PrayerThots Devotional

God Is Holy Yet Also Gracious

David’s greatest dream is to build
a house for God. God makes it
clear through Nathan to David that
only in the lifetime of Solomon will
the dream actually come to fruition.
Though David is not permitted to
build a house for God, God will build
a house and a perpetual dynasty for
David. Through times of faithfulness
and faltering in David’s life, God
remains true to His promise
by preserving the line of David.

Lord, we Repent before You:
David gave orders to Joab…
Take a census: But Joab replied:
Why my lord do you want to do this?
Why must you cause Israel to sin?
But the king insisted (1 Chr 21:2-4)
David said to God: Was it not I
who ordered the fighting men
to be counted? I am the one
who has sinned… O Lord my God,
let Your hand fall upon me and
my family, but do not let this
plague remain in your people (v17).
O LORD… as You have promised
concerning me and my family may
it be a promise that will last forever…
And David built there an altar
unto the Lord, and offered burnt
offerings… and called upon the Lord;
and He answered from heaven
by fire upon the altar (v23-26).

Lord, we find ourselves so easily
justifying actions that are motivated
mainly by pride. And because
we live in a world filled with pride
over what we have accomplished,
it seems normal and not sinful.
Give us Lord eyes to see our pride,
lips willing to confess it, and hearts
that are changed and made clean
by the sacrifice of Your Son. Amen.

Lord, I see in Your word the
terrible consequences of pride.
I don’t want to experience those
consequences in my life, and not let
my family suffer because of my sin.
Reveal any pride in me so that
I can confess and repent of it.
And help me Lord to always have
a humble and contrite heart. Amen.

Lord, through David’s successes
and his failures, we learn the
importance of giving our whole
heart to You God and letting
You be the focus of our lives.
We entrust our dreams to You
Lord as You fulfil Your perfect plan.
We purpose to live by Your Word,
to walk in Your way; and to
repent when we fail You. Amen.

Thank God for What He Has Done

The ark of the covenant features
prominently in Chronicles being
mentioned more than 40 times.
And the events surrounding the
journey of the ark to Jerusalem
consumes 1Chr 13-15 & 3 months
elapse before the journey can be
completed. But when the ark is at
last installed in Jerusalem, David
leads the pple in national celebratn.

Lord, thanks for what You’ve done:
So they brought the ark of God
and set it in the midst of the
tabernacle that David had erected
for it. Then they offered burnt
offerings & peace offerings before
God. And David blessed the people
in the name of the Lord(1Chr 16:1-2)
On that day David first delivered
this psalm to thank the Lord:
Oh give thanks to the Lord!
Call upon His name; make known
His deeds among the peoples!
Sing to Him, sing psalms to Him!
Talk of all His wondrous works!…
Remember His marvellous works
which He has done (v8-12).
Remember His covenant forever…
the covenant which He made with
Abraham, and His oath to Isaac,
and confirmed to Jacob for a
statute, to Israel for an everlasting
covenant, saying: To you I will
give the land of Canaan (v15-18).

O Lord my God!
When I in awesome wonder
Consider all the world
Thy hands have made,
I see the stars,
I hear the rolling thunder,
Thy power throughout
the universe displayed,
Then sings my soul
My Saviour God to Thee:
How great Thou art! (x2)
Then sings my soul,
My Saviour God to Thee;
How great Thou art! (x2) Amen.

Praise Ye the Lord, the Almighty,
the King of creation!
O my soul, praise Him,
for He is thy health & salvation!
All Ye who hear,
now to His temple draw near;
Join me in glad adoration!
Praise to the Lord, who o’er all
things so wondrously reigneth;
Shields thee under His wings,
yea so gently sustaineth!
Hast thou not seen how
thy desires e’er have been
Granted in what He ordaineth.Amen

To God be the glory
great things He Hath Done!
So loved He the world
that He gave us His Son,
Who yielded His life
an atonement for sin,
And open the life-gate
that all may go in.
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord,
Let the earth hear His voice!
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord,
Let the people rejoice!
O come to the Father
through Jesus the Son,
And give Him the glory
Great things He Hath Done! Amen

God Gives Wisdom & Understanding

In the final hours before his death,
David charges Solomon to walk
before the Lord in integrity and
truth – a request which Solomon
fulfills in the early days of his reign
by ruling with justice, humility
and honesty before God and man.
Presented with a “blank cheque”
by God, Solomon asks for wisdom
to rule skilfully rather than wealth.
In return, God Gives him both!

