Prayer Thot for the Day (Dec 22)

A God Who Rescues

Backgrounder on 2 Kings 13-17:
Time is running out for the nation
of Israel. Though God’s patience
with His wayward people is
enormous, his hand of judgment
is poised and will not be stayed
much longer. Following the
death of Elisha, the nation’s
downward spiral accelerates.

Lord, You are a God who Rescues:
Jehoahaz prayed for the Lord’s
help & the Lord heard his prayer.
The Lord could see how terribly
the king of Aram was oppressing
Israel. So the Lord raised up a
deliverer to rescue the Israelites
from the tyranny of the Arameans.
Then Israel lived in safety again
as they had in former days
(2 Kings 24:4-5).
Continue reading “Prayer Thot for the Day (Dec 22)”

Prayer Thot for the Day (Dec 21)

God’s Strength Is Greater

Backgrounder on 2 King 4-8:
Elisha, the great miracle worker
of God performs eight miracles
in these 5 chapters, including
providing an oil well for a widow,
giving new life for a deaf boy,
multiplying bread for hungry crowd,
curing a leprous army captain and
enabling servant to see angels.

Lord, Your Strength Is Greater:
Ah my lord, what will we do now?
(Elisha’s servant) cried out to
Elisha. Don’t be afraid? Elisha
told him. For there are more
on our side than on theirs!
Then Elisha prayed: Oh Lord,
open his eyes and let him see!
The Lord opened his servant’s
eyes and when he looked up,
he saw that the hillside around
Elisha was filled with horses and
chariots of fire (2Kings 6:15-17)
Continue reading “Prayer Thot for the Day (Dec 21)”

Prayer Thot for the Day (Dec 20)

A God Who Acts

Backgrounder on 1 Kings 15-19:
From 1 Kings 15 onwards show
the two nations of Israel & Judah
in spiritual decline. Prophet Elijah
courageously faces a heathen
Israelite king and 850 pagan
prophets of Baal, prayed
persistently for rain, only to flee
for his life from Queen Jezebel.

Lord, You are A God Who Acts:
And Elijah came to all the people
and said: How long will you falter
between two opinions? If the Lord
is God follow; but if Baal follow him.
I alone am left a prophet of the Lord
but Baal’s prophets are 450 men…
Elijah prayed: O Lord, answer me!
Answer me so these people will
know that You, O Lord are God
and that You have brought them
back to yourself. Immediately
the fire of the Lord flashed down
from heaven and burned up the
young bull. It even lick up all the
water in the ditch! And when
the people saw it, they fell on
their faces & cried out: The Lord
is God! (I Kings 18:2-4, 37-39).
Continue reading “Prayer Thot for the Day (Dec 20)”

Prayer Thot for the Day (Dec 19)

God Provides for His Servants

Backgrounder on 1 Kings 15-19:
From 1 Kings 25 onwards show
the two nations of Israel & Judah
in spiritual decline. Prophet Elijah
courageously faces a heathen
Israelite king and 850 pagan
prophets of Baal, only to flee
for his life from Queen Jezebel.

Lord, U Provide for your servants:
Then the Lord came to Elijah
saying: Hide by the Brook, which
flow into the Jordan. You shall drink
from the brook & I’ve commanded
the ravens to feed you there…
Widow did as Elijah said. And she,
her son & Elijah continued to eat
from her supply of flour and oil
for many days. For no matter how
much they used, there was always
enough left in the containers,
just as the Lord had promised
through Elijah (1K17:3-4, 15-16).
Continue reading “Prayer Thot for the Day (Dec 19)”

Prayer Thot for the Day (Dec 18)

God Fulfills His Declared Plan

Backgrounder on 1 Kings 5-8:
Before his death, David had
charged his son Solomon with the
responsibility of building a house
for God in Jerusalem. Now at last
it is time to make that dream a
reality. For 7 years Solomon plans &
prepares the Temple. When at last
the ark of the covenant is installed
in the Holy Place, the cloud of
God’s presence fills the house of
the Lord. Once again, God’s glory
dwells in the midst of His people.

