2 Kings 4

The wife of a man from the company of the prophets cried out to Elisha …
Lord God of the Universe, Who keeps the planets spinning and the stars shining, I thank You that You don’t vaguely recollect me, that You don’t quite know if we’ve met, that You aren’t sure where You’ve seen me before; I thank You that You know me, You know my name, You have sought me out and lift up my face when it is downcast. You are the One Who sees me, You called me out of darkness, You planned for me and kept to Your plan – even as I cost You so dearly. You know my name. I praise You today for that precious thought.

Elisha replied to her, “How can I help you? …”
Precious Father, In light of all that You have done for me, how You esteem me and what You have paid for me – may this be my attitude to the Kingdom and the world, rather than “what do you want?” Please help me not grow weary of doing good. To the praise of Your very great and priceless Name.

2 Kings 3

Nevertheless he (Joram) clung to the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat ....

Father, Jeroboam has been gone a long time; but he is still identified as the one with the sins which turned Israel away from You.  God, please help me not be that kind of example in any way.  Please help my choices never cause another to stumble or turn away from you.  Rather help me be an encourager of Your people, a lover of Your Word and a doer of Your Will.  May my example lead others to You and discourage them from You.  You only are worthy of obedience and worship; Holy Spirit guide my life so that it reflects those priorities well.  Please don't let me wander off, turn away or sit down on the craggy mountain peaks looking around.  I want to keep steady and pace with Your plan for me. Thank You.

2 Kings 2

“Yes, I know,” Elisha replied, “so be quiet.” focus on the important things, not  chatter about the important things.

“Let me inherit a double portion of your spirit,” Elisha replied. seek spiritual gifts, ask boldly, for as much as I can imagine as He does far more than that.

Yes and amen, my Lord, help me to focus on worthy things, not merely chit-chat about such possibilities. Lord, teach me to desire the spiritual, to consider the eternal, to desire the sacred and ever-after more highly than I do the temporal, dusty, wash and wearing out world I am surrounded by. Grant me vision for the unseen, heart for the invisible and strength for that domain. Grow me up in You, Lord Jesus, grow me up. Thank You.

2 Kings 1

Thank You Father for Your privilege and provision for prayer and intercessors.  Thank You Jesus that You intercede for me and thank You Holy Spirit for Your intervention, too.  Thank You my God for Your revelation of Yourself to me, of drawing me to You and giving me faith to come to You.  I thank You that You distinguish Yourself from the lesser gods in this world., that I don't have to "send out" to another region for wisdom, that You are the Most High God, King of the Universe and All Creation and that You are mine and I am Yours.   Please help me not to seek my answers from You in a second-hand fashion, though.  When I need an answer, may I go directly to You, Your Word and Your Spirit for the response.  Please help me to be transparent and humble to ask others for help in praying; but not for them to be responsible for my direction. 

1 Kings 22

Now Zedekiah … had made horns of iron for himself; and he said, “Thus says the Lord: ‘With these you shall gore the Syrians until they are destroyed.’”
Holy Spirit, keep me from the arrogance off Zedekiah who made something for himself and pitched it as from you. Let me never be so insecure or hungry for the approval of men or their verdicts on my value that I make something for myself and sell it as from You. God forbid, please!

And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “Did I not tell you he would not prophesy good concerning me, but evil?”
Lord, grant me vision and understanding to see that when I feel Your Word has nothing good to say to me that the problem is not with the Word or the messenger; but with the subject. Holy Spirit, make my heart and keep my heart teachable. for Your glory, please.

1 Kings 21

And the word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying, “See how Ahab has humbled himself before Me? Because he has humbled himself before Me, I will not bring the calamity in his days.”

Lord, help me to understand that my wickedness is like Ahab’s, that I must humble myself before You. I must choose to always humble myself before You, as my mind’s preoccupation is not naturally humble. You give me holiness; but only as I empty myself of me. God, let my need for You never escape my attention.

