When He Comes

[The following is a manuscript of my sermon delivered on Sunday morning, the 26th of November, 2017.  Our annual Congregational meeting followed the service.  Look for the video on our Vimeo channel:  http://vimeo.com/pilgrimreformedchurch.]

Next Sunday is actually the first Sunday in Advent, but since we will be enjoying our Hanging of the Greens service that morning, I thought I would recognize the advent of Advent today.

In its basic terms, advent means the arrival or coming of a notable person, event, or thing.  The Christian season of Advent recognizes the coming of our Savior Jesus into this world, anticipating the celebration of His birth at Christmas.  But there is also a second coming of Jesus we anxiously await.

Listen and follow along as I read first from the Gospel account of the Apostle Luke, chapter 2, verses 1 through 7, and then from the Revelation of Jesus as given to His Apostle John, chapter 19, verses 11 through 16, from the New King James Version of our Holy Bible…

2:1 And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2 This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. 3 So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city.

4 Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, 5 to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child. 6 So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. 7 And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.


19:11 Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. 12 His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself. 13 He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. 14 And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses. 15 Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. 16 And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written:

KING OF KINGS AND

LORD OF LORDS.

--Luke 2:1-7; Revelation 19:11-16 (NKJV)

Let us pray…  Father God, for so long You promised the world a Savior, a Messiah to deliver us from our sinful ways.  But then, when You sent Your own Son to be with us as one of us, we did not believe.  Even though He fulfilled every prophesy spoken of the Messiah, we rejected Him.  Forgive us, please Father, for not seeing the truth, for not receiving the gift You gave us all at Christmas time.  Help us who now believe in Jesus to share His Gospel story every chance we get.  Speak to us now, Father, and guide us that we might better serve You in this task.  In the blessed name of Your Son Jesus we pray.   Amen.


If you enjoyed your Thanksgiving feast a little too much, then perhaps you can appreciate these tell-tale signs that you ate too much for Thanksgiving:

• The doctor tells you your weight would be perfect for a person 17 feet tall.
• You are responsible for a slight but measurable shift in the earth's axis.
• Paramedics bring in the Jaws of Life to pry you out of the Lazy-Boy recliner.
• The potatoes you used set off another famine in Ireland.
• You receive a Sumo Wrestler application in your e-mail.
• You set off 3 earthquake seismographs on your morning jog Friday.
• Pricking your finger for cholesterol screening only yielded gravy.
• You consider gluttony your patriotic duty.
• Representatives from the Butterball Hall of Fame called twice.

Ah, but the holidays are made for overeating, right?  Thanksgiving and Christmas feasts are famous for overindulgence.  We gather together with family and friends and food – the 3 F’s.  And we often regret eating so much the next day.  Sometimes even later that afternoon, as we nap in front of the TV set with the football game blaring away.  Yes, that’s what the holidays seem made for, according to the world.

But those of us who follow Jesus as our Master should pause in the midst of all the celebrations to give thanks to our God for His many blessings over our lives.  And we should look ahead with excited anticipation toward what is to come.  For what is coming is Jesus, God’s own Son.


We will all too soon be celebrating the first coming of Jesus with our annual observance of Christmas.  That’s what the season of Advent is all about.  As the Apostle Luke noted, the Son of God came to mankind as one of us.  He entered this world just like us – as a helpless baby born of woman.  His birth and the circumstances surrounding it were foretold over 400 years before the event, most notably by the prophet Isaiah.  In chapter 7 verse 14 of his book of prophesy, Isaiah tells us…

14 Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.

--Isaiah 7:14 (NKJV)

Isaiah also spoke for God in foretelling the rest of the story of Jesus, what would happen to Him later in life, and after His return to the Father.  He spoke to us of the Good Servant, and how He would be treated, ultimately taking our punishment upon Himself so that we could be washed clean of our sin and able to stand once again before God.  Isaiah accurately described Jesus and the many roles He would fill, such as found in chapter 9 verse 6 of his prophesy…

6 For unto us a Child is born,
Unto us a Son is given;
And the government will be upon His shoulder.
And His name will be called
Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

--Isaiah 9:6 (NKJV)

Unto us a Son is given of God, and the government will be upon His shoulder.  Pay close attention to the tenses of those verbs: “is given” and “will be”.  Jesus came once, as a baby, a Child, born to woman as the one true Son of God.  But the gift of God, made flesh in Jesus, continues to be given, to as many as who will accept Him!  Every time some lost soul accepts Jesus as the Son of God and their personal Savior and Master, He is given to them, the gift of salvation is given to them!

