Month: August 2022

Fear of the Lord & Hope In the Lord 

The final 11 chapters of Proverbs
contains sound counsel for those
in positions of authority. And Prov
22-24 contain wise counsel for
anyone in position of responsibility
including parents and pastors.
Leaders need to know God’s
precepts if they are to direct
their charges into God-honouring
paths of conduct and character.

Lord, You promise Wonderful Future:
Do not let your heart envy sinners
but always be zealous for the fear
of the Lord. There is surely a future
hope for you, and your hope will
not be cut off (Proverbs 23:17-18).
Be Wise and guide your heart in
the Way… Buy the truth and do not
sell it; get wisdom, discipline and
understanding (v19 & 23). Amen.

Lord, grant me Your revelation
and flood my heart with Your light
that I need. Help me to see not
just my present trouble but the
future You have planned for me.
Your Word assures me that
those who Hope in the Lord
will have a wonderful future.
Grant me Lord the faith to cling to
Your promise; and in Your mercy
let it come to fruition. Amen.

Lord,thank You that You’ve planned
a future and a hope for my life.
Because of Your power and Your
faithfulness, I know that nothing
in my life is outside Your control.
Let my hope be firmly grounded
in Your unchanging character.
Draw me to seek You earnestly;
and lead me to submit to Your
Way and will for my future. Amen.

Lord, I pray that You grant me
wisdom so that I will have a life
of peace, blessing and happiness.
Give me also wisdom that brings
guidance, protection & confidence.
I pray to have the wisdom that
saves me from evil and enables
me to make the right decisions.
Along with that, help me to live
with understanding and discipline
which bring glory to You. Amen.

Follow the Lord’s Direction

Backgrounder on Proverbs 14-17:
Nowhere is wisdom more essential
than in community relationships.
A heart attitude controlled by
the fear of the Lord is the key to
proper response towards others.
To promote peace with others,
commit to godliness in motives
and thots, tongue & temper as
well as plans, paths and pursuits.

Lord, You will Direct our Plans:
People may be pure in their
own eyes, but the Lord examines
their motives. Commit to the Lord
whatever you do, and He will
establish your plans (Prov 16:2-3).
When the ways of people please
the Lord, He makes even their
enemies live at peace with them…
We can make our plans, but the
Lord determines our steps (v7-9).
He who heeds the word wisely
will find good, and whoever trusts
in the Lord, happy is he (v20).
We may throw the dice but the Lord
determines how they fall (v33).

Lord, You want us to submit our
plans to You for approval before
we act; for in this way, we show our
love for You and submission to You.
Forgive us that sometimes we make
plans without consulting You God
for we simply want our own way. 
Grateful You are so keen in my life
that I can talk to You whenever I want.
Thank You Lord for helping me to
set plans and establish them. Amen.

Loving Lord, we thank You God
that You are always carefully
managing the details of our life. 
Your purpose always prevails,
even though we’re prone to forget
that & may make our own plans.
But then the Lord determines
and directs the steps of the godly
towards a good outcome. Amen.

Lord, we tend to like to throw the
dice, taking control of things and looking to You as our last resource.
Lord, we often going to You because we really have nowhere else to go.
But in Your mercy, cause us to learn that the storms of life has driven us,
not upon the rock, but to goodness.
Help us Lord to Heed Your Word
and Trust wholly in You. Amen.

Humble Before the Lord (Aug 4)

Backgrounder to Proverbs 14-17:
Nowhere is wisdom more essential
than in community relationships.
A heart attitude controlled by
the fear of the Lord is the key to
proper response towards others.
To promote peace, prosperity and
justice in interpersonal relationships,
commit to godliness, in thoughts and
motives as well as temper & tongue.

Lord, we will Humble Before You:
The Lord detest the sacrifice of
the wicked, but the prayer of the
upright Pleases Him (Prov 15:8).
Plans fail for lack of counsel,
but with advisors they Succeed.
A man finds joy in giving
an apt reply – and how good
is a Timely Word ! (v22-23).
The Lord is far from the wicked but
He Hears prayer of the Righteous…
The ear that Hears the rebutes
of life will abide among the wise.
He who disdains instruction
despises his own soul, but he who
hears rebuke gets understanding.
The fear of the Lord is the
instruction of wisdom, and before
honour is Humility (Prov 15:29-33).

Father, I am grateful that You see
me as righteous just because
of my relationship with Jesus.
But I know You also want me to
choose to live righteously as well.
Grant that my thoughts, words
and actions will always be pleasing
in Your sight so that my prayers
will be pleasing to Your ears.
And enable me every day to do
what’s right in Your sight. Amen.

Lord, give me discernment to
know what advice is godly advice;
then help me make good decision.
I want to be known as a godly
person who knows right from
wrong and can give others solid
godly guidance. And as I mature
and grow older, help me to be
a godly advisor who can offer
wise counsel to others. Amen.

Lord, help us adopt the posture
of a child who is humble, open
to rebuke and open to instruction.
For You promise that those who
are humble will be the greatest
in Your kingdom. Help us to be
gentle & lowly in heart as You are
And we pray that our humble faith
and service will accomplish great
things for Your kingdom. Amen.

