01.04. Week 4

FOURTH WEEK

Sunday morning

O most merciful Father, who are near to all who call upon You, be very near to us this day. Through Your Son Jesus Christ we have access to You with boldness and confidence. May Your Spirit rest upon us and draw us to Your mercy-seat. Remove every veil of unbelief, and every wandering thought. Fix our desires upon Yourself, and hallow this sacred day by giving us fresh tokens of Your gracious favor.

We would beseech You, O Father, to grant us Your special presence when we go into Your courts. Send out Your light and Your truth that they may lead us. Shine into our hearts, and reveal unto us the glory of Christ. May we behold Him as all-sufficient to heal our infirmities and supply all our necessities.

Blessed Savior, teach us to know You and to love You more. May we go forth in Your righteousness, and lean upon Your Almighty arm. O hear and abundantly fulfill the petitions which we offer up in Your name this day. Let Your Word sink deeply into our hearts, and give us more faith to trust Your promise, and more of the spirit of willing obedience to fulfill Your commandments.

Send forth Your Holy Spirit, and let the showers refresh the dry and thirsty ground. O that many may this day hear and believe the blessed Gospel of salvation. May those who are seeking You learn to rejoice in You, and may those who have hitherto been forgetful of Your love, turn to You in true penitence. Restore any who may have gone back, and freely forgive them of their backslidings and their sins. Touch the hearts of the young, and lead them early to fear Your name. Bring the little ones to Your footstool, and bless the labors of all those engaged in teaching them Your Word.

Give Your ministers a deeper experience of the power of Your truth, and grant them wisdom and unction and power, to proclaim it in all its fullness. Fill them with love to Christ and compassion for lost souls. Make them instant in season and out of season in speaking Your Word, and may they remember the Great day when every man’s work shall be made manifest.

We now desire, O heavenly Father, to yield ourselves unto You. We bless and praise You for Your goodness and mercy toward us. May the remembrance of Your love lead us to present ourselves unto You as a living sacrifice. May the rest of our lives be wholly dedicated to Your service. Strengthen us this day for the various temptations of the coming week. Give us abundantly of the heavenly manna of Your Word, and may we never let the precious truths we hear slip. Be with us when alone, and may we delight in secret to pour out our hearts before You. Sanctify us wholly, both in body and soul, and evermore bless us with Your love, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Sunday evening

O most merciful and gracious Father, it is our privilege at all times to come to You through Christ our Savior. We would approach You this night with grateful hearts. We bless You for this day of holy rest and for all the help which You have given us on our heavenward way. O that each day of rest on earth may fit us more and more for the home of Your saints. Too often have we misused these blessed seasons of grace. Forgive, we beseech You, our wandering thoughts and our lifeless prayers. Forgive us that we have so carelessly heard the messages of Your word, and so soon forgotten them. Quicken us by Your Holy Spirit, that Your truth may be inwardly graven on our hearts. May we ever stand before You accepted in Your beloved Son, and clothed in His perfect righteousness.

Father, teach us to know the exceeding privileges which belong to all Your believing people. Once we were far off from You, but You have made us near by the blood of Christ. Once we were strangers to the covenants of promise, and living without You in the world. But we thank You that You have saved us by Your grace, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. We thank You that You have made us fellow-citizens with the saints and of the household of God. You have made us Your temple, built upon the sure foundation, Jesus Christ. You have given us a foretaste of Your everlasting love, that each of us may be indeed partakers of all these blessings of Your grace. Let none of us fail to obtain them through our unbelief. Make us to be indeed Your people, and may we ever manifest the reality of our faith by the holiness of our lives.

Blessed Savior, bring each one of us near to You this night. If there is any among us who have been going astray, fetch us home to Your fold! Draw us, and we will run after You. Turn us unto You, and we shall be turned. Break every chain that binds us too closely to the world, and knit our hearts to You, that we may love You above all.

O All-merciful Redeemer, let Your Word, this day proclaimed in Your name, bear fruit abundantly. Cast Your bright beams of light upon Your Church, and dispel all error and division and formality, and whatever is a hindrance to Your truth. Awaken very many to a true and saving repentance, and lead them to rely upon Your faithful promises. Impress deeply on the minds of the young the exceeding blessedness of Your service, and may they early choose the good part which shall never be taken from them.

Make all who have begun to serve You more steadfast and decided in their Christian course, and may those who have hitherto served sin, henceforth choose Your service, which is perfect freedom. O Father, breathe into our hearts Your sanctifying Spirit, and grant that we may continue Yours forever, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Monday morning

O holy and most merciful Father, we come near to You this morning with humble thankfulness for Your goodness toward us. For all the mercy and the help given to us yesterday we heartily thank and bless You. We bless You for all the light and comfort given to us in Your house of prayer.

We bless You for any knowledge we may have gained of Your holy Word. It has been good for us thus to leave the world awhile, and thus to have fellowship with You and Your Son Jesus Christ.

Continue to us, Lord, through this week the blessing we have gained.

