Best and Blessed Father, we’re thrilled and thankful that You’ve brought us into the new month of February 2026. Indeed, we entered the New Year with high hopes of experiencing and enjoying Your favor and faithfulness. But already, for some, January 2026 brought with it unexpected tough and trying times of losing a loved one. However, this was not a surprise to You. It was unexpected and surprising to us, but not to You. As we acknowledged in the New Year Prayer, You know far in advance all that will be happening in 2026. Indeed, You knew its end from its very beginning. Moreover, Your comfort abounded for all whose January 2026 brought with it the loss of loved ones.

We want life on earth to be comfortable

While we want life on earth to be comfortable and carefree, Your word reminds us that such will not be the case. It says, “Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD delivers him out of them all” (Psalms 34:19; ESV). Also, our Lord Jesus Himself made it clear that life in this world, is one in which we will have troubles. “In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33; ESV). Scripture also says: “Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you; but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that also at the revelation of His glory you may rejoice with exultation” (1 Peter 4:12-13; NASB).

Many afflictions…are the lot of believers

“Many afflictions,” “tribulation,” “fiery ordeal,” “the sufferings of Christ,” are the lot of believers in this present life.  It’s not because You don’t want us to have a life without problems, worries, or responsibilities. Rather, You have a holy and higher purpose for us. According to Your holy word, our “light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison” (2 Corinthians 4:17; ESV). Indeed, You are a God who doesn’t waste anything in the lives of Your believing children. Our sufferings on earth, distressing and devastating as they can be, are but small and temporary when compared with the unseen eternal glories that will be ours hereafter. Only You, the Best Father, can bring so much weight of eternal glory from our light and transient afflictions.

Best and Blessed Father, we often focus on our life on earth

Indeed, Best and Blessed Father, we often focus on our life on earth. Personally, I am guilty of that. My focus often turns to be earthbound rather than heaven bound. In Your holy word, You exhorted us to focus on things that are above. “If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory” (Colossians 3:1-4; ESV).

You are not setting your mind on God’s interests

Also, our Lord Jesus Himself strongly rebuked Peter for not having his focus where it should be. Directly addressing Peter for being a stumbling block, He said to him: “You are not setting your mind on God’s interests [literally, the things of God], but man’s” (Matthew 16:23b; NASB). Indeed, it takes the gracious work of Your Holy Spirit to keep our focus on the things of God. That is, on things above. O Lord, we thank You that Your Holy Spirit is our Helper in all things. We praise You for blessing our lives with “the Helper,” (John 16:7b; NASB) [“Paracletos,” One called alongside to help, Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor]. Truly, we cannot live without His aid and assistance in our lives. Therefore, we profusely thank You for giving Him so graciously and so generously to us. Indeed, You richly poured out upon us Your Holy Spirit, through Jesus Christ our Savior (see Titus 3:5-6).

Your purpose for our lives will be accomplished

Because of Your Spirit’s presence in our lives, Your purpose for our lives will be accomplished. Through Your Spirit’s work in us, You will conform us into the blessed image of Your Blessed and Beloved Son. This is Your special and supreme goal for every single believer in Jesus Christ. Indeed, this special and supreme goal of Yours, is clearly and convincingly stated in these precious and powerful words. “For those whom [You] foreknew [You] also predestined to be conformed to the image of [Your] Son, in order that [He] might be the firstborn among many brothers” (Romans 8:29; ESV).

Best and Blessed Father, You will not fail in Your divine work

Indeed, Best and Blessed Father, You will not fail in Your divine work of changing believers into Christlikeness. In fact, You gave us a blessed assurance in Your word of this divine work of Yours. “Beloved, now we are children of God, it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is” (1 John 3:2; NASB). O what a blessed assurance indeed! When our Lord Jesus comes the second time, and is manifested in all His glory and majesty, we’ll be like Him! At that time, Jesus “will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself” (Philippians 3:21; ESV). O what a grand and glorious prospect awaiting all Your genuine born-again believers! O to be like Christ, the Son of God! May You, O Blessed Father, by Your Spirit, make this our supreme aim in this present life!