Lord, You God Fulfils Your Plan:
It came to pass when the priests
came out of the holy place, that the
cloud filled the house of the Lord…
Praise the Lord who has given
rest to His people Israel, just as he
promised. Not one word has failed
of all the wonderful promises He
gave through his servant Moses.
May the Lord our God be with us
as He was with our ancestors;
may He never forsake us.
May He give us the desire to do
His will in everything and to obey
all the commands…that He gave
our ancestors (1Kings 8:10,56-58)
Continue reading “Prayer Thot for the Day (Dec 18)”

Praying thro Amos (Dec 17)

Guard Against Complacency
(Prayer Walk thro Amos 1-9)

Backgrounder: Externally the
northern kingdom was marked
by flourishing business. But
internally the nation’s condition
was grim. Idolatry, injustice, greed,
hypocrisy & arrogance indicated
deep-seated sin. Amos makes
God’s message crystal clear
to those who had grown lax in
luxurious living: Repent or Perish.
The storm clouds of judgment are
soon to break over God’s people.

Dear Lord, Your are holy and you
require truth, goodness, justice
& righteousness from yr people.
Help us to be open to Your Word:;
Help us Live in the Truth and
Help us Care for Others. Amen.
Continue reading “Praying thro Amos (Dec 17)”

Praying thro Jonah (Dec 16)

The Greatest Fish Story
(Prayer Walk thro Jonah 1-4)

Backgrounder: Consider the story
of Jonah, a prophet commissioned
by God to preach an ultimatum
to Israel’s archenemy Assyria.
Jonah quickly goes AWOL and
finds a ship headed in the opposite
direction. God sends a storm, then
a hungry fish, to turn Jonah around
and head him back toward Nineveh
After delivering his one-sentence
sermon, Jonah watches helplessly
as the entire city of Nineveh
repents in sackcloth and ashes.
When God spares Israel’s enemies,
it takes a hot wind, a shade-giving
vine and a hungry grub to teach
Jonah a lesson about the mercy
of God for sinful mankind.

Dear Lord, we acknowledge Your
sovereignty and You’re In Control.
We will Pray for Deliverance;
we will Deliver Your Message and
we will Be Compassionate. Amen.
Continue reading “Praying thro Jonah (Dec 16)”

Praying thro Minor Prophets: Jonah, Amos, Hosea & Micah (Dec 16)

To boost understanding of the
context of each Biblical book,
we have been covering the Bible
by time sequence, phase by phase
For chronology sake, poetry books
were inserted to Israel history.
OT1: Five Books of Laws
including Poetry Book of Job
OT2A/B: History Up to King David
from Joshua to 1 Chron + Psalms
OT2C: Reign of King Solomon in
2nd Chronicles & Wisdom Poetry

In the Third Phase, Solomon’s
pagan wives turn his heart
away from godly worship. The
next century sees the decline
of the two nations, indifferent
to prophets, especially the
northern kingdom, with Israel
finally dispersed by the Assyrians.
For chronology sake, prophetic
books inserted to Israel history.
OT3A: 1 Kings: United & Divided
Kingdom and Obadiah & Joel
OT3B: 2K1-17: Israel Dispersion
and Jonah, Amos, Hosea, Micah.
Continue reading “Praying thro Minor Prophets: Jonah, Amos, Hosea & Micah (Dec 16)”

Prayer Thot for the Day (Dec 15)

God Will Make You Secure

Backgrounder on 2 Samuel 21-24:
The last four chapters of 2Samuel
form an appendix to the main
body of the book and includes
a beautiful psalm of deliverance,
a list of David’s mighty men of
valour and David worshipping
the Lord in humility.

Lord, You will make me Secure:
It is God who arms me with
strength & keep my way secure.
He makes my feet like the feet
of a deer; he causes me to stand
on the heights (2 Sam 22:33-34).
Blessed be The Rock of my
salvation! He delivers me and
lifts me up above those who rise
against me (2 Sam 22:47-48).
Continue reading “Prayer Thot for the Day (Dec 15)”

Prayer Thot for the Day (Dec 14)

God of My Strength

Backgrounder on 1 Samuel 27-31:
After months of running for his life,
David concludes that leaving Israel
entirely is the only way to escape
Saul’s relentless pursuit. By
convincing the Philistines he is
a true defector, David is given
the city of Ziglapg as his base
of operations. But instead of
aiding the enemy, David and
his army methodically destroy
Philistines strongholds.

Lord, You’re God of My Strength:
Now David was greatly distressed
for the people spoke of stoning
him because the soul of all the
people was grieved, every man
for his sons and daughters.
But David strengthen himself
in the Lord his God (1Sam 30:6).
God is my strong fortress; and
He makes me as surefooted as a
deer, leading me safely along the
mountain heights(2Sam 22:33-34)
Continue reading “Prayer Thot for the Day (Dec 14)”