Thoughts for Life: A PRAYER FOR REVIVAL

~ J. C. Ryle - "O God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, pour down the Holy Spirit upon our country. Revive Thy work amongst us. Increase true religion in the land, and especially in our own parish, [congregation]. (Google image, Prayer support)

Arouse the hearts of all true Christians. Fill them with true zeal for Thy glory, and for the spead of the Gospel. May they be more holy, more charitable, and more diligent in trying to do good. May they pray much and often.

Pour down the holy Spirit upon me. Let me not be deceived about the state of my own soul. If I am not yet converted, convert me without delay. Create in me a new heart. Show me what I am. Show me what Thou art. Show me Christ. Teach me to pray. Let me not die in my sins.

If I am converted, give me more grace. Lead me on. Build me up. Stabish me. Strengthen me. Perfect me. Increase my faith, and hope, and love. Grant that I may grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Pour down the Holy Spirit upon all ministers of the Gospel. Make them more zealous and more faithful. May Christ be preached this year more fully freely, and affectionately, than He has ever been yet preached in our country.

Pour down the Holy Spirit upon all congregations. May there be more life, earnestness, and fervor in all our religious assemblies. May hearers of the Gospel this year always meet together really desiring a blessing, and always go home to pray.

Pour down the Holy Spirit upon all ranks and classes — upon the rich and upon the poor, upon the old and upon the young. May there be less Sabbath-breaking, and drunkenness, and world-liness, and covetousness, and pride, and formality, and self-righteousness in the land this year.

May there be more thinking, praying, Bible reading, holy living, and diligence in the use of means of grace. May we all feel more deeply the value of our own souls, and care more for the souls of others.

Gracious Lord, deal not with us according to our sins. We confess with shame that we are a sinful, proud, ungrateful nation. But spare us according to Thy mercy. Pour down the Holy Spirit upon us. Revive Thy work and make us a nation fearing God and working righteousness. We ask all for Jesus Christ's sake. Amen

~ J. C. Ryle (1816 -1900) [p. 6 of Hearald of His Coming, Jan/Feb 2023 magazine]

Let's pray-

O God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, pour down the Holy Spirit upon our country. Revive Thy work amongst us. Increase true religion in the land, and especially in our own congregations.

Touch the hearts of the careless, the thoughtless, and the unbelieving. Show them their sin, their guilt, and their danger. Stir them up to think, and grant them repentance. May thousands this year seek Christ, believe, and be saved.
May there be more thinking, praying, Bible reading, holy living, and diligence in the use of means of grace. May we all feel more deeply the value of our own souls, and care more for the souls of others.
Pour down the Holy Spirit upon us. Revive Thy work and make us a nation fearing God and working righteousness. We ask all for Jesus Christ's sake. Amen

911-915 one-line Scriptures for those of you who want to learn some more verses this week- or to review them from when they were first posted-

911- 2 Cor. 5:20a "Now then we are ambassadors for Christ."

912- Ps. 66:10 "For thou, O God, hast proved us: thou hast tried us, as silver is tried."

913- Ps. 112:4 "Unto the upright there ariseth light in the darkness: he is gracious, and full of compassion."

914- Ro. 15:13a "Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing."

915- Is. 41:10a "Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God."

Quotes for today-

Robert L. Segress- "God’s opinions are eternal and unchangeable. Jesus said heaven and earth would pass away, but His words are eternal. We need to know objective truth and have an objective quality to our lives. Healthy living come from following what God has revealed in the manual for life, the Bible. Our opinions are only valid when they agree with the sovereign Lord’s."

– Max Lucado - “Our prayers may be awkward. Our attempts may be feeble. But since the power of prayer is in the one who hears it and not in the one who says it, our prayers do make a difference.”

Words of wisdom-

"God wants us to ask for wisdom when we can’t see the road He has provided. He has something specific for us, and it will be glorious. We don’t have to keep our white-knuckle grip on the steering wheel, begging for relief. He is doing a new thing, making a way in our wilderness and streams in our wasteland." Heather Roberts

~ Words from the Father in a journal:

"Your desire to learn what full submission is, is what I have in mind for you to learn. I know you think you're already there, but as you'll find out, you do have drawbacks yet that I need to deal with. The need to control is still resident in you and you must let go so that I can bring you into further fellowship with My spirit. I'll help you with this, as I want only to bless you and to enable you to become all that I desire you to be."

~ Special words to share: