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Deuteronomy |
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| Chapter 1 | Prayer | Devotional | Chapter 18 | Prayer | Devotional | |
| Chapter 2 | Prayer | Devotional | Chapter 19 | Prayer | Devotional | |
| Chapter 3 | Prayer | Devotional | Chapter 20 | Prayer | Devotional | |
| Chapter 4 | Prayer | Devotional | Chapter 21 | Prayer | Devotional | |
| Chapter 5 | Prayer | Devotional | Chapter 22 | Prayer | Devotional | |
| Chapter 6 | Prayer | Devotional | Chapter 23 | Prayer | Devotional | |
| Chapter 7 | Prayer | Devotional | Chapter 24 | Prayer | Devotional | |
| Chapter 8 | Prayer | Devotional | Chapter 25 | Prayer | Devotional | |
| Chapter 9 | Prayer | Devotional | Chapter 26 | Prayer | Devotional | |
| Chapter 10 | Prayer | Devotional | Chapter 27 | Prayer | Devotional | |
| Chapter 11 | Prayer | Devotional | Chapter 28 | Prayer | Devotional | |
| Chapter 12 | Prayer | Devotional | Chapter 29 | Prayer | Devotional | |
| Chapter 13 | Prayer | Devotional | Chapter 30 | Prayer | Devotional | |
| Chapter 14 | Prayer | Devotional | Chapter 31 | Prayer | Devotional | |
| Chapter 15 | Prayer | Devotional | Chapter 32 | Prayer | Devotional | |
| Chapter 16 | Prayer | Devotional | Chapter 33 | Prayer | Devotional | |
| Chapter 17 | Prayer | Devotional | Chapter 34 | Prayer | Devotional |
Great God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, You are a covenant-making and a covenant-keeping God. Through Moses You gave to Your people Your holy Law. You redeemed them out of bondage and gave to them the land that You promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Father, even our most wise and experienced men have erred badly, for men lack spiritual discernment. Have mercy on us or we will lose heart and disobey Your Word again and again. You rescued Your people from the land of bondage and instructed them to take the new land that You were giving to them. But Your people would not believe You. Even their appointed rulers did not obey. They led Your people in unbelief. Many died because of this faithlessness. Will we be imitators of their sin and live even now in the fear of men? Will we act like those who dream that they can only win the blessings of Your provision by our own strength? Hear us, O God, for we need to serve You now with true faith.
Great God, You have a great purpose for Your people, but we do not understand Your ways. Nonetheless, why should we complain? The journey that You have determined is according to Your design. The provision for this journey is also from Your hand. Each day has enough trouble of its own, and we should do what our hand finds for us to do for You today. We must serve You as You strictly direct us. We will search Your Word carefully to see what You command. We will also flee from those things that You have forbidden. Be pleased to lead us step by step in ways that we could never discern from our own study, observation, and consideration. The secret things are Yours, but we can seek You, and we will trust You. You can frustrate the plans of those enemies seen and unseen who may secretly stand against us. All that we have been given today we receive from Your hand, and we trust You for tomorrow.
Great Lord of Providence, You grant us victory over enemies who come against us. Even when we seem to lose, surely we do not see things as we ought. You who have given Your Son for our salvation will surely give us all things for the fulfillment of Your perfect plan. There are frightening adversaries who threaten Your people. They are powerful and crafty, but they are no match for You. You know when to give us land and provisions, and when to move us forward with few possessions. Surely You will give us rest together with all our brothers at just the right time. Your Son came to do battle for us. During His earthly days, when He taught and healed, He had no place to call His own and nowhere to lay His head. Yet He knew something of the fullness of the land that You promise us, and He moved forward without sin according to Your perfect plan. He trusted You even through the cross. We will trust You now by Your grace.
Lord God Almighty, we will listen to Your commandments and follow them as a rule of life. We will not take anything away from Your commands or add anything to them. Idolatry is not the way of life for us. Christ has won for us the land of resurrection. This land is far superior to any of the nations of men. Your Son is the best of all rulers. Your statutes are better than those of any people, and Your Son has kept these for us. The people of the Old Testament lost the land of Israel and were sent into exile because of their sinful corruptions. Christ was born under the Law, and even became a curse for us. What Israel could not do, Jesus has done. Grant us strength in prayer and service that we might take possession of the Kingdom even now. Lord we seek You with all our heart and soul. You are a merciful God, and You will never abandon those for whom Christ shed His blood. There is no God like You. Who but You could ever have rescued us out of the bondage of sin and misery? Blessed be Your Name for Your marvelous works of redemption. There were strong enemies against us, but You are God in heaven above and on the earth below. You have brought us to the city of salvation, and we are safe in our Redeemer. We move forward even now to take possession of all that You are granting to us by Your grace.
