By Joseph Ametepe
Loving and Living Father, we are glad and grateful that You’ve ushered us into the new month of February 2024. Indeed, great have been Your goodness and grace which we experienced at the beginning of the New Year of 2024. We genuinely appreciate Your kindness toward us and greatly affirm that it’s You who keep us in life. For LORD, You are our keeper and You are the One who keeps our life (see Psalm 121:5a, 7b). In fact, without Your keeping power, none of us would have seen February 2024, let alone, live in it. Therefore, we thank You for Your gifts of “life and breath and all things” (Acts 17:25).
God is love
Indeed, Father, all You do for us is because of Your great love for us. You word says: “God is love” (1 John 4:8, 16). It also says: “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)! Moreover, Your word assures us of this blessed truth. “The love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us” (Romans 5:5; NASB)!
I have loved you with an everlasting love
Also, Your word makes one of the greatest declarations of God’s love for us. “I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have drawn you with lovingkindness” (Jeremiah 31:3; NASB). It also declares: “See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us; that we would be called children of God; and such we are” (1 John 3:1a; NASB).
Your agape love for us is so selfless
O Loving Father, Your agape love for us is so selfless! It’s sacrificial! It’s supreme and above all! Not only that, it’s supernatural! It always seeks Your very best for us, both in this life and in the life soon to come! Yes, Your love for us is steadfast! For Your word says: “The steadfast love of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him” (Psalm 103:17; ESV).
Your love is special, not superficial
Indeed, Your love is special, not superficial! It’s strong, not shaky! It’s sound, not shallow! Your love, O Lord, is secure, not spurious! It’s sure, not susceptible! O Loving Lord, Your love is unceasing, unchanging and unconditional! It’s undying, unending, and unfailing! Yes, Your love is also unlimited, unquenchable, unrelenting and unwavering!
Loving and Living Father, You are love
Truly, O Loving and Living Father, You are love. You are in a distinguished class all by Yourself as the God of love. No other god can compare to You in this regard. Indeed, “who is like You, O Lord, among the gods? Who is like You, majestic in holiness, awesome in praises, working wonders?” (Exodus 15:11; NASB). The faithful answer to these questions is found in Your word. “There is none like you, O LORD, and there is no God besides you, according to all that we have heard with our ears” (1 Chronicles 17:20; ESV).
We are so blessed to have You as our God
Certainly, we are so blessed to have You as our God. Yes, as our Loving Father – who seeks Your very best for us, both in this life and in the life soon to come. Truly, we are precious to You. And yes, we are a people for Your own possession (see Deuteronomy 4:20; Titus 2:14) and greatly privileged to be loved by You.
We know that You will not fail or forsake us
Because of Your love for us, we know that You will not fail or forsake us. In fact, Your word assures us of that. “The LORD is the one who goes ahead of you; He will be with you. He will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed” (Deuteronomy 31:8; NASB). Indeed, we can testify that since the beginning of this year, You have gone ahead of us. Yes, You have also been with us. And You will be with us to the end of the year. Truly, Your presence makes a major difference in our lives. Among other things, it guarantees Your preservation and protection of us.
We look to You, Father
As such, we look to You, Father, to preserve and protect us until Your purpose is accomplished in our lives. We long for You and for Your work in our lives, especially in the new month of February 2024. Lord, we confess, we desperately need Your special and supernatural work in our lives. For without Your special and supernatural work in our lives, we will remain in a rut - spinning our wheels.
We know that's not how You want us to live on earth
But we know that’s not how You want us to live our lives on earth. Loving and Living Father, Your desire for us is that our lives be fruitful and fulfilling on earth in serving Your purpose. Indeed, in ourselves, we cannot live a fruitful and fulfilling life on earth. Living a fruitful and fulfilling life can only be a reality in our lives through the gracious work of the Holy Spirit.
We dedicate the month of February 2024 to You
Therefore, O Loving and Living Father, we dedicate the month of February 2024 to You. Please accomplish what concerns our families, friends, fellow-believers and us. Be pleased, “O God of Israel” (1 Kings 8:26), to perform what concerns the nation of Israel – “Your people, even Your inheritance” (Deuteronomy 9:26). Also, Lover and Leader of the Church, please carry out Your purpose for Your Church – Your own Possession (see Titus 2:14) and Spirit-indwelt believers (see Romans 8:11). As well, “Lord of the whole earth” (Psalm 97:5), bring to pass all that You have planned for Your world. Made up of all the nations and the lands You have created under the heavens.
