‘walk in the Lord’s ways.’ Help us to reject the way of ‘the rebellious’ who ‘stumble over the Lord’s ways.’ Teach us to 'walk in the light of the Lord’ (Hosea 14:9; Isaiah 2:5).
JOEL
1:1-2:17
‘Joel’ means ‘the Lord is God.’ We thank You, Lord, that You are our God. You are ‘gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love...’. Teach us to ‘return to You, the Lord our God.’ Help us to ‘return to You with all our heart.’ May we always look to You for Your ‘blessing’ (Joel 2:12-14). Alongside Your promise of blessing for those who return to You, there is Your Word of warning for those who take no notice of You and pay no attention to Your Word: ‘The Day of the Lord is near. It will come like destruction from the Almighty... Let all who live in the land tremble, for the Day of the Lord is coming. It is close at hand - a Day of darkness and gloom...’ (Joel 1:15; Joel 2:1-2). We thank You, Lord, that You want to bless us. Help us to ‘cry out’ to You for Your blessing: ‘To You, O Lord, I call’ (Joel 1:14,19).
‘Joel’ means ‘the Lord is God.’ We thank You, Lord, that You are our God. You are ‘gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love...’. Teach us to ‘return to You, the Lord our God.’ Help us to ‘return to You with all our heart.’ May we always look to You for Your ‘blessing’ (Joel 2:12-14). Alongside Your promise of blessing for those who return to You, there is Your Word of warning for those who take no notice of You and pay no attention to Your Word: ‘The Day of the Lord is near. It will come like destruction from the Almighty... Let all who live in the land tremble, for the Day of the Lord is coming. It is close at hand - a Day of darkness and gloom...’ (Joel 1:15; Joel 2:1-2). We thank You, Lord, that You want to bless us. Help us to ‘cry out’ to You for Your blessing: ‘To You, O Lord, I call’ (Joel 1:14,19).
2:19-3:21
Show us, Lord, that each of us is ‘in the valley of decision.’ Help us to make sure that we are prepared for ‘the coming of the great and dreadful Day of the Lord.’ We thank You, Lord, that You have given us Your promise: ‘Everyone who calls on the Name of the Lord will be saved’ (Joel 2:31-32; Joel 3:14). You promise great blessing to those who call upon You. You ‘will pour out His Spirit’ upon us. You will do ‘great things’ for us. You will be our ‘Refuge’ and ‘Stronghold.’ You will fill us with ‘joy and gladness.’ You will fill our hearts with ‘praise’ (Joel 2:20-21,23,26,28-29; Joel 3:16). You're calling on us to make sure that we ‘call on the Name of the Lord.’ May we make sure that we do not miss out on the great blessings that You, Lord, give to those who call on Your Name. Help us to make your decision now - ‘I will call on the Name of the Lord’ (1 Kings 18:24).
______________________Show us, Lord, that each of us is ‘in the valley of decision.’ Help us to make sure that we are prepared for ‘the coming of the great and dreadful Day of the Lord.’ We thank You, Lord, that You have given us Your promise: ‘Everyone who calls on the Name of the Lord will be saved’ (Joel 2:31-32; Joel 3:14). You promise great blessing to those who call upon You. You ‘will pour out His Spirit’ upon us. You will do ‘great things’ for us. You will be our ‘Refuge’ and ‘Stronghold.’ You will fill us with ‘joy and gladness.’ You will fill our hearts with ‘praise’ (Joel 2:20-21,23,26,28-29; Joel 3:16). You're calling on us to make sure that we ‘call on the Name of the Lord.’ May we make sure that we do not miss out on the great blessings that You, Lord, give to those who call on Your Name. Help us to make your decision now - ‘I will call on the Name of the Lord’ (1 Kings 18:24).
AMOS
1:1-2:16
‘The Lord roars.’ ‘The Lord thunders’ (Amos 1:2). We thank You, Lord, that Your Word comes to us from above - ‘The Lord will roar from on high.’ You speak to us from heaven - ‘He will thunder from His holy dwelling.’ We dare not ignore Your Word. Your Word comes to us as a Word of warning - ‘He will shout against all who live on the earth’ - and a Word of judgment - ‘He will bring judgment on all mankind.’ You're calling for our attention: ‘Look! Disaster is spreading from nation to nation; a mighty storm is rising from the ends of the earth.’ You're speaking to us about Your ‘fierce anger.’ You're calling us to turn from our sin. Help us, Lord, to return to You and hear Your Word of salvation: ‘I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more (Jeremiah 25:30-32,37; 31:34).
‘The Lord roars.’ ‘The Lord thunders’ (Amos 1:2). We thank You, Lord, that Your Word comes to us from above - ‘The Lord will roar from on high.’ You speak to us from heaven - ‘He will thunder from His holy dwelling.’ We dare not ignore Your Word. Your Word comes to us as a Word of warning - ‘He will shout against all who live on the earth’ - and a Word of judgment - ‘He will bring judgment on all mankind.’ You're calling for our attention: ‘Look! Disaster is spreading from nation to nation; a mighty storm is rising from the ends of the earth.’ You're speaking to us about Your ‘fierce anger.’ You're calling us to turn from our sin. Help us, Lord, to return to You and hear Your Word of salvation: ‘I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more (Jeremiah 25:30-32,37; 31:34).
