By Joseph Ametepe
Dear and Dependable Father, we rejoice and revel in Your favor and faithfulness toward us in ushering us into a new month! May 2025! If it had not been Your favor and faithfulness toward us, where would we be today? Indeed, we’re deeply grateful to You, for Your blessings of “life and breath and all things” (Acts 17:25) throughout April 2025 till today! You have been so good to us because Your love for us is unconditional. Also, You have been so generous with us. And yes, You have been so gracious in maintaining our cause as each day requires. Blessed be Your name, “both now and to the day of eternity. Amen” (2 Peter 3:18b; NASB)!
You, O Lord, are still in control
Indeed, we know that no matter what happens in our world, You, O Lord, are still in control. Yes, You are in charge of all the affairs of the nations and the individuals in them. Truly, You are in command. You are the “Lord of all the earth” (Joshua 3:11, 13; ESV). As such, You’ll most assuredly bring human history to an end exactly as You’ve predicted in Your word. The death of Pope Francis on April 21st, 2025, reminds us all of our own impending death. Unless, we are caught up in the air with Christ at the Rapture of His Church, death is inevitable. Death will lay its icy cold hands on us. For, “there is an appointed time for everything...A time to give birth and a time to die” (Ecclesiastes 3:1-2; NASB).
Your word makes it very clear
Moreover, Your word makes it very clear to us that our life on earth is brief and transitory. “As for man, his days are like grass; he flourishes like a flower of the field: for the wind passes over it, and it is gone, and its place knows it no more” (Psalm 103:15-16; ESV). No doubt, our time on earth is brief. Not only that, we have an appointment with death. Knowing these, should move us to live for what matters most. The brevity of life and our appointment with death should motivate us to make our lives count for eternity. They should compel us to serve Your purpose in our generation with a sense of urgency, even as |David did (see Acts 13:36).
Dear and Dependable Father, You want our lives...to be...fruitful
Indeed, Dear and Dependable Father, You want our lives on earth to be flourishing, fruitful, and fulfilling. Your heart’s desire for us is to hear Your “well done;” (see Matthew 25:21, 23; Luke 19:17) for how we invested our brief life on earth. That’s why You exhorted us to make the most of our time, because the days are evil (see Ephesians 5:16). Therefore, we cannot live life “as usual.” We must, by the power of Your Spirit, be purposeful! Passionate! Persistent in living a life that brings forth much fruit for You. For our Lord Jesus said to us: “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask my Father in my name, he may give it to you” (John 15:16; ESV).
Your desire is for our lives to be fruitful
Surely, Your desire is for our lives to be fruitful for You. As such, we must no longer live for ourselves, but for Christ who died and rose again on our behalf (see 2 Corinthians 5:16). We confess to You that we have spent a great deal of our brief life in living for ourselves. We’ve been living like the people of the world. Honestly, we acknowledge to You that we love the world and the things in the world (see 1 John 2:15). We also admit to You that we’ve often failed to deny ourselves and take up our cross daily and follow Christ (see Luke 9:23).
We thank You
Indeed, we thank You for Your Spirit’s work of convicting us of our sins. He convicts us of our sins in order for us to confess them to You and be cleansed of them. That’s, to be forgiven of them. For this is Your word of promise to us. “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). O what a blessing it is to be forgiven of our sins! And O, how King David reveled in the blessedness of being forgiven by You, his Lord and his God! He writes: “How blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered! How blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit” (Psalm 32:1-2; NASB)! O how special, sweet, and soothing to the soul, is the blessedness of Your forgiveness of our sins!
Dear and Dependable Father, forgive us our sins
Because You, our Dear and Dependable Father, forgive us our sins, we know that You have our best interest at heart. For “You are a God of forgiveness, gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in lovingkindness” (Nehemiah 9:17b; NASB). Indeed, because You are a God of forgiveness, You want Your very best for us, both in this life and the life soon to come. Therefore, we gladly and gratefully commit our cause to You in the month of May 2025!
O LORD, be pleased to accomplish what concerns our families
O LORD, be pleased to accomplish what concerns our families and our friends and us! Also, fulfill Your divine and destined purposes for the nation of Israel – Your set-apart and selected people. As well, we beseech You, please, carry out Your faithful and favorable plans for Your Church – Your sanctified and separated believing people. Also, in the new month of May 2025, perform Your predestined and promised intentions for Your world! A world that’s made up of all the countries and the coastlands You created under the heavens!
