Category: weekend Exposition

Pitfalls of Life & Wisdom
(Prayer Walk thro Prov 5-9)

Backgrounder: The purpose
of Proverbs is to teach people
how to apply wisdom to daily
life & to provide moral instruction.
Beginning with chapter 5, Solomon
turns from a general appeal to
a more specific application of
wisdom in everyday situations.
Pitfalls abounds, ready to destroy
the unwary: immorality, laziness,
indebtedness, falsehood, pride.
Indulging in these sins is a sure
invitation to disaster. Temptation
tho alluring can lead to deadly
consequences. Don’t listen to its
call! Rather respond to the call of
wisdom, which among its benefits
is the favour of the Lord (Prov 8:35)

Dear Lord, thank U for Prov 5-9,
which warns us of life’s pitfalls
and give us practical pointers.
Help us Be Faithful in marriage,
Heed your warning on Sloth and
Be Humble & Listen to U. Amen.

Lord, we will be Faithful in marriage:
The lips of an immoral women drip
honey and her mouth is smoother
than oil… Remove your way far
from her and do not go near the
door of her house, lest you give
your honour to others (P5:3-8).
Drink water from your own cistern
& rejoice with the wife of yr youth.
As a loving deer & a graceful door,
let her breasts satisfy u at all times;
and be captivated by her love.
For why should you be infatuated
with a loose woman & embrace
the bosom of an outsider and
go astray? (Prov 5:15-20).
Lord, You are covenant-keeping
and we purpose to please you
by fulfilling our marriage vows &
love our spouse for rest of our life.
Help us be Watchful of wandering
eyes and itching ears. Help us find
delight in our God-given partner.
Help us Be Faithful in marriage
and look to each other for lifelong
satisfactn & companionship. Amen

Lord, we Heed yr warning on Sloth:
Take a lesson from the ants, you
lazybones. Learn from their ways
and be wise! Even though they
have no prince, governor, or ruler
to make them work, they labor
hard all summer, gathering food
for the winter. How long will you
slumber, O sluggard? A little sleep,
a little slumber, a little folding of
the hands to sleep – so shall your
poverty come on u (Prov 6:6-11).
Lord, U challenge us with hopes
and dreams. I don’t want laziness
or insignificant things things to
rob me of that destiny. Give me
wisdom to discern what really
matters. Help me set priorities &
use my gifts to attain the dreams
you have for me. Help me to focus
on what is really important & not
merely on what is urgent. Amen.

Lord, we’ll be Humble & Listen to U:
To fear the Lord is to hate evil;
I hate pride and arrogance,
evil way and perverse speech.
Counsel & sound wisdom is mine…
Now listen to me my children,
For blessed are those who keep
my ways. Hear instruction and
be wise, and do not disdain it.
Blessed is the man who listens
to me, Watching daily at my gates,
Waiting at the post of my doors.
For whoever finds me find life,
and obtains favour from the
Lord (Prov 8:12-13, 32-35).
Lord, we Wait on You and Listen
to Your voices. Speak to my heart
about the things I need to hear,
and Teach me all I need to know.
Thank You for the blessings that
await those who wait at your door
and listen to your voice. While
waiting upon You, may the nature
of Christ be formed in us & our
faith in You be increased. Amen.

Dear Lord, thanks for Proverbs,
giving us pointers to life’s pitfalls.
Help us to Be Faithful in marriage,
find delight in God-given partner,
and look to each other for lifelong
satisfaction and companionship.
Help us Heed your warning on
laziness and spending too much
time on insignificant things. And
Grant us wisdom to discern what
really matters and focus on them.
Help us to Be Humble and ever
ready to Listen to Your voices.
As your sheep, we can hear the
voice of our Master Shepherd!
And while waiting upon U, may the
nature of Christ be formed in us
and our faith in You be increased.
In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Q6g2g_qnCB0

Fear of the Lord
(Prayer Walk thro Prov 1-4)

Backgrounder: The purpose
of Proverbs is to teach people
how to attain wisdom, discipline
and a prudent life, and how to
do what is right, just and fair.
In short, to apply wisdom to daily
life & to provide moral instruction.
The theme is: The fear of the Lord
is the beginning of knowledge,
but fools despise wisdom
and knowledge (Prov 1:7).

The Hebrew word for “wisdom”
means more than human
intelligence; for it refers to skill
or expertise. So God wants His
people to be “wise” or skilful
in making moral & ethical choices.
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.

