Morning Prayer
Turn thou us unto thee, O LORD, and we shall be turned; renew our days as of old.
Inspiration
While we have all sinned, we must recognize that true repentance comes from turning back to God. For those who have backslidden or turned their backs on God, they will only find forgiveness when they return to the Lord. Furthermore, we cannot save ourselves. In order for our hearts and minds to be transformed and restored, we must seek the Lord, for only He can renew us. Much like we hear people reminiscence about "the good old days, " this verse refers to the feeling one has of peace and goodness that follows once his spirit has been restored.
Prayer
Dear God, forgive me for turning away from you. I know that you sent your son to forgive me of my sins, and this separation from you is painful. I know only you can save me from this life of sin. Draw me to you, O Lord. Renew my heart and restore me. Allow your grace and mercy to fill my life and overflow to those you have placed around me. May I live a life that honors your amazing love and forgiveness. In Jesus' name, amen.
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.