Morning Prayer
Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart: thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour, and not suffer sin upon him.
Inspiration
God calls us to love all people, even our enemies. But He especially calls us to love our brothers and sisters in Christ. Our love for one another is what sets us apart as God’s children. And when we need to rebuke our neighbor, love demands that we do so plainly, and without enmity. For our goal is not to condemn, but to heal and restore.
Prayer
God, I am thankful for the people that You have placed in my life. My church family has been a blessing and a source of strength to me. Help me to grow in my love for them so that we may reflect You even more. And when words of rebuke are needed, give me the grace to speak Your truth in love, for the good of Your people and the sake of Your kingdom. 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.
