Redeeming and Righteous Father, we are sincerely full of gratitude to You. For in Your redeeming grace and righteousness, You’ve brought us into the second half of the year. July 2025! Indeed, it took Your redeeming grace and love to preserve us through the last month of the first half of 2025. June 2025! It was a month in which war broke out between Israel and Iran. The world was shocked when the world’s only super power, USA, joined the war by bombing Iran’s three nuclear sites.

The Middle East and the wider world watched cautiously

Indeed, these events between Israel and Iran, set the world on edge. In fact, the Middle East and the wider world, watched cautiously as these events unfolded before our very eyes. Fortunately, a ceasefire deal was reached between the two nations. However, questions arose in our hearts while the hostilities were going on. When would the hostilities between the two hostile nations end? Would the hostilities between these two nations escalate into a third world war? Fears gripped many hearts. The fear of the future! The fear of death! As well, the fear of losing loved ones!

You, O Lord, had no such fears

But You, O Lord, had no such fears. In fact, You were unperturbed! And yes, You were not taken by surprise by these disturbing events. You were in control then, and You are in control now. Indeed, You are at work, directing the course of human history on earth to its predicted end. For Your word says: “I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is no one like Me. Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things which have not been done, saying, ‘My purpose will be established, and I will accomplish all My good pleasure’” (Isaiah 46:9b-10; NASB).

Redeeming and Righteous Father, we acknowledge

Truly, Redeeming and Righteous Father, we acknowledge and affirm that You alone are God. Yes, the only true God! Indeed, there is no god like You in all the entire universe. It’s Your purpose that will be upheld for Your world. In fact, it’s only Your good pleasure that will be accomplished in the nations. Certainly, You will bring human history to an end exactly as You have predicted in Your word.

Righteous Father…we commit our cause to You

As such, Righteous Father, we can constantly and confidently commit our cause to You. Why? Because You will never fail to carry out Your purpose and Your pleasure. For You Yourself made this confident declaration concerning performing Your purpose and Your pleasure. “Truly, I have spoken; truly I will bring it to pass. I have planned it; surely I will do it” (Isaiah 46:11b; NASB). Moreover, Your word says: “God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should repent; has He said, and will He not do it? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?” (Numbers 23:19; NASB).

Yes indeed, You will most assuredly do what You’ve said

The expected answers to the questions are: Yes indeed, You will most assuredly do what You’ve said! And, Yes indeed, You will most certainly make good what You’ve spoken! You, indeed, do keep Your word to us. Because You, O Lord, keep Your word to us, we can gladly and gratefully dedicate the month of July 2025 to You. For You know its end from its beginning. Moreover, You will accomplish all Your good pleasure in it. We need not fear the future.

Redeeming and Righteous Father, accomplish what concerns…us

Therefore, Redeeming and Righteous Father, accomplish what concerns our families, friends and us in July 2025. Also, we beseech You; bring to pass Your purpose and all Your good pleasure for Israel – Your cherished and chosen people. As well, we call upon You to carry out Your divine counsels and concerns for Your Church – Your consecrated and called-out people. Also, be pleased, O “Lord of all the earth” (Joshua 3:11,13; Micah 4:13), to do all Your desires and designs for Your world! A world that’s made up of all the countries and the coastlands You created under the heavens!

O God of Israel, Israel desperately needs You in such a time as this

O God of Israel, Israel desperately needs You in such a time as this. We thank You that throughout Israel’s history as a nation, You set before them two choices, The way of life and the way of death! Prosperity and adversity! The blessing and the curse! Before they crossed the Jordan into the Promised Land, You set before them, the way of life and the way of death. You did this through Your prophet Moses. The way of life and the way of death! Prosperity and adversity! The blessing and the curse!