You will not fail

Indeed, You will not fail in Your divine work of making us like Jesus Christ. As such, we are confident that You will, most assuredly, fulfill all Your purposes concerning us. Therefore, we commit our cause in February 2026 to You. Please, accomplish what concerns our families, friends, and us. “O Holy One of Israel” (Psalms 71:22; ESV), bring to pass all Your bountiful and beneficial blessings for Israel – Your cherished and chosen people. Also, Lord of the Church, carry out Your compassionate and caring concerns for Your Church – Your consecrated and called-out people. As well, “God of the whole earth” (Isaiah 54:5; ESV), direct the course of Your world according to Your divine desires and designs.

Your people Israel are indeed a blessed people

“O Holy One of Israel” (Psalms 71:22; ESV), Your people Israel are indeed a blessed people. For Your word says: “to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises. To them belong the patriarchs, and from their race according to the flesh, is the Christ who is God over all, blessed forever. Amen” (Romans 9:4-5; ESV)! Indeed, no nation on earth has been blessed with such bountiful and beneficial blessings. Truly, it was Your willing and wholehearted desire to bestow these blessings, and many more, on the nation of Israel.

Best and Blessed Father, it is written in Your word

Best and Blessed Father, it is written in Your word. ”Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand more” (Luke 12:48b; ESV). Indeed, You’ve given much to Israel. As such, much will be required of Israel. Yes, You’ve entrusted much to Israel. As a result, You will demand more from Israel. What do You require of Israel today? What do You demand of Israel today? Since Israel of today is far from You, what You require of them is a return to You, their Lord and God. Indeed, throughout Israel’s history, the call to return to You was repeatedly made by You, through Your prophets. “I have wiped out your transgressions like a thick cloud and your sins like a heavy mist. Return to Me, for I have redeemed you” (Isaiah 44:22; NASB). This was Your call to Israel to return to You through Your prophet Isaiah.

Return to Me

Also, Your call to Israel to return to You, came through Your prophet Jeremiah. “If you will return, O Israel, declares the LORD, then you should return to Me” (Jeremiah 4:1a; NASB). It also came through Your prophet Zechariah. “Therefore say to them, ‘Thus say the LORD of hosts, “Return to Me,” declares the LORD of hosts, “that I may return to you,” says the LORD of hosts’” (Zechariah 1:3; NASB). The prophet Hosea called out: “Come, let us return to the LORD!” (Hosea 6:1a; ESV). Also, through Your prophet Joel, the call to return to You rang out. “Return to the LORD your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love” (Joel 2:13; ESV).

Israel of today has drifted far from You

Since Israel of today has drifted far from You, and has turned their back to You (see Jeremiah 2:27), we pray for them. Please, God of Israel, by Your Spirit, grant that Israel may return to You with all their heart (see 1 Samuel 7:3; Joel 2:12). Give them, O God of Israel, the want-to in their hearts to return to You. In the days of Your prophet Haggai, You stirred up the spirit of the leaders and all the remnant of the people, to build Your temple (see Haggai 1:14). Please, once again, stir up the spirit of Your people Israel to return to You in such a time as this! And in their return to You, may they rend their heart not their garments (see Joel 2:13a; NASB).

Also, Best and Blessed Father, we pray

Also, Best and Blessed Father, we pray that Israel will not only return to You, but also revere You. Indeed, from the time You brought Israel out of Egyptian bondage, Your foremost requirement of them is for them to revere You. Through Your prophet and servant Moses, You set before Israel this requirement. “And now, Israel, what does the LORD your God require of you, but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him” (Deuteronomy 10:12a; ESV). Just as You expected Israel of Moses’s day to fully live out this requirement, so also You’re expecting Israel to do today.

O God of Israel, to fear You, is to give You the holy reverence…You deserve

O God of Israel, to fear You, is to give You the holy reverence and healthy respect You deserve. It’s to hold You in high regard above all the gods of the nations. It’s to stand in awe of You. Indeed, this can only be done through the power of Your Holy Spirit. Therefore, we earnestly pray for Israel today. By the power of Your Holy Spirit, enable them to give You the holy reverence and healthy respect You rightfully deserve. Please grant that Israel will hold You in high regard above all other gods in such a time as this! For this requirement and all others, are designed for their benefit and blessing.

Lord, we also pray

Lord, we also pray that Israel will not only revere You, but also rely on You in such a time as this. In times past, Israel went down to Egypt for help and relied on horses and horsemen because they were strong (see Isaiah 31:1a). As such, they didn’t look to You the Holy One of Israel or consult You (see Isaiah 31:1b). Not only that, they relied on the sword (see Ezekiel 33:26). Also, they took silver and gold from the treasures of Your house to buy the help of a foreign king. This was to aid them in their battles against their enemies (see 2 Chronicles 16:1-6). However, King Asa once exemplified total reliance on You and experienced a resounding victory over a mighty Ethiopian army (see 2 Chronicles 14:9-14).