Our Father, there is something so very right about Your Law. We receive even now the testimony of Your goodness that comes from this Word. You are the Lawgiver of this great Law. We will have no other gods but You. We will not worship idols. We will honor Your Name. We will rest in Your Son and remember the Day of Resurrection. We will obey all lawful authority. We will not murder. We will turn away from every unclean impulse. We will not steal. We will be honest in all things. We will not covet what belongs to another, for You have supplied for us so bountifully in the gift of Your Son. Forgive us for our many sins. Even now we turn away from every wicked thought, word, and action. Speak to us again of the abundant pardon that is ours in Christ, and grant us grace for holy living. May we have the mind of Christ in us so that we will keep Your Law as a way of life. Where we have failed, Your Son has kept every one of Your commandments in fullest measure. Through faith in Him we have been credited with all of His bountiful obedience. What a treasure is now in our account! We thank You for Your mercy.
Almighty God, we know that a true fear of You is the beginning of wisdom. We need that holy reverence, and we need to hear Your Word. Help us to love You fully with everything that we have. Grant us diligence in training up our children in the way that You have spoken. Help us to teach them of Your marvelous grace. What good thing do we have that has not come to us as a gift from Your hand? We will be diligent about the life of faith that You have given to Your people. There is no doubt that we were once slaves of sin, but You have won an amazing battle against sin and death on our behalf. Now we have been given the kingdom of heaven through faith in Your Son.
Father God, we belong to You. You have fought against many enemies for our sake. These adversaries were too strong for us, but You have been wonderfully victorious in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. We could never have won heaven by our obedience, for we have the stain of Adam’s sin. Even more than this fatal wound, we have violated Your Law through our actions and our inaction, through our words and our silence, through our thoughts and our thoughtlessness. Where is the commandment that we have kept? Where is the law that we have not broken in the depths of our hearts? Your Son has accomplished all the obedience necessary for our salvation. We have in Him a new holy representative. In Him we are victorious. Yet there is a warfare that You have ordained for Your church. You have granted to us strength by Your Word and Spirit so that we may fight the good fight. Lead us in continued assaults of Christ-like love. We will not follow the way of the world, the flesh, and the devil. We will not hate You, O God. We will love You. You are the Source of our holy armor. We hate all idolatry and wickedness. We love Your grace and truth. Grant us wisdom to guard our homes and our lives. Cleanse us from all that is offensive to You. Strengthen us by Your Spirit, and teach us to walk in the way of love.
Great God, only You could have brought the descendants of Jacob into the Promised Land. We have been given an even better possession through faith in Your Son. This we have learned from Your Word, the necessary food for our souls. We were once dead in our sins, but we have been made alive in Your Son. Feed us with the Bread from heaven, that we might hear His voice and believe. You are able to take us through the wilderness of this age. You are bringing us into a very good land. We long to walk in that place. We bless You for Your wonderful promises. Help us to believe and to live. Grant to us a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Send forth the Water of Your Holy Spirit from the great Rock of our Salvation. We will not perish with the nations of the world. We will live.
God of our Fathers, the enemies who were against us were too strong for us. We could not have defeated them. It is not because of our righteousness that we now have been granted the kingdom of heaven. It is because of the righteousness of Your Son that we are partakers of heavenly blessings. If we had to stand before You in our own strength, the testimony of our ugly life of sin would be strongly against us. Would we bring to You our proud idolatry and immorality and suppose that You would receive it as an acceptable offering? We are so far from the necessary obedience that would merit the gift of the kingdom! Yet Your Son has provided this merit for us, and He is our great Substitute. Even now He intercedes for us. Destroy any remaining sin that infects us. Send Your Son quickly with the final consummation of His great kingdom. But we must wait and be ready. Until that day comes, preserve us, for we are Your people.
Lord God, when we fall in grievous sin, pick us up again by Your power and grace. Please help us to rediscover the blessings of faith and repentance, and grant to us a hope and a future. Help us to know that our High Priest is perfectly holy and undefiled. Help us to remember that He is on our side. To You belong the heavens, even the highest heavens. You are great and mighty. We turn our hearts again toward You. We shall fear You and hold fast to You, for You have chosen us by Your grace.