1 Kings 20

Lord, I pray I find my confidence in You.  That I would not easily nor willingly agree to give to the enemy that which You have entrusted to me.  God, please keep me from consenting to a pillaging by the one who hates You.  I am glad to see the elders and the people hindered King Ahab from willfully opening his treasures to his enemy; but God, where do I give assent in a similar fashion, how do I throw away spiritual honors, gifts and jewel, what am I agreeing to that I should not?  And, when I am asked, as the prophet requested a local to strike him, to do a difficult thing, a distasteful thing, a demanding thing, may I seek Your perspective before I refuse.  God, help me to not miss Your invitation, Your call to action or prayer, You.  Don't let my wisdom, experience and culture blind me to what You bestow on me.

1 Kings 19

Holy Spirit, please help me to pray diligently for my pastor and leaders the day after services; please help me to remember the exhaustion and vulnerability which can greet them after pouring out in service and worship to You. Please help me to remember that I, too, may be more prone to emotional responses after the music dies down, beyond the last words, when the door closes on the service offered with holy hands. May the spiritual, the sacred and divine inform and inspire the temporal. All this to the praise of Your very great Name.

Suddenly a voice came to him, and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

Lord, I think I would have answered, “I have no idea.” But he was still very responsive to Jezebel’s threat. He was still believing that she had power over You, her verbal aggression could harm him. Help me to see the mercies in the bad news and disturbing circumstances – like how the messenger found him and not a mercenary. Help me to first turn to You for strength, perspective, direction. Let me not run away and then go a day farther into the wilderness in response to someone’s words. Only You should and must have that influence over me. And, Holy Spirit, please tell me what I am doing here. Lord Jesus, I want to follow Your way and derive my purpose solely from what the Father says – help me to walk in that way, worthy of the “why” and faithful to the call.

1 Kings 18

let it be known this day that You are God in Israel and I am Your servant, and that I have done all these things at Your word.

Let it be known each day through my life, thoughts, my words and my interactions that You are God and i am You servant.  I pray that all I do will be at Your Word and for Your glory.  Please help me to remember the right response to You is to fall on my face and declare "You are LORD, Lord, You are God!" and then get up and do Your work.  Give me seeing eyes and hearing ears and submitting soul.  You, Lord, are God.  None like You!

1 Kings 17

Then the word of the Lord came to him, saying,  “Get away from here ... And it will be that you shall drink from the brook, and I have commanded the ravens to feed you there.”

Lord, help me to trust You increasingly when Your instructions are distasteful, weird and/or inconvenient to me.  May I rejoice in You while in the unfamiliar, uncomfortable and the unreal circumstances You grant me.  Holy Spirit, I am not my own, let me graciously remember that fact when You trust me with a shaking of my life's situation.

Then the woman said ..., “Now by this I know ....”

Father, this woman had such opportunity to know prior to her son's sickness; but it was through this season that she came to confidently comprehend.  I praise You for Your inestimable kindness in sending Elijah her way, for providing daily for each of them, and for caring to draw her in to such a viable and personal relationship that You would go to the extremes of risking Your reputation with her by threatening, if not taking the life of her son.  I don't exactly understand her comment about her sin being remembered; but I recognize that was a piece of this event for her, for her healing, for her freeing, for her knowing and experiencing You.  You are so gracious to use what is necessary; but not more than what is needful to accomplish Your divine purpose.  God, she was a sinner, had a sin which she toted around in her mind and maybe her reputation - I am that sinner, too.  Thank You for healing, freeing, and letting me to know and experience You in the dailyness of the life You provide.  You are All-Wise, All-Knowing, All-Powerful, All-Kind, and All-Good.  I praise You for Your provision and grace.  I revel in our relationship.  Thank You, my God.

