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 Pastor Tom Roberts Pen
You can contact Pastor Tom
by calling
(908) 782-7831 or
send him an email at
PastorTom@Cherryvillebaptist.org
Subject: Lenten Prayers
An Evening Prayer from John Baillie, this one
is a favorite of Betty Tinnes who shared it with the ABW-CBC
recently.
O God, the Father of all mankind, I would bring before Thee tonight
the burden of the world's life. I would join myself to the great
scattered company of those who, in every corner of every land, are
now crying out to Thee in their need. Hear us, O God, and look in
pity upon our manifold necessities, since Thou alone art able to
satisfy all our desire.
Especially do I commend to Thy holy keeping:
All who tonight are far from home and friends:
All who tonight must lie down hungry or cold:
All who suffer pain:
All who are kept awake by anxiety or suspense:
All who are facing danger:
All who must toil or keep watch while others sleep. Give to
them all, I pray, such a sense of Thy presence with them as may turn
their loneliness into comfort and their trouble into peace.
O most loving God, who in the Person of Thy Son Jesus Christ didst
manifest Thy love to man by relieving all manner of suffering and
healing all manner of disease, grant Thy blessing, I pray, to all
who in any corner of the world are serving in Christ's name:
All ministers of the gospel of Christ:
All social workers:
All missionary workers abroad:
All doctors and nurses who faithfully tend the sick. Accomplish
through them Thy great purpose of goodwill to men, and grant them in
their own hearts the joy of Christ's most real presence.
And to me also, as I lie down, grant, O gracious Father, the joy of
a life surrendered to Christ's service and the peace of sin forgiven
through the power of His Cross. Amen.
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Beloved,
John Baillie was a Scottish theologian
and a Church of Scotland minister, as well as professor at Edinburgh
University. In 1936 he published "A Diary of Private Prayer", which has
Morning and Evening prayers for each day of the month. The copy I have
first belonged to my Grandmother, Mrs. T.E. Roberts. This week we will look
at some of my favorites:
Eternal Father of my soul, let my first
thought today be of Thee, let my first impulse be to worship Thee, let my
first speech be Thy name, let my first action be to kneel before Thee in
prayer.
For Thy perfect wisdom and perfect goodness:
For the love wherewith Thou lovest mankind:
For the love wherewith Thou lovest me:
For the great and mysterious opportunity of my
life:
For the indwelling of Thy Spirit in my heart:
For the sevenfold gifts of Thy Spirit:
I praise and worship Thee, O Lord.
Yet let me not, when this morning prayer is
said, think my worship ended and spend the day in forgetfulness of Thee.
Rather from these moments of quietness let light go forth, and joy, and
power, that will remain with me through all the hours of the day:
Keeping me chaste in thought:
Keeping me temperate and truthful in speech:
Keeping me faithful and diligent in my work:
Keeping me humble in my estimation of myself:
Keeping me honorable and generous in my
dealings with others:
Keeping me loyal to every hallowed memory of
the past:
Keeping me mindful of my eternal destiny as a
child of Thine.
O God, who hast been the Refuge of my fathers
through many generations, be my Refuge today in every time and circumstance
of need. Be my Guide through all that is dark and doubtful. Be my Guard
against all that threatens my spirit's welfare. Be my strength in time of
testing. Gladden my heart with Thy peace; through Jesus Christ my Lord.
Amen.
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In preparation for sharing Communion
tomorrow, first the communion prayers from the Didache, the early
Christian discipleship manual, and then a prayer from "Valley of
Vision" entitled: The Lord's Supper:
First concerning the Cup: "We give thanks to you, our Father,
for the Holy Vine of David, your child, which you made known to
us through Jesus, your child; to you be glory for ever."
And
concerning the broken Bread: We give you thanks, our Father,
for the life and knowledge which you made known to us through
Jesus, your child. To you be glory for ever. As this broken
bread was scattered upon the mountians, but was brought together
and became one, so let your Church be gathered together from the
ends of the earth into your kingdom, for yours is the glory and
the power through Jesus Christ forever.
Didache (2nd Century)
God
of all good,
I bless thee for the means of grace;
teach me to see in them thy loving purposes
and the joy and strength of my soul.
