Morning Prayer
For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
Inspiration
Paul knew more than anyone what it meant to suffer as a Christian. And yet, he did not think the sufferings of this life and of this age were anything remotely comparable to the glorification of God's saints that awaited the age to come. The sufferings of life are but momentary, like a blip on a radar screen, compared to the endless days of eternity.
Prayer
O Father, you have in wisdom and love to us ordained times of trials and sufferings for our own ultimate benefit and your own glory. Job in the Old Testament, Paul in the New Testament, and countless other saints of God have suffered many things far worse than what we have suffered. Teach us not to complain but to trust your purposes in sending suffering, even when those purposes are unknown to us. 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.
