PrayerThots Devotional

Listen & Obey the Holy God

For the first time in four centuries,
the Israelites are free to worship
and walk with their holy God.
But how do they approach God?
At Mount Sinai Moses prepares the
pple to receive the law which they
promise to obey. After two days of
purification,the nation witnesses an
awesome display of God’s majesty
as He descends in a thick cloud to
deliver the Ten Commandments,
the broad moral principles which
guide the new nation and set it
apart from its pagan neighbours.
They also receive civil & ceremonial
laws to regulate the life of Israel.

Lord, help us love u by obeying u:
I am the Lord your God, who
Rescued you from the land of Egypt,
the place of your slavery. You must
not have any other God but me.
You must not make for yourself
an idol of any kind…(Ex 20:2-17)
When the people heard the thunder
and saw the flashes of lightning…
they stood at a distance, trembling
with fear… Don’t be afraid, Moses
answered them: for God has come
in this way to test you, and so that
your fear of Him will keep you
from sinning (Exo 20:18-20).
You shall not make anything to be
with Me; gods of silver or… gold
you shall not make for yourselves.
An altar of earth you shall make
for me, and you shall sacrifice on it
your burnt offerings and your peace
offerings… (And) I will come to you,
and I will bless you (v23-24).

Father God, You revealed Your
Law to the Israelites at Sinai.
Through the law, they learned
more about what You are like and
how You expect Your people to live.
Grant us hunger to feed on Your
Word each day and want to be holy.
Help us love You more and empower
our good intentions, for apart from
You we can really do nothing. Amen.

Father God, You are pure & holy;
and You are a consuming fire.
Thanks You Jesus for rescuing
us from slavery to sin and death.
In gratitude we purpose to follow
Your ways and what You want.
Help us show our love to Him by
responding obediently to what
God wants. In Jesus’ name, Amen

Listen Carefully to What God Say

Delivering the people from Egyptian
bondage is only the first step in
God’s plan to bring the Israelites
to the Promised Land of Canaan.
Many obstacles lie ahead.
Pharaoh, whose heart is again
hardened, sends his armies in
pursuit of Moses and the people.
Trapped bet the Red Sea & rapidly
approaching chariots of Egypt,
the people Cry Out in desperation
and God answers miraculously.

Lord, we’ll Pray, Listen and Act:
Order the Israelites to… camp…
along the shore… I have planned
this in order to display my glory
through Pharaoh & his whole army.
After this the Egyptians will know
that I am the LORD! (Exo 14:1-4).
So the Egyptians pursued them,
all the horses and chariots…
And when Pharaoh drew near, the
children of Israel lifted their eyes,
and behold the Egyptians marched
after them. So they were very afraid
and the children of Israel Cried
Out to the Lord (Exodus 14:9-10).
Moses said to the people: Do not
be afraid. Stand still and see the
salvation of the Lord…(He) will fight
for u…And the Lord said to Moses:
Why do you Cry to Me? Tell the
children of Israel to Go Forward.
Lift up your rod & stretch out over
the sea & divide it. And the children
of Israel shall go on dry ground
thru the midst of the sea (v13-16).

Lord, I am listening for Your voice,
and I am not ruling out anything
unless it really contradicts Your
infallible word or holy character.
For there is no twist in this life
journey that is beyond Your nature.
So, Lead me Lord into and out of
any predicament You may choose
that may not make sense in near
term but will be eventually. Amen.

Lord, just like the Israelites we may
find ourselves with dashed hope.
But trust that every unexpected
twist of events was part of Your
sovereign and deliberate plan.
Everything was perfectly positioned
so that the only explanation for what
will take place is Your mighty hand.
So sovereign God, Show me Your
great power even as I stand still
and wait for Your salvation. Amen.

Lord, help me understand while
waiting for a leading from You,
when it is time to take action.
Help me to be wise enough so
that I can recognise the answers
to my prayers when they come
in unique ways I was not expecting.
Give me the knowledge of Your will
that let me know when it’s time to
stand up & take steps of faith. Amen

Moving With God’s Guidance

Delivering the people from Egyptian
bondage is only the first step in
God’s plan to bring the Israelites
to the Promised Land of Canaan.
Many obstacles lie ahead. Pharaoh,
whose heart is again hardened,
sends his armies in pursuit of
Moses and the people. Trapped
between the Red Sea & the rapidly
approaching chariots of Egypt,
the people cry out in desperation
and God answers miraculously.

