NewStats: 3,265,490 , 8,186,930 topics. Date: Sunday, 15 June 2025 at 09:41 AM 6k4u4d

Walking in the Light of God

For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light, ⏤ Ephesians 5:8 (BSB)

O God, as the morning has risen upon us, may the Sun of Righteousness also rise upon us. Chase away the shadows of darkness from us, and may we be light in the Lord. Enable us to put off all the works of darkness, whatever belongs to the old evil nature, and to put on the garments of light, doing the works of the day and not of the night. May our light shine before others so that seeing us, they may glorify You.

We desire to grow in grace. As the deer pants after the water brooks, so our souls long after You. Our souls thirst for God, for the living God. Nothing else will satisfy them. This world has nothing in it to meet the needs of our immortal spiritual natures. Let us not try to feed ourselves on that which is not bread, but may we learn to bring all our needs to You who alone can satisfy them.

We come to You to begin the day so that we may have Your bleson it. Nothing is complete without You. As the flowers need the dew and the sunshine to make them fragrant, so our lives need Your blessing to make them truly happy. Lay Your hand upon our heads as we bow before You. Direct our feet in all the day's paths. We want to carry out Your plan, not our own. Order our steps in Your word. Give us our work as we go on. Help us to be truthful, honest, and diligent in all our words and conduct. Prosper us in all our undertakings unless they are wrong. Defeat whatever we undertake that is not agreeable to Your will.

We go out now in our Savior's name, and we ask You to take us and use us to do Your will and to bless others. We ask all for Jesus' sake. Amen.

Preparing Our Hearts for Worship

I bow down toward Your holy temple and give thanks to Your name for Your loving devotion and Your faithfulness; You have exalted Your name and Your word above all else. ⏤ Psalm 138:2 (BSB)

We will praise You, O God, with our whole heart. We will worship toward Your holy temple and praise Your name for Your lovingkindness and for Your truth, for You have magnified Your word above all Your name.

In the day when we cried to You, You answered us. We thank You for Your love, which never fails, and for Your grace, which is given for every moment of need. Though You are high, yet You have regard for the lowly. Your eyes see even the least of Your redeemed children. The youngest child is watched over by You. You hear the cry of the birds in their hunger. We rejoice to think of the care You have for every child of Your own, and how secure we are in the keeping of Your love. You have been, and You are, our dwelling place.
Though we walk in the midst of trouble, You will protect us. You will stretch forth Your hand against the wrath of the Evil One, who seeks our destruction. Forsake not the work of Your own hands. Allow us not to fall away into darkness and into the pains of eternal death, but deliver us, we beseech You, from all sin, and save us to eternal life.

May this evening be one of preparation for the coming Sunday. Grant us rest so that we may be ready for the day's duties and worship. Then turn our thoughts and affections toward Sunday worship, that we may be in the Spirit on the Lord's day. Give holy thoughts to all who are preparing to speak the words of life to Your people. Warm their hearts with Your love, and hold them near to You, that they may come from the very secret of Your presence to stand and speak for You before others. We ask all in the name of our Redeemer. Amen.

Being Worthy of Our Calling

As a prisoner in the Lord, then, I urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling you have received: ⏤ Ephesians 4:1 (BSB)

O Jesus, You have called us with a holy calling. We desire to be worthy of the honor You have bestowed upon us. You have redeemed us by Your blood. You have taken us into fellowship with Yourself. You are not ashamed to call us brethren. You have made us heirs of God, t heirs with You. You have given us eternal life!

Make us indeed worthy of this exalted honor. Cleanse and purify us, that we may be like You in spirit, disposition, and character. Give us the same desires that are in Your heart, that we may hate what You hate and love what You love. May we be partakers in Your work for the upbuilding of Your cause and the extension of Your kingdom.

Give us this day the same mind that was in You. You left Your heavenly glory and became human, that You might be our Redeemer. You lived to serve, giving out Your life in unsparing service, even dying in love for Your people. We desire to have the same spirit. Save us from all selfishness, which would lead us to withhold ourselves from serving others with the best that is in us. Save us from all pride, which would lead us to think of ourselves more highly than we ought to think, and may we always be clothed with humility. Lead us into Your ways of service.

Lord Jesus, help us to live this day as You would live if You were here in our place. May we be holy, harmless, undefiled, and separate from sinners. May we be kind in all our family relationships and with those outside. Help us to be diligent in all our business. May we live unspotted from the world. Bless us in all ways in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Finding Rest in Jesus

Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. ⏤ Matthew 11:28 (BSB)

We hear Your voice this evening inviting us to come to You for rest. We need rest, and we thank You for Your ordinance of night, when we can cease our labors and find renewal of strength in the quiet of the evening. We thank You for sleep, which refills nature's exhausted fountains, and renews the life that has been used in the day's experiences. May You give us blessing in sleep tonight.

We thank You also for the spiritual rest You give to those who come to You. You alone can give us this rest. You alone can take away sin and the consciousness of guilt and deliver us from sin's penalty and power. You alone can give us rest in the assurance of Your love and Your power to make all things work together for our good. Give us Your peace. We do not ask for all care to be removed from our lives, but for so much of Your life in us that, come what may, our souls shall be quiet in You. As we learn from You, may we find rest for our souls.

In the darkness, may You hide us and shelter us. Let no harm befall us. Keep our dwelling from danger. Preserve us all in good health. Sanctify to us all the experiences of this day. Bless all that we have done, and use the words we have spoken. Forgive our mistakes, follies, and all our sins.