At Gibeon the Lord appeared to
Solomon: Ask! What shall I Give u?
And Solomon said: O Lord my God,
You have made Your servant king…
Therefore give to Your servant
an understanding heart to judge
Your people, that I may discern
between good and evil. For who
is able to judge this great people
of Yours? The speech pleased
the Lord that Solomon had asked
this thing. Then God said to him:
Because you have asked this thing
understanding to discern justice…
I have given you a wise and
understanding heart, so that there
has not been anyone like you…
And I have also given you what
you have not asked: both riches
and honour, so that there shall
not be anyone like you among
kings all your days (1Kgs 3:5-13).

Lord, we are grateful that whenever
we are lost or unsure of what to do,
we can always seek You for wisdom.
Thank You Lord for divine wisdom,
which we can readily find in Your
Word as well as asking You for it.
Your word assures if I lack wisdom,
I can ask God who gives generously.
Thank You that the wisdom from
heaven is full of good fruit. Amen.

Lord, help us not only to hear
and meditate on Your Words
but also put them into practice
so that we can be like a wise man
who built his house on the rock.
And help us take care how we live,
not as the unwise but as wise;
making most of every opportunity
to be a source of blessing and to
lead others to Your kingdom. Amen

Lord, help us seek Your wisdom;
open our ears to it and help us to
recognise wisdom when we hear it.
Give us Lord the wisdom to know
what to do, how to do and the
courage to follow through on it.
And we know even as we put
You God and Your agenda first
that You will satisfy all our needs.
In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.

Adoring God thru Thanks & Praise

The central purpose of First Kings
is contrast the lives of those who
live for God and those who refuse
to do so through the history of
the kings of Israel and Judah;
whilst that of Second Kings
is to demonstrate the fate
that awaits all who refuse
to make God their true leader.

On Monday, we learn fr 1 Kgs 3
that God Gives us Wisdom.
On Tuesday, we learn from 1Kgs 8
that God Fulfills His Declared Word.
On Wed, we learn from 1Kgs 17
that God Provides for His Servants.
On Thursday, we learn from 2Kgs 4
that Mighty God Performs Miracles.
On Friday, we learn from 2Kgs 13
that God Rescues His People.
On Sat, we learn from 2Kgs 18-19
that God Answers our Prayers.

Let us humble ourselves and pray
and seek His face. Help us O God
be Christ’s disciples who Adore You:
For You Give Wisdom, Fulfil Your Word & Provide for Your Servants;
For You are worthy of our Praise
being our Mighty God who Performs
miracles and Rescue Your people;
For You are worthy of our Thanks
as You Amswer our prayers.
In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.

God Answers Prayers

The epitaph over the tomb of King
Hezekiah might well have read:
Hezekiah, “Best King of Judah.”
Taking the throne at a young age
of 25, he soon establishes himself
as a great reformer by destroying
all traces of heathen worship.
Choosing to put his trust in God
rather than in armies, Hezekiah
often found himself on his knees.
In response to the king’s prayers,
God strikes 185,000 Assyrian dead
& extends Hezekiah’s life by 15 yrs.

Lord, we Seek Your Deliverance:
The Assyrian king’s chief of staff…
gives this message to Hezekiah…
What are you trusting in that makes
you so confident?… What god…
has ever been able to save its pple
from my power? So what makes
you think that the Lord can rescue
Jerusalem from me (2Kgs 18:19,35).
When King Hezekiah heard their
report, he tore his clothes and
put on sackcloth and went into
the Temple of the Lord to pray. And
he sent the palace administrator,
the court secretary, and the leading
priests, all dressed in sackcloth, to
the prophet Isaiah… They told him:
This is what King Hezekiah says:
This is a day of trouble… Pray for
those of us who are left(2Kgs19:1-4)
Then Isaiah sent to Hezekiah saying:
Thus says the Lord God of Israel:
I have heard Your prayer about King
Sennacherib of Assyria. And the
Lord has spoken agst him (v20-21).

Lord, we learn from 2 Kings 18 the
character qualities of Hezekiah who
was likely the best king of Judah:
He did that which is right, trusted
and followed the Lord (v3-6).
And when challenges beset him,
he ran to the Lord who helped him.
Help us Lord to be like Hezekiah
who trusted and obeyed You.
Help us in the challenges we face;
we seek You for protection and
we seek You for deliverance. Amen.

Father God, help me to remember
to run to You when I need help.
Help me to swallow my pride and
ask others to pray for me when
circumstances seem overwhelming
or even before they get to that point.
For to wrongly think we are whole
and need no help is a great disorder.
Thank You God for the peace that
You give when we run to You. Amen.

Lord, grant us the experience
of king Hezekiah that as he cried
out to You God for deliverance
and poured out his pain, he felt
confident You answering his prayer.
Grant us dear Lord grace to cry
out to You when we face troubles.
Thank You that when we cry out to
You for help, You hear and answer
our prayers in Your timing. Amen.