Lord, we yearn for Your Guidance:
Then it came to pass, when
Pharaoh had let the people go,
that God did not lead them by
way of the land of the Philistines,
although that was near; for God
said: Lest perhaps the people
change their minds when they
see war and return to Egypt.
So God led the people around
by way of the wilderness of
the Red Sea (Ex 13:17-18).
The Lord went ahead of them.
He guided them during the day
with a pillar of cloud, and he
provided light at night with a
pillar of fire. This allowed them
to travel by day or by night.
The Lord did not remove the
pillar of cloud or pillar of fire
from its place in front of the
people (Exodus 13:21-22).

Lord, You have led me on such
a winding path that sometimes
I am not sure whether I’m headed
in the right direction. I really long
for Your cloud and Your fire;
but I will cling to whatever
guidance that You will give me.
Please get me through the 
wilderness safely to Yr Promised
land of blessedness. Amen.

Lord, even when I don’t see
a cloud by day and fire by night,
or arrow signs or visible gestures,
You will still show me enough
to keep me moving forward.
I know You may patiently lead
us in a circuitous path at times.
But as I come close to You Lord,
You will get me through whatever
wilderness that I will face. Amen.

Lord, I submit my every step
to You; the one who is in controI.
I invite You to direct my path
with or without my awareness
of it. Give me understanding
when I need it; and trust
when I don’t understand.
Lead me into the land of promise
which You have designed for me.
In Jesus’ precious name. Amen.

God Gives Purpose In Life

When a person will not obey God
willingly, God will often bring to
bear circumstances that force
him to obey God unwillingly.
Such is the case with reluctant
Pharaoh of Egypt. God sends
a series of national calamities
to impress upon Pharaoh the
importance of obedience.

Lord, thanks for Purpose in Life:
Then the Lord said to Moses:
Stand before Pharaoh and say
to him: Thus says the Lord God
of the Hebrews: Let My people
go that they may (worship) Me…
For at this time I will send…
plagues to your very heart, and
on our servants and on your people,
that you may know that there
is none like Me in all the earth…
Indeed for this Purpose I have
raised you up, that I may show
My power in you, and that
My name may be declared in
all the earth (Ex 9:13-16) Amen.

Lord, You give everyone Purpose
for their life, incl Moses & Pharaoh
in the deliverance of Your people.
Grateful Lord that You not only
gives us life but also A Purpose
so that there’s full meaning in life.
Apostle Paul says in Eph 2 we are
created in Christ for Good Works
which God prepared beforehand
(so) that we should walk in them.
Grant us Lord good clarity in Your
assignment and tender obedience
to do Your Will for your glory. Amen

Lord, guide us to Be Sensitive
to Your voice and direction; and
may You use us to do Your Will.
Remind me Holy Spirit to fear the
LORD and to serve Him faithfully;
for He’s done great things for me.
Help me to focus attention not on
myself but on others & what I can
do to make a difference in them.
And help me to act and talk with
grace, gratitude and goodness
for the glory of Your name, Amen.

Lord, I purpose to use whatever
talents & gifts that I have received
as well as passion to serve others
as faithful stewards of God’s grace.
And it is also my desire that I will
be more caring, that my light will
shine before others, so that they
may see my good works and
give glory to my Father who is
in heaven. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

All Sufficient God Meets Needs

“All Sufficient God” was written
by Nathaniel Bassey, a Nigerian
gospel artist & worship leader;
and it was first released in 2018.
The title & lyrics of “All-Sufficient
God” drew inspiration from Moses’
Burning Bush encounter in Exodus 3.
The song reminds believers that
God is always present to guide and
protect them. And it emphasizes
that God is able to meet our needs,
provide comfort in times of trouble
and bring hope in midst of despair.