Sanctify all our toil and labor by the remembrance of Your Presence. Go forth with us to the conflict of life, and may we act and speak as befits Your children.

O may Your blessed Spirit guide and control our thoughts and ways, and make us perfect in every good word and work.

Help us O Father, to show forth by our daily life that we have been with Jesus. May His image be formed in us, and may His life on earth be the pattern which we ever strive to follow.

Make us patient and gentle and forbearing toward all men. Draw our thoughts and desires toward Yourself. Teach us often to frequent the Mount of prayer. Humble and subdue every vain and proud imagination, and make us willing to take the lowest room.

O exalted and glorified Redeemer, behold Your Church, and fulfill towards her all Your purposes of mercy and love. Bring out Your people from the darkness and bondage of sin, and beautify them with the garments of salvation. Manifest Your everlasting love toward them, and draw them to Yourself by the cords of Your love. May they perfectly know You, as bearing their sins on the cross, and now pleading their cause above.

O Savior, may we know that we are Yours, and that none shall pluck us out of Your hand. Keep us by Your mighty power from all the evil that is in the world. May Your love abide in us, and may we never be drawn aside by the love of present things. Sanctify us by Your truth, and may Your Word be our constant meditation. Bind us so closely to Yourself that we may be united together in love and sympathy one with the other. May all who believe in You be of one heart and mind, and at length together behold Your glory.

Bless and prosper throughout this week every effort which is made to advance Your kingdom, or relieve the sorrows and distresses of our fellow men. Stir up the hearts of Your people that they may always abound in Your work and service. Make them zealous in doing good, and may they watch for every open door. May Your Spirit accompany the reading of Your Word, and of every Christian book and tract. And now, O Father, be very near to us through this day and through this week, for Jesus Christ’s sake. Amen.

Monday evening

O merciful Father, look down from Heaven upon us and behold us from the habitation of Your holiness. We are Your sinful and unworthy children. If You should mark what is done amiss — we could not stand before You. But there is forgiveness in You that You may be feared. You know the uttermost of our sin and iniquity, but You have provided an all-sufficient remedy. You have given Your dear Son to make a full, perfect, and sufficient sacrifice and atonement for us. O Father, behold Him bruised for our iniquities, and look upon us through Him. Freely and completely put away all our sin for His sake, and make us glad with the light of Your countenance.

Renew us likewise in the spirit of our minds. We are the clay and You our Potter, and we all are the work of Your hands. work in us both to will and to do of Your good pleasure. Fashion us in Your own likeness. Make us holy, pure, longsuffering, and full of charity. Make us vessels unto honor, sanctified, fit for the Master’s use, and prepared to every good work.

O Lord, we have rebelled and grieved Your Holy Spirit, but withdraw not from us His sanctifying power. May He subdue within us all sinful passions, and quicken in us every holy desire. Teach us to avoid the least shadow of evil, and may we never tamper with any suggestions of the wicked one. Give us a tender conscience, that we may discern the approach of temptation. Preserve us from every wrong temper and disposition, and draw us very near to Yourself. In all doubtful matters give us wisdom from above, that we may know what we ought to do. Give us moreover strength and power faithfully to fulfill every duty that lies before us.

O Father, teach us to prove and examine ourselves whether we are indeed Your faithful children. There are many in Your Church who have a name to live, but are dead in Your sight. There are many who walk in a way that seems right unto them, but the end thereof is destruction. O let it not be so with any of us. If we have but the form of godliness, O give us the mighty power of Your Spirit, that we may live before You. If we have been trusting in anything we have done, show us that all our works are impure in Your sight, and that we merit death and condemnation.

Lead us henceforth to rely only on the meritorious death of our Surety. Make Christ our only hope and our continual dependence. May His life be our pattern, and His glory the aim of our lives.

O Father, hear us, and be our Guardian and Protector this night. Keep us, and all who we love, in close communion and fellowship with Yourself, through our only Savior and Advocate Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Tuesday morning

O Lord, You are a God full of compassion and gracious. We need Your help day by day. We come to You this morning as Your children in Christ Jesus, and we beg You to make all grace abound towards us.

Grant, O merciful Father, that throughout this day we may walk before You, and do only that which is right in Your sight. Give unto us a pure motive in all that we undertake. Make it our great desire so to live each day that it may bring us nearer to Your kingdom. May we partake of our necessary food with true thankfulness to You, who has given us all things richly to enjoy. In our seasons of rest and refreshment, make us temperate in all things. In our seasons of toil and labor, make us diligent in whatever our hand finds to do.

If the duty to which we are called in Your Providence is irksome or unpleasant, let us not shrink from it, but do it cheerfully for Your sake. May we seek Your glory in all that we do.

Deliver us, Lord, from being burdened by earthly cares and anxieties, and may we cast them continually on You. Deliver us from making an idol of worldly gain, for we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.

Teach us this day to be forbearing and ready to forgive. We may meet with many things that may disturb our minds and try our tempers, but give us the same meek and lowly spirit that dwelt in Christ. Make us to follow after peace, and those things with which we may edify one another. Make us considerate of the needs and feelings of those around us. Make us ready to give, and glad to distribute. Give unto us grace to weep with those who weep, and to rejoice with those who rejoice.