Lord God, we love You, and we will follow You. We consider Your discipline, and the distinction that You made between Your people and their enemies. We consider the way that You judge with righteousness. Therefore we commit to a full obedience to Your holy ways. Help us, O God! We will love You and serve You. We know that You will always care for us, for we are Your people. Father, when You bless us so bountifully, will we forget the Source of every good gift? Will we wander from You, as if we were the fountain of our own happiness and prosperity? Please protect us from this foolishness and ingratitude. Your people of old were given the clarity of a blessing and a curse. They were promised a land if they obeyed You. We have the fullness of blessing granted to us through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Surely we could never have won a secure blessing through the Law. Thank You for Your abundant mercy and for the glory of the gospel.
Our Father, we have become a chosen temple in Christ. We turn away from all false places of idolatrous worship. We will not worship You according to the dictates of our own hearts. We will hear Your commandments and worship You in the way that You direct us according to Your Word. We will not live as those who have no king, for Your Son is King over His church. We rejoice before You day by day. You have chosen Your Son as the Head of a holy body. We are the body that He has sanctified through His blood and righteousness. Grant that we will always love Your church as an expression of our love for our King. He poured out His life as a holy offering for our sake. Through His good work we will always be accepted in Your sight. Protect us from false systems of religion that would only move us away from You.
Lord God of Hosts, Your Son is the true and final Prophet for Your people. In every day there are false prophets and dreamers who would turn Your people from the way of true obedience. Even among Your church there are those who would suggest that the way of false worship and sin is the true path of life and happiness. Help us to take every thought captive so that we will not be led astray by our own sinful impulses. One day all wickedness will be put far away from us. Teach us how to live with love and righteousness in the present age, as we wait for the glorious appearing of Your holy Son.
Our Father, why would we ever find the way of strange worship attractive? Help us to remember that we have been made clean only through the blood of the Lamb, Jesus Christ. The day of clean and unclean food has come to an end in Him. You have even cleansed all the people of the world, that we might bring the message of Christ everywhere. Help us to see our holiness in Him alone. He is the fullness of our joy and our all in all. We give back to You a portion of what You have given to us, but surely You have purchased us fully. We are entirely Yours. Take us and use us for Your good purpose and pleasure, for You have redeemed us from sin and death, and have granted us eternal life.
Lord God, we look for the fulfillment of the day of release. We know that there is nothing lacking in the atonement that Your Son has accomplished for us. Nonetheless, we do not yet fully see and experience all of the benefits of that perfect sacrifice. We do have everything in Christ. We even enjoy all blessings by faith. Yet one day our faith shall be sight. The day of poverty and oppression will be gone. Our glorious freedom will be experienced like a wonderful breath of sweet heavenly air. Fill our hearts with the victory of holiness even now, for we are Your children.
Great God, You have removed from us all sin through Christ. Why should we keep on adding the bad leaven of wickedness into our thoughts, words, and actions? Cause us to reflect deeply upon the cross of Christ. Through His blood the danger of condemnation has been removed far from us. He is the firstfruits of the resurrection. We are His harvest through Your Word and Spirit. We are being gathered together as Your people. We long for the fullness of Your Kingdom, that we might dwell in Your presence forever in the glory of Your great provision for Your entire family. In that day, there will be no more sin among Your loved ones. We turn away from sin even now with an eager anticipation of the life to come.
Father God, there was absolutely no blemish in the offering of Christ for our sake. He had no abomination in His sinless heart. Yet He was put to death for us. Our evil was purged through the death of this perfect Substitute. He is our Priest forever. He has declared to us Your holy will. We should follow His commandments forever. Please continue to forgive us, for we have sinned against You. Your Son is also our great King. He is not a king like those of the nations. He does not need anything from us, for all things are His. Yet in His gracious love, He showers us with many royal blessings. His Kingdom is forever.
Father God, we praise You that we have a better Priest than all of the priests that descended from Aaron. We have a better system of access to You than the ways of old. As great as it was to serve You in Your tabernacle, we now have a Great High Priest who has gone beyond the veil into the true Holy of Holies. We thank You also for our great Prophet. He is superior to all the other servants who came in Your Name. Every Word that He has spoken has either already happened or will surely come to pass, for all of Your promises are Yes and Amen in Jesus Christ our Lord. Through this great Prophet and Priest we hear Your Word day by day, and bring You true worship forever.
Sovereign Lord, You have granted us a City of Refuge in Jesus Christ. Here we have an answer of true security and peace. Because of Him, we have been given an amazing inheritance. Father, is there a way that we can see this inheritance today? Is there a way to walk around that place even now? We live in a world of murder and strife. There are false witnesses and covetous trouble-makers even among Your church. We are tired of sin and misery, O Lord. Grant to us more life in Christ. There is something better in Him than even the most enlightened systems of justice that this world could ever offer, something better than even the most well-ordered church court. There is a place of abundant mercy secured by His blood.