Dear Lord, we need your wisdom
so that we will live right and well.
Grant us a reverent fear of You &
Be Open to your instructions,
Be Seekers of Your Word,
Be Wholehearted in Trusting U &
Be Focused in loving You. Amen

Lord, we will Fear You & Be Open:
The proverbs of Solomon the son
of David, king of Israel: To know
wisdom & instruction, to perceive
the words of understanding…
A wise man will hear and increase
learning & a man of understanding
will attain wise counsel… The fear
of the Lord is the beginning of
knowledge, and fools despise
wisdom and instruction (P1:1-5).
Lord, develop in us deep Reverence
of You that leads to wisdom
and greater intimacy with you.
Grant us grace to Fear You rather
than the circumstances in the
present or what-ifs of the future.
Open my heart to Be Teachable
and to receive correction or
even discipline. Help me to
Be Open to advice, especially
those who know me well and can
give valuable insight and counsel.
Above all,help us be willing to listen
and don’t let pride stand in our way
to receive godly advice. Amen

Lord, we’ll Be Seekers of Yr Word:
If u receive my words & treasure
up my commands within you,
making your ear attentive to
wisdom, and apply your heart
and mind to understanding;
Yes, if you cry out for insight, and
raise your voice for understanding,
If u seek wisdom as silver & search
for her as for hidden treasures;
Then you will understand the
fear of the Lord, and find the
knowledge of God… The Lord
stores up sound wisdom for
the upright…He guards the paths
of justice and preserves the way
of the saints (Prov 2:1-5, 7-8).
Lord, wisdom comes from You
and Your Word; but You give it
only to earnest Seekers. Grant us
grace to be seekers of your Word,
be upright and be faithful. Amen.

Lord, we’ll Trust U Wholeheartedly:
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.
Do not be wise in your own eyes;
fear the Lord (Prov 3:5-7).
Lord, help us trust You and
Your ways with all our heart.
Guard me from depending on my
limited understanding of things.
Instead help me to rely totally on U.
Help me to acknowledge You in
every area of my life. Thank you
for the promise that you will
direct our paths as we depend
on yr higher understanding and
seek your will in all we do. Amen.

Lord, we’ll Be Focused to love U:
Keep your heart with all vigilance,
for out of it spring the issues of life.
Put away from you false and
dishonest speech… Let your eyes
look right on with fixed purpose…
Consider well the path of your feet
& let all your ways be established.
Turn not aside to the right or
to the left; remove your feet
from evil (Prov 4:23-27).
Lord, our heart (desires) dictates
how we live as we always find
time to do what we enjoy. So,
Help us to Guard our heart to
concentrate on those desires that
will keep us on the right path. And
Help us not to get sidetracked
on detours that lead to sin. Amen.

Dear Lord, we need your wisdom
so that we will live right and well.
Develop in us a deep Reverence
Fear You and Open our heart to
be teachable & willing to listen.
Help us to Seekers of Your Word
as well as be upright and faithful.
Help us to Be Wholehearted in
Trusting You to direct our paths
& Guard us from depending on
our limited understanding of things.
Help us to Be Focused in loving
You and to Guard our heart to
concentrate on those desires
that will keep us on the right path.
Grant us grace to fear, seek & love
U for You’re good & faithful and
nothing I desire compare with U!
In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=0RjXVFDRqQk

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Solomon’s Temple Dedicated
(Prayer Walk thro 2 Chron 6-9)

Backgrounder: Solomon leads
the nation in dedicating the newly
completed temple to the glory
and worship of the God of Israel.
After Solomon finished praising
God for unfailing promises,
the glory of God fills the temple.
But there is cause for concern.
By night, God appears to Solomon
to warn him that if the nation fails
to remain true to God, He will
uproot the people from their
homeland & destroy the temple.

Dear Lord, we recognise that
though we are the temple of
the Holy Spirit, we are fresh and
blood with still the fallen nature.
Lord, help us to remain True to U:
prompt us seek Yr Forgiveness;
challenge us Pray for our nation
& empower us to be Your Witness.
For we can truly do nothing,
apart from you. Amen.