Lord, You’re the All Sufficient One:
Moses was amazed because the
bush was engulfed in flames but it
didn’t burn up… When the Lord saw..
He had caught Moses’ attention,
God called to him from the bush…
I have seen the misery of my people
in Egypt. I have heard their cries for
deliverance…Now go for I’m Sending
you to Pharaoh. You Will Lead My
people… out of Egypt (Exo 3:2-10).
Then Moses said: when I come to
the children of Israel & say to them:
The God of your fathers has sent
me to you, and they say to me:
What is His name? what shall I say
to them? And God said to Moses:
I AM WHO I AM (Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh
Eternal All-Sufficient God). Thus you
shall say to the children of Israel:
I AM has sent me to you (v13-14).

All Sufficient Lord, You are beyond
our capacity of full understanding.
But we trust Yr Spirit will grant the
things You want us to experience.
Empower us to cooperate with You
even as You manifest Your kingdom.
Grateful for Your lovingkindness
& praise You for being our All in All
and for supplying all that we need.
In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.

Lord, You’re the all-sufficient one,
holding the world in Your hands.
Your sufficiency is comforting for
I am after all one of Your children.
Lord, I can see my insufficiency
in the light of Your all-sufficiency.
Pardon me the impatience I feel
when something goes wrong.
Forgive any doubts that You are
mighty and good; for You can and
ready to meet my needs. Amen.

Lord, we long to hear more clearly;
but then the clearer the revelation,
the greater will be the expectation.
And the more clearly You speak, the
greater the demand for obedience.
The costs of hearing You can be
high but we still want to encounter
You for You are a good good God.
Grant us Lord willingness to face the
responsibility of knowing Your will.
In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pwMtTkwQaOE

Almighty God Can Do Anything

Backgrounder on Genesis 15-18:
God’s promises to Abraham are
given in great detail, confirmed
with a unilateral treaty, repeated
and established by the sign of
circumcision. But as the years
pass with no evidence of fulfilment,
Abraham acts in foolish impatience.
The result is a son Ishmael, who
will forever cause the heartbreak
of his father, constantly reminding
Abraham of the price of unbelief.
And we have the visit of the three
men of God (enroute Sodom) with
a message for Abraham and Sarah.

Lord, we will Trust Your Promises:
When Abram was 99 years old,
the LORD appeared to him & said
I am God Almighty (El Shaddai);
walk before me faithfully and
be blameless. Then I will… greatly
increase your numbers… This is my
covenant with you. You will be the
father of many nations (Gen 17:1-4).
Then one of the three men said:
About this time next year I will return
and your wife Sarah will have a son…
And since Abraham and Sarah were
both very old, and Sarah was long
past the age of having children,
she laughed silently to herself…
Then the Lord said: Why did Sarah
laugh? Why did she say: Can an
old woman like me have a baby?
Is Anything Too Hard for the Lord?
About a year from now, just as
I told you, I will return and Sarah
will have a son (Genesis 18:10-14).
The Lord kept His Word and did for
Sarah exactly what He had promised
She became pregnant and she gave
birth to a son… This happened at
just The Time God said (Gen 21:1-2)

Lord El Shaddai, You are great
and You are mighty in power.
Your wisdom knows no limits;
and Your might knows no bounds.
As the heavens are higher than the
earth,so Yr ways higher than ours.
Help us to not cause delays in
our destiny but rather to walk
upright in faith. Help us to stay
committed to You, and we look
forward to Your blessing. Amen.

Lord, Thanks for the promise that
there’s nothing too difficult for You.
We praise You that You are the
God of miracles and all Powerful.
And we call upon Your awesome
might when we are in trouble;
for it honours Your name when
we ask for God-sized things.
We submit to Your sovereignty;
grant us Your sustaining strength
to endure the challenge and
bless us with Your miracle. Amen.

Lord, sometimes the change we
want to see seem impossible, even
laughable. Grant us the faith to keep
believing that what is impossible in
human terms is not too hard for You.
For our hopes are grounded in the
reality that U still do the impossible.
You create life out of death, which
is not dependent upon human effort.
For Nothing is too hard for You; &
You do things in Your Time. Amen.

