Daily Devotional

[Prayer_Warrior]

November 19, 2024 Tuesday

Colossians 1:16-20 (KJV)

For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:
And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.
And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.
For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell;
And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.

All things came into being through Him

David Jacobs

These verses remind me very much of a scripture lesson that I read in front of my congregation on Christmas as a child. John 1:3 is this:

1 In the beginning, was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.2 The same was in the beginning with God.3 All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made.4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.

My parents were so proud of me for reading these verses, and I obviously was too considering I can still remember the exact verses that I had to read decades ago. It gave me a thrill to read the Lord’s word in front of so many admiring eyes. It also made me think about what these words really meant.

Without God, there would be nothing. We know that in the first few verses of the Bible. He created everything. There is a new caveat in these verses, talking about the church itself. Christ is the head of the body, and God is happy that Christ is in the head of the body of the church. God’s covenant with humanity was completed by the blood of Christ on the cross. Jesus contains the many within him: we owe him a debt for taking our sins, transgressions, fears and anxieties, placing them all on his shoulders when he carried that cross. For us, he was willing to spill his own blood, so that we may all be reconciled. He did not have to do this for us, because he created all things.

Prayer

He wanted to do it. God wanted to do it because he loved us so much. Loving us so much that He gave us His only son. Thanks be to God. Amen.

• AMEN

[Prayer_Warrior]

November 20, 2024 Wednesday

Proverbs 20:22-24 (KJV)

Say not thou, I will recompense evil; but wait on the LORD, and he shall save thee.
Divers weights are an abomination unto the LORD; and a false balance is not good.
Man’s goings are of the LORD; how can a man then understand his own way?

How can we know our own way?

David Jacobs

My mom always seemed like a superhero to me when I was growing up. She worked as an intensive care nurse, and whenever there was a state of heightened emotions, she was the most level-headed one. She has been in so many emergency situations that regular emergencies barely faze her. When other adults would be panicking, my mom would be coolly giving orders. I witnessed her save several people’s lives. When she saw that someone needed help, she did not wait; she sprung into action and saved them.

These verses remind me a lot of my mother. The Lord will not wait and dally until you must be saved. He will spring into action at every moment that you could possibly need Him. We may not be able to notice His presence at all times, but who are we to understand all of the ways that God is there for us.

Prayer

Have faith in Him, brothers and sisters, for He is there. He is waiting, watching, ready to help you whenever you may need. Stay away from evil, but if you plunge into the waters of temptation, He will keep you from drowning. Do not try to swim and make sense of everything on your own; give in to the Lord, trust in Him, and leave everything else, to God. Amen.

• AMEN

[Prayer_Warrior]

November 21, 2024 Thursday

Titus 2:11-15 (KJV)

For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,
Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;
Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;
Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.
These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee.

By God’s grace we are saved

David Jacobs

I feel that Christians are under attack in modern society: the atheist movement claims that we are fools, unwilling to listen to logic and science; with Muslims we face a passionate group of believers and many feel that we are in opposition to one another; an aging population of believers and an inability to attract young people to the church leads us to the point where we are now, desperate and willing to try new methods to gain new believers of Christ. Why have we grown to be so despised? What teachings of Christ are so wicked that we deserve such scorn?

The answer to that question is simple: we DON’T deserve this scorn. In these verses in the book of Titus, Christ’s followers are given simple lists of instructions on how to live faithfully: avoid ungodliness and worldly lusts, live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present world. OK, simple enough. The verse that really stood out to me, especially when considering our present situation, is the final one.

Prayer

Brothers and sisters, do not be afraid to share your beliefs with anyone at anytime. We do not deserve this disdain! We should not be afraid to say that we believe that Christ lived and died so that we all could be saved. Go from this place with zeal, proclaiming that which you believe from the highest mountain. Remember this: let no man despise thee. Praise be to the Lord! For Him we will forever endure! Amen.

• AMEN

[Prayer_Warrior]

November 22, 2024 Friday

Psalms 55:16-19 (KJV)

As for me, I will call upon God; and the LORD shall save me.
Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice.
He hath delivered my soul in peace from the battle that was against me: for there were many with me.
God shall hear, and afflict them, even he that abideth of old. Selah. Because they have no changes, therefore they fear not God.