It is You who possesses all the nations
Since, “it is You who possesses all the nations,” (Psalm 82:8; NASB), we lift up all the nations of the world to You. For, You, O LORD, have made all the nations (see Psalm 86:9a). Indeed, You made them all with a divine purpose in mind. For You are a God who has a purpose for everything You do. According to Your word, You made the nations “to come and worship before You, O Lord” (Psalm 86:9b). You desire that they will seek You, “in the hope that they might feel their way toward [you] and find [you]” (Acts 17:27; ESV).
It's Your desire that Your glory be told among the nations
Also, it’s Your desire that Your glory be told among the nations, and Your wonderful deeds among all the peoples (see Psalm 96:3). Not only that, Your predetermined and promised intentions for Your world, include to fear the Lord and stand in awe of You (see Psalm 33:8; 102:15a). As well, You desire that all Your works, in all places of Your dominion, bless You, the LORD (see Psalm 103:22). Also, You decreed that all nations praise You, the LORD, and that all peoples laud or extol You (see Psalm 117:1).
Dear and Dependable Father, we confess to You
Sincerely, Dear and Dependable Father, we confess to You, that the world does not live in holy reverence of You. No, they do not stand in awe of You today! Moreover, they vigorously and vehemently oppose Your messengers who tell of Your glory and Your wonderful deeds among the nations. Also, they are not humbly and honestly seeking You. Rather, they eagerly seek after what they will eat or drink or what they will wear for clothing (see Matthew 6:31-32). Sadly, they do not worship You, the true and living God.
They worship and serve
But they worship and serve “the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen” (Romans 1:25b; NASB). Instead of blessing You as You’ve desired, they blame You again and again. In fact, whenever things don’t go their way, You become the One at whose feet they lay all their blame. Moreover, with hatred and hostility, they profane Your name, instead of praising You who “gives to all people life and breath and all things” (Acts 17:25b; NASB).
O LORD, we fervently pray
Therefore, O LORD, we fervently pray for Your gracious work among the nations of today. For without Your gracious work among them, they will continue on the path doom and damnation. But You are not a God who takes pleasure in the death of the wicked. No! Not at all! Rather You desire that the wicked turn from his wicked way and live (see Ezekiel 18:23). Yes, O LORD, You are “not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9b; NASB). As such, dear Lord, we pray; reveal Your righteousness in the sight of the nations as You did in times past (see Psalm 98:5a). Reign over the nations today, that their inhabitants will tremble before You and turn to You in humble repentance. O Lord, remind them that You are in charge, and that they are not in charge after all. Above all, release them from their bondage to the god of this age who has blinded their minds (see 2 Corinthians 4:4). And, O God, make them willing to “receive the love of the truth so as to be saved” (see 2 Thessalonians 2:10; NASB).
O God, we beseech You on behalf of the nation of Israel
And now, O God, we beseech You on behalf of the nation of Israel – Your people, and Your chosen ones (see Isaiah 65:22)! All throughout their history as a nation and a people, You’ve always assured them of Your love for them. Beginning with Moses, You assured them of Your unfailing love for them. “It was not because you were more in number than any other people that the LORD set his love on you and chose you, for you were the fewest of all peoples, but it is because the LORD loves you and is keeping the oath that he swore to your fathers…” (Deuteronomy 7:7-8; ESV). “But the LORD your God would not listen to Balaam; instead the LORD your God turned the curse into a blessing for you, because the LORD your God loved you” (Deuteronomy 23:5; ESV).
Dear and Dependable Father, You gave
Moreover, Dear and Dependable Father, You gave two more of Your assurances of Your love for Israel. They are found in the prophetic books of Isaiah and Jeremiah. “Because you are precious in my eyes, and honored, and I love you, I give men in return for you, peoples in exchange for your life” (Isaiah 43:4; ESV). “I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you” (Jeremiah 31:3b; ESV). O LORD, how You really love Israel, with unceasing, unchanging, unconditional, undying, unending, and unfailing love! Indeed, Your unfailing love for them, should be deeply impressed on their hearts!
Yet, they often doubted Your love for them
But yet, they often doubted Your love for them. Instead of a deep-rooted conviction of Your love for them, Your people Israel, express mistrust about Your love for them. Through the prophet Malachi You attested Your love for Israel. But they responded with skepticism. “I have loved you,” says the LORD. But you say, “How have you loved us?” (Malachi 1:2a; ESV). Unfortunately, today, many in Israel are skeptical of Your love for them and the claim that Jesus is indeed the Messiah.