3:1-5:5
‘You only have I chosen... therefore I will punish you for all your sins’ (Amos 3:2). Along with the privilege of being ‘chosen’ to belong to You, Lord comes the responsibility of living as Your servants. Teach us not to take Your Word lightly - ‘The lion has roared - who will not fear?’ (Amos 3:8). You speak to us very directly about the way we are living - ‘You have not returned to Me’ (Amos 4:6,8-11). Help us to take You seriously: ‘Prepare to meet your God’ (Amos 4:12). You're calling us to ‘seek You and live’: ‘Seek the Lord while He may be found; call on Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake His way and the evil man his thoughts, Let him turn to the Lord, and He will have mercy on him, and to our God, for He will freely pardon’ (Amos 5:4; Isaiah 55:6-7).
‘You only have I chosen... therefore I will punish you for all your sins’ (Amos 3:2). Along with the privilege of being ‘chosen’ to belong to You, Lord comes the responsibility of living as Your servants. Teach us not to take Your Word lightly - ‘The lion has roared - who will not fear?’ (Amos 3:8). You speak to us very directly about the way we are living - ‘You have not returned to Me’ (Amos 4:6,8-11). Help us to take You seriously: ‘Prepare to meet your God’ (Amos 4:12). You're calling us to ‘seek You and live’: ‘Seek the Lord while He may be found; call on Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake His way and the evil man his thoughts, Let him turn to the Lord, and He will have mercy on him, and to our God, for He will freely pardon’ (Amos 5:4; Isaiah 55:6-7).
5:6-6:14
‘Seek the Lord and live’. ‘Seek good, not evil...’ (Amos 5:6,14). Those who truly seek You, Lord, are to live a godly life. You see right through hypocritical religion. You are is not pleased with it: ‘I hate your show and pretence - your hypocrisy of ‘honouring’ Me with your religious feasts and solemn assemblies... Away with your hymns of praise - they are mere noise to My ears. I will not listen to your music, no matter how lovely it is’ (Amos 5:21,23). You're looking for true obedience: ‘a mighty flood of justice - a torrent of doing good’ - ‘Let justice flow like a river and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream’ (Amos 5:24). You speak to us, Lord, about our sins - ‘Many and great are your sins. I know them so well’ - so that we might learn to ‘hate evil’ and ‘love good’ (Amos 5:5:12,15).
‘Seek the Lord and live’. ‘Seek good, not evil...’ (Amos 5:6,14). Those who truly seek You, Lord, are to live a godly life. You see right through hypocritical religion. You are is not pleased with it: ‘I hate your show and pretence - your hypocrisy of ‘honouring’ Me with your religious feasts and solemn assemblies... Away with your hymns of praise - they are mere noise to My ears. I will not listen to your music, no matter how lovely it is’ (Amos 5:21,23). You're looking for true obedience: ‘a mighty flood of justice - a torrent of doing good’ - ‘Let justice flow like a river and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream’ (Amos 5:24). You speak to us, Lord, about our sins - ‘Many and great are your sins. I know them so well’ - so that we might learn to ‘hate evil’ and ‘love good’ (Amos 5:5:12,15).
7:1-9:15
‘That’s enough, prophet! Go back to Judah and do your preaching there... Don’t prophesy here at Bethel any more’ (Amos 7:12-13). We thank You, Lord, that Amos was a faithful preacher of Your Word. How sad, sinful and shameful it was that his hearers wanted to get rid of him! This was the beginning of a time of great darkness: ‘The days are coming when I will send a famine through the land - not a famine of food or a thirst for water, but a famine of hearing the words of the Lord. Men will stagger from sea to sea and wander from north to east, searching for the Word of the Lord, but they will not find it’ (Amos 8:11-12). There were dark times ahead - but You, Lord, were looking beyond them to a brighter future: ‘I will restore the fortunes of My people Israel’ (Amos 9:14). ‘Restore us again, O God of our salvation...’ (Psalm 85:4-7).
_______________________ ‘That’s enough, prophet! Go back to Judah and do your preaching there... Don’t prophesy here at Bethel any more’ (Amos 7:12-13). We thank You, Lord, that Amos was a faithful preacher of Your Word. How sad, sinful and shameful it was that his hearers wanted to get rid of him! This was the beginning of a time of great darkness: ‘The days are coming when I will send a famine through the land - not a famine of food or a thirst for water, but a famine of hearing the words of the Lord. Men will stagger from sea to sea and wander from north to east, searching for the Word of the Lord, but they will not find it’ (Amos 8:11-12). There were dark times ahead - but You, Lord, were looking beyond them to a brighter future: ‘I will restore the fortunes of My people Israel’ (Amos 9:14). ‘Restore us again, O God of our salvation...’ (Psalm 85:4-7).
OBADIAH
‘The Kingdom will be the Lord’s’ (21). When, Lord, Your Kingdom comes, there will be both salvation - ‘The house of Jacob will possess its inheritance’ - and judgment - ‘There will be no survivors from the house of Esau’ (17-18). ‘Not by works but by Him who calls’ - This is the great contrast between ‘Jacob’ and ‘Esau’. We thank You that we have not been saved ‘because of any good deeds that we have done.’ We have been saved ‘by grace’. We can never be saved ‘by works.’ We can never receive Your grace ‘by works.’ Teach us, Lord, to receive Your grace ‘by faith.’ May we look away from ourselves to You, and say, ‘He saved us.’ ‘It is by grace that you have been saved through faith... not by works, so that no-one can boast’ (Romans 9:10-13, 30-32; 11:6; Titus 3:4-7; Ephesians 2:8-9).
______________________
JONAH
1:1-2:10
‘Salvation comes from the Lord’ (Jonah 2:9). We can never save ourselves. We can only be saved - by You, Lord. Left to our own devices, we ‘flee from Your presence.’ We ‘run away from You’ (Jonah 1:3). Sin - This is the story of our life. Salvation - This is the story of what You have done for us. We are sinners. We need to be saved. How can our life be turned around? How can we turn from the way of sin and seek the way of salvation? We cannot change ourselves. We need to be changed by You, Lord. We cannot forgive our own sins. We need to be forgiven by You. Where does the desire for forgiveness and change come from? Does it come from ourselves? No! It comes from You, Lord: ‘He drew me, and I followed on...’ (Mission Praise, 499).
