PrayerThots Devotional

All-Knowing God Is Trustworthy

Instead of answering Job’s
questions directly, God asks Job
a series of questions that no human
can possibly answer adequately.
In response, Job humbles himself
and recognises God’s ways are best.
God rebukes the three friends for
adding to Job’s suffering by their
false assumptions and criticisms.
Job’s material possessions and
family are restored and he receives
even greater blessings than before.

Lord, we put our Trust in You:
The Lord said to Job: Do you still
want to argue with the Almighty?…
Then Job replied… I am nothing…
I have said too much already.
I have nothing more to say.
Then the Lord spoke to Job out
of the storm: Would you discredit
My justice? Would you condemn
Me to justify yourself? Do you
have an arm like God’s (Job 40:1-9)
Then Job replied to the Lord:
I know that You can do anything
and no one can stop You. You ask:
Who is this that questions My
wisdom with such ignorance?
It is I. And I was talking about
things I did not understand.
I take back everything I said
and I sit in dust and ashes to
show my repentance (Job 42:1-6).
When Job prayed for his friends,
the Lord restored his fortunes.
In fact, the Lord gave him twice
as much as before (v10-13).

Lord, Your answer to Job shows You
are in control & Only U Understand
why the good are allowed to suffer.
We realize Lord that regardless
of what we think is fair, You will
still do what You Know is best.
We confess we cannot question
Your fairness or ability to perform.
And we submit and give You Lord
the chance to reveal Your greater
purpose in Your way & time. Amen.

Lord, when Job was down and
nothing else was left, he still had
God and that was enough for him.
Help us Lord to accept what
You allow to happen in our lives.
Help us to love You regardless
of whether You allow blessing
or suffering to come to our lives.
Help us maintain a humble posture,
not to question Your wisdom; and
Put Our Trust wholly in You. Amen.

Lord, in our fallen world, suffering
may come to good and bad alike.
Knowing You are in control, we
will not question Your sovereignty.
Whilst we don’t know the reasons
for the trial, we raise our questions
to You and turn to You for strength.
For those who Trust In U, knowing
You are God, will be rewarded
and Be Complete In You. Amen.

Trust God Knows What’s Best

Instead of answering Job’s
questions directly, God asks
Job a series of questions that
no human can possibly answer.
Job humbles himself and responds
by recognising God’s ways are best.
God rebukes the three friends for
adding to Job’s suffering by their
false assumptions and criticisms.
Job’s material possessions and
family are restored & he receives
even greater blessings than before.

Lord, we’ll Not Question Yr Wisdom:
Then the Lord answered Job:
Who is this that questions my
wisdom with such ignorant words?
I have some questions for you and
you must answer them (Job 38:1-3)
Where were you when I laid
the foundations of the earth?…
Do you know how its dimensions
were determined?.. Who defined
the boundaries of the sea (v4-8).
Have you… commanded the morning
to appear & cause the dawn to rise?
Where does the light come from and
where does the darkness go(v12,19)
Who sends the rain that…
makes the tender grass spring up?
Where does the dew come from?…
Can you ensure proper sequence
of the seasons?… Do you know
the laws of the universe and
how God rules the earth? (v27-33).

Lord, just as we don’t understand
Your creation, it’s challenging
to understand God’s purposes.
And bitterness over suffering can
limit understanding of Your ways.
Help us Lord trust You regardless
of whether You allow blessing
or suffering to come to our lives.
For it is not our job to question
You the sovereign and good God,
but to simply worship You. Amen.

Lord, grateful that You are a
personal God and I can pour out
my hurts and frustrations to You.
Help me learn to question Yr works
without criticising Your wisdom.
For we know You’re always good,
no matter how things may appear.
Your goodness may be obscured
due to our limited perspectives.
So help me Lord to see and hear
the truth behind the scenes. Amen.

