Month: March 2022

Seek & Obey God’s Direction

By faithfully obeying the Lord,
Joshua led the Israelites to military
victory. After his death, the tribes
failed to clear the inhabitants from
the land, so the Lord withdrew his
promise to help drive people out
and bless the Israelites in battle.
The new generation abandoned
God and worshiped idols.

Lord, we Seek Your Direction:
Now after the death of Joshua
it came to pass that the children
of Israel asked the Lord saying:
Who shall be first to go up for us
against the Canaanites to fight
against them? And the Lord said:
Judah shall go up. I have delivered
the land into his hand (Jdgs 1:1-2).
The Lord was with Judah and they
took possession of the hill country.
But they failed to drive out the
people living in the plains because
the pple there had iron chariots (v19)
Another generation arise who did not
know the Lord nor the work which
He had done for Israel. Then the
children of Israel did evil & served
the Baals. And the Lord delivered
them to plunderers…Nevertheless
the Lord raised up judges who
delivered them. But when the judge
is dead, they reverted and behaved
more corruptly (Jdgs 2:8-19).

Lord, we note the children of Israel
enquired for direction, which is
a good practice for us to follow.
We note that You God chose the
tribe of Judah which means Praise.
Praise is Your chosen troops
against the enemy. For Praise
leads the way and clears the way.
King Jehoshaphat learn this truth
years later in another campaign.
Help us Lord to remember to seek
Your direction and obey it. Amen.

Lord, we note Judah failed to drive
out the people in the plain because
their courage and faith failed
when they saw the iron chariots.
Help us Lord to fully trust and
obey Your instruction; not to
fear, doubt or compromise
but instead follow through
to complete Your assignment.
In Jesus’ mighty name, Amen.

Lord, we don’t want to fall away
in laziness, temptation and sin.
Help us not to neglect spending
regular time with You each day.
Guide us to Know You better, to
become more like U & to obey You.
Lead us Lord to teach our children
about You when they are young
and to encourage them in Your
way even as they mature. Amen.

Prayer that Produces Miracle

The Israelites went out a second
time to Ai. This time they succeeded.
In working for the Lord there’s value
of human reason, but strategy
without obedience is worthy nothing.
The kings of Canaan formed a
league against the oncoming hosts.
But we read of the treaty with the
Gibeonites who played a trick
on the Israelites. Joshua prayed.
Then Joshua routed the allied army.
The haul storm and the prolonged
daylight which God sent helped
His warrior. The sun stand still
upon Gibeon when God’s work is on.

Lord, we Bolded Seek in Faith:
Then Joshua spoke to the Lord
in the day when the Lord delivered
up the Amorites before the
children of Israel and he said:
Sun, stand still over Gibeon;
and Moon in the Valley of Aijalon.
So the sun stood still and the moon
stopped, till the nation of Israel had
defeated its enemies… And there
has been no day like that before it
or after it, that the Lord heeded
the voice of a man; for the Lord
fought for Israel (Josh 10:12-14)

Lord, we see in Joshua 10 that
You God honors bold prayers.
Just as Joshua asked for a miracle
beyond anything He could perform,
we are drawn into a similar
faith relationship with You Lord.
Realize that in asking, You God
are still looking for action our part.
For we still have to put “bold shoes
of faith” on our feet, walking out and
believing that God is able. Amen.

Lord God Almighty, You have proven
You make the impossible, possible.
The sun stopped middle of the sky
& delayed setting almost a full day.
The cancerous lump seemingly
disappears leaving doctor shocked.
And other impossible things that
You do in response to our prayers.
We realise sometimes we will have
to take the leap of faith that says,
God can and will do the impossible.
So, we go before You seeking You
God to move somehow, someway.….
And when You do, it proves that
You’re still a God of miracles. Amen.

