05.11. ELEVENTH WEEK
ELEVENTH WEEK
SUNDAY MORNING
Blessed are You, O God, our strength, who teaches our hands to war, and our fingers to fight. Teach us to war against all wickedness. You are our goodness and our fortress and our high tower, our deliverer, our shield, and the God in whom we trust. You are our refuge and our strength, our keeper in the midst of trouble, and our deliverer.
Lord, what is man, that You take knowledge of him. Man is like to vanity; his days are as a shadow that passes away. Yet we rejoice in Your love and thought for Your redeemed children. Though we are so frail, like a flower, like the reed, bruised and broken — still You do indeed make account of us. You have put Your image upon us. You have put Your Spirit within us. You have made us Your own children. We are dearer to You than all other things in the universe, because we are Your own children and You are our Father, and because You have redeemed us at the price of the blood of Your own Son. In the person of Your Son, we are as dear to You as He is. Help us to realize our nearness and dearness to You.
We would rejoice as a family in Your goodness and Your grace. Rid us and deliver us from the hand of evil men, whose mouth speaks vanity and whose right hands are right hands of falsehood. May our sons be as plants grown up in their youth. May our daughters be as corner-stones polished after the similitude of a palace. May our garners be full, that we may feed the hungry. May we all honor You by holy and beautiful lives.
Fill our home today with Your love, and may all of us receive from You grace, mercy, and truth, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
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SUNDAY EVENING Our heavenly Father, help us to draw near to You this evening. Our thoughts wander away so easily that it is hard for us to bring them into a reverent attitude. Our lives gravitate earthward. The old nature in us is strong. The influences around us are worldly. When we would do good — evil is present with us. We cannot even pray without Your help. Help us, O God. Have mercy upon us, and draw us by Your Spirit to Yourself. Enable us to commune with You. Put into our hearts holy thoughts, and may we breathe them back to You in prayers. Fill us with Your love — and then we shall be loving as You are.
We beseech You, our Father, to make this Sunday truly a day of blessing and good in our lives. Our minds have been turned to holy things; may we be holier through all the week because of this. May our minds carry the sacred memories of the day, and may they be like sweet songs singing in us wherever we go. May invisible spiritual things be more real to us, because of these Sunday hours. May the hold of the world upon us be loosened, and may its power over us be lessened through this day’s holy influences. So may abiding blessing be ours, as we leave another Sunday behind us, and may our lives attest the reality of our union with You.
We thank You for the hope of the eternal rest of which this earthly day is a token and a pledge. Prepare us for that rest which remains for Your people. May the influence of this heavenly hope, draw upon us mightily while we journey through this world. May its holiness keep us from sinning. May we get nearer in heart and life to You each day, as we draw nearer each day to Your glory. We ask in Jesus’ precious name. Amen.
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MONDAY MORNING
Father, it is not a holy world into which we must now go forth. It is full of sin. We must meet many temptations. Then it is not an easy life into which we have to go. It has its tasks, its duties, its responsibilities, and its conflicts. We shall have our burdens to carry, and our duties to do.
Yet we would not refuse to go forth into the world. It is Your voice that calls us forth — and wherever Your voice calls us we would go without hesitation. We have no strength or wisdom of our own to make us equal to all the work and struggle of the day — but we know that when You send us forth, You will give us all the strength and wisdom we shall need. You have promised that as our days — so shall our strength be.
Fill us with Your grace, that we may be able to move through this evil world without faltering in our faithfulness. We are not of the world — but belong to Heaven, are citizens of the kingdom of Jesus. Help us to live out here on earth, our true life, the life of Jesus, the life of Heaven. May we be enabled to keep ourselves unspotted from the world. May we live so purely, so earnestly, with such abundant life, that our influence shall be a real force for Jesus.
We ask for grace to make our common week-day work holy and beautiful, with the beauty of Christlikeness. May we be as Jesus to every one we meet. In our social life, our business, our household cares, in all our friendships, in our very play — may we show the sweetness of the love of Jesus. May You keep us, each and all, in all our goings and comings. Bless us — and use us to bless the world. Bring us together in the evening. We ask all these favors for Jesus’ sake. Amen.
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MONDAY EVENING
Bless to us, our Father, the words we have just read from the holy book. We thank You for the Bible, in which we may learn Your will, where You have told us so clearly what pleases You in conduct and character, and have warned us so plainly against the things which are sinful, which displease You, and which will bring harm and curse to those who do them. We thank You, too, for the promises and comforts of Your word. You have filled the sacred pages with them. They shine like stars in our night. In the time of our darkness, of sorrow or trial, they give us light.
