Prayers for You
Choosing to Obey the Lord
Moses has come to a solemn and climatic moment in his 3rd & final address to the nation – the time for a recommitment to the covenant. He reminds the new generation that the potential for God’s richest blessing awaits them in the land, as well as His severest judgment. It all depends on their response to the demands of the covenant. Moses delivers the challenge: I have set before you life & death; choose life.
God Answers & Blesses His People
Moses urges obeying God’s laws
which bring blessings and warns
disobedience bringing misfortune.
The 10 Commandments and all of
God’s laws point out to us where
we fall short and show us How
we should Live as God’s people.
To ensure orderly mgt of God’s
holy people in the Holy Land,
God provides societal regulations
and Genesis 25 & 26 focuses
on holiness in human relations.
Lord, we’re thankful for Your Grace:
The Egyptians mistreated us…
and laid hard bondage in us.
Then we cried out to Lord God
and the Lord heard our voice
and looked on our affliction…
So the Lord brought us out
of Egypt with a mighty hand…
So you shall rejoice in every good
the Lord has given you (Dt 26:6-11)
I have obeyed the voice of the Lord
my God & have done according to
all that You have commanded me.
Look down from… heaven
and bless Your people (v14-15).
You have declared… the Lord is
your God. And you have promised
to walk in His ways, and to obey
His commands… Also the Lord has
proclaimed you to be His special
people, just as He promised you,
that You should keep all
His commandments (v17-18).
Father, thank You for Moses’ Second Address which gives us the principles for godly living. Help us not operate out of fear but remember Your mighty acts. Help us to be always thankful for all that You’ve done for us. Help us not be rebellious but instead Obey Your Commands. In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.
Lord, we have transgressed Your
commandments & forgotten them,
and have not obeyed your voice.
Forgive our sins, and bring about
a spiritual awakening among us
that we may walk in Your ways,
keep Your commandments
and obey Your voice with all
our heart and all our soul. Amen.
Lord, thanks for lavishing Your love
& bringing me out of slavery to sin.
I declare You are the Lord my God;
& I have no other gods before You.
Help me obey Your commands
relating to frustrating areas of
brokenness and shortcomings.
Grant me enough love, obedience,
reverence and faithfulness to
fulfill Your mission for me. Amen.
Trust God for His Faithfulness
Moses’ second sermon begins in
chapter 5 and extends thru chap 26.
He opens with a reputation of the
Ten Commandments (hence the
name Deuteronomy – second law)
and exhorts the people to obey
the Lord from a heart of love,
to teach their children obedience
and to be careful not to forget
the Lord in times of prosperity.
Victory over pagan occupants of
Canaan is assured as long as the
people obey God’s commands.
They will prevail, not because
of their strength, but because of
their Faithful all-conquering God.
All Praise be to The Faithful God:
The Lord your God has chosen
you to be a people for Himself…
The Lord did not… choose you
because you were more in number
than any other people, for you were
the least of all peoples (Deut 7:6-7)
It was because the Lord loved you
and kept the oath He swore to
your forefathers that He brought
you out with a mighty hand and
redeemed you from the land of
slavery, from the power of Pharaoh
king of Egypt. Know therefore
that the Lord your God is God;
He is the faithful God El Emunah
who keeps covenant and mercy…
with those who love Him and
keep His commandmnuts (v8-9).
Father God, we adore You for
the faithfulness You show to us
even when we are unfaithful to You.
We praise You for Your covenant
of loving kindness and faithfulness.
Thank You Lord for the recording
Your Word for us so that through
endurance, the encouragement
of scriptures and of Your Spirit,
we might have hope in the fulfilment
of Your promise. In Jesus’ name.
Lord, Your faithfulness reminds me
that I’m not always faithful to You.
Although I have a heart to be faithful
to You, situations arise that evoke
fears and doubt, tempting me to
make choices of self-preservation
and selfishness. And I confess
that I am not fully faithful to You.
Help me Lord to do much better;
Help me see things from Your
perspective & not give up. Amen.
Lord, remind us again and again
of Your faithfulness so that we
will grow to be more like You.
Strengthen our resolve to believe
You’re indeed the Faithful God El
Emunah; for U can’t make promises
that You can’t keep for You can’t lie.
So we will wait patiently upon Your
word for delay is not denial. And
we trust Your promises will come to
pass at the appointed time. Amen.
Lord of mercy, You hv heard my cry
Thru the storm You’re the beacon
My song in the night.