Thou
hast prepared for me a feast;
and though I am unworthy to sit down as guest,
I wholly rest on the merits of Jesus,
and hide myself beneath his righteousness;
When I hear his tender invitation
and see his wondrous grace,
I cannot hesitate, but must come to thee in love.
By
thy spirit enliven my faith rightly to discern
and spiritually to apprehend the Saviour.
While I gaze upon the emblems of my Saviour's death,
may I ponder why he died, and hear him say,
'I gave my life to purchase yours,
presented myself an offering to expiate your sin,
shed my blood to blot out your guilt,
opened my side to make you clean,
endured your curses to set you free,
bore your condemnation to satisfy divine justice.'
Oh
may I rightly grasp the breadth and length of this design,
draw near, obey, extend the hand,
take the bread, receive the cup,
eat and drink, testify before all men
that I do for myself, gladly, in faith,
reverence and love, receive my Lord,
to be my life, strength, nourishment, joy, delight.
In
the supper I remember his eternal love,
boundless grace, infinite compassion,
agony, cross, redemption,
and receive assurance of pardon, adoption, life, glory.
As
the outward elements nourish my body,
so may thy indwelling Spirit invigorate my soul,
until that day when I hunger and thirst no more,
and sit with Jesus at his heavenly feast.
Valley of Vision
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Beloved,
The "Didache" or "Teaching of the Twelve
Apostles" was a handbook of Christian morals and church order that probably
dates from the early second century. In addition to recommending the Lord's
Prayer and several communion prayers, it encourages believers to give thanks
in prayer:
We give thanks to you, O Holy Father, for your
Holy Name which you made to tabernacle in our hearts, and for the knowledge
and faith and immortality which you made known to us through Jesus, thy
Child. To you be glory forever.
You, Lord Almighty, created all things for
your Name's sake, and gave food and drink to people for their enjoyment,
that they might give thanks to you, but us you have blessed with spiritual
food and drink and eternal light through your Child.
Above all we give thanks to you for you are
mighty: To you be glory forever.
Remember, Lord; thy Church, to deliver it from
all evil and to make it perfect in your love, and gather it together in its
holiness from the four winds to your kingdom which you have prepared for
it. For yours is the power and the glory forever.
Let grace come and let this world pass away.
Hosanna to the God of David. If any man be holy, let him come! If any man
be not, let him repent: Maranatha, Amen.
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A short
prayer today from a man named Origen (185-254) , an early
Christian scholar and theologian who taught in Alexandria,
Egypt.
Jesus,
my feet are dirty. Come even as a slave to me, pour water into
your bowl, come and wash my feet. In asking such a thing I know
I am overbold, but I dread what was threatened when you said to
me, “If I do not wash your feet I have no fellowship with you.”
Wash my feet then, because I long for your companionship.
—Origen (c. 185–254)
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A euchologion is a worship service book containing liturgies
and prayers (see, you even get SAT words thrown in along with prayers!)
Fragments from this book, called the Euchologium Sinaiticum were
found by archeologists in a monastery in Mt. Sinai in 1850. The book dated
from the 11th century, but some of the prayers, like the one below, came
from the 4th century. Ancient stuff, but still the same power of the
gospel!!
Hope to see you all
tonight for worship and soup. Pastor Tom
Be off, Satan, from
this floor and from these four walls. This is no place for you; there is
nothing for you to do here. This is the place for Peter and Paul and the
holy Gospel; and this is where I mean to sleep now that my worship is done,
in the name of the Father and of the Holy Spirit.
In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ [God] send me your
Spirit; instill the wisdom of your Holy Spirit
into my heart; protect my soul and body, every limb in my body, every fiber
of my being, from all possible harm and all traps the Devil may set for me
and every temptation to sin. Teach me to give you thanks, O Father, Son, and
Holy Spirit.
—
Euchologium Sinaiticum
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We continue a week of
prayers from the Earliest Church:
ON you we call, Lord God, all-wise,
all-surveying, holy, the only true Sovereign. You created the
universe, you watch over all that exists. Those that are in
darkness, overshadowed by death, you guide into the right road,
the safe road. Your will is that all men should be saved and
come to knowledge of the truth.