Lord, we Seek Your Forgiveness:
When they sin against You… yet
when they come to themselves…
and repent & make supplication
to you saying: We have sinned,
we have done wrong… and when
they return to You with all their
heart and pray, then hear their
prayers, uphold their cause and
forgive Your people who have
sinned against You. Now my God,
may your eyes be open and
your ears attentive to the prayers
offered in this place (2C6:36-40)
Lord, thank you that there’s no
problem so great that we can’t
turn to You for help. Help me
to be a holy place for Your Spirit
to dwell. Forgive me of all sin
and cleanse my heart of all
unrighteousness. Nothing is
more comforting than to know
You are with me, no matter what
is happening in my life. Amen.

Lord, we Pray for our nation:
Thus Solomon finished the house
of the Lord… Then the Lord
appeared to Solomon by night
and said: I have heard your prayer
and have chosen this place for
Myself as a house of sacrifice.
If my people, who are called by
my name, will humble themselves
and pray and seek my face and
turn from their wicked ways,
then will I hear from heaven
and will forgive their sin and will
heal their land (2 Chron 7:11-14).
Lord, we come humbly before U
& confess the sins of our nation.
As a people, we pray we would
turn from our wicked ways
and seek your face so that
You will hear our prayers,
forgive our sins and heal our land.
We need Your hand of blessing
and protection upon our country.
Pour out Your Spirit on us and
work Your righteousness in
the hearts of the people. Amen.

Lord, help us be Your Witnesses:
Now when the Queen of Sheba
heard of the fame of Solomon,
she came to Jerusalem to test
Solomon with hard questions…
So Solomon answered all her
questions; there was nothing
so difficult for Solomon that
he could not explain to her…
Queen Sheba exclaimed to the
king: Everything I heard about
your achievements and wisdom
is true! How happy these people
must be! What a privilege for
your officials listening to your
wisdom. The Lord your God is
great indeed! He delights in you
and has placed you on the throne
to rule for Him (2 Chron 9:1-8).
Lord, help us be worthy witness,
so that others see You at work.
Show us who You want us to
share Christ and shine your light.
Pray that they be open and let
our response reflect God. Amen.

Dear Lord, we learn from first
quarter of 2nd Chronicles that
U want your people to worship U.
Help us to remain true to You
O Lord, for we are but fresh and
blood, with still the fallen nature.

Lord, Prompt us to regularly
seek Your presence and ask for
your Forgivenesses for our sins.
And thank you Lord that there’s
no problem so great that we can’t
turn to You for help no matter
what is happening in our life.
Lord, as your people in SG,
we come humbly before You
confessing the sins of our nation.
We purpose to turn from our
wicked ways and seek your face
so that You will hear our prayers,
forgive our sins and heal our land.
Lord, help us be worthy Witness
so that others see You at work.
Pray that they be open and
let our response reflect God.
And empower us to be Your
Witnesses for apart from you,
we can do absolutely nothing.
In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.

Solomon’s Temple Erected
(Prayer Walk thro 2 Chron 1-5)

The Purpose of 2 Chronicles
is to unify the nation around
the worship of God by showing
His standard for judging kings.
The righteous kings of Judah and
the religious revivals under their
rule are highlighted and the sins
of the evil kings are exposed.
The Theme verse is 2Chron 7:14.

Backgrounder: A father’s dream
becomes a son’s delight as
Solomon undertakes the greatest
architectural feat of his lifetime:
building the temple in Jerusalem.
Great quantities of men and
materials, plus seven years of
Solomon’s life, are invested in
the task of completing the house
of the Lord. When at last the
temple stands finished with
the ark of the covenant in place,
Solomon leads the people and
musicians in heartfelt praise
to God. And when they lifted up
their voice with the trumpets…
and praised the Lord… then the
house filled with the glory of God.

Dear Lord, each of us have things
that we will want to achieve. And
it is so easy to be sidetracked
and get the wrong perspective
on what’s really important in life.
Learning from reign of Solomon,
challenge us to Enquire & Seek
Yr Will, Worship You Reverently
and Follow yr instructions. Amen.

Lord, we’ll Enquire & Seek Yr Will:
Solomon & the people gathered
in front of the Tabernacle to
consult the Lord… That night
God appeared to Solomon in a
dream and said: What do u want?
Ask and I will give it to you!
Solomon replied: You have been
so faithful to my father David and
now U made me a king in his place.
Give me wisdom to rule properly,
for who is able to govern this
great place of yours?…God said:
Because your greatest desire is
to help your people, I will give u
the wisdom you requested. And
I will also give u riches, wealth
and honour (2 Chron 1:5-12).
Lord, we purpose to enquire of
you to discover your plans for us.
Grateful that whenever you give
us a new task or responsibility,
You also give us what we need
to carry it out. Help us to order
our priorities like Solomon to
put U God first in agenda. Amen.

