Devotion
Starting over
David Jacobs
There are many times we wish we could start over. Sometimes we make careless mistakes or regret our decisions; however, we must live with them. This can be hard to accept, but it is in Revelation 21:1-7 where we find God's creation of the new Jerusalem. " And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away" (Revelation 21:4). God can provide us with a new start when we find ourselves trapped in the old.
Prayer
One of the greatest gifts God can provide us is the opportunity to start fresh. If we are not satisfied with the way our current life is going, it is our faith in Him that provides us the courage and strength to start over. Much like the creation of the new Jerusalem, opportunities are provided to us by God. "He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son" (Revelation 21:7). This passage should provide us with the guidance we need whenever we are scared to abandon our former situation to search for a better one. We should be reminded that our faith in Christ will allow us to overcome any difficulties we face.
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.
