Exalted and Esteemed Father, we glorify and give thanks to You for the gift of August 2025. Truly, in Your hand are our life-breath and all our ways (see Daniel 5:23). As such, You alone deserve all the glory and gratitude from our hearts. Indeed, this is so significant and solemn! Because several people we began July 2025 with, are no longer with us. O dear Lord, this reminds us, not only of how dependent we are on You for life, but also of our own mortality.

You give us life and breath and all things

Indeed, You give us “life and breath and all things” (Acts 17:25). Therefore, Lord, do not let us take Your precious gifts of life and breadth for granted! And, O Lord, do not let us waste them in such a time as this! For a time will come, when we’ll stand before You and give an account of how we’ve spent our life on earth. Indeed, we have a charge to keep here on earth and a God to glorify! We echo the prayer of the hymn writer Charles Wesley. “And, now Thy servant, Lord, prepare, a strict account to give.”

Each one of us will give an account to You

Since each one of us, will one day give an account to You, we must make the most of the time. Indeed, Your word exhorts us of the urgent need of “making the best use of the time, because the days are evil” (Ephesians 5:16; ESV). Yes, the days in which we live are evil. And yes, a day is fast approaching for us to stand before You to give an account of our lives to You.

Exalted and Esteemed Father, renew in us a fresh desire

Therefore, Exalted and Esteemed Father, renew in us a fresh desire of making the best use of Your gift of time. Please, help us to live with an urgent sense that “there is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven – a time to give birth and a time to die” (Ecclesiastes 3:1-2a; NASB). Father, we confess that we’ve been living as if we have all of eternity at our disposal. We also confess that, we have been wasting Your precious gift of time for pursuing worthless activities. Activities or pursuits that neither bring glory to You nor count for eternity! We are deeply sorry for using Your precious gift of time for pursuits that do not honor You.

We thank You for being the God of forgiveness

Indeed, we thank You for being the God of forgiveness. For Your word says: “If we confess our sins, [You are] faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9; NASB). It also says: “If You, LORD, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand? But there is forgiveness with You, that You may be feared” (Psalm 130:2-3; NASB). I know if You kept record of my iniquities, I could not stand before Your holy presence. I am, therefore, very grateful for forgiving me my iniquities on the basis of Christ’s sacrifice on the Cross. Also, I am so glad for cleansing me from all my unrighteousness with the precious blood of Christ.

O Lord, we are glad and grateful

O Lord, we are glad and grateful that “You are a God of forgiveness, gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in lovingkindness” (Nehemiah 9:17b; NASB). Therefore, we gladly and gratefully dedicate the month of August 2025 to You. O Lord, You know the end from the beginning. You know of all the triumphs that will come our way in August 2025! Also, You know of all the trials that will come into our lives unannounced. As well, You know of the hard times that are awaiting us in August 2025. You also know of all the hearty moments we will enjoy in our lives in August 2025.

Exalted and Esteemed Father, please accomplish what concerns our families

Therefore, O Exalted and Esteemed Father, please accomplish what concerns our families, friends and us. Please, also bring to pass what concerns Your special inheritance – Israel Your people. Also, carry out what concerns Your Church – Your Spirit indwelt believers in the month of August 2025. As well, be pleased O Lord, to do all that You’ve desired and decreed for Your world. A world made up of all the nations and lands You created under the heavens.

O God of Israel, we pray for the nation of Israel

O God of Israel, we pray for the nation of Israel at such a time as this. Just in the days of old, Israel needs to return to You, the Lord their God. Because Israel, as a nation often went astray from following You. But You, O Lord, often called them to return to You. Sometimes You withheld from them Your blessings in order to awaken in them the need to return to You. “I gave you also cleanness of teeth in all your cities and lack of bread in all your places. Yet you have not returned to Me, declares the LORD. Furthermore, I withheld the rain from you” (Hosea 4:6-7a; NASB).

We pray to You on behalf of present Israel

Indeed, we count Your desire for wayward Israel to return to You, a great blessing. As such, we pray to You on behalf of present Israel to return to You in all honesty and humility of heart. O God of Israel, grant them the want-to to return to You in such a time as this, For we know, that Your heart and Your hands are open to receive them when they return to You in truth. “Return to Me with all your heart” (Joel 2:12b; NASB) is Your command to them through the prophet Joel.

O Exalted and Esteemed Father, we profusely thank You

O Exalted and Esteemed Father, we profusely thank You. For You are “gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, abounding in lovingkindness and relenting of evil” (Joel 2:12c; NASB). Because You are gracious and compassionate, we pray that the people of Israel will call upon You in truth in their hour of need. Today, Israel is calling upon man-made weapons of war whenever they feel threatened. Instead of calling on You, who is worthy to be praised, and be saved from their enemies (see Psalm 18:3), they rely on their weapons. O that Israel will call upon You in total reliance upon You! You will fight their battles. And whenever You fight their battles, victory will be guaranteed for them.

