Night Bible Verse of the Day
Night Prayer
Ye have plowed wickedness, ye have reaped iniquity; ye have eaten the fruit of lies: because thou didst trust in thy way, in the multitude of thy mighty men.
From: Hosea 10:13 (KJV)
Inspiration
When we act with selfish intentions, we can be sure to get bad results. We might enjoy small gains and superficial victories for a short time, but they do not last. Sowing seeds of violence and deception will only yield pain and destruction. Wickedness cannot produce goodness, so let us always be mindful to sow seeds of grace and mercy.
Prayer
Gracious Lord, forgive me for the ways in which I have acted out of selfishness and pride. I have hurt others, damaged relationships, and caused ruin. I pray Lord that You would bring healing to right these wrongs and that Your grace would fill me. Empower me to move forward in Your love, so that I sow the grace and mercy that produce healthy and nourishing fruit. In Jesusβ name, amen.
Morning Bible Verse of the Day
Morning Prayer
Bear ye one anotherβs burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.
From: Galatians 6:2 (KJV)
Inspiration
In verse 5 of this same chapter it says "Every man shall bear his own burden. " But there is no contradiction here when it says in verse 2 "Bear one anotherβs burdens. " Our attitude should be one of striving to take care of our own business and not casting a burden on another, even while we ourselves are willing to reach out and bear the burdens of those too weak to bear their own.
Prayer
Strengthen us, Lord, to bear our own burdens. If we are weak, and you send others to help, let us be thankful. If we can help those too weak to bear their own burdens, let us also be thankful, for it is more blessed to give than to receive. Amen.
Morning Devotional
John 8:3-7 (KJV)
And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst,
They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act.
Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou?
This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not.
So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.
Whoβs the Judge
Frances Taylor
We are so like the men in this passage from John. Quick to judge and we want that person punished. Thereβs a saying, βPeople who live in glass houses, shouldnβt throw stones.β Jesus knew what was in the hearts of the people who accused the woman caught in adultery. He wasnβt going to play their game. In the Gospel, the men walked away, beginning with the oldest. But we know people β and maybe ourselves at times β that call out the secrets sins of others while trying to pretend we have blameless lives. I believe that every one of us has something they would like to hide. It could be a youthful indiscretion or something more current, but we all have something. Would we like to be judged in the same way that we judge others? Iβm sure we can find excuses for any of our behaviors, and may not consider them sins, because we can justify them. Donβt we realize that the people weβre judging also have reasons for their behavior as well?
In the Gospel story, thereβs no mention of the man she was caught with β in the very act β just her. In that day, a woman alone couldnβt work and could be cast out of her husbandβs home if he so chose. Maybe that was the only way she could have a place to live or food on her table. Weβll never know. And maybe we shouldnβt worry about judging our neighbor either. Whoβs the judge? The answer to that is simple β God. Since we are not God, we donβt have the right to judge.
Prayer
O Lord we can be cruel to others. Remind us often of your golden rule - do unto others only that which you would want done to you. Amen.
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Night Bible Verse of the Day
Night Prayer
Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God.
From: James 3:9 (KJV)
Inspiration
Can we praise God with our mouths, and curse men with the same mouths? To do so is to speak contradiction. Man is made in Godβs image, and we are called to speak blessings over others. It is in the outpouring of Godβs love and grace that the image of man is perfected in Godβs likeness. So let us mind our words, so that we may always speak goodness and grace.
Prayer
Lord, thank You for making me in Your image. Help me to always remember the truth that every person I meet is also made in Your image. Even though we all come before You stained and marred, teach me to refrain from words of condemnation. Instead, fill my mouth with words of grace so that the transforming power of Your love may work through me and bring blessing to others. In Jesusβ name, amen.
Morning Bible Verse of the Day
Morning Prayer
Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
From: Proverbs 3:5-6 (KJV)
Inspiration
The world boasts, "I am the master of my fate, the captain of my soul! " And the world also teaches us to live for self and put God and others second, if they come into consideration at all. But the wisdom of God found in Scripture teaches the opposite. We need to trust Godβs Word more than our own thinking and to accept all of the Bibleβs doctrines even when we donβt fully understand them.
Prayer
Teach me, O Lord, to lean on your Word and not on my own understanding. Help me to trust you with all of my heart and to acknowledge your truths and your commands at each juncture of my path of life. Amen.
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Morning Devotional
Ephesians 6:10-13 (KJV)
Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.
Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
Put On the Armor of God
Frances Taylor
St. Paul warns us that there will be evils to fight in the day to day of our lives, and so tells us to put on the armor of God. Weβre in a battle even if we donβt know it. Satan has been doing battle for the souls of men and women from the beginning, starting in Eden and wonβt end until the end of time. We arenβt much better at recognizing him now than Adam and Eve. How do we protect and defend ourselves? Paul, gives us the answer but we donβt always listen to him. We get up in the morning and prepare for our day: washing, eating, dressing, etc. but what about praying. Do we ask God each day to bless us in our comings and goings, to bless our work and our play, to be with us each moment of the day? This is putting on the armor of Christ. Asking Jesus to walk with us! I fail in this many times as well. Usually I remember to say thanks for another day, and I ask God to protect my loved ones, but I donβt always remember to ask God to be with me. This is the final week before Holy Week, and Satan will be working overtime to lead us away from our Redeemer. Let us be ever vigilant.
Prayer
Lord, it is so easy to go on our way, forgetting that Satan is active in our lives as well as in our world. Make us ever more aware of your presence during these days. Amen.
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Your consistency is commendable elder brother. These bible verses are really amazing.
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Night Bible Verse of the Day
Night Prayer
Hast thou perceived the breadth of the earth? declare if thou knowest it all.
From: Job 38:18 (KJV)
Inspiration
Sometimes we get frustrated when things donβt go our way. And in our frustration, we might even question if God knows what He is doing. So we are wise to stop and consider just how limited our knowledge is. Can we see the ends of the universe or the expanse of the earth? Only Godβs knowledge and perception extend so far and wide. So let us trust in His ways over our own.
Prayer
God, You are magnificent and powerful. I cannot begin to fathom all of the works of Your hands. I confess that in my limited knowledge and sight, I get frustrated with the things I donβt understand. Help me to trust more fully in Your infinite knowledge and sight, and not in my own understanding. In Jesusβ name, amen.
Morning Bible Verse of the Day
Morning Scripture
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
From: 1 John 1:9 (KJV)
Inspiration
Sin is dirty and foul β it is the opposite of all things holy. We cannot be joined with Christ when we are covered in the stench of unrighteousness. Without a savior, we would always be covered in our sins. However, the blood of Jesus can wash away our sins if we confess and seek forgiveness. This holy cleansing only comes from His mercy β it cannot come from anything we do. No matter how good we try to be, we receive this gift of cleansing simply because he is faithful and just to forgive us when we confess our sins.
Prayer
Dear God, you have welcomed sinners to your table and given us a place beside you only through your mercy and grace. You forgive us when we cannot forgive ourselves. We know it is only through the sacrifice your Son made that we are made clean of all our unrighteousness. Thank you for your faithfulness and love. Give us opportunities to share the truth of your faithfulness and forgiveness with those who need to hear it. In Jesusβ name, amen.
Morning Devotional
John 8:31-32 (KJV)
Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;
And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
And the Truth Shall Set You Free
Frances Taylor
Today there are so many voices claiming to tell us the truth. We have various radio and television stations reporting, each one with its own version of the truth, quoting people who are supposedly telling the truth. But what truth is it? And whose truth? Most of what we hear is contradicted in the next hour and sometimes by the very person or persons that were quoted the hour before! Much of what we hear is taken out of context and is actually not representative of the truth. So how do we know who or what to believe? Jesus tells us how to know what the truth is. If we abide in HIS word, and are truly his disciples, we will know the truth. Jesus gives us a yardstick by which to judge the truth of what we hear. The Gospels give us the teachings of Jesus so if we want to be set free, this is where we need to go to verify what we hear is true. It is our responsibility to check it out. We canβt just take for granted that the media is telling us the truth. We have seen in history how easy it is for people to be brainwashed by media. It happened in Germany in the 1930βs and 1940βs; it happened in advertising when movie theaters used to project images of candy or popcorn subliminally during movies just to increase the profits at the concession stand! We need to protect ourselves from falsehoods, listen to Jesusβ advice, and we will be free.
Prayer
Dear Lord, it is not always easy to tell truth from falsehoods. Give us the wisdom to pay attention to the words of your Son Jesus. Amen.
Night Bible Verse of the Day
Night Scripture
Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord.
From: Acts 3:19 (KJV)
Inspiration
When we repent and believe, we receive forgiveness for our sins. But this is not a more transaction that leaves us holding a ticket to enter into a future paradise. Instead, this is a promise that we will receive refreshing, renewal, and transformation now. We are changed now, filled by the Spirit, and given a new outlook toward a new hope.