Gracious God Rescues His People


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,
Israel’s downward spiral accelerates.
Inspite of the able rule of Jeroboam
II, the kings who succeed him
lead the people ever deeper into
idolatry and immorality. Not one
of the last nine monarchs looks to
God for direction in earthly affairs.

Lord, You are the God who Rescues:
Jehoahaz the son of Jehu became
king over Israel in Samaria and
reigned 17 years. And he did evil
in the sight of the Lord, and followed
the sins of Jeroboam… who had
made Israel sin… Then the anger of
the Lord was aroused against Israel
and He delivered them into the hand
of Hazael king of Syria (2Kgs 13:1-3)
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 Syrians.
Then Israel lived in safety again
as they had in former days (v4-5).

Lord, we noted even though
Jehoahaz had lived an evil life
as a king, when he sought the
Lord’s help, You God intervened.
You raised up a deliverer and
rescued the Israelites from tyranny
and they lived in safety and peace.
Grateful and relieved that if You
God will help an evil king when
he called on You, how much more
will You hear and respond to the
prayers of Your children. Amen.

Lord, I thank You that Your ear
is open to the cry of Your children
and that You will act on our behalf.
With that knowledge, we should
not hesitate to cry out to You for
help and intervention in our lives.
What a wonderful Father You are
as a God who comes to our rescue.
In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.

Lord, thank You for listening to
our prayers and answering not
according to our character but
according to Your goodness.
Help us not let anything discourage
us from coming to You in prayer,
thinking we dont deserve blessing.
Remind us You are a good God;
and we come entirely because You
are full of grace and mercy. Amen.

Mighty God Performs Miracles

Elisha, the great miracle worker
of God, performs no fewer
than eight miracles: providing
an “oil well” for a destitute,
giving new life for a dead boy,
making poisoned stew harmless,
multiplying bread for hungry crowd,
curing a leprous army captain,
making an ax head defy gravity,
reading mind of an enemy king,
enabling servant to see angels of
God & closing eyes of the enemy.
In each case, God’s power at work
shows His readiness to do the same
in the nation He has called His own.

Lord, we Trust Your Provision:
The widow of one of Elisha’s fellow
prophets came to Elisha and (said):
My husband who served u is dead.
What can I do to help? Elisha asked.
Tell me what you have in the house?
Nothing at all, except a flask of
olive oil, she replied (2 Kings 4:1-2).
And Elisha said: Borrow as
many empty jars as you can…
Pour olive oil from your flask into
the jars. So she Did as she was told.
Her sons brought many jars to her
and she filled one after another.
Soon every container was full to
the brim! And then the olive oil
stopped flowing (2Kings 4:3-6).
Elisha said to her as she stood in
the doorway: Next year at this time
you will be holding a son in yr arms!
She cried: O man of God, don’t
deceive me & get my hopes up like
that. But sure enough the woman
soon became pregnant. And at that
time the following year she had a
son, just as Elisha had said (v15-17).

Lord, thank You for the lessons from
Elisha’s mighty miracles showing
that You God in full control and
You care for those who follow You.
Help us Think from Your Angle and
help us Look with Eyes of Faith.
And even as we listen, follow
and obey Your instructions, show
us Your Power to transform any
situation for U care for us. Amen

Lord, give me a Vision of all
that You want to do in my life.
Help me to think not in terms
of what is humanly achievable
but what is Divinely Achievable.
I avail to whatever You’ve installed
for me & not limit Your blessings by
being not prepared to receive them.
Enlarge my mind to understand how
You can take what I have and expand
it beyond what I can imagine. Amen.

Lord, some of us need the miracle
for our friends and loved ones
to be brought from death to life.
We are helpless to breathe spiritual
life into the lives of those we care;
but You Lord of resurrection can.
Won’t You warm our loved ones
to the wonderful truth of the gospel.
Won’t You Lord speak to them and
call them to awaken to You. Amen.

God Provides for His Servants

Backgrounder to 1 Kings 15-19:
1 Kings 15 begins a pattern that will
extend thru the rest of 1 & 2 Kings.
The writer flip-flops between
the nations of Israel and Judah,
first describing the reigning power
in the North, then moving to the
South. He traces the parallel
stories of two nations in spiritual
decline; taking time occasionally to
highlight a prophet (such as Elijah)
or a king (like Ahab) who contributes
significantly to the spiritual rise
or fall of one of the two nations.

Lord, we Trust Your Provision:
And Elijah…said to Ahab: As the Lord
God of Israel lives, before whom
I stand, there shall not be dew nor
rain these years except at my word.
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 (1Kgs 17:1-4).
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 (1 Kgs 17:15-16).
O Lord my God, have You brought
tragedy on the widow with whom
I lodge, by killing her son? O Lord
my God I pray, let this child’s soul
come back to him. Then the Lord
heard the voice of Elijah; and the
soul of the child came back(v20-22)

Lord, I know You are God of miracles
and nothing is impossible for those
who pray in the power of Your Spirit.
Help me to pray boldly and believe
for miracles in answer to my prayers.
Teach me how to not pray too small;
for I don’t want my prayers to stop
short of what You God want to see
happen in my life and in the lives
of those for whom I pray. Amen.