We pray

We pray that the remnant of true believers in Israel today will also cry to the LORD their God. “O LORD, there is none like you to help, between the mighty and the weak. Help us, O LORD our God, for we rely on you, and in your name we have come against this multitude. O LORD, you are our God; let not man prevail against you” (2 Chronicles 14:11; ESV).

Best and Blessed Father, we pray

And now, Best and Blessed Father, we pray for Your Church in such a time as this. You’ve made it very clear to us that Your supreme goal for us is to conform us into the image of Christ (see Romans 8:29). Yes, becoming like Christ Jesus, our Lord and Leader, is Your ultimate aim for us. We humbly confess to You. Left to ourselves, we could never achieve Your high and holy objective of becoming like Jesus our Lord. We desperately need Your help to make becoming like Christ the ultimate longing of our hearts. Not only that, we need Your supernatural assistance in living it out in our personal lives. Therefore, we earnestly pray that You may grant Your Church a genuine and growing longing of becoming like Christ. O Father, grow the character of Christ in all Your genuine born-again believers as we yield to Your ways.

We will be like Jesus

As well, grant that in our daily lives, we will be like Jesus to a watching world. For, it is not enough us for to long to become like Jesus. But, through the power of Your Holy Spirit, we must also daily and diligently live out being like Jesus. Through Your Spirit’s power, we must not just talk the talk of being like Jesus. But more importantly, we must also walk the walk of being like Jesus. Walking the walk of being like Jesus is what honors You and brings Your blessing into our lives.  In fact, Your word exhorts us about not being mere hearers of the word, but effectual doers of the word.

Be doers of the word

“But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing” (James 1:22-25; ESV). O Lord, many will never read the Bible. But, if we, through the Spirit’s power, walk the walk of being like Jesus, they’ll see a little of Jesus in us. Desire Him and be drawn to Him!

Best and Blessed Father, we pray for Your Church

Also, Best and Blessed Father, we pray for Your Church to love You with all our being. It’s no secret. We’re living in an age in which many are “lovers of self, lovers of money…lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God” (2 Timothy 3:2, 4; ESV). Many in our world today, have made self the central and chief object of living. Self has become their “god.” Also money has become their “god.” As well, pleasure has become their “god.” As such, loving You has become a great challenge for Your Church. Because of the influence which riches can secure, its frenetic pursuit has infiltrated Your Church. We confess to You that our love for You has grown cold (see Matthew 24:12).

Sadly, there are some in Your Church

Sadly, there are some in Your Church today who are like Demas, a believer who became a lover of this present world or age. Paul wrote of him: “for Demas, having loved this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica” (2 Timothy 4:10a; NASB).

We desperately need to hear afresh

Therefore, we desperately need to hear afresh our glorified Lord’s words of rebuke and call to repentance, spoken to the Church of Ephesus. “But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent” (Revelation 2:4-5; ESV). Indeed, You, Lord, are our first love. But, like the believers in the first century church of Ephesus, we have also left You, our first love.

We repent of our sin

Therefore, we repent of our sin of leaving our first love, You. Please, Father, by Your Spirit, restore us to our first love, You. Renew our love for You Yourself. May Your Spirit, enable us to love You with all our heart and with all our soul and with all our might (see Deuteronomy 6:5; cf. Matthew 22:37; Mark 12:30; Luke 10:27)! O Lord, may our love for You be demonstrated in our obedience to You and to Your commands! For our Lord Jesus made it clear to His first disciples that the one who obeys Him is indeed, the one who loves Him. “He who has My commandments and keeps them is the One who loves Me…” (John 14:21; cf. John 14:23-24; NASB). May it not be said of us: “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I tell you?” (Luke 6:46; ESV).

Best and Blessed Father, we lift up Your Church to You

Also, Best and Blessed Father, we lift up Your Church to You in prayer. Specifically, we pray that she’ll live for You and leave no stone unturned in sharing Your gospel in such a time as this. Your word says that Christ “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). Furthermore, it says, we’re “to live for the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for human passions but for the will of God” (1 Peter 4:2; ESV).