Beauty in simplicity

David Jacobs

Have you ever had to call a customer service line for one reason or another? I was on a flight when the plane had to make an emergency landing due to inclement weather. People were understandably panicked, but when we got to the airport, we realized that this landing was only the beginning of our problems. Every flight at the biggest airport in the world had been cancelled, so now everyone was waiting in line and on the phone trying to make other arrangements. Needless to say, it took ages, and every time I called customer service, they seemed to have no interest in listening to another angry customer.

This is not the same as it is with God. God works around the clock, waiting on the other end for us to call. If we knock, the door will be opened, if we ask, He will answer. If we seek His counsel, He will listen, and it is up to us to listen swiftly and speak softly, considering the words and questions that we come to Him and others with deliberately. If we call upon God, He will save us. As David says, evening, morning, noon, God answers whenever we ask for Him. If only the airline had that kind of service!

Prayer

God in Heaven, maker of heaven and earth, I am so comforted knowing that I can call on you at any moment. My faith in you is strengthened knowing that whenever I pray, you listen. I will place all my cares into you, O Lord, as you have placed all of your cares into us. You are the only thing that matters to me; you and your son, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost. Amen.

• AMEN

[Prayer_Warrior]

November 23, 2024 Saturday

Matthew 7:12 (KJV)

Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.

One rule to rule them all

David Jacobs

Having spent significant time in Asia, I am fascinated by its culture. Confucius was one of the most important thinkers in Eastern philosophy. His doctrines were responsible for the development of much of eastern societal norms, structure, and culture. There is a book that his followers wrote, taking note of the most important teachers of their master. I was surprised at how similar much of his teachings were to our master, Jesus Christ.

Out of all of the ‘Analytics of Confucius’, there were two that stood out. The first was the teaching that Confucius believed was the most important, “Let there be no evil in your thoughts.” The second one may sound familiar: “What you do not wish on yourself, do not do unto others.” A real beauty in simplicity.

It should be no surprise that the most important philosophies of all cultures are similar. However, all of the greatest philosophers, leaders, scholars, and kings pale in comparison to the goodness that Christ was and is. We do not need to analyze this verse so deeply; it speaks for itself.

Prayer

Do you follow the advice of this verse? Most of the world’s important philosophy, religions, and codes of ethics use this “Golden Rule” as the backbone. How foolish would we be not to adhere to it? Amen.

• AMEN

[Prayer_Warrior]

November 24, 2024 Sunday

1 Thessalonians 1:2-5 (KJV)

We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers;
Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father;
Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God.
For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake.

Give thanks Generously

David Jacobs

A common misconception among young people and non-believers is that we pray to God to ask for something. Perhaps there have been times when you yourself have prayed for good and righteous things. But we shouldn’t forget thanking Him for what has already been provided. God is not our concierge: in fact, we serve God.

In 2005 I found myself working on a film set as a stunt man in Bucharest, Romania. I had wanted to act since around 1999 but I had a terrible voice quality and was awfully shy. I prayed to God time and time again to provide me a big break and make me famous (for selfish reasons, too!). The stunt work was challenging, sometimes painful and I found myself surrounded by people that were often unpleasant. One evening, I returned to my hotel frustrated and began to cry. Why was I so close to achieving my dream but running on a hamster wheel? Why was it painful? Why was God mocking my ambitions?

I felt claustrophobic and decided to stand on my balcony under the Eastern European night sky. The cool breeze calmed me. My attention was pulled to two young gypsy girls begging in the street. My perception changed almost immediately, appreciating all the gifts that God had provided. That night was the first night I prayed to God to only offer thanks.

I thanked Him for inviting me into His glorious creation, for providing me with a means to follow my passion, and providing me an opportunity to share my privilege with those that need it, in His name.

Trust in Him, for God gives us what He deems is necessary for His children, and for this, we should continually show our gratitude.

Prayer

Thank you, Father, for inviting us into your church, for providing what is needed, and most importantly, not spoiling your beloved children. Amen.