Father, remind us of Your amazing
provision for Elijah and the widow
because they followed Your way.
Grateful for Your constant care
& for Your plan in uncertain times.
But it is so easy to panic and do
what seems most reasonable
rather than to trust You & follow
Your pleading in those times.
Remind us Your deeds and assures
us that Your way is best. Amen.

Lord, You bless those whose hearts
are in tune with You and trust You.
Teach us live in abundance of
Your promise instead of in the
evaluation of our circumstances.
Grant us the grace to turn to You
in every adversity, to trust You
when the future looks uncertain.
Remind us that You are Able and
Good and that You are Jehovah
Jireh who Provides our needs. Amen

God Fulfills His Declared Word

Before his death, David had
charged his son Solomon with the
responsibility of building a house
for God in Jerusalem. Now at last
it’s time to make that dream a reality.
For seven years Solomon plans and
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, we trust You Fulfil Your Plan:
It came to pass when the priests
came out of the holy place, that the
cloud filled the house of the Lord…
So the Lord has fulfilled His word…
and I have built a temple for the
name of the Lord (1 Kgs 8:10,20).
But will God indeed dwell on earth?
Behold, heaven… can’t contain You.
How much less this temple which
I have built! Yet regard the prayer
of Your servant and his supplication,
O Lord my God, and listen to the cry
and the prayer which Your servant
is praying before You (v27-28).
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…
may He never forsake us.
May He give us the desire to do
His will in everything and to obey
all the commands (v56-58).

Lord, noticed that it wasn’t until the
temple was completed that God’s  
glory took residence there – God’s
stamp of approval of a job well done.
We remember Your past deeds in
our life showing Your faithfulness
And we trust that You will fulfil
Your promises in Your way and time.
Though sometimes it may seem late
to us, it will still be on time. Amen.

Lord, I thank You for Your presence,
and I am humbled that You through
Your Holy Spirit live inside of me.
Help me to never be full of myself,
but rather to always be freshly filled
with more of You Lord each day.
Help me to have a sense of Your
presence, especially as I read Your
Word and pray and live in obedience
to Your ways. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Lord, we praise You for keeping
covenant & fulfilling Your purposes!
Grant me O Lord the desire to do
Your will in more spheres of life.
Trust in Your infinite faithfulness
that You will fulfill Your promise
and purpose in my life just as You
fulfilled all Your promises to Moses.
Not one of them failed and neither  
will Your promises to me. Amen.

God Gives Wisdom & Understanding

In the final hours before his death,
David charges Solomon to walk
before the Lord in integrity and
truth – a request which Solomon
fulfills in the early days of his reign
by ruling with justice, humility
and honesty before God and man.
Presented with a “blank cheque”
by God, Solomon asks for wisdom
to rule skilfully rather than wealth.
In return, God Gives him both!

At Gibeon the Lord appeared to
Solomon: Ask! What shall I Give u?
And Solomon said: O Lord my God,
You have made Your servant king…
Therefore give to Your servant
an understanding heart to judge
Your people, that I may discern
between good and evil. For who
is able to judge this great people
of Yours? The speech pleased
the Lord that Solomon had asked
this thing. Then God said to him:
Because you have asked this thing
understanding to discern justice…
I have given you a wise and
understanding heart, so that there
has not been anyone like you…
And I have also given you what
you have not asked: both riches
and honour, so that there shall
not be anyone like you among
kings all your days (1Kgs 3:5-13).

Lord, we are grateful that whenever
we are lost or unsure of what to do,
we can always seek You for wisdom.
Thank You Lord for divine wisdom,
which we can readily find in Your
Word as well as asking You for it.
Your word assures if I lack wisdom,
I can ask God who gives generously.
Thank You that the wisdom from
heaven is full of good fruit. Amen.

Lord, help us not only to hear
and meditate on Your Words
but also put them into practice
so that we can be like a wise man
who built his house on the rock.
And help us take care how we live,
not as the unwise but as wise;
making most of every opportunity
to be a source of blessing and to
lead others to Your kingdom. Amen

Lord, help us seek Your wisdom;
open our ears to it and help us to
recognise wisdom when we hear it.
Give us Lord the wisdom to know
what to do, how to do and the
courage to follow through on it.
And we know even as we put
You God and Your agenda first
that You will satisfy all our needs.
In Jesus’ mighty name, Amen.