By Joseph Ametepe
Caring and Compassionate Father, You are indeed “Lord of heaven and earth” (Luke 10:21b). By Your sovereign grace, You have marvelously blessed us with the breath of life and have mercifully brought us into the new month of September 2022. “Father of mercies” (2 Corinthians 1:3b), as we look back on August 2022, we bless and praise You for not failing us nor forsaking us. Your faithfulness was clearly evident in our lives and in the circumstances You permitted in our lives. O LORD; we declare in honor of You: “Great is Your faithfulness” (Lamentations 3:23b)!
We acknowledge that You alone are God
Indeed, “Lord of the whole earth” (Psalm 97:5), with glad and grateful hearts, we acknowledge that “You alone are God” (Psalm 86:10b). Not only that, “You are good” (Psalm 119:68a). You, LORD, are great and greatly to be praised (see Psalm 96:4). Yes, You are glorious! Surely, You are the God of glory - “a great King above all gods” (Psalm 95:3). You are also “a great King over all the earth” (Psalm 47:2). Moreover, You are the Most High God who rules over the realm of mankind and bestows it on whom You wish (see Daniel 4:17)!
Lord, You are good
Because, You Lord, are good and great, and rules over the realm of mankind, we are assured that Your hand will be upon our lives in September 2022. In fact, You will not fail to direct our steps into Your path and purpose for our lives in September 2022. Heavenly Father, indeed, we confidently look to You to fulfill Your promise of guiding us throughout September 2022 and beyond. For Your word says: “This is God, our God forever and ever. He will guide us forever” (Psalm 48:14; ESV)!
You...are committed to guiding us
Since, You, our God, are committed to guiding us forever, we know that You will lead us in paths of righteousness for Your name’s sake (see Psalm 23:3). We are fully assured that You will not fail in leading and guiding into Your path and purposes in September 2022 and beyond. As such, we humbly and honestly surrender our lives to You afresh. Father, we submit to You to show us the way in which we should walk and the thing that we should do in it.
We dedicate the month of September to You
And so, Holy Father, in all sincerity and steadfastness of heart, we dedicate the month of September 2022 to You. You already know all that will happen in it. In fact, nothing will take place in it, except what You have sovereignly ordained or permitted to occur in it. Indeed, LORD, even the king’s heart is a stream of water in Your hand, and You turn it wherever You wish (see Proverbs 21:1).
Lord, we earnestly implore You
Therefore, Sovereign Lord, we earnestly implore You. Please, bring about what You have sovereignly ordained to do for our families, friends, fellow-believers and us in September 2022. For You are the One who has promised not to fail us or forsake us (see Deuteronomy 31:8b). Furthermore, You, Lord, have pledged not to leave us until You have done what You have promised us (see Genesis 28:15b). Therefore, O Lord, we beseech You, carry out all that concerns us in September 2022. Please Father, do it for Your name’s sake!
Mighty One of Israel, accomplish Your heart's desire for Israel
Also, Mighty One of Israel, accomplish Your heart’s desire for the nation of Israel – Your chosen people and Your Church – Your called-out people. In addition, establish Your divine and decisive purpose for Your world – made up of all the nations and territories and lands You have Yourself created under the heavens!
Whatever the LORD pleases, He does
Loving God, Your word declares: “Whatever the LORD pleases, He does, in heaven and in earth, in the seas and in all deeps” (Psalm 135:6; NASB). This psalm clearly reveals to us that You alone are in control of all the affairs of the universe. Furthermore, it stresses that You are all about doing what pleases You as the sovereign Lord of the universe. Life, in all spheres, is not about doing what pleases us, but what pleases You.
Loving Father, enable us
Therefore, Loving Father, enable us by the presence and power of the person of the Holy Spirit, to please You in all things. For Your word exhorts us; “whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to You” (2 Corinthians 5:9b). Pursue hard after You! Persevere through the trials of life – knowing that You are with us in all our storms and will safely bring us through them! Prevail in believing prayer, and not lose heart (see Luke 18:1).
Gracious Father, empower us
Also, Gracious Father, empower us by “Your good Spirit” (Nehemiah 9:20) to practice the truth! Pay our vows to You (see Psalm 66:13; Ecclesiastes 5:4-6)! Present our bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to You (see Romans 12:1b)! Promote and point people to Jesus Christ - “the Savior of the world” (John 4:42b), in such a time as this! “Press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:14)!
O Lord, we confess to You
O Lord, we confess to You that times are hard in the nations. Spiritually, many are “harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd” (Matthew 9:36b). Therefore, we earnestly pray to You, Lord of the harvest to send laborers into Your harvest (see Matthew 9:38) in all the nations. Morally, we “trust in confusion and speak lies” (Isaiah 59:4b). Our “works are works of iniquity” (Isaiah 59:6b). Our “thoughts are thoughts of iniquity” (Isaiah 59:7b).
We implore You
Therefore, we implore You, Lord of heaven and earth; grant that the nations will seek You while You may be found. Also, grant that they will call upon You while You are near (see Isaiah 55:6). Also, we pray for wayward individuals in the nations! “Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return to the LORD, and He will have compassion on him, and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon” (Isaiah 55:7; NASB).
Many in the nations are weary and worn out
Furthermore, emotionally, many in the nations are weary and worn out. Totally exhausted! Please, gracious Lord, grant that they will hear the voice of the Good Shepherd calling them to find rest in Him. For He, kindly invites the weary! “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).
Food and energy prices keep rising
Moreover, economically, outlook worsens as global recessions looms. Due to inflation, food and energy prices keep rising – making life hard to live. Please, loving Father, supernaturally intervene in the lives and circumstances of all affected. O Lord, please meet all their economic and financial needs that they may know that You alone are God and glorify You!
Yours, O LORD, is the greatness
Indeed, “Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, indeed everything that is in the heavens and in the earth…You rule over all, and in Your hand is power and might; and it lies in Your hand to make great and to strengthen everyone. Now therefore, our God, we thank You, and praise Your glorious name” (1 Chronicles 29:11-13; NASB).
This is our humble and heartfelt prayer to You
Our Father, hearer of prayer, this is our heartfelt and humble prayer to You. We are confident that Your Spirit will sanctify and set it apart for Your divine purpose. Please, Lord, accomplish what concerns us through it for the praise of Your great and glorious name. We pray all these things in the precious and powerful name of Jesus Christ! Amen!