• AMEN

[user1234567890]

@Prayer_Warrior

common misconception among young people and non-believers is that we pray to God to ask for something. Perhaps there have been times when you yourself have prayed for good and righteous things. But we shouldn’t forget thanking Him for what has already been provided. God is not our concierge: in fact, we serve God.

Very true, Brother!

[Prayer_Warrior]

November 25, 2024 Monday

Romans 10:12-15 (KJV)

For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.
For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?
And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!

God Hires His Own Employees!

David Jacobs

I was often an unruly child. I would fight with my siblings, talk back to my parents, lie about childish things and be about as imperfect as children are supposed to be as we learn life’s important lessons.

My parents had tried everything to keep my three brothers and me in line; groundings, confiscation of favorite toys, cancelling exciting plans. These acts of discipline often seemed to provide temporary fixes to the problems that a household of boys provided.

One Sunday morning, as we prepared for church, my parents asked my brothers and me if we had cleaned our teeth after breakfast. I wanted 5 more minutes in front of the television so I lied and said I had. My parents knew I wasn’t telling the truth because I hadn’t moved since I crawled out of bed to enjoy weekend cartoons. My mother was furious: “how dare I lie about such a trivial thing?”

But my father stayed calm and enacted wisdom that I will never forget. Instead of shouting or losing his temper, he told me “Today you will confess to Pastor Chris. You will tell him that you lied to your parents, fought with your brothers and made back chat.” Pastor Chris was such a pure, positive and thoughtful man. The thought of him knowing that I misbehaved made me feel a deep sadness. I turned to see Pastor Chris walking in my direction, eyes fixed on me, but he didn’t seem mad. He explained that my parents had told him that I had some confessions to make. I said I was too embarrassed, that I didn’t want to look bad in front of him and God. He laughed and probed me to keep talking.

I said, “You are a kind, patient and friendly person. And God created me, provides for me and keeps me safe.”

He smiled, patted me on the head and said ‘Does that not describe your parents, too?’ and with that, he walked off, leaving me to reflect.

How embarrassed was I that I felt no shame in the way I had behaved for my parents, those who were doing God’s work without a robe or veil?

It is almost impossible to overstate the importance of our pastors, ministers and missionaries (and anyone else who also helps keep the gospel of peace).

Prayer

They are our anchors in spreading the word of Christ, the compass that navigates others to salvation and the boat that carries us from sin. Amen.

• AMEN

[Prayer_Warrior]

November 26, 2024 Tuesday

2 Peter 3:4-8 (KJV)

And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.
For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water:
Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished:
But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.
But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.

Is the end nigh? Who cares?

David Jacobs

In 70 A.D., the Jews saw their revolt against the Romans as the Battle of Armageddon. 300 years later, the Bishop of Tours claimed that the end times were going to be arriving any day now. 1,000 years later, The Black Plague was making its way around Europe, as the world proclaimed that this was certainly the end! 500 years down the line, hundreds of thousands of American Christians lined up for an event that would later be known as ‘The Great Disappointment’.

Had they read 2 Peter 3, they would have realized that God takes no joy in destroying His creation, and is certainly not as fickle as the false prophecies like to imply.

Many have lived in their idea of ‘end times’, and have been convinced theirs will be the last. Yet God has stated that only He knows. Our job is not to be obsessed with Mayan calendars or British star maps. God has reserved the difficult task of judgment for Himself. All that is asked of us is that we come to repent. Everything else is but an egotistical distraction.

Prayer

Only God decides when this day will come; it could be tomorrow; it could be a thousand years later. But He has made His promise, and so He waits. ‘For what?’ We might ask. We do not know. We do not need to. But we know it will come, and we know God
does not delight in denying His own children into His Kingdom, so make the Lord happy; repent! Repent while you still have today.

• AMEN

[Prayer_Warrior]

November 27, 2024 Wednesday

Ezekiel 18:29-32 (KJV)

Yet saith the house of Israel, The way of the Lord is not equal. O house of Israel, are not my ways equal? are not your ways unequal?
Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, saith the Lord GOD. Repent, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions; so iniquity shall not be your ruin.
Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will ye die, O house of Israel?
For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord GOD: wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye.

