Week 4 Thursday Evening Prayer

FATHER of all mercies, our reconciled Father in Christ Jesus, teach us to pray unto Thee in the Spirit, and answer the prayers which Thou dost teach us to offer up. We come to Thee in the name of Jesus. For His worthiness' sake, hear us, and bless us.

Thy goodness has brought us to the close of another day in safety. We are here to praise Thee for Thy watchful providence over us, and for all the blessings of this life which we have so undeservedly received at Thy hands. But above all, would we adore and magnify Thy holy name, for the provision Thou hast made for our spiritual wants, in Jesus, the Son of Thy love. Praised be Thy name, that Thou hast accepted the sacrifice of Jesus in our behalf, that Thou art reconciled to us through the blood of His cross, that Thine anger is turned away from us, and that through Him we have access with boldness unto Thee. Praised be Thy name, that in Him all fulness dwells, and that we are called to receive out of that fulness, grace for grace.

We come to draw largely from that spiritual store this night. We come to entreat Thee, as our heavenly Father, to pity the weakness and infirmity of Thy poor children upon earth, and to give us of Thy Holy Spirit to raise our drooping souls to the blessedness of spiritual enjoyment. Let not the world, the flesh, or the devil, have place in our hearts. Establish Thy throne within us. Subdue every thought to Thy willing obedience. Work Thou in us, by the mighty power of the Holy Ghost. Give us strength to resist and overcome all the sinful desires and lusts of our flesh. May Christ be formed within us the hope of glory. May the life which we now live be by the faith of the Son of God. May the Spirit mould us into the image of Jesus, that the mind that was in Jesus may also be in us. May the works of the Spirit be so manifest in our lives, that they who fear Thee not may be constrained to acknowledge, that God is in us of a truth.

Lord, Thou knowest all hearts. Thou seest whether we all have been taught by the Spirit to love the Lord Jesus, and to flee to Him for refuge from the wrath to come. If any here present are yet strangers to themselves, to Jesus, and to Thee, oh, send forth the Spirit into their hearts. Awaken them from the slumber of sin, from the death of sin, to walk with Thee in newness of life. Speak but the word, and they shall be healed, and may their renovated powers be wholly consecrated to Thee.

And now, blessed Lord, we commend ourselves to Thy care and keeping this night. Thou, the Shepherd of Israel, neither slumberest nor sleepest. Watch over us, and guard us from all harm, both of body and soul. Keep us in that continued enjoyment of Thy presence, and sense of Thy love, that we shall fear the grave as little as our bed ; that we may even rejoice in the prospect of the end of life, and of the coming day of the Redeemer's glory. Wean us more and more from the present evil world, and reveal to us more and more the glory of the world to come. So shall we live as strangers and pilgrims ; so shall we enjoy that peace which passeth all understanding ; so shall we walk with Thee through life ; and so shall we gladly hail the advent of Jesus, or wake to rise and reign with Him on the morning of the resurrection.

Grant these our petitions, O Heavenly Father, for the sake of Jesus Christ, our only Saviour and Redeemer. Amen.