A Prayer for Seeking Good in a Troubling World
"Seek good, and not evil, that ye may live: and so the LORD, the God of hosts, shall be with you, as ye have spoken." - Amos 5:14
O Sovereign Lord, God of all creation, I come before You in humble adoration and earnestly seek Your guidance and strength. In these turbulent times, when darkness looms and temptation is all around, I turn to Your Word, specifically to the wisdom of Amos 5:14, which calls us to "Seek good, and not evil, that ye may live: and so the LORD, the God of hosts, shall be with you, as ye have spoken."
Heavenly Father, I acknowledge the conflict within myself and the world around me. The allure of evil whispers in my ear, trying to lead me down paths of despair, selfishness, and strife. Yet, I know that Your desire for us is to seek goodness and righteousness, for it is through the good that we find true life, peace, and joy. Help me to remember this truth when I am confronted with choices that test my character and my faith.
Lord, I ask for Your Holy Spirit to fill me with a burning desire to seek after good. Inspire my heart to chase after that which reflects Your glory. Open my eyes so that I may see the goodness that surrounds me and the opportunities You provide each day to spread light and love in a world that desperately needs both. Teach me to identify and pursue actions that build up rather than tear down; words that encourage rather than discourage; decisions that align with Your will rather than my own selfish desires.
Almighty God, I pray not only for my own heart but also for the hearts of those around me. I lift up my family, my friends, and my community. May we all have a collective yearning to pursue good together. May our conversations be filled with uplifting words and our actions reflect Your love. Let us stand firm against the influences of evil and be united in our quest for righteousness. Remind us that we are stronger together, encouraged by each other to make choices that please You.
I recognize the struggles and challenges many face in their pursuit of good. The weight of the world can be overwhelming, and the lure of evil can seem insurmountable. Grant us the resilience to withstand temptation and the wisdom to recognize it when it arises. May we, as a community, support one another in these moments of weakness, lifting each other up in prayer and action, reflecting Your goodness in all we do.
As we seek good, Lord, we desire Your presence to guide us. Your promise that You will be with us as we pursue good is a profound comfort, reminding us that we do not walk this path alone. You are the God of hosts, who commands the very forces of nature, and yet You desire to have a personal relationship with each of us. Thank You for this unfathomable truth. May we abide in You, as You abide in us, seeking a deeper relationship that brings us closer to understanding Your heart.
Furthermore, Lord, let our pursuit of good be evident to those around us. Let our lives be a testament to Your love and grace. May our good deeds point towards You, bringing glory to Your name and drawing others into a relationship with You. May our actions speak louder than words, and may we become living examples of the transformative power of Your goodness.
As I conclude this prayer, I reaffirm my commitment to seek good, not evil, remembering always that in doing so, I embrace the life You have intended for me. Let my heart resonate with Your commands, and may my soul rejoice in the comfort of Your promise to be with me. I pray all these things in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, who exemplifies goodness perfect and pure. Amen.
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Amos 5:14 - "Seek good, and not evil, that ye may live: and so the LORD, the God of hosts, shall be with you, as ye have spoken."
Amos 5:14-15 - "Seek good, not evil, that you may live. Then the Lord God Almighty will be with you, just as you say he is. Hate evil, love good; maintain justice in the courts. Perhaps the Lord God Almighty will have mercy on the remnant of Joseph."
"Seek good, and not evil, that ye may live: and so the LORD, the God of hosts, shall be with you, as ye have spoken." - Amos 5:14
"Seek good, not evil, that you may live. Then the Lord God Almighty will be with you, just as you say he is. Hate evil, love good; maintain justice in the courts. Perhaps the Lord God Almighty will have mercy on the remnant of Joseph." - Amos 5:14-15
Amos 7:14 - "¶ Then answered Amos, and said to Amaziah, I was no prophet, neither was I a prophet's son; but I was an herdman, and a gatherer of sycomore fruit:"
Amos 5:21-27
Amos 5:24 - "But let judgment run down as waters, and righteousness as a mighty stream."
Amos 5:13 - "Therefore the prudent shall keep silence in that time; for it is an evil time."
Amos 5:10 - "They hate him that rebuketh in the gate, and they abhor him that speaketh uprightly."
Amos 5:20 - "Shall not the day of the LORD be darkness, and not light? even very dark, and no brightness in it?"
Amos 6:5 - "That chant to the sound of the viol, and invent to themselves instruments of musick, like David;"
Amos 5:7 - "Ye who turn judgment to wormwood, and leave off righteousness in the earth,"
Amos 2:5 - "But I will send a fire upon Judah, and it shall devour the palaces of Jerusalem."
Amos 5:17 - "And in all vineyards shall be wailing: for I will pass through thee, saith the LORD."
Amos 5:9 - "That strengtheneth the spoiled against the strong, so that the spoiled shall come against the fortress."
Amos 5:5 - "But seek not Beth-el, nor enter into Gilgal, and pass not to Beer-sheba: for Gilgal shall surely go into captivity, and Beth-el shall come to nought."
"¶ Then answered Amos, and said to Amaziah, I was no prophet, neither was I a prophet's son; but I was an herdman, and a gatherer of sycomore fruit:" - Amos 7:14
Amos 5:4 - "¶ For thus saith the LORD unto the house of Israel, Seek ye me, and ye shall live:"
Amos 5:21 - "I hate, I despise your feast days, and I will not smell in your solemn assemblies."
Amos 1:14 - "But I will kindle a fire in the wall of Rabbah, and it shall devour the palaces thereof, with shouting in the day of battle, with a tempest in the day of the whirlwind:"
Amos 5:25 - "Have ye offered unto me sacrifices and offerings in the wilderness forty years, O house of Israel?"
Amos 5:23 - "Take thou away from me the noise of thy songs; for I will not hear the melody of thy viols."
Amos 5:18 - "Woe unto you that desire the day of the LORD! to what end is it for you? the day of the LORD is darkness, and not light."
Amos 5:27 - "Therefore will I cause you to go into captivity beyond Damascus, saith the LORD, whose name is The God of hosts."
Amos 5:1 - "Hear ye this word which I take up against you, even a lamentation, O house of Israel."
Amos 2:14 - "Therefore the flight shall perish from the swift, and the strong shall not strengthen his force, neither shall the mighty deliver himself:"
Amos 7:5 - "Then said I, O Lord GOD, cease, I beseech thee: by whom shall Jacob arise? for he is small."
Amos 5:15 - "Hate the evil, and love the good, and establish judgment in the gate: it may be that the LORD God of hosts will be gracious unto the remnant of Joseph."
Amos 5:2 - "The virgin of Israel is fallen; she shall no more rise: she is forsaken upon her land; there is none to raise her up."
Amos 5:26 - "But ye have borne the tabernacle of your Moloch and Chiun your images, the star of your god, which ye made to yourselves."