‘Salvation comes from the Lord’ (Jonah 2:9). We can never save ourselves. We can only be saved - by You, Lord. Left to our own devices, we ‘flee from Your presence.’ We ‘run away from You’ (Jonah 1:3). Sin - This is the story of our life. Salvation - This is the story of what You have done for us. We are sinners. We need to be saved. How can our life be turned around? How can we turn from the way of sin and seek the way of salvation? We cannot change ourselves. We need to be changed by You, Lord. We cannot forgive our own sins. We need to be forgiven by You. Where does the desire for forgiveness and change come from? Does it come from ourselves? No! It comes from You, Lord: ‘He drew me, and I followed on...’ (Mission Praise, 499).
3:1-4:11
The people of Nineveh ‘believed God’ and ‘turned from their evil ways.’ You, Lord, had shown Yourself to be ‘a gracious and compassionate God...’ How did Jonah react? Was he rejoicing in You? No! He was complaining - ‘Jonah was greatly displeased and became angry.’ Jonah was a proud Jew. He despised the Ninevites. He didn’t want them to be saved. That’s why he was ‘so quick to flee to Tarshish’ (Jonah 3:5,10; Jonah 4:1-2). What does Your Word say about Jonah’s attitude? - ‘You have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else.’ Teach us never to ‘show contempt for the riches of His kindness.’ May we never say, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men.’ May we always pray, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner’ (Romans 2:1,4; Luke 18:11-14).
The people of Nineveh ‘believed God’ and ‘turned from their evil ways.’ You, Lord, had shown Yourself to be ‘a gracious and compassionate God...’ How did Jonah react? Was he rejoicing in You? No! He was complaining - ‘Jonah was greatly displeased and became angry.’ Jonah was a proud Jew. He despised the Ninevites. He didn’t want them to be saved. That’s why he was ‘so quick to flee to Tarshish’ (Jonah 3:5,10; Jonah 4:1-2). What does Your Word say about Jonah’s attitude? - ‘You have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else.’ Teach us never to ‘show contempt for the riches of His kindness.’ May we never say, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men.’ May we always pray, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner’ (Romans 2:1,4; Luke 18:11-14).
_________________________
1:1-2:13
We thank You, Lord, that Micah was a fearless preacher of Your Word. His message was not popular: ‘Let the Lord God be a witness against you.’ He was a forthright preacher of Your Word. He knew that the people wouldn’t want to hear what he had to say to them. He demanded that they listen to him. This wasn’t only Micah’s word. It was Your word, Lord. That’s why Micah said, ‘Hear, O peoples, all of you. Listen, O earth and all who are in it’ (Micah 2:2). Teach us, Lord, that we cannot afford to ignore Your Word. Help us to listen to Your Word. You speak Your Word against us. You say to us, ‘You cannot save yourselves’ (Micah 2:3). You speak Your Word against us so that we might learn to rejoice in Your Word of salvation: ‘I will bring you together like sheep returning to the fold’ (Micah 2:12).
3:1-5:1
We thank You, Lord, for the words that Micah speaks to those ‘who hate good and love evil’ (Micah 3:2). He calls upon them to change their way of living. He calls upon them to worship You - ‘Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord’ - and walk with You - ‘We will walk in the Name of the Lord our God for ever and ever.’ How do we learn to ‘walk in Your paths’? We come to Your ‘House’. We listen to Your ‘Word’. We pray that Your Word will come to us ‘with power.’ We ask You to ‘teach us Your ways.’ We pray that we will be ‘filled with the Spirit of the Lord’ (Micah 4:2,5; 3:8). We worship You, Lord. Gathered in Your House for worship, we ‘receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on us.’ Through Your power, we are equipped for witness: ‘you will be My witnesses...’ (Acts 1:8).
We thank You, Lord, for the words that Micah speaks to those ‘who hate good and love evil’ (Micah 3:2). He calls upon them to change their way of living. He calls upon them to worship You - ‘Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord’ - and walk with You - ‘We will walk in the Name of the Lord our God for ever and ever.’ How do we learn to ‘walk in Your paths’? We come to Your ‘House’. We listen to Your ‘Word’. We pray that Your Word will come to us ‘with power.’ We ask You to ‘teach us Your ways.’ We pray that we will be ‘filled with the Spirit of the Lord’ (Micah 4:2,5; 3:8). We worship You, Lord. Gathered in Your House for worship, we ‘receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on us.’ Through Your power, we are equipped for witness: ‘you will be My witnesses...’ (Acts 1:8).
5:2-6:16
We thank You, Lord, for Micah's words of prophecy concerning the birth of Jesus at ‘Bethlehem’ (Micah 5:2). This prophecy invites us to ‘go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.’ At ‘Bethlehem’, we see ‘shepherds, glorifying and praising God’ (Luke 2:15,20). We thank that Jesus, Your Son is also Jesus our Shepherd. He is the One whom the shepherds worshipped. He is the One who ‘will stand and shepherd His flock in the strength of the Lord...’. He is ‘the Good Shepherd’. He ‘laid down His life’ for us. He is ‘the Great Shepherd’. He ‘was raised from the dead’ for us. He is ‘the Chief Shepherd’. He will ‘come’ again for us (5:4; John 10:14; Hebrews 13:20; 1 Peter 5:4). We thank You, Lord, that Jesus our ‘Shepherd’ gives us ‘strength’ to ‘do justice, love kindness and walk humbly with our God’ (Micah 6:8).