Lord, Hide me now Under Yr wings
Cover me Within Your mighty hand.
When oceans rise & thunders roar
I will soar with You above the storm.
Father You are king over the flood
I will be still and know you are God.
Find rest my soul In Christ alone
Know His power In quietness & trust.
When oceans rise & thunders roar
I will soar with You above the storm.
Father You are king over the flood
I’ll be still & know You are God.Amen

God’s Test Meant for Good

As Job agonises over his situation,
his three friends explain that
he must be suffering because
of some terrible sin he committed.
They try to persuade Job to repent
of his sin. When Job argues that he
hasn’t sinned enough to deserve
such suffering his friends respond
with even harsher accusations.

Lord, we’ll Keep to Your Way:
Then Job answered and said:
Even today my complaint is bitter…
Oh that I knew where I might
Find Him… I would present my
case before Him (Job 23:1-4).
But He Knows the way that I take;
when He has tested me, I shall
Come Forth As Gold… I have
Kept His Way… I have Treasured
the Words of His mouth (v10-12).
Whatever He wants to do, he does.
He’ll Do for me all He has Planned.
He Controls my Destiny (v13-14).

Lord, You love to speak to Your
people; but sometimes, like in Job,
You maintain long Silence and
that can be rather uncomfortable.
For You are tuning our ears to Your
voice & teaching us to wait on You.
Lord, when I cannot really sense
Your Presence or hear Your voice,
keep on drawing me towards You.
Give me the patience & persistence
to keep seeking Your face. Amen.

Lord, praise You for Your faithfulness
and for Knowing the way that I take.
You’re good & Your test are meant
for good; and so when I have been
tested, I will Come Forth As Gold.
Lord, it’s painful not to hear Your
voice & wonder where You’ve gone;
but my eyes are still fixed on You.
Let me not waste the pain Lord;
instead use it to draw me closer.
And show me Treasures of Your
Words and of Your ways. Amen.

Lord, You Control my Destiny
and I fully trust in Your goodness.
Fill my vision Lord with hope,
for it expresses Your goodness.
You have given me promises,
and offered hope, even when
I can’t see all the way ahead.
Help me Lord to walk in the good
purposes You have Planned for me;
And Be Thou My Vision, Amen.

God In Control of the Situation

Job agonises over his situation.
His three friends explain that
he must be suffering because of
some terrible sin he committed.
They try to persuade Job to repent
of his sin. When Job argues that he
hasn’t sinned enough to deserve
such suffering his friends respond
with even harsher accusations.

Lord, we’ll Put our Trust in You:
Then Job spoke: I have heard
all this before. What miserable
comforters you are! Won’t u ever
stop your flow of foolish words?
I could say the same things if
you were in my place. I could
spout off criticisms against you
…but that not what I would do.
I would speak in a way that
helps you. I would try to take
away your grief (Job 16:1-5).
Then Job spoke again:
How long will you torture me?
…..You are not ashamed that
you have wronged me… You are
trying to use my humiliation as
evidence of my sin (Job 19:1-5).
For I know that my Redeemer Lives,
& He shall stand at last on the earth;
My flesh may be destroyed,
(but this I know that) from
this body I Will See God (v25-26).

Dear Lord, help us from the painful
experience of Job how to be a true
friend and Encouraging Comforter.
Lord, whilst we sometime cannot
understand troubles that befall us
we know You’ve awesome power,
& You’re In Control of the situation.
Help us Lord never doubt You but
have unwavering faith like Job
that Our Redeemer Lives. Amen.

Lord, help me learn from the
painful experience of Job not
to sermonise, accuse, criticise,
or even talk for sake of talking to
someone who is in pain and grief.
Help me Lord instead to be more
empathetic and to put myself
in the other person’s place.
Help me encourage & offer help,
thereby Be A Comforter. Amen.

Lord, whilst sometimes just
like Job, we could not explain
troubles that beset us, we will
purpose not to forget You God.
Whatever happens, we purpose
to Trust that You are In Control,
Trust You will never forsake us &
Trust You God in Your kairos time
will come to rescue as a Redeemer.
In Jesus’ mighty name, Amen.

God Is Merciful & With Us!!

Job agonises over his situation.
His three friends explain that
he must be suffering because
of some terrible sin he committed.
They try to persuade Job to repent
of his sin. When Job argues that
he hasn’t sinned enough to deserve
such suffering his friends respond
with even harsher accusations.