We ask for blessings on all our friends. Bless our friendships and make them more and more tender, constant, and true. May we all be Your friends—faithful, true, and constant. Help us to receive Your friendship into our hearts, and may its blessing enrich our lives. Forgive us, and grant us Your protecting care this night. We ask in Jesus' precious name. Amen.

Walking in His Light

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. ⏤ Psalm 119:105 (BSB)

Our Father in Heaven, we, Your earthly children, worship You. We thank You for Your word, which we can read at the opening of the day, taking it as a lamp to our feet and a light to our path. May it be to us indeed a light this day, shining for us and showing us the way of holiness. We always need a divine lamp, for the earth is dark. Sin has made it perilous to travel on these treacherous ways without a lamp. No human friend can guide us infallibly. We cannot guide ourselves. We would never find the way home were it not for the light of truth which You have given, which makes every smallest part of the path through this world clear and plain if we will walk in the light.

Let us not try to walk in the light of our own understanding, stumbling and falling. We put our hands in Yours this morning, and we would be led by You all day. We do not know where our paths will take us. It may be that darkness lies before us, or hard and rough ways, or that we must enter some Gethsemane. Lead us, O Jesus, where You will, and give us grace to follow submissively.

We seek Your bleson all the work of this day. Show us what You would have us do. May we find the tasks You have in Your plan and purpose for us, and then do them faithfully. Let us never resist Your gracious leading. Enable us always to do Your will, as it is done in Heaven. Bless us . . . In our home life, In our friendships, In our social life, In our play and work, In our praying and serving, In our toil and struggle, In our joy and sorrow.

We ask all in the name of Jesus our Savior. Amen.

Prayers for Our Community

First of all, then, I urge that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgiving be offered for everyone— ⏤ 1 Timothy 2:1 (BSB)

O Lord, give Your blessing to us this evening. Let Your face shine upon us and be gracious unto us. Lift up the light of Your countenance upon us and give us peace. May our sins be forgiven. May our errors be corrected. May the work of our hands be blessed. May the influence of our lives upon others be sanctified.

We can never have this day again to amend anything in it, to recall what is evil, or to add what is lacking. So we leave it with You, asking for Your bleson it.

We the community around us, asking that You would send Your bleson all its homes. all the children and keep them in their tender years; carry them in Your bosom, Good Shepherd. all the young people amid the world's temptations and attractions. Keep them, and may they become noble men and women. the sick, the old, the sorrowing, and the poor, and have pity upon the unsaved.

We pray for our country. those who rule over us and give them wisdom to rule in Your fear and for You. Bless all our institutions. May Your grace more and more rule in them, making them influences for good in the world. Keep Your protection around those who go upon the seas and those who work amid dangers.

We pray for Your church. Bless its ministers, and may they be faithful and earnest. Bless all its , and may they be true in all their life before men. May their light so shine that all who see them shall be led to believe in the power of Jesus. Hear us, bless us, and keep us through the night. We ask in Jesus' precious name. Amen.

Walking in His Light

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. ⏤ Psalm 119:105 (BSB)

Our Father in Heaven, we, Your earthly children, worship You. We thank You for Your word, which we can read at the opening of the day, taking it as a lamp to our feet and a light to our path. May it be to us indeed a light this day, shining for us and showing us the way of holiness. We always need a divine lamp, for the earth is dark. Sin has made it perilous to travel on these treacherous ways without a lamp. No human friend can guide us infallibly. We cannot guide ourselves. We would never find the way home were it not for the light of truth which You have given, which makes every smallest part of the path through this world clear and plain if we will walk in the light.

Let us not try to walk in the light of our own understanding, stumbling and falling. We put our hands in Yours this morning, and we would be led by You all day. We do not know where our paths will take us. It may be that darkness lies before us, or hard and rough ways, or that we must enter some Gethsemane. Lead us, O Jesus, where You will, and give us grace to follow submissively.

We seek Your bleson all the work of this day. Show us what You would have us do. May we find the tasks You have in Your plan and purpose for us, and then do them faithfully. Let us never resist Your gracious leading. Enable us always to do Your will, as it is done in Heaven. Bless us . . . In our home life, In our friendships, In our social life, In our play and work, In our praying and serving, In our toil and struggle, In our joy and sorrow.

We ask all in the name of Jesus our Savior. Amen.

Resting in God’s Faithfulness

God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in times of trouble. ⏤ Psalm 46:1 (BSB)

We thank You, our Father, for the privilege of trusting You and abiding in Your love. We thank You that in this great world of peril, You are accessible everywhere, that wherever we are, we can find You—and, finding You, be safe. You are a very present help in times of trouble. You are our refuge and our rock, our high tower, our deliverer, and our shield. We are glad that we are Your redeemed children and that You care for us with infinite tenderness. We rejoice in the privilege of having You as our hearts' home.

We are Yours, O God, for You have made and redeemed us. We confess ourselves Yours and would consecrate ourselves to You. We have tried to serve You today and to be faithful to You. Where we have failed, may You forgive us. We bring the broken things of our obedience and service now to Your feet—we have nothing but broken things to bring. Accept them in Jesus' precious name, and use them in Your service.

We have many interests that are dear to our hearts, on which we would ask Your blessing at the close of the day. Bless our common tasks. It is not easy. Much of it is wearisome—the same rounds day after day. May the very routine do us good, teaching us to be patient and diligent, prompt and energetic, earnest and faithful.

May these tasks all be part of the Father's business, and may we do all of them in the name of Jesus, and thus find joy and delight in them.

We pray also for all our spiritual interests, the things that concern our souls. Let nothing harm us. May all things work together for good to us. Receive us now to rest in Your care, we ask in Jesus' precious name. Amen.