Prayer
Father God, thank You for blotting out my sins, and covering them with the blood of Jesus. I pray that Your Spirit would fill me now so that my soul can know the refreshing joy of Your presence. Make my whole life new, and give me the strength, endurance, and passion to live in Your newness from now until eternity. In Jesusβ name, amen.
Morning Bible Verse of the Day
Morning Scripture
For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
From: Romans 6:23 (KJV)
Inspiration
We cannot appreciate the magnitude of Godβs gift of eternal life until we first understand that the wages of sin is death. Wages are what we "earned, " what we "deserve. " βDeathβ is not only physical death, here, but spiritual and eternal death. Our sin was an offense to the infinitely holy God, and thus justly deserved eternal punishment. But Godβs grace, which was greater than all our sin, brings us eternal life instead.
Prayer
Lord, help us to see that your punishment for sin is just and to sense something of the true heinousness of sin. Help us to appreciate more fully how much we were forgiven, and having been forgiven much, to love much. Amen.
Morning Devotional
John 8:56-58 (KJV)
Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad.
Then said the Jews unto him, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham?
Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.
A Declaration
Frances Taylor
Was Jesus confirming his divinity? Some will say yes and others, I donβt know. What I know is that John was writing this long after Jesus death at a time when there were debates going on around this very question. Much of the debate centered on when Jesus became divine, or was he only divine and never really human. By that time, the majority of Christians accepted the doctrine of the Trinity and believed as the Prologue to Johnβs Gospel states, that the Son of God β the Word β existed from all eternity and in the fullness of time, took on flesh through the Virgin Mary and became a man, the man Jesus. This statement of Jesus in this passage was not met well by the Jews as this was considered blasphemy. He was saying he was God and this was going against the commandments. For us, as Christians, the debate really doesnβt raise the same questions. But how do we think of Jesus? Do we think that because Mary and Joseph must have told him of his origins, he understood what they meant? After all, Jesus had a human brain as we do. We are told by our baptism, that we are children of God, heirs with Christ of eternal life in heaven. Do we really understand what that means? Something to think about! We will never be able to understand the great mystery of the Trinity or the Incarnation, but we should try to understand how our baptism should make a difference in our lives.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, we will never truly understand the mystery of the
Trinity. Send the Holy Spirit to us to help us understand what it means to be your child. Amen.
Night Bible Verse of the Day
Night Scripture
Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:
From: Philippians 4:26 (KJV)
Inspiration
Anger is a natural emotion. Sometimes we get angry when we encounter injustice. Other times, anger manifests when our selfish plans are upended. But whether our anger is justified or not, we must deal with it before it leads us to sin in our words and actions. We must be quick to repent, and quick to forgive, so that we may rest in Godβs peace and not let our anger grow.
Prayer
Lord, You know my heart and mind. You know the pain, weariness, and frustration that plant seeds of anger within me. Help me to discern where I need to intervene and grant me the wisdom to respond with grace. And help me to overcome the selfish desires that allow misplaced anger to grow. Guide my words and actions so that my anger may not lead me to sin, In Jesusβ name, amen.
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Morning Bible Verse of the Day
Morning Scripture
Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?
From: Matthew 6:25 (KJV)
Inspiration
Men are prone to worry over many things, over how we will get clothes to put on, food and drink, housing, or medical care. We may worry sometimes over the possibility of losing our lives. But Jesus teaches us that worry is foolish because we cannot solve anything by worrying about it; and that worry is sinful, because it shows distrust of God.
Prayer
O God my Provider, you are always there to supply all of my needs. You are the Good Shepherd of my soul who takes close care of his sheep and who laid down his very life for his sheep. We know that you will provide all our true needs and that, very often, you provide even beyond that and grant us gifts to enjoy that are not strictly needs. You, our Father, always take good care of us. Amen.
Morning Devotional
John 10:40-42 (KJV)
And went away again beyond Jordan into the place where John at first baptized; and there he abode.
And many resorted unto him, and said, John did no miracle: but all things that John spake of this man were true.
And many believed on him there.
They Came to Believe
Frances Taylor
Jesusβ time is getting close and the Jews who wished to kill him were getting closer but he wasnβt quite ready, so he went back to the beginning. In Jesusβ day, people didnβt travel as far as they do today so many if not most of the people that Jesus would have encountered as he returned to the area where John had baptized, would have remembered John as well as his prophesy concerning Jesus and would have heard of him with his teaching and healing. Now they could decide for themselves if John had been right. This passage tells us that they did understand that John had spoken the truth and they came to believe. We donβt have this gift of seeing and experiencing Jesus in the flesh, but we have come to believe. Have you ever thought of thanking those who brought you to believe? None of us gets there on our own. Someone must have told you about Jesus, and others must have nurtured that faith, helped you in times of doubt and brought you to the point where you could accept Jesus as your Savior. These are important people in your life and we should be grateful for them. For me, it started with my grandmother, then my parents who witnessed their faith to me. It continued with the many people of faith through the years who were there to answer questions, challenge me and helped me grow in my knowledge and love of Jesus. Who do you need to thank?