Blessed Father, the window of time You’ve given us on earth is brief

Indeed, Blessed Father, the window of time You’ve given us on earth is brief. As such, it can no longer be wasted in living for ourselves and for our sinful human passions. Through Your Spirit, enable us to redeem the time to live for You and for Your will. Especially, Your will for us to share Your good news to a lost and dying world. We pray that words may be given to us in opening our mouth to proclaim the mystery of the gospel (see Ephesians 6:19). As well, we pray that we may declare it boldly as we ought to speak (see Ephesians 6:20). O Lord, open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ (see Colossians 4:3) in such a time as this.

We pray for Your world

And now, Lord of the whole earth, we pray for Your world. In this month of celebrating love, we are thankful that You are love. For the Bible declares and succinctly to us that: “God is love” (1 John 4:8, 16; ESV). Also, Your word says: “love is from God” (1 John 4:7; ESV).  Furthermore, Your word affirms Your love for the world. For it 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). Indeed, great is Your love. For anyone in Your world can experience and enjoy it, simply by believing in Jesus Christ. The rich person who believes in Jesus can experience and enjoy it. Also, the poor man who puts his faith in Jesus, can experience and enjoy it. Likewise, the Jew who expresses faith in Jesus the Messiah can experience and enjoy it.

Best and Blessed Father, You are not partial

As well, the Gentile who puts his trust in Jesus can experience and enjoy it. What a privilege! What a blessing You have given to us! Indeed, Best and Blessed Father, You are not partial in extending and expressing Your love for us. Testifying in the house of Cornelius, through Your Spirit, Your servant Peter affirmed Your impartiality.  “Truly I understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him” (Acts 10:34-35; ESV). How wonderful to know that anyone who reveres You is welcome to You!

We pray specifically for the nation of Iran

We pray specifically for the nation of Iran. It was there that You raised Esther, through whom You brought a great deliverance to Your people who were to be annihilated (see Esther 1-10).  Today, the nation of Iran is facing a threat of another kind of “annihilation.” For thousands of protesters had been killed by government security forces in recent weeks. And it doesn’t look like the killing will stop any time soon. The nation of Iran remains in a state of extreme tension and crisis. O Lord, please, open the hearts of the people of Iran to embrace and enjoy Your love for them through faith in Jesus Christ. Please, open their eyes to the truth that they too, are welcome to You. For You are wholeheartedly willing to accept them through their faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ.

Best and Blessed Father, may Your salvation come to the people of Iran

O Best and Blessed Father, may Your salvation come to the people of Iran in this month of celebrating love! For You love them too with Your unceasing and unconditional love. Indeed, Your love for them seeks Your very best for them in this life and in the life to soon come. May the people of Iran know and believe that they too, can be called “Your people” and “beloved!” Through Your prophet Hosea You prophesied: “I will call those who were not My people, ‘My people,’ and her who was not beloved, ‘beloved.’” And it shall be in that place where it was said to them, ‘you are not My people,’ there they shall be called sons of the living God” (Romans 9:25-26; NASB).

Best and Blessed Father, we pray

Therefore, Best and Blessed Father, we pray that Your Spirit will do a gracious work among the people of Iran. They are living in a turbulent and terrifying time in the history of their nation. But we’re encouraged that: “Nothing is too difficult for You” (Jeremiah 32:17b; NASB). In fact, it is in such times that the unrivaled display of Your power and might are manifested. As such, we earnestly plead with You to open their hearts to believe in Jesus Christ.

In Him, they will experience a great deliverance

For in Him, they will experience a great deliverance here on earth and hereafter. In Philippi, You, O Lord, opened the heart of Lydia, a seller of purple fabrics, to respond to Paul’s message (see Acts 16:14). And Lord, You have done it for countless others throughout the ages. Therefore, we’re counting on You to open the hearts of many in Iran to respond to the truth of Your gospel. May Your Holy Spirit bring them to the realization that Jesus Christ is the answer for the world today!

Best and Blessed Father, we thank You

And now, Best and Blessed Father, we thank You that You are in control of all the affairs of the nations. Indeed, You rule and reign supreme over the entire universe. We sincerely thank You for being a prayer answering God. You gave us access to Your throne room through Jesus Christ our Lord. As such, we present all our prayers and petitions to You, not “because of our righteousness, but because of your great mercy” (Daniel 9:18b; ESV). And it is in Jesus’ precious and powerful name we pray. Amen.