Morning Prayer
And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.
Inspiration
Paul and Silas were in a very discouraging situation – they had been arrested, beaten and placed in prison for doing nothing wrong. Anyone else in that given situation would have been in tears, discouraged by their circumstances. Paul and Silas chose to pray and sing hymns to God. This account ends with them miraculously escaping jail. Prayer can also help us in times of despair; it can open doors for the miraculous to occur. When we resort to praying, we are going over our emotions and setting our minds to God's faithfulness instead. That, in itself, is defeating the plan of the enemy, who was only interested in keeping you down.
Prayer
Dear God, I thank you for your faithfulness and the blessed assurance I have in you, that I am in Christ and He is in me. Father, I thank you that there is no situation that is bigger than you. Lord, I pray that in any time I find myself in despair, may I focus on you and your goodness. I will always remain hopeful and I will find a reason to rejoice. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.
Night Prayer
I will hear what God the Lord will speak: for he will speak peace unto his people, and to his saints: but let them not turn again to folly.
Inspiration
As Christians, we know that we find peace in God. And today, we’re reminded that He promises peace to His people. But we have to do our part, which is listening. It’s when we turn away from wisdom and pursue foolish and selfish endeavors that peace eludes us. But when we turn our ears to His wisdom, He leads us on the path to peace.
Prayer
God, in You I have received peace that passes understanding. Speak Your wisdom to me, and teach me to not be distracted by my own foolish ambitions. Give me ears to hear You so that I may remain close to You and move in Your peace wherever I go. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Devotion
Be Doers of the Word
Frances Taylor
Have you ever heard someone say – or thought to yourself – look at him/her, I can't believe the way he's/she's acting, he/she goes to church every Sunday? Perhaps it's someone at work, or at school, or in the neighborhood, or even in your family. What a hypocrite, you might say, and it's possible that that person doesn't have a clue – much like the Pharisees.
In Mark's gospel, the apostles are being condemned for eating without washing their hands. Now, we don't know the circumstances, but I would bet that many of us do the same thing even though we know that we should wash our hands before eating. However, if I want an ice cream on a hot day, I'm not going to ask the kid at the ice cream stand where to find a bathroom so that I can first wash my hands. But for observant Jews, to wash before eating was one of the many, many Mosaic laws. Jesus points out for them, that some laws are more important than others – like being honest, refraining ...
Morning Prayer
Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
Inspiration
Baptism in Christ simply means that our lives have become totally immersed in His Life. As Christ died and resurrected, we have done so too, through baptism. This is why we have a 'new life'. We have become new creations in Christ and we are to live this way.
Prayer
Dear God, I thank you for this new life that I have in Christ. Father, I pray that in all I do, may my life reflect the new creation that I have become in Christ. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.