With one voice we offer you praise and
thanksgiving; full-hearted, full-throated we sing you the hymn
you have a right to at this hour. In your mercy you called to us
(holy the calling!), taught us and trained us, gave
understanding, wisdom, truth to us, life eternal.
You bought us back with the pure and precious
blood of your only Son, freed us from lies and error, from
bitter enslavement, released us from the Devil’s clutches and
gave us the glory of freedom.
We were dead and you renewed the life of our
souls and bodies in the Spirit.
We were soiled and you made us quite spotless
again.
We pray you, merciful Father, God from whom all
encouragement comes, give us strength to act as befits men with
such a vocation, such calling to worship, such newness of life.
We mean to observe the sacred commands of the
divine law; we long to come closer to you, closer today, long to
have light from you, light to know you and serve you.
We pray you, give us the strength to do all this
with a will.
Do not think of the sins we have committed or of
those we still commit.
Put out of your mind the failings we give way to
night and day.
Do not impute our offenses to us, whether we did
them on purpose or whether we could not help them. Remember,
Lord, that men are apt to make slips; we are a spineless race,
given to blundering: think of our build, our limitations.
Our skins may be sound, but there are sores
underneath.
O God, you are well disposed to us: give us the
strength of your support. Give us encouragement; give the light
that goes with it. Make us live by the dogmas of the faith
preached by your holy apostles and the high teaching of the
Gospels of our Savior, Jesus Christ.
May we not be content only to hear and to speak
of them but behave and act as they bid us, for then our conduct
will deserve reward.
Teach us to look upwards, to seek out and probe
the heavenly, not the earthly.
If that is our attitude and if you act in us,
what glory for your power, all-holy, omnipotent, worthy of all
praise; glory through Jesus Christ, your beloved, with the Holy
Spirit, now and throughout the ages. Amen.
- Ouchmounen Papyrus
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This week we will look at
some prayers from the early church. We can recognize that Jesus Christ is
the same, yesterday, today, and forever. God Bless You. Pastor Tom
We ask you, Master, be our
helper and defender. Rescue those of our number in distress; raise up the
fallen; assist the needy; heal the sick; turn back those of your people who
stray; feed the hungry; release our captives; revive the weak; encourage those
who lose heart. Let all the nations realize that you are the only God, that
Jesus Christ is your Child, and that we are your people and the sheep of your
pasture.
—1 Clement (c. 96)
Clement was bishop at Rome,
and wrote this prayer in a letter to the church at Corinth, the very same
Corinthians to whom Paul wrote. This letter is one of the oldest Christian
documents outside the New Testament.
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Prayer
of St. Richard of Chichester
(1197-1253)
Thanks be to thee, my Lord Jesus Christ,
For all the benefits thou hast won for me,
For all the pains and insults thou hast borne for me.
O most merciful Redeemer, Friend, and Brother,
May I know thee more clearly,
Love thee more dearly,
And follow thee more nearly:
For ever and ever.
In my generation this prayer became
the inspiration for the song “Day by Day” from “Godspell” See
you on the Lord's Day. PT
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This simple but beautiful
prayer was published in Salisbury (Sarum) England in 1558, in a collection
of prayers called the Sarum Primer. This is one to memorize!!
God be in my head
and in my understanding;
God be in my eyes
and in my looking;
God be in my mouth
and in my speaking;
God be in my heart
and in my thinking;
God be at my end
and in my departing
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From last
evening's worship, a prayer of confession, to the One who assures us that he
washes us whiter than snow:
“Yet I Sin”
from Valley of Vision
Eternal Father, Thou art good beyond all
thought, but I am vile, wretched, miserable, blind; my lips are ready to
confess, but my heart is slow to feel and my ways reluctant to amend.
I bring my soul to Thee; break it, wound it, bend it, mould it.
Unmask to me sin's deformity that I may hate it, abhor it, flee from it. My
faculties have been a weapon of revolt against Thee:
as a rebel I have misused my strength, and
served the foul adversary of Thy kingdom.
Give me grace to bewail my insensate folly, grant me to know that the way of
transgressors is hard, that evil paths are wretched paths, that to depart
from Thee is to lose all good.
I have seen purity and beauty of Thy perfect law, the happiness of those in
whose heart it reigns, the calm dignity of the walk to which it calls, yet I
daily violate and contemn its precepts.
