Night Prayer
He maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth; he breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder; he burneth the chariot in the fire.
Inspiration
Conflict is unpleasant. Whether we are faced with large-scale conflicts between nations, urban violence between different factions of society, or strife in our families, we all long for peace. But as long as we have a broken world, we will have conflict. Still, we have hope that God will end our fights when we turn to Him, and that someday He will bring an end to all war, and His peace will reign forever.
Prayer
Lord, when I examine the conflict in my life, I see my selfishness. Help me to lay down my agenda and seek You so that I may be an agent of peace with my neighbors. I also ask that You would grant wisdom to the world’s leaders, convict their hearts and turn them away from their ambitions that lead to war and suffering. May Your peace last forever. 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.