The Real Walking Dead.

David Jacobs

Much worse than committing one’s sins, God abhors those who do not acknowledge their mistakes or ask for the forgiveness of their transgressions. If you fail to embrace your mistakes, ask for forgiveness, or work towards positive change then you are in fact living a lie. We are born with sin, we learn, we grow, we reflect, we repent, and then we are reunited with our creator.

Failing to acknowledge our sins and working to repair our relationship with God is the real zombie apocalypse. We have turned our back on the Lord’s light to become brain dead consumers without direction and free will.

This is how more than one tribe or city has perished in the past. So often the lie is even worse than the original transgression, for it is committed out of cowardice to answering for our own actions, or to hide from our own consciences our true selves.

Prayer

By becoming the lie, we lose ourselves. If your life is a lie, then the true you is dead.

Cleanse yourself for the Lord! He does not take pleasure in wishing to punish you, but rather wishing for you to cleanse your soul with the truth and live! Amen.

• AMEN

[Prayer_Warrior]

November 28, 2024 Thursday

1 John 2:1-3 (KJV)

My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:
And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for our’s only, but also for the sins of the whole world.
And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.

Dancing at the Crucifixion

David Jacobs

If a stranger gave you a million dollars without wanting anything in return other than that you live a wholesome, moral life, how often would you call that person to say thank you? Would monthly be too much? Perhaps you would ensure this generous person received a beautiful, handwritten card each Christmas? Maybe you would email them weekly to let them know how wisely you are investing your money and all of the charitable things you are doing with it? That person would certainly be celebrated in your household. Imagine the delight of telling your family that you have been provided for, without complicated clause. It would be easy to break out in cheers and jumps for joy.

Christ our savior took on the burden of all mankind, he didn’t give us a million dollars; he cleared up EVERYONE’s debts forever. Rejoice and know this!

Prayer

Who else do you know would take such a sacrifice for you? To admit to all your worst deeds? Further, who else do you truly know that would suffer for you as Christ did? Rejoice and know this! His coming was the only gift you will ever need! Love Christ for his sacrifice, dance at the crucifixion, jump for joy, for you have won the greatest prize of them all! Amen.

• AMEN

[Prayer_Warrior]

November 29, 2024 Friday

Psalms 103:8-11 (KJV)

The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.
He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger for ever.
He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.
For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him.

All Preexisting Conditions Accepted!

David Jacobs

Praise be to Him! Rejoice to our Lord! The Creator, The Father, The Healer. Imagine entering the world’s greatest hospital after feeling terribly ill for some time. The doctor examines you and says that you are very sick, but he can cure you by teaching you to cure yourself. You ask the cost and if he accepts your medical insurance. He smiles and says ‘By coming to me, I have accepted you’.

You explain that after years of sickness you have many preexisting conditions. Would they void his acceptance? He explains that due to the nature of the sickness and sin, we all have preexisting conditions. Acknowledging those preexisting conditions and trying to cure them is actually required in order to receive his healing. You would stand on the rooftops and tell every person within an earshot about this miraculous healer who only asks that you come to him, acknowledge that you are ill, and accept his healing.

God loves us more than we could fathom, more than we could ever hope to repay. Therefore give thanks and rejoice in him each and every day, for in forgiveness we may find our spirits cleansed, our minds detoxed and our hearts healed.

Prayer

God not only heals our bodily diseases but also cuts out what is cancerous to the soul, or toxic to our faith. Let Him in, and rejoice his works, all preexisting conditions and iniquities accepted! Amen!

• AMEN

[Prayer_Warrior]

November 30, 2024 Saturday

Psalms 108:1-4 (KJV)

O God, my heart is fixed; I will sing and give praise, even with my glory.
Awake, psaltery and harp: I myself will awake early.
I will praise thee, O LORD, among the people: and I will sing praises unto thee among the nations.
For thy mercy is great above the heavens: and thy truth reacheth unto the clouds.