We pray for grace to understand Your word better and better. Incline us to love it. Its holiness makes our hearts disinclined to turn to it. Teach us to love it more, to receive it more cheerfully, to make it the guide of our life. May it become indeed a lamp to our feet, and a light to our path. May it be rod and staff to us. We would hide it in our heart, so that it shall transform our life, keeping us from sin, and leading and impelling us to all holiness.
We pray for our home and for all our friends. But we would pray for all men. We pray for all who love the Lord Jesus Christ, wherever they may be. We pray for all sorts and conditions of men — for the evil and the good, for the poor, the sick, the tempted, the sinning. We pray especially for any who are our enemies. If we have done anything to make them enemies, help us to remove the evil, that the enmity may be destroyed. We pray for grace to live peacefully with all men, as far as it depends on us, and to be gentle, meek, unselfish, and patient. Forgive our many sins, and grant to us Your favor. We ask in Jesus’ precious name. Amen.
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TUESDAY MORNING Our Father, You have given us many invitations to come to You. You have invited us . . .
to come with our sins,
to come with our troubles,
to come with our mistakes,
to come with our cares,
to come with our sorrows.
You have told us to come at all times, that we shall . . .
never be unwelcome,
never be turned away, and
never find You too busy to hear us.
You have promised us . . .
mercy for our sins,
comfort for our sorrows,
strength for our duties,
wisdom for our ignorance,
when we come to You. We thank You for all these precious invitations and assurances.
What would we do, O God, if we might not thus come to You? To whom else could we go? There is no other in all the universe who could help us — as we must be helped. Our hearts are full of praise and rejoicing, that we may thus come to You. There is nothing we cannot bring to You — nothing too small to bring — and nothing too large. We thank You that we are so blessed, that we have all Your divine love and grace to help us in our times of need. We need no other help, but Yours. We come this morning with all our burdens.
We have sins. These are our worst burdens. They will sink us to eternal despair unless we find help. We thank You that the Lord Jesus bore our sins, and bore them away. In His name, depending upon His atonement, we come with our sins.
We have other needs.
We are not strong enough for duty.
We cannot stand against the world and the power of Satan.
We have no wisdom for life’s problems, its duties, its responsibilities.
We need strength,
we need wisdom,
we need grace —
for every moment! So we come to You, our Father, as Your redeemed children. Receive us, bless us, keep us, help us. We ask through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
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TUESDAY EVENING
We want to learn the lesson of trust, our Father. We ought never to be afraid, when we have You for our Father. You have assured us of Your love — a love as tender as a mother’s, and more constant and sure. You have assured us of Your care. You care for the birds, feeding them — and You will more surely feed Your redeemed children. You clothe the flowers in all their wondrous beauty, and You will more surely clothe us, for whom Jesus has died, and who shall live forever — while the flowers, though so lovely, perish in a day. You know what things we need, before we ask You for them, for You are ever mindful of us.
You have given us countless proofs of Your love and watchful care. Every moment we are in Your thought. Always Your eye is upon us. You have given Your Son to die to redeem us; much more, being redeemed — You will keep us from being harmed by any power of evil. We are sure, therefore, of Your care and keeping, and that we need never fear to trust You.
Yet we do not always trust You. Again and again, little things worry and vex us. We are fearful in the presence of our needs. We become afraid of the changes that are passing over us and about us — forgetting that Your providence is on all, and over all. We are afraid of sickness, of sorrows, of temptations.
Father, it is not right that we should be so easily disturbed in our confidence. We want to learn to trust You at all times. Teach us how to do it. Teach us how to make known all our concerns to You, and to leave them in Your hand. Lord, give us Your peace, Your deep and holy peace, which nothing can break, and may it abide with us forever. Amen.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ WEDNESDAY MORNING
Father, You have told us that we ought to learn to live by the day. You taught this lesson to Your people long ago by giving them manna, not in supplies to last for years — but day by day, enough only each day for the day. You taught us the same lesson by the lips of Your Son, our great Teacher, who commanded us to pray for our daily bread. May You teach us how to live day by day. It is hard for us to learn the lesson. We grow anxious when we cannot see how tomorrow is to be provided for. We worry about tomorrow’s bread and guidance and help. Teach us, Father, to trust You as little children. You have promised to take care of us. You are our Shepherd, and we shall not lack. You are our God, and will supply all all our needs, according to the riches of Your glory in Christ Jesus.
You who spared not even Your only begotten Son, who delivered Him up for us all — will surely with Him give us all needful things. You who have made us with so many needs of body and soul, will surely meet all these needs, if we will trust You and wait for You. You have promised that we shall not lack any good thing, if only we are faithful to You. Forgive us our feverish ways, and give us the spirit of trust.