See, I have set before you today life and prosperity

“See, I have set before you today life and prosperity, and death and adversity; in that I command you today to love the LORD your God, to walk in His ways and to keep His commandments and His statutes and His judgments, that you may live and multiply, and that the LORD your God may bless you in the land where you are entering to possess it. But if your heart turns away and you will not obey, but are drawn away and worship other gods and serve them, I declare to you today that you shall surely perish. You will not prolong your days in the land where you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess it. I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. So choose life in order that you may live, you and your descendants” (Deuteronomy 30:15-19).

Redeeming and Righteous Father, You set two choices before Israel

Also, in the days of Ahab, Redeeming and Righteous Father, You set two choices before Israel through Your prophet Elijah, That is, the choice of following You or the choice of following Baal, a pagan deity. “Now send and gather to me all Israel at Mount Carmel, together with 450 prophets of Baal and 400 prophets of the Asherah, who eat at Jezebel’s table. So Ahab sent a message among all the sons of Israel and brought the prophets together at Mount Carmel. Elijah came near to all the people and said, “How long will you hesitate between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him.” But the people did not answer him a word” (1 Kings 18:19-21; NASB).

Also…You set before Your people the way of life and the way of death

Also, when Nebuchadnezzar was besieging Jerusalem, You set before Your people the way of life and the way of death. You did this through Your prophet Jeremiah. “You shall also say to this people, ‘Thus says the LORD, “Behold, I set before you the way of life and the way of death. He who dwells in this city will die by the sword and by famine and by pestilence; but he who goes out  and falls away to the Chaldeans who are besieging you will live, and he will have his own life as booty” (Jeremiah 21:8-9; NASB).

O God of Israel, we earnestly pray for Israel

In the light of these choices, O God of Israel, we earnestly pray for Israel today. Please grant that they will choose the way of life by loving You, the Lord their God, by obeying Your voice, and by holding fast to You (see Deuteronomy 30:20a)! For this is their life and the length of their days (see Deuteronomy 30:20b). Also, we beseech You on their behalf! O Lord, grant that today, the people of Israel will turn to You with all their heart and seek You. For Your promise to them is that they will seek You and find You when they search for You with all their heart (see Jeremiah 29:13). Also we pray that Israel of today will amend their ways and their deeds and obey the voice of the LORD their God (see Jeremiah 26:13a). For Your word says, “Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed than the fat of rams” (1 Samuel 15:22b; NASB).

Redeeming and Righteous Father, we pray

Also, Redeeming and Righteous Father, we pray that the leaders of Israel, will look to You in all their decision-making. Specifically, we pray for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to seek your counsel in waging or not waging war. For You Yourself are the Great Warrior and Champion. Moreover, You said: “the battle is the LORD’s” (1 Samuel 17:47; ESV). Again, You declared: “The horse is prepared for the day of battle, but victory belongs to the LORD” (Proverbs 21:31; NASB). Therefore, we plead with You on behalf of the leaders of Israel. Please grant that, they’ll not trust in the superior fire power of Israel. But that they will trust in You and make You their trust (see Jeremiah 17:7), should You lead them to wage war.

And now, we pray for Your world

And now, we pray for Your world. During the fierce bombing and missile attacks between Israel and Iran, many in the world, were gripped by fears. A foreboding fear of World War III. The fear of death! The fear of losing loved ones. Sadly, the latter fear was realized by many in Israel and in Iran. As such, they have been mourning the sudden loss of their loved ones. They desperately need Your comfort and consolation. O “God of all comfort”(2 Corinthians 12:3a), comfort them in their grief and loss. Come to them in their anguish and distress. Calm their troubled and grieving hearts with Your peace. Also, we pray for the many who have been injured and displaced as a result of the hostilities between these two nations. Draw them nearer to the Cross of Christ where He bled and suffered for their sins. In Your grace and goodness, meet all their needs! Spiritual! Physical! Psychological! Emotional! Financial! Social!

We specifically pray for those in the world

Also, we specifically pray for those in the world, who are gripped by the fear of death. Indeed, only Your Son, our Savior, can deliver them from the fear of death. For Your word says: “Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery” (Hebrews 2:14-15; ESV). We thank You Lord Jesus for conquering death and the devil! Your victory, O Lord, over death and the devil is resounding. Because of this victory, You’re able to deliver many who are held in the bondage of the fear of death.

