O Lord, we thank you that you have indeed spoken to us. Help us to obey your word in all that we would do. Holy Spirit, make it true of us and help us believe what the Psalmist says:
The law of the LORD is perfect,
reviving the soul;
the testimony of the LORD is sure,
making wise the simple;
the precepts of the LORD are right,
rejoicing the heart;
the commandment of the LORD is pure,
enlightening the eyes;
the fear of the LORD is clean,
enduring forever;
the rules of the LORD are true,
and righteous altogether.
More to be desired are they than gold,
even much fine gold;
sweeter also than honey
and drippings of the honeycomb.
Moreover, by them is your servant warned;
in keeping them there is great reward.
Who can discern his errors?
Declare me innocent from hidden faults.
Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins;
let them not have dominion over me!
Then I shall be blameless,
and innocent of great transgression.
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
be acceptable in your sight,
O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.
Lord, help us to obey you in all that we would do. We are tempted in so many ways to corruption, whether it’s temptation to love money and do wicked things in our business practices, whether it’s temptation to sexual sin like pornography or worse, whether it’s temptation to hate others and slander them because we don’t like something about someone, whether it’s temptation to put our hope anywhere but in Christ, there are so many temptations. Where we have given us, O Lord, have mercy on us and forgive us, we confess our sins to you now. (Silence)
As we go into the world this week, help us be free to be a servant of all we would come across. Help us even to have wisdom to know when and where and how to share the gospel with others, that we might see conversions or at least have winsome conversations about Jesus this week. Help us be a blessing to all that we may share the gospel with all. We lift up to you now those we would like to talk with about Jesus, and we ask you, Holy Spirit, to give them new birth in Christ. (Silence)
Make us wise as serpents, yet gentle as doves. Give us wisdom all week long. We thank you that we live in a country where there is no significant persecution of Christians at this time, and we ask that it may never be. But there are places where people still die in order to confess your name, Lord Jesus. Father, open up those countries where there is deadly persecution, soften hearts, move politics, create situations where Christians in those countries could freely follow you and confess you openly, without fear of death, and in the meantime, Holy Spirit, give our brothers and sisters in those oppressed countries wisdom, and even, yes, endurance to die for you. Spirit give them words to speak, and may the blood of the martyrs be the seed of the church.
Grant us, Lord, not to be anxious about earthly things, but to love things heavenly; and even now, while we are placed among things that are passing away, to hold fast to those that shall endure; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
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