My Father and my God,
I come before You this morning through the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Holy Spirit. I thank You, heavenly Father, for the forgiveness of sins that You granted me through the person and work of Jesus Christ, Your beloved Son. Thank You for loving me and a multitude of other unworthy sinners, by sending Your Son, Jesus, to redeem us, justify us, adopt us, and call us your dear children, and saints in Jesus Christ.
Thank You, Lord Jesus, for giving Your life as a ransom for me, one who is deserving of Hell. I am so worthy of damnation as I have broken all Your commandments. And as Scripture declares, “the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is everlasting life in Jesus Christ.” You suffered in my place; thank You for living a perfect life in my place and fulfilling all the demands of God’s Law. Thank You for suffering the wrath of God which lay upon me, and rightly so! Thank You for drinking the dregs to the bitter end so that I might receive all the blessings in the heavenly places. Thank You for being baptized with the baptism of fire, which brought You great distress and anguish. Thank You for loving me and pouring the love of God into my soul so that I might love God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Forgive me when my love is cold and complacent, which is far too often! Revive me, Lord Jesus, and stoke up the fire of Your love in my soul. Forgive me my wretched sins of thought, word, and deed! Keep my eyes fixed upon You, the Author and Finisher of my faith!
O Holy Spirit, thank You for regenerating my soul, making me a new creature in Christ, creating true faith in my heart, causing me to believe the Gospel, causing me to love Your Word, to trust Christ, to walk in truth, and to stand against wickedness. I realize my weakness, my sinfulness, my stupidity, my disobedience, and at times my faithlessness. O Holy Spirit, kindle afresh Your sanctifying grace in my soul. Mold me, shape me, teach me, lead me, guide me, direct me, uphold me for the glory of Christ. Sanctify me, Holy Spirit, fall afresh on me. Don’t let me stray from Scripture. Don’t let me sin against You. Don’t let me grieve You by my sinful thoughts, words, and actions. Discipline me when I go astray. Keep me humble when I obey. Cause me to know the devices of Satan through the teaching of Scripture! Gird me up in truth so that I have greater discernment to stand against the wiles of the Devil, who comes disguised as an angel of light.
O Heavenly Father, use me for Christ’s glory. “Guide me, O Great Jehovah, pilgrim through this barren land; I am weak, but Thou art mighty, hold me with Thy powerful hand.” Make me walk in faithfulness, truth, courage, boldness, and joy for Your name’s sake! Forgive me and cleanse me of my wretchedness for I know I have sinned against You in my thoughts, words, and deeds! Do all this, my Heavenly Father, for the sake of Christ’s person and work, and for Your glory and praise!
Bless Your church today as we gather to worship You! Revive Your people to walk by faith, to walk in obedience, to be excited about the Lord’s Day worship, to not forsake the gathering together of the people of God. We, Your people, have grown spiritually lazy. A fog of lethargy has fallen upon the church. We seem to be excessively excited about the temporal things in this world, but we are slow as molasses with regards to spiritual things. We are overly excited about sporting events, entertainment, vacations, fine dining, and physical pleasures, none of which are sinful, but all of which are passing away. But we are extremely slow in reading our Bibles, praying, fellowshipping with other believers, attending the preaching and teaching of Your Word, and singing with all our might, “Glory To God In The Highest!” Forgive us, O Father! Forgive our lethargy, indifference, and disinterest in things holy, just, and good! O Lord, we are in need of reformation and revival. We are in desperate need! Revive us again, O Lord. “Will You not revive us again, that Your people may rejoice in You?” (Psalm 85:6).
In Jesus’ name! Amen!
—Pastor S. Henry