Our Father, we know that you do hear us. We know this by faith. We know this because the Bible tells us so. We know that You in Your wisdom will always do what is right for us. We know that God only ordains what is right. We know that when we are weak, then we are strong. By faith, we can speak like the Apostle Paul and say with confidence that God’s grace is always sufficient. God’s power is ultimately demonstrated in our weakness. Lord, so many today boast about their strength. These are days when men worship success and power. We are weak. Lord, help us to be well content with our weaknesses, so that the power of God may dwell in us. Lord, when men see any good in us, because of who we are, they must attribute it to the power of God, for they know that weak men cannot do what we do. We surprise them, not because we are strong, but because God works in us to will and to work for His good purpose. Men see us, but we see God.

Thus Oh Lord, help us to be well content with weaknesses, with distresses and with difficulties for Christ’s sake, for truly when we are weak, then we are strong.

Lord, we need to hear the gospel again today. There is not a day that goes by that we are not aware of our sin. Our sins are ever before us. Guilt can cripple us. The power of temptation is all around us and even worse it is inside of us. We all stumble in many ways. The more we learn of the nature of holiness, the more we see our sins. Lord, we have no strength to pull goodness out of ourselves. We are so well acquainted with jealousy, with covetousness, with depression, with discontentment, with fear, with anxiety, and all the other sins that so easily beset us. We are nothing. If you were to send us to Hell for all eternity, then we could only say that you have done what is right.

Yet, Lord, the Bible tells us that Jesus died for our sins and rose again on the third day. The Bible tells us that Jesus is the sacrificial lamb that takes away the sin of the world. Lord, we believe the Bible. We believe that it is the very word of God. We believe in the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Lord, when the men of the world seek wisdom in other places, it is to Thy word that we turn. Thy word is truth. The Bible tells us so. Lord, other men build their houses on the sand and when the rain and the floods come their houses will fall. We build our hope on the word of God, and when the rain and the floods come, when the wind blows strong, our house shall stand. We believe this because the Bible tells us so.

Our Father, we pray for our Church. We are a very small part of the Kingdom of God. We don’t have any of the flashy attractions to draw men. We don’t market ourselves. We don’t sell ourselves. We can be rather bland and unexciting. Lord, help us to see that faithfulness is better than amusement. Fidelity is better than self-interest. Peace is better than always wining. Truth is better than error. Life is better than death. Weakness is better than strength. Humility is better than pride. Lord, if we keep these things in mind, then we shall enjoy Church. We will find a safe haven among the people of God. We shall be a peculiar people, a people for Thine own possession.

Lord may we hear the truth today. Let not the man of God hold anything from us as He preaches Thy word. Do not withhold Thy comfort and Thy grace from us. Renew our hope. Stir up our cold hearts. Let us not drift into numbness about the things of God. Let us not become complacent and forget that we must always be on our guard. The watchmen must always stay awake. While men slept the enemy sowed his seed. Lord kept us awake and be vigilant. Let him who things he stands take heed lest he fall.

Lord, grant your grace upon the graceless. Give assurance to the doubting. Raise up those who have fallen and humble the proud. Give eyes to the blind and give ears to the deaf. Demonstrate your power among us. Give us the joy of seeing the answers to our prayers.