Mighty and Merciful Father, we honestly and heartily bless you for bringing us into the new month of August 2023. Indeed, we bless You for Your many benefits and blessings freely bestowed on us. We join the sweet psalmist of Israel in doing so. “Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name! Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases” (Psalm 103:1-3; ESV)!

Many are Your benefits and blessings

Indeed, many are Your benefits and blessings that You freely bestowed on us in July 2023! Your constant presence with us! Your peace in the midst of difficult challenges! Protection from the evil one and from evil! Pardon for our many sins! Provision for us divinely and abundantly! Preservation of us, spiritually and physically! Putting up with us throughout July 2023! And picking us up when we stumbled; are some of Your benefits and blessings bestowed on us in July 2023!

Mighty and Merciful Father, we adore and appreciate You

Mighty and Merciful Father, we adore and appreciate You. For You have been good to us. Yes, You have also been doing good to us. For Your Word says: “You are good and do good” (Psalm 119:68a; ESV). Because of Your goodness to us, we know that You are seeking Your very best for us, in this life and in the life soon to come. As such, we do not want to forget Your benefits and blessings, freely and faithfully bestowed on us.

We cannot forget Your overflowing grace

O Mighty and Merciful Father, we cannot forget Your overflowing grace poured out into our lives. Your grace has been lavished upon our lives, not only for our salvation, but also for our sanctification. Yes, it has also been lavished upon us for service in Your vineyard. Because of Your grace, You always give us the good we don’t deserve. Indeed, You are the God of all grace, who has called us to Your eternal glory in Christ (see 1 Peter 5:10)!

We cannot fail to remember Your overabundant mercy

Moreover, we cannot fail to remember Your overabundant mercy marvelously conferred upon our lives. Because of Your mercy freely lavished upon us, You do not give us the punishment we really deserve for our wrongs against You. In other words, You do “not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities” (Psalm 103:10; ESV). Indeed, You are “the Father of mercies|” (2 Corinthians 1:3). Yes, the LORD our God is a merciful God (see Deuteronomy 4:31; ESV).

Father…we come to You with confidence

Father, because of Your overflowing grace and overabundant mercy freely lavished upon us, we come to You with confidence. In fact, Your Word exhorts us to do so. “Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16; ESV).

Mighty and Merciful Father…You are gracious and merciful

Mighty and Merciful Father, because You are gracious and merciful, we consciously and confidently commit our cause to You. Indeed, we dedicate the month of August 2023 to You. You know its end before its beginning. Yes, You already know all that will happen in it. In fact, nothing that takes place in it will be a surprise to us. For us, there may be many surprises in it. But that’s not the case with You. Because You, Lord, who knows the end from the beginning, are in control of all that’ll occur in August 2023!

Mighty and Merciful Father, we gladly and gratefully commit our cause to You

Therefore, Mighty and Merciful Father, we gladly and gratefully commit our way to You. Please accomplish what concerns our families, friends, fellow-believers and us in August 2023! O “the Shepherd, the Stone of Israel” (Genesis 49:24), carry out Your appointed divine purposes for Israel – Your chosen and cherished people! Also, be pleased, O Builder and Bridegroom of the Church, to execute all that concerns the Church – Your called-out and consecrated believing children. Moreover, “Lord of all the earth” (Joshua 3:11), in August 2023, fulfill all that You’ve planned and predestined for Your world. Made up of all the countries and coastlands You created under the heavens.

O King of Israel, we bring Israel to You

O “King of Israel” (Isaiah 44:6), we bring Israel to You! Your beloved nation is in turmoil over the passing of a divisive law weakening the Supreme Court on July 24, 2023. Protests against the legislation that calls for sweeping changes aimed at curbing judiciary powers have erupted in the land. In fact, You are not surprised at all by these protests. Nor are You perturbed at the unrests in the land of Israel. Rather, You are at peace and confident that these protests will not derail Your divine purposes for Israel.