Gratitude and Dependence

The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. ⏤ Psalm 23:1 (BSB)

O Lord, open our lips, and our mouth shall show forth Your praise. We praise You for all that You are in Yourself—the glory of Your being, the excellency of Your power and goodness, Your faithfulness and loving-kindness. We praise You that all You are and have is ours, that You are our own God, and that we can say, "The Lord is my Shepherd," and "God is our refuge and strength." You have given Yourself to us. You are our Father, and we are Your children. All the blessings of our Father's house are ours.

Graciously pardon all our iniquities, and help us to make sincere confession, assured that if we confess our sins, You are faithful and just to forgive us. Save us, O God, from trying to hide or cover our sins from You, and help us to confess them openly.

Let a blessing rest upon us today in all the affairs of our life. Give us this day our daily bread. We ask not for luxuries, lest we forget our dependence upon You. Preserve us from poverty and want, lest we be tempted to sin. Give us only our daily bread, and grant us contentment with it. Let us not murmur nor complain. Give us trust and peace.

We beseech You to use us in whatever ways we can best serve You. We consecrate our lives to You. Let us not live for ourselves, but may we employ all our talents and possessions so that our lives may be blessings to others.

Deal gently, Lord, with the sick and the dying. Show Your favor to the needy and the outcast. Be the friend of the friendless. Guide the young, and lead all people to trust in You. Cover us now with the shadow of Your wings. We ask in Jesus' precious name. Amen.

Seeking Shelter in the Night

Behold, the Protector of Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. ⏤ Psalm 121:4 (BSB)

O Lord, we humbly beseech You to accept this, our evening sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving. Mercifully grant to us, through the merits of Jesus Christ, Your Son, the remission of our sins, and all the blessings of eternal life. Fill our hearts, we ask You, with Your Spirit. Simply to Your cross we cling, O Jesus, our Savior and Redeemer.

The night is now before us. We do not know what perils are veiled in the darkness. We know only that we are safe in You, by night as by day, for the darkness and the light are both alike to You. Your eye sees in the night as clearly as at noonday. So, while we sleep, You will watch over us, and we shall be as safe as if it were day. Be our shelter, our keeper, protecting us from all danger.

We may not all live through the night. If any of us shall end our life here and go away before the morning, may it be unto You that we shall go. We ask that You will shed abroad Your love in our hearts. May Your will be done here in our home as it is done in Heaven. We ask for special individual blessings. We have different needs. Some of us are strong, and others are weak. As our day is, so may our strength be. Let none of us ever be overwhelmed by this world's evil.

We ask for refreshing rest in sleep. May nothing disturb our repose until the morning. Give us in sleep the blessings of Your love. May we be stronger for the night's rest. Fit us for whatever is before us. Watch over us and bring us to the morning light in peace and health. Guide us in safe and good paths, and help us to be useful to many others. We ask it in the blessed name of Jesus. Amen.

Seeking His Grace for Today

Because of the loving devotion of the LORD we are not consumed, for His mercies never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness! ⏤ Lamentations 3:22-23 (BSB)

O God, who grants mercy and truth to Your people from generation to generation, we come with confidence to You. You have never turned away any who came to You. Not one of Your words has ever failed to be fulfilled. Your promises have always been kept with those who have accepted them and leaned upon them. Your name has been a strong tower to everyone who has run to it for safety. You are . . . An everlasting rock, An eternal refuge, A very present help in times of trouble for all who have turned to You.

We come as Your children to You at the beginning of a new day. Your mercies are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness. We ask You to show us Your face before we go out into the day. If we have Your blessing, we will not fear any experiences we may have to meet. In the light of Your countenance may we walk all the hours of this day—and then we shall be safe. Put holy thoughts and heavenly aspirations into our hearts. We desire to live the heavenly life in this world, and we can only do so if You put Your thoughts into our minds.

We are going out into a world full of evil, with unholy influences on every side. We have no power of our own to move through this evil world and keep ourselves unspotted. We come to You for grace to help us. May You keep us from evil. Keep our hearts so that only holy feelings and desires may spring up in them. Preserve us from the power of evil in others around us. Let us . . . Not listen to wicked suggestions, Nor be swayed by wrong examples, Nor yield to unholy motives. Let not ion or appetite rule us.

We commit ourselves to Your safe keeping, in Jesus Christ. Amen.

ing His Eternal Faithfulness

Lord, You have been our dwelling place through all generations. Before the mountains were born or You brought forth the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting You are God. ⏤ Psalm 90:1-2 (BSB)

Heavenly Father, whose favor is life, whose lovingkindness is better than life, we thank You for all the blessings You have shown to us. Through another day, You have led us. Goodness and mercy have followed us all the way. We enter now into the quiet and rest of the evening, and Your banner over us is love. We hide in the shadow of Your wings.

We before You this evening all the interests of our home. We thank You for all that home means to us of love and shelter. Bless us in our family life, making it more and more like the heavenly life. Lord, You have been our dwelling place in all generations. Before the mountains were brought forth, or You had formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God. A thousand years in Your sight are but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night.

We are but creatures of a moment, dying and ing away. We are like the grass which in the morning flourishes and grows up, and in the evening is cut down and withers. We spend our years as a tale that is told. You have set our iniquities before You, our secret sins in the light of Your countenance.

So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom. Oh, satisfy us early with Your mercy, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days. Let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands upon us. We ask all these things in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Seeking His Grace for Today

Because of the loving devotion of the LORD we are not consumed, for His mercies never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness! ⏤ Lamentations 3:22-23 (BSB)

O God, who grants mercy and truth to Your people from generation to generation, we come with confidence to You. You have never turned away any who came to You. Not one of Your words has ever failed to be fulfilled. Your promises have always been kept with those who have accepted them and leaned upon them. Your name has been a strong tower to everyone who has run to it for safety. You are . . . An everlasting rock, An eternal refuge, A very present help in times of trouble for all who have turned to You.