Lord, we note You fought for Israel
in the battle & You will fight for us.
Joshua remembered what the Lord
had done for Israel. He’s seen Red
Sea deliverance; he’s crossed the
Jordan River on dry ground; and he’s
seen the walls of Jericho crumbled.
Because of these, Joshua was able
to pray a bold and audacious prayer
and God gave Israel the victory.
Help us Lord to ask boldly for You
are willing to fight on our behalf.
Help us to follow You and stay with
U thru the fight; and we know that
You will fight for Your people. Amen.

Seeking God thru Biblical Prayers

The key purpose of Joshua
is to give the history of Israel’s conquest of the promised land.
This week we see God urging us
on to Courage, Faith & Obedience.
On Monday, we learn from Josh 1
that God Calls Us Be Courageous.
On Tuesday, we learn from Josh 2/3
that The Living God Is In Control.
On Wednesday, we learn from
Josh 5 on Prayer as A Challenge.
On Thursday, we learn fr Josh 6/7
on the Need to Obey & Repent.
On Friday, we learn from Josh 10
on Prayer that Produces Miracle.
On Saturday, we learn fr Josh 24
on Prayer to Serve the Lord.
Let us humble ourselves and pray
and seek His face…In Jesus’ name.

Prayer to Serve the Lord (Mar 12)

After being commended for their
service in conquering the land of
Canaan, the warriors of the tribes
east of Jordan are sent home.
They recognise that the Jordan
River (which forms a natural barrier
between the tribes) may one
day form a spiritual barrier as well.
To prevent this, a memorial altar
is built on the riverbank. The book
closes with Joshua’s final address
in which he gives the people an
altimatum: Choose you this day
whom ye will serve… as for me and
my house, we will serve the Lord.

Lord, we’ll Choose to Serve You:
(Joshua said): So honour the Lord
and serve Him wholeheartedly.
Put away forever the idols your
ancestors worshipped… Serve the
Lord alone. But if you are unwilling
to serve the Lord, then choose today
whom you will serve…But As For Me
and my family, we’ll serve the Lord.
The people replied: We would
never forsake the Lord & worship
other gods (Joshua 24:14-16).
Joshua said to the people: He is
a Holy God; He is a Jealous God.
He will not forgive your rebellion…
if you forsake the Lord and serve
foreign gods. He will bring disaster
on you… But the people said… No!
We Will Serve the Lord (v19-21).

Lord, I remember the times that
You rescued, healed & guided me.
Just as Joshua pointed the way
to You God, each of us also has
the same opportunity to do so.
Thank You Lord for allowing me
the avenue to serve in small groups.
I pray that those who look to me
for discipleship will be drawn to You.
Help them be motivated to choose
to serve You wholeheartedly. Amen

Holy Father, thank You that You
made a way through Jesus Christ
to allow us into Your presence.
You dwell in holy place, yet U also
dwell with those who are contrite.
Make my heart like Yours even as
I strive to be more reflective of You.
Speak to me before I think of wrong
thoughts or make wrong choices and
empower me to live in holiness.Amen

Lord, let me not live to be useless,
for I want to be a servant of Yours.
I hand over to Your care Lord my
prayers & yet to be fulfilled hopes.
I give my hands to do Your work,
I give my feet to go Your way.
I give my eyes to see as You see.
I give my tongue to speak Yr words.
I give my spirit that U pray thru me.
I give my mind for You to think in me.
Above all I give You my heart that
You Lord will love through me. Amen.

• Prayer that Produced Miracle

The Israelites went out a second
time to Ai. This time they succeeded.
In working for the Lord there’s value
of human reason, but strategy
without obedience is worthy nothing.
The kings of Canaan formed a
league against the oncoming hosts.
But we read of the treaty with the
Gibeonites who played a trick
on the Israelites. Joshua prayed.
Then Joshua routed the allied army.
The haul storm and the prolonged
daylight which God sent helped
His warrior. The sun stand still
upon Gibeon when God’s work is on.