Lord, we’ll Worship U Reverently:
Solomon decided to build a Temple
to honour the name of the Lord…
He enlisted a force of 70,000
labourers, 80,000 men to quarry
stone… Solomon also sent
message to King Hiram at Tyre:
Send me cedar logs as you did
for my father David, when he was
building his palace. I am about
to build a Temple to honour the
name of the Lord.It will be a place
set apart to burn incense before
him & to sacrifice burnt offerings
each morning and evening…
This must be a magnificent Temple
because our God is awesome,
greater than any other (2C2:1-5).
Lord, we purpose to worship You
acceptably with reverence & awe.
We will place priority on worship;
expressively praise You with
adoration & excitement and
live our daily life appropriately
to honour your awesome name
for U deserve the very best.Amen

Lord, we’ll Follow yr instructions:
Solomon also made a bronze altar
30 feet long, 30 feet wide and
15 feet high… He also made
ten basins to wash the offerings…
Solomon then cast ten gold
Lampstands according to
The Specifications that had been
given & put them in the Temple.
Five were placed against the
south wall, and five were placed
against the north wall (2C4:1-7).
Father God, we realise that when
U give specific instructions, they
must be followed to the letter.
Lord, fan the flames of passion
for you so that others may see
your light inside of me. Let the
fire that burns be a steady flame,
not one that flickers in winds of
change. And let it be a light that
shines the way to you. Amen.

Dear Lord, it is so easy miss out
on what’s really important in life.
Challenge us to regularly Enquire
of your plans for us, especially
when you give us an assignment.
Help us to order our priorities like
Solomon to Put you first in the
agenda and Seek to do Your Will.
Lord, we purpose to worship You
acceptably and reverently for
for You deserve the very best.
Help us to place priority on
worship; expressively praise You
with adoration & excitement and
live our daily life appropriately.
Lord, help us to truly obey U by
following yr specific instructions
for You are holy & awesome God.
And fan the flames of passion
for you so that others may
see your light inside of us.
In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.

Divided Kingdom & Asa’s Reforms
(Prayer Walk thro 2 Chron 10-16)

Backgrounder: After Solomon’s
death, his son Rohoboam
imposes a foolish tax increase,
prompting revolt of the northern
tribes, and we read little more
about them. The rest of 2 Chron
recounts alternating periods of
apostasy and reforms in Judah.

Dear Lord, we recognise that in life
there’s may be crucial decisions
to be made in challenging
circumstances. Help us learn
from Israel’s history to seek Your
Counsel, Cry out to You for help,
and Stay committed to U. Amen.

Lord, we will seek Your Counsel:
Then King Rehoboam went to
discuss with the older men who
had counselled His father Solomon:
What is your advise? He asked.
The older counsellors replied:
If you do good to the people
and show them kindness and
do your best to please them,
they will always be your loyal
subjects. But Rehoboam rejected
the advice of the elders and
instead asked the opinion of the
young men who had grown up
with him and who were now
his advisors (2 Chron 10:6-8).
Lord, help us learn fr the mistake
of King Rehoboam. We will ask U
God for wisdom to discern the
better option in decision making.
And also pay extra consideration
to the suggestion of those who
know the situation better. Amen.

Lord, we Cry out to You for help:
King Asa had an army of 300,000
warriors from tribe of Judah and
280,000 from tribe of Benjamin.
Once an Ethiopian named Zerah
attacked Judah with an army of
1 million men and 300 chariots…
Then Asa cried to the Lord his God
O Lord, no one but you can help
the powerless against the mighty!
Help us O Lord our God, for we
trust in you alone. It is in yr name
that we have come against this
vast horde. O Lord, you are our
God; don’t let this mere men
prevail against You! So the Lord
defeated the Ethiopians in the
presence of Asa…(2Chr 14:8-12).
Lord, we cry out to you who can
help when the odds are agst us.
Help us exercise faith daily, that
we might naturally look up to You
during peaceful & stormy times.
Thank U for peaceful times and
your strength during chaos.Amen