Lord of Hosts, You were with Your people of old in their battles, and You are with us now. Take away our fear and panic. Grant us relief from entangling distractions. As much as it would depend upon us, we would be at peace with the world. You must lead us in this battle of love. There is a challenging war raging within our souls even now. Please grant to us the strength to take every thought captive, so that we might serve You with a greater purity of heart and life.
Father God, the curse of death is all around us. Even our best efforts at justice reveal a world that we cannot completely understand. When a life has been taken, who is the guilty murderer? We do not always know. Father, please give us hope and joy as we travel through this land of trouble. You have purchased us through the blood of Your Son. We are redeemed, yet we live now in a world of grief and pain. Some children are treated with very little love. Some parents are shown much rebellion and disrespect. What is the answer for us? Your Son was put upon the tree, and by His death, our guilt and shame have been removed, and we have a living hope.
Lord God, grant to us hearts that are willing to care for our brothers. Law cannot save us. The rules of former days have been fulfilled in Christ, Your holy Son. We still need law, but we need something much more. We wander and must be rescued. We must be carried home like injured children. There is yet evil in our midst. We need practical help from the leaders and teachers that You have given to us. What will we do when our teachers are themselves overwhelmed by evil or sorrow? We need something more than rules. We need Your Holy Spirit. He is the Guarantee of a day of the fullest righteousness and joy. All our disappointment and weariness will one day be lifted from our broken hearts, and we will be alive again.
Our Father, is there to be another generation? Is there hope on this earth for a future? We want peace. We want prosperity. We need help. There is trouble everywhere. Why has this evil come upon us? We thought that we were serving You. We knew that we were sinners, but our trust was in Your Son Jesus Christ. Forgive us, O Lord, we have forgotten that this age is not the end of Your plans for us. Grant us patience and perseverance beyond a time of trouble. Teach us how a man can consider it pure joy when He faces the most serious difficulties. Teach us how to move from self-centered disappointment to a more godly grief. Teach us the mystery of hope. Grant us a taste of eternity again, for we long for Your embrace.
Lord God, we need help in our marriages. You have given us a wonderful gift when one man and one woman are brought together forever as husband and wife. Forgive us when we bring trouble upon ourselves by our sin. We are weak, O Lord. We may lack food, shelter, and companionship. We are troubled by the sins of those we love. We are troubled by our own sins. Teach us the wisdom of living well in a world that is under Your wrath and curse. You have redeemed us from the bondage of iniquity. Teach us to walk in the freedom that is ours in Christ.
Lord God, You love justice and righteousness. You love the way of right discipline. Yet what is the justice that we deserve? We cannot stand the punishment that would rightly be ours, for our offense is against You. Will our names be removed from Your book of life? Thank You for the mercy that is ours in Christ. You love life, and You keep a people for yourself even in this age of destruction. What a fearful thing it is for the names of Your enemies to be blotted out from under heaven. This is not our destiny, for Your Son has suffered in our place, and has secured for us all the blessings of eternal life.
Father, You give us great gifts of food and shelter. You care for our every need. We confess our faith in You in the midst of Your assembly. We were in the greatest distress. We cried out to You and You delivered us. You Yourself are the best provision for us. It is our privilege to be generous to those who are in trouble and to provide for the building up of Your people. We promise to be faithful with the gifts that You have given to us. Please look down upon Your children from heaven and build up Your church in righteousness and peace. We will listen to Your voice. We will follow Jesus Christ. Teach us to be devoted to You forever.
Lord God, we could never bear to face the curse of the Covenant of Works. That covenant, made with Adam and His posterity, required perfect and perpetual obedience. Through that Covenant of Works we deserve death, both in body and soul. You have kindly made us aware of the truth that we could never have peace with You through law. Especially through the Law of Moses and through the exile of Israel, we see that we will only receive the curse of any covenantal arrangement based on obedience to law. We add our “Amen” to the plain facts of both the goodness of Your Law and the wretchedness of our disobedience, but we also joyfully celebrate the fact that Your Son has obeyed Your Law for us. He has taken the curse that we deserved.