Lord, we Bolded Seek in Faith:
Then Joshua spoke to the Lord
in the day when the Lord delivered
up the Amorites before the
children of Israel and he said:
Sun, stand still over Gibeon;
and Moon in the Valley of Aijalon.
So the sun stood still and the moon
stopped, till the nation of Israel had
defeated its enemies… And there
has been no day like that before it
or after it, that the Lord heeded
the voice of a man; for the Lord
fought for Israel (Josh 10:12-14)

Lord, we see in Joshua 10 that
You God honors bold prayers.
Just as Joshua asked for a miracle
beyond anything He could perform,
we are drawn into a similar
faith relationship with You Lord.
Realize that in asking, You God
are still looking for action our part.
For we still have to put “bold shoes
of faith” on our feet, walking out and
believing that God is able. Amen.

Lord God Almighty, You have proven        You make the impossible, possible.  The sun stopped middle of the sky          &delayed setting almost a full day.      The cancerous lump seemingly   disappears leaving doctor shocked.      And other impossible things that You do in response to our prayers. We realise sometimes we will hav to take the leap of faith that says, God can and will do the impossible. So, we go before You seeking You God to move somehow, someway.…. And when You do, it proves that You’re still a God of miracles. Amen.

Lord, we note You fought for Israel in the battle & You will fight for us.
Joshua remembered what the Lord had done for Israel. He’s seen Red Sea deliverance; he’s crossed the Jordan River on dry ground; and he’s seen the walls of Jericho crumbled.
Because of these, Joshua was able to pray a bold and audacious prayer and God gave Israel the victory.
Help us Lord to ask  boldly for You are willing to fight on our behalf.Help us to follow You and stay with You thru the fight; and  we  know that You will fight for Your people. Amen.

Need for Obedience & Repentance

Joshua employs textbook strategy
for military victory: Divide and
conquer! He attacks the middle
of the country first, dividing the
enemy forces in half, before
mopping Up resistance among
the isolated troops in the south
and north. His stunning victory
shows the importance of following
God’s direction down to the
smallest detail, no matter how
trivial they may seem. The lesson
is painfully reinforced at Ai, where
disobedience leads to defeat
and death. But after disciplining
His overconfident people, God
patiently encourages them
and leads them to victory again.

Lord, we will Trust and Obey You:
And the Lord said to Joshua:
See I have given Jericho into your
hand. You shall march around the
city for six days, once a day. But
the seventh day you shall match
around the city seven times & the
priests shall blow the trumpets;
all the people shall shout with
a great shout , then the wall of the
city will fall down flat (Josh 6:2-5).
Sanctify yourselves thus says
the Lord: There is an accused
thing in your midst, O Israel;
you cannot stand before your
enemies until you take away
the accused thing (Jos 7:13).
And Achan said: Indeed have
sinned against the Lord (v20).
The Lord said to Joshua:Don’t
fear. I’ve given into your hand the
king of Ai and his land (Jos 8:1).

Lord, according to scripture, when
Your promise comes into contact
with our faith-filled obedience,
walls fall and obstacles disappear.
The only way our Jericho will
stand is if we believe our limited
perception instead of God’s Word.
Grant us the grace to simply trust
God’s Word & not miss opportunity
to see Your power in action. Amen.

Lord,Help us to remember when
You God calls us to battle, You
have already won the victory.
Teach us O Lord to walk by faith
and not by sight. We choose to
believe You rather than our own
perceptions and interpretations.
And we receive by faith Your
given victory in our situation.
In Jesus’ mighty name, Amen.

Lord, reveal to me any sin I am
harbouring, and I will confess it.
For I don’t want to give place
to any hindrances to prayers,
or put up a roadblock to
all You want to do in my life.
Help me not to run off on my own,
trying to do what I think is right.
Help me not forget to consult You
even on things I can handle. Amen.

Prayer as A Challenge (Mar 9)

The Jews are poised within view of
the land promised to their ancestors
and denied their unbelieving
parents. The task seems impossible:
a turbulent river; foreign terrain
to cross; mighty walled cities to
conquer. So God begins to prepare
His people for the days of warfare
just ahead. He reminds Joshua that
careful attention to His Word brings
blessing and success. Spies are
sent to survey Jericho, the first
obstacle in the land. The priests
bearing the ark of covenant lead
the people across the Jordan.