1 Kings 16

… because of the sins which he had committed in doing evil in the sight of the Lord, in walking in the way of Jeroboam, and in his sin which he had committed to make Israel sin....
Now the rest of the acts of … all that he did, and the might that he showed/ the treason he committed, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?
… Now Ahab ... did evil in the sight of the Lord, more than all who were before him. And it came to pass, as though it had been a trivial thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam ..., that he …….

Lord, the sins are increasing, each king is doing more evil in the sight of Your holy eyes and leading Your children in sin. Whatever they do they do as a leader of people. These kings do not act as individuals, for they represent and influence people. Evil begats evil. We sense a climax with Ahab as he blows the standard of evil away by pursuing his agenda in marriage. He treats the heinousness of the sins of his predecessors as inconsequential. What must it have taken for Your Word to say that?

God, please help me to have no tolerance for sin in my life and in those around me. Let me offer no quarter for the evils which will pile up until they seem trivial due to their manifold presence. Increase my desire, my passion and my priority for holiness, obedience, and purity. You are King. I am servant. May I steward well that which You entrust to me, who You entrust to me. May my actions and reactions bring You glory, extend Your fame and bless people – especially Your people. You alone are worthy to be glorified. May my life be spent in that sacred pursuit.

1 Kings 15

… until he had destroyed him, according to the word of the Lord which He had spoken by His servant …

God’s words are serious. They are not spoken lightly or even as sober suggestions. Help me to receive all of the Word and words You speak/have for me and respond fully, in the right time and not in disbelief. Lord, according to You Word, this realm exists. How can I unconcernedly flit through life merely sampling Your holy writ when You intend life, salvation, sanctification, healing, wholeness, Kingdom purpose with Your communications. Help me to take You more seriously and personally. Holy Spirit, go deeper in me and break up the clumpy spots, lest I rest on the craggy spots thinking I have accomplished something; unchain locked doors of my heart and mind lest continue a spiritual cripple or recluse; remind me of my desperate need for Your grace, supply and forgiveness lest I work out my faith out in fleshly expressions. I need You, I trust You, I believe You. Let me not stray from these truths today, and every day. Thank You for Your faithfulness, thank You for not releasing me to myself. You are good. According to Your Word, Lord, have Your Way with me all the days of the life You have granted me.

1 Kings 14

When your feet enter the city, the child shall die. ... because in him there is found something good toward the Lord God of Israel in the house of Jeroboam.

Lord, the child was rewarded with death because of his heart towards You.  But the death was the gateway to the boy being with His perfectly loving, heavenly Father. You saved him from the catastrophe of what was to come - probably even being executed when the new king shows up.   What a grace You extended to this son of the rebellious, selfish king.  Please continue to open my eyes to Kingdom ways.

Holy Spirit, please help me to live out the truth that how I worship informs and impacts every other part of my life - that my worship will bear fruit in all areas of my life.    Please keep me in Spirit and Truth, not swayed by pop culture, political correctness nor pleasurable preferences, that the harvest may be of righteousness and grace - life bearing, life giving and life sustaining.  For Your praise, Your Kingdom, Your Name.

1 Kings 13

...whoever wished, he consecrated him...

You call us, we don't, we don't empower ourselves, we don't seek after You, there is none righteous.  God, keep me from pursuing whatever I wish just because it seems good, scratches a legal itch or sounds right.  I only want to respond to Your call on my life.  Thank You.

1 Kings 12

Thank You God.  You are God of events and of turn-of-events.  I praise You for Your sovereignty and authority which are perfectly Yours.  I praise You that You trump kings and rulers, powers and authorities, men and women.  You are the Most High God. Help  me to see where I am flying in the face of Your specific instructions to me; God, I don't want to act/decide out of fear, worry or manipulation.  I want to obey You and bring You glory.  Please keep me out of the equation, Holy Spirit that I may hear clearly and respond graciously, immediately and obediently.  Thank You and I praise Your Name!