Help us now to live this one little day without anxiety. Give us grace to do the one day’s work well, and to trust You with all its care. Give us physical strength for our duties. Give us wisdom to make the right decisions and choices. Give us our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation — but deliver us from evil. For Yours is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ WEDNESDAY EVENING Our Father are in Heaven, hallowed be Your name. May Your kingdom come. May Your will be done on earth, as it is in Heaven. The day is gone, and we cannot recall it . . .
to amend its doings,
to correct its mistakes,
to blot out its sins,
to undo the things we ought not to have done,
to do the things we ought to have done, but left undone,
to unsay the words we ought not to have said,
to speak the words we ought to have spoken. The day is gone from us — and is with You. We leave it in Your hands. Whatever we have done that was not according to Your will — may You graciously forgive. The things that pleased You — may You bless. May good come out of the day for us. Our disappointments, we accept as Your appointments for us — better than our own way would have been. Teach us the lesson You would have us learn from the day’s experiences. May we be wiser for having lived through these experiences. May . . .
our faith be stronger,
our love deeper,
our earnestness more intense,
and our zeal more intense.
We pray continually for our home. We thank You . . .
for the love that binds us together as a family,
for the privileges and favors we enjoy,
for the health and comfort we have,
for the measure of prosperity that attends our work.
Sweeten our household life more and more. Help us to be more and more to each other. Teach us patience and forbearance. Help us to restrain all bitter and unloving words, and to speak all kindly words. Bless us as individuals, older and younger. Give us now Your blessing as we go to our rest. Keep us in safety through the night. And may grace, mercy, and peace from the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be upon us evermore. Amen.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ THURSDAY MORNING
O God, we would be strong for this new day, and we wait upon You to renew our strength. You have given us renewal in sleep — and we thank You for this. You give Your beloved sleep — and You give them blessings while sleeping. For the goodness of the night, we give You hearty thanks.
We need also spiritual strength for the day that is before us.
We shall meet temptations.
We shall have duties to perform.
We shall have burdens to carry.
We shall have conflicts with the evil that is in the world.
We need strength for all these experiences. You only can give us what we need. You are our refuge and our strength — a very present help in times of trouble. You have promised to be with us, and to strengthen us. You have said that as our days are — so shall our strength be, and that Your grace is sufficient for us. We accept these assurances, believing that we shall obtain help from You for every duty and every struggle.
We desire that this shall be a profitable day. Lord, give us faith that we may not fail of Your help at any point. Let us not faint nor grow weary in our work. We go to our different duties and tasks in Jesus’ precious name, and we desire to live for You all the day.
Bless our home life. Bless our work and business. Bless our association with neighbors and friends. Fill us with Your love, that we may live worthily all the day, affectionately as a family, bearing one another’s burdens, in peace with all men as much as lies in us; and compassionately toward the trouble, the sorrowing, and the sinning. Keep us from accidents and injuries as we go about. Give us good health. Make us wise unto salvation. And to Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, we will give praise forever and ever. Amen.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ THURSDAY EVENING Our Father, we beseech You to hear us tonight, and to bless us. We have few requests to make. We would rather leave You to bless us in whatever way Your divine wisdom may choose. We do not know what is best for us. We know not what we should pray for as we ought. We often wish for things which would not be real blessings to us. We cannot tell what would be the effect of our having them. Oft-times denial of our requests is a better blessing — than the granting of them would be. So we put ourselves into Your hand and ask for Your blessing — whatever will bless us the most really and the most deeply.
We beseech You for spiritual good, rather than for temporal favors. The things of this earth are but for a day — and then they are gone. May you give us hunger and desire for things that will last forever. We ask for wisdom, for holiness, for truth, for Christlikeness. You have promised that those who hunger and thirst after righteousness shall be filled. Give us hunger for righteousness — and thirst for divine grace. Then we shall be satisfied, and what we receive we shall keep forever.
While the night is over us, keep us from all harm and danger. We cannot keep ourselves. We are weak and foolish — and the enemies about us are strong and cunning. We cast ourselves upon You, sure that You will shelter us. Let no plague come near our dwelling. May Your angels encamp around our home. May the night bring us rich blessing — sleep and renewal, calmness and quietness. Spread over us Your wings of love. And may grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be with us all forever. Amen.
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FRIDAY MORNING
Almighty God, our heavenly Father, we worship You with the beginning of this new day. Life can be beautiful and good, only as it has Your blessing on it. We give this day to You and we give ourselves to You. We are indeed Yours. You created us and You also redeemed us. We are not our own, for we are bought with a very high price. Help us to glorify You in all that we do.
Accept our hearty thanks for the rest and all the goodness of the past night. We have slept and awakened, for You have sustained us. We thank You for our home and all its blessings and mercies. We thank You . . .
for the morning’s light and for its health,
for our opportunities and privileges,
for the goodness and mercy that follow us always.