Derek’s Delicious Duck

David Jacobs

During my travels to China, I tended to shy away from Chinese food, instead settling for something more familiar. My Chinese friends would encourage me, but no matter how much they preached I just couldn’t find myself attracted to a lot of their food. However, that changed when I met Derek.

Derek didn’t really care if I enjoyed his national cuisine or not, he only cared that he found it delicious and that it worked for him. During our conversations, he would occasionally talk about his evening plans and weekend adventures. One day he said that he was excited to go to a very good duck restaurant. His efforts in praising them were not to convince me to eat there (I wasn’t invited to dinner with him), he sang their praises because they did a great job and he really enjoyed it. That weekend, I went to the restaurant out of curiosity, and I enjoyed duck pancakes, pickled spinach with peanuts, and sweet and sour fish. They are now some of my favorite dishes.

Sincerely singing praises is often contagious. It piques curiosity, sets a terrific first impression and spreads a positive message for those that do good work. No force is necessary.

Furthermore, song (literally) is something that may bring people from very disparate parts of life together, for songs can reach beyond borders and into peoples’ lives. There it may get stuck in their heads, or stay with them for years on end, the words or tune affixed to a special time and memory. Would it be preposterous to suggest we treat Gods’ love like such a melody? Is it not after all, something immaterial but which moves us in some deep and knowing way?

Prayer

Literally, spread songs of joy amongst friends and nations, if you can, seek out other religious songs in other tongues. Figuratively sing his praise, let it be one of your favorite songs to carry with you wherever you go. You never know who’s head the song will get stuck in. Amen.

• AMEN

[Prayer_Warrior]

December 01, 2024 Sunday

1 Thessalonians 1:6-7 (KJV)

And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost:
So that ye were ensamples to all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia.

The Christian Conga Line

I am a fan of stand-up comedy, and the comedian James Acaster has a fantastic joke about Conga Lines. He jokes that a Conga dance is one of the most stressful enjoyable activities one can do. The leader has the stress of ensuring his followers go in a safe, sensible and fun direction. He goes on to explain that within the conga line, you are to follow the person in front of you, but lead the person behind you. If you try to leave the line in front, you don’t leave the conga line, you accidentally start a rival one. It’s all very funny but we can learn a lot about faith from this example.

When we are born, we model ourselves mostly on our parents or siblings, seeing as these are some of the first people we are exposed to. We follow the song and dance of them, and in turn, they lead us to safe, sensible and fun places. If there are moving to the right music (the word of the Lord) then I will enjoy following, and perhaps others will follow me. We progress together.

If one leaves the line prematurely, they run the risk of taking others with them, in the wrong direction. One that isn’t sensible, safe, or fun.

So too, might we later model ourselves on Christ, or Christ’s image, who in turn was modeled on his Heavenly Father, who is infinite in His compassion.

Prayer

Fear not for those at the rear of the Conga line, for The Lord will be behind you, encouraging you, accompanying you.

This is ultimately what our God wants, for it completes a virtuous circle. Amen.

• AMEN

[Prayer_Warrior]

November 02, 2024 Tuesday

2 Timothy 3:15-17 (KJV)

And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

The Gospel, Spiritual Antiseptic

David Jacobs

Before the discovery of handwashing with soap, hospitals were often places where diseases spread, instead of being cured. Doctors would go from patient to patient with dirty hands, full of bacteria and germs, and accidentally infect those they sought to cure. Human life expectancy rose rapidly after the discovery of sanitary health practices. Only by being clean, can we avoid disease.

The earlier one can bring one’s children or grandchildren into the faith, the better. For this is much like washing one’s spiritual hands. Our children suffer from sin as much as we do, but without the correct sanitation, those sins may accumulate and become contagious.

Prayer

We know that a spiritual life can be difficult, arduous, fraught with set backs and doubts. Yet many of us carry on not only because it is the true path but because we know Scripture, we know passages we may read or reread for comfort, we are saved. The Gospel cleans us of sin and boosts our spiritual immune system.

