Archives for August 2012

Isaiah 19

Isaiah 19:5-10 Dear heavenly Father, all of creation is at Your disposal as You deal out judgment upon sinful nations. How we long for the day when, by Your grace, Your people will live in the harmony and holiness of the beautiful, new creation.

Isaiah 19:19 Make this your prayer today. Lord, let my be an altar to You, and make my life Your monument so that others will come to know and honour You through their contact with me.

Isaiah 19:21-22 Lord, You are merciful. I know I need disciplining, and I accept it. But, please, when You must discipline me, do so in a way that will bring healing.

Proverbs 19

Proverbs 19:3 Father, may I never blame You for the consequences of my own foolishness. Please protect my life and help me to act wisely in all I do.

Matthew 15:1-20

Matthew 15:1-6 Pray that the Holy Spirit will live in you in such a way that you’ll fulfill the spirit and meaning of God’s commands rather than perform the letter of the law out of tradition or human pride.

Matthew 15:8-9 Offer a sacrifice of praise to God. Ask Him to purify your heart so that your worship is not composed of empty words, but comes from a heart truly in love with Him.

Matthew 15:18-19 Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a right spirit within me. May the words of my mouth reflect Your holiness. (Psalm 51:10)

Isaiah 14

Isaiah 14: 1 Lord as You said and did long ago, have mercy today on Your people around the world. Mightily restore Your church so that it can live up to Your calling.

Isaiah 14:2 “ The nations of the world will help the Lord’s people to return, and those who come to live in their land will serve them. Those who captured Israel will be captured, and Israel will rule over its enemies.” Amen! So be it, Lord

Isaiah 14:12-17 Praise God that the arrogant, oppressive rulers who spread death, destruction, and injustice upon the earth will one day face the righteous judgment of God.

Isaiah 14:22-23 Heavenly Father when we look around us it seems like those who don’t follow You have more control and influence in this world than those who do. Cut off their power and evil influence today. Make men influence for good.

Isaiah 14:24 Lord, let everything happen as You have planned, that Your will be done here on earth, just as it is in heaven (Matthew 6:10)

Isaiah 15

Isaiah 15:5 Dear Lord give us soft tender hearts to weep for those who are suffering, even when they are getting what they deserve. Help us to understand that if we were to get what we deserved we would not be here today. But you saved us and wash us through the blood and have filled us with Your Spirit. As we see the suffering that sin brings to a nation give us Your heart.

Isaiah 16

Isaiah 16:5 Lord I praise You because, while all other thrones in history have been taken by force or murder, You will establish David’s throne by love.

Isaiah 17

Isaiah 17:1 You always graciously warn of Your coming wrath Lord. Please help me to heed Your warnings in my life.

Isaiah 17:7-8 The enemy of our soul uses everything to distract us from focusing on our God. We ask you to make us quick to think of You our Creator, and have proper respect for You. I declare I want You to be first in my mind. I pray that the things that may cause a busy life will not so fill my mind that You are left out. Help me, Lord!

Isaiah 18

Isaiah 18:7 Thank the Lord that His anger is often temporary, leading rebellious people to change their ways. Thank Him because He often restores what had been made desolate through sin.

Proverbs 18

Proverbs 18:4 We pray that our words would be as fresh and life-giving as the water from a bubbling brook. May what I say refresh others and give them renewed strength.

Proverbs 18:10 Thank You Lord my God, Your name is a strong fortress; the godly run to You and are safe. I trust you for my safety and security today.

Proverbs 18:24 We thank You Lord God, for the friend we have in Jesus, a friend who sticks closer than a brother, a friend who laid down His life for us. (John 15:13)

Matthew 14

Matthew 14:13-21 Consider how Jesus put aside His grief for His cousin, John the Baptist, in order to care for people. Thank Him for how He loves you and meets Your needs in the same compassionate way.

Matthew 14:22-32 Ask Jesus if there is some way in which He wants you to step out in faith toward Him. Pray for His guidance and for faith to keep your eyes on Him.

