Good and Gracious Father, we humbly and heartily thank You for ushering us into the new month of October 2024! Indeed, You are the One “who gives breath to the people on [earth] and spirit to those who walk in it” (Isaiah 42:5b; NASB). In Your great goodness and grace, You gave us breath to serve Your purpose in September 2024! Since You are not done with us, You’ve chosen to bless us with “life and breath and all things” (Acts 17:25) in the new month of October 2024. We are so grateful to You for the blessing of experiencing and enjoying life in October 2024. Indeed, I know of several friends and family members who didn’t make it into this new month. I confess that I am not alive today because I am better than them. No! Not at all! It’s all because of Your grace and goodness to me – which I don’t deserve.

We declare, there is none like You

Who, O LORD, is like You among the gods? We declare, there is none like You among the gods of the nations. Indeed, You Yourself made this declaration! “I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is no one like Me” (Isaiah 46:9b; NASB). “From everlasting to everlasting, You are God” (Psalm 90:2b; NASB). Certainly, we are so privileged to have You as our God. Yes, as our Lord, Lover, and Leader. For You always have our best interest at heart. You want Your very best for us, not only in this life, but also in the life soon to come.

You desire Your very best for us

Because You desire Your very best for us, You are committed to doing what’s best for us. Motivated by Your unconditional and unceasing love, You predestined us to be conformed into the image of Your Son (see Romans 8:29). Indeed, this is Your supreme goal for all repentant and redeemed sinners! For if You had not predestined our conformity to Christlikeness, we would never attain to it. It would be far beyond our reach for all eternity. But because You personally predestined this for our lives as believers in Christ, it will most assuredly happen. When all is said and done, each genuine born-again believer will be conformed into the blessed likeness of Jesus Christ.

Your commitment to doing what’s best for us, is revealed in Christ’s desire for us

Also, Good and Gracious Father, Your commitment to doing what’s best for us, is revealed in Christ’s desire for us. He desires for genuine born-again believers to be with Him in glory. What a blessing beyond belief! In His high priestly and longest recorded prayer, Christ made this known to You. “Father, I desire that they also, whom You have given Me, be with Me where I am, so that they may see My glory which You have given Me, for You loved Me before the foundation of the world” (John 17:24; NASB).

But that’s not all

Indeed, being with the Risen and Glorified Lord and Savior of repentant sinners, will be the greatest blessing of eternity! But that’s not all! One of Your very best blessings planned for Your believing children is banishing death, mourning and pain for all eternity. Your word says: “There will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying or pain; the first things have passed away” (Revelation 21:4b; NASB). In fact, You will be making all things new (see Revelation 21:5b).

This is recorded in the very last chapter of Your word

Perhaps, the best of all the very best You have purposed for our lives in eternity is serving and seeing Your face. This is recorded in the very last chapter of Your word to us – the Bible. “His bondservants will serve Him; they will see His face, and His name will be on their foreheads” (Revelation 22:3b-4; NASB). Oh how we look forward to the day when our faith shall be sight! Truly, O LORD, the future awaiting Your believing children is great and glorious! It’s indescribable! It’s beyond our wildest imaginations!  Indeed, eye has not seen and ear has not heard, all that You have prepared for those who love You (see 1 Corinthians 2:9).

You,…, are committed to doing Your very best for us

Since You, Good and Gracious Father, are committed to doing Your very best for us, we have hope. And yes, we can face tomorrow despite the challenges and crises that abound in our world today. For You are in control of all the affairs of the nations. In fact, nothing happens in heaven above and on earth below without Your permission or preordination. You even declare the end from the beginning (see Isaiah 46:10a). Therefore, we affirm that You are with us in the midst of the trials of life. Indeed, we know that You are for us, and as such, no one can be against us (see Romans 8:31). By the gracious working of Your Spirit in us, we are convinced that nothing will separate us from the love of Christ (see Romans 8:35-39). Persecution and principalities will not! Distress and death will not! Tribulation and things present will not!

Nothing can separate us from Your agape love

Because nothing, absolutely nothing, can separate us from Your agape love, we gladly and gratefully dedicate October 2024 to You. “O Righteous Father,” (John 17:25) accomplish what concerns our families, friends and us. Also, bring about Your divine purposes for the nation of Israel – Your inheritance in October 2024. As well, carry out what concerns Your Church – Your Spirit indwelt-believers in Jesus Christ! In addition, perform all Your plans and purposes for Your world! A world that’s made up of all the nations and lands You created under the heavens.

O LORD, we can confidently trust You

O LORD, we can confidently trust You to do what You’ve planned to do in our lives. In fact, You Yourself, clearly and convincingly affirmed this truth in Your word. “Truly I have spoken; truly I will bring it to pass. I have planned it, surely I will do it” (Isaiah 46:11b; NASB). Because You are the God who most assuredly does what You’ve planned, we lift up the nation of Israel to You. Indeed, You’ve planned so much for Israel – which You are so eager to do for the praise of Your glory. Yes, You’ve also spoken a great deal concerning Israel, which You are so earnest to bring to pass.

You spoke this word concerning Israel

Good and Gracious Father, You spoke this word concerning Israel in response to Solomon’s prayer to You. “If…My people who are called by My name humble themselves and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and will heal their land” (2 Chronicles 7:13-14; NASB). No doubt, today, the land of Israel desperately needs Your healing. We pray earnestly for the people of Israel to humble themselves before You in such a time as this! We also pray that Your Spirit will stir up their hearts to seek Your face in their hour of distress. As well, grant that by the working of Your Spirit, they will turn from their wicked ways. For You will not fail to hear them, forgive their sin and heal their land, when they meet the three conditions You’ve given them. For truly You have spoken; truly You will bring it to pass.