1 Kings 11

So the Lord became angry with Solomon, because his heart had turned from the Lord God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice…
Holy and In-me Spirit of the Living and Perfect God, please keep me close to Your Word, Your purpose, to You; especially when I feel like You have been silent for any period of time. Let me not turn to my own ways or the ways of the the ungodly around me. I want You.

1 Kings 10

... He made you king, to do justice and righteousness.
Lord, may I do justice and righteousness in the square of Your Kingdom You have entrusted to me.

Happy are your men and happy are these your servants ... .
May I serve You, Lord God of the Universe as these happy men and servants did King Solomon; for You are the greatest King, the King of Kings.  May I always recognize the privilege to be in Your divine Presence and to serve You, O Great God.

1 Kings 9

... My eyes and My heart will be there perpetually.
Lord, You promised this for Solomon's handiwork; but You have delivered Your eyes and heart to each generation.  Holy Spirit, with Your faithful presence, Your eyes and heart are in me.  Oh, help me to see with Your sight and to feel, decide and respond with Your heart.  You are perpetually God and I thank You for Your gracious and eternal Presence. 

I Kings 8

... so that the priests could not continue ministering because of the cloud; for the glory of the Lord filled the house of the Lord.


Lord, please interrupt my work, my ministry, my service anytime with Your great and glorious Glory.  Your Kingdom is at hand, and I praise You for that!  Thank You that You are among Your servants in their ministry. 


I have surely built You an exalted house, And a place for You to dwell in forever.

So Solomon said; but he had no idea that You would one day dwell in his descendents.  Father, grant me vision for Your plans, heart for Your passions and strength to live in Your will.  Thank You for the joy which comes from You, Your Word and Your Presence. 

You have both spoken with Your mouth and fulfilled it with Your hand.

That's what You do, You speak and Your words are fulfilled by Your hand.  You do what You say.  I praise You for Your faithfulness and unchanging nature.  You are ever good.  Thank You.

hear...and forgive...
I praise You that You hear and Your forgive.  For against You have I sinned.  You are gracious to forgive, loving to atone, omniscient to know.  Thank You again, Faithful God and Savior.  

... when each one knows the plague of his own heart ...
Thank You Holy Spirit that You reveal the plagues of my heart.  Please continue Your sanctifying work, Your gracious renewing and growing of this little life for the Kingdom of God.  Heal and reveal.  

... that He may incline our hearts to Himself ... 
Oh, God, You incline Yourself to us; but that You would incline our hearts to You.  Please do this, do this, do this.  We won't incline towards You unless You first draw us to You.  Only by Your Spirit, only by Your power, only by Your grace.  I thank You.

... that all the peoples of the earth may know that the Lord is God; there is no other.
 You are Lord and there is no other, whether or not we want to know this, acknowledge this or respond to this.  I am so grateful You have given me the privilege of knowing, acknowledging and responding to Your Lordship.   I praise You that You desire all people of the earth to know You, Lord are God.

 

1 Kings 7

Lord, the details and dimensions are amazing.  You wanted these details remembered for all time, the enormity of the work, the measurements, the capacities....  Wow.  All the years and all the resources and all the man-hours culminate in the phrase, "Thus all the work ... was finished."  Then, Solomon brought those precious items his father had held sacred for You and deposited them in the place he had worked so diligently to make for You and for them.  The dedication to this work and then for him to be able to see the work completed, to participate in the installment of the treasures for You - what a privilege You gave David's boy.  How seriously he held his responsibility.  God, I thank You for this picture of devotion, sacrifice and faithfulness for Your great Name.  May I be found faithful to continue the work given to me, may I see it through to the finish (or however long You grant me to labor), may I maintain the careful attention to detail , the excellent craftsmanship worthy of Your Kingdom's work and the high quality service to Your Name and Your purpose.  Also, may I recognize when I need to call in an expert, and not be deceived in thinking that I can do the entire body of work.  Finally, may my work bring glory to Your Name, to Your Kingdom and to Your will.  Thank You Lord that You gave peace to Solomon that he might have sufficient opportunity to build without distraction or additional cost.  May I serve You well in the various seasons You provide me; making the most of each opportunity.