O Lord, remind us this day that all below is passing away, and that we must soon enter upon our eternal state. O that every moment we may watch and pray, and still keep eternity in view! It will profit us nothing to gain the whole world, if we lose our own souls and Your everlasting kingdom. Keep us, we beseech You, in the way of life. Cleanse us from all our iniquities in the blood of the Lamb. Let Your peace rule in our hearts, and dispose us to keep all Your commandments. Fill us with the light and power and comfort of Your Holy Spirit. Lead us in Your truth, and teach us, for You are the God of our salvation. Remember toward us Your loving-kindness and tender mercies. Deliver us, O God, from all our troubles, and bring us to Your heavenly rest, for Jesus Christ’s sake. Amen.

Tuesday evening

O heavenly Father, hear our cry and attend unto our prayer as we seek Your face at the close of another day. We have nothing to bring in our hands as the ground of our hope. We have no merit or worthiness of our own. We have to confess our manifold sins and iniquities. There is no good thing in us. Our best actions are impure in Your sight, and our only plea is Your abundant mercy in Christ Jesus.

O Lord our God, we bless You for the sure foundation which You have laid in Zion. We bless You that You have given Your Son to bear our sins in His own body on the tree. We bless You that He is the true Rock of Ages, and that none who trust in Him shall ever be confounded.

O blessed Savior, the only hope of lost and perishing sinners — help us to rest our souls on You! On You would we lay all our sins, for You have died for our salvation. Wash away all our guilt in Your blood, and set us free from all condemnation. On You likewise would we lay all our needs. You know how great they are, but Your grace is enough to supply every lack. Grant to us the spirit of true penitence and contrition. Take from us the heart of stone and give unto us the heart of flesh. Heal all our spiritual infirmities. Help our unbelief. Take away from us all indifference and deadness of spirit. Open our eyes, that we may behold Your marvelous love more clearly. Beat down Satan under our feet, and enable us to overcome all temptation. Be our Friend and Comforter in days of sorrow and adversity. To You would we bring our griefs and our cares, and we beseech You to bear them for us. Speak peace to every weary burdened one, and give them rest in Your faithfulness and love.

O gracious Master, draw us more closely to Yourself, and make Your name more dear to us every day. As we lean on You — uphold us with Your own right hand. May Your mercy and loving-kindness embrace us on every side. Let Your everlasting arms be beneath us, and when heart and flesh fail, be the strength of our heart and our portion forever.

We plead with You for all the members of this family, present or absent. Knit us together in the love of Christ, and prepare each one of us for our home above. Bless our neighbors and our friends, and may they all be the friends of Jesus. Lift up all who are cast down, and support all who are in sorrow and distress. Guide the footsteps of any who are seeking their way to Zion, and restore by Your grace any who have gone back from Your ways.

Finally, we beseech You to have mercy on all men, and hasten the day of Your appearing, when all sin and sorrow shall be ended. Hear us, O Savior, for Your mercy’s sake. Amen.

Wednesday morning

O almighty and eternal God, who never fails those who seek You — help us to call upon Your name this morning. We have boldness of access to You through Your Son. Look not upon our sins, but upon His blood shed for us. Look upon Him our righteous Advocate, who ever stands pleading for us before Your throne.

O gracious Father, You have promised Your blessing to all those who trust in Jesus. You are our Shield, and our exceeding great reward. You are our Friend, and will keep us wherever our lot may be cast.

O that You would bless us indeed, and make us a blessing among others. Enlarge our hearts, and fill us with undoubting faith and abounding charity. Make us useful in our day and generation. May Your hand ever be upon us for good, to keep us from all evil, and to supply all our needs. Deliver us from all unbelief. Let us not limit Your mercy or Your grace. May we rely upon You as our sure Helper in every tune of trouble. May we lean upon Your arm alone — keep us from trusting in an arm of flesh.

O faithful Protector of Your people, may we rejoice in Your covenant of love. You will be a God to Your people and to their seed after them. Their sins and their iniquities You will remember no more. You will put Your fear in their hearts, that they may not depart from Your precepts. You will teach them by Your Spirit, that they may know You in truth.

O Lord, fulfill to us these blessed promises. Make us wholly Yours, and may Your Spirit abide with us. Make us willing to sacrifice all we possess rather than disobey You, or provoke You to anger. We acknowledge that we are but dust and ashes in Your sight — yet remember us in mercy, for Your truth and righteousness sake.

O Lord, make us as a household to honor Your holy name. May we, and all whom we love, serve You above all. May we keep Your way to do justice and judgment, and may we never swerve from the plain path of duty. May we fear You, and never withhold that which You require of us. If You should call us to resign our dearest treasures, may we have strength to say, "May Your will be done." You give unto us far more than we yield to You, and You will freely give us all things that are for our profit. Help us to believe Your wise love for us, and trust You to do all things for the best.