Matthew 14;33 Lord on this wonderful day You have made, with Your disciples I exclaim, “You really are the Son of God!” May I be forever amazed at who You are and what You’ve done.

2 Kings 16 Reading

2 Kings 16:1-4  We see in these verses how God’s people grieve His heart with their idolatry. He offers them peace, but they refuse His goodness and follow the sinful ways of the nations around them. Even to the point of sacrificing their own children by burning them in fire.

I know my sin grieves You, too. May the power of the influence of the world, the flesh and the devil be broken totally off our lives in Jesus name, the Son of the Living God. Please help me Lord to remember Your pain, and obey You out of love!

2 Kings 16:7 Lord forgive us for the things which we have taken that belong to You and Your house, and have used them for other things. Help us to recognize it is sin to do so.

2 Kings 16:10-15 In verse 10 NLT it says “King Ahaz then went to Damascus to meet the King Tiglath-pileser of Assyria. While he was there, he noticed an unusual alter” This was a heathen alter! So he sent a model of it to his priest Uriah along with its design in full detail, to be used to replace God’s original alter!

The new and unique fascinates us, but eternal truth bores us!

Lord let the power of the Holy Spirit come upon our lives and save us from the power of the flesh to deceive and distort the truth of Your Holy Word.

2 Kings 16:16 Uriah the priest obeyed the king and disobeyed the Lord. Big mistake! Obedience to any person or power is never more important than obedience to God. Ask Him to help you see where you need to change your obedience behavior.

2 Chronicles 28 Reading

2 Chronicles 28:1 Spend concentrated time praying for your children and the children in your church to follow the Lord. Pray that their parents will lovingly train them in the faith and that they will never, like Ahaz, turn their backs on the Lord.

2 Chronicles 28:12-15 When we read these verses today our hearts should be moved, as we recognise even in His discipline, God has only good in mind for His people. Thank Him for His mercy and forbearance in your life.

2 Chronicles 28:22-23 In light of these verses we pray in line with Psalm 39:7-8 NLT “And so, Lord where do I put my hope? My only hope is in You. Rescue me from my rebellion, for even fools mock me when I rebel”.

Proverbs 15:18-33 Reading

Proverbs 15:22 Amplified “Where there is no counsel, purposes are frustrated, but with many counselors they are accomplished.” NLT “Plans go wrong for lack of advice; many counselors bring success”.
What decision do you face right now? Ask God for wisdom in seeking good counsel.

Proverbs 15:30 If there was ever a time that we needed a calm and undisturbed mind and heart it is now!

While the thief Satan is trying to steal our joy and peace, we hold on to the fact that God’s Word tells us today that a calm and undisturbed mind and heart bring life and health to our body.

Lord let the light of Your countenance shine through our faces so we can give a sincere cheerful look to everyone we meet today even if they are grumpy.

Matthew 12: 22-37 Reading

Matthew 12:30 Ask the Lord to show you how to work with Him today and not to get side tracked into working against His purpose. Ask Him to protect you and arm you with spiritual armour so that you can stand ready to fight against evil.

Matthew 12:33-37 In light of these verses confess any tendency you may have to speak carelessly and judgmentally. Ask the Lord to guard your mouth so that you do not speak idly or with evil intent.

Micah 7

In verse 1 it begins in NKJ “Woe is me!” in NLT “What misery is mine”
He feels like a fruit picker after the harvest who can find nothing to eat. Not a cluster of grapes or a single fig can be found to satisfy his hunger.
He then goes on to say in verse 2 “The faithful or godly people have all disappeared; not one fair-minded person is left on the earth.”
David had a similar cry in Psalm 12:1 “Help, O Lord, for the godly are fast disappearing! The faithful have vanished from the earth.”

Micah 7:2 Lord we ask You to please preserve and strengthen the godly people around us. Let fair-minded people flourish in our church and community we pray.

Micah 7:7 Lord I thank you in the midst of all the corruption where people find it hard to trust each other at all levels. We thank You that we can look to You for help. “My God will hear me” We know this means God will answer us. It is a confession of our trust in You. We wait for You to save us as we trust You hear us.

