Morning Prayer
And he said unto them, Where is your faith? And they being afraid wondered, saying one to another, What manner of man is this! for he commandeth even the winds and water, and they obey him.
Inspiration
The disciples were worried about the storm while Jesus slept. Still, when they called on him, Jesus answered, and silenced the wind and waves with a word. The disciples were amazed at Jesus’ authority, while Jesus questioned their lack of faith. As followers of Jesus, we are reminded that when we see that Jesus is not worried about our situation, it is a sure sign that we should not be worried, either.
Prayer
God, You are the Creator of all things, and You have authority over all of heaven and earth. As I come before You with my worries and my fears, I turn to Your calming presence. Teach me to trust in Your power, in Your love, and in Your authority. Thank You for giving me the assurance that You are in control. 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.