We come as Your children to You at the beginning of a new day. Your mercies are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness. We ask You to show us Your face before we go out into the day. If we have Your blessing, we will not fear any experiences we may have to meet. In the light of Your countenance may we walk all the hours of this day—and then we shall be safe. Put holy thoughts and heavenly aspirations into our hearts. We desire to live the heavenly life in this world, and we can only do so if You put Your thoughts into our minds.

We are going out into a world full of evil, with unholy influences on every side. We have no power of our own to move through this evil world and keep ourselves unspotted. We come to You for grace to help us. May You keep us from evil. Keep our hearts so that only holy feelings and desires may spring up in them. Preserve us from the power of evil in others around us. Let us . . . Not listen to wicked suggestions, Nor be swayed by wrong examples, Nor yield to unholy motives. Let not ion or appetite rule us.

We commit ourselves to Your safe keeping, in Jesus Christ. Amen.

Responding to His Love

But God proves His love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. ⏤ Romans 5:8 (BSB)

O God of love, we offer You our heartfelt thanks for all Your mercies, but especially for Your unspeakable gift, Jesus Christ, Your Son, in whom all gifts and blessings are included. We thank You that You loved us in our sin, not waiting for us to come to You with our love to win Your love, but that You demonstrated Your love to us in that while we were yet sinners, Jesus died for us. We humbly adore this wonderful love, without which we would have perished forever in our sins.

O may our hearts respond to Your love. Our love is so small in comparison with Yours—so unworthy, so fickle, and uncertain, that we are ashamed to offer it to You. Have mercy upon us, O God, and grant us more of Your grace and of Your Holy Spirit, that our love may be deepened and strengthened.

Bless us again as a family as we bow at Your feet. Give us many rich blessings out of Your grace. Bless our time together today. May our home friendships grow deeper and more tender. Teach us how to love each other better. Preserve us from those miserable little faults that mar the life of love in so many homes—criticism, impatience, discourtesy, thoughtlessness, lack of gentleness. May love abound in each heart, so that our home life may be sweet and full of blessing.

May this Sunday be blessed to us. Fix in our hearts all the good things we have heard and learned. Sanctify to us all our worship, the instruction we have received, and the holy impressions made upon us. Accept what we have tried to do to help and bless other

We come beneath the shadow of Your wings as we go to our rest. Keep us, enrich us with all goodness and mercy, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Confessing and Seeking Wisdom

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. ⏤ 1 John 1:9 (BSB)

Almighty and most merciful Father, we have erred and strayed from Your ways like lost sheep. We have followed too much the devices and desires of our own hearts. We have offended against Your holy laws. We have left undone those things which we ought to have done, and we have done those things which we ought not to have done, and there is no soundness in us. O Lord, have mercy upon us, miserable offenders. Spare those, O God, who confess their faults. Restore those who are penitent, according to Your promises declared in Christ Jesus our Lord. And grant, O merciful Father, for Your sake, that we may hereafter live a godly, righteous, and sober life, to the glory of Your holy name.

We bless Your name, O God, our Father, that we can come to You with our confessions, assured that You will, for the sake of Jesus Christ, forgive us all our manifold transgressions. May we today have Your divine peace in our souls. May the love of Jesus also be in us, warming our hearts and making us more like You.

Help us in all our work and duties. Let us not falter. Preserve us from laziness and carelessness. Make us diligent in our responsibilities. Strengthen us for all burden-bearing and cross-bearing, for all struggle and conflict. Let us not faint nor fail. Enable us to do every task in a way that pleases You.

We ask also for wisdom that we may not make mistakes. Bless our influence on others; may it always be good and helpful. Give us the true spirit of neighborliness. May the mind that was in Christ Jesus be in us, making us humble and helpful. Grant these mercies and favors in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Gratitude for the Week’s Journey

So teach us to number our days, that we may present a heart of wisdom. ⏤ Psalm 90:12 (BSB)


Our Father, what shall we render unto You for all the mercies and kindnesses of this week received from Your hand? We have walked through these days with You, and You have kept us and blessed us. We have not always walked worthily. We have grieved You many times. We thank You for the mercy that never fails and for the forgiveness of our many transgressions.

May You use our week's work and bless it. We have met many people, some only for a moment, in ing, and some many times. Bless to each of them our ing words or our friendship. We have tried to be kind to those who were in need or trouble; may You bless all our giving, our visits to the sick or poor, and all our efforts to help others in any way. Forgive us for the times we failed to show love, when we ed by on the other side.

We this evening the many people around us in various conditions and circumstances. Some are Your children; let a blessing rest upon them. Make them more and more worthy, true-hearted, and whole-hearted Christians. Some are careless, drifting away from Jesus. Have mercy upon these, and save them from the perils of their course. Some are far from You, and do not know You. We ask You to send Your Spirit to convict them and bring them to repentance.

We . . . The poor in their poverty, The sick in their suffering and pain, The sorrowing in their distress.

Let a blessing rest upon the little children for whom no prayer rises in their own homes. Turn the hearts of all prayerless parents to their children, that they may plead with You for them. Fold us now in Your almighty arms, for Jesus’ sake. Amen.

