Devotion
The Lord Will Be With Us
Frances Taylor
Just as the Lord promised Paul that he would be with him in Corinth, he is with us when we speak of all that the Lord has done for us. God gives us the words we need when we need them.
Have you ever had a friend come and ask for advice or just to share what is happening in his or her life? Sometimes, you are offering them advice or consolation and wonder where the words came from. One of the gifts of the Spirit is understanding, a heart open to the other. When we allow ourselves to open ourselves, we can be open to the other as well. Sometimes we are unaware of our influence on another. I know that there are times when something I heard weeks ago, pops into my head at just the right moment and I'm sure the speaker had no knowledge that his or her words would have such influence. It is the same with us. God gives us the words to say and then they bear fruit in the hearer without our ever knowing about it.
As a teacher, I have had students come up to me years later thanking me for something I said – and I have no idea what they are talking about. God is with us when we are explaining our reasons for our beliefs as well. We needn't be afraid to speak what is in our hearts.
Prayer
Lord, thank you for the presence of the Spirit in our lives. The gifts we have received are there for us to make use of at all times, all we need to do is ask. 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.
