
Lord God, may all that have breath praise You in this new month. Lord God, I pray for my brothers and sisters who are undergoing chemo and radiation this month. Lord God, I ask that You will make the side effects of their treatment as minimal as possible. Lord God, I pray for my brothers and sisters who have covid, may Your Presence be very real to them in this time. Lord God, I pray for my brothers and sisters who are caregivers to have Your strength and peace.
Lord God, in this new month may we seek to be more like Jesus. Lord God, help us to glorify You rather than to glorify ourselves. Lord God, teach us to listen. We can be so quick to react to points of view that we do not agree with rather than listening and giving a rational explanation as why we do not agree. Lord God, may our love for Your Kingdom grow this month. May we be known more for the love that we have for You and for others. Lord God, help us to be salt and light. Help us to read Your Word, never forgetting that the Bible cannot mean what it did not mean to the original author and audience/hearers.
Lord God, may Your Word examine us this month. May Your Word permeate our hearts (mind, will and emotions) this month. Lord God, teach us to pray. Teach us to cling to You and not the security and comforts of this life. Lord God, may we never forget there has NEVER been a day when You were not God. You are God and You will always be God.
Lord God, may we seek to grow in gratitude and thankfulness this month. Lord God, may we heed Sarah’s practice and start naming five things we are thankful for each day. Lord God, the more we thank and praise You, the less we will think about ourselves. Lord God, may we say along with John the Baptist, “You must increase and I must decrease.”
Lord God, may we seek Your Glory and Holiness this month. Lord, cause us to desire to grow in holiness this month. Lord God, I am reminded of the words of Jerry Bridges who said, “If you want more victory in your life you need more obedience.” Oh Lord God, help us to be a more obedience people. Help us to desire being agents of mercy rather than agents of discord and disunity. Lord God, impress on us that unity is a hallmark of love. Lord God, help us to be Christ’s ambassadors, a pleasing aroma that brings glory, honor and praise to You.
Lord God, covid has and continues to reveal hearts. For those who are for or against vaccines, in many ways Christians on each side are treating the other side as if they are a wolf and Lord, it is very hard to have a conversation with someone who we think is a wolf. Lord God, as Pastor Keith stated yesterday, “Jesus does not give us permission to become like the wolf.” Lord, teach us how to agree to disagree peaceably with love and respect.
Lord God, help us to grow in spiritual discernment this month. Lord God help us to practice discernment so that we will know how to live as sheep among wolves being wise yet innocent. Lord God, help us to hold everything we read, see and hear up to the Light of Scripture. Help us to encourage others this month; speaking the truth in love. Help us to have mercy and compassion in a godless and morally bankrupt world. Lord God, help us to be a humble people, yet confident and courageous. Lord God, help us to fight distractions and procrastination more this month.
Lord God, thank You for this reader. Thank You Lord for the life that You have given them. Lord God, for the reader who does not know Christ I ask boldly that today will be the day of salvation. Lord God, for this reader who has been in Christ for years (and years) I ask that You stir their heart even more for You and Your Word. Lord God, grow this reader to trust You more this month. Lord God, prepare this reader and myself for this new month and prepare this new month for us. Lord God, may we never forget, “Divine guidance comes only to prepared hearts” (Life App Study Bible). Lord God, prepare us to be a witness to the people that You place in our sphere of influence this month and prepare these people for us. In Jesus’s Awesome, Holy, and Victorious Name I pray. Amen.