But did Jesus govern the world when He came that first time?  Does He govern it now, even with each new giving of Himself?  No, not really.  Satan has been given temporary rule over this world.  But Isaiah tells us the government will be upon His shoulders!  Someday, when He returns, Jesus will rule this world and all this is in it!

And that brings us to the second time that Jesus will physically come to this earth, and the second half of our scripture reading this morning.  Luke beautifully recorded the first time Jesus came to this world.  John tells us vividly of the second, in the Book of Revelation which Jesus instructed him to write after revealing to him the things that must happen.  Jesus will come to fulfill the rest of Isaiah’s prophesy.

On His person and on His robe will be emblazoned the titles “King of kings” and “Lord of lords”.  And this time He will come looking like the Messiah the Jewish people expected all along.  This time He will come to conquer, and to judge.  He will bring along the armies of heaven, but they will be mostly for show.  Because Jesus will dispatch all the foes of God simply by speaking the word of God.

The world will be judged, and all within it.  All will be judged, including we who believe.  But we will be saved, and spared a horrible fate, for we have been washed clean by the blood of Jesus, the spotless Lamb, slain as a sacrifice once for all time in propitiation for our sins.  Those who rejected Jesus will suffer greatly.  The wicked will be crushed under the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of our Almighty God!

Believers will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.  Non-believers will be forever separated from God, and from His mercy.  This is the second advent of Jesus, which we await.


So let’s enjoy this Advent season as we prepare to celebrate Christmas and all the gifts and meals and yes, even the football games.  But let’s not forget the true meaning, both of Advent and of Christmas.  Jesus came once, to offer the world salvation.  He is coming again, to judge the world.

Prepare for the observed anniversary of His first coming by decorating our homes and trees.  Prepare for His second coming by cleaning our hearts of sinful ways.  For He is coming again, and it may be soon.

In the blessed name of Jesus Christ, our Master and our Savior.  Amen.


Let us pray…  Father God, You sent Your own Son to live among us, to teach us Your Truth, to take our punishment and to die on our behalf so that we might not suffer eternal death.  Thank You, Father, for so beautiful a gift.  Thank You for Your great love and mercy.  Help us, please Father, to prepare our hearts for the second coming of Jesus, even as we celebrate His first coming at His birth.  Forgive us when we get all wrapped up with worldly commercialism and forget the true meaning of the season.  Help us remember Your promise to the world.

Please hear us now, Father, as we silently speak to You straight from our hearts, thanking You for Your many blessings, repenting of our disobedience, seeking Your forgiveness…

Lord Jesus, You came to us just as the prophets foretold, sharing God’s love with a weary world.  And some sweet day You will come again, this time to judge the world You tried to save.  Help us, Lord Jesus, to look past the bright decorations and see the truth.  Help us to prepare for Your second coming even as we celebrate the first.

This we pray in Your glorious name, Lord Jesus Christ, our Master and our Savior, the one true Son of God, in whom we place all our hope, all our trust, all our faith.  Amen.

In the Presence of the Lord

[The following is a manuscript of my sermon delivered on Sunday morning, the 19th of November, 2017.  This is our Thanksgiving service.  Look for the video on our Vimeo channel:  http://vimeo.com/pilgrimreformedchurch.]

Last week for my short devotional, I read to you from the New King James Version of Psalm 100, because it spoke of singing and praising God and that’s what we do in our 5th Sunday services.  But that short psalm also speaks so beautifully of giving thanks to God, and of how we should approach Him.  Listen and follow along as I once again read Psalm 100, this time from the English Standard Version of our Holy Bible…

1 Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth!
2 Serve the Lord with gladness!
Come into His presence with singing!
3 Know that the Lord, He is God!
It is He who made us, and we are His;
we are His people, and the sheep of His pasture.
4 Enter His gates with thanksgiving,
and His courts with praise!
Give thanks to Him; bless His name!
5 For the Lord is good;
His steadfast love endures forever,
and His faithfulness to all generations.

