Morning Prayer
For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.
Inspiration
In Corinth, a few felt Paul was not as remarkable as his letters made him appear to be. They thought highly of themselves and made negative comments that had the potential to harm his ministry. Paul says it is not wise to compare one another this way. He was once a soldier who persecuted Christians. He was not a spiritual leader, yet, God called him to share the Gospel with the nations. We must encourage one another regarding the works God has called us to do instead of comparing our talents. God has a perfect plan for each of us, and we will encourage one another to follow it precisely.
Prayer
Dear God, please teach us to stop analyzing each other and seek to encourage instead. You have called us to complete crucial works in Your name, and You place the proper person in authority. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Night Prayer
And another also said, Lord, I will follow thee; but let me first go bid them farewell, which are at home at my house.
Inspiration
We cannot surrender part of our lives to serve the Lord; we must surrender it all. We see multiple occurrences in the New Testament when Jesus says, 'follow me,' met with an excuse or other business that needed to be taken care of first. We like to think that, given the opportunity, we would follow immediately, but that may not be true. We put many earthly activities before the Lord. We make idols of technology, sports, and other activities or people. These secondary priorities cause us to wander away from the Lord instead of closer to Him. We must analyze our walk closely and remove all stumbling blocks that distract us from the Lord.
Prayer
Dear Lord, we want to serve You with all our hearts. Help us analyze our lives and remove stumbling blocks that slow our walk with You. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