Micah 7:14 Lord I thank You today that when I read this plea for you to come and shepherd Your people with Your staff (Shivt in Hebrew) it has a dual meaning in this context. That of a shepherds staff and that of a King’s scepter. O Lord, rule Your people today. Lead Your flock to a life of peace and safety. Cause them to enjoy the blessings of the past and prepare them for a glorious future with You.

Micah 7:18-20 Lord we see Your compassion on Israel and as we read in verse 18 “Who is a God like You” we see this is a pun on Micah’s name which means “Who is like Yahweh?” Lord truly there is no other God like You. You delight in showing mercy. You have had compassion on me, trampling my sins under Your feet and throwing them into the depths of the ocean! Thank You for Your faithfulness and unfailing love.

Proverbs 15

Proverbs 15:1 Father, prompt me more often to give a gentle answer when someone speaks angrily or accusingly to me. I know through this verse that a soft answer defuses anger so I will not respond with harsh words and escalate a situation. Lord I know such a response doesn’t always come easily or naturally to me. So I ask for Your help by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Proverbs 15:4 Lord sanctify my tongue and make it gentle because I desire it to be like a tree of life, bringing healing, deliverance and renewal to those I speak to.

Proverbs 15:14 “A wise person is hungry for truth, while the fool feeds on trash.” NLT
Lord make me hungry for truth. Convict me when I’m feeding on trash.

Matthew 12:1-21

Matthew 12:1-14  We see the controversy about the Sabbath in these verses. Ask the Master of the Sabbath to show you what it means to keep a day of rest and worship in the Spirit rather than in the letter of the law, so that the rest He gives you glorifies Him.

Matthew 12:18-21 “Behold my Servant” “look at my Servant” Today these words echo through my soul as verse twenty emphasises His kindness to the downtrodden and weak. “A bruised reed He will not break”.

Servant of God, I praise and adore You, for You have come to proclaim justice to the nations, Your name Jesus is the only hope for the nations.

Micah 5

Micah 5:2 Father today we can reflect back in light of the Scripture and thank You for the Babe of Bethlehem, the Prince of peace, whose origins are from the distant past but who lives in us today. Hallelujah!

Micah 5:4-5 Lord Jesus I pray that You will lead us today with Your strength, in the majesty of the name of the Lord my God, in the peace that only you can give.

Micah 5:12 Five speaks of Grace; Twelve speaks of God’s Government. Take a walk around your community. Pray, as you walk, for God to put an end to any witchcraft and occult activity there.

Micah 6

Micah 6:8 You have shown me, O Lord, what is required of me. Thank You that I am not left to guess what pleases You and what does not.

The Lord is holding us responsible for creating an environment of justice.

Micah 6:8 declares what God expects of every one of his people.

The three items listed in this text define the values and character of a godly person.

We are called to Act justly, Love mercy and Walk humbly with God.

Proverbs 14

Proverbs 14:21 NLT “It is a sin to despise one’s neighbour’s, blessed are those who help the poor”.

Pray for your neighbours . If they have any needs, do what you can to help them out, in the Name of Jesus.

Proverbs 14:29 NLT “Those who control their anger have great understanding, those with hasty temper will make mistakes.”

Ask the Lord to help you control your anger so you will not have to live a live which consist of a trail of mistakes.

Proverbs 14:34 Righteousness which is godliness exalts a nation. So Lord we pray for increasing godliness to characterise our nation.

Matthew 11

Matthew 11:25-26 Father we thank You for revealing Yourself to us through Your Son, Jesus. Lord we ask for a child like faith so that we can continue to learn and know your truth.

Matthew 11:28-30 Lord Jesus the burden of trying to run our own life and find our own way is too heavy for us. I gladly submit myself to the yoke of serving you.

Although Jesus puts His early disciples to work, He knows He has to touch their hearts before He asks for their hands. So He promises to give them rest. This rest in verse 28 means an inward rest, free from anxieties.