“In whom ye also trusted, after ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after ye believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise, who is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of his glory.” Ephesians 1:13-14

Hearing the gospel, the word of truth, we too came to trust in Jesus Christ and His atoning sacrifice on the cross. The Holy Spirit graciously brought us to faith in Christ through hearing God’s Word. He came to regenerate and dwell in us at our baptism, and He keeps us in saving faith through the continued use of God’s Word until that day when we are taken to be forever with the Lord.

Thank You, dear Savior, for sending men to preach the gospel of our salvation, for granting us the Holy Spirit to create faith in our hearts through the hearing of Your word, and for preserving us in saving faith through Your word unto life everlasting. Amen.

[Scripture is quoted the Revised Webster Version of the Bible.]

“The secret things belong to the LORD our God: but those things which are revealed belong to us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law.” Deuteronomy 29:29

Rather than trying to know what God has not revealed to us and has left hidden in His divine wisdom, we should focus our attention on what He has revealed to us, repent of our sinful ways, and look in faith to Christ Jesus and the salvation He has accomplished for us.

Grant me the wisdom to read and study Your Word, O God, so that I might acknowledge my sinfulness and look in faith to Christ Jesus and His cross for pardon, forgiveness, and life in fellowship with You. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

[Scripture is quoted from the Revised Webster Version of the Bible.]

“Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.” Psalm 19:14

How can the words of our mouths and the meditation of our hearts be acceptable to the LORD God, who created the heavens, the earth, and all things, and gave us life? It is only when we hear and heed the revelation of God’s Word, repent of our sinful ways, and look in faith to Christ Jesus and His cross for pardon and forgiveness. It is for the sake of Jesus, our Redeemer, that God hears and accepts our prayers and praises (cf. 1 John 5:14-15).

“Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.” I ask this for Jesus’ sake. Amen.

[Scripture is quoted from the Revised Webster Version of the Bible.]

“Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression.” Psalm 19:13

In contrast to sins of ignorance, presumptuous sins are willful acts of disobedience and rebellion against God, committed with full knowledge of His will and often involving a belief that one can get away with it or that God’s mercy covers it without true repentance. David prays — and so should we — that God would keep him from such wilful disobedience and not let any sin rule over him, causing him to fall away from the true and saving faith and come under God’s wrath and judgment.

Grant that I not abuse Your mercy, O Lord, and wilfully continue in disobedience and sin, but repent of my sins, trust in the shed blood of Christ Jesus for pardon and forgiveness, and seek to walk in Your ways. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

[Scripture is quoted from the Revised 1883 Webster Version of the Bible.]

“Who can understand his errors? Cleanse thou me from secret faults.” Psalm 19:12

Because of our fallen nature, our understanding of God and His Word is darkened, and we fail to see and recognize our own utter sinfulness before the LORD. That is why David, the psalmist, asked, “Who can understand his errors?” and then prayed that God would pardon and cleanse him of faults he didn’t even know he had. We, too, pray that God would forgive us for all our sins and faults — those we know and those we fail to recognize — in the shed blood of Christ Jesus, who died on the cross to atone for our sins and then rose again.

Through Your Word, O God, open my eyes to know You and see my sins and faults; and cleanse me, O God, of all my sins for the sake of Christ’s atoning sacrifice for the sins of the world. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

[Scripture is quoted from the Revised Webster Version of the Bible.]