Devotion
Bless the Lord, oh my soul
David Jacobs
I am sometimes stricken with anxiety and insecurity, expecting the worst-case scenario to occur even before it has happened. It can be crippling at times, because I anticipate trouble even though it may never happen. This anticipation, however, affects my mood, and I can assure you, it does not affect it in a positive way. In these moments, it is so easy for me to forget about all the things that I am thankful for: the best family I could possibly ask for, beautiful children, parents that one could only dream of, a good job, food, health, happiness. In my moments of anxiety, nothing else matters.
This is where the Bible has helped me the most. When I am feeling anxiety or insecurity, I can read a few pages and be inspired. I can read about the hardships of the Old Testament prophets, the kingdom of Israel, or Christ and the disciples and feel a little bit better about my own situation. I can also be inspired by their faith: no matter the odds against them, God was with them and they were with God. They never forgot who gave them everything. Life is never going to be perfect; we will always have our moments of anxiety and doubt. With a strong faith in God, we will bounce back faster, stronger, and more determined, and we will be less able to forget all that God has given us.
Prayer
Christ in heaven, my redeemer, I owe you a debt of my life. Forgive me heavenly Father, for I have forgotten and lost faith at my lowest and even highest moments. Keep me balanced, O Lord, so that I may never forget where all the good in the world and in heaven comes from: from your lovingkindness, which you share with all man. I beg for your mercy Lord, knowing full well that I do not deserve it, and also knowing that you will grant it to me as long as I ask. In your name I pray, Amen.
Morning Prayer
Sing unto the Lord with thanksgiving; sing praise upon the harp unto our God:
Inspiration
We are thankful for all the blessings God has bestowed upon us. He consistently nurtures and cares for us, and as we look back through the years, we see His helping hand when we didn't even know we needed it. He performs miracles amid catastrophe and grants blessings to further our peace and happiness. His attention to detail is incredible, and we rejoice with cheerful hearts at the sound of His name. We are continually amazed by the infinite love our Creator commits to us.
Prayer
Dear Lord, We praise Your name with happy hearts because we are bursting with love for You. We are thankful for the compassion and unconditional love You bestow upon us. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
Night Prayer
O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the Lord our maker.
Inspiration
We bow before God spiritually and physically to show reverence and respect; He is all-powerful, all-present, and all-knowing! He has the power to create heaven, earth, and our intricate bodies. He is present in every moment, through every struggle, and is always available when we call. He knows our past, present, and future; protects our spirits at all costs. We worship God because we respect Him; we choose to serve and love Him unconditionally.
Prayer
Dear God, You are all-powerful, all-present, and all-knowing. We respect You and welcome Your presence daily. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
Devotion
A joyful noise
David Jacobs
Do you enjoy going to church? Ask yourself this question. At every church that I have been to, it seems a large amount of the people there have no interest in being there. They are either forced by their spouse or parents and are just there because it is a part of their culture. When the scriptures are read or the sermon begins, it may turn into naptime for some people. How have we allowed a weekly worship to turn into this? Is this what it was originally meant to be?
We can think about prayer and worship in many ways, and there are certainly many congregations that are finding new ways to approach it and bring in new devotees of Christ. It may rustle the feathers of some of the older generations, but as long as the overall meaning is similar, there is no harm in trying to be innovative and continue to pay respect to God.
Prayer
However, as these verses suggest, church is not the only place that we are meant to sing God's praises. Anywhere ...