Most gracious Father, teach us that we are strangers and sojourners upon earth. Here we have no continuing city. But lead us onward to the better country. We shall soon lie down to rest awhile beneath the sod — but You will call us forth from the grave to live forever in Your Presence! O teach us to look forward in blessed hope. Enrich us with all the grace of Your Holy Spirit, and in due season receive us to Your glory and kingdom, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Wednesday evening

O God, Eternal, Invisible, Immortal, our reconciled Father in Christ Jesus — You are our refuge in all generations. Our time on earth is but as a shadow, but our hope is in You. This night we come to You once more, and we beseech You hide us beneath the Shadow of Your sheltering wing.

Most merciful Savior, the Friend of sinners, we bless You that You have promised to be present when two or three are gathered together in Your name. Come and make Your abode us. Draw us nearer to Yourself. Cleanse us from all the sin of the day that is past. Fill us with the comfort of Your love, and with the assurance of Your favor.

O Lord, You are our only Advocate and High Priest. Teach us to fix our eye on You alone. You can never plead in vain, and You will plead for every sinner that comes to You in truth. Plead our cause, we beseech You. Make mention of each of us now before You, and write our names in the book of life.

Whenever we fail in our obedience, plead Your perfect fulfillment of the Divine law on our behalf. Whenever we grieve Your Spirit by our forgetfulness or neglect — still plead for us, and restore us again by a fresh supply of Your grace. Whenever we faint along our way, and are cast down by sorrow or temptation, open our eyes to behold You standing at the right hand of God to support and to save us. And when our last hour shall come, and we must meet the summons to appear before You — be near at hand to receive us to Yourself.

Teach us, Lord, to look forward with joyful hope to the day of Your appearing. We believe that You will come in the clouds of Heaven to take unto Yourself Your kingdom and to reign forever. You will put every enemy beneath Your feet. You will raise Your people from the dust of the grave, to share Your glory.

Prepare us by Your grace, that we may all be found watching. Stir up within us the spirit of constant prayer. May we purify ourselves, even as You are pure. May we thus be found living as Your faithful servants, and when the hour of Your return shall come, man we receive at Your hands the unfading crown of glory.

Gracious Savior, speak peace to our hearts this night. Be our Guardian and our Friend. Watch over us, and all our kindred and friends far and near. May we see You close by, and when we lay down to rest, protect us from all harm and danger. Be with us in life and in death, and may we at last awake in Your likeness. Grant this for Your mercy’s sake. Amen.

Thursday morning

O Lord our God, who alone can order the unruly wills and affections of sinful men — we draw near to ask Your grace this morning. We have a Great High Priest who is ever pleading with You on our behalf. Graciously regard us for His sake, and cast all our sins behind Your back. Incline our hearts to love You, and to walk before You in holiness and righteousness all our days.

We beg You, O gracious Father, grant us Your quickening Spirit, that we be not conformed to this world. May we be daily transformed by the renewing of our minds. Keep us from following the the crooked ways of this sinful world. May we never make an idol of our business or our work. May we do all for Your glory, and be ever looking for our rest above.

We plead with You, most merciful God, on behalf of Your children scattered abroad throughout this evil world. You know those who love and fear You, wherever their lot may be cast. Keep them, O Father, from all the snares and temptations that surround them. Keep them from yielding to the persuasions of those that would turn them aside from Your ways. Have mercy upon those who are burdened with care, and give them grace to cast it all on You. Comfort those who are mourning for the loss of friends. Uphold those who are sorely tried by the ungodliness of others. Give patience to those in pain and suffering. Grant to all Your people the aid of Your Holy Spirit, that they may shine as lights in the world, and may be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ.

We bless and praise You, O God, for permitting us thus to kneel together at the beginning of another day. We praise You for the rest and comfort of the past night. We praise You for the light of Your Holy Word to guide our footsteps during our earthly pilgrimage. We praise You that You are always near to uphold and preserve those who trust in You.

We beg You, Father, accept these our praises and fulfill all our petitions. Be near to us through the passing hours of this day, and keep us in safety until its close. May all our days be spent in Your fear and love, until we reach at last Your heavenly kingdom. Grant this, O merciful Father, for Jesus Christ’s sake. Amen.

Thursday evening

O Lord God almighty, the God of our salvation, we would close this day in humble reliance upon Your mercy. You have given us this day, fresh tokens of Your favor. You have permitted us again to meet as a family to worship You. You send us Your Word to teach us in Your way. Make these means of grace helpful to our souls. May the Spirit of grace rest upon us, and write on our hearts the truth as it is in Jesus. O Lord, we would humble ourselves before You, for our sins and backslidings. Our promises and resolutions are as the morning cloud. We have turned aside from You, and have borne but little fruit acceptable in Your sight. We have destroyed ourselves by breaking Your commandments and departing from Your ways.

But, O Lord, our help is in You alone. You would have us return unto Yourself. You will heal our backslidings and love us freely. In You the sinful and the sorrowful find mercy and grace. O take away all our iniquity, and receive us graciously. Turn away Your anger from us, and give us the joy of Your salvation.

