14 May
Hos. 1:6
The reason for Lo-Ruhamah

God asked prophet Hosea to name his daughter Lo-Ruhamah to signify the end of His love for the Northern Kingdom of Israel (Hos. 1:6). But why would God no longer love His people whereas His love is irrevocable? (Rom. 11:25). God withdrew His love from them because they forsook Him (2 Chron. 7:19-22; cf Jer. 9:12-16). This is consistent with God’s nature and justice. His irrevocable love is applicable to those who acknowledge and obey no other than Him (2 Chron. 7:19-22; 2 Chron. 15:1-2; cf Jer. 9:12-16; 1 Kgs 6:11-13). The principle is the same for all generations. God does not change like shifting shadows (Jam. 1:17). The Lord abandons only those who themselves have abandoned Him (2 Chron. 5:1-2; 2 Chron. 7:19-22; 1 Kgs. 6:11-13; Jer. 9:12-16). No one can retain His love by forsaking Him. We can only keep His love by acknowledging and obeying Him fully (see 1 Kgs 6:11-13; 2 Chron. 15:1-2).

PRAYER: 1. Father, please enable me to obey you and be faithful to you fully.
2. Father, please keep me from ever forsaking you.

15 May
Ps. 145:1-2
The Lord deserves our praises always
The psalmist states here how he praises God (Ps. 145:1-2). According to him, he praises him for ever and ever every day (Ps. 145:1-2). This means that he never fails to praise God every day of his life (Ps. 145:1-2; Ps. 34:1; Ps. 63:4). The Lord is indeed worthy of regular, consistent praise (see Rev. 4:8). This is the kind of praise His angels give Him (Rev. 4:8; Rev. 7:11-12). This is how we ought to praise Him today. Inconsistent praise is unworthy of Him. Only regular, consistent praise is worthy of Him. If we are not praising Him always, it means that we are not praising Him as He deserves (see Rev. 4:8). It is only when we praise Him always that we are praising Him as He deserves. No circumstance whatever must be allowed to stop our praises to Him (see 1 Thess. 5:18).

PRAYER: 1. Father, please enable me to praise you always.
2. Father, please let no circumstance of any kind ever stop me from praising you.

16 May
Ps. 10:14
Our responsibility during trouble and grief
According to this passage, while God has the responsibility to help and care for the afflicted, the fatherless, and the helpless, they in turn have a responsibility to commit themselves and their cases to Him (Ps. 10:14). The help or care of God will take effect as the victims of affliction or trouble commit themselves and their problems to Him (Ps. 10:14). If the victim of affliction or trouble does not commit himself and his case to God, he will not find Him the refuge and an ever present help that He is (Ps. 46:1). Therefore, we who are the victims of affliction or trouble must commit ourselves and our cases to Him to receive His help and refuge. God’s help and refuge for the victims of affliction or trouble are available if they commit themselves and their cases to Him (see Matt. 7:7-8). Victims of affliction or trouble who commit themselves and their cases to God will never be disappointed (Rom. 10:11).

PRAYER: 1. Father, please enable me to commit all my troubles and afflictions to you alone.
2. Father, please be my help always.

17 May
Ps. 145:3
God is surpassing in His greatness
According to the psalmist, God is most worthy of praise because of His greatness (Ps. 145:3). In fact, to the psalmist, no one can fathom God’s greatness (Ps. 145:3). God is indeed the great God (Deut. 10:17; 1 Chron. 29:11; Ps. 95:3; Ps. 96:4). Greatness is His being and attribute (Deut. 10:17; 1 Chron. 29:11; Ps. 95:3; Ps. 96:4). His greatness is indeed surpassing and beyond measure (Ps. 150:2; Ps. 77:13). His greatness means there is none like Him (Ps. 18:31), that no one can stand before Him (cf. Ps. 76:7) or before us (Jos. 1:5; Jos. 10:8), and that nothing is impossible with Him (Lk. 1:37). It also means we are serving the sovereign God (Ps. 95:3). With His greatness, His children have no basis whatever to be afraid (Ps. 23:4; Ps. 27:1-3; Ps. 46:1-3). He will not fail to bring His greatness to bear on every matter concerning His children. We can count on seeing and experiencing His greatness in all our affairs if we belong to Him (Jn. 1:12-13).

