Morning Prayer
But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.
Inspiration
We can all remember the people that have taught us the most. People often exemplify the successful, rich, powerful, and beautiful, thinking that they will be happier and feel better if they were more like them. How often do we follow in the footsteps of the people that are the most holy around us? How often do we actively attempt to follow in the footsteps of Jesus? He gave his life for us to even have that chance and thankfully the Bible has written the guidelines for how we need to live our lives.
Prayer
My holy God, help me realize that I too can be holy through you. When I stray from the path of righteousness, I ask that you push me back towards the path, remembering and realizing all that you have taught me. Finally, I ask that you remind me of the sacrifices that you have made, giving your only son as a sacrifice so that I could also know what it is to be holy. In your son's holy name I pray. Amen.
Night Prayer
For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.
Inspiration
Christ died for our sins when we were weak and feeble. We did not deserve to be saved and never realized we needed His merciful salvation. This act says something special about God. He knows what we need before we do, and He loves us enough to complete such a selfless act without expecting anything in return. He did not wait around for us to become wiser or more worthy of His grace because His unconditional love is precious, selfless, and pure.
Prayer
Dear God, we are thankful for Your grace and mercy. You saved us before we knew we needed saving, and You love us beyond our understanding. We happily surrender our sinful nature to serve You. We love You because You first loved us. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Devotion
Rejoice in Your Youth
Frances Taylor
Ecclesiastes is an interesting book to read. The theme seems to be that all is vanity. In this passage the young are advised to remember that God watches over us all and all our actions are subject to his judgment. If you continue reading in chapter 12, you will find that the youth is being warned that he will someday be old with all the infirmities that this will bring. We need to rejoice in every day we are given and not waste them. Don't take your youth for granted and spend them doing evil. How often have you heard someone excuse the young by saying that he is just sowing his wild oats. There really is no such thing. There is no excusing bad behavior because someone is young.
Our moral compass has become skewed in recent years and it seems that there are no moral boundaries. Adultery, hooking-up, pornography, sexual harassment and abuse are normal and even celebrated! Both men and women are looked at as sexual objects to be used instead of ...