1 Kings 6

... if you will walk in My statutes and obey My rules and keep all My commandments and walk in them, then I will establish My word with you...
 
Lord, You do the establishing.  You created me, called me, enabled me to respond and obey, and You establish Your Word with me.  I praise You for Your wonders!  You are gracious to this one.  Thank You!  Also, can I say I love the little detail  that Your house for meeting people took 7 years and 6 months to build.  Seven is Your number and 6 is man's.   Thank You for the added symbolism of God coming to and being accessible to man in even the timing. 

1 Kings 5

for Hiram always loved David. … Hiram heard the words of Solomon, he rejoiced greatly and said, “Blessed be the Lord this day, who has given to David a wise son to be over this great people.” … And there was peace between Hiram and Solomon.

Lord God, I thank You for the alliances of my forefathers, spiritual and physical, which have blessed me. May I be found to be like Hiram, a good friend and one who rejoices greatly at Your blessing and provision for others. May I be generous and supportive when others are doing great things for Your great Name, may I dare to join in Your work by prayer (if only), by sharing what You have blessed me with and by hospitality to those visiting. ..or any other way You direct. Your work shall be done, may we be faithful stewards of what You entrust to us. Thank You for the example of Hiram.

1 Kings 4

… Zabud the son of Nathan was priest and king’s friend ….
Zabud, the son of the one faithful, godly counselor to David was friend to the son of David.
Lord, this comforts me so much, that You would care to have friends for Your people, that that title would be significant in Your Word, that relationship would be relevant in the story of Your glory. But again, You identify a friend to the king, (Jonathan to David, Zabud to Solomon). Thank You for showing me Your priority and preference for us. May I be a friend to those around me, may I be a godly and faithful friend and may I raise those entrusted to me to be friends to kings and others as well. Your way is to be praised. You are trustworthy. I thank You for the beautiful friendships You have blessed me with, I thank You that You have made extreme and eternal arrangements for me to be called friend. What a gift. What a responsibility. I praise You for this today.

And people of all nations came to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and from all the kings of the earth, who had heard of his wisdom.
Solomon received wisdom from You, subsequently he was a display of Your glory. People learned of You because of what You had done for him. God, may You be made famous through my little life and the splendid gifts You bestow. May I recognize and comprehend Your splendid gifts, in order to steward well that which You have given me for Your glory’s sake.

1 Kings 3

Solomon loved the Lord… may You say this of me, my Lord and my God. 

And Solomon awoke, and behold, it was a dream. … the wisdom of God was in him to do justice.
Lord, Solomon had to have faith that what You imparted to him in his dream was real, to implement that which You had given him. He worshiped in response to realizing it was a dream – no, he worshiped You in spite of the fact that he recognized that was a dream – it doesn’t say that he knew it was a dream from God….so, it seems regardless of what he thought of the dream, he chose to worship. May I respond to You in worship, no matter what dreams and situations come my way. Faith and recognizing You in everything. Worship is the right response. Also, I imagine there were precedents in dealing with the two mothers’ sad problem. Legal, fleshly, even merely human methods of dealing. But Solomon chose to operate in the wisdom You had given him to do justice. Lord, may our leaders, our communities, our church, I be useful to do justice in Your wisdom.

1 Kings 2

When David’s time to die drew near, he commanded Solomon his son, saying, “… Be strong, and show yourself a man, and keep the charge of the Lord your God, walking in his ways and keeping his statutes, …”

Lord, help me to speak wisdom and truth into my children and the children of my heart before my time to die dawns. Don’t let me be so busy with matters of state, community, education that I fail to impart the truths to be strong and show themselves as mature and godly Spirit-bearers, to heed Your great Word, to walk in response to Your Kingdom ways and purpose. God, don’t let me miss the moments to speak into their lives, don’t let me be deceived into thinking that they will catch by example or by their own schooling the values You have given to me. I have a trust, may I steward well that which You have graciously bestowed on me.
Also, Father, please help me to keep godly accounts that my kids and those I leave behind, (whether my leaving is due to a departure from a job or a change in where I live or when I die – however You move me), that no one is left killing off problems or issues that were mine in Your power and wisdom to solve.