We thank You, Lord, for Micah's words of prophecy concerning the birth of Jesus at ‘Bethlehem’ (Micah 5:2). This prophecy invites us to ‘go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.’ At ‘Bethlehem’, we see ‘shepherds, glorifying and praising God’ (Luke 2:15,20). We thank that Jesus, Your Son is also Jesus our Shepherd. He is the One whom the shepherds worshipped. He is the One who ‘will stand and shepherd His flock in the strength of the Lord...’. He is ‘the Good Shepherd’. He ‘laid down His life’ for us. He is ‘the Great Shepherd’. He ‘was raised from the dead’ for us. He is ‘the Chief Shepherd’. He will ‘come’ again for us (5:4; John 10:14; Hebrews 13:20; 1 Peter 5:4). We thank You, Lord, that Jesus our ‘Shepherd’ gives us ‘strength’ to ‘do justice, love kindness and walk humbly with our God’ (Micah 6:8).
7:1-20
‘Who is a God like You? You forgive sin... You love to be merciful.You will again have compassion on us... You will throw all our sins into the depths of the ocean!... You will bless us... You will set Your love upon us...’ (Micah 7:18-20). When, Lord, we read these great words, we think of Jesus, our great Saviour - ‘I stand amazed in the presence of Jesus the Nazarene and wonder how He could love me, a sinner, condemned, unclean. He took my sins and my sorrows. He made them His very own. He bore the burden to Calvary, and suffered and died alone. When with the ransomed in glory His face I at last shall see, ‘twill be my joy through the ages to sing of His love for me. How marvellous, how wonderful, and my song shall ever be: How marvellous, how wonderful is my Saviour’s love for me!’ (Mission Praise, 296).
‘Who is a God like You? You forgive sin... You love to be merciful.You will again have compassion on us... You will throw all our sins into the depths of the ocean!... You will bless us... You will set Your love upon us...’ (Micah 7:18-20). When, Lord, we read these great words, we think of Jesus, our great Saviour - ‘I stand amazed in the presence of Jesus the Nazarene and wonder how He could love me, a sinner, condemned, unclean. He took my sins and my sorrows. He made them His very own. He bore the burden to Calvary, and suffered and died alone. When with the ransomed in glory His face I at last shall see, ‘twill be my joy through the ages to sing of His love for me. How marvellous, how wonderful, and my song shall ever be: How marvellous, how wonderful is my Saviour’s love for me!’ (Mission Praise, 296).
____________
NAHUM
1:1-2:9
‘Fulfil your vows’ (1:15). Lord, You're calling us to be faithful to Him. We are to be faithful in worship. We are to be faithful in reading Your Word. We are to be faithful in prayer. We are to be faithful in giving. We are to be faithful in witness. Our faith is to be real. Our faith is to make a difference. It’s to change the way we live. It’s not to be a case of ‘faith without works’. Show us , Lord, that this kind of ‘faith’ is ‘dead’ (James 2:17). Our whole life is to be a life of faith. It is to be a life of ‘love.’ You're calling us to live ‘for Your glory’ (Romans 14:23; 1 Corinthians 16:14; 10:31). ‘Fill Thou our life, O Lord our God, in every part with praise... Not for the lip of praise alone, nor even the praising heart we ask, but for a life made up of praise in every part’ (Church Hymnary, 457).
‘Fulfil your vows’ (1:15). Lord, You're calling us to be faithful to Him. We are to be faithful in worship. We are to be faithful in reading Your Word. We are to be faithful in prayer. We are to be faithful in giving. We are to be faithful in witness. Our faith is to be real. Our faith is to make a difference. It’s to change the way we live. It’s not to be a case of ‘faith without works’. Show us , Lord, that this kind of ‘faith’ is ‘dead’ (James 2:17). Our whole life is to be a life of faith. It is to be a life of ‘love.’ You're calling us to live ‘for Your glory’ (Romans 14:23; 1 Corinthians 16:14; 10:31). ‘Fill Thou our life, O Lord our God, in every part with praise... Not for the lip of praise alone, nor even the praising heart we ask, but for a life made up of praise in every part’ (Church Hymnary, 457).
2:10-3:19
To those who refuse to live in obedience to You, Lord, You speak Your Word of judgment: ‘I am against you’ (Nahum 2:13; Nahum 3:5). To those who refuse to listen to Your Word of salvation - ‘The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in Him’, You speak a very different Word. It will be Your Word of judgment. Your Word will come like ‘an overwhelming flood’: ‘He will pursue His foes into darkness’ (Nahum 1:7-8). We thank You, Lord, that none of us needs to face this ‘overwhelming flood’ and hear the words, ‘I am against you.’ Each of us can come to Christ and hear His Word of ‘overwhelming victory’: ‘If God is for us, who can be against us?... Nothing will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord’ (Romans 8:31,37-39). Thank You, Lord.
To those who refuse to live in obedience to You, Lord, You speak Your Word of judgment: ‘I am against you’ (Nahum 2:13; Nahum 3:5). To those who refuse to listen to Your Word of salvation - ‘The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in Him’, You speak a very different Word. It will be Your Word of judgment. Your Word will come like ‘an overwhelming flood’: ‘He will pursue His foes into darkness’ (Nahum 1:7-8). We thank You, Lord, that none of us needs to face this ‘overwhelming flood’ and hear the words, ‘I am against you.’ Each of us can come to Christ and hear His Word of ‘overwhelming victory’: ‘If God is for us, who can be against us?... Nothing will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord’ (Romans 8:31,37-39). Thank You, Lord.
