Written by: John Sernaque
Call to Worship
Ezekiel 36:26
36:26 A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.
You feel that sin has separated you from God, that you are in bondage to the power of evil. The more you struggle to escape, the more you realize your helplessness. Your motives are impure; your heart is unclean. You see that your life has been filled with selfishness and sin. You long to be forgiven, to be cleansed, to be set free. Harmony with God, likeness to Him—what can you do to obtain it? It is peace that you need—Heaven’s forgiveness and peace and love in the soul. Money cannot buy it, intellect cannot procure it, wisdom cannot attain to it; you can never hope, by your own efforts, to secure it. But God offers it to you as a gift, “without money and without price.” Isaiah 55:1. It is yours if you will but reach out your hand and grasp it. {SC 49.1}
One of David’s most earnest prayers was “Create in me a clean heart, O God”. God’s response was “A new heart will I give you”. Who else can do that but our Almighty Father? God’s promises are sure. God’s promises cannot fail. But our hearts are unclean. What can we do, what do we need? It is peace that we need—Heaven’s forgiveness and peace and love in the soul. This is a gift from God, and to receive it, all we must do is accept it. By the grace of heaven, we can all receive a new heart. And they shall be my people, and I will be their God: And I will give them one heart, and one way, that they may fear me forever, for the good of them, and of their children after them: And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them, to do them good. And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
Our Father, which art in heaven,
We come into Your presence in thanksgiving, praise, and prayer. We thank You once again for giving us this honor and privilege of being able to come to the foot of Your throne to thank You and praise You for all You have done for us and continue to do for us. We realize that we are helpless as sinners and cannot overcome our sinful ways by our own efforts. Our prayer is that of David’s, create in us a clean heart, and by Your grace, that You forgive us of our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. It is Your righteousness we seek. Let nothing come between us, help us all to put away any known sin and set us free. We pray to know Your truth, the truth that will make us free. We pray that You speak to us, that we hear, receive, and understand Your message to us, to follow wherever You lead. We pray You bless us with a message from on High. Bless us as we receive and study Your Word. Bless us as we worship You in Spirit and in Truth. We pray You grant us peace, not as the world gives, but Your peace and love in our souls. We thank You for this free gift and gratefully accept it. We pray for all Your children to accept Your gift and for all to be in harmony with You. We pray that we can be Your people, and You to be our God: and that You will give us all one heart, and one way, that we may fear You forever, for all our good and our children after us. We pray for Your people to seek You first, and Your righteousness, that all these things may be added unto us. We thank You for giving us the victory over sin through Christ Jesus, our Lord and Savior. We thank You for hearing and answering our prayers, in the name of Christ Jesus, we pray. Amen.
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