Morning Prayer
But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.
Inspiration
Though the Law of Moses only prescribed stoning for actually committing adultery, nonetheless, in regard to the Law's relation to eternal and ultimate matters, more was implied in the command to avoid adultery than just to not do the very act. Jesus points out that one is not innocent and pure before God who has lusted adulterously though not done the actual act of adultery. Sin is still in that man's heart.
Prayer
Keep us, O Lord, from making your Law a quick and easy checklist that we can easily check off and be smugly satisfied with our own performance of it. Teach us that unless we keep your Law from the heart and abide by the spirit as well as the letter of your commands, we have not truly kept them. Help us to keep your Law truly from a motive of love for you. 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.