_______________
HABAKKUK
1:1-2:14
‘How long, O Lord, must I call for help, but You do not listen?’ (Habakkuk 1:2). Lord, there are times when it seems that You are not listening to us. What are we to do when we feel like this? Are we to give up on You? Are we to stop praying? No! Teach us to wait patiently for Your answer - ‘I will look to see what He will say to me.’ May we never forget Your promise: ‘The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul that seeks Him. It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord’ (Habakkuk 2:1; Lamentations 3:25-26). ‘The vision awaits its time... If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come, it will not delay’. Teach us, Lord, to ‘live by faith’, awaiting the Day when ‘the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea’ (Habakkuk 2:3-4,14).
‘How long, O Lord, must I call for help, but You do not listen?’ (Habakkuk 1:2). Lord, there are times when it seems that You are not listening to us. What are we to do when we feel like this? Are we to give up on You? Are we to stop praying? No! Teach us to wait patiently for Your answer - ‘I will look to see what He will say to me.’ May we never forget Your promise: ‘The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul that seeks Him. It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord’ (Habakkuk 2:1; Lamentations 3:25-26). ‘The vision awaits its time... If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come, it will not delay’. Teach us, Lord, to ‘live by faith’, awaiting the Day when ‘the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea’ (Habakkuk 2:3-4,14).
2:15-3:19
Teach us, Lord, to ‘be silent’ before You. Help us to ‘stand in awe’ of You. In Your holy presence, we become deeply conscious of our sin which separates us from You: ‘Your eyes are too pure to look on evil.’ Confessing our sin to You, Lord, we pray that ‘in wrath’ You will ‘remember mercy.’ We pray that You will ‘renew’ us with Your blessing. You answer our prayer. You send Your ‘glory’ into our lives. You fill our hearts with Your ‘praise’: ‘I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Saviour. The Lord God is my Strength. He makes my feet like the feet of the deer. He enables me to go on the heights.’ We thank You, Lord, for Your precious promise: ‘Those who wait on the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles...’ (Habakkuk 2:20; Habakkuk 3:2; Habakkuk 1:13; Habakkuk 3:18-19; Isaiah 40:31).
Teach us, Lord, to ‘be silent’ before You. Help us to ‘stand in awe’ of You. In Your holy presence, we become deeply conscious of our sin which separates us from You: ‘Your eyes are too pure to look on evil.’ Confessing our sin to You, Lord, we pray that ‘in wrath’ You will ‘remember mercy.’ We pray that You will ‘renew’ us with Your blessing. You answer our prayer. You send Your ‘glory’ into our lives. You fill our hearts with Your ‘praise’: ‘I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Saviour. The Lord God is my Strength. He makes my feet like the feet of the deer. He enables me to go on the heights.’ We thank You, Lord, for Your precious promise: ‘Those who wait on the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles...’ (Habakkuk 2:20; Habakkuk 3:2; Habakkuk 1:13; Habakkuk 3:18-19; Isaiah 40:31).
______________
ZEPHANIAH
1:1-2:7
‘The great Day of the Lord is near - near and coming quickly... That Day will be a Day of wrath... I will bring distress upon the people... because they have sinned against the Lord’ (Zephaniah 1:14-17). This, Lord, is Your Word of warning. You're calling us back to Yourself: ‘Seek the Lord - before the fierce anger of the Lord comes upon you, before the Day of the Lord’s wrath comes upon you.’ Help us, Lord, to seek You in ‘righteousness’ and ‘humility.’ This is the way of being ‘sheltered on the Day of Your anger’ (Zephaniah 2:2-3). You're calling us to ‘worship You in Spirit and in truth’: ‘Offer yourselves as a living sacrifice to God, dedicated to His service and pleasing to Him. This is the true worship that you should offer’ (John 4:24; Romans 12:1).
‘The great Day of the Lord is near - near and coming quickly... That Day will be a Day of wrath... I will bring distress upon the people... because they have sinned against the Lord’ (Zephaniah 1:14-17). This, Lord, is Your Word of warning. You're calling us back to Yourself: ‘Seek the Lord - before the fierce anger of the Lord comes upon you, before the Day of the Lord’s wrath comes upon you.’ Help us, Lord, to seek You in ‘righteousness’ and ‘humility.’ This is the way of being ‘sheltered on the Day of Your anger’ (Zephaniah 2:2-3). You're calling us to ‘worship You in Spirit and in truth’: ‘Offer yourselves as a living sacrifice to God, dedicated to His service and pleasing to Him. This is the true worship that you should offer’ (John 4:24; Romans 12:1).
2:8-3:20
We read, Lord, a story of sin - 'Woe to the city of oppressors, rebellious and defiled! She has not obeyed His voice. She has not accepted correction. She has not trusted in the Lord. She has not drawn near to her God’ - and a story of salvation - ‘Sing, O Daughter of Zion; shout aloud, O Israel! Be glad and rejoice with all your heart, O Daughter of Jerusalem! The Lord has taken away your punishment. He has turned back your enemy... The Lord your God is with you. He is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you. He will renew you in His love. He will rejoice over you with singing’ (Zephaniah 3:1-2,14-17). The story of our sin is full of sadness. The story of Your salvation fills us with gladness - ‘Rejoice and be glad! The Redeemer has come’ (Mission Praise, 573).
We read, Lord, a story of sin - 'Woe to the city of oppressors, rebellious and defiled! She has not obeyed His voice. She has not accepted correction. She has not trusted in the Lord. She has not drawn near to her God’ - and a story of salvation - ‘Sing, O Daughter of Zion; shout aloud, O Israel! Be glad and rejoice with all your heart, O Daughter of Jerusalem! The Lord has taken away your punishment. He has turned back your enemy... The Lord your God is with you. He is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you. He will renew you in His love. He will rejoice over you with singing’ (Zephaniah 3:1-2,14-17). The story of our sin is full of sadness. The story of Your salvation fills us with gladness - ‘Rejoice and be glad! The Redeemer has come’ (Mission Praise, 573).
