By Joseph Ametepe
Eternal and Exalted Father, we rejoice and revel in Your goodness that brought us into the new month of May 2026! Indeed, in Your goodness and grace, You protected us and kept us alive. You did not give us over to the desire of our enemies (see Psalms 41:2). We sincerely thank You for protecting us and keeping us alive. As well, we thank You for bestowing on us the honor of being called “blessed upon the earth” (Psalms 41:2b; NASB)!
You kept us in life
Indeed, in Your goodness, You kept us in life (see Psalms 66:9) all throughout the month of April 2026! And yes, You are keeping us in life in the new month of May 2026. Truly, we are dependent on You for “life and breath and all things” (Acts 17:25; NASB). Every breath we take is a gift from You. In fact, none of us can live unless You have ordained it! Therefore, we heartily and honestly express our gratitude to You; for not only giving us life, but also keeping us in life. Yes, we know that You’ve given us life and kept us in life for a reason. That is, to love You and to live for You in such a time as this!
We acknowledge
We acknowledge that not everyone has been given life and kept in life at the beginning of May 2026. Sadly, some have lost loved ones in the past month. We pray for Your comfort for them. For You are the “God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God” (2 Corinthians 1:3b-4; NASB).
Eternal and Exalted, You are a God merciful
Eternal and Exalted Father, You “are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness and truth” (Psalm 86:15; NASB). We thank You for the blessing of dwelling in the shelter of the Most High (see Psalm 91:1a). Indeed, as the psalmist acknowledged to You, so also we acknowledge to You. You are our refuge and our fortress, our God in whom we trust (see Psalm 91:2). Moreover, we thank You for Your gracious work of delivering us from the snare of the trapper (see Psalm 91:3a).
You, LORD, are our refuge and fortress
Because You, LORD, are our refuge and our fortress, we commit our cause in May 2026 to You. Please, Dear Lord, accomplish what concerns our families, friends, and us. For You, are the God, of whom David confidently testified. “The LORD will accomplish what concerns me” (Psalm 138:8a; NASB). Also, “O Holy One of Israel” (Psalm 71:22), bring to pass Your bestowed and beloved blessings for the nation of Israel – Your inheritance. As well, Lord and Lover of the Church, consummate Your chief and choicest counsels for Your Church – Your Spirit-indwelt believers. In addition, “LORD Most High over all the earth” (Psalm 97:9a), discharge Your duties and desires for Your world. A world made up of the countries and coastlands You created under the heavens.
We pray for the nation of Israel
First of all, we pray for the nation of Israel – Your chosen and cherished people. Indeed, “Creator of Israel” (Isaiah 43:15; NASB), Israel is the only nation Your word emphatically affirmed that You redeemed for Yourself. In his prayer before You, King David eloquently made this affirmation. “And what one nation in the earth is like Your people Israel, whom God went to redeem for Himself as a people, to make You a name by great and terrible things, in driving out nations from before Your people, whom You redeemed out of Egypt? For Your people Israel You made Your own people forever, and You, O LORD, became their God” (1 Chronicles 17:21-22; NASB).
Eternal and Exalted Father, Your word reveals that You are good
Moreover, Eternal and Exalted Father, Your word reveals that You are good to Israel. The psalmist Asaph confidently declared this in his psalm in which he struggled with the prosperity of the wicked. “Surely God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart” (Psalms 73:1; NASB)! Israel is indeed blessed by You. You redeemed them for Yourself as a people. And You are so good to them. In other words, You are committed to blessing them with Your very best, both in this life and in the life soon to come. Indeed, Your unwavering commitment to seeking Israel’s best interests is unmatched.
In the light of Your bestowed and beloved blessings upon Israel, You expect Israel to listen obediently to You. Therefore, we pray that Your Spirit will stir up the hearts of Your people Israel to listen obediently to You. In fact, through Your psalmist Asaph, You expressed Your yearning for Israel to listen obediently to You, their God. “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).
Israel wouldn't have needed to strain herself
Surely, Israel wouldn’t have needed to strain herself in fighting prolonged wars today, if she were walking in Your ways. Why? Because You, LORD, personally promised Israel: “I would quickly subdue their enemies and turn My hand against their adversaries” (Psalm 81:14; NASB). Indeed, You would have quickly subdued Hostile Iran, Hezbollah of Lebanon, Hamas of Gaza, and the Houthis of Yemen. The truth is that Israel failed to obey You in the past. This resulted in You giving “them over to the stubbornness of their heart, to walk in their devices” (Psalm 81:12; NASB).
Eternal and Exalted Father, Israel is failing to walk in Your ways
Sadly, Eternal and Exalted Father, Israel is failing to walk in Your ways today! “O God of Israel,” have mercy on Israel today! Lest You would give them over “to their stubborn hearts, to follow their own counsels” (Psalm 81:12; ESV). Please, as You did in the past, remember Your lovingkindness and Your faithfulness to the house of Israel (see Psalm 98:3). Show them Your lovingkindnesses that never cease and Your compassions that never fail (see Lamentations 3:22).
God of Israel, today, we earnestly pray for Your protection
Also, God of Israel, today, we earnestly pray for Your protection of the nation of Israel. There is no denying of it. Israel has enemies and haters who are scheming for her destruction as a nation. In fact, this is not a new thing in the history of Israel. In times past, enemies and haters surrounding Israel, made crafty plans to wipe out Israel as a nation (see Psalm 83:6-8). “Behold, Your enemies make an uproar, and those who hate You have exalted themselves. They make shrewd plans against Your people, and conspire together against Your treasured ones. They have said, “Come, and let us wipe them out as a nation, that the name of Israel be remembered no more” (Psalm 83:2-4; NASB).