Receiving Abundant Life

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I have come that they may have life, and have it in all its fullness. ⏤ John 10:10 (BSB)

O Jesus, our Savior, You alone can give us life. You came into this world that we might have life, abundant life. Fill us with life as we begin this new day. We will need it at every step. We will have . . . Burdens to carry, Battles to fight, Trials to endure, Duties to perform.

Give us life, abundant life, to prepare us for all these experiences, that we do not fail today.

We must represent You in the world. You have said that as the Father sent You into the world, so You have sent us. We can do nothing except as we receive life and wisdom from You. We wait at Your feet this morning, praying that You put rich grace into our souls. May we be like trees planted by the rivers of water, bearing fruit in their season. May the fruits of righteousness be evident in our lives. May the fruits of the Spirit abound in us. May we be to the world like rich trees, planted and nourished by You, from whose branches there shall fall much fruit to feed the hunger of others.


We cannot know what the day will bring. We do not ask to know. We would rather walk in the dark with You than go alone, choosing our own way. We would rather walk with You by faith than go alone by sight. So, we put ourselves into Your hand for guidance and safekeeping. You will make no mistake in leading us. No path into which You take us can be the wrong path. Lead us, O Jesus, for You know the way through this bewildering world. You have walked these paths Yourself, O Jesus, and You found the way home. Lead us home, too, dear Master, to be with You forever. We ask in Your name. Amen.

A Closer Friendship with Jesus

Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. ⏤ James 4:8 (BSB)

O God, our Father, we hunger for more life. We have gone through this day longing for life, yet how little life we have had! Our souls have felt empty of You. Our hearts have been crying out for more and more life. Reveal Yourself to us. Bring us into closer and closer personal friendship with Jesus. This is what we crave—friendship with Jesus. It is not enough for us to know Jesus as our Savior and our Lord; we long to come into deeper and closer personal friendship with Him.

Show us how to have more of Jesus in us. Whatever hinders us from welcoming Him into our hearts, help us to find it and cast it out, so that Jesus may receive a glad welcome into our deepest affection.

May we be blessed by the experiences of today. May they all work for our good. Some things have not gone according to our plans. We hoped for things we did not receive. Help us to know that Your way is better than ours, and help us to cheerfully give up our way for Yours. If we are not fully submissive, forgive us, and teach us how good it is to accept our Father’s way.

We pray for Your church. It is in many fragments; we pray that soon Your people may be one. Bring Christians nearer together in love, faith, and life. While there is separation, may You overrule all divisions for good. May hearts be drawn together, and thus may Your people become one in spirit and effort. Save Your true disciples everywhere from sectarianism and from all that fosters differences. May Your Holy Spirit be given in such measure that all denominational lines may melt away. Hear us in our prayer tonight, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

June 6 Morning Prayer

The Presence of God

Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, for God has said: “Never will I leave you, never will I forsake you.” ⏤ Hebrews 13:5 (BSB)

O God, who is everywhere present, who is surely here with us now as we bow before You—may You make Your presence real to us, so that we are conscious of it. We cannot see You, and it’s hard for us to know that You are truly with us. Give us faith in Your promise that You will never leave us nor forsake us, that You will be with us always, even unto the end of the world.

May Your presence make us strong and keep us always at peace. May it inspire us to always do our best, knowing that the Master’s eye is ever upon us. May it keep us from being discouraged and cast down, since You are always a very present help in times of trouble. May it make us watchful over all our life and conversation so that we do nothing and say nothing that would grieve You.

We desire, our Father, to be diligent today in all duty, and we ask You for help and guidance. Show us what You would have us do—and then give us the wisdom and grace to do all our duties. Help us to do them beautifully, so as to please You. Let us not live well merely out of obligation, but may we love to do what is right and do it with cheerfulness and glad-heartedness. May we glorify Your name in the midst of Your enemies, honoring You in our every word and act

We commit to Your keeping all of our home as we go our separate ways. Let no harm come to any of us. May we be kept from sickness and trials, if it’s Your will; but if any trouble comes to us, then may we be kept from sinning. Give us Your help. Uphold us by Your right hand. We ask all this, with the forgiveness of our sins, in Jesus’ precious name. Amen.

Resting in His Peace

Father, though it’s dark around us, it is always light with You. We come at nightfall to thank You for the day’s mercies and to confess our sins. Blot out every transgression. Wash us, and we shall be whiter than snow. Accept what we bring to You tonight, and let Your blessing be upon it all.

We ask You for Your special peace. We Your promise to keep in perfect peace those whose minds are stayed on You. We desire to keep our minds stayed on You. You are an everlasting rock. You are the same yesterday, today, and forever. You are the everlasting Father. Nothing ever disturbs Your security. We would lean . . . Our weakness on Your strength, Our ignorance on Your wisdom, Our trembling insecurity on Your unchangeableness.

We would rest in You. Help us to rest in You as birds rest in their nests in the great rock, and not be afraid.

Save us from all fear. We are only little children in this world of danger, but we are safe in You. Help us, therefore, to trust and never be afraid. Cover us with Your sheltering wings. Hold us in the clasp of Your hand—in the embrace of Your everlasting arms. Preserve us from . . . The fascinations of the world, The assaults of the tempter, The insidious wickedness of our own hearts.


May You bless our mutual influence as a home. We love each other; may our love grow more tender. Sometimes we fail to show our love, even appearing cold, indifferent, and ungracious. Help us to be kindly affectionate in manner as well as loving in heart.

We pray for our neighbors and friends. May Your grace be upon them.

Comfort the sorrowful, Relieve the distressed, Have mercy upon the sinful.