And now, O Lord, we pray for Your Church

And now, O Lord, we pray for Your Church in such a time as this. Your word makes it clear to us that the days in which we live are evil (see Ephesians 5:16). It also says night is coming when no man can work (see John 9:4). As such, we pray for Your Church, that is, born-again believers in Christ – to have a fresh sense of urgency. An urgency that’ll motivate Your Church to redeem the time in serving Your purpose in such a time as this!

My most beloved and believing sister Florence breathed her last

Personally, redeeming the time in serving Your purpose, became more urgent to me while I was writing up this prayer. For on July 26^th, 2025, my youngest and most beloved and believing sister Florence, breathed her last. Literally, dying in my arms, something I had never imagined would happen in my life. Her night had come so suddenly. My world was literally turned upside down on the night of her sudden departure. Indeed, to say that I am deeply saddened and heart broken will be an understatement! Great and grievous is my sorrow at the sudden departure of my beloved sister Florence.

Honestly, I didn’t think I would be able to finish composing this prayer

Honestly, I didn’t think I would be able to finish composing this prayer. I had only written up the first four paragraphs before her death occurred. Truly, O Lord, we do not know when the night of our life will come! Therefore, we pray that You, O Lord, will enable Your Church to work the works of God while it’s day. By Your Spirit, enable us to serve Your purpose in our generation, even as David did (see Acts 13:36).

Exalted and Esteemed Father, prepare Your Church

Also, Exalted and Esteemed Father, prepare Your Church for the return of Christ. Your word makes it clear that our Lord Jesus will return a second time (see Matthew 24:1-41; cf. Mark 13). Indeed, You are in control of human history on earth. And yes, You will bring it to an end exactly as You have predicted in Your word.  Today, many mock Your trustworthy teaching regarding the return of Christ, even as they did in the past (see 2 Peter 3:3-5). But their mocking does not minimize the truth about the return of Christ at Your appointed time.

Be on the alert

Therefore, grant that Your Church, that’s born-again believers in Christ, will heed His command in such a time as this. “Be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming” (Matthew 24:42; NASB). Please deliver Your Church from being taken in by false teachers who claim they know the day of Christ’s return. For “of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone” (Matthew 24:36; NASB).

O Lord of the nations, we pray for Your world

And now, O Lord of the nations, we pray for Your world, that is, the people who are without Christ. We pray for the gracious work of the Holy Spirit to convict them of their sin of not believing in Jesus. For Your Son Himself spoke of this ministry of the Holy Spirit to the world. “And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment; concerning sin because they do not believe in Me” (John 16:9; NASB). We therefore pray that many in the world will respond to the convicting work of Your Holy Spirit. As they are convicted, may they believe that Jesus “is indeed the Savior of the world” (John 4:42b; NASB). Grant that they’ll also call upon the Lord Jesus and confess their need of Him as their Savior.

We pray for the people of the world

Also, Loving God, we pray for the people of the world! Please grant that they’ll know that You truly love them and embrace Your love for them. For Your Son plainly declares Your love for them. “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). Also, we ask that You, the God of truth, will grant that they’ll receive the love of the truth so as to be saved (see 2 Thessalonians 2:10). Please, also grant them “the repentance that leads to life” (Acts 11:18; NASB). For You are “not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9b; NASB). Moreover, You “take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather than the wicked turn from his way and live” (Ezekiel 33:11; NASB).

O Exalted and Esteemed Father, we thank You

O Exalted and Esteemed Father, we thank You that Your ways are not our ways. And that You do all things well. You even know the end from the beginning. Indeed, nothing that happens in our lives is a surprise to You. Moreover, You know what’s best for us in all circumstances of life. Certainly, I did not imagine that my beloved sister Florence would suddenly depart from this world into Your presence. As such, it was a great shock to me. My prayer is that You will display Your greater glory in her death and make a name for Yourself. For Your promise to her is that: “This sickness is not to end in death, but for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified by it” (John 11:4b; NASB).

Exalted and Esteemed Father, to You we present all our prayers

Exalted and Esteemed Father, to You we present all our prayers and thanksgivings. Knowing that You are a God “who hears prayer, to You all men come” (Psalm 65:2; NASB). Moreover, we know that You do more than we request of You or imagine. For Your Word says: You are “able to do far more abundantly than all we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever.  Amen” (Ephesians 3:20-21; ESV).