____________
HAGGAI
1:1-15
We read, Lord, the questions that You put to Your people: 'Why is everyone saying it is not the right time for rebuilding My Temple?'; ‘Is it then the right time for you to live in luxurious homes, when the Temple lies in ruins?’ (Haggai 1:2-4). Your people had forgotten about You. They were pleasing themselves - but they were not pleasing You! Lord, You're challenging us to think about our way of living - ‘Consider your way of life’ (Haggai 1:5,7). Teach us, Lord, to ‘obey Your voice.' Help us to change our way of thinking - ‘the people feared the Lord’ - and living - ‘They came and began work on the House of the Lord Almighty, their God.’ Help us to obey Your voice and trust in Your promise - ‘I am with you’(Haggai 1:12-14).
We read, Lord, the questions that You put to Your people: 'Why is everyone saying it is not the right time for rebuilding My Temple?'; ‘Is it then the right time for you to live in luxurious homes, when the Temple lies in ruins?’ (Haggai 1:2-4). Your people had forgotten about You. They were pleasing themselves - but they were not pleasing You! Lord, You're challenging us to think about our way of living - ‘Consider your way of life’ (Haggai 1:5,7). Teach us, Lord, to ‘obey Your voice.' Help us to change our way of thinking - ‘the people feared the Lord’ - and living - ‘They came and began work on the House of the Lord Almighty, their God.’ Help us to obey Your voice and trust in Your promise - ‘I am with you’(Haggai 1:12-14).
2:1-23
Lord, You're speaking Your Word to us: ‘“Be strong, all you people of the land”, declares the Lord, “and work. For I am with you”, declares the Lord Almighty’ (Haggai 2:4). You're calling us to work for You. When, Lord, we commit ourselves to serving You, You give to us the promise of Your blessing: ‘From this day on I will bless you’ (Haggai 2:19). To Your faithful servants, You promise great blessing: ‘I will fill this House with glory’ (Haggai 2:7). You're calling us to give ourselves completely to You: ‘Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that, in the Lord, your labour is not in vain’ (1 Corinthians 15:58). When we hear Your questions, ‘Who is on the Lord’s side? Who will serve the King?', may we say, 'We are on the Lord’s side, Saviour, we are Thine... Always on the Lord’s side, Saviour, always Thine’ (Church Hymnary, 479).
Lord, You're speaking Your Word to us: ‘“Be strong, all you people of the land”, declares the Lord, “and work. For I am with you”, declares the Lord Almighty’ (Haggai 2:4). You're calling us to work for You. When, Lord, we commit ourselves to serving You, You give to us the promise of Your blessing: ‘From this day on I will bless you’ (Haggai 2:19). To Your faithful servants, You promise great blessing: ‘I will fill this House with glory’ (Haggai 2:7). You're calling us to give ourselves completely to You: ‘Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that, in the Lord, your labour is not in vain’ (1 Corinthians 15:58). When we hear Your questions, ‘Who is on the Lord’s side? Who will serve the King?', may we say, 'We are on the Lord’s side, Saviour, we are Thine... Always on the Lord’s side, Saviour, always Thine’ (Church Hymnary, 479).
_______________________
ZECHARIAH
1:1-2:13
We thank You, Lord, that You promise to bless Your faithful people: ‘I will return to Jerusalem with mercy, and there My House will be rebuilt’ (Zechariah 1:16). You looks upon Your House, and You see Your glory - ‘I will be the glory within it’ (Zechariah 2:5). You see the glory of Your presence - ‘I will live among you’ (Zechariah 2:10). We read about the Temple at Jerusalem. We read about its glory. Your Word speaks about another ‘temple’ and another ‘glory.’ Through ‘faith’ in ‘Christ’, we have become ‘a holy temple in the Lord’ - ‘a dwelling in which God lives by His Spirit’ (Ephesians 2:21-22; Ephesians 3:16-17). To every believer, God says, ‘Your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you... Glorify God in your body’ (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). Help us, Lord, to bring glory to You.
We thank You, Lord, that You promise to bless Your faithful people: ‘I will return to Jerusalem with mercy, and there My House will be rebuilt’ (Zechariah 1:16). You looks upon Your House, and You see Your glory - ‘I will be the glory within it’ (Zechariah 2:5). You see the glory of Your presence - ‘I will live among you’ (Zechariah 2:10). We read about the Temple at Jerusalem. We read about its glory. Your Word speaks about another ‘temple’ and another ‘glory.’ Through ‘faith’ in ‘Christ’, we have become ‘a holy temple in the Lord’ - ‘a dwelling in which God lives by His Spirit’ (Ephesians 2:21-22; Ephesians 3:16-17). To every believer, God says, ‘Your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you... Glorify God in your body’ (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). Help us, Lord, to bring glory to You.
3:1-4:14
“Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit”, says the Lord Almighty’ (Zechariah 4:6). Teach us, Lord, that there is only one Power by which Your work can be done. It is the power of the Holy Spirit. Help us not to try to do Your work in our own strength. May we exchange our weakness for Your strength. Teach us, Father, to ‘wait for Your promise’ - ‘You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you.’ We thank You, Lord that great things happen when Your people are ‘filled with the Holy Spirit’ - ‘About three thousand were added to their number that day... The Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved’! Let us pray that God will ‘pour out’ His Spirit upon us (Acts 1:4,8; Acts 2:4,17-18,41,47).
“Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit”, says the Lord Almighty’ (Zechariah 4:6). Teach us, Lord, that there is only one Power by which Your work can be done. It is the power of the Holy Spirit. Help us not to try to do Your work in our own strength. May we exchange our weakness for Your strength. Teach us, Father, to ‘wait for Your promise’ - ‘You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you.’ We thank You, Lord that great things happen when Your people are ‘filled with the Holy Spirit’ - ‘About three thousand were added to their number that day... The Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved’! Let us pray that God will ‘pour out’ His Spirit upon us (Acts 1:4,8; Acts 2:4,17-18,41,47).
5:1-6:15
‘Here is the Man whose Name is the Branch... It is He who will build the Temple of the Lord...’ (Zechariah 6:12-13). We thank You, Lord, for these great words of prophecy. They point us to our Lord Jesus Christ: ‘I will build My Church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it’ (Matthew 16:18). How does Christ build His Church? He sends His blessing when His people are obedient to Him: ‘Those who are far away will come and help to build the Temple of the Lord... This will happen if you diligently obey the Lord your God’ (Zechariah 6:15). We thank You, Lord, that You're ‘building a people of power.’ You're calling us to ‘move through this land by Your Spirit and glorify Your precious Name’. Teach us to pray, ‘Here I am, wholly available - as for me, I will serve the Lord’ (Mission Praise, 151,229).
‘Here is the Man whose Name is the Branch... It is He who will build the Temple of the Lord...’ (Zechariah 6:12-13). We thank You, Lord, for these great words of prophecy. They point us to our Lord Jesus Christ: ‘I will build My Church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it’ (Matthew 16:18). How does Christ build His Church? He sends His blessing when His people are obedient to Him: ‘Those who are far away will come and help to build the Temple of the Lord... This will happen if you diligently obey the Lord your God’ (Zechariah 6:15). We thank You, Lord, that You're ‘building a people of power.’ You're calling us to ‘move through this land by Your Spirit and glorify Your precious Name’. Teach us to pray, ‘Here I am, wholly available - as for me, I will serve the Lord’ (Mission Praise, 151,229).
7:1-8:23
Lord, when people stop listening to Your Word, their life becomes ‘a desolate wasteland’ (Zechariah 7:11-14). What are we to do when we see this happening? - ‘Do not be afraid... Be strong.’ Help us, Lord, to keep on believing Your promise: ‘I will save you, and you will be a blessing.’ Help us to keep on praying that our faithful witness will bring others to You: ‘Let us go with you, because we have heard that God is with you’ (Zechariah 8:13,23). Teach us to pray that ‘the Spirit will be poured upon us from on high and the desert will become a fertile field.’ ‘Don’t hide your light! Let it shine for all; let your good deeds glow for all to see, so that they will praise your heavenly Father’ (Isaiah 32:15; Matthew 5:15-16). Lord, shine Your light on us, and shine Your light through us.
Lord, when people stop listening to Your Word, their life becomes ‘a desolate wasteland’ (Zechariah 7:11-14). What are we to do when we see this happening? - ‘Do not be afraid... Be strong.’ Help us, Lord, to keep on believing Your promise: ‘I will save you, and you will be a blessing.’ Help us to keep on praying that our faithful witness will bring others to You: ‘Let us go with you, because we have heard that God is with you’ (Zechariah 8:13,23). Teach us to pray that ‘the Spirit will be poured upon us from on high and the desert will become a fertile field.’ ‘Don’t hide your light! Let it shine for all; let your good deeds glow for all to see, so that they will praise your heavenly Father’ (Isaiah 32:15; Matthew 5:15-16). Lord, shine Your light on us, and shine Your light through us.
9:1-10:12
‘...See your King comes to you... gentle and riding on a donkey...’ (Zechariah 9:9). We thank You, Lord, for these wonderful words of prophecy. They point us to our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Jesus is our King. He comes to us. How are we to welcome our King? We are to welcome Him with joyful praise - ‘Blessed is He who comes in the Name of the Lord’ (Matthew 21:1-9; John 12:12-16). We thank You, our Father, that Jesus our King has come to us from You: ‘When the time had fully come, God sent His Son...’. We thank You that Jesus our King has come to us to be our Saviour: ‘Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners’ (Galatians 4:4; 1 Timothy 1:15). We thank You that He will come again - ‘with power and great glory.’ ‘Come, Lord Jesus’ (Matthew 24:30; Revelation 22:20).
‘...See your King comes to you... gentle and riding on a donkey...’ (Zechariah 9:9). We thank You, Lord, for these wonderful words of prophecy. They point us to our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Jesus is our King. He comes to us. How are we to welcome our King? We are to welcome Him with joyful praise - ‘Blessed is He who comes in the Name of the Lord’ (Matthew 21:1-9; John 12:12-16). We thank You, our Father, that Jesus our King has come to us from You: ‘When the time had fully come, God sent His Son...’. We thank You that Jesus our King has come to us to be our Saviour: ‘Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners’ (Galatians 4:4; 1 Timothy 1:15). We thank You that He will come again - ‘with power and great glory.’ ‘Come, Lord Jesus’ (Matthew 24:30; Revelation 22:20).
11:1-12:14
‘They will look on Him whom they have pierced...’ (Zechariah 12:10). We thank You, Lord, for these great words of prophecy. They point us to Christ’s crucifixion. In Psalm 22:1, we read Christ’s prayer from the Cross: ‘My God, my God, why have You forsaken Me?’ (Matthew 27:46; Mark 15:34). In the same Psalm, we read these words: ‘They have pierced My hands and My feet’ (Psalm 22:16). In Isaiah 53:5, we learn that Christ ‘was pierced for our sins.’ In Revelation 1:7, the words of Zechariah 12:10 form part of a prophecy concerning Christ’s Return: ‘Look, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him ...’. In His heavenly glory, Christ will always be ‘the Lamb’ who was ‘slain’ (Revelation 5:6,9). Thank You, Lord, for our great Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ.
