Great and Glorious Father, we gladly and gratefully praise You for bringing us into July 2023! “Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised” (1 Chronicles 16:25; ESV). “From the rising of the sun to its setting, the name of the LORD is to be praised” (Psalm 113:3; ESV). Indeed, You are a great God, and a great King above all gods (see Psalm 95:3), deserving all praise. In “Your great goodness” (Nehemiah 9:35) toward us, You granted us the gift of life to dwell in the land of the living in July 2023!

Great and Glorious Father, we honor and hallow Your great name

As such, Great and Glorious Father, we honor and hallow Your great and glorious name.  Your hand had been upon us all throughout June 2023. Though some of us went through difficult and trying times in June 2023, You did not fail us nor forsake us. In fact, You did not forget us according to Your word of promise to us. “Can a woman forget her nursing child, that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget, yet I will not forget you. Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are continually before me” (Isaiah 49:15-16; ESV).

Great and Glorious Father, we adore and appreciate You

O Great and Glorious Father, we adore and appreciate You for Your genuine care and concern for us. Indeed, no one cares for us like You do. Because of Your genuine care and concern for us, we have been preserved and protected from all evil till this day. And You will continue to preserve and protect us from all evil until Your good work in our lives is fully accomplished. Indeed, You have assured us of this in Your word. “I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6; ESV).

We are confident that You will finish the good work You’ve started in us

Because we are confident that You will finish the good work You’ve started in us, we can depend completely on You. Not only that, we can desire more of You in our lives. Furthermore, we can delight in who You are. The words of David, the sweet psalmist of Israel, become so precious to us. “Delight yourself in the LORD, and He will give you the desires of your heart” (Psalm 37:4; NASB).

You are our chief desire in life

Indeed, You are our chief desire in life. O Heavenly Father, whom have we in heaven, but You? And there is nothing on earth that we desire besides You (see Psalm 73:25). But we confess to You, that often, we do not maintain You in our hearts as our chief desire. We allow our hearts to be filled with the desires of the flesh. As such, we focus so much on temporal things, not on the things that are eternal. Our perspective on life becomes unholy and unhealthy.

We become envious of the prosperity of the wicked

Our Father, we admit to You that often, we become envious of the prosperity of the wicked. We envy their life of ease and comfort. We dwell on their pain-free life. Indeed, we think that You are giving them a better deal in life than us. Please, dear Lord, forgive us of this rotten attitude and erroneous thinking. We sincerely thank You for the blessing of forgiveness bestowed on us through Jesus’ one-time sacrifice on the cross. Our hearts rejoice in You. Indeed, we revel in “Your great goodness” (Nehemiah 9:35) toward us. “For You, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive, and abundant in lovingkindness to all who call upon You” (Psalm 86:5; NASB).

You are good, and ready to forgive us

Because You are good, and ready to forgive us our sins when we genuinely repent of them, we commit ourselves to You. Yes, we cast ourselves upon Your mercy. We are glad and grateful that Your steadfast love never ceases; and that Your mercies never come to an end (see Lamentations 3:22)! Such is Your faithful and forever commitment to us. Simply because You want the very best for us, both in this life and in the life soon to come.

We humbly and heartily dedicate the month of July 2023 to You

Therefore, Great and Glorious Father, we humbly and heartily dedicate the month of July 2023 to You. Please, accomplish what concerns our families, friends, fellow-believers and us in July 2023. Also, “O God of Israel” (1 Kings 8:26), fulfill Your good purposes and plans for Israel – “Your chosen ones” (Psalm 106:5)! O Lord and Leader of the Church, be pleased to perform what concerns Your Church -Your consecrated ones in July 2023. Also, “Lord of the whole earth” (Micah 4:13; Zechariah 4:14), carry out Your divine plans formed long ago for Your world. Made up of all the nations and lands You have created under the heavens.

We pray for the United States of America

Great and Glorious Father, we pray in particular for the countries that celebrate their Independence Day in July. We pray for Canada, Rwanda, Somali, Hong Kong, and Burundi who celebrate their Independence Day on July 1. Also, we pray for the United States of America whose Independence Day is commemorated on July 4^th.

Your declarations determine the course of all the nations

Indeed, “Lord of all the earth” (Joshua 3:11), Your declarations determine the course of all the nations on earth. You are the Most High who rules the kingdoms of men and gives it to whom You will (see Daniel 4:17). Also, You are the One the One who raises up their leaders and removes them at You appointed time. Yes, it’s You alone, who sovereignly controls all the affairs of the nations. In fact, the blessedness of any nation on earth is tied to their relationship with You. This is confidently and convincingly affirmed in Your word. “Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people whom he has chosen as his heritage” (Psalms 33:12; ESV)!

Great and Glorious Father, we stand in the gap for them

Since a nation’s well-being is tied to their relationship with You, Great and Glorious Father, we stand in the gap for them. We earnestly pray that the countries celebrating their Independence Day in July, will turn to You. We ask that Your Spirit will convict them of their wicked ways and that they will turn away from them. Indeed, You have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that he should turn from his way and live (see Ezekiel 18:23). Please, Father, grant them the desire to know You and Your truth. For Your word says: “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free” (John 8:31-38; NASB).

Heavenly Father, knowing Your truth is the best and true freedom

Indeed, Heavenly Father, knowing Your truth is the best and true freedom any nation can celebrate on earth. That’s why we earnestly cry out to You. Turn these nations to You Yourself that they may experience and enjoy true freedom in You! Please Father, teach them Your truth! Transform them by Your truth! Turn their heart of stone into a heart of flesh (see Ezekiel 36:26), that they may desire to know You and Your truth! Touch them in a special way, that they may know that You are the only true God to be worshiped!

We stand in the gap for the nation of Israel

Also, we stand in the gap for the nation of Israel. Remember, O LORD, what has be fallen Israel in ancient times, and see their disgrace (see Lamentations 5:1)! Remind them of Your unending and unfailing love for them! For Your word of promise to them is: “I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you” (Jeremiah 31:3; ESV). Restore them to Yourself; for that is their heart’s cry from of old! “Restore us to yourself, O LORD, that we may be restored” (Lamentations 5:21a; ESV)! Also, renew their days as of old (see Lamentations 3:21b)!  O LORD, in addition, please revive present Israel; for that is their heart’s longing from of old! “Will you not revive us again, that your people may rejoice in you” (Psalms 85:6; ESV)?

Great and Gracious Father, we thank You

Now, Great and Gracious Father, we thank You for Your Church. Through Your Son, You gave us this special promise. “I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it” (Matthew 16:18b; NASB). Therefore, O Builder of all things, build Your church according to Your promise! Bless Your church with a spirit of genuine repentance that bears fruit in keeping with repentance (see Matthew 3:8)! Bring Your church to a new level of hungering and thirsting for Your righteousness (see Matthew 5:6)! Bestow on Your church, a fresh passion for partnering with You in seeking and saving the lost in our day (see Luke 19:10)! Breathe on us afresh that we too might receive the Holy Spirit (see John 20:22) and be empowered for witness in such a time as this!

Great and Glorious Father…You hear us

Great and Glorious Father, we know that anything that we ask according to Your will, You hear us. Such is our confidence toward You in presenting our requests to You (see 1 John 5:14-15)! Therefore, we are confident that You are able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think (see Ephesians 3:20). “To [You] be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen” (Ephesians 3:21; ESV).