The Morning Devotional for January 25, 2021:
Read More5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
and do not lean on your own understanding.
6 In all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make straight your paths. (Proverbs 3:5-6, ESV)
Prayer: Almighty God and Father of all, we bow before your majesty today to worship and adore you. You alone are God, and there is no other. You made all things visible and invisible in the space of six days and all very good. You rested on the seventh day and called that day holy. You separated it from your works of creation and called men to worship you on it. That example you set that before us that we might enjoy you on the Lord's Day. We pray that you would speak to your people today through your Word as you spoke creation into existence by the word of your power. We pray that your people would delight in this day and honor it by devoting themselves to you like a picture of the glory that awaits us all. Help us, our God, to love you today and grant to us what you command us. We pray these things in the name of Christ, our Lord. Amen.
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Prayer: Almighty God and Father, we bless your name today. You are good and gracious, a God of loving-kindness and compassion. We thank you that you do not treat us as our sins deserve. Because of the work of your Son, you have buried our sins in the deepest ocean. We confess that we sin daily in thought, word, and deed. We are ashamed of our behavior and actions and long to be more like your Son. Please remember your promise to conform us more and more into His image. We pray for our nation and for our leaders. We ask that you would turn their heart of stone to flesh. We plead with you to give your church godly men and women to serve. We pray that you would remove wicked leaders who refuse to submit to you. We pray these things in the name of Christ. Amen.
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The Morning Devotional for January 19, 2021:
Read MoreThe fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge;
fools despise wisdom and instruction. (Prov. 1:7, ESV)
The Morning Devotional for January 18, 2021:
The proverbs of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel:
2 To know wisdom and instruction,
to understand words of insight,
3 to receive instruction in wise dealing,
in righteousness, justice, and equity;
4 to give prudence to the simple,
knowledge and discretion to the youth—
5 Let the wise hear and increase in learning,
and the one who understands obtain guidance,
6 to understand a proverb and a saying,
the words of the wise and their riddles.
Read More7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge;
fools despise wisdom and instruction. (Proverbs 1:1-7, ESV)
The Morning Devotional for January 15, 2021
Read More24 “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. 26 And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. 27 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.” 28 And when Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, 29 for he was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes. (Matthew 7:24-29)
The Morning Devotional for January 14, 2021:
Read More21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’ (Matthew 7:21--23, ESV).
Scripture: Psalm 10:12-18
We live in difficult times lately. It is quite natural to feel the pressure of current events and, sometimes, be distressed by it all. God's people are not immune to the struggles and cares of this world. Yet, they have a sure hope and a divine offer to help and hear as we pray and plead our case before the Lord. Too often, we "over-spiritualize" prayer to the point where we are not honest about our feelings, thoughts, and emotions. The Psalmist in Ps. 10 didn't do that. He was honest with the Lord, and God's people should be as well.
McKim writes, "Sometimes God seems aloof -- standing 'far off' (Ps. 10:1). Today's psalmist feels that God is hidden in times of trouble. The wicked seem to prosper, preying on the 'helpless' (see vv. 8-9) and 'think[ing[ in their heart, 'God has forgotten...he will never see it.' In prayer, we can be completely honest with God - can lament, question, and even challenge God. "
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Prayer: Almighty God and Father in heaven, we bless your name today because you have rescued us from slavery to sin and misery and placed us on the solid rock that is your Son. We thank you that you have not treated us as our sins deserve but have buried them in the deepest ocean and have separated them as far as the east is from the west. We are grateful to you for giving us another Lord's Day that pictures for us the eternal rest that we await. We are thankful for the sacrament of the Lord's Supper that shows forth the redeeming work of the Lord Jesus and the promise of his return. We confess that we do not make diligent use of these outward means, and we know that we do so to our own harm. Please forgive us and work in us a greater zeal for these things. We pray that you would speak to us today through the ministry of your Word. We ask that you would grant your ministers unction from on high and that through their labors, we would behold a powerful demonstration of your Spirit. Please help us, Father. Remember your people for good. Bless us and be merciful to us we pray in the name of the Savior, The Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
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The Morning Devotional for January 8, 2021:
Read More15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. 16 You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17 So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. 18 A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus you will recognize them by their fruits. (Matthew 7:15-20, ESV).
Scripture: 1 Sam. 1:9-18
The context of this text is one that finds Hannah, a godly woman who would receive a "double portion" from the LORD. The main character of the text is a woman whom the LORD loved. The narrative crisis describes this woman as barren, "The LORD had closed her womb." As a result of this weighty matter, Hannah turns to the Lord and prays. We read that she had been "pouring out her soul before the LORD." As she prayed, she is noticed by Eli, the priest. He notices that only her lips were moving, but he did not hear anything coming from her mouth.
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Prayer: Almighty God, the maker of all things and the one who orders all things, we thank you that you are a God that never changes. What you have said yesterday is still true today. We thank you that you have given your people promises, and through those promises, you bring comfort and hope to us as pilgrims in this world. We take note that your Word never promises the redeemed of the Lord an easy life free from opposition, persecution, and hatred from others. WE know that your Son suffered at the hands of wicked men, and we note that he told us to expect the same. We are concerned that your church faces difficult and trying days soon, and we confess that we are often not prepared for these things. Forgive us for forgetting that the Christian life is often hard and help us to prepare to stand for Christ come what may. We pray this in His Name. Amen.
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