In the shelter of Your wings
Hear my heart’s reply,
Singing what a faithful God have I.
What a faithful God have I
What a faithful God.
What a faithful God have I
Faithful in every way. Amen.
Be Reminded of God’s Word
Moses’ second sermon opens with
a Repetition of Ten Commandments
(hence the name Deuteronomy
– second law). It exhorts the
people to obey the Lord from
a heart of love, to teach their
children obedience and to be
careful Not to Forget the Lord in
times of prosperity. Victory over
the pagan occupants of Canaan
is assured as long as the people
faithfully obey God’s commands.
Lord, we’ll Follow Your Instructions:
And Moses called all Israel…
(The Lord) said: I am the Lord
your God who brought you out
of the land of Egypt, out of the
house of bondage. You shall have
no other gods before Me(Dt5:1-7)
You must be careful to obey all
the commands of the Lord your
God, following His instructions
in every detail… that it may be
well with you (Deut 5:32-33).
You must love the Lord your God
with all your heart, all your soul
and all your strength. And you must
commit yourselves Wholeheartedly
to these commands that I am giving
you today. Repeat them Again and
Again to your children (Deut 6:5-7).
Lord, forgive me for treating Your
words casually for they’re absolute
truth, and our anchor in this world.
Help me follow You from my heart.
And I resolve to persevere and
not lose heart, no matter what
obstacles stand in the way or
what fears to hold me back. And
please reward me clearly enough
and often enough to keep me
coming to Your throne boldly. Amen
Lord, help me to love You with
all my heart, soul and strength. For
I have not yet been wholeheartedly
committed to Your commands or
made them a consistent part of
my life. Lord, loosen my tongue
to speak about my need for Your grace and the confidence that You’ll supply both to me. In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.
Lord, I want to love You with
my whole heart; for this is Your
greatest desire for me and that
it’s the reason I was made. But
You know how easily I can be
distracted by lesser things, how
forgetful I can be and how weak
my love can be. Remind me of
Your great love; and help my
heart respond to You and love
You more passionately. Amen.
Accept & Trust God’s Voice
God has led his people out of Egypt and across the great desert. Now they stand ready to enter the promised land. But before the Israelites go into the land, Moses has impt advice to them which he delivers in 3 parts. In the 1st part, Moses reviews the history of Israel with the crucial lesson: that obedience brings blessing while disobedience results in judgment.
Lord, we’ll Pray to Draw Close to U: Observe the laws carefully, for this will show yr wisdom to the nations, who will say: “Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.” What other nation is so great as to have their god near them the way the Lord is Near us whenever we Pray to Him (D4:6-7) The Lord Spoke to you from the heart of the fire. You Heard the sound of his words but Didn’t See his form; there was Only A Voice. So He declared to you His covenant which He commanded u to perform the Ten Commandments (v12-13).
Lord, we thank You for being Close to us when we pray. Thank You that You hear and will answer us. Thank You that in Your presence there is transformation for my soul and my life. I Draw Close to U and ask for an increasing sense of Your presence. I ask that You will help me to pray more and more every day; and give me increasing faith to believe for the answers. Amen.
Lord, I realise in our relationship with You, there will be a constant interplay between the hidden and the revealed. You don’t compel our faith; and we always have to choose to see what U are revealing. So Lord, even as I hear Your voice but don’t see Your form, please enable me to accept as much as I can of what You reveal. Help me accept Your revelation & Trust what -ever I don’t see beyond it. Amen.
Dear Lord, You want Your people to place holiness as a way of life & be obedient to You in every action. Help us always Hallow Your laws & help us Pray Draw Close to You. Help us to purpose in our heart Not be Afraid but Trust You God by remembering Your mighty acts. Help us Accept Your revelation and Trust what see don’t see yet. In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.
The Lord Abounds In Mercy
Following the Lord’s instructions,
Moses selects one rep from each
of the 12 tribes to form a scouting
party. Their assignment: to spy out
the defenses of the land and bring
back a sample of the produce.
The 12 return with a divided report!
Ten see only the obstacles while
two see opportunities. The nation
disheartened & faithless, threatens
to stone Moses and return to Egypt
rather than face what lies ahead.
As a result, God condemns that
unbelieving generation to forty
years wandering the wilderness.
Lord, we’ll Choose Faith Not Doubt:
Joshua and Caleb said: The land
we explored is a wonderful land!
The Lord will bring us safely into that
land and give it to us… Do not rebel
against the Lord (Num 14:6-9).