‘They will look on Him whom they have pierced...’ (Zechariah 12:10). We thank You, Lord, for these great words of prophecy. They point us to Christ’s crucifixion. In Psalm 22:1, we read Christ’s prayer from the Cross: ‘My God, my God, why have You forsaken Me?’ (Matthew 27:46; Mark 15:34). In the same Psalm, we read these words: ‘They have pierced My hands and My feet’ (Psalm 22:16). In Isaiah 53:5, we learn that Christ ‘was pierced for our sins.’ In Revelation 1:7, the words of Zechariah 12:10 form part of a prophecy concerning Christ’s Return: ‘Look, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him ...’. In His heavenly glory, Christ will always be ‘the Lamb’ who was ‘slain’ (Revelation 5:6,9). Thank You, Lord, for our great Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ.
13:1-14:21
Lord, we ‘call on Your Name’. You ‘answer’ our prayer - ‘I will say, “They are My people”, and they will say, “The Lord is our God’ (Zechariah 13:9). We confess our faith in ‘You, Lord.’ You are the ‘Lord of lords.’ You are the ‘King of kings’. Your Name is ‘the only Name’ of our salvation. Your Name is ‘the Name that is above every name’ (Zechariah 14:9; Revelation 19:16; Acts 4:12; Philippians 2:9-11). We ‘worship the King, the Lord Almighty.’ We sing ‘Holy to the Lord’: ‘Holy is the Lord God Almighty who was and is and is to come! Worthy is the Lord God Almighty who was and is and is to come! Glory to the Lord God Almighty who was and is and is to come!’ (Zechariah 14:16,20; Mission Praise, 239).
Lord, we ‘call on Your Name’. You ‘answer’ our prayer - ‘I will say, “They are My people”, and they will say, “The Lord is our God’ (Zechariah 13:9). We confess our faith in ‘You, Lord.’ You are the ‘Lord of lords.’ You are the ‘King of kings’. Your Name is ‘the only Name’ of our salvation. Your Name is ‘the Name that is above every name’ (Zechariah 14:9; Revelation 19:16; Acts 4:12; Philippians 2:9-11). We ‘worship the King, the Lord Almighty.’ We sing ‘Holy to the Lord’: ‘Holy is the Lord God Almighty who was and is and is to come! Worthy is the Lord God Almighty who was and is and is to come! Glory to the Lord God Almighty who was and is and is to come!’ (Zechariah 14:16,20; Mission Praise, 239).
_____________________________
MALACHI
1:1-2:17
Lord, You look upon us in our sin. What do You see? You see ‘the Wicked Land. You see ‘a people always under the wrath of the Lord’ (Malachi 1:4). You look at what Christ has done for us - ‘Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners’; ‘While we were still sinners, Christ died for us’; ‘Christ died for our sins’ (1 Timothy 1:15; Romans 5:8; 1 Corinthians 15:3). You look upon us in Christ - and everything is so very different: ‘God made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God’ (2 Corinthians 5:21). We thank You, Lord, that, at the Cross of Christ, we hear Your Word of love - ‘I have loved you’; ‘I have loved you with an everlasting love’ (Malachi 1:2; Jeremiah 31:3).
Lord, You look upon us in our sin. What do You see? You see ‘the Wicked Land. You see ‘a people always under the wrath of the Lord’ (Malachi 1:4). You look at what Christ has done for us - ‘Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners’; ‘While we were still sinners, Christ died for us’; ‘Christ died for our sins’ (1 Timothy 1:15; Romans 5:8; 1 Corinthians 15:3). You look upon us in Christ - and everything is so very different: ‘God made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God’ (2 Corinthians 5:21). We thank You, Lord, that, at the Cross of Christ, we hear Your Word of love - ‘I have loved you’; ‘I have loved you with an everlasting love’ (Malachi 1:2; Jeremiah 31:3).
3:1-4:6
Lord, You're calling us to be Your faithful people. You say to us, ‘Return to Me.’ You promise to bless those who return to You: ‘I will return to you.’ You call us to honour You with our ‘tithes and offerings: ‘Bring the whole tithe (tenth) into the storehouse...’ When we honour You, Lord, You have promised that You will honour us: ‘Those who honour Me, I will honour.’ When we honour You with our obedience, You promise that You will honour us with Your blessing. You promise to ‘open the windows of heaven and pour down for us an overflowing blessing’. Satan - ‘the devourer’ - will be defeated. We will ‘serve God’. He will take ‘delight’ in us. We will be Your ‘treasured possession’ (Malachi 3:8-12,17-19; 1 Samuel 2:30).
Lord, You're calling us to be Your faithful people. You say to us, ‘Return to Me.’ You promise to bless those who return to You: ‘I will return to you.’ You call us to honour You with our ‘tithes and offerings: ‘Bring the whole tithe (tenth) into the storehouse...’ When we honour You, Lord, You have promised that You will honour us: ‘Those who honour Me, I will honour.’ When we honour You with our obedience, You promise that You will honour us with Your blessing. You promise to ‘open the windows of heaven and pour down for us an overflowing blessing’. Satan - ‘the devourer’ - will be defeated. We will ‘serve God’. He will take ‘delight’ in us. We will be Your ‘treasured possession’ (Malachi 3:8-12,17-19; 1 Samuel 2:30).
Comments
Post a Comment