Night Prayer
Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.
Inspiration
Before we knew Jesus, we had all sorts of selfish ambitions and desires that came from an impure heart. And even knowing Jesus, it’s not always easy to walk away from those desires. In fact, sometimes we have to run! And as we flee from selfish desires, Jesus opens our eyes to see that we are running to him as he purifies our hearts and wraps us in his righteousness.
Prayer
Lord, You have forgiven me and made me new. Yet the lusts and ambitions of my past creep into my thoughts. Please give me swift feet and a clear path so that I may flee from these thoughts. Embrace me with Your righteousness and fill me with Your purity, so that I may withstand the temptations that try to chase me down. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Night Prayer
And when it was day, certain of the Jews banded together, and bound themselves under a curse, saying that they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul.
Inspiration
The Jews were desperate to extinguish Paul's life and vowed their death to accomplish the deed. Paul was imprisoned, beaten, and rejected multiple times, yet he continued the Lord's ministry because he had faith in God's plan. How important is sharing the Gospel today? We often become comfortable and fail to venture out into our local community to share the way to salvation. We are shy or may not be confident about our evangelical skills. We have faith in God's plan; He extends salvation to all, and we are crucial in His ministry.
Prayer
Dear God, we are crucial to Your ministry. Please help us overcome our weaknesses, so we may continue sharing the Gospel. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
Devotion
The Barrier is Removed
Frances Taylor
Moses had brought the Israelites out of Egypt and now they were wondering if they were any better off! They had reached the Red Sea, and couldn't see any way around this barrier that had been placed before them. But God knew what he was doing and Moses followed his instructions and the sea parted so that the Israelites could pass through on dry ground. A question sometimes asked at a job interview is, "What do you do when you face an obstacle?" How would you answer? Would you try to go around it, through it, or perhaps over it? Moses could not go around his obstacle and knew that without help, he could never bring all the people, animals and supplies through it. So, he asked God for help. Was that the first thing you thought of? There is a saying, "If God brings you to it, he will bring you through it." The key here is to ask God to bring us through it.
We often face challenges in our lives, especially when we are trying to live as Jesus wants...