Let the dew of Your Spirit enlighten upon us from day to day. Deepen our contrition and increase our faith. Make us to grow in holiness and love, and in every Christian grace. Make us more steadfast in our profession of Your name, and more fruitful in Your service. Make us useful by our example to those around us, and may our prayers on behalf of others be abundantly answered. May we cast away every idol, and worship and serve You alone. May we live as strangers and pilgrims on earth, waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Mercifully behold Your household, the Church, and bestow the fullness of Your Spirit on all who love You. Look upon Your flock throughout the world, and in every land multiply exceedingly the number of Your true servants. Make them pure in the faith, and holy and consistent in their walk with You.

We beseech You also to comfort all of Your people who this night are in trouble. Relieve the sick and suffering, and give them quiet rest. Bind up the broken-hearted with the consolations of Your Gospel. Speak peace to the lonely and desolate. Cheer the hearts of the fainting, and assure them that You will not break the bruised reed, nor quench the smoking flax. Be very near to any whom we love. Keep them from all evil, and lead them in Your way.

Finally, we bless You for all Your servants departed this life in Your faith and fear. Give us grace to follow them in all virtuous and godly living, and may we come at last to those unspeakable joys which You have prepared for those who sincerely love You. Grant this and all our petitions, most merciful Father, for Jesus Christ’s sake. Amen.

Friday morning

O merciful God, in whom we live and move and have our being, we come before You this morning as Your unworthy children. You have richly blessed us in all things, but we have failed to serve You as we should. We have been unprofitable servants. Our light has grown dim, and the salt has lost its savor. We have had a name to live, but You search our hearts, and You know that too often we have been cold and dead. We have drawn back to an evil world. We have grown careless about our salvation, and have thought little of Your love and mercy. Your Word has been neglected, and Your mercy-seat well near forsaken. We have yielded to our besetting sins, and have often sunk down to the standard of those who live without You. But we turn to You again in Jesus’ name. Hide Your face from our sins, and blot out all our iniquities. Leave us not, neither forsake us for all the evil we have done. Search us and prove us, and try the ground of our hearts. Give us deeper sorrow for sin, and make us more watchful for the time to come. Cast us not away from Your presence, and take not Your Holy Spirit from us. Be near to help us through the hours of this day. May we walk in all good conscience before You. Let us not be easily provoked, and make us ready, for Christ’s sake, to return good for evil. Keep us from selfishness and self-will. May we never grieve Your Spirit, or disturb the comfort of our home by the indulgence of evil tempers. Set a watch before our mouths, and may we never utter an unkind or hasty word. Make us very considerate of the feelings of those around us. May we put on, as Your children — kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, long-suffering. Above all things may we put on the garment of holy charity, and love each other as we are loved of You.

We would present before You our prayers and supplications on behalf of the nations which have not known You. Send forth, we beseech You, the messengers of Your Gospel into all lands. The harvest truly is plenteous, but the laborers are few. Give double grace and strength to Your servants who labor in Your vineyard, and greatly increase their number. Raise up faithful men to proclaim Your truth, and dispose the hearts of many to receive it. Breathe Your quickening Spirit upon the multitudes who still bow down to idols which their own hands have made. Turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto You. Establish and confirm the faith of recent converts. Build up the native churches, and raise up among them suitable agents to carry on Your work.

Hear us, gracious Father, in these our prayers, and do for us exceeding abundantly above all we ask or think, for Jesus Christ’s sake. Amen.

Friday evening

Almighty and everlasting God, our sure Refuge and our Defense, we come to You in the name of Jesus. We need Your watchful protection this night, and we would commit ourselves, and all whom we love, entirely to Your care. As day by day so quickly rolls by, teach us to see the shortness of our sojourn on earth. In the midst of life, we are in death. We bring our years to an end, as a tale that is told. We know not what a day or an hour may bring forth. O teach us how frail we are, and make us diligent in redeeming the time.

We bless You for every comfort and every mercy which You have provided for us. But we beseech You enable us to set our affections on those things which are above, and not on things below. Keep us from being dazzled by the world’s attractions, or turned away from You by its riches or its honors. We would choose the pearl of great price as our treasure, and be willing to sell all rather than lose it. Help us to count all things but loss that we may win Christ, and reckon His reproach greater riches than any earthly good.

Merciful Father, grant us the assurance of Your favor, and may we never thirst for human praise. You have bidden us trample under foot whatever would rob us of the joy of Your salvation. If by one sinful word or deed we might gain the whole world, give us grace to refuse the tempting prize. May we love You with supreme affection, and long for nothing in comparison of Your presence here and Your glory hereafter.

We beseech You, O most merciful Father, pour down upon all the members of Your Church the spirit of sincere charity. Teach us to love one another with a pure heart fervently. May all who bear the name of Christ abide in the unity of the Spirit. Knit together in brotherly love, the members of the congregation to which we belong. Grant that all who draw near to Your Table may regard each other as joined together in one communion and fellowship. Unite as one man all who are engaged in any work in Your vineyard, and may we strengthen each others’ hands by mutual sympathy. Fill our hearts with tender sympathy one for the other, and dispose us to bear each others’ burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.