We ask all in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Learning Cheerfulness Amid Trials

I have told you these things so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take courage; I have overcome the world!” ⏤ John 16:33 (BSB)

May You teach us the lesson of cheerfulness, O God. We are too easily irritated and cast down. We let little troubles and difficulties discourage us. Our joy is too easily overshadowed. Our song of gladness too often turns into a dirge. We fret ourselves needlessly and fail to rejoice always. Sorrows come over us like a flood and bury us beneath their dark waves. Our gladness is too easily turned to sadness as life’s cares and trials come upon us.

We hear You bidding us to be of good cheer because You have overcome the world, telling us that though we have tribulations, we may have peace in You. But the lesson is not easy. It’s hard for us to keep the song always in our hearts and the sunshine always on our faces when there are so many cares.

We come to You, pleading that You will teach us how to always be cheerful. Help us to have such a strong, quiet, firm faith in Jesus that no matter what comes into our lives, we may always rejoice. Rescue us from discouragement, no matter how great its cause may appear to be. Help us to cast every burden on You, sure that You will sustain us. Help us to learn to rejoice even in disappointments, knowing that if we could see all as You see, we would find beauty and good in everything that seems painful and dark to us.

We desire to be ministers of cheer to others. Forbid that we should go out with sadness in our faces, casting a shadow on other lives. May we be sunshine to others. May we show the world what grace can do in making us messengers of gladness. We ask this in the name of Him who overcame the world and can give us peace. Amen.

Grateful Hearts and Blessing for the Children

See that you do not look down on any of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of My Father in heaven. ⏤ Matthew 18:10 (BSB)

We asked You this morning for the grace to be cheerful and to be messengers of good cheer to others. We thank You for whatever we were able to do in learning this lesson. Bless to others every cheerful word we spoke, and may the influence of our lives be a blessing to many. Where we failed to practice this lesson, please forgive us. We ask that You continue to teach us, and may we grow in this grace of cheerfulness until our daily lives become daily blessings.

We have tried to carry comfort and strength to others. Yet some of those around us are in trouble that we cannot reach. The trouble is beyond our ability to help. May You be their comforter. If it is not Your will to take away the trial, may You give them the grace to endure it with patience, and may You cause it to work for their good so that they grow in grace and are brought nearer to You.

We make a special prayer tonight, O God, for the children. We thank You for childhood and for all it means to homes and to this world. We thank You for children’s voices, which bring so much music into life. We thank You for the simplicity and humility of the children. Bless the children of this world. May they be instruments of grace in every home where their voices are heard. Bless homes for the sake of the children. May all parents be so like Jesus to the little ones who gather around them, that the young and tender lives will be beautiful and blessed, and that they may grow up into strong men and women, fearing You, loving and living the truth, and making the world holier. And to Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, we will give praise, honor, and worship, forevermore. Amen.

Looking to the Lord for Help

I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth. ⏤ Psalm 121:1-2 (BSB)

We lift up our eyes to the mountains. Where does our help come from? Our help comes from the Lord, the Maker of Heaven and earth. You will not let our feet slip. You who watch over us will not slumber. You are our keeper. You are our shade at our right hand. The sun will not harm us by day, nor the moon by night. You will keep us from all harm. You will watch over our lives. You will watch over our coming and going both now and forevermore.

We lift up our eyes to You who dwell in the heavens. As the eyes of servants look to the hand of their masters, and as the eyes of a maid look to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes look to You, O Lord our God, until You show us Your mercy.

Teach us Your will for this day. We earnestly desire to live out the plan of life You have for us. We know it is a beautiful and worthy plan. Reveal it to us as we go about our day. Show us this day’s portion of it, and help us to submit ourselves fully to Your guidance. Let us not ruin our lives by taking even the smallest part out of Your hands and into our own. Show us Your way, and make us willing to follow it, even if it is not the path we would choose.

Grant us a day filled with goodness and mercy. Let us not grieve You, nor turn away from Your commandments. Help us to live profitably, unselfishly, and purely. Show us our faults, and then help us to overcome them and put them away. Give us the grace to make restitution if we have taken anything from another that was not ours; may we be able to return it today. Let us never lie, steal, or defraud in any way. May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be upon us. Amen.

Blessing and Protection in Friendships

As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another. ⏤ Proverbs 27:17 (BSB)

Father in Heaven, we, Your children, come before You at this holy evening hour. Your blessings have followed us every day, and Your protection has sheltered us every night. We are weak, mere infants in this great world, but Your strength has always enfolded us, and Your love has always warmed our hearts. This evening, we seek new blessings. May Your holy love fill our hearts, and may the beauty of the Lord Jesus be upon us.

We have encountered many people today. May the words we spoke to others, even in ing, not be lost or in vain. May they be as good seeds, growing beauty along the paths we have walked. If we have spoken wrong words, forgive us, and grant us an opportunity to say something good that will counteract the negative influence. Bless and sanctify the touches and influences that other lives have left upon us today. Let nothing be done that mars our character because of any wrong done to us or in us today.

We ask You to bless and sanctify our friendships. Protect us from any friendships that would harm us, entangle us in unholy or hurtful relationships, or injure our character. We want personal friends who are holy, whose influence will be helpful and inspiring. Choose our friends for us, and help us to be true and faithful as friends. Help us to nurture our home affections and all our friendships, so that they become truer, deeper, and holier. Above all, may we always have You as our best and closest Friend, for Your love is everlasting. We ask all this in the name of our precious Savior. Amen.

Looking to the Lord for Help

I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth. ⏤ Psalm 121:1-2 (BSB)

We lift up our eyes to the mountains. Where does our help come from? Our help comes from the Lord, the Maker of Heaven and earth. You will not let our feet slip. You who watch over us will not slumber. You are our keeper. You are our shade at our right hand. The sun will not harm us by day, nor the moon by night. You will keep us from all harm. You will watch over our lives. You will watch over our coming and going both now and forevermore.

