Be careful to obey all the commands of the Lord your God, so that you may continue to possess this good land and leave it to your children as a permanent inheritance.

 If you seek him, you will find him. But if you forsake him, he will reject you forever.

Lord God my Father,

Give me the heart I need to obey you without conditions and the strength to do your work without delay. Transform me as you transform my surroundings.

In Jesus name I pray,

Amen

The musicians were appointed to their term of service by means of sacred lots, without regard to whether they were young or old, teacher or student.

Lord God my Father,

Help me to surrender to the life you desire of me and trust your plan without the need to understand what you call me to do now.

In Jesus name I pray,

Amen

Now seek the Lord your God with all your heart and soul. Build the sanctuary of the Lord God so that you can bring the Ark of the Lord’s Covenant and the holy vessels of God into the Temple built to honor the Lord’s name.”

Lord God my Father,

I want to know you well and do your will without compromise. Help me to give you all of my attention and protect me from distractions.

In Jesus name I pray,

Amen

I called on the Lord, who is worthy of praise, and he saved me from my enemies. He led me to a place of safety; he rescued me because he delights in me. “To the faithful you show yourself faithful; to those with integrity you show integrity. 27To the pure you show yourself pure, but to the crooked you show yourself shrewd.

28You rescue the humble, but your eyes watch the proud and humiliate them. They attacked me at a moment when I was in distress, but the Lord supported me. 19He led me to a place of safety; he rescued me because he delights in me. 20The Lord rewarded me for doing right; he restored me because of my innocence.

Lord God my Father,

You are so worthy of my praise. Help me to keep you in my thoughts before any desire comes to me. Keep me close so I see your greatness before I enter a struggle. You are everything good.

In Jesus name I pray,

Amen

Then the king ordered that they bury the bones in the tomb of Kish, Saul’s father, at the town of Zela in the land of Benjamin. After that, God ended the famine in the land.

Lord God my Father,

Help me to bring your desire to myself and those around me and encourage healing to our country.

In Jesus name I pray,

Amen

But you, O Lord, are a shield around me;

you are my glory, the one who holds my head high.

I will praise you as long as I live,

lifting up my hands to you in prayer.

5You satisfy me more than the richest feast.

“You’ve said enough,” David replied. “I’ve decided that you and Ziba will divide your land equally between you.”

30“Give him all of it,” Mephibosheth said. “I am content just to have you safely back again, my lord the king!”

Lord God my Father,

You are my protector, help me to trust your strength. The more I praise you, the more strength I seem to have. You make me feel comfortable in life’s struggles and take the burden for me. Help me to release my desire to be in control and accept your guidance with obedience and delight.

In Jesus name I pray,

Amen

When people tried to bow before him, Absalom wouldn’t let them. Instead, he took them by the hand and kissed them. 6Absalom did this with everyone who came to the king for judgment, and so he stole the hearts of all the people of Israel.

But Ittai said to the king, “I vow by the Lord and by your own life that I will go wherever my lord the king goes, no matter what happens—whether it means life or death.”

For the Lord had determined to defeat the counsel of Ahithophel, which really was the better plan, so that he could bring disaster on Absalom!

Lord God my Father,

Keep me so close that Satan cannot deceive me. Protect me with your Peace. Give me courage to stay with you in all trials. Give me discernment for your plan.

In Jesus name I pray,

Amen

So he sent for a woman from Tekoa who had a reputation for great wisdom.

God does not just sweep life away; instead, he devises ways to bring us back when we have been separated from him.

Lord God my Father,

Help me to grow in your wisdom so you can use me as you wish. Help me to be still with my thoughts so your plan can flow through me as you desire.

In Jesus name I pray,

Amen

In the spring of the year,11:1 Hebrew At the turn of the year. The first day of the year in the ancient Hebrew lunar calendar occurred in March or April. when kings normally go out to war,

 “The Ark and the armies of Israel and Judah are living in tents,11:11 Or at Succoth. and Joab and my master’s men are camping in the open fields. How could I go home to wine and dine and sleep with my wife? I swear that I would never do such a thing.”

Then David invited him to dinner and got him drunk. But even then he couldn’t get Uriah to go home to his wife. Again he slept at the palace entrance with the king’s palace guard.

 But the Lord was displeased with what David had done.

Have mercy on me, O God,

because of your unfailing love.

Because of your great compassion,

blot out the stain of my sins.

2Wash me clean from my guilt.

Purify me from my sin.

3For I recognize my rebellion;

it haunts me day and night.

His advisers were amazed. “We don’t understand you,” they told him. “While the child was still living, you wept and refused to eat. But now that the child is dead, you have stopped your mourning and are eating again.”

22David replied, “I fasted and wept while the child was alive, for I said, ‘Perhaps the Lord will be gracious to me and let the child live.’ 23But why should I fast when he is dead? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him one day, but he cannot return to me.”

Lord God my Father,

Keep me from following my own plan and submitting to yours completely. Keep me from my sinful desires and straying off the path you desire. Give me strength to overcome the strongholds I allow in my life and cut me loose from the boundaries I place on your blessings for me. Set me free in your plan and desire.

In Jesus name I pray,

Amen

the Ammonite commanders said to Hanun, “Do you really think these men are coming here to honor your father? No! David has sent them to spy out the land so they can come in and conquer it!” 4So Hanun seized David’s ambassadors and shaved them, cut off their robes at the buttocks, and sent them back to David in shame.

Lord God my Father,

Keep me focused on your truth and protect me from deception.

In Jesus name I pray,

Amen