Count us worthy, through the merits of Jesus, to share the bliss of Your redeemed people, and to behold Your glory for ever. Grant this, Father, for Jesus Christ’s sake. Amen.

Saturday morning

O holy and most merciful Father — our Father in Christ Jesus, give us the spirit of reverence and godly fear whenever we draw near to You. Keep us from the spirit of haste and distraction in Your presence. Keep our hearts from wandering thoughts, and may we fix our minds wholly on You.

Whatever be our work this day, we need Your blessing and help above all things. Remember us with the favor which You bear to Your people. Comfort us with the assurance of Your love, and prosper us in everything to which we put our hands.

We praise You, O Father, for all the bounties of Your providence. Day by day we are pensioners upon Your goodness. You open Your hand and spread our table, and give us all things richly to enjoy. We praise You still more for the unsearchable riches of Your grace and mercy in Christ Jesus.

We beseech You, God, give us grace to show forth our gratitude for Your great salvation by striving to make it known to others. May we endeavor to extend the knowledge of Your truth throughout this land, and to the uttermost parts of the earth. Give us true compassion for the souls who are perishing in sin and ignorance. Have mercy upon all who are led astray by the snares of the Wicked one. Bring back the wanderers to the fold of the Good Shepherd.

O Good Shepherd, who gathers the lambs in Your arms and carry in Your bosom, behold with Your special compassion the weak ones of Your flock. Deal pitifully with those who are yet weak in faith, and with such as are sorely harassed by doubts and temptations. Break not the bruised reed, nor quench the smoking flax. Give unto those who seek You more grace, that they may perfectly know You as an all-sufficient Savior, and steadfastly cleave to You with full purpose of heart.

Bestow likewise upon the young the abundant grace of Your Holy Spirit. Pour down Your rich blessing upon all young people in our Schools and Universities, and raise up many among them to be faithful witnesses for You. Give wisdom to all engaged in the work of education, and may they honor Your Word and diligently instruct those committed to them in its blessed truths. Bless the teachers in our various Sunday-schools with the true knowledge of Yourself. May they ever seek to win the little ones for You, and may the students have grace to remember their Creator in the days of their youth. Your hand is not shortened the it cannot save, nor Your ear heavy the it cannot hear, O give us a large am lasting blessing, and fulfill all our petitions, for Jesus Christ’s sake. Amen.

Saturday evening

O Lord God, the Father of mercies, the Giver of all grace, we draw near to You tonight in the name of Your dear Son, Jesus Christ. Week after week and day after day passes quickly by, but Your mercy is from everlasting to everlasting. To Your mercy we flee at the close of this week. O receive us to Your care, and make us wholly Yours.

O Lord, we humbly confess that this week we have been too unmindful of Your love. You are the Well-spring of life. You are the Fountain of living waters, and the only source of holiness and peace. You can fill our souls with joy and gladness. But we have forsaken You, the God of our salvation, and have turned away to broken cisterns. We have sought our happiness in the things of the world, more than in You. We have been ashamed of Your name before others. We have yielded in the hour of temptation, and have disobeyed Your commandments. But we would come back to You, Father, once more, and seek Your blessed face. You have called Your wandering ones to return to You, and have promised to heal all our backslidings, O Lord, we plead with You to deal with us in mercy. Forgive us all that is past, and allow us sin no more against You. Grant us the full assurance of pardon through the death of Christ. Send Your Holy Spirit to teach us, and to convince us deeply of our sins, and make us truly to mourn for those things that have grieved and dishonored You. Give us genuine and sincere repentance, and make us more watchful against sin in time to come.

O Heavenly Father, keep back Your servants from presumptuous sins. Let them not have dominion over us. Cleanse us also from our secret faults. Let us not fear the face of man, but may we ever fear You who has power to save and to destroy. Teach us to walk circumspectly in the footsteps of the Good Shepherd. May we be faithful when others dishonor You — and may we hold fast to You in the day of trouble.

We beseech You this night, O Father, to make the light of Your countenance shine upon Your servants. O that we may daily grow in grace, and be made like Your Son Jesus Christ in all things. May the services of the morrow be profitable to us, and to all Your people. Nourish and strengthen our souls with the words of eternal life, and lead us onward and upward to Your heavenly kingdom.

O look upon all the dark places of the earth. Look upon the homes of vice and ignorance, and let the light of Your Gospel dispel all the misery and sin that is found there. Look upon the lands yet under the blight of heathenism, and send forth the message of peace and salvation to them.

Into Your hands, O Gracious Father, we now commend ourselves, and all our dear absent friends and relations. Make us all to be of one heart in loving and serving You. May the blood of Christ be upon us, that we may meet at last before Your throne of glory. May the Spirit of Christ dwell within us and renew us in knowledge after Your likeness.