We lift up our eyes to You who dwell in the heavens. As the eyes of servants look to the hand of their masters, and as the eyes of a maid look to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes look to You, O Lord our God, until You show us Your mercy.

Teach us Your will for this day. We earnestly desire to live out the plan of life You have for us. We know it is a beautiful and worthy plan. Reveal it to us as we go about our day. Show us this day’s portion of it, and help us to submit ourselves fully to Your guidance. Let us not ruin our lives by taking even the smallest part out of Your hands and into our own. Show us Your way, and make us willing to follow it, even if it is not the path we would choose.

Grant us a day filled with goodness and mercy. Let us not grieve You, nor turn away from Your commandments. Help us to live profitably, unselfishly, and purely. Show us our faults, and then help us to overcome them and put them away. Give us the grace to make restitution if we have taken anything from another that was not ours; may we be able to return it today. Let us never lie, steal, or defraud in any way. May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be upon us. Amen.

Resting in God's Embrace

If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me, and the light become night around me”— even the darkness is not dark to You, but the night shines like the day, for darkness is as light to You. ⏤ Psalm 139:11-12 (BSB)

Breathe upon us with Your breath of grace and love, our Father, and give us an evening blessing. Let our prayers rise before You as fragrant incense. Let Your peace be upon us. The shadows have deepened around us, but You are in the shadows, and we are safe. Darkness holds no danger when You are watching over us. Night is as day when . . . Your eye keeps watch on us, Your hand protects us, And Your arm embraces us.

We go to our rest without fear or anxiety, for You are keeping us. Human arms, though their embrace is dear, are not strong. They cannot always hold us. Even the strongest of them must one day fall in the weakness of death. But Your arms are everlasting. Nothing can tear us from Your grasp. Nothing in the universe can separate us from Your love. No one can snatch us from the hand of our Savior. We bless You for Your love, for our security in it, and for the eternity of Your grace. Your promises are sure forever. We are as safe as if we were already in Heaven, for You are our God and Father, and we are Your redeemed children.

Whatever sins we have committed today, please forgive. If we have harmed one of Your little ones, show us how we have done it so that we may seek to make it right. If we have lost our temper and spoken unadvisedly, impatiently, unkindly, or uncharitably, either to or about someone else, we ask for forgiveness. Take not Your Holy Spirit from us. Restore to us the joy of Your salvation. Grant us grace and teach us the better way, the more excellent way, the way of love. We want to show forth Your praise in all our lives. Bless us and enable us to manifest Jesus wherever we go. We ask all this in the name of Jesus our Redeemer. Amen.

Peace for a Restless World

I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go to the house of the LORD.” ⏤ Psalm 122:1 (BSB)

Father, as we pause to rest this day with You, the great feverish world keeps throbbing on. May something of Your blessed Sunday peace flow out into this restless world and quiet it. Let this day be a true blessing to all Your people, and may the influence of this day reach far and wide, making its power felt throughout the world.

We ask that Your grace be given so that all who worship You today may receive a blessing. Let Your blessing be upon all assemblies that gather for worship and upon all Sunday schools. May there be divine power in the preaching of Your word. May lost sinners be convicted and led to repentance. May Christians be strengthened and encouraged. May those who are sorrowful be comforted. May this day bring new strength and heavenly impulses to children and young people. May our home be blessed and enriched by this day of rest and worship. May Your life from Heaven come down and make our land holier, purer, and sweeter.

O God, Your cause on earth sometimes seems to falter. Your church does not always appear to be earnest. The world is earnest; every energy of evil is active. Wicked people are busy in their wickedness, while the followers of Jesus seem to be asleep! Your kingdom does not seem to be advancing among the nations. We pray again, "May Your kingdom come." Pour out Your Spirit upon all who bear the name of Jesus. Ignite revival fires in all parts of the church. We pray for ourselves, that we may be quickened in our spiritual life.

Let a blessing be upon Your whole church, and may Your cause receive a divine impulse that will be felt around the world. Revive Your work among Your people. Hear our prayers and give us Your blessing through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.

Blessing on the Work of His People

so My word that proceeds from My mouth will not return to Me empty, but it will accomplish what I please, and it will prosper where I send it. ⏤ Isaiah 55:11 (BSB)

We come back this evening, our Father, to continue our prayer for the coming of Your kingdom. The day is past, and the work of Your servants is done. Thousands of ministers have preached Your word, tens of thousands of teachers have taught the children, and in millions of Christian homes, supplications and prayers have been offered. Let not all this work be in vain. May Your Spirit gather up all that has been done for You today and give it Your divine blessing, without which nothing can come of it.

Revive Your work in this land and in the world through this Sunday's ministrations. May many of Your children carry new earnestness and zeal into their living and work tomorrow. May the seeds sown in the furrows today take root and grow. Let not the birds gather up and devour what has been sown. Let not the thorns spring up and choke it. Let not the heat of trials scorch the tender growths. May the good seed grow wherever it has been sown, and may abundant harvests wave on thousands of fields. Prosper Your work on the earth.

May Your peace rest upon our home tonight. May the gentle Dove descend and spread His white wings over us, sheltering us while we sleep. May holy influences rest upon us from this Sunday, and may its teachings and impressions stay with us throughout the week. Keep each of us from the world's ungodly power. Hold us all near Your heart, in the warmth of Your love, in the strong security of Your grace. May the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us. May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God our Father, and the comfort of the Holy Spirit be with us forever. Amen.

