Prayers by Mr. Moody
Our Heavenly Father, we come to wait on Thee for the gi of Thy Spirit for service. We want it above everytung else. O, God, give us the Spirit! Empty us of slf, of self-seeking. O God, bring us down into the dust before Thee, so that we may be filled with the Holy Ghost, so that we may have power with God and with man! O, thou God of Elijah, we pray that a double portion of Thy Spirit may come upon us to-day, that we may be anointed to do the work Thou hast for us to do! We know that we have but a little while to stay here. In a few months or years, at longest, we will all be gone. O, God, help us to bear fruit while we live! May we no longer be living in this lukewarm state. May we no longer be toiling day after day and month after month, and seeing no fruit O, Jesus, Master, Thou hast gone up on high; Thou hast led captivity captive; Thou art at the right hand of God, and Thou hast power. O, give us power! Thou canst impart power. Thou canst quicken us into new life. Thou canst give us a fresh anointing. We pray that Thou will do it to-day. We pray that Thou wilt breath upon lis a breath from heaven. Grant that we may know what it is to have the Holy Ghost resting upon us for service. We pray for these ministers that are going to stand up in their pulpits on the coming Sabbath. O, may there be a new man in every pulpit in Cleveland! May the power of God rest upon them and upon their ministry! Bless, we pray Thee, the elders, the deacons, and the church officers, the stewards and the wardens,
O, God, breathe upon them the breath of life! and may there be a quickening in every gospel church in Cleveland. We ask it all in the name and for the sake of Thy blessed Son. Amen.
Our Heavenly Father, help us now to realize that we are in Thy presence. Help us to realize how holy and pure Thou art, and how impure we are. We would take the place of the Publican to-day, and we would smite upon our breasts, and cry, “God be merciful to us sinners I “We are not worthy of Thy love; we are not worthy of Thy mercy, but Jesus has bid us come in His name, and make our wants known. O, Blessed Heavenly Father, for Jesus Christ’s sake, bless every soul in this hall to-day! We pray that there may not be one that shall leave this hall to-day with the spirit of the Pharisee! May we not go out of here thanking God that we are not like other people! O, may we take our place in the dust, and may our cry be, “God be merciful to me, a sinner!” Or may our cry be like that of the Syro-Phcenician woman, u Lord help me!” Or like that of Peter, “Lord, save or I perish!” If Thou dost not save us, Blessed Master, we will perish, and so we come to Thee for salvation. We come to Thee for help to-day, and now we pray that Thou wilt give us help. Amen.
Our Heavenly Father, we thank Thee for the privilege we have this beautiful Sabbath day of coming together within these walls, to worship Thee, and we pray that Thou wilt give us to-day the spirit, for we read in Thy Word that they that worship Thee must worship Thee in spirit and in truth; so we ask that Thou wilt give as to-day freely of the spirit that we may know how to approach Thee; that we may know how to come to Thee with all our wants; that we may know how to make our requests known unto Thee. And we pray that to-day, as we attempt to lift out thoughts to Thee in prayer, Thou wilt hear and answer our prayer and give us to-day a token of what we are to have in this city in this coming month. We pray that this may be the best month that this city has ever seen; that there may be days of the right hand power of the Son of God. We pray that there may be a blessed and mighty work of Christ in this city. All our expectations are from Thee. We know that man has not the power to reach the human heart; but we pray that the spirit may convict of sin, that the Holy Ghost may do his office work, and that the work may be deep and thorough; that it may not be the work of the flesh; that it may not be the work of man; that it may not be like the morning cloud that shall soon pass away; but may it be deep and thorough; may it be the work of God Almighty; and we pray that each one of us may take spur places in the dust before Thee, and that we may humble ourselves under Thy hand, so that Thou canst shine and speak through us, who bear the name of Jesus Christ.
May the day be not far distant when there shall be streams of salvation going forth from this city that shall make the towns and villages throughout this great State glad. We pray that there may be power in all these meetings that the power of the Lord may be present to heal those that shall gather within those walls.
And we pray for the careless and indifferent that have come here this afternoon out of idle curiosity. O, that there may be power here to-day to convict them of sin and to convert them, that they may become children of God and heirs of heaven.
We pray for those who have gone to the other meeting. May the spirit be there in mighty power, and may those that may speak, speak with power from on high and may the power of God be not only upon the speakers, but upon him who shall sing the songs of Zion.
We pray that Thou wilt bless the singing of these Gospel hymns; and as our brother shall sing from day to day here, we pray that the spirit may carry the truth down into the hearts of the people; that there may be many that shall be blessed by heari ng the Gospel sung.
Now, Heavenly Father, wilt Thou give us all the spirit of prayer and supplication, and while we are here together to-day may there be one wave of united prayer going to the throne of grace, for the power of God to be felt here; and Christ shall have all the praise and glory. Amen.
EVENING SERVICE.