Redeeming and Righteous Father, we know

Moreover, Redeeming and Righteous Father, we know that You are “not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance” (2 Peter 3:9b; ESV). Furthermore, Your word reveals that You have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that he should turn from his way and live (see Ezekiel 18:23; cf. Ezekiel 33:11). Therefore, we earnestly pray for the people of world who have not as yet turned from their wicked and wayward ways. Please grant them the want-to to turn from their wicked and wayward ways to Jesus, the Savior of sinners. For He is “the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through [Him]” (John 14:6; NASB). Grant them also the “repentance that leads to life” (Acts 11:18b; ESV), that they too may share in Your gift of eternal life.

O Lord, we lift up Your Church to You

And now, O Lord, we lift up Your Church to You in such a time of this! Indeed, there is so much turmoil and trouble in our world. That’s why You want Your Church to represent and reflect You to a lost and dying world. Your Church represents and reflects You best when she is loving You and living for You! Longing for You and looking to You! Listening to You and leaning on You! Learning from You and laboring in Your harvest!

We fervently call upon You on behalf of Your Church

Therefore, we fervently call upon You on behalf of Your Church in her great hour of need! By Your Spirit, enable Your Church to love You with all their heart, and with all their soul, and with all their mind (see Matthew 22:37). Through Your Spirit, empower Your Church to live for Christ. For Your word exhorts genuine born again believers to live for Him. “And He died for all, so that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf” (2 Corinthians 5:15; NASB)! Father, we humbly and honestly confess to You that we have been living for ourselves. Often, we do not set our mind on Your interests, but man’s (see Matthew 16:23). As such, we have not been perfectly representing and reflecting You to a lost and dying world. O Lord, forgive us and cleanse us from all our unrighteousness according to Your promise in 1 John 1:9.

Redeeming and Righteous Father, we than You

Redeeming and Righteous Father, we thank You for forgiving and cleansing us from all our unrighteousness. We also pray for Your Church today. Grant that through the work of Your Spirit, Your Church will be blessed with a fresh longing for You Yourself. Like Your prophet Isaiah, may Your Church today, with her soul, longs for You (see Isaiah 26:9). Since Jesus is the Head of the Church, enable Your Church to look to Him for direction. Indeed, Your Church needs Your direction in order to be effective in her representation and reflection of You in the world. Thankfully, Your Church receives Your direction by looking to You, listening to You, and leaning on You. In fact, Your command to Your Church to listen to Christ and no one else is stated forcefully. “This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased; listen to Him” (Matthew 17:5b; NASB).

Your Church, will therefore do well to listen to Christ

As such, we, Your Church, will therefore do well to listen to Christ, and no other person. Also, Your wise counsel to us is to trust in the Lord with all our heart and not lean on our own understanding (see Proverbs 3:5). For Your Church is not run by the opinions of men, but by the ordinances of God. We also pray for Your Church to humble herself and learn from You. For You are the all-wise and all-knowing God! You, O Lord, have the perfect solution to all the problems and challenges Your Church will encounter in her existence. May Your Church therefore take Your yoke upon herself and learn from Christ, who is gentle and humble in heart (see Matthew 11:29)!

Your Church, must labor in Your harvest

As well, to represent and reflect You well to the world, Your Church, must labor in Your harvest. As such, we pray that through the Spirit’s power, Your Church, will strive in sharing and spreading the gospel. For Your gospel “is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek” (Romans 1:17; NASB). “The harvest,” as our Lord Jesus disclosed to His disciples, “is plentiful, but the workers are few” (Matthew 9:37; NASB). Therefore we beseech You, the Lord of the harvest; send out workers into Your harvest (see Matthew 9:38). And, O Redeeming and Righteous Father, like Your disciples, make us also willing to be sent out into Your harvest! Yes, in such a time as this!  And it’s in Jesus’ blessed and beloved name we pray! Amen!