Lord, we know You are With Us:
Eliphaz replied: Stop and think!
Does the innocent person perish?
When has upright been destroyed?
My experience shows that those
who plant trouble and cultivate evil
will harvest the same. They perish
by a breadth from God. They vanish
in a blast of his anger (Job 4:1-9).
Affliction does not come from dust…
Yet man is born to trouble…
But for me, I would seek God.
And to God I would commit
my cause – who does great things,
and… marvelous things (Job 5:6-9).
Job: What is man that You make
so much of him, that You give
him so much attention. Have I
sinned? What have I done to You,
O watcher of all humanity? Why
have You made me Your target?
Why not just pardon my sin and
take away my guilt? (Job 7:17-20)

Dear Lord, help us learn from the
painful experience of Job how to
be a true friend & not be careless in
words basing on wrong assumption
that suffering is a result of sin.
Help us to Be Careful With Advice
& lead us to listen empathetically.
Help us when under trial, to learn
from Job: Claiming You’re With Us
and believing in Your mercy. Amen.

Lord, help us to be careful of
what we say lest our words only
serve to increase pain of others.
Help us avoid come to conclusion
too readily or take a truth and
simply apply to someone’s life.
Help us realise that You can use
suffering to transform character.
Help us look at suffering as test
of our faithfulness to You. Amen.

Lord, it is hard to comprehend
the depth of Your love and why
You care about details of my life.
Where bad things have occurred
and I have blamed You Lord,
I humbly ask for forgiveness.
Thank You O God for working
things out for my good. And
Grateful that even in difficult
times You Lord are with me;
and draw me close to You. Amen.

God Watches In Tough Times

Job, a godly and wealthy resident
of Uz, watches helplessly as his
health, blessings and prosperity
collapse around him. Unknown to
him, Job’s problems do not begin
on earth, but in heaven. With God’s
permission and within divinely
imposed limitations, Satan launches
devastating attack in an attempt
to force Job renounce God. In the
midst of each trial, Job’s faith in
God shines brightly, tho personal
turmoil tears at Job’s heart as
he asks repeatedly: Why God?

Lord, we purpose to Trust You:
The Lord asked Satan: Have you
noticed my servant Job? A man
of complete integrity & fears God.
Satan replied: Yes Job fears God
but not without reason!Take away
everything he has & he will curse
you! The Lord said: You may test
him. Do whatever with everything
he possesses, but don’t harm
him physically (Job 1:8-12).
Job shaved his head, and said:
Naked I come from my mother’s
womb, and naked I will depart.
The Lord gave and the Lord has
taken away; may the name of
the Lord be praised (v20-21).
And the Lord said to Satan: Do
with him as you please but spare
his life. So Satan struck Job with
terrible boils from head to foot.
His wife said to him: Are you still
trying to maintain your integrity?
Curse God and die. But he said:
Shall we indeed accept good
from God and shall we not
accept adversity? In all this Job
did not sin with his lips (Job 2:6-10).

Lord, we Trust Your Sovereignty
even in the midst of suffering.
Although we don’t know why
bad things have to happen but
You’re in control of the situation
and You’re able to carry us through.
Lord, when under time of testing,
lead us to look up to You, and
deliver us from fears. Amen.

Loving Lord, I want to praise You
no matter what happens in my life,
in good times and in bad times.
Even in midst of disappointment,
loss, or failure, I will purpose to
continue to praise and thank You.
As I wait upon You Lord, help me
to hold on to trust You will work
powerfully in my situation and
be glorified in the process. Amen.

Lord, just as the teacher cannot
speak during a test, You God
often remain silent in testing times.
I don’t know why bad things may
have to happen but You know best
and I purpose not sin with my lips.
As I look to You Lord, restore me;
for in Your strength will I breakthru.
And by faith I will walk on Lord;
then I’ll be complete in You. Amen.

