Lord of all wisdom and knowledge, the world does not know you. Even among many of your people, knowledge is lacking. Your Word is more accesible than ever, in many versions, with many tools to help us understand its message, but so few make the effort.

Even at that, we know much of what the Scriptures say. Often, our problem is not what we do not know, but what we do not do. We lack perseverance, motivation, will, discipline.

Make us people of faith who obey and do the works for which we were created. Let us be sure you are God of our plans and purposes. Help us put into action that which we already know, that we may grow in greater knowledge, put to use for your glory and not for self-exaltation. Amen.

[Pertinent passages: Jas. 4:17; 2:14-26; Eph. 2:10; 1 Cor. 8:1]

O God, you are the magnifier of joys and the muter of sadness. Every day you give us reason to exult in your goodness, countless motives for gladness. Principal among them is the cross of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, by which we have salvation, the redemption of our souls, reconciliation with you, and fellowship with your Name.

Then why, Father, do we mope and weep when trials come? Why the wailing when afflictions assail us? Why the sadness and depression when persecuted because of righteousness' sake?

The self still lurks beneath the skin. So today, Lord, we put to death the flesh, in order to rejoice without ceasing, regardless of our circumstances, independently of our surroundings. For within us abides your Holy Spirit and the word of your Son Jesus Christ, who rejoiced evermore as a man, and now much more at your right side. Amen.

Lord of all joy, we find so many reasons in this world to sadden and depress us. Our eyes roam our surroundings and see suffering, desire what we do not have, reject our lot in life. The downward spiral leads even some to consider taking their own life, and of those some even do.

We want to find life, Father, and that life is in you. May we lose ourselves and lose our wants and desires in the fullness of Christ. These are necessary losses, in order to gain life eternal, found in him who freely gave up his life for the sins of the world. Amen.

God of time and eternity, you have history under your watch. And we, with our calendars and planners, projections and megatrends, want to anticipate the future's directions and get a corner on the market.

What we need now, Lord, is just to hang on for the next few hours, to keep sin at arm's length, to remember that Scripture we read this morning, to watch for a hurting soul to be helped, to keep an eye focused on heaven.

May tomorrow's troubles not keep us from today's opportunity. Because Jesus lived fully every moment. Amen.

Lord of peace and wholeness, our life is filled with pain. Bodily ills and soul suffering surround us, as a part of life, as a result of our sin, as a process of your discipline. At times, our silent scream reaches its threshold, and we feel we can bear no more.

But then we look to the Cross and see the agony of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, who endured the greatest pain of all, separation from your smiling face.

We are lowly and in pain; let your salvation, O God, protect us. And bring us to that place where tears turn into rejoicing and pain dissipates before the pleasure of your eternal presence, where Jesus has gone before us. Amen.

[Pertinent passages: Psalm 69:29; Revelation 21:4]