Hearing God thru His Word

The purpose of Genesis is
to record God’s creation and
His desire to have a people
set apart to worship Him.
The first portion (chapter 1-11)
presents a wide-angle view of God’s
dealings from Creation to Babel,
a period characterized by human
faithlessness. But chapter 12-50
focus on God’s relationship
with one man (Abraham) and
his descendants over the next four
centuries, during which a nation is
founded and salvation is promised
for the fallen race of mankind.

On Monday, we learn from Gen 12
to Follow God’s Calling & Trust Him.
On Tuesday, we learn fr Gen 17/18
that Almighty God Can Do Anything
On Wed, we learn from Gen 22
that Jehovah Jireh Is My Provider.
On Thu, we learn from Gen 25-32
to Keep Faith and Don’t Give Up.
On Friday, we learn from Gen 37
to Focus on the Promised Vision.
On Saturday, we learn from Gen 41
that God Reveals the Solution.

Let us humble ourselves and pray
and seek His face. Help us O God
be Christ’s disciples who Hear You:

For You want us to simply Trust You
as Almighty God Can Do Anything
and Jehovah Jireh Is Our Provider.
For You are a Faithful God and want
us to Keep Faith and Don’t Give Up.
For God wants us to Focus on the
Promise & that You Reveal Solution.
In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.

God Reveals the Solution

A difficult dream of Pharaoh
refreshes the memory of the chief
butler; and Joseph is promoted
from prisoner to prime minister.
The dream forecasts prosperity
and famine in the years ahead.
The widespread famine prompts
Jacob to send 10 sons to Egypt
for grain, where Joseph recognises
them immediately and the brothers
unknowingly fulfill the boyhood
dream of Joseph. And Jacob was
assured going to Egypt is divinely
approved. So the entire Jewish
clan of 70 moves to Goshen
which will become home for the
fledging nation for next 400 years.

Lord, we trust U for the Impossible:
Pharaoh said to Joseph: “I had a
dream last night and no one here
can tell me what it means. But I’ve
heard that when you hear about
a dream you can interpret it.”
It is beyond my power to do this,
Joseph replied. But God can
tell you what it means and set
you at ease (Gen 41:15-16).
Then Joseph said to Pharaoh:
The dreams of Pharaoh are one;
God has shown Pharaoh what
He is about to do… And the seven
thin cows… & seven empty heads…
are seven years of famine (v25-27).
Then Pharaoh said: God has shown
you all this… I have set you over
all the land of Egypt (v39-41).

Lord, You have a solution for
every problem in the world and
every problem that we may face.
And if U share Your ideas with me,
I will avail myself to act on them
so that I can be a blessing to
others and further Your kingdom.
And Lord help us to see life thru
Your eyes & for Your glory. Amen.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You
for Your good plan for mankind.
Help us Persevere by Waiting for
fulfilment of promise like Joseph.
Help us Trust You for challenges
even as we Give Our Scars to You;
for You Intended For Good. And
Thanks be to You God who is
able to keep us from stumbling.
In Jesus Mighty Name, Amen!

Focus on the Promised Vision

Though the favourite son of his
father Jacob, Joseph alienates
himself from his brothers by his
forthrightness of his two dreams.
Envy grows into hatred until finally
the brothers sell him into slavery.
Taken to Egypt, Joseph suffers
injustice at the hands of Potiphar’s
wife and later from forgetful butler.
Through it all, God has a good plan
for both Joseph as well as Israel.
Lord, Help us Avail ourselves to
Your service as imperfect people.
Help us keep faith by Waiting for U,
Help us Focus on the Vision. Amen.

Lord, we’ll Wait for Your Promise:
Now Joseph had a dream
and he told it to his brothers…
Your sheaves stood all around
and bowed down to my sheaf…
So they hated him even more
for his dreams and for his words…
Then he dreamed still another
dream. This time the sun, the moon
and the eleven stars bowed down
to me. So he told it to his father
and his brothers; and his father
rebuked him… And his brothers
envied him, but his father Kept
the matter In Mind (Gen 37:5-11).

Lord, we see thru patriarchs that
You Work thru Imperfect people:
You work through Joseph who was
prideful when he boastfully shared
his dream to his brothers that
he will one day be in high position
and they will bow to him causing
his brothers to envy and hate him.
Lord, help us not be proud but
Wait for the right time to share
Your plan for us. And help us to avail
ourselves for Your service. Amen.