Not only this, we have songs, practical knowledge, references we could all impart to our children to guide them to a moral and fulfilling life. Wouldn’t you want your child to have these for his or her journey? Couldn’t we help raise them to new heights as we have done, having learned from the mistakes and wisdom of our elders? Amen.

• AMEN

[Prayer_Warrior]

December 03, 2024 Tuesday

Proverbs 21:27-30 (KJV)

The sacrifice of the wicked is abomination: how much more, when he bringeth it with a wicked mind?
A false witness shall perish: but the man that heareth speaketh constantly.
A wicked man hardeneth his face: but as for the upright, he directeth his way.
There is no wisdom nor understanding nor counsel against the LORD.

Smiling is Easy for Those Who Are Saved

David Jacobs

The term ‘Poker Face’ has become universally recognized as a blank expression used to hide one’s own thoughts, feelings and motivations. It’s essentially a behavior used to deceived folk in order to bluff, con, trick and cheat your way to victory. Gambling aside, a poker face is a classic example of the behavior of a wicked person. The wicked or the weak will put up a front to cover their crimes or transgressions. Beware! God knows the truth even if people may be fooled.

Prayer

When you are saved by The Lord, when you have repented, when you receive communion, you are able to wear your own face. You have nothing to hide, no one to trick and no need for gambling. Your smile is genuine because it is without compromise. You are a free member of God’s glorious creation and you have a lot to smile about. If you are upright, God will direct your way. Blessed are you! Amen.

• AMEN

[Prayer_Warrior]

December 04, 2024 Wednesday

2 Thessalonians 3:1-5 (KJV)

Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you:
And that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men: for all men have not faith.
But the Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you, and keep you from evil.
And we have confidence in the Lord touching you, that ye both do and will do the things which we command you.
And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ.

Why We Pray for One Another

David Jacobs

For the last 2,000 years, many have tried and failed, to prevent the word of the Lord from having free course. There have been those that seek to silence us, some sought to humiliate us, and others to punish us. But just as the lion lay down before Daniel, the hurdles we face in spreading the good word will fall flat each time. Because I have you, you have me, and we have God.

Prayer

The most important thing we may do is to pray for one another. We may speak of God, sing his name when we can, but prayer is something we can do not just for ourselves but for others. Prayer allows us to pull our thoughts from abstract feelings and opinions to coherent plans to save our brothers and sisters. By clearing our mind, directing our thanks and praise to God and asking ways in which we may assist one another we are able to take action.

It is our chance to break bread in communion with our fellow men. For even if they don’t know that you are praying for them, to know that others may be praying for us is as much a comfort as an act of true compassion.

• AMEN

[Prayer_Warrior]

Changes will come to this Daily Devotional coming in January 2025.

• Okay

[user1234567890]

Can’t wait to see what’s coming up!

[Prayer_Warrior]

December 05, 2024 Thursday

Psalms 141:1-3 (KJV)

LORD, I cry unto thee: make haste unto me; give ear unto my voice, when I cry unto thee.
Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense; and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.
Set a watch, O LORD, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips.

Toothpaste and Talking

David Jacobs

I remember my school principal proudly performing a demonstration on the destructive nature that words can have on one another. This example has been performed in the west for generations. It is very simple. The leader presents a crowd with a tube of toothpaste. He deliberately squeezes the tube clean, spewing forth striped minty foam into the hand of a willing participant. Once he is satisfied that everyone can see the volume of toothpaste on the participant’s hand, he asks them to put the toothpaste back in the tube. It is impossible. The participant may successfully put some of the toothpaste back in, but certainly not all of it. It is a mess that takes a whole lot of work to clean up. This is to demonstrate how hard it is to take back something once we have said it. Perhaps we can take back some of it, but not all of it. It is messy and unpleasant.

‘Watch your mouth!’ is often something you may hear of one who speaks out of turn. Whilst this may arise in some heated argument, David here asks this of God himself, to stand guard at our mouths, which are like gateways to our hearts. We can injure or heal, spread joy or confusion with simple words. But what God seeks is clear communication with him, for we often lose our own selves in Him and become immersed rather in the message of the Lord.

Prayer

When we entrust the Lord with our lips, we think before we speak.

• AMEN