Peace for a Restless World

I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go to the house of the LORD.” ⏤ Psalm 122:1 (BSB)

Father, as we pause to rest this day with You, the great feverish world keeps throbbing on. May something of Your blessed Sunday peace flow out into this restless world and quiet it. Let this day be a true blessing to all Your people, and may the influence of this day reach far and wide, making its power felt throughout the world.

We ask that Your grace be given so that all who worship You today may receive a blessing. Let Your blessing be upon all assemblies that gather for worship and upon all Sunday schools. May there be divine power in the preaching of Your word. May lost sinners be convicted and led to repentance. May Christians be strengthened and encouraged. May those who are sorrowful be comforted. May this day bring new strength and heavenly impulses to children and young people. May our home be blessed and enriched by this day of rest and worship. May Your life from Heaven come down and make our land holier, purer, and sweeter.

O God, Your cause on earth sometimes seems to falter. Your church does not always appear to be earnest. The world is earnest; every energy of evil is active. Wicked people are busy in their wickedness, while the followers of Jesus seem to be asleep! Your kingdom does not seem to be advancing among the nations. We pray again, "May Your kingdom come." Pour out Your Spirit upon all who bear the name of Jesus. Ignite revival fires in all parts of the church. We pray for ourselves, that we may be quickened in our spiritual life.

Let a blessing be upon Your whole church, and may Your cause receive a divine impulse that will be felt around the world. Revive Your work among Your people. Hear our prayers and give us Your blessing through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.

Thanksgiving and Protection

I will lie down and sleep in peace, for You alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety. ⏤ Psalm 4:8 (BSB)

What can we say to You, O God, tonight, to express our gratitude for all the goodness of this day? We can only bring You our hearts' humble worship and ask You to accept it. We lay the work of this week upon the altar. Cleanse what is wrong in it. Accept and use what is right.

Our thanks are due to You for all You have been to us this week. You have been our Shepherd, leading us into green pastures and beside still waters. You have been our refuge and strength, a very present help in times of trouble. You have been our fortress, into which we have run in times of danger, finding deliverance. You have been our companion along the way, our guide, our guardian, our friend, our deliverer, our helper.

Impress Yourself on our lives. Saturate our very being with Your own life, so that we may be transformed into Your own character!

We pray tonight for the world outside. Much of it is without You and without hope. the homes around us that are godless and prayerless. Find a way, O God, to enter these homes so that the children, at least, may be saved. We also pray for those who have sorrow in their homes and cry out for comfort. Wipe away their tears by revealing the truths that bring true consolation.

We commit our own home to Your protection for the night. You who never slumber—be our keeper. Let no danger come near us. May Your peace rest upon our home. Prepare us for the duties of Sunday. May it please You to spare us and bless us in every good way. We ask in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Redeemer. Amen.

Excellence in Love and Service

Whatever you do, work at it with your whole being, for the Lord and not for men, ⏤ Colossians 3:23 (BSB)

We come into Your presence, O great and glorious God, to begin the day at Your feet. Without Your blessing, we dare not venture into the twisting paths of the world. We desire to do good work today. Keep us from being satisfied with merely fulfilling our duties; may we do even the smallest tasks with excellence, so as to please You.

We also desire to live well in our family life. Sometimes we fail to do our best at home. We grow careless, and we do not speak as affectionately as we should. We are less courteous and kind than we might be. We do not always give the best expressions of love to those closest to us. Teach us, Father, to love at home—and to show our love. Preserve us from impatience, irritability, and frustration in our interactions as a home, and give us the spirit of love.

We also desire to show love in all our relationships with the world. Give us a generous heart toward our neighbors. Help us to be like Jesus, who, when reviled, did not revile in return—who bore injury and insult with meekness and gentleness. May we have the same patient love that He had. If we suffer wrong from others, may we bear it quietly, without resentment, returning good for evil and kindness for unkindness.

May we have the spirit of helpfulness toward all our neighbors. May we be like the Good Samaritan to anyone we find in distress or need. Enable us to carry the love of Jesus to every life we touch. Make us good interpreters of Jesus' divine love and kindness. May our neighbors see in us the holiness of Jesus. Let our day be one of beauty and grace, full of Jesus and full of goodness to others. We ask this in the blessed name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Resting in God’s Peace

You will keep in perfect peace the steadfast of mind, because he trusts in You. ⏤ Isaiah 26:3 (BSB)

We thank You, our Father in Heaven, for the love that always shines upon us from Your face. We thank You for the quietness and peace that surround us at this evening hour. May the deep peace of Heaven fill our hearts. Teach us the lesson of quietness and confidence, and help us to rest in the assurance of Your love.

Our hearts go out in comion for the world. Lives are degraded and debased. All creation groans and labors in pain together. We long to do something to help this sinning world, to lift it out of its bondage. Show us what we can do. Give us true pity for the lost. May we have something of Jesus’ comion, who gave His life to redeem the lost.

We also think of the world’s sorrow. Everywhere we look, we see grief. Hearts are breaking. Homes are mourning. Teach us to sympathize with the sorrowing everywhere, and help us to do something to lighten the burdens of affliction and to comfort those who are grieving.

Accept what we have done today for You. Our work may seem small in human eyes, but to You, nothing is small when it’s done in the name of Jesus. Take our small acts, our gentle deeds, our expressions of sympathy, and use them to make the world holier and sweeter. May they set off influences that will continue forever, spreading from heart to heart.

Keep us safe through the hours of unconsciousness. Let no harm befall our home. May our first thought upon waking be of You. Bless us and prepare us for the duties and experiences of the new day. We ask all these favors in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.