Our prayer shall be, Father, if our sin is not yet forgiven, we would put our head into your bosom and sob out, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight. I’m no longer worthy to be called your son” (Luke 15:21).
Grant the kiss of forgiveness to each of your children this morning, and may we feel that you are faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9); and in the joy of this, may we feel peace with you.
Oh Lord, our chief desire this morning before you is to be right with you. Oh make us right with you, great Father. There are some in your presence who are not right with you at all; your countenance they cannot behold, and you cannot accept their offering; for it is true of them, as of Cain, “sin is crouching at the door” (Genesis 4:7).
Oh God roll every sin away; but we know they must first feel the burden of it, they must come to you and confess it, they must accept the great Substitute and rest in Jesus.
Oh Lord, teach us this very morning the art of praise. Let our soul take fire, and like a censer full of frankincense, may our whole nature send forth a delicious perfume of praiseful gratitude unto the ever blessed One, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Oh Lord, our chief desire this morning before you is to be right with you. Oh make us right with you, great Father.
“Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me bless his holy name.” (Psalm 103:1)
Grant us grace that we may not bring you blessings, merely because you feed us, and clothe us, and because we receive so many mercies at your hand; but may we learn to praise you even when you put us under the rod, and when the heart is heavy, and when mercies seem but scant. Oh, that when the flocks are cut off from the stall, and there is no harvest, we may nevertheless rejoice in God.
Our Father, blessed be your name forever and ever. Oh that we praised you more! We must confess we never bless you as we ought, and our life is far too full of murmuring, or at the best too full of self-seeking, for even in prayer we may do this; and there is too little of lauding, and adoring, and praising, and magnifying, and singing the high praises of the Lord.
Oh God, will you teach us to begin the music of heaven! Grant us grace to have many rehearsals of the eternal Hallelujah.
We pray for all countries and lands. Oh Lord, grant that we will work for the propagation of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Lord, put down all false doctrine. And may the day come, in which Christ himself shall be King among the nations, and his reign shall be inaugurated by the manifestation of his redeemed (Romans 8:19); and to him be glory forever and ever. Glory be unto the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end.
We especially pray for our country that God would bless it; and oh, that we might have a season of revival of pure and undefiled religion in the land. We perceive that you can turn the hearts of the people, as the trees of the wood are moved in the wind.
Oh that there might come a deep searching of heart, great thoughtfulness of the Scriptures, reverence of God and the principles of justice and peace: and may this land make another stride in onward progress, and out of it may there be gathered a people whom you have chosen, who shall show forth your praise (Isaiah 43:21).
The rejection of God, when he becomes man and dies, out of infinite love—surely this is the highest crime and misdemeanor against the great King. Oh that this might strike, like an arrow, into the heart of some.
If they cannot accuse themselves of any gross sin of the body, yet may this grossest of all sins be laid, like a millstone, upon their conscience, that they have refused the Son of God and brought shame to his precious blood: and how shall they escape if they neglect so great salvation (Hebrews 2:3)!
O Spirit of God, convince nonbelievers of righteousness (John 16:8). Let them see where righteousness is to be had, even in Christ! Let them know that righteousness is demanded of them; and, if they have it not from Christ, they will never have it, and they must perish in their sins.
And oh, Divine Spirit, set before them judgment to come. Let them tremble at the thought that you will come, that the great trial shall be held, and rebels against God and his Christ must be punished, with eternal destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power (2 Thessalonians 1:9).
Now would we put up most fervent and earnest prayer for such who, as yet, do not know you. O Spirit of God, convince men of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment to come (John 16:8); and especially convince the human heart of the sin of not believing in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Oh, make this to be very clear to the heart, that not believing in Jesus is the highest act of enmity against God. The rejection of God, when he becomes man and dies, out of infinite love—surely this is the highest crime and misdemeanor against the great King.