We confess our sins. We have erred and strayed from Your ways like lost sheep. We have done those things which we ought not to have done. We have left undone those things which we ought to have done, and there is no soundness in us. You have promised that if we confess our sins, You are faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Grant us Your forgiveness and Your peace. As we go out today we know not what lies before us. The paths are all hidden from our eyes. We know not what dangers, what surprises of temptation or of sorrow may await us. But we are not afraid to go into the day, for You know all that is before us. So we put our hands in Yours, and we ask You to lead us forth. We shall be safe with You, no matter what may come. Lead us where You will and provide for us wherever we go. We ask in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
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FRIDAY EVENING
Holy Father, let us, Your children, draw near to You, since we come in the name of Your Son our Savior, who gave Himself for us. Through Him we have access to You. We come to thank You for all Your mercies, for the blessings of this day, and for all its privileges and enjoyments.
Let Your blessing rest upon the work of this day. If we have been faithful in our duties and tasks, may You accept what we have done. Nothing is finished until it has received Your blessing.
We thank You that we have the privilege of making prayers and supplications and intercessions for others. We pray for all our friends. Some of them are growing old. Gently keep the aged people near Yourself. In their feebleness, may You protect them. You have promised to bear and to carry the aged. Fulfill Your promises. Make them useful in their lives as long as they live. Then when their work is done, may You receive them home to Heaven.
Bless any of our friends who are in trouble. Some of them are sick. Comfort the sick. Give them patience and cheerfulness. May they so acquiesce in Your wise providence, that the burden will not be too heavy for them. Sanctify to them their suffering and pain. We pray not merely for their recovery — but that they may come from their sick-rooms with the work of grace wrought in them which You have designed their illness to produce.
Some of our friends are in sorrow. Give them true consolation, and may they be enriched in all grace and in all the elements of a holy Christian character through their affliction. Give us now a night’s blessing, in Jesus Christ our Redeemer. Amen.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ SATURDAY MORNING
Shed upon us this morning the light of Your love, and give us strength and grace. As we leave the night behind us, so may we leave the sins and shadows of our lives behind us, and go forth in newness of spirit. We desire that all our days shall be steps toward holier things. We would not live any two of them on the same level. We would grow in grace. As each day passed through brings us nearer to eternity — we would have each one bring us nearer to the full beauty of the likeness of Jesus. We would have each day lift our feet one step higher in the ladder of life which reaches at last to Your feet in the heavenly glory! So our prayer is that this day may be for us a day of growth in all godliness — in whatever things are true, whatever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely. While we do our common tasks, may we be growing stronger in all the qualities of true life. May our association as a family enrich our lives in all the graces of true character, and make us more gentle, more thoughtful, more patient, more kindly, more unselfish. May even our temptations and our conflicts make us stronger, and bring out in us qualities of beauty which have not been developed in times of ease. Thus may the day be one of growth and progress for each of us.
We need Your help at every step. Unless You will be with us, nothing good can come out of our experiences. Forgive us our sins and our many failures and mistakes. Cleanse us from secret, hidden faults. Keep us from presumptuous sins. Let no iniquity obtain dominion over us. Let the words of our mouths and the meditations of our hearts, be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, our strength and our Redeemer. Amen.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ SATURDAY EVENING
Lord, abide with us, for it is evening, and the night is upon us. Give us Your protection in and through the darkness. Our eyes cannot see in the night — but Your eyes see, as in the day. The darkness and the light are both alike to You. You can watch over us, for You neither slumber nor sleep. So we put ourselves into Your loving care for the night. We shall sleep without fear, for You are our keeper.
We ask You for Your divine peace. Earth’s peace is easily broken by alarms and by troubles which spring up continually. We are startled evermore by sudden fears and dangers. But Your peace is eternal. Not as the world gives — do You give unto us. You give Your own peace to Your redeemed children. It is that peace that we seek tonight. You have promised to keep in perfect peace, those whose minds are stayed on You. May we rest in You. May we nestle in Your love, as little children nestle in the mother’s bosom. May we hide in You as in an everlasting rock, so that our peace may never be disturbed, even in the wildest storms of earth.
Through this night may we be kept, and may Your best blessing be upon us. May no accident befall our home while we are sleeping. May we be preserved until the morning and then receive a Sunday’s blessing to prepare us for our duties. We remember other homes around us, praying that Your grace may be upon them. Bless Your ministers tonight who are preparing to speak to Your people tomorrow. Hold them near Your own heart and give them the messages, the words of life, which You would have them speak. Fold us all now in Your everlasting arms, and may the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be upon us. Amen.
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