Lord, help us to Be Committed:
Then they entered into a covenant
to seek the Lord with all their
heart and soul. They agreed
that anyone who refused to seek
the Lord would be put to death…
Eagerly they sought after God
and they found him. And the
Lord gave them rest from
their enemies on every side…
Although he did not remove the
high places from Israel, Asa’s
heart was fully committed to the
Lord all his life (2Chron 15:12-17).
Lord, we learnt that decisive and
whole-hearted Commitment
pleases you and results in peace.
Help us to remember to pray to
You in the good times as we do
in challenging times. Enable us
to always keep our hearts open
to what Your high purpose. Amen

Lord, help us Stay fully committed:
Hanani the seer came to King Asa
and told him: Because you have
put your trust in the king of Aram
instead of the Lord your God,
u missed your chance to destroy
the army of the king of Aram.
Don’t u remember what happened
to the Ethiopians and Libyans
and their vast army, with all their
chariots and horsemen? At that
time You relied on the Lord and
He handed them call over to You.
The eyes of the Lord search the
whole earth in order to strengthen
those whose hearts are fully
committed to Him. What a fool
you have been! From now on,
u will be at war (2 Chron 16:7-9).
Lord, help up to remember your
past mighty deeds, grant us the
faith that you are in full control
of the circumstances and help us
Stay fully committed to U. Amen.

Dear Lord, recognising in life
there’s crucial decisions to be
made, Help us to Seek Your
Counsel to discern your way.
Lord, while we’ll Cry out to You
when the odds are against us,
Help us Exercise Faith daily, and
grant your strength during chaos.
Lord, Help us Stay Committed
to You and to Your high purpose,
remembering your mighty deeds
and knowing you’re in full control.
In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.

Jehoshaphat’s Reforms
(Prayer Walk thro 2 Chron 17-20)

Backgrounder: Jehoshaphat
knows the key to spiritual revival
in the nation is a renewed interest
in and commitment to the law of
the Lord. He institutes a nation-
wide “Bible study program”, an
effort which God richly blesses
with peace and prosperity.
In contrast to his predecessors,
Jehoshaphat manages to make
peace with the king of Israel. But
a friendly visit nearly costs him
his life as he becomes entangled
in a war between Israel and Syria.

Dear Lord, help us learn from the
experience of King Jehoshaphat
that Your Word is the key to
success and true spirituality.
Help us to Feed on Your Word,
Obey Your Direction & Commit
to Follow Your Precepts. Amen.

Lord, we will Feed on Your Word:
In the third year of his reign,
Jehoshaphat sent out his officials
to teach in all the towns of Judah.
They took copies of the Book of
the Law of the Lord and travelled
around through all the towns
of Judah, teaching the people.
Then the fear of the Lord fell
over all the surrounding kingdoms
so that none of them declared
war on Jehoshaphat. Some of
the Philistines brought him gifts
as tribute. So Jehoshaphat
became more and more
powerful (2 Chron 17:7-12).
Lord, we purpose to have regular
personal devotion and even
family devotion in certain cases,
as knowing God’s Word is the
first step to live as we should.
Grant us grace to be disciplined
in this spiritual imperative. Amen.

Lord, we will Obey Your Direction:
Ahab king of Israel said to
Jehoshaphat king of Judah:
Will you join me to attack Ramoth
Gilead? Jehoshaphat replied: let’s
first find out what the Lord says…
And the Lord said: Who will
persuade Ahab to go up that
he may fall at Ramoth Gilead?…
Now Ahab said to Jehoshaphat:
As we go into battle, I’ll disguise
myself, but you wear your royal
robes… When the captains saw
Jehoshaphat, they surrounded
him to attack; but Jehoshaphat
cried out and the Lord helped
him & diverted them from him…
An Aramean soldier however
randomly shot an arrow at the
Israelite troops & the arrow hit
the king of Israel between the
joints of his armour (2Chr18:3-33)
Lord, Help us not merely ask for
Your direction but also to Follow
it once it’s given & Strengthen our
faith that U will deliver us. Amen.

Lord, we’ll Follow Your Precepts:
Jehoshaphat was a good king,
following the ways of his father,
Asa. He did what was pleasing
in the Lord’s sight. During his
reign however he failed to remove
all the pagan shrines, and the
people never fully committed
themselves to following the God
of their ancestors (2C20:32-33).
Lord, let us not take neglect
spending time with You. We need
your guidance both in the easy
days and when facing difficulties.
Let us not take your love for
granted, but instead purpose to
Follow yr instructions & depend
on you. Grant us grace each day
as we trust in your control. Amen.