Our God and Father, you set before Your people long ago such wonderful blessings in Israel if they would only obey Your Word. You would have given them all that they needed to eat. You would have blessed them with many descendants, and would have given them great fruitfulness and abundance. You would have caused their enemies to flee and would have granted them great security in the land of their inheritance. We know the facts of what happened. They did not obey, and they brought upon themselves a horrible and destructive curse. Who could bear such devastating judgments? Lord, why will we not respond to Your discipline? Why are we so committed to sin? Do we want to see horrible troubles come upon our families and Your church? Thank You for the life that You granted to Israel beyond the curse of the Law. Thank You that You kept a remnant even through exile. Thank You especially that You did not abandon Your plan to send a Redeemer who was the Seed of that remnant. He has taken horrible curses for us, though there was no sin in Him. Now we shall serve you in gladness forever. Now we have a secure hope beyond the sadness and misery of this world of sin. Father, help us by Your Spirit to trust You even in the worst tribulation. Make us faithful to the end, though much trouble may come upon us and our children. Surely You have a great plan beyond the day of the most intense trial. Gather us to Your heavenly temple where we will dwell with You forever. Cut short the sufferings of this current age, for You know that we could never endure the full burden of the trouble that we deserve.
Our Father, gather Your people together week by week for the celebration of covenant renewal. Help us to remember the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Help us to hear the word of promise. Help us to grasp the fact of our sin, but help us especially to grasp the fact of Your promise. We must not turn away from You in our hearts. We must not have a root of bitterness in our souls. We must not worship the idols of the world. There is no hope for us in those false gods. Be merciful to us forever because of the faithfulness of Jesus Christ. He never turned against You. He trusted You and obeyed You completely. He heard the Word that You revealed, and He did all the words of Your Law. Surely this was not for His own sake. He did not come to earth to save Himself. He is God forever, together with You and with the Holy Spirit. He came for us, and He has accomplished our redemption.
Lord God, is there a way back home when we have wandered so far from You? You are able to gather us back from the most distant land. Teach us to return to You. Teach us to yield our whole lives to You, and to obey You together with our children. You have placed Your Word in our hearts through the preaching of the gospel. We have been made alive. We believe You and follow Your Son. We see plainly before us both blessing and curse. We choose life through Christ, and we rejoice again in Him. Bring us home, O God! Bring us home!
O Lord of Hosts, You have given to us a perfect Mediator of the Covenant in our Joshua, Jesus Christ. He alone can bring us into the land of heavenly blessing. This One Mediator will never leave us nor forsake us. Please let us hear again the Word of the Scriptures as those who are destined to live with You forever. Your Son lives even now to intercede for us. He once lived and died, but now He lives forevermore. There could be no hope for us in ourselves, even in our best intentions and in our moments of highest and fullest obedience. There is a witness against us in Adam’s sin. There is a witness against us in our days before we surrendered to You. Forgive us Lord, but worst of all, there is a witness against us even from our lives after we came to see Your Son as King, even after we had tasted of many heavenly blessings. Is there yet hope for a blasphemer and a persecutor of the church? Blessed be Your Name, for we have been kept by Your grace. We return to You again with great thanksgiving.
Lord God Almighty, the heavens and earth are witnesses of Your glory and Your greatness. Your justice is perfect, but we have sinned against You. There is a better way for us, the way of heartfelt shame in the face of such abounding blessing. There is a way that is wonderful in gratitude. We consider Your power, and the greatness of Your gifts to our fathers. How could it be that we would forsake You and provoke You to anger? Thank You for Your Son’s faithfulness and for the wonder of Your plan of grace, even for the Gentiles. Our Father, we pray that You would use this extravagant gift to make many jealous who were marked with the sign of Your covenant in earlier days. Call many back to Your mercy and goodness. Vindicate Your people. Even more, vindicate the glory of Your Name and the power of Your salvation. There is no other God but You. Who can survive if You come in judgment? Surely there is more cause for rejoicing still, for there are yet those who are being drawn near to You through Jesus Christ. May Your church hear Your Word, not as some empty sound with no meaning, but as the very Word of life and our only hope. Father God, even Your servant Moses sinned against You, but with You there is abundant forgiveness.
Father God, please speak powerful words of blessing upon Your church day by day. You know all things, and You have chosen to reveal many wonderful things to us. Teach us to hear Your great promises with faith. Surround us with Your love, and grant to us many good gifts of the earth and its fullness. Give to us even the blessings of heaven, for we have been made alive by Your Spirit. Your Son, the greatest descendant of Judah, is our King. He will reign forever and ever. He has come to His people even beyond the borders of Israel. Your plan is good. Surely You will win the battle against any enemy who would dare to challenge You.
Glorious God Almighty, the day of each man’s death approaches. Beyond this day is the coming of all of Your good decrees for life. Grant us a glimpse each day of the age to come. In light of that new vision, teach us to live in the sure hope of the coming age. Fill us with Your heavenly Spirit, and use us for Your good purposes even in the land where we now live. We thank You for Your holy Law that came through Moses. Even more than this, we thank You that grace and truth have come to us through Your Son Jesus Christ.