Night Prayer
And all this assembly shall know that the Lord saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the Lord's, and he will give you into our hands.
Inspiration
Swords and spears were not capable of overcoming the Philistines! David confidently states that the power to defeat them would come directly from God. We observe miracles around us, big and small. The power of God heals the sick, feeds the poor, and ministers to the brokenhearted. We are the tools God uses to tell the world about His precious love and teach them the way to salvation. We remain humble with the knowledge that we do not possess power ourselves; it is God who makes all things possible.
Prayer
Dear God, You are all-powerful. You put the world in motion, and we will use our spiritual gifts as directed according to Your will. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
Night Prayer
Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.
Inspiration
Sin will enslave us and become the master of our lives if allowed. Sin binds us in darkness, and we become submissive to our fears. Jesus is a light in the dark, and we have accepted Him as our Lord and Savior. Sin has no control over us! We have repented our sinful ways and surrendered our lives to the will of God. Serving Him replaces a life of misery with joy and peace.
Prayer
Dear God, we ask forgiveness for our transgressions. We surrender our lives to You and will serve You instead of our sinful desires. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
Devotion
Are You Wise or Foolish?
Frances Taylor
Today's gospel concerns a group of bridesmaids waiting for the bridegroom to come and whether or not they will be prepared. Five are pretty sure that the bridegroom will show up when expected and so do the least they need to do and the other five decide that something may come up and want to be prepared just in case. What about ourselves? Whether you are sick or healthy today, you don't know what tomorrow brings.
I remember when my father was ill. He would enter the hospital, then somehow rally and be sent home. When this happens more than once, it is easy to be lulled into a sense of false security and believe that he would always rally. That kind of thinking can make it harder when the final day comes. My son rarely had a sick day in his life and yet was cut off while riding his motorcycle and was dead before he even had a chance to be afraid. It has always been my hope that both were wise and had lived their lives prepared to meet the ...