Israel desperately needs Your protection
Since wiping out Israel as a nation is the desire of her enemies and haters today, Israel desperately needs Your protection. O LORD, protect Israel! Preserve Israel! O LORD, defend Israel. Deliver Israel from the desire of her enemies and haters, who have made shrewd plans to wipe her out as a nation! “O God of Israel” (Psalm 69:6; ESV), “arise and have pity on [Israel]; it is time to favor her; the appointed time has come” (Psalm 102:13; ESV).
Eternal and Exalted Father, we pray for Your Church
And now, Eternal and Exalted Father, we pray for Your Church in such a time as this. This month, May 2026, is a significant month in the life of Your Church. For in it, Your Church will be celebrating two significant events in her history. Namely, Ascension Day, on May 14, 2026 and Pentecost Sunday, on May 24, 2026! Indeed, we thank You for helping us to remember Your great and gracious works for Your Church. Such reminders are to stir up in us a fresh passion for You and for pursuing Your purpose in our brief sojourn on earth.
Your early disciples were given a powerful assurance
On the first Ascension Day, Your early disciples were given a powerful assurance of the Risen and Ascended Lord’s return. “This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven” (Acts 1:11b; NASB). Oh what a blessed assurance! Jesus, the Risen, the Ascended, and the Glorified Lord, will indeed return in bodily form just as He was taken up into heaven. Also, on the first Pentecost Sunday, Your early disciples experienced the fresh power and life of the Holy Spirit. This experience led to their passionate pursuit of You Yourself and Your purposes.
Your early disciples did their part
Your early disciples did their part. In their brief life on earth, the world’s testimony of them was powerful and poignant. “These men who have upset the world have come here also” (Acts 17:6b; NASB). O Lord, our God, it’s now our turn to make a difference for the cause of Christ and His gospel. To do so, we must be characterized by the passionate pursuit of You Yourself that marked Your early disciples.
Eternal and Exalted Father, we earnestly pray
Therefore, Eternal and Exalted Father, we earnestly pray for Your gracious work in Your Church today. That’s, those who’re born again, bought by the blood of Christ, and brought into a personal saving relationship with You. Please, by Your Spirit, grant that You Yourself will become the supreme desire of our hearts. May we be like Asaph whose testimony of You being the supreme desire of his heart is precious and powerful! “Whom have I in heaven but You? And besides You, I desire nothing on earth” (Psalms 73:25; NASB). Please Father, grant us the grace to be weaned from every lesser devotion, until You alone reign as our heart’s ultimate desire. In other words, help us let go of the things we’ve put before You, so that You can truly be our greatest passion.
Your word strongly affirms the return of our Lord Jesus Christ
Since Your word strongly affirms the return of our Lord Jesus Christ (see Acts 1:11), prepare Your Church for His return. Yes, the promise of Christ’s coming again has been mocked for centuries (see 2 Peter 3:3-4). As such, Your Church, has become less enthused and excited about the coming of Christ. It’s not in the forefront of our minds. Please Lord, forgive us. The truth is, the mocking of our Lord’s return does not nullify Your sure and steadfast word. Jesus, our Lord, is coming again. Why? Because You always fulfill with Your hand, what You’ve spoken with Your mouth (see 1 Kings 8:24). Please Father, help us heed our Lord Jesus’ command in such a time as this. “Therefore be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming” (Matthew 24:42; NASB).
Lord, we pray for the revival of Your Church
Also, Lord, we pray for the revival of Your Church in such a time as this. Indeed, Your Church today, desperately needs Your reviving work. Among many things, Your Church has left her first love (see Revelation 2:4). We hold the teaching of Balaam and the teaching of the Nicolaitans (see Revelation 2:14-15). We are not repenting of our immorality (see Revelation 2:21). Also, we are lukewarm and self-sufficient (see Revelation 3:15-18) and spiritually lethargic. O Lord, without Your reviving work in Your Church, we will remain lukewarm and hold to false teachings. That is, teachings that undermine the foundation of our faith. O Lord, “Revive us, and we will call upon Your name” (Psalm 80:18b; NASB). “Will You not Yourself revive us again, that Your people may rejoice in You?” (Psalm 85:6; NASB).
Eternal and Exalted Father, we pray for Your world
And now, Eternal and Exalted Father, we pray for Your world. We thank You for being the God who guides the nations on the earth (see Psalm 67:4b). Also, we bless You for Your love for the world. “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:16; NASB).
You, O LORD, have the unsaved's best interest at heart
Certainly, You, O LORD, have the unsaved’s best interest at heart. You do not want to leave them in their wretched state. Rather, Your desire for them is that they turn from their wretched and wicked ways and live. Through Your prophet Ezekiel, You asked: “’Do I have any pleasure in the death of the wicked, declares the Lord GOD, rather than he should turn from his way and live?’” (Ezekiel 18:23; NASB). Moreover, You are “patient toward [them], not wishing for any to perish, but for all to come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9b; NASB).
We pray
Therefore, we pray for repentance for the unbelievers in the nations. Our Lord Jesus authoritatively taught that the repentance of even one sinner leads to a celebration in Your presence. “I tell you that in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance” (Luke 15:7; NASB; cf. Luke 15:10). Lord, since repentance is a gift from You, please grant unbelievers in the nations “the repentance that leads to life” (Acts 11:18b; NASB). We are praying for the good and gracious work of the Holy Spirit of moving unbelievers in Your world to repentance. As a result of this divine work, may there be rejoicing in Your presence!
Eternal and Exalted Father,...You...hear prayer
Eternal and Exalted Father, “O You who hear prayer, to You all men come” (Psalm 65:2; NASB). Indeed, You delight to hear the prayers of Your believing children. Also, You are the God “who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to [you] be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen” (Ephesians 3:20-21; ESV).