O LORD, we pray
Therefore, O LORD, we pray that You will remember Your lovingkindness and faithfulness to the house of Israel (see Psalm 98:5). Please, by the power of Your Spirit, open their hearts to embrace Your unceasing and unchanging love for them. We thank You, that even though they have doubted Your love for them, You’re willing to welcome them back to Yourself. Like the father of the prodigal son, You’re waiting with arms open to embrace them upon their return to You (see Luke 15:11-24). And yes, You’re willing to shower more of Your love on them. Just as the repentant prodigal son was given his father’s very best, so also You’re waiting to give repentant Israel Your very best (see Luke 15:22-23).
Dear and Dependable Father, we beseech You
As such, Dear and Dependable Father, we beseech You earnestly on behalf of Israel. Please, “remove the heart of stone from their flesh and give them a heart of flesh” (Ezekiel 11:19; 36:26; ESV). So that they may return to You and receive Your love for them! Rejoice in it! Relish it! Rest in it! And remain under the umbrella of Your love for them, now and forever! And as a result, they will no longer be skeptical of Your love which always seeks Your very best for them. Or of the claim that Jesus is indeed the Messiah (Yeshua HaMassiach).
O LORD, we pray for Your Church
And now, O LORD, we pray for Your Church in the nations. You want a Church whose worship of You is sincere, not superficial. Their walk with You, faithful, not fake. Yes, You desire that the witness of Your Church be vibrant, not vain. And their work with You, fruitful, not fruitless. In fact, You abhor superficial worship of You by Your people. Through Amos, Your prophet, You clearly and convincingly expressed Your hatred for the superficial worship offered to You by Your people. “I hate, I despise your feasts, and I take no delight in Your solemn assemblies. Even though you offer me your burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them; and the peace offerings of your fattened animals. I will not look upon them. Take away from me the noise of your songs; to the melody of your harps I will not listen” (Amos 5:21-23; ESV).
[You], [You] only, know the hearts
Indeed, “[You], [You] only, know the hearts of the children of mankind (2 Chronicles 6:30b; ESV). As such, You know without a doubt whether our worship of You is sincere or superficial. Why? You do not see as man sees. For man looks at the outward appearance, but You look at the heart (see 1 Samuel 16:7)! We may be impressed by the sounds, sights, and scenes of a worship service. They may appear to us as sincere. But You look further than the sounds, sights, and scenes into the heart. Therefore, we confess that You alone can accurately judge whether Your people’s worship of You is sincere or superficial. Our prayer, therefore, is that, You will transform our hearts that, Your Church today, may offer You sincere worship. A sincere worship of You, in spirit and truth. For You, our Father, seeks such people to be His worshipers (see John 4:23).
Dear and Dependable Father, we thank You
Also, Dear and Dependable Father, we thank You for empowering Your Church to be Your witnesses (see Acts 1:8). The First Century Church in Jerusalem, fully utilized the power of the Spirit in their vibrant and victorious witness of Christ. The Bible sums up their vibrant and victorious witness of Christ in these blessed words. “And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and abundant grace was upon them all” (Acts 4:33; NASB).
The apostles did their part
O Lord, the same power of Your Spirit that worked through the apostles is present with us today. The apostles did their part. It is now our turn to give our testimony to the resurrection of Jesus Christ. So, Lord, quicken Your Church to rise up to this all-important divine task! Impel Your Church to commit herself to a vibrant and victorious witness of Christ in such a time as this! And please, Lord, do it all, for the praise of Your name!
You gave us
In April 2025 (18th, 20th), You gave us the wonderful privilege of celebrating the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Now, in May 2025 (29th), You will in Your grace and goodness give us the pleasure of celebrating the Ascension of Christ. O Lord, we pray for a renewed understanding of the blessings You’ve bestowed on us through the Ascension of Christ! For magnificent and marvelous are these blessings. Moreover, our renewed understanding of them, will spur us on, in our worship, walk and work with, and witness of Christ!
O Dear and Dependable Father, to You alone, we present all our praises
O Dear and Dependable Father, to You alone, we present all our praises, prayers, petitions and penitences. For we know that You are “able to do far more abundantly than all we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to [You] be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen” (Ephesians 3:20-21; ESV).