Lord, You were with Joseph
and made all he did to prosper.
Joseph kept integrity, running from
Potiphar’s wife & ended in prison.
It was a long wait of 13 years when
he received the two prophecies.
As a slave & as a prisoner, Joseph
could have seen his situations
as hopeless. But he remembered
the prophetic dreams and saw the
favour of men as sign of promise.
Holy Spirit, help us be like Joseph,
Not to Doubt but Believe, Waiting
for God to fulfil His promise. Amen.

Lord, grant Be Thou Our Vision:
From the Joseph story, we learn
that You don’t just speak into
individual lives or immediate future
for Your agenda is to build every
level of society. We realise when
we listen for Your voice, we need
to listen with grand purposes
and long term frame of mind.
So raise our vision beyond self
and our immediate needs & future.
Show us more Lord and draw us to
Your purpose & assignment. Amen

Keeping Faith & Not Giving Up

The third patriarchal character
Jacob truly lives up to his name,
stealing the family blessing meant
for his twin brother Esau. But it is
through Jacob that God’s promises
are fulfilled in a greater degree.
During a 20-year stay in Haran,
Jacob the schemer becomes
Jacob the servant of God.
After leaving his uncle Laban, he
reconciles to God, wrestling with
the angel of Jehovah that leaves
him with a new name Israel & limp.

Dear Lord, thanks for Yr goodness
and redemption plan for mankind.
Help us to Trust You like Abraham
though not having all the answers;
Submit to Your Will like Isaac and
not demanding one own’s way;
and Have Persevering Faith like
Jacob who Didn’t Give Up easily.
Lord, we see in the story of Jacob
that You transform people in the
course of fulfilling Your promises.
Help us to have the tenacity of
Jacob who Didn’t Give Up easily:
Choosing Long-term Significance,
Willing to work hard Patiently and
Persevering On God’s promises.
In Jesus’ precious name, Amen!

Lord, help us Choose Significance:
One day when Jacob was cooking
some stew, Esau arrived home
from the wilderness exhausted
and hungry. Esau said to Jacob,
I’m starved! Give me some stew!
All right, Jacob replied, but trade
me your rights as the firstborn son.
Look, I’m dying of starvation! said
Esau. What good is my birthright
to me now? But Jacob said: First
you must swear that your birthright
is mine. So Esau swore an oath,
thereby selling all his rights as
the firstborn to his brother Jacob.
Then Jacob gave Esau some bread
and lentil stew (Gen 25:29-34).
Lord, all that U have promised for
those who love U is of great worth.
But it takes eyes of faith to see it
and a willingness to wait for it while
this world wants instant gratificatn.
So help us Lord to choose wisely
for Longterm Significance rather
than momentary craving. Amen.

Lord, help us Learn to Be Patient:
As Jacob was in love with Rachael,
he told her father: I’ll work for you
for seven years if you’ll give me
Rachael your younger daughter
as my wife. Agreed! Labuan replied
Finally the time came for him
to marry her. I have fulfilled my
agreement, Jacob said to Labuan.
So Labuan prepared a wedding
feast. But that night, when it was
dark, Labuan took Leah to Jacob,
and he slept with her. When Jacob
woke up in the morning, it was
Leah! Jacob raged at Labuan: Why
have u tricked me? (Gen 29:16-25)
Altho Jacob made many mistakes,
his hard work for 14 years teaches
us about living a life of service.
When faced with challenges,
help us Lord Not Give Up so easily,
but instead be willing to work hard
for You and Wait Patiently. Amen.

Lord, help us Don’t Stop Believing:
So Jacob was left alone and a man
wrestled with him till daybreak.
When the man saw that he could
not overpower him, he touched the
socket of Jacob’s hip so that his
hip was wrenched as he wrestled
with the man. Then the man said:
Let me go, for it is daybreak. But
Jacob replied: I will not let you go
unless U bless me (Gen 32:24-26).
Lord,help us emulate Jacob,staying
there until he receives the blessing.
I confess I’ve times of fear & doubt
but I commit to trust You more and
purpose to pray more each day.
Help us Fight a good fight, Believe
and Hold On to Yr promises. Amen.