The Lord said to Moses: How long
will these people treat me with
contempt? Will they never believe
Me, even after all the miraculous
signs I’ve done among them (v11).
Moses said… As You’ve spoken: The
Lord is longsuffering and abundant
in mercy, forgiving iniquity…
Pardon the iniquity of this people
I pray according to the greatness
of Your mercy… Then the Lord said:
I have forgiven them as you asked.
Because these men who have seen
My glory and signs… have put Me to
the test 10 times & have not heeded
My voice, they shall not see the land
which I swore to their fathers(18-23)
Lord, open my spiritual eyes to
see those exceedingly good things
that You have laid in my path.
Forgive me Lord for focusing
on the problems around me.
Help me keep my eyes on You and
the purpose You’ve put before me.
May I go forth in faith, not in fear,
so that I don’t miss Your blessings
each day. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Lord, it is so easy to let our hearts
be affected by negativity; and treat
You in contempt by not obeying You.
I confess having inclination to live
by sight and not by faith; so Lord
help me reverse that tendency.
I purpose to hang on to Your word,
even when it may contradict the
circumstance; for I want to believe
in You more & more. In Jesus’ name.
Lord, Moses in his intercession for
the Israelites, appeal to Your mercy
and long-suffering & You relented.
But then the unbelieving Israelites
couldn’t enter the Promised Land.
Lord of Mercy and Longsuffering,
Help us not treat U with Contempt;
Help us Not to Doubt You; and
Help us see You thru Eyes of Faith.
In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.
Hearing God thru His Word
The purpose of Leviticus is to
serve as a handbook for priests
and Levites outlining their duties
in worship as well as a guidebook
of holy living for the Hebrews.
And Numbers tells the story of
how Israel prepared to enter the
promised land, how they sinned
and were punished, and how
they prepared to try again.
On Monday, we learn from Lev 16
that the Lord Atones & Cleanses Us.
On Tuesday, we learn fr Lev 18/19
that Following God Changes Us.
On Wed, we learn from Num 6
that the Lord Blesses His People.
On Thursday, we learn fr Num 9
that God Guides in Life Challenges.
On Friday, we learn from Num 14
that the Lord Abounds In Mercy.
On Saturday, we learn fr Num 21/23
that the Lord Keeps His Promises.
Let us humble ourselves and pray
and seek His face. Help us O God
be Christ’s disciples who Hear You:
For the Lord Atones & Cleanses Us
and Following Him Changes Us;
For God Guides in Life Challenges
and that He Abounds in Mercy;
For God Blesses His People
and He Keeps His Promises.
In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.
The Lord Keeps His Promise
As the Israelites march to Canaan,
they defeat three enemies: the
Canaanites, Amorites & Bashanites.
But on the heels of victory they
suffer defeat at the hands of a
persistent foe: constant grumbling.
And God sends fiery serpents
to chasten His rebellious nation.
The threat of Israel’s advance
prompts neighbouring pagan nations
to hire Balaam to bring a curse upon
God’s people. But instead of curse,
Balaam delivers a sweeping witness.
to the glorious future of Israel.
Lord, we’ll Respect & Honour You:
Speak to the rock before their eyes.
& it will yield water. So Moses took
the rod & said: You Rebels! Must we
bring water for you out of this rock?
Then Moses…struck the rock twice
with his rod and water came out…
The Lord spoke to Moses:
Because you did not…hallow Me…
you shall Not bring this assembly
into the land (Num 20:8-12).
The people came to Moses & said:
We sinned when we spoke against
the Lord and against you. Pray that
the Lord will take the snakes away…
So Moses prayed for the people.
The Lord said: Make a snake & put
it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten
can look at it and live (Num 21:7-9).
God is not human, that He should lie,
not a human being, that He should
change His mind. Does He speak
and then not act? Does He promise
and not fulfill? (Num 23:18-19)
Holy Spirit, help me be gracious &
careful with my words when under
pressure or when I am frustrated.
Help me not to trust and rely on
past experience of doing things.
Help me instead to listen carefully
to what God said and respond in
faith by obeying His instructions.
Help me Honor Father as holy God
in Jesus’ precious name, Amen.
Lord Jesus, I look to You as Saviour and to what You accomplished on the cross as guarantee of my salvation. Thank You Lord for paying the ultimate price for my sin. Forgive me Lord if I have spoken against You in any way, or have been motivated by fear and doubt. I come to You in Faith, believing that You’ll hear & answer my prayer; & help me always Obey You. Amen.