Pray Fervently In Faith

As opposition to Jesus’ ministry
increases, it is no longer safe
to move openly in Galilee. So Jesus
traverses the regions of Decapolis,
Caesarea Philippi & Perea, thereby
avoiding the crowds and the deadly
plots of the religious leaders.
In the final days of His ministry,
Jesus begins to prepare His
disciples for the faithful journey to
Jerusalem that will mark the end
of His life and the beginning of
their role as bearers of glad tidings.

Lord, we’ll Believe & Pray Fervently:
Teacher, my son has a mute spirit.
I spoke to Your disciples that they
should cast it out but they cld not.
The evil spirit often makes him fall
into the fire or into the water, trying
to kill him. Have mercy on us and
help us. Do something if you can.
“What do you mean: If I can?”
Jesus asked Anything is possible
if a person believes. The father
instantly replied: I do believe, but
help my unbelief (Mk9:22-24).
His disciples asked Him privately:
Why could we not cast it out? So
He said: This kind can come out by
nothing but prayer & fasting (v29).

Lord, thank You for the powerful
promise that anything is possible
to anyone Who Believes. But I
realise I can’t believe a desired
outcome into being. And I can’t
manipulate You into doing anything.
Instead I believe You’re the Almighty
God and Lord of the Impossible.
Lord Jesus I trust solely In You; and
I entrust this situation to You. Amen

Lord, You know the deep thoughts
within my heart. When my faith
is weak or I struggle with Doubts
about Your care for me, enable me
to turn to You & be honest about it.
And may every step I take towards
U take away doubt and unbelief.
I believe in Your power to do any
thing; and grant me great trust
and faith in You. In Jesus’ name.

Lord, we see in Your Word that
prayer is the key to being set free
and prayer together with fasting
is even more powerful. Help us
to understand the authority You
have given us in prayer to release
Your power from heaven in order
to see freedom happen in our lives.
For every time we pray, we move the
hand of God. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Hearing God thru His Word

The purpose of the Gospel of
Mark is to present the person,
work and teachings of Jesus…
For the Son of Man did not come
to be served but to serve and to
give His life as a ransom for many.
This week we see the importance
of Trusting God & Doing His Work.

On Monday, we learn from Mark 8
to Trust Christ the Bread of Life.
On Tue, we learn from Mark 9
to Pray Fervently In Faith.
On Wed, we learn fr Mk 10 that
the Lord Enables & Rewards us.
On Thu, we learn from Mark 11
that God Answers Prayer of Faith.
On Friday, we learn from Mk 13 to
Prepare for the Return of the Lord.
On Sat, we learn from Mark 14-16
that Christ Loves Us Extensively.

Let us humble ourselves and pray
and seek His face. Help us O God
be Christ’s disciples who Hear You:
For we Trust Christ the Bread of Life and we will Pray Fervently In Faith.
For the Lord Enables & Rewards us and God Answers Prayer of Faith.
For Christ Loves Us Extensively
and we’ll Prepare for His Return.
In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.

Christ Loves Us Extensively

The time has come for Jesus
to demonstrate the full extent of
His servanthood. For the Passover
Lamb of God, the long-awaited
hour has arrived. Conspired against
by His enemies – betrayed by one
close follower and denied by another
– tried and finally executed, Jesus’
life of service seems to be finished.
But in the greatest of all miracles,
Easter dawn reveals an empty tomb,
setting the stage for Jesus to
commission His followers to
bear the glad tidings worldwide.

Lord, having thoroughly prepared
the disciples, your actions in the
Final Day on earth shows you are
Fully Obedient to the Father’s Will
to Give Yr Life as ransom (Mk10:45)
At the Last Supper, You said one of
you who eats with me will betray me
(M14:18) & yet You did not stop him.
You greatly desire to get out of
the intense suffering and yet You
went to Gethsemane to pray: Not
what I will but what You will (v36).
Thank You Lord Jesus and really
grateful for choosing to surrender to
the Father’s will in loving obedience.
And we purpose to be obedient to
God & His mysterious ways. Amen.