Thy loving Spirit strives within me, brings me Scripture warnings, speaks in
startling providences, allures by secret whispers, yet I choose devices and
desires to my own hurt, impiously resent, grieve and provoke Him to abandon
me.
All these sins I mourn, lament and cry pardon.
Work in me more profound and abiding repentance; give me the fullness of a
godly grief, that trembles and fears, yet ever trusts and loves, which is
ever powerful and confident; grant that through the tears and repentance I
may see more clearly the brightness and glories of the saving cross.
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Beloved, On the day we shall meet to meditate on
Luke 7: 36 -50, I offer you a verse, a meditation, and a short prayer, the
verse from Hebrews 12: 2, and the meditation from Charles Spurgeon, and the
prayer from an old hymn.
"Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and
perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross,
scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."
It is ever the Holy Spirit's work to turn our
eyes away from self to Jesus; but Satan's work is just the opposite of this,
for he is constantly trying to make us regard ourselves instead of Christ.
He insinuates, "Your sins are too great for
pardon; you have no faith; you do not repent enough; you will never be able
to continue to the end; you have not the joy of his children; you have such
a wavering hold of Jesus." All these are thoughts about self, and
we shall never find comfort or assurance by looking within.
But the Holy Spirit turns our eyes entirely away
from self: he tells us that we are nothing, but the "Christ is all in
all."
Remember, therefore, it is not thy hold of
Christ that saves thee- it is Christ;
it is not thy joy in Christ that saves thee - it
is Christ;
It is not even faith in Christ, though that be
the instrument - it is Christ's blood and merits;
therefore, look not so much to thy hand with
which thou art grasping Christ, as to Christ;
look not to thy hope, but to Jesus, the source
of thy hope;
look not to they faith, but to Jesus, the author
and finisher of thy faith.
We shall never find happiness by looking at our
prayers, our doings, or our feelings; it is what Jesus is, not what we are,
that gives rest to the soul.
"Lord, deny me what thou wilt,
Only ease me of my guilt,
Prostrate at thy feet I lie,
Give me Christ, or else I die."
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Brothers and Sisters in Christ, Today's Lenten prayer is call the Te
Deum Laudamus, or just Te Deum, an early Christian hymn of praise.
The Latin title means: "You, God, We Praise." Tradition says that
it was written by the early church leaders Ambrose and Augustine on
the occasion of Augustine's baptism in 387 A.D. Note to
Choir Members: Our favorite composer, John Rutter, has a
musical version of this!! Might it be in our future?
WE praise thee, O God : we acknowledge thee to be the Lord.
All the earth doth worship thee : the Father everlasting.
To thee all Angels cry aloud : the Heavens, and all the Powers
therein.
To thee Cherubin and Seraphin : continually do cry,
Holy, Holy, Holy : Lord God of Sabaoth;
Heaven and earth are full of the Majesty : of thy glory.
The glorious company of the Apostles : praise thee.
The goodly fellowship of the Prophets : praise thee.
The noble army of Martyrs : praise thee.
The holy Church throughout all the world : doth acknowledge
thee;
The Father : of an infinite Majesty;
Thine honourable, true : and only Son;
Also the Holy Ghost : the Comforter.
Thou art the King of Glory : O Christ.
Thou art the everlasting Son : of the Father.
When thou tookest upon thee to deliver man : thou didst not
abhor the Virgin's womb.
When thou hadst overcome the sharpness of death : thou didst
open the Kingdom of Heaven to all believers.
Thou sittest at the right hand of God : in the glory of the
Father.
We believe that thou shalt come : to be our Judge.
We therefore pray thee, help thy servants : whom thou hast
redeemed with thy precious blood.
Make them to be numbered with thy Saints : in glory everlasting.
O Lord, save thy people : and bless thine heritage.
Govern them : and lift them up for ever.
Day by day : we magnify thee;
And we worship thy Name : ever world without end.
Vouchsafe, O Lord : to keep us this day without sin.
O Lord, have mercy upon us : have mercy upon us.
O Lord, let thy mercy lighten upon us : as our trust is in thee.
O Lord, in thee have I trusted : let me never be confounded.
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Beloved, Three morning prayers for the start of the week:
LET US KNOW, let us press on
to know the Lord; his appearing is as sure as the dawn.
