Morning Prayer
Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? follow thou me.
Inspiration
Sometimes, we wonder why other people have an easier time than we do. ‘Why me?’ we lament. But do we ask ‘why me?’ when we are given an easier load than our neighbor? Usually, we don’t. God calls us each to our specific purpose, and we serve Him best when we focus on His will and plan for us, instead of comparing our circumstances to those of our neighbors.
Prayer
Father, thank You for calling me and equipping me to serve You and Your kingdom. I do not understand why You have chosen me for the life You have given me, but I ask that You empower me to faithfully serve where You have placed me. Protect my heart from envy over those whose path seems easier, and let me not lose compassion for those whose struggle is greater. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Night Prayer
Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess.
Inspiration
We despise the thought of a pile of dirty dishes in the sink. The outside is easy to clean; it's the caked-up residue on the inside that's so difficult to remove. Jesus compares the scribes and Pharisees with dishes that have been wiped clean on the outside while dirty inside. The Pharisees took exceptional care of their outward appearance and neglected their inward spirits. We are guilty of allowing our hearts to be left filthy as well. We look and act as we should while our souls are full of darkness. We must continue to converse with the Holy Spirit daily and trust His guidance to cleanse our sinful nature.
Prayer
Dear God, Please forgive our sinful nature. We yearn for cleansing from within, so we are genuine witnesses to Your name. In Jesus' Name, Amen.