Lord, at trial before religious leaders
You chose to remain silent when
false charges were thrown at You.
And yet when high priest asked:
Are You the Christ, the Son of the
Blessed? You said I am. And you
will see the Son of Man coming
with the clouds of heaven(Mk14:62)
At trial before political authority,
when Pilate asked: Are you King
of the Jews? You said: It is as you
say. And yet when Pilate asked
about priests’ false accusations,
You answered nothing (Mk 15:1-5).
Jesus in all Yr previous encounters
where religious leaders accused
You of wrong doings, You had no
problem defending Yourself. And
Yet this time You chose not to do so,
having received triple confirmation
from the Father of His will for You.
Grant us discernment on God’s
will and tender heart to yield to it.
Whilst there may be challenges,
we know the almighty, all loving and
all faithful God is on our side. Amen.

Lord, at the cross when teachers
of the law mocked You; He saved
others but He can’t save himself?
Let this Christ come down now
from the cross, that we may see
and believe (Mark 15:27-32).
You who Calm the sea (Mk4:39) &
yet chose to remain at the cross.
And then there was darkness over
the whole land for 3 hours (v33).
And You cried: My God, My God,
why have You forsaken me ?
Then the veil of the temple was
torn in two from top to bottom.
So when the centurion saw that
He cried out like this & breathed
His last, he said: Truly this Man
was the Son of God! (Mk15:34-39).
Thank You Lord Jesus for Your love
enduring suffering on our behalf.
We love You in deep gratitude!
Grant us the grace to deny self,
take up the cross and follow You
in obeying to do Father’s will. Amen.

Lord, we purpose to Trust Yr Word:
We note You appeared to the eleven
and rebuked them for their lack
of faith and their stubborn refusal
to believe those who had seen Him.
Then He said:Preach the good news.
Whoever believes will be saved,
but whoever does not believe
will be condemned (Mk 16:14-16).
Lord, we should trust You without
doubt for You’ve good plans for us &
You as faithful God fulfils promises.
Lord, with Your resurrection,
we have good news to proclaim
in obedience to Your commission.
Help us carry out our assigned tasks
out of love of You and others. Amen.

Prepare for the Return of The LORD

The final week of Jesus’ earthly
life dawns; that period of time
which occupies more space in
the Gospels than any other stage
of Jesus’ ministry. His arrival in
Jerusalem coincides with the
preparations for the Feast of
Passover. Though events move
quickly, Jesus is never hurried.
There is time to clean the temple,
watch the widow contributes
her two mites, and give final
instructions to the disciples.

Lord, we’ll Prepare for Your Return:
Nation will rise against nation…
And there will be earthquakes… and
there will be famines and troubles…
These are beginning of sorrows…
The gospel must 1st be preached
to all the nations (Mk 13:8-10).
Everyone will see the Son of Man
coming on the clouds with great
power & glory. And He will send out
his angels to gather his chosen ones
from all over the world(Mk13:26-27)
Since you don’t know when (these
things) will happen, stay alert and
keep watch. The coming of the Son
of Man can be compared with that
of a man who left home…(for) a trip.
He gave each of his employees
instructions on the work they were
to do, and He told the gatekeeper
to watch for his return. So keep a
sharp lookout! For you do not know
when the homeowner will return…
Don’t let him find you sleeping when
he arrives without warning (v33-36)

Lord, the events of the end times
are still to come in world history.
The signs are already here with
raised frequency of earthquakes,
pestinences and lawlessness.
And surely Lord the day will come
when You will appear in the clouds.
Help us be prepared for Your return,
know Your Word, be weary of false
prophets & share the gospel. Amen.

Lord Jesus, You have promised
to come back for Your church.
Help us not lose sight of what You
have called us to do as we wait Your
return with hope and expectation.
Help us be diligent in Your assigned
tasks as we anticipate that day.
We purpose to share the gospel
with our friends and loved ones.
Lead us sow seeds of love & prepare
their hearts to receive You. Amen.

These are the days of Elijah,
Declaring the word of the Lord.
And these are the days of Moses,
Righteousness being restored.
These are the days of the harvest,
The fields are as white in Yr world.
We are the labourers in Yr vineyard
Declaring the word of the Lord!
Behold He comes riding on t clouds
Shining like the sun at t trumpet call
Lift yr voice, it’s the year of jubilee
Out of Zion’s hill salvation comes.