--Psalm 100 (ESV)

Let us pray…  Father God, You give us a voice to sing and joy in our hearts.  Forgive us, please Father, when we fail to let that joy out for all to hear, and in hearing to know that we love You.  Help us to sing Your praises every chance we get.  Speak to us now, Father, that we might better understand and obey Your word this morning.  In the blessed name of Your Son Jesus we pray.   Amen.


A man had a habit of grumbling at the food his wife placed before him at family meals. Then he would ask the blessing. One day after his usual combination complaint-prayer, his little girl asked, “Daddy, does God hear us when we pray?”

“Why, of course,” he replied. “He hears us every time we pray.”

She paused a moment, and asked, “Does He hear everything we say the rest of the time?”

“Yes, dear, every word,” her father replied, encouraged that he had inspired his daughter to be curious about spiritual matters. However, his pride was quickly turned to humility at her next question.

“Then, which does God believe?”


We can understand the little girl’s confusion, can’t we?  First her father grumbles and complains about the meal her mother placed before him on the table.  But then he prays and thanks God for it, asking His blessing over the food.  So which is it, which part does God believe – the grumbling, or the thanksgiving?

Maybe the better questions is, who many times do we go before our Father God in prayer grumbling and complaining, then thank Him for whatever it is we feel obligated to thank Him for?  Which do you think really expresses what we feel in our hearts – the complaints, or the thanks?


Think for a moment about the poor atheist.  What happens when he has a moment of feeling intensely grateful for something, and has no one to thank?  Neither King David nor our unknown psalmist had any problem knowing just Who to thank.

And neither did the Apostle Paul.  Listen to what he tells us to do, in his 1st letter to the Thessalonians, chapter 5, verses 16 through 18…

16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

--1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NKJV)

Rejoice always!  Not just when things are going our way, but always!  In everything give thanks!  Paul doesn’t say to give thanks for everything, but in everything.  In other words, no matter what circumstance we may find ourselves us, there is still something we can give thanks to God for.  For instance we might not think paying taxes is all that good a thing, not something we would be thankful for.  But if we’re paying taxes, it means we have an income to be taxed on, and for that we can indeed give thanks to God.

So no matter what load of horse manure life just dumped on your head, look for something to thank God for.  You won’t have to look far.  This is God’s will for us, because when we stop to be thankful, it puts us in a much better, more positive frame of mind.  And all that fertilizer we’re trying to dig ourselves out from under won’t smell quite so bad.


Did you notice in our scripture reading that our psalmist used a lot of action words?  Make a joyful noise.  Serve the Lord.  Come into His presence.  Enter His gates.  These are all things we must intentionally do, on purpose.

Pleasing the Lord requires some action on our part.  And not just any action.  He doesn’t want us making noise just to be making noise.  Paul gives us a little additional insight into this in his letter to the Ephesians, chapter 5, verses 15 through 21, when he instructs us…

15 See then that you walk carefully, not as fools, but as wise men, 16 making the most of the time because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is. 18 Do not be drunk with wine, for that is reckless living. But be filled with the Spirit. 19 Speak to one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord. 20 Give thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, 21 being submissive to one another in the fear of God.

--Ephesians 5:15-21 (MEV)

Walk carefully, as wise people.  Understand what the will of the Lord is.  Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks – that’s a big chunk of God’s will for us, according to Paul.  Give thanks always.  Enter into His gates with thanksgiving and into His courts with praise.  Come into His presence with singing.

Is that how we approach God?  When are we in His presence?  Well, technically, always – ever single second of every minute or every day – because God Himself is within us, in the person of His Holy Spirit.  Jesus died on the cross to make God available to us all the time, from anywhere.