Lord, we Submit to You:
And it came to pass, when they had
done circumcising all the people,
that they abode in their places
in the camp, till they were whole.
And the Lord said unto Joshua, This
day have I rolled away the reproach
of Egypt from off you. Wherefore
the name of the place is called
Gilgal unto this day. (Joshua 5:8-9).
And it came to pass, when Joshua
was by Jericho, that he lifted
his eyes and looked and behold
a Man stood with His sword drawn
in his hand. And Joshua said
to him: Are You for us or our
adversaries? So he said; No but
as Commander of the army of
the Lord I have now come.
And Joshua fell on his face and
worshiped and said: What does
my Lord say to His servant Then
the Commander of the Lord’s army
said: Take your sandal off for
the place where you stand is holy.
And Joshua did so (Josh 5:13-15)

Lord give me a listening ear and
a heart that accepts correction.
Grant me grace to cut whatever
needs to be cut in order
for me to achieve Your purpose.
Father give me patience to wait
and faith to keep me standing.
Lord while I wait for Your help and
promises to manifest, grant me
grace to remain in You. Amen.

Lord, help us to be like Joshua,seeking You and yielding to You.Help us  to align our lives, ourbeing and doing with Your will;so that we live for Your glory.Help us Lord to abide in You,to seek You, to be more like You,to walk in purity and in humility.Help us to love You, to love others,to proclaim Your gospel, andto make disciples of You. Amen.

Lord, I pray that no matter what
difficulties I may encounter, I would
be willing to give you control of my
life, so that I may have good success
in all I do, for Your praise and glory.
Thank You Lord for the many
reminders that without YOU I can do
nothing… but that I can do all things
THROUGH Christ, Who strengthens
me. Praise Your holy name, AMEN.

The Living God is In Control

The Jews are poised within view of
the land promised to their ancestors
and denied their unbelieving
parents. The task seems impossible:
a turbulent river; foreign terrain
to cross; mighty walled cities to
conquer. So God begins to prepare
His people for the days of warfare
just ahead. He reminds Joshua that
careful attention to His Word brings
blessing and success. Spies are
sent to survey Jericho, the first
obstacle in the land. The priests
bearing the ark of covenant lead the
pple across the rampaging Jordan.

Praise be Supreme God In Heaven:
Rahab: We have heard how the
Lord made a dry path for you
through the Red Sea. And we
know what you did to the two
Amorite kings east of the Jordan
River, whose people u completely
destroyed… For the Lord yr God is
supreme God in heaven(Jos 2:10-11)
So Joshua said to the children of
Israel: This is how you will know
that the Living God… is among you
and that He will certainly drive out
the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites…
Amorites and the Jebusites.
Behold, the ark of the covenant
of the Lord is crossing before
you into the Jordan (Jos 3:10-11).
As soon as the priests who carry
the ark of the Lord, the Lord of
All The Earth set foot in the Jordan,
its waters flowing downstream
will be cut off and stand up
in a heap (Joshua 3:13).

Lord God Almighty, who sits
in the throne in heaven above,
You are truly ruler over all.
Power and might are in Your hand.
You alone can go before us to
open doors we could not open
on our own, and lead in a path we
could not have created on our own.
Be gracious Lord towards us as we
lift up our eyes & look to You. Amen

O Living God, we praise You
for Your powerful life-giving name.
Thank You for being active and
engaged in our everyday life.
You are not a God who is distant
and not keen in what happens to me.
Just as You helped the Israelites,
You Lord are alive and moving in
the situations of our lives as well.
Thank U for Your loving care. Amen

Lord of Skl The Earth, we praise
& exalt You Lord for Your ability to
subdue all that’s in Your creation.
You are the great and awesome
God who still does mighty acts
on behalf of Your people. And
it’s comforting to know that
nothing is too difficult for You or
removed from Your control. And
in You we can find peace. Amen.

God Calls Us Be Courageous

Moses has died and Joshua is
appointed by God to take the reins
of leadership. The people are
poised within view of the land
promised to their ancestors and
denied their unbelieving parents.
The time has come to cross over,
conquer and possess the land.
The task seems impossible: a
turbulent river and mighty walled
cities. So God begins to prepare
His people for the warfare ahead.
He reminds Joshua that attention
to His word brings success.

Lord, we will Be Courageous:
Be Strong and Courageous,
because You will lead these people
to Inherit the land I Swore to
their forefathers to give to them.
Be Strong and Very Courageous.
Be Careful To Obey all the law
my servant Moses gave you;
do not turn to the right or to the
left, that you may be successful…
Have I not commanded you?
Be Strong and Courageous.
Do not be terrified; do not be
discouraged, for the Lord your God
Will Be With You wherever you go.
(Joshua 1:6-9). Amen and amen.

Father God, I will be strong and
courageous, I shall not be afraid
for the LORD my God goes with me.
In fact You have Promised in Your
Word an Inheritance; and You
will surely not fail nor forsake me.
And since You promised that It is
the Lord who goes before me; You
will be with me & will not leave me.
Therefore I shall not be afraid what-
ever the challenge before me. Amen

Lord, I pray that every time I read
Your Word, You will teach me all that
I need to know. Help me understand
Your truth & speak to me specifically
about how each passage relates
to my life and the lives of others.
Help me to meditate on Your Word
and take Steps of Obedience so that
I can live in Your perfect will and be
successful as You promise. Amen.

Lord, I can feel overwhelmed often;
but I know a glimpse of You can
radically change my perspective.
Thanks for Your promise of being
With Me no matter what happens.
Lord please overshadow my fears
and worries with Your strength.
Help me be strong and courageous
in every challenge that I may face.
In Jesus’ mighty name, Amen.

Christ Teaches Trust & Obey

After Peter’s dramatic confession
of Jesus as the Christ, the Son
of the living God, Jesus began to
shew unto His disciples how He
must go to Jerusalem and suffer
many things, be killed and raised
again the third day. After preparing
His disciples for the unexpected
events, Jesus begins His final
journey to Jerusalem. Arriving
to a hero’s welcome, He is hailed
as King while making His humble
entrance into the city. It’s now the
final week of Christ’s earthly life.

Lord, we purpose to Trust & Obey:
So Jesus said: Assuredly I say
to you, if you have faith and do
not doubt, you will not only do
what was done to the fig tree,
but also if you say to this mountain:
Be removed and be cast into the
sea, it will be done (Matt 21:21-22)
Jesus said: A man with two sons
told the older boy: Son go out
and work in the vineyard today.
The son answered: No, I won’t go
but later he changed his mind
and went anyway. Then the father
told the other son: You go and
he said: Yes sir I will. But he
didn’t go. Which of the two did
the will of the father? They said
to Him: The first (Matt 21:28-31).

Lord, take away any unbelief in me;
and increase my faith to believe
for great things. Help me to have
faith enough to not pray too small.
I know it is not about trusting
in faith itself but trusting in You.
It’s not about believing in my ability
to believe or perform, but rather
it is believing in Your ability and promise to hear and answer. Amen.

Lord, help me not think that some
problems are too big and hence
best considered as lost causes.
Help me not to focus on the size
of the mountain but rather how
much power You Creator God have.
I leave the mountain of challenge
in Your hands. You Lord can do
as You will; for my mountain is
surely not too big for You. Amen.

Lord, help me obey You in action
and not merely assenting words.
Help me to obey You wherever
You lead me and told me to do.
Help me not write off people
who walk away from Your calling
but pray that You draw them back.
Help me Lord lift up those who
have turned away; for You are able
to draw them back to You. Amen.