Dear Lord, we learn from King
Jehoshaphat that Commitment to
Yr Word leads to peace & success.
Grant us grace to be disciplined in
feeding Your Word thro regular QT.
Help us not only to ask for Your
direction but also to trust & obey.
And we Commit to Follow Your
Precepts for we don’t want
to take your love for granted,
and for Thy Word is a Lamp unto
our feet and a light unto our Path!
In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.

Judah’s Kings & Ahaz’s Corruption
(Prayer Walk thro 2 Chron 21-28)

Backgrounder: Raised by a godly
father and grandfather, Jehoram
marries the wicked daughter of
Ahab and Jezebel, embraces her
pagan deities & leads the nation
into idol worship once again…
In rapid succession, his son, wife
and grandson come to the throne
Then Joash and Amaziah both
become long-reigning Kings
with half-hearted commitments.
King Uzziah does mighty things
for Judah both militarily and
architecturally; but spiritually
his life resembles a roller coaster
and dies a leper’s death for his
half-hearted devotion to God.
By contrast, his grandson Ahaz
is wholehearted in his zeal for
false gods and pagan practices.

Dear Lord, thank U for the record
of the tragic story of Judah that
highlight the importance of being
wholehearted in obeying yr laws.
Help us to Worship & Serve You;
to Seek You & Be Humble and
to Turn Attention to You. Amen.

Lord, we’ll Worship & Serve You:
After Jehoida’s death, the leaders
of Judah persuaded King Joash
to abandon the Temple of the Lord
and they worshipped Asherah
poles & idols instead! Because of
this sin, divine anger fell on Judah.
Yet the Lord sent prophets to bring
them back to him but the people
would not listen. Then the Spirit
of God came to Zechariah. He
stood before the people and said:
Why do you disobey the Lord’s
commands and keep yourselves
fr prospering? You’ve abandoned
the Lord & now he has abandoned
you! Then the leaders plotted to
kill Zechariah (2 Chron 24:17-21).
Lord, help us not to let good
circumstances lure us into false
security; not to think having more
will enhance our love for U God.
Help us realise that You alone
deserves our ultimate allegiance.
And that Serving U is something
we must consciously choose. Amen

Lord, we’ll Seek You & Be Humble:
King Uzziah did what was
pleasing in the Lord’s sight, just
as his father Amaziah had done.
Uzziah sought God during the
days of Zechariah, who instructed
him in the fear of the Lord.
And as long as the king sought
the Lord, God gave him success..
But when he had become powerful,
he also became proud, which
led to his downfall. He sinned
against the Lord by entering the
sanctuary of the Lord’s temple
and personally burning incense
on the altar… But as he was
standing there with the priests
before the incense altar in the
Lord’s Temple, leprosy suddenly
broke out on his forehead (26:4-19)
Lord, help us to seek after You
knowing it will lead us to success.
And help us to be Watchful and
weary of becoming proud after
one becomes successful. Amen.

Lord, we’ll Turn Attention to You:
At that time King Ahaz of Judah
asked the king of Assyria for help.
The armies of Edom had again
invaded Judah & taken captives.
And the Philistines had raided
towns in the foothills of Judah…
The Lord was humbling Judah
because of King Ahaz of Judah,
for he had encouraged his people
to sin & had been utterly unfaithful
to the Lord. So when King of Syria
arrived, he attacked Ahaz instead
of helping him (2Chron 28:16-20)
Lord, we may not know exactly
why tragedies occur. But when
they do happen, help us O Lord
how You God may be attempting
to get our attention to correct us.
Help us to respond to troubles
as our teachers. For we know that
thro hardship, God disciplines his
children in love. And that rough
times give us a chance to grow.
So when facing difficulties, help
us O God, to turn to You. Amen.

Dear Lord, thanks for the stories of
Judah’s kings showing importance
of being Wholehearted to You.
Help us learn from the later days
of King Joash not to allow good
times lure us into false security.
Help us realise that You alone
deserves our ultimate allegiance;
and that Serving U is something
we must consciously choose.
Help us learn from the later days
of King Uzziah to Continue to
Seek after You, to Be Watchful
and weary of becoming proud
after one becomes successful.
Help us learn from the later days
of King Ahaz to Turn Attention to U
Help us to respond to troubles
as our teachers to correct us
so that we turn back to You. Above
all, Help us to Stay Connected to U
so that we’ll be Wholehearted to U.
In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.

