Night Prayer
And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.
Inspiration
Storms can be scary. When we are faced with strong winds and driving rains, we realize how little control we have in these conditions. Yet we serve the God who holds authority over the wind and the rain. With only a word, He calms the storms and delivers peace, whereby we find sanctuary and rest.
Prayer
Lord God, I am helpless against the storms of life. When the winds of worry and the rains of difficulty come at me, please be my protector. For You are stronger than the wind, and You are above the rain. By Your authority, speak Your peace into my life so that I may be comforted and strengthened by Your presence. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Night Prayer
But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money.
Inspiration
Why do we seek God? Simon the Sorcerer thought he could buy the gift of the Holy Spirit, and he got quite the response! His selfish motivation was revealed in his actions. Here’s a way to test our motives: Do we seek to know and do God’s will, or do we hope to bend Him to our will? If we desire God simply because of what we hope to gain in this life, it’s time to reexamine our motives.
Prayer
Lord, I confess that in my selfishness I sometimes envy the gifts of great teachers and leaders, and wish that You would make me more like them. But I come before You today asking that You help me overcome my pride, and equip me for the work that You have called me to, not for my sake, but for Your glory. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Devotion
All is Vanity
Frances Taylor
Today we have one of my favorite books in the Old Testament – Ecclesiastes! It is second only to Psalms. What are riches? What is so important about having things? Now, I'm not talking about necessities, or even the luxuries that most of us enjoy, but having things, just to have them. Greed is a very dangerous vice that we often don't even recognize in ourselves. Just watch what happens when someone dies and the relatives fight over what they leave, or complain that one person got more than another! This happens in the best of families but it doesn't usually make the papers or the media in the way it does when the person is rich or famous. In Ecclesiastes, this is pointed out rather starkly – no matter what you accumulate on earth, someone else is going to enjoy or waste it in the end. Jesus tells the parable of the rich man who hoards his goods only to die that night. I don't believe that Jesus is telling us not to prepare for the future, but ...