Our Heavenly Father, we look again to Thee for Thy blessing upon this waiting congregation. We pray that Thou wilt this night help us as we wait upon Thee. Help us to call our wandering thoughts in from the world, from its cares, from its troubles, and from its pleasures, and may our thoughts be centered upon heaven and heavenly things to-night, and may every heart in this assembly receive the Word of God; may that word be preached with power, and may it find its way to many a heart; may very many have the moral courage given them to stand up and confess the Lord Jesus Christ in their homes or in their places of business, and wherever their lot may be cast. Lord, help each one of us that professes to be thv disciple to be bold and fearless. May we not be ashamed of the cross of Jesus Christ, which is the power of God unto salvation. O, may each and every one of us be ready at all times and in all places to confess Him who loved us and gave Himself for us. O, God, we now look to Thee for Thy blessing upon those that have come in here out of mere curiosity. May the
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Spirit of God touch their hearts to-night. May the scales be removed from their eyes. May they believe the record of God’s Son. May they believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and be saved. May this be the night of their salvation. May this be the night we have prayed for — the night when God shall make bare His arm to save. May there be a great salvation of souls to-night We pray Thy blessing to rest upon the men’s meeting in yonder church. Son of God go with us as we go from this building to that meeting. May there be many drawn to that place; may there be many that shall stand on the Lord’s side, and we shall give Christ the praise and glory in this life and in the life to come. Amen.
Our Heavenly Father we now look to Thee for Thy blessing upon the hymns that have been sung, and upon the word of God that shall be read, and the remarks that shall be made. We pray that the Spirit of God may be here to-night, carrying home the truth to our hearts and consciences, and may the blind eyes be opened that men may see their need of Christ; that they may see their need of the blessed Savior that has come into the world to seek and to save that which was lost, for Thou knowest how sin has blinded many and how Satan has deceived thousands, and how the world is luring men away from heaven and from eternity and from eternal things. O, Thou God of all grace, let Thy power be felt here to-night. Give us, we pray Thee, freely of the Spirit May the Spirit of God do its office work, and may there be many that shall be led to inquire what they shall do to be saved to-night.
Bless our brother who shall preach in the adjoining church to-night; let Thy blessing rest upon him. May very many be born of the Spirit, born again, born from above, that we may meet them in Thy kingdom. We ask it in the name and for the sake of Thy beloved Son. Amen.
Our Heavenly Father, we thank Thee for Thy blessing and precious Word, for the privilege we have this evening of reading the words that fell from the lips of our God and Master while here upon earth. We pray that Thou wilt teach us to understand the lesson that Thou wouldst teach us by this miracle. Lord, help us that we may cast away all unbelief. We pray that there may be many in this city of Cleveland sitting at Thy feet clothed and in their right minds with the evil spirt cast out of them. Son of God, manifest Thy power in this place to-night Make this place awfully solemn on account of Thy power. Give us a message from on high. May the word sink deep into our hearts. May much good be done here this night We pray that thy blessing may rest on each and every one of us that profess to be disciples of the Son of God. May we hunger and thirst until we are filled with righteousness, with faith and the Holy Ghost We pray that Thou wilt remember in much mercy the Christian workers gathered here to-night. May they have fresh power given them — -a new life, a new power. We pray for all these church officers, for the deacons, the elders, the church wardens and stewards gathered here to-night. We pray for every Sabbath-school superintendent and Sabbath-school teacher. Give them to understand the worth of souls. May they awake to their great responsibilities. O God, help us to realize the responsibilities resting upon us. Grant that during the next thirty days in this city we may see them coming by scores and by hundreds into Thy kingdom, and Thy name, blessed Savior, shall have the praise and glory. Amen.
Our Heavely Father, we pray that thy blessing may rest upon the words that have been spoken in weakness May they be carried home to our hearts with power, and grant that there may be many a heart stirred here to-night to go out into the vineyard and work for Thee. O Lord help us as parents to labor for the salvation of our children, that they may be with us in glory and not one of them shall be missing when Thou comest to make up Thy Jewels.
Wilt Thou spare them as a man spares his own son. May we have the joy of seeing them come in the morning of their lives and give themselves to Thee.
And now we pray for these Sabbath-school teachers. May their hearts be burdened this night for their scholars, and may they not rest, but may they go to their homes and may they plead with them to come to Christ. May they bring them to the meeting, and may we have the joy of seeing them coming out and taking their stand on the Lord’s side. O, Father! for Jesus Christ’s sake wilt Thou hear our prayer and wilt Thou answer our petition; and grant that this night the answer may come. May we not rest day nor night until we see those that are about us brought to the kingdom of God, and Thy name shall have the praise and the glory. Amen.
Our Heavenly Father, we praise Thee for this blessed gospel that brings such news. We thank Thee tha’ Thou didst send Jesus Christ into this world to save it. And we thank Thee, blessed Savior, that Thou didst leave that upper world — that world of light — and come down into this dark world, and that Thou hast lit it up by Thine own light; that Thou now dost come and offer to dwell with us.
Oh, that men maybe wise to-night! Oh, that they may make room in their hearts for Jesus Christ! Oh, that they may say now from the depths of their heart, “Lord Jesus, come and dwell with me!” May they invite Him to their hearts and homes as Martha and Mary did at Bethany,
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Oh, Spirit of God! wilt Thou work mightily, and grant that many this night may be born again, born of the Spirit, born from above, that they may this night take Christ to be their way, their truth and their life, and Thy name shall have the praise and the glory. Amen.
Our Heavenly Father, open our eyes to night that we may know whether we are building on the rock of ages or not. If we are building on a sandy foundation, may our minds be opened to-night by the Spirit of God so that we may know, and that we may be led to build upon that rock that Thou hast laid in Zion, that precious corner stone, that tried stone, the stone that has been rejected by the builders, that has become the head and the corner stone. May we build all our hope upon that rock and that alone. Amen.