By Your Spirit, enable Israel to seek the LORD

Mighty and Merciful Father, please, by Your Spirit, enable Israel “to seek the LORD, and live” (Amos 5:6a)! Set their hearts on following hard after You and Your ways! Seek good, and not evil, that they may live; that You, their LORD, the God of hosts will be with them (see Amos 5:14)! Serve the LORD their God and Him only! Show their appreciation for Your love and care for them by trusting and obeying You! For Your name’s sake, sustain and strengthen the bond of friendship between Israel and the United States, despite the passing of the divisive law!

Lord and Leader of the Church, we lift up Your Church to You

Also, Lord and Leader of the Church, we lift up Your Church to You in such a time as this! We thank You for Your unceasing and unconditional love for Your Church. We bless You that You always have her best interest at heart. In fact, You want Your very best for her, not only in this life but also in the life soon to come. As such, You are so committed to cleansing and purifying her in order for her to bring offerings in righteousness to You (see Malachi 3:3).

Lord, deliver Your Church

Please, Lord, deliver Your Church from blending in with and becoming like the world! Deliver her from evil according to Your word in Matthew 6:13! Defend her, even as You defended Jerusalem and Judah in the days of King Hezekiah of Judah (see 2 Kings 19:34-35)! Draw Your Church to Yourself in such a time as this! Deal with Your Church not according to her sins, nor repay her according to her iniquities (see Psalms 103:10)! Indeed, “If You, O LORD, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand? But there is forgiveness with You, that You may be feared” (Psalms 130:3-4; NASB).

Lord and Leader of the Church, empower Your Church

Therefore, Lord and Leader of the Church, empower Your Church by Your Spirit, to love You more and more! Live no longer for ourselves but for You who for our sake died and was raised (see 2 Corinthians 5:15)! Look to You alone as our Lord, Lover, Leader, and Life! Long for You as never before. Learn from You, for You are gentle and humble in heart (see Matthew 11:29)!

My Sheep hear My voice

Listen to Your voice and follow You, for You said: “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me” (John 10:27)! Leave no stone unturned in reaching a lost and dying world with the gospel in such a time as this! For the gospel “is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek” (Romans 1:16; ESV). Lead the unsaved to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ! For “there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).

Lord of the whole earth, we call upon You on behalf of the world

Also, “Lord of the whole earth” (Micah 4:13), we call upon You on behalf of the world, whom You loved (see John 3:16). First of all, we pray for the rulers of the nations. For Your word exhort believers to pray “for kings and all who are in high positions” (1 Timothy 2:2; ESV). In fact, we can pray with confidence for all who are in authority because of Your words in Proverbs 21:1. “The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the LORD; he turns it wherever he will” (Proverbs 21:1; ESV).

O Lord of the whole earth, turn the hearts of the rulers of all the nations

Therefore, O “Lord of the whole earth” (Zechariah 4:14), turn the hearts of the rulers of all the nations to You Yourself. Teach them Your ways! Transform them by Your truths! Also, Lord, enable them by Your Spirit to turn from their evil ways and live! Trust in You, the One True God of the universe, not in their own strength! “Taste and see that the LORD is good” (Psalm 34:8)! Take Your instruction instead of silver (Proverbs 8:10)!

We pray to You, O Mighty and Merciful Father

We pray to You, O Mighty and Merciful Father, with confidence! Because we are reminded of Your compassionate dealings with the people of Nineveh. When the king of Nineveh and his nation turned away from their evil way, You relented of the calamity that You had purposed do to them (Jonah 3:10).

We are confident

Similarly, we are confident that when rulers and their nations repent of their evil way, today, You will relent. Therefore, grant to the rulers and their nations, repentance that leads to life (Acts 11:18). Grant, also that, they will bear fruit in keeping with their repentance (Matthew 3:8).

Mighty and Merciful Father, we thank You

Mighty and Merciful Father, we thank You that You do all things well. Indeed, You are in control of human history on earth. And You will most assuredly bring it to an end exactly as You have predicted in Your Holy Word. That is why we are confident that, You will accomplish what concerns Israel, Your Church, and Your world in August 2023 and beyond! To You, O Lord, therefore, “be the glory both now and to the day of eternity (2 Peter 3:18b). And it is in the precious and powerful name of Jesus we pray. Amen.

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