O Lord, fulfill these our petitions, and draw us more closely to Yourself, for Jesus Christ’s sake. Amen.

OCCASIONAL PRAYERS

O most mighty God and merciful Father, we would cast ourselves down before Your footstool in true repentance and contrition of heart. Make us at this season deeply sensible of our grievous sins, that we may the more prize the salvation of Christ.

We confess, O Father, that we have rebelled against You and have not obeyed Your voice. O teach us our ingratitude toward You. You have nourished us and brought us up as Your children, but we have gone astray from Your commandments. We have gone into the far country, and wasted the talents committed to our care. O create within us new and contrite hearts! Pour out upon us Your Spirit, and give us true sorrow for our sins. Give unto us genuine repentance, and make us to hate every evil way.

O God, who are just and holy in all Your ways, teach us to fear Your judgments, and to turn unto You with all our heart. It is a fearful thing to fall into Your hands, for You are the living God, and a consuming fire to those who reject Your salvation. O help us to seek You early, for it will be too late to cry for mercy, when it is the time of justice.

O Father, we beseech You freely to forgive us all that is past, for Your heart is always to have mercy. You have promised to blot out our sins as a thick cloud, and as a cloud our transgressions. Be favorable unto us according to Your Word. You have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that he should turn to You and live. Accept us therefore for Your mercy’s sake, and cast all our sins into the depths of the sea.

O Lamb of God, that take away the sin of the world, have mercy upon us, and grant us Your peace. You are our Righteous Advocate. You plead our cause before Your Father’s throne. Hear our prayer, we beseech You, and justify us freely by Your grace.

O Lord Jesus, dispose our hearts in all things to do Your will. Quicken us in Your way, and direct our steps to walk in Your fear. Give us grace to desire the salvation of those who are yet in their sins. Teach us to pluck sinners as brands from the burning.

Pitifully behold the lost and the perishing. Restore the outcasts, and gather into Your fold those that have long been as sheep wandering on the mountains. Build up Your Church in our land, and greatly increase the number of true and faithful Pastors. Preserve our countrymen, scattered abroad in various parts of the world, from , the special dangers that beset them. And now, O merciful Father, we commit ourselves to Your faithful care. Be very near to us, both by day and by night, and may we press forward to the mark for the prize of our high calling, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

O most merciful Father, we beseech You graciously to behold Your unworthy children, for whom You did give Your only Son to die upon the cross. We have deserved Your righteous anger, but You have freely loved us. We have gone astray like lost sheep, but You have laid on Christ the iniquity of US all You have given Him to be a ransom for our souls, and a Sacrifice for the sins of the whole world. Accept Us, O Father, for His sake. Since He was punished in our stead, let Your anger pass from us, and regard us with Your favor.

O Lord Jesus, who gave Yourself for us, lead us to Your cross, and bid us tarry there awhile, that we may ponder all You have suffered for us. We thank You for Your exceeding great love in thus dying for us, and for the innumerable benefits You have purchased for us by Your precious blood.

O teach us all the lessons You would have us learn as we thus behold You wounded and bruised for our transgressions. O Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, make us to abhor the sins which crucified You. Make us to shrink from the very least evil. May we never crucify You afresh by cherishing any willful iniquity.

Give unto us likewise true humility. You stooped for our sakes to the shame of the cross. Make us ever willing to take the lowest place, and may we mourn with godly sorrow for the sins which we have done. Slay in us all pride and self-sufficiency, and make us broken and contrite in heart. Give unto us meek submission to every trial appointed for us. You bore Your heavy cross to redeem us — may we cheerfully bear our lighter cross in obedience to Your will. You drank even to the dregs the bitter cup of wrath which our sins deserved — may we willingly drink the cup of sorrow or suffering which for our good You do put into our hands.

O Merciful and Loving Savior, give us, we beseech You, stronger faith in Your willingness and power to save. You have given to us the greatest proof of Your love. You have laid down Your life for those that loved You, yes, and for those that loved You not.

O Lord, make us to rely upon Your grace and mercy. Cleanse us in the blood which You have shed. May the living water of Your Spirit purify our souls. Form in us the same mind which shone so brightly in You. Make us forgiving toward our enemies, and unselfish in our dealings towards all men.

We ask all for Your name’s sake. Amen.

New Year’s Prayer

O eternal God, our Heavenly Father, You have been our Refuge in all generations. You have been our help in years that are past. Be still our Hope and our Strength. We praise You for Your longsuffering and mercy toward us. You have graciously preserved our lives through the year that is past, and we are this day among the living to praise You.

O most Merciful Father, freely forgive us the sins of bygone years, and wash them away in the fountain of the Savior’s blood. May they never rise up to condemn us in the last day, but may we rejoice that through faith in Jesus we stand before You free from all charge of guilt.

O Lord, teach us that our life is a precious talent committed to us by You. For each day and each hour we must hereafter give an account. We confess that too much of it has already been wasted. We have not used it in Your service as we ought. We have not sought first Your kingdom and righteousness. We have given too much of our time to the things of this world. Forgive us, we beseech You, and help us to live more for You. Help us to walk each day in the footsteps of Christ. Help us to glorify You in all we do. May we desire to improve each leisure moment to advance our own salvation, or to do good to those around us.

