Tag: Lent

 

Oh, how great are God’s riches and wisdom and knowledge! How impossible it is for us to understand his decisions and his ways! (Rom. 11:33 NLT).

O’ God, all-wise, all-knowing, who always knows what is right, chooses what is right, and performs what is right. We are grateful that you never lead us astray: nothing takes you by surprise, nothing happens by chance, nothing is beyond your purpose and workings. We rejoice that we can trust your all-pervasive wisdom, we never need fear being lead into blindspots. We never need fear being overwhelmed by the world with all its problems and disappointments.

We can know with certainty that our wise God will never leave us confused, bewildered, or forsaken. We pray Lord Jesus Christ, who is all wisdom and knowledge, generously gift us with your wisdom for it is peace-loving, always gentle, full of mercy, and the fruit of good deeds; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.

–Fr. Glenn E. Davis

And he began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed, and after three days rise again (Mark 8:31).

Lord Jesus, we worship You today. Thank You for dying on the cross for us. You didn’t deserve to go through all the agony and pain, but You did it anyway. We glorify You because you didn’t take the easy way out. You don’t ask us to do something that you were unwilling to do. We praise You because You were not ashamed to identify with our sinful, broken humanity. You didn’t whine or complain under suffering like we do. By Your death, You crushed the head of the serpent and returned from the grave so that we could experience Your never-ending life. Lord Jesus Christ, transform us, we pray, into Your likeness that our attitudes and actions may reflect Your glory and grace. You are worthy to receive all honor and all glory. Amen.

~~Nicholas Beckham

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit (Romans 15:13). 

Jesus,  you are the God of hope. We have no one like you who fills our souls with joy and peace. We thank you, Lord, for you are our only hope. It is your hope that gives us rest. It is your hope that causes us to wake with expectation in the morning and lay down in peace at night. It is your hope that gives us the courage to live the Christian life with confidence knowing that you live in and through us. Jesus, we thank you for your resurrection has defeated death, our greatest enemy.  Pray Lord, make us a people of hope, a people determined to believe your promises. You, Jesus, are our only HOPE! Amen!

–India B. Davis

Definition: Hope is the confident expectation that the good things that God has promised, he will bring to pass.

 

But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8 ESV). 

Our Father who are in heaven, we your children are often troubled in mind, hearing within us at once the affirmations of faith and the accusations of conscience. We are sure that there is in us nothing that could attract the love of One as holy and as just as you are. Yet, you have declared your unchanging love for us in Christ Jesus.

If nothing in us can win your love, nothing in the universe can prevent you from loving us. Your love is uncaused and undeserved. You are the reason by which we are loved. Help us to believe the intensity, the eternity of the love that has found us. Then love will cast out fear; and our troubled hearts will be at peace, trusting not in what we are, but in what you have declared yourself to be. Amen.

~~A. W. Tozer, The Knowledge of the Holy, pg. 104 (updated language).

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me (Psalm 23:4).

Lord God, you are always with us. Your Scripture teaches us that you will never leave us or forsake us. Even when we stray, rebel, and flee Your presence, You promise to pursue us and draw our hearts back to You. You are with us even when all seems dark and empty. You comfort us in life and death. We are grateful that Your presence goes with us and that You give us rest.

Satan cannot take away anything you have promised. You protect us under your mighty wings. We praise you that we do not have to fear any evil because you have overcome darkness with your light. Let your light shine forever in our lives. We pray, teach us to trust Your Word and promise. Let your presence reign on Earth. In Jesus’name. Amen!

~~India B. Davis

For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people (Titus 2:11). 

Almighty God, God of grace and God of glory, whose Son, Jesus, is full of grace and truth. Thank you that your grace relentlessly pursued us and never stopped pursuing us until you won our hearts by your great love. Your grace was undeserved and unmerited, You rescued us from a just judgment of our own making. Your grace called us to trust Jesus Christ as our Savior, the one who took all our sin upon himself. Your grace lifted us out the pit of our sin, renewed us, empowered us, and elevated us into Your presence.

Assist us, Lord, to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Savior, Jesus Christ. Assist us to know that your grace is available at all times, in every need, and for every good work. Assist us to experience your grace enabling us to say, “no,” to ungodliness and to live upright and godly lives; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.

~~ Fr. Glenn E. Davis

Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy (Matt 5:7).

Holy Father, teach us to see others as you see them. When we see others in sin, help us to pray for them, not gossip or criticize. When others deal harshly or are unkind, or impolite, let us see them as people who have been hurt and are wounded, a damaged people in need of Christ. Let us stand in need of prayer so that we may display the same mercy, you have shown to us. Teach us to not compare our sins against the sins of others, hoping to find their sins worse than ours. May we listen to Your life-giving Spirit all the day recognizing places large and small where we have fallen short of Your glory. Give us, we pray, grace to repent, mercy to show mercy, and love to serve, so that others may see You in us. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

~~ Fr. David Surrett

 

Jesus, Master, have mercy on us (Luke 17:13).

O’ Lord, Father of all mercies, whose compassions never fail and whose mercies never cease. Your mercy is gracious goodness to those of us who are miserable and distressed because of our sin. Look upon us, your servants, with Your never failing love, extend to us your compassion on our many struggles, failings, shortcomings, and sins. We are frail, yet You are strong. We are needy, yet You are compassionate. We are sinful, yet You are forgiving. Lord, your mercy is boundless and free through our Lord Jesus Christ, bestow upon us Your compassion now in our present distress; through Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.

~~ Fr. Glenn E. Davis

Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil (Ephesians 5: 15, 16).

Father, we repent of misusing social media. We have failed to see it as an extension of our Christian witness. We are more concerned about our image than your Presence. We confess that we sometimes post things that are inappropriate and reflect poorly on your Name. We confess spending time on Facebook while neglecting your Word. We confess our own failure to reflect before we post hurtful or thoughtless things. We repent of giving into our flesh by blasting others online for not sharing our viewpoints. Help us glorify you by our online presence and to walk in wisdom.  In Jesus’s Name. Amen. 

–Nicholas Beckham

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“Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry” (Colossians 3:5). 

Lord, we confess making an idol out our own desires. We have listened to the lies of our hearts that tell us we can find satisfaction in things other than you. We covet and cannot get what we want. We want new cars, new electronics, more money, higher positions and greater control. We crave what others have while ignoring the many blessings you have laid at our feet. Forgive us, Lord for setting our affections on things that don’t satisfy. We invite you to tear down the idols that we have enthroned in our hearts. Help us to behold your infinite beauty and value.

–Nicholas Beckham