Kings assume the throne and kings go the way of all men. They are soon forgotten. Nations rise and feast on their pompous glory, and nations fall and become the ridicule of the poets. The arrogant man rises to speak proud words, and soon he is humbled like a wild beast caught in a trap. One day we are full of vigor and hope. Soon our eyes are dim and our strength fails.

Lord, help us to discern the seasons of our lives. Help us live fruitfully in the times You have ordained for us. Tomorrow is gone and will never return again. Let not the young man glory in his youthful judgment, but let him respect the discernment of his elders. Let not the old man lose the joy and hope of the days when he was a lad, but let him live soberly and righteously. Let not the maiden find her value in her beauty, but let her adorn herself with a gentle and quiet spirit. Let not the older woman despise the young woman, but let her teach the younger woman how to love her husband and keep her home full of sweet scents and sweet hearts.

Lord, life is full of so many temptations. The sin of covetousness is always before us. We want what we cannot afford. We dare not say it aloud, but we blame God. Who else can we blame? We lust after what we cannot have. We dare not say it aloud, but we blame God. Who else can we blame? We complain about who we are. We dare not say it aloud, but we blame God. Who else can we blame?

Lord, we are a wretched people. We complain too much. We eat too much. We talk too much. We think we deserve better than we have. We think we deserve better husbands, better wives, better children, and better parents. We are angry when our plans are interrupted. We are impatient when God's timing interferes with our hopes and dreams.

Lord we fail in so many ways. We fail to compliment our brethren. We fail to praise those whom God honors. We fail to commend those who persevere. We adore the shining heroes of the world who despise God, and yet we fail to encourage the silent and unnoticed heroes who do their duties day by day and who receive no honor or glory from man. We would not know a real hero if we saw him.

Lord, we come into Thy presence today to find forgiveness for all of our sins. We want to be clean but we cannot clean ourselves. Our sins are ever before us. We can divert our attention, but soon our thoughts remember who we are. We can drown ourselves in being busy, but soon we much face the hour of silence. We can blame others and find true guilt in them, but soon we must examine our own hearts.

We have fooled ourselves into thinking we can inherit eternal life without dying to ourselves. We have believed the lie that a man can live without dying unto the lusts of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the boastful pride of life. We think we can enjoy the blessings of God without taking up the cross and following after Christ. Unless a man dies, he shall never truly live, and if a man dies then he shall know how to live. O Lord, Your truth is hidden in parables and strange sayings. Fools find them confusing, but we who have been born again unto eternal life find them easy to understand.

Lord, we are failures. We have been defeated. We are frauds. Yet, even in these things, we find hope because we know that when we are weak, then we are strong. Strange and contradictory words to the dead, but wisdom from God for the man born of God.

Lord, our hope is not in ourselves. Our hope is in the Lord Jesus Christ. Kill our pride that we may live. Destroy our confidence in ourselves that we may rejoice in the power of God. .

Lord, we come to break the bread of life today and to sup the cup of healing. We come to be reminded that there is a sacrifice for our sins. We come to the Father through Jesus Christ His Son. We come through a Mediator who has opened the door that we might enter as a friend and not as an enemy.