We beseech You, O Father, to guide us continually with Your counsel through the coming year. As the pillar of cloud went before Your people in the wilderness, so direct us by Your Word and by Your Providence. Order our footsteps, and make our way straight before our face. Wherever our lot may be cast, be our Sun and our Shield. Let Your presence go with us, and never leave us nor forsake us.

If any of us should be called this year to pass through days of sickness or suffering, be near at hand, and let Your everlasting arms support and uphold us. If we should suffer any grievous loss or disappointment, cheer us with Your smile and assure us of Your favor. Make every loss to be our eternal gain. Whenever we are left desolate through the death of those we love, may we confide the more in You who are the same yesterday, today, and forever.

If this year You should call and one now among us to bid farewell to all below, we beg You make us ready for the solemn change. Give to each of us even now, a good hope through grace that we may never be confounded. May Your Holy Spirit convince us of sin, and lead us nearer to Christ. May we cast away every false dependence, and may Jesus only be the resting-place of our souls.

Hear us, O Merciful Father, and keep us evermore in Your love and fear. Be the Strength of our hearts and our Portion forever, through Jesus Christ our Lord Amen. A Prayer for a Time of Trouble

O God, our Refuge and our Strength, we turn to You as a very present help in this hour of sorrow and distress. We cry unto You, O God, now that we are overwhelmed by the great water-floods. Cast us not away because of our former iniquities, but receive us graciously for Christ’s sake. According to Your mercy remember us for Your goodness sake, O Lord.

O Merciful God, You do not willingly afflict nor grieve Your redeemed people. In tender love, You smite us with Your chastening rod. It is Your hand, O God, which has cast us down. We would humble ourselves before You, and acknowledge that You are just and righteous in all Your ways. You both give, and take away. You both heal, and wound. You bring down to the grave, and bring up. In the midst of all, we would say, "Blessed be the name of the Lord. Shall we receive good at Your hands and not receive evil also? O Lord, give us meek submission to Your will, and help us to glorify You in the fires, by our patience under all Your chastisements."

O Almighty Father, sanctify this time of trouble to us. Teach us more of the vanity of the world, and the fleeting nature of all below. Lead us closer to our risen and glorified Redeemer.

O Lord Jesus, You know our sorrows and all our afflictions. Your tender sympathy is our consolation and hope. Help us to remember that You wept with the sisters at Bethany — and that You are the same yesterday, and today, and forever. In every sorrow, whatever be its cause, You are near to bind up the broken, bleeding heart.

O Lord, may we hide our weary, trembling spirits, beneath the covert of Your wing. Be our Stronghold, our Refuge, our Hiding place. Let Your hand supply our every need, and Your ear be open to each sigh and groan of Your afflicted ones.

Once more do we cast ourselves at Your feet, O loving and pitiful Father. We believe that You care for us, and will make all things work together for good for Your redeemed people. O increase our faith and trustful reliance on Your promises. O make the storm to be a calm, that the waves thereof may be still. Bid all our sorrows cease in Your own good time, and may this light affliction, which is but for a moment, work for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. We ask all, for Jesus Christ’s sake. Amen. A Prayer When One in Our Family Is Seriously Ill

God, our Merciful Father, we would call upon You in this our day of trouble and anxiety. We thank You that we may cast all our care on You, knowing that You care for us. We thank You that we are permitted in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving to make known our requests unto You. Most Gracious and Pitiful Father, behold us in loving kindness for the sake of Your dear Son. Our sins rise up to condemn us — but You blot them out of Your Book through the Savior’s blood. Let them not hinder our access to You, nor cause You to hide Your face from us in this our time of need.

O Heavenly Father, we know that You work all things after the counsel of Your own will, and Your will is love to all who trust in You. We commit into Your hand our present distress. Restore again Your servant to health and strength — if it seems good to You. Bless the means used for his recovery. Give him quiet rest, and may nothing occur to hinder his restoration. But teach us, O Lord, to own Your wisdom, and to leave all in Your loving hands. You know the end from the beginning, and You order all our footsteps. Lead us onward to Your rest, whether our path is smooth or rough. Give grace to him who is now weak and suffering, that he may put his whole trust in Your mercy. Grant that living or dying, he may be Yours alone forever.

We beg You, O loving Savior, keep under Your special protection this household and all in any way connected with us. By night and by day be near to comfort, to support and to direct us. Make Your promises very sure to our hearts, and give us grace to rely continually on Your faithfulness and love. When heart and flesh fail, be the strength of our hearts and our portion forever.

Teach us to seek those things which are above, and may we live as strangers and sojourners on earth. May we perfectly know You as the Way, the Truth, and the life, and bring us at last to the land of everlasting rest, where there shall be no more sorrow nor sighing. O blessed Savior, plead You our cause and abundantly fulfill our petitions, for Your name’s sake. Amen.