PRAYER: 1. Father, please enable me to acknowledge, worship, and serve you alone as the only great God.
2. Father, please bring your greatness to bear in every matter concerning me.

18 May
Ps. 145:8-9
The Lord is gracious and compassionate
In this passage, the psalmist presents God as the gracious and compassionate one, slow to anger and rich in Love (Ps. 145:8-9). This is quite true of God. He is indeed the gracious and compassionate one (Ps. 86:15; Ps. 103:8-14; Matt. 9:35-36; Matt. 14:14; Matt. 15:32). His compassion is universal (Ps. 145:9; Ps. 86:5). Therefore, everyone is entitled to it (cf. Lk. 2:10-12; Jn. 3:16). He is ready and willing to forgive and show mercy to anyone who returns to Him (Prov. 28:13; 2 Chron. 30:9; Acts 2:38-39; Acts 3:19-20). He takes no pleasure in the sinner’s death but rather that he turns from his ways to Him and live (see Ezek. 33:11). Then let us take advantage of His graciousness, compassionateness, slowness to anger and richness in love (Ps. 103:8-14) and return to Him for mercy and forgiveness (2 Chron. 30:9; Acts 2:38-39; Acts 3:19-20). It is unreasonable for anyone to perish in his sin when God’s grace and compassion are still outstanding (Rev. 3:20).

PRAYER: 1. Father, please let your grace and compassion be my portion.
2. Father, please enable me to turn to you for grace and compassion.

19 May
1 Tim. 1:3-4
The danger of false teachings
Why must Timothy remain in Ephesus to confront false teachers and their teachings? It is because false teachings pose a real and serious danger to the faith. In Paul’s own words, they promote controversies than God’s work (1 Tim. 1:3-4). This is to say that they serve no useful or eternal purpose (1 Tim. 1:3-4; 2 Tim. 2:14). They serve any purpose but that of God (1 Tim. 1:3-4; 2 Tim. 2:14). This is the characteristic of all false teachings. Therefore, since false teachings serve the devil’s purpose than God’s, their teachers and teachings must be combatted. Believers must have nothing whatever to do with false teachers and their teachings (1 Tim. 4:7). We must not condone or tolerate or patronise or support it in any manner whatsoever. To do so would amount to undermining God’s work and purpose for our lives.

PRAYER: 1. Father, please give me knowledge, wisdom, understanding and revelation of the truth of your word.
2. Father, please keep me from all false teachings and errors.

20 May
Ps. 145:15-16
God alone sustains all living things
Here the psalmist affirms another important work or activity of God (Ps. 145:15-16). According to him, God is the one who provides for all living things (145:15-16). He does this faithfully (Ps. 145:15), and graciously (Ps. 145:16). This is completely true of God. All living things depend on Him for their sustenance (see Gen. 1:29-30; Matt. 6:26). If He withholds His provision, there is starvation or even death. This is His fatherly responsibility (see 1 Pet. 5:7). It is His nature or attribute to fulfil this responsibility (see Gen. 1:29-30; Matt. 6:26). No one else can fulfil this responsibility except God. Therefore, we can look up to Him for our needs (1 Pet. 5:7). In Him we have a gracious and faithful provider. And we can count on His fatherly and gracious nature. With Him, there is no need to worry about what to eat, drink, or wear (see Matt. 6:25-33). He has even promised to provide much more abundantly to those who obey Him (see Deut. 28:1-14; Ps. 1:1-3). We should be thankful to Him for His faithful sustenance.

PRAYER: 1. Father, please sustain me.
2. Father, please enable me to look up to you alone to sustain me.

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