1 Kings 1

Now Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, “I will be king.” ... Then it was told Solomon, “Behold, Adonijah fears King Solomon, for behold, he has laid hold of the horns of the altar, saying, ‘Let King Solomon swear to me first that he will not put his servant to death with the sword.’”

Lord, You said the first shall be last and the last shall be first - and You mean it.  Your plans will not be foiled by my selfish ambitions, vain imaginations and contrived rebellion.  I thank You for Your consistency, constancy and immediacy.  Even when I through the party; Your will will be done.  May I in humility respond to You, my King.  And may I ever be content with where You in wisdom and sovereignty place me, if You choose to place me at all. 

His father had never at any time displeased him by asking, “Why have you done thus and so?”

Lord, please keep me from choosing peace through ignorance rather than risking a confrontation.  Let me never fear displeasing another when You have purposed me for a divinely inspired question or comment.  I thank You for Your grace and strength of Spirit. You alone are worthy of praise and fearing. 

Psalm 150

Please show me how I can praise You throughout my day, as I fulfill the roles You have entrusted to me. Help me to praise You in my dreams. Lord God, You are worthy of praise from me – constantly – and yet, I fail to praise You faithfully. Show me where I am un-praising You and teach me to praise You through the through and through of my life. I praise You that You have given me breath. Help me to praise You with it.

Psalm 149

Sing to the Lord a new song …
Teach me Your words that I might sing to You a new and worthy song. To praise You with all of my inmost being, to bless Your holy Name.

Psalm 148

All creation is to praise You, Lord. How do they do that? Is it simply being what You created them to be? Doing and fulfilling Your purpose in creating them? Lord, I want to join them in that natural response to You, being and fulfilling Your purpose in my life. I also want to join in the supernatural, the spiritual realm of praise for You have (re)created me there, too. May I walk, and grow by Your grace, Your power and Your purpose, in the fulfillment of Your will for me in the temporal and the eternal worlds. Increase my faith and desire that I may believe and engage in both kingdoms to the glory of Your Name. Holy Spirit, I choose this today. Show off in my life that I may respond in harmony from the heights and the depths,and in all seasons to You.

Psalm 147

Praise the Lord! For it is good to sing praises to our God; for it is pleasant, and a song of praise is fitting. I am challenged by these words today, help me to praise You my God, may I recognize the goodness, the pleasantness and the appropriateness of praising You. May I choose to praise You rather than considering my own estate, my own thoughts and my own well-being. To You belongs my heart, my mind, my soul, my strength. May they be engaged in Your purposes and for Your glory.

He declares His Word to Jacob, His statutes and rules to Israel. He has not dealt thus with any other nation; they do not know His rules. … but the Lord takes pleasure in those who fear him, in those who hope in his steadfast love. Praise the Lord!   I thank You that You have declared Your Word to Jacob and Your rules to Israel and that they were to share them with others. I thank You and praise You for Your adoptive heart towards those not born of the biological line of Israel. Thank You for allowing others to fear You and hope in Your steadfast love. You gave us that gift and have called us Your Own. Lord, let us remember our continuing debt of love, especially to Israel. Thank You for the privilege of sharing the Name of the Messiah, the love of Your Kingdom and the fellowship of Your family. May You be increasingly glorified in my time.

Psalm 146

Lord my God, You are my Help and my Hope. You keep faith forever and You watch over the sojourners. You are the Lover of the righteous. By Your gracious love, I know You in these ways. Thank You. May I live the righteous sojourning life, to the praise of Your very great Name.