Hezekiah’s Reforms & Judah’s End
(Prayer Walk thro 2 Chron 29-36)

Backgrounder: Assyrian dispersion
of Israel has a profound Impact on
Judah. Inheriting a disorganised
country & a heavy tribute burden
to Assyria, Hezekiah in the very
first month of his administration
he repairs the Temple & restores
worship. But the final century of
Judah’s history is a bad dream.
After Manasseh’s 55-year reign
of terror and apostasy, even godly
reformer like Josiah is powerless
to prick the hearts of the people.
After his death the nation swiftly
returns to its abominable ways.
Eventually overthrown by the
Babylonians and city levelled, the
survivors are dragged to Babylon,
there to ponder their fate for 70
long years. But in the midst of
doom, King Cyrus of Persia issues
a decree: The house of the Lord
must be rebuilt in Jerusalem.

Dear Lord, thank You for the later
history of Judah kings that show
you are gracious and forgiving.
We’ll Return to You when we fall;
remember You are On Our Side &
always Seek Your Grace. Amen.

Lord, we Submit & Return to You:
At the king’s command,messengers
were sent thro out Israel & Judah.
They carried letters which said:
Return to the Lord so that He will
return to the few of us who have
survived the Assyrian conquest…
Don’t be stubborn but submit to
Him. Altho most of the people who
came had not purified themselves
yet they ate the Passover contrary
what was written. But Hezekiah
prayed for them: May the Lord,
who is good, pardon everyone
who sets his heart on seeking God
even if he is not clean according to
the rules of the sanctuary. And the
Lord heard Hezekiah & healed the
people (2Chron 30:6-9, 18-29).
Lord, we’ll submit & return to you.
Thankful even when I don’t do
everything right, You see in my
heart the desire to do so. Grateful
You look past my imperfections &
see Your Son in my heart instead.
Help us to live Your way. Amen

Lord, You are On Our Side:
King Sennacherib of Assyria
invaded Judah. He laid siege to
the fortified cities, giving orders for
his army to break thro their walls.
Hezekiah further strengthened
his defences by repairing the wall,
and adding to the fortifications…
Then Hezekiah encouraged them
with this address: Be strong and
courageous! Don’t be afraid of the
king of Assyria & his mighty army
for there is a power far greater
on our side! He may have a great
army, but they are just men. We
have the Lord our God to help us
and to fight our battles for us!
These words greatly encouraged
the people (2 Chron 32:1-8).
Lord, thankful you’re with us and
more powerful than everything.
I ask you to be with me in the
things I face this coming week.
And we praise You & yr greatness
in the midst of all that seems
large & looming in our life. Amen.

Lord, we look up & Seek Yr Grace:
Manasseh led the people of Judah
to do more evil than the pagan
nations whom the Lord destroyed.
…So the Lord sent the Assyrian
armies and they took Manasseh
prisoner. They put a ring through
his nose, bound him in chains and
led him away to Babylon. While in
deep distress, Manasseh sought
the Lord & cried out humbly to Him.
And when he prayed, the Lord
listened and was moved by his
request for help. So the Lord let
Manasseh return to Jerusalem
and to his kingdom (2C33:9-13).
Lord, how amazing your grace,
forgiveness and restoration are.
We praise you for your mercy and
loving-kindness offered so freely.
We want to follow you, but
when we stray from your paths,
help us to humbly cry out to you.
And let us know the joy of your
forgiveness and healing. Amen.

Dear Lord, your dealing with the
Judah kings show clearly that
You are Gracious and forgiving.
We praise you for your mercy and
loving-kindness offered so freely.
We purpose to submit ourselves
and Return to you when we do sin.
So when we stray from yr paths,
help us to Humbly Cry out to you.
Thank you that even when we
don’t do everything right, You see
in my heart the desire to do so
and look past my imperfections
But Help us to Live Your way.
And Lord, help us to remember
You are On Our Side, You’re with
us and that You’re more powerful
than everything that we face.
And we can live with confidence,
looking unto Jesus, the author
and finisher of our faith. And
in whose name we pray, Amen.