Loving Father, we pray for the world
Loving Father, we pray for Your world. In this month, the world will be celebrating “love” – which is focused on romance on Valentine’s Day (February 14, 2024). It is our prayer that the people of the world will experience and enjoy Your selfless and sacrificial love. Please, open their hearts to response to Your message of love and forgiveness found in Jesus Christ (see Acts 16:14b). Also, “open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins” (Acts 26:18; ESV). Also, grant them repentance that leads to life (see Acts 11:18b).
Thank You Father
Thank You Father, that You are “not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance” (2 Peter 3:9b; ESV). As such, we ask You to grant the people of the world, the “want-to” to turn away from their sins. Without Your gracious work of giving them the desire to repent, they will continue to live in rebellion to You. They will continue to reject Your offer of salvation which is obtained through faith alone in Christ alone.
There is salvation in no one else
Your word affirms this teaching. “There is salvation in no one else” and that “there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12; ESV). Yes, salvation from our sins, is found through faith alone in Christ alone. Our Lord Jesus Himself confidently asserts that He is the one and only true way of salvation. “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6; ESV).
O God of Israel, we beseech You
Now “O God of Israel” (1 Kings 8:16), we beseech You on behalf of the nation of Israel. We thank You for all that You have been doing behind the scenes on behalf of Israel. Also, we bless Your holy name for Your faithfulness to the nation of Israel. If You had not been faithful to Israel, they would have ceased to be a nation on earth. Israel’s enemies want them wiped off the map. But You have remained faithful to them and they continue to exist today as a nation before You.
You have been faithful to them
Even though, they have been unfaithful to You, You’ve been faithful to them and forgiving of their sins. In fact, You have not dealt with them according to their sins (see Psalms 103:10). As a father shows compassion to his children, so You show them and us compassion (see Psalm 103:13).
Grant that Israel will not turn aside from following You
Therefore in Your compassion, grant that Israel will not turn aside from following You (see 1 Samuel 12:20b). Also, we pray that they will “not turn aside after empty things that cannot profit or deliver, for they are empty” (1 Samuel 12:21; ESV). We pray that they will seek You and find You, when they seek You with all their heart (see Jeremiah 29:13). Grant that they will serve You their LORD with all their heart (see 1 Samuel 12:20c).
Israel's war with Hamas continues
“O LORD of hosts, the God of Israel” (2 Samuel 7:27), Israel’s war with Hamas continues. So far, it has been a costly war; as both sides have suffered heavy losses. Please, intervene in this war. Defend the defenseless! Deliver the captives from their captivity! Derail the wicked schemes of the wicked! Defeat the plans of the enemies of righteousness! Most importantly, destroy the works of the devil being manifested in this war. For Your word says: “The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil” (1 John 3:8b; ESV).
We pray for Your Church
And now, Loving and Living Father, we pray for Your Church in such a time as this. You have, through Your word, reminded us of Your selfless and sacrificial love for us. This special love, always seeks Your very best for us. So what should be our response to the love You have for us and bestow upon our lives?
This love must move and motivate us
Indeed, this love must move and motivate us to desire to love You with all our heart and with all our soul. Therefore, please deepen our love for You in such a time as this! Through the indwelling presence and power of the Person of the Holy Spirit, enable us to desire more of You in our lives. “Direct our hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ” (2 Thessalonians 3:5)! Depend completely on You! Draw near to You so that You will also draw near to us (see James 4:8)! Delight ourselves in the LORD and in the law of the LORD (see Psalms 37:4; 1:2)! Devote ourselves to prayer (see Acts 1:14; 6:4) and to the service of sharing the good news of Jesus Christ! Dedicate our time and talents and treasures toward the goal of fulfilling the Great Commission of making disciples of all the nations (see Matthew 28:18-20)!
We thank You that You are in control
Loving and Living Father, we thank You that You are in control of all the affairs of the nations. Indeed, You rule over all. Yes, You are above all. Most assuredly, You will not fail to fulfill Your purposes and promises for Israel, Your Church, and Your world. We know that will be the case in February 2024. You will accomplish what concerns Israel, Your Church, and Your world. We pray that in February 2024, there will be rejoicing in heaven over even one sinner who repents (see Luke 15:4-10) and enters the sphere of salvation. Thank You Father, for being a prayer answering God. Thank You for being a God “who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think” (Ephesians 3:20a; ESV). We pray all these in the blessed and beloved name of Jesus Christ, Your Son, and our Savior. Amen!