Hosea 6: 3
I OWE the Lord a morning song
of gratitude and praise,
for the kind mercy he has shown
in lengthening out my days.
He kept me safe another night;
I see another day.
Now may his Spirit, as the light,
direct me in his way.
Amos Herr
WHO CAN TELL what a day may bring forth? Cause me,
therefore, gracious God, to live every day as if it were to be my
last, for I know not but that it may be such. Cause me to live now
as I shall wish I had done when I come to die.
Thomas à Kempis, The
Imitation of Christ
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Beloved, This prayer is the
beginning of the Litany from the Book of Common Prayer, which
has been a resource for Protestant worship for many years.
Tomorrow we will remember the Temptation of our Lord Jesus
Christ and His victory. We will also reflect on the temptations
we are prone to "from all the deceits of the world, the flesh,
and the devil."
O GOD the Father, Creator of heaven and earth : have mercy upon
us.
O God the Father, Creator of heaven and earth : have mercy
upon us.
O God the Son, Redeemer of the world : have mercy upon us.
O God the Son, Redeemer of the world : have mercy upon us
O God the Holy Ghost, Sanctifier of the faithful: have mercy
upon us.
O God the Holy Ghost, Sanctifier of the faithful: have mercy
upon us.
O holy, blessed, and glorious Trinity, three Persons and one God
: have mercy upon us.
O holy, blessed, and glorious Trinity, three Persons and one
God: have mercy upon us.
REMEMBER not, Lord, our offences, nor the offences of our
forefathers; spare us, good Lord, spare thy people, whom thou
hast redeemed with thy most precious blood.
Spare us, good Lord.
FROM all evil and mischief; from sin, from the crafts and
assaults of the devil; from thy wrath, and from everlasting
condemnation,
Good Lord, deliver us.
From all blindness of heart; from pride, vainglory, and
hypocrisy; from envy, hatred, and malice, and all
uncharitableness,
Good Lord, deliver us.
From all uncleanness in thought, word, and deed; and from all
the deceits of the world, the flesh, and the devil,
Good Lord, deliver us.
From lightning and tempest; from earthquake, fire, and flood;
from plague, pestilence, and famine; from battle and murder, and
from sudden death,
Good Lord, deliver us.
From all sedition, conspiracy, and rebellion; from all false
doctrine, heresy, and schism; from hardness of heart, and
contempt of thy Word and Commandment,
Good Lord, deliver us.
By the mystery of thy holy Incarnation; by thy holy Nativity; by
thy Baptism, Fasting, and Temptation,
Good Lord, deliver us.
By thine Agony and bloody Sweat; by thy Cross and Passion; by
thy precious Death and Burial,
Good Lord, deliver us.
By thy glorious Resurrection and Ascension; by thy sending of
the Holy Spirit; by thy heavenly Intercession; and by thy Coming
again in glory,
Good Lord, deliver us.
In all times of tribulation; in all times of prosperity; in the
hour of death, and in the day of judgement,
Good Lord, deliver us.
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Beloved,
This prayer was written by St. Patrick (372-466), who gave much of his life to
missionary work in Ireland.
I bind unto myself today the strong name of the Trinity, by invocation of the
same, the Three in One, and One in Three.
I bind this day to me forever by power of faith Christ's incarnation, his
baptism in the Jordan river, his death on the cross for my salvation;
his bursting from the spiced tomb, his riding up the heavenly way, his coming at
the day of doom I bind unto myself today.
I bind unto myself today the power of God to hold and lead, his eye to watch,
his might to stay, his ear to harken to my need,
the wisdom of my God to teach, his hand to guide, his shield to ward, the Word
of God to give me speech, his heavenly host to be my guard.
Christ be with me, Christ within me, Christ behind me, Christ before me,
Christ beside me, Christ to win me; Christ to comfort and restore me;
Christ beneath me, Christ above me, Christ in quiet, Christ in danger,
Christ in hearts of all that love me, Christ in mouth of friend and stranger.
I bind unto myself the name, the strong name of the Trinity, by invocation of
the same, the Three in One, and One in Three,
of whom all nature hath creation, eternal Father, Spirit Word; praise to the God
of my salvation, salvation is of Christ the Lord!
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