Seek & Wait on the Lord (Aug 3)

Backgrounder on Proverbs 5-9:
The first 9 chapters of Proverbs
take the form of a fatherly address
for learning the fear of the Lord.
Beginning with Chap 5, Solomon
turns from a general appeal
to more specific application of
wisdom in everyday situations.
Pitfalls abound, ready to entangle
and destroy the unwary: immorality,
indebtedness, laziness, falsehood
and pride. Indulging in these sins
is a sure invitation to disaster.
Rather respond to call of wisdom,
which among its many benefits
is the favor of the Lord (Prov 8:35).

Lord, we’ll Seek & Wait on You:
I love all who love me.
Those who Search for me
will surely find me (Prov 8:17).
(Wisdom said) I have riches and
honour as well as enduring wealth.
My gifts are better than gold,
even the purest gold, my wages
better than sterling silver (v18-19).
Blessed is the man who listens
to Me, watching daily at my doors,
Waiting at my doorway. For whoever
finds me finds life, and obtains
favour from the Lord (v34-35).

Lord, Your Word in Proverbs says
those who Search will find You.
And Your Word in Hebrews
says You are a rewarder of
those who diligently seek You.
I purpose to seek Your face Lord
and I know Your gifts come
not as a separate blessings
but wrapped up in Yourself.
Please reward my search beyond
my greatest expectations. Amen.

Lord, Your word speaks of the
power of wisdom. With wisdom,
we can solve problems effectively.
With wisdom, we can conduct
affairs of life better and succeed.
With wisdom, God blesses with joy,
hope in faith and love from others.
And thanks that we can readily
receive wisdom from Your Word.
Help us Lord to gain wisdom even
as we search Your word. Amen.

Lord, I purpose to Wait upon
You and listen to Your voice.
Speak to my heart about the
things I need to hear from You.
Teach me Lord all I need to know.
Thank You for the great blessings
that await anyone who waits at
Your door and listens for Yr voice.
Whilst waiting on You, may the
character of Christ be formed in
me & my faith be increased. Amen.

Trust In the Lord (Aug 2)

The author of Proverbs clearly
states the purpose of the book:
To know wisdom and instructions
(Prov 1:2-5). God wants His people
to be wise and skilful in making
moral and ethical choices. And
the first nine chapters of Proverbs
take the form of a fatherly address
to a young son – a divine primer
for learning the fear of the Lord.

Lord, You Direct as we Trust You:
TRUST in the Lord with all your
heart and lean not on your own
understanding; in all your ways
acknowledge Him, and He shall
Direct Your Paths (Prov 3:5-6).
Do not be wise in your own eyes;
Fear the Lord & depart from evil.
It will be health to your flesh,
and Strength to your bones (v7-8)
Honour the Lord with your wealth,
with the firstfruits of all your crops;
then your barns Will Be Filled
to overflowing (v9-10). Amen.

Lord, help me to Trust You and
Your ways with all my heart.
Guard me from depending on my
limited understanding of things.
Help me instead to rely totally on
You and help me to acknowledge
You Lord in every area of my life.
Thank You for promising that You
will direct my paths as I depend
on Your higher understanding and
seek Your will in all that I do. Amen.

Lord, Thank You for the word of
warning that whenever I’m feeling
afraid or discouraged, these
may be symptoms that there
are places in my life where I am
depending on my own strength.
Right now I purpose to trust You
more and choose to lean on You.
And I choose to lean my weakness
on Your Strength each day. Amen.

Lord, Thank You for pledging to
meet the needs of Your children.
Keep us from being stingy with
our time, talents or treasure.
Deepen our conviction Lord that
we can give ourselves freely;
for You our Jehovah Jireh
will Be Faithful To Provide all
that we need out of Your glorious
riches in Christ Jesus. Amen.

Seek the Lord & Fear Him

The author of Proverbs clearly
states the purpose of the book:
To know wisdom and instructions
(Prov 1:2-5). God wants His people
to be wise and skilful in making
moral and ethical choices. And
the first nine chapters of Proverbs
take the form of a fatherly address
to a young son – a divine primer
for learning the fear of the Lord.

Lord, we will Seek Your Word:
The fear of the Lord is the beginning
of knowledge, and fools despise
wisdom and instruction (Prov 1:7)
If you receive My Words & treasure
My commands… making your ear
attentive to wisdom, and apply your
heart and mind to understanding;
Yes, if you cry out for insight…
If you seek wisdom as silver
and search for her as for hidden
treasures; Then you will understand
the fear of the Lord, and find the
knowledge of God (Prov 2:1-5).
For the Lord gives wisdom…
He is a shield to those who
walk uprightly; He guards
the way of His saints (v6-8).

Lord, develop in us deep Reverence
of You that will lead to wisdom.
Grant us grace to Fear You rather
than the circumstances in the
present or what-ifs of the future.
Help me Be Open to advice and
be willing to listen from those who
can give valuable insight & counsel.
Open my heart to be teachable
to receive correction willingly.
Help me not let pride stand in the
way to receive godly advice. Amen.

Lord, wisdom comes from You
and Your Word; but You give
wisdom only to earnest Seekers.
Grant us the grace to be fervent
seekers of Your Word & instruction,
to be upright in character and
to be faithful to Your cause.
Open my ears to wisdom & help me
recognise wisdom when I hear it.
Pray in all my seeking, I will find it;
for You’re the giver of wisdom. Amen

O Gracious and Loving Father,
Give us Lord the wisdom and
understanding to perceive You.
Give us the diligence to seek You
and the patience to wait for You.
Give us the fulfilment to proclaim
You as a shield to those who walk
uprightly and guard of His saints; 
through the power of the Spirit
of Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.