They worshiped idols, though the Lord had said, “You shall not do this.”

But they would not listen and were as stiff-necked as their ancestors, who did not trust in the Lord their God. 

He has sent lions among them, which are killing them off, because the people do not know what he requires.”

 Do not worship other gods. 38Do not forget the covenant I have made with you, and do not worship other gods. 39Rather, worship the Lord your God; it is he who will deliver you from the hand of all your enemies.”

Lord God my Father,

Make my heart crave only you. Show me where I put anything above you in my heart, help me to truly listen to you. Expose the evil in me so it may be taken and I may be restored to your design. Cause your covenant to be the most important thing in my life.

In Jesus name I pray,

Amen

I will take vengeance in anger and wrath on the nations that have not obeyed me.”

Though I sit in darkness, the Lord will be my light.

Lord God my Father,

Bring America under your authority, help us to restore it to your original design and honor you first. You are the light we all need.

In Jesus name I pray,

Amen

Jotham grew powerful because he walked steadfastly before the Lord his God.

What will you do on the day of reckoning, when disaster comes from afar? To whom will you run for help? Where will you leave your riches? 4Nothing will remain but to cringe among the captives or fall among the slain.

Lord God my Father,

Reveal your way to me and make me ready so I may know you. Show me where I allow distractions and give me your strength to avoid them and keep me close in all things.

In Jesus name I pray,

Amen

People will stagger from sea to sea and wander from north to east, searching for the word of the Lord, but they will not find it.

Lord God my Father,

Keep my heart open so I may not stray from you and keep my eyes open so I may see you.

In Jesus name I pray,

Amen

because they have been led astray by false gods, the gods their ancestors followed, 5I will send fire on Judah that will consume the fortresses of Jerusalem.”

“But you made the Nazirites drink wine and commanded the prophets not to prophesy.

He who forms the mountains, who creates the wind, and who reveals his thoughts to mankind, who turns dawn to darkness, and treads on the heights of the earth— the Lord God Almighty is his name.

Lord God my Father,

Keep me close to you so I may not wonder off your path. Your way is good, any other way is compromise. Open my eyes so I may see your path and keep my focus on you. Show me how to be still so I may hear your thoughts.

In Jesus name I pray,

Amen.

But the Lord Almighty will be exalted by his justice, and the holy God will be proved holy by his righteous acts.

Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes and clever in their own sight.

Consult God’s instruction and the testimony of warning. If anyone does not speak according to this word, they have no light of dawn. 21Distressed and hungry, they will roam through the land; when they are famished, they will become enraged and, looking upward, will curse their king and their God. 

Lord God my Father,

Only you are holy, I am filled with darkness. Help me to keep my stare on you and not on myself. Only your wisdom and way can save me and cause me to flourish. Be my advisor and cause me to hear you as you desire. Keep me from focusing on my world.

In Jesus name I pray,

Amen

Wash and make yourselves clean. Take your evil deeds out of my sight; stop doing wrong. 17Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow.

If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the good things of the land; 20but if you resist and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword.” For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.

Lord God my Father,

Look deep into me and remove the filth in me and restore me to your creation. Make me clean, strong and dedicated to your will and bring your protection over me so I may delight in the struggles of the day as I learn from them.

In Jesus name I pray,

Amen

But after Uzziah became powerful, his pride led to his downfall. He was unfaithful to the Lord his God, and entered the temple of the Lord to burn incense on the altar of incense. 17Azariah the priest with eighty other courageous priests of the Lord followed him in. 18They confronted King Uzziah and said, “It is not right for you, Uzziah, to burn incense to the Lord. That is for the priests, the descendants of Aaron, who have been consecrated to burn incense. Leave the sanctuary, for you have been unfaithful; and you will not be honored by the Lord God.”

Uzziah, who had a censer in his hand ready to burn incense, became angry. While he was raging at the priests in their presence before the incense altar in the Lord’s temple, leprosy broke out on his forehead. 20When Azariah the chief priest and all the other priests looked at him, they saw that he had leprosy on his forehead, so they hurried him out. Indeed, he himself was eager to leave, because the Lord had afflicted him.

Lord God my Father,

Keep me from becoming prideful and considering myself wise. Protect my spirit and keep me humble in your eyes. Keep me from doing things on my own without your guidance.

In Jesus name I pray,

Amen

What I have vowed I will make good. I will say, ‘Salvation comes from the Lord.’ ”

10And the Lord commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land.

 Let everyone call urgently on God. Let them give up their evil ways and their violence. 9Who knows? God may yet relent and with compassion turn from his fierce anger so that we will not perish.”

10When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he relented and did not bring on them the destruction he had threatened.

 I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity. 3Now, Lord, take away my life, for it is better for me to die than to live.”

But the Lord said, “You have been concerned about this plant, though you did not tend it or make it grow. It sprang up overnight and died overnight. 

Lord God my Father,

Give me a heart that has integrity for your plan. Keep me from the struggles I may pursue by my desire and stay focused on you. Help me to know and turn from my evil way and accept your grace as it is placed on others and keep me from judgement.

In Jesus name I pray,

Amen

Joash did what was right in the eyes of the Lord all the years Jehoiada the priest instructed him. 3The high places, however, were not removed; the people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense there.

Why aren’t you repairing the damage done to the temple? Take no more money from your treasurers, but hand it over for repairing the temple.” 8The priests agreed that they would not collect any more money from the people and that they would not repair the temple themselves.

They did not require an accounting from those to whom they gave the money to pay the workers, because they acted with complete honesty. 

All the officials and all the people brought their contributions gladly, dropping them into the chest until it was full. 

‘Why do you disobey the Lord’s commands? You will not prosper. Because you have forsaken the Lord, he has forsaken you.’ ”

Lord God my Father,

Show me the compromise I still allow in my walk and place the removal of them in my path. Hold me accountable and purify my thoughts and actions. Make me trustworthy in all dealings. Create a delightful way in me that shows your Glory to others and leads them to you.

In Jesus name I pray,

Amen