Abba, when Israelites complained
against You God and rebelled
against Moses, that led to disaster.
Help us to Be Careful when under
difficult and confusing situations.
Help us to Beware Grumbling and
Bitterness but focus on blessings.
Help us to Respect U & be careful
with words when under pressure.
Help us trust You and Obey Your I
nstructions; for You keep promises,
for You are a faithful God. Amen.
The Lord Abounds In Mercy
Following the Lord’s instructions,
Moses selects one rep from each
of the 12 tribes to form a scouting
party. Their assignment: to spy out
the defenses of the land and bring
back a sample of the produce.
The 12 return with a divided report!
Ten see only the obstacles while
two see opportunities. The nation
disheartened & faithless, threatens
to stone Moses and return to Egypt
rather than face what lies ahead.
As a result, God condemns that
unbelieving generation to forty
years wandering the wilderness.
Lord, we’ll Choose Faith Not Doubt:
Joshua and Caleb said: The land
we explored is a wonderful land!
The Lord will bring us safely into that
land and give it to us… Do not rebel
against the Lord (Num 14:6-9).
The Lord said to Moses: How long
will these people treat me with
contempt? Will they never believe
Me, even after all the miraculous
signs I’ve done among them (v11).
Moses said… As You’ve spoken: The
Lord is longsuffering and abundant
in mercy, forgiving iniquity…
Pardon the iniquity of this people
I pray according to the greatness
of Your mercy… Then the Lord said:
I have forgiven them as you asked.
Because these men who have seen
My glory and signs… have put Me to
the test 10 times & have not heeded
My voice, they shall not see the land
which I swore to their fathers(18-23)
Lord, open my spiritual eyes to
see those exceedingly good things
that You have laid in my path.
Forgive me Lord for focusing
on the problems around me.
Help me keep my eyes on You and
the purpose You’ve put before me.
May I go forth in faith, not in fear,
so that I don’t miss Your blessings
each day. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Lord, it is so easy to let our hearts
be affected by negativity; and treat
You in contempt by not obeying You.
I confess having inclination to live
by sight and not by faith; so Lord
help me reverse that tendency.
I purpose to hang on to Your word,
even when it may contradict the
circumstance; for I want to believe
in You more & more. In Jesus’ name.
Lord, Moses in his intercession for
the Israelites, appeal to Your mercy
and long-suffering & You relented.
But then the unbelieving Israelites
couldn’t enter the Promised Land.
Lord of Mercy and Longsuffering,
Help us not treat U with Contempt;
Help us Not to Doubt You; and
Help us see You thru Eyes of Faith.
In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.
God Guides in Life Challenges
The time has come for the final journey to Canaan. After a special celebration of the Passover, the people watch as the pillar of cloud begins to move. It’s time to march! But the thrill of expectation soon gives way to tedium of travel. And Moses is faced with numerous problems: complaints about travel conditions and food, longings for the good old days in Egypt, and jealousy by Miriam and Aaron toward his position of leadership.
Lord, we’ll Follow Your Guidance: On the day the Tabernacle was set up, the cloud covered it. But from evening until morning the cloud over the Tabernacle looked like a pillar of fire… Whenever the cloud lifted from the Tent, the Israelites set out; wherever the cloud settled, the Israelites encamped… At the Lord’s command they encamped, and at the Lord’s command they set out. They obeyed the Lord’s order, in accordance with his command thro Moses (N9:15-23).
Lord, sometime I wish Your leading as recognisable as a pillar of fire. As we make our way through the wilderness in this world, we do not take Your presence for granted. We want to move forward when you move and stay where we are when you stop. Thank you for Your Holy Spirit who lives in us and illumines Your Word, helping us to know and understand yr will. Thank you for renewing our minds so we’ll know the good & perfect will of God for our lives. Amen.
Lord, guide us in our journey thro life. Help us understand and recognise Your leading in every decision we make. Give clear direction so that we can stay on the path You have for us. We know following You doesn’t mean every thing will be easy. Help us not lose faith when the road gets rough. For we want to always arrive at the place You want us to be. Amen.
Dear Heavenly Father, You are a Faithful God with good plan for us. But like Israelites going through life journey,we can still face challenges. Help us Recognise Your Leading & Follow Your Guidance in our life. Help us to be Grateful & Thankful for your provision and protection. Help us Seek Help from You rather than Murmuring and Complaining. In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.