Morning Prayer
And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:
Inspiration
Money is a concern for us all at some point in time. When we live paycheck to paycheck, we stay up at night thinking about how to feed our families and keep a roof over their heads. Even when balancing large sums, we have anxiety regarding how to appropriate funds and what to do if our system fails. Jesus teaches us not to worry about money. God tends to the lilies, rooted firmly in the ground, and He will provide for us when we are struggling. We trust Him with all our worries and remain hopeful amidst any financial concerns.
Prayer
Dear Lord, We have many worries as we live our earthly lives. We know that You are present, alert, and always ready to help us when we struggle. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
Night Prayer
For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.
Inspiration
Christ died for our sins when we were weak and feeble. We did not deserve to be saved and never realized we needed His merciful salvation. This act says something special about God. He knows what we need before we do, and He loves us enough to complete such a selfless act without expecting anything in return. He did not wait around for us to become wiser or more worthy of His grace because His unconditional love is precious, selfless, and pure.
Prayer
Dear God, we are thankful for Your grace and mercy. You saved us before we knew we needed saving, and You love us beyond our understanding. We happily surrender our sinful nature to serve You. We love You because You first loved us. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Devotion
Rejoice in Your Youth
Frances Taylor
Ecclesiastes is an interesting book to read. The theme seems to be that all is vanity. In this passage the young are advised to remember that God watches over us all and all our actions are subject to his judgment. If you continue reading in chapter 12, you will find that the youth is being warned that he will someday be old with all the infirmities that this will bring. We need to rejoice in every day we are given and not waste them. Don't take your youth for granted and spend them doing evil. How often have you heard someone excuse the young by saying that he is just sowing his wild oats. There really is no such thing. There is no excusing bad behavior because someone is young.
Our moral compass has become skewed in recent years and it seems that there are no moral boundaries. Adultery, hooking-up, pornography, sexual harassment and abuse are normal and even celebrated! Both men and women are looked at as sexual objects to be used instead of ...