You spoke with great passion

Also, “O God of Israel” (Psalm 69:6), You spoke with great passion concerning what You’ve planned to do for obedient Israel. “Oh that My people would listen to Me, that Israel would walk in My ways! I would quickly subdue their enemies and turn My hand against their adversaries” (Psalm 81:13-14; NASB).  Therefore, we beseech You today on behalf of the people of Israel. Please, grant that through the enabling power of the Holy Spirit, they will listen obediently to You, not to man.

Raise up a new generation of obedient Israel

Raise up a new generation of obedient Israel to live out the words of Peter and his fellow apostles. “We must obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29b; NASB). Also, we cry out to You, “O God of Israel” (Psalm 69:6)! Grant that through the Spirit’s empowering work in them, Israel will willingly and wholeheartedly choose to walk in Your ways! For then, You will quickly subdue their enemies and turn Your hand against their adversaries. For You must do what You have planned. And You must truly bring to pass what You have spoken concerning Israel.

Israel’s war with Hamas and Hezbollah, has escalated on all fronts

Good and Gracious Father, Israel’s war with Hamas of Gaza, Hezbollah of Lebanon, and the Houthis of Yemen has escalated on all fronts. As such, loss of precious lives and suffering in the affected areas are disheartening and deeply distressing. It appears an all-out regional war is imminent, especially in the light of Israel’s killings of Hezbollah’s leader –Hassan Nasrallah, and Ali Karki, a senior Hezbollah commander.  Also, the one year anniversary of the October 7^th, 2023 Hamas’s attack on Israel’s soil is this month, October 2024. Certainly, Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis and Hostile Iran, their leader – will probably join forces to attack Israel on the anniversary. “O God of Israel” (Psalm 69:6), Your people Israel need Your mercy and mighty intervention! In fact, they desperately need Your protection from such an onslaught, even though they don’t deserve it.

You are more than able to protect and preserve Israel

O blessed be Your name! For You are more than able to protect and preserve Israel. In the days of Hezekiah, King of Judah, You promised to deliver and defend the besieged city of Jerusalem (see Isaiah 38:6). Please, grant that Israel will humbly and honestly turn to You in prayer as Hezekiah did. And may You, O LORD, be gracious to them!  May You deliver and defend them for Your own sake, for You do not treat us as our sins really deserve!

You love the world

Also, since You love the world (see John 3:16) and have no pleasure in the death of anyone (see Ezekiel 18:32), we pray for the non-Israelites. Specifically, Lord, we beseech You on behalf of the suffering people of Palestine and of Lebanon. They also desperately need Your merciful and mighty intervention, without which their suffering will continue to be unbearable or unspeakable. Please, Father, reveal Your Son Jesus Christ – “the Savior of the world” (John 4:42b; 1 John 4:14) to them, in the midst of their sufferings. Be willing, O LORD, to remove the veil that lies over their heart as it can only be removed in Christ (see 2 Corinthians 3:13-14).

O Good and Gracious Father, redeem their precious souls

O Good and Gracious Father, redeem their precious souls from Satan and sin through faith in Jesus Christ! For Jesus is the true answer to all their problems, whether they be spiritual, physical, social, economic or political. Indeed, it’s Jesus alone who can give them true rest and relief from all their struggles and sufferings. Therefore, through the working of Your Holy Spirit, grant that they will receive the gospel message and be saved. Please, set apart for Yourself, those of them who are saved by faith in Jesus, now and for all eternity.

We also pray for the rest of the world

We also pray for the rest of the world in this time of political turmoil and intensifying wars between nations. Indeed, Your world needs Your peace. We confess that the UN, the USA, the EU, the AU (African Union) and LAS (The League of Arab States), China or Russia cannot give this peace. This peace is found only in the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ, “the Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6). He came and preached peace to those who were far away, and peace to those who were near (see Ephesians 2:17). And Jesus it is, who gives peace, not as the world gives (see John 14:27). And in Jesus we have peace (see John 16:33). Therefore, we pray earnestly for the people of the world to turn to Jesus in faith, to give them His peace. Yes, the peace they desperately need in their hearts in such a time as this!

We earnestly beseech You on behalf of Your Church

And now, Lord and Lover of the Church, we earnestly beseech You on behalf of Your Church. Please, enable us to love You, the Lord our God, with all our heart, and with all our soul, and with all our mind (see Matthew 22:37). Enable Your church to love one another, even as You have loved us (see John 13:34b). “By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35; NASB). Also, Father, empower Your Church to live for Christ in such a time as this. For Your word says: “He [Jesus Christ] died for all, so that they who live might no longer live themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf” (2 Corinthians 5:15; NASB).

O Good and Gracious Father, we pray

O Good and Gracious Father, we pray, forgive us for living so often for ourselves! Also, enable our soul to long for You (see Isaiah 26:9) above all else. And, by Your Spirit, enable us to “look not at the things which are seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal” (2 Corinthians 4:18; NASB). O how much we desperately need not look at the things which are seen in such a time as this! For indeed, there is so much turmoil and instability in our world today. As such, despair and discouragement will be our lot should we look at the things that are seen.

We pray all this in the blessed and beloved name of Jesus

With confident assurance, we pray all this in the blessed and beloved name of Jesus. Knowing that You will answer us in Your own way and time to strengthen our faith in You. Amen.