Many of us, though, think about entering into His presence when we walk through those doors into this sanctuary – when we come into “God’s house”.  But I think we are truly most aware of being in His presence when we approach Him in prayer.  That is our time to talk with God, to speak to Him and to listen for a reply.  We feel Him near when we pray.

And that is why we should start every prayer with thanksgiving.  Every prayer, not just those during the Thanksgiving holiday.  But let that Thanksgiving feast serve as a reminder.  Thank God for the food, that we have enough to eat.  Thank Him for the house we eat in, that we have a roof over our head.  Thank Him for those we love who He has placed in our lives, even if we are alone and maybe lonely.

In all things give thanks to God, and bless His holy name.  Make a joyful noise, for we are in the presence of the Lord.  In the blessed name of Jesus Christ, our Master and our Savior.  Amen.


Let us pray…  Father God, You are the Creator of all things.  Anything and everything we have comes from You, out of Your love and generosity.  Thank You, Father, for all Your many blessings!  And thank You especially for sending Your Son Jesus to offer us salvation, and for allowing us to come into Your presence at any time we wish.  Help us, please Father, to come to You joyfully, with a song in our hearts and on our lips.  Help us to remember to enter into your gates with thanksgiving.  Forgive us when we get so wrapped up with our many needs that we forget to give You our thanks.  Please know that we are grateful for all You do and all You give.

Please hear us now, Father, as we silently speak to You straight from our hearts, thanking You for Your many blessings, repenting of our disobedience, seeking Your forgiveness…

Lord Jesus, Your Apostle Paul knew Your heart and spoke for You, telling us how we should live as Your followers, as Christians.  And he told us to rejoice always, to pray without stopping, and to give thanks to our Father God in all situations.  Help us, Lord, to do as Paul instructed.  Help us to not only be a grateful people, but to show God our gratitude.

This we pray in Your glorious name, Lord Jesus Christ, our Master and our Savior, the one true Son of God, in whom we place all our hope, all our trust, all our faith.  Amen.

Shout!

[The following is a manuscript of my brief devotional delivered on Sunday morning, the 12th of November, 2017.  This Sunday we welcomed the Good News Trio of High Point, NC, who shared with us their ministry of beautiful music.  Look for the video on our Vimeo channel:  http://vimeo.com/pilgrimreformedchurch.]

Before we bring The Good News Trio back up, I’d like to read a beautiful song from our Holy Bible that is most fitting for today’s service, and for the upcoming holiday.  The author’s name has long since been lost to us, but it’s message still rings out loud and clear.  Listen and follow along to the words of the unknown psalmist in Psalm 100, from the New King James Version of our Holy Bible…

1 Make a joyful shout to the Lord, all you lands!
2 Serve the Lord with gladness;
Come before His presence with singing.
3 Know that the Lord, He is God;
It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves;
We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.
4 Enter into His gates with thanksgiving,
And into His courts with praise.
Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.
5 For the Lord is good;
His mercy is everlasting,
And His truth endures to all generations.

--Psalm 100 (NKJV)

Isn’t that beautiful, and so true?  It speaks so well of why we should praise and give all glory to God and Jesus.  For our Lord is God!  He made us – we didn’t make ourselves, even if we could!  We are His people, His sheep, living in His pasture by His good graces.  So let us make a joy-filled shout unto the Lord!  Let us come before His presence with singing.  Let us serve Him with gladness.
This psalm also reminds us of the day we set aside called Thanksgiving, when we do stop from the busyness of our lives long enough to give God thanks for His many blessings, for all that He has done for us.  So let’s enter in through His gates with thanksgiving and into His courts with praise.  For the Lord is good, His mercy is everlasting, and His truth endures forever.

Shout!  Sing praises!  Give thanks!  All in the name of Jesus, our Lord and Savior.  Amen.

Be a Bondservant

[The following is a manuscript of my sermon delivered on Sunday morning, the 5th of November, 2017.  Look for the video on our Vimeo channel:  http://vimeo.com/pilgrimreformedchurch.]

Have you ever given any thought as to what might have been going on in Jesus’ mind during his short time on earth?  I mean, He was God, right?  But at the same time, He was fully human.  He suffered through the same aches and pains as we do, got hungry at times, and thirsty.

And I bet He struggled not to get completely fed up with this stubborn, thick-headed group of people that we too often are.  I can’t help but wonder if at some point He didn’t think, “OK, Dad, I’ve had enough of this foolishness - I’m coming home.”  Well, if He ever thought it, He never acted on it.

And fortunately for us, we don’t really have to guess what He might have been thinking - our Bible tells us.  Listen and follow along to verses 5 through 11 of the 2nd chapter of the Apostle Paul’s letter to the Philippians.  Earlier, in our Congregational Reading, we read this passage the New King James Version of our Holy Bible.  This time I’m reading from the New Life Version…

5 Think as Christ Jesus thought. 6 Jesus has always been as God is. But He did not hold to His rights as God. 7 He put aside everything that belonged to Him and made Himself the same as a servant who is owned by someone. He became human by being born as a man. 8 After He became a man, He gave up His important place and obeyed by dying on a cross. 9 Because of this, God lifted Jesus high above everything else. He gave Him a name that is greater than any other name. 10 So when the name of Jesus is spoken, everyone in heaven and on earth and under the earth will bow down before Him. 11 And every tongue will say Jesus Christ is Lord. Everyone will give honor to God the Father.

--Philippians 2:5-11 (NLV)

Let us pray…  Father God, Your great plan to save mankind required that Your Son Jesus suffer and die on the cross.  Forgive us, please Father, when we complain about little things, forgetting just what Jesus went through on our behalf.  Help us to be more like Him in our dedication to You and Your will.  Speak to us this morning, Father, that we might better hear, understand, and obey Your word.  In the blessed name of Your Son Jesus we pray.   Amen.


During the American Revolution, a man in civilian clothes rode up on a group of soldiers repairing a small defensive barrier.  Their leader was shouting instructions, but making no attempt to help with the work.  Asked why by the rider, he retorted with great dignity, "Sir, I am a corporal!"  The stranger apologized, dismounted, and proceeded to help the exhausted soldiers.  Their job done, the stranger turned to the corporal and said, "Mr. Corporal, next time you have a job like this and not enough men to do it, go to your commander-in-chief, and I will come and help you again."  It was none other than George Washington who pitched in to help his tired men.


George Washington clearly understood the full meaning of service.  He was a servant of God even while serving our fledgling country, both as general and as president.  To him, “service” was not just a word, but a way of life.  It requires a deep commitment to responsibility: of feeling and acting responsible for the welfare of others.  And Washington knew that by serving others we serve God.

Are we as dedicated a servant as George Washington?


In our scripture reading, Paul notes that even though Jesus was God, He put aside all His divine privileges and made a servant of Himself.  He served us, mankind, and He served God, His and our Father in heaven.  He served faithfully, carrying out God’s plan of salvation to the letter, even dying on the cross for us.  And God rewarded Him for His service.

Paul also considered himself to be a servant.  Listen to how he opens his letter to the Romans, chapter 1, verse 1…

1 Paul, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated to the gospel of God...

--Romans 1:1 (NKJV)

Paul describes himself as a bondservant of Jesus, serving as an apostle, set aside by God to proclaim the Good News of salvation through Jesus.  We’re familiar with the word “servant”, being one who serves another, but “bondservant” is a term we don’t hear as often.  A bondservant is closer to what we would call a slave rather than a servant.  In Jesus’ day it was fairly common to be or to own a bondservant.  In some cases a bondservant would serve voluntarily, but most times it was an involuntary, forced position of servitude.

A bondservant could not leave their service until whatever caused them to be placed there was fulfilled or completed, if ever.  A frequent reason for becoming a bondservant was to work off a debt that could not otherwise be repaid.  Do you remember Paul’s conversion on the road to Damascus, when Jesus blinded Saul and showed him what he was doing wrong, then gave him not only another chance to make amends, but also special insight into the Gospel?  Paul recognized how great a debt he owed Jesus – a debt he could never repay.  So he placed himself into lifelong servitude to Jesus, a service he would not leave or try to get out of.  He willingly, voluntarily, made of himself a bondservant to Jesus.


Another point Paul clearly understood is that we all serve, in one way or another.  We may not be indentured bondservants or slaves, but we still serve other folks, and if we are believers, we also serve our Lord Jesus.  So the big question is…  Do we serve as Paul did, or even as George Washington did, with the commitment of a voluntary bondservant?  Listen to what Paul told the Ephesians in chapter 6 of his letter, verses 5 through 7…

5 Servants, obey those who are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in sincerity of your heart, as to Christ, 6 not serving when eyes are on you, but as pleasing men as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, 7 with good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men...

--Ephesians 6:5-7 (MEV)

Even if we are just serving our fellow man, in any fashion, we should do just as good a job of it as if we were serving God face to face!  Because when we serve others, we serve God!  This is exactly what Jesus did!  He served others in His service to God!

Everyone who will be helping this Saturday with our bazaar and dinner should try to remember this.  Pretend that everyone we are helping in one way or another is actually Jesus.  Superimpose His face over theirs.  Treat them like we would treat Jesus.  Because we are doing just that, according to Paul.

And while we’re helping others, let’s keep another point Paul makes in mind.  This one comes from his letter to the Galatians, chapter 1, verse 10…

10 For am I now seeking the approval of men or of God? Or am I trying to please men? For if I were still trying to please men, I would not be the servant of Christ.

--Galatians 1:10 (MEV)

Don’t do things for the sole purpose of pleasing others or to gain their approval.  Do them to please Jesus, for His approval.  Remember that we gave ourselves over to His service when we accepted Him as our Lord.  That’s what it means when we call Him Master: that we will serve Him, just as Paul did.  Do we really think and act that way?  Do we truly make ourselves bondservants to Christ?


There is one more aspect of servitude I’d like to examine, and this one comes from the Apostle Peter.  In his 1st letter to the far-flung church, chapter 2, verses 15 through 17, Peter admonishes us…

15 For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men— 16 as free, yet not using liberty as a cloak for vice, but as bondservants of God. 17 Honor all people. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king.

--1 Peter 2:15-17 (NKJV)

It is the will of God that we voluntarily make ourselves to be His bondservants.  Now God is, after all, God, and He could make us dance at the end of a string like a puppet if He wanted.  But what He wants is for us to love Him enough to willingly put ourselves into servitude to Him.

By our belief in Jesus, we are freed from death and sin.  Peter instructs us not to use that freedom to do whatever we want, to delve back into a sinful life, but instead to do good for others, to serve God as His bondservant, and in doing so, to silence the blatant ignorance of foolish people!  And family, there are a lot of foolish people in this world today who need to see the kind of role model Peter is asking us to be.


Jesus set the example.  Paul followed it.  Peter exhorts us all to accept the role also.  To give ourselves into selfless servitude to Jesus and to God.  To commit ourselves, dedicate ourselves fully to serving others and in that way to serving our Lord.

Be a bondservant of Jesus.  In the blessed name of Jesus Christ, our Master and our Savior.  Amen.


Let us pray…  Father God, You knew what had to be done if mankind was to have any hope of salvation.  So You worked out a plan that required a very dedicated Servant.  Your own Son Jesus accepted that role, obeying Your will even to His death on the cross.  Help us, please Father, to understand and follow our own role in Your great plan.  Help us to give of ourselves fully into Your service.  Forgive us when we fail to act as true bondservants, thinking we can get out of our servitude.  Forgive us for doing good only to seek the approval of man, rather than helping others simply because it pleases You.  Forgive us when we stray from Your will.

Please hear us now, Father, as we silently speak to You straight from our hearts, thanking You for Your many blessings, repenting of our disobedience, seeking Your forgiveness…

Lord Jesus, You showed us what a true servant should look like.  You came to offer us salvation, and gave every last ounce of Yourself to us in service to our Father God.  Help us, Lord, to follow Your example.  Help us to willingly give of ourselves completely into Your service.  Help us be Your bondservants.

This we pray in Your glorious name, Lord Jesus Christ, our Master and our Savior, the one true Son of God, in whom we place all our hope, all our trust, all our faith.  Amen.