Prayer
Gracious God, thank you for putting all these wonderful people in my life. Let me be able to thank them by helping to bring others to you. Amen.
Night Bible Verse of the Day
Night Scripture
The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord: but the prayer of the upright is his delight.
From: Proverbs 15:8 (KJV)
Inspiration
God is not swayed when we live selfishly, and then try to assuage our guilt with a donation to the church or a charity. God doesnβt need our money or our stuff. But He does desire our hearts. When we give Him our hearts, He imparts His own righteousness on us. And our communion in prayer is a joy for Him and us, as He uses this time to fill us and renew us.
Prayer
God, thank You for inviting me into Your presence. I donβt have much to offer You, but I give You myself. Please make me more like You, guide me by Your righteousness, and use me to Your glory. Please keep me close to You, so that my gifts may always be sincere, and they may be acceptable in Your sight. In Jesusβ name, amen.
Morning Bible Verse of the Day
Morning Scripture
If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
From: 2 Chronicles 7:14 (KJV)
Inspiration
In verse 10 of this chapter, βIsrael His (Godβs) peopleβ is referenced; in verse 11, βMy peopleβ is used in reference to Israel; and in verse 14, βMy peopleβ does not change reference. It refers to Israel. Thus, God says here that if Israel His people will humble themselves and repent of their wicked ways, He will heal their land. God will deal the same with any other nation, healing their land if national repentance takes place. But today, the only hope for national repentance is if repentance begins in the Church of God, for the world knows not God.
Prayer
O Lord, we need not twist this verse to refer to the Church instead of Israel in order to learn its principle and apply it in our day and situation. It is true today as it was then that you will hear and heal when men of any nation turn from their wicked ways. We pray for such a revival, for we badly need it. We know that such a revival will need to begin in the Church. We pray you will revive each one of us and begin a mighty work, for which you will get all the glory. Amen.
Morning Devotional
Ezekiel 37:21-22 (KJV)
And say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will take the children of Israel from among the heathen, whither they be gone, and will gather them on every side, and bring them into their own land:
And I will make them one nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king to them all: and they shall be no more two nations, neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms any more at all:
United as One Kingdom
Frances Taylor
The last time before the Judeans and the Israelites were united with one king was under the kingship of Solomon. Then the lands were divided β Israel in the North and Judea in the South. But both kingdoms fell first to the Assyrians and then the Babylonians and the people were sent into exile. The kings at that time allowed idol worship and other sins against God. They refused to listen to the prophets and suffered the consequences. God is now promising those in exile that they will return to their homeland and there will be one king of the now reunited country. Now we know that they were only faithful for a time and then were conquered by the Greeks and then the Romans. At the Last Supper, Jesus will appeal for unity among his followers. Christianity started out as one, but now is also divided. God must be wondering if human beings will ever get it together and learn from the mistakes of the past. We even sometimes forget that Jesus offered his life to save ALL people, not just a few. Next week at this time we will be standing in front of the tomb in Jerusalem waiting for the stone to be rolled back so that we can witness the empty tomb and rejoice in the promise of eternal life. Let us pray as Jesus did that all may be one in him.
Prayer
Dear Lord, you keep sending us reminders of the fact that you want unity among your peoples. Help us to be agents of unity and not division. Amen.
Night Bible Verse of the Day
Night Scripture
We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;
From: 2 Corinthians 4:8 (KJV)
Inspiration
The Christian life is not a trouble-free life. Jesus told us to expect trouble, and Paul certainly experienced it himself. Yet, God gives us the strength to withstand being pressed from every side without breaking. He gives us the wisdom and hope to see past difficulty and confusion so that we do not fall into despair. God doesnβt often remove our trouble, but He always gives us what we need when trouble comes.
Prayer
God, please be with me in this time of difficulty. At every turn, others are opposing me. It feels like the whole world is against me. Give me the endurance to wait out this season of hardship, and guard my hope so that I donβt forget that You have already secured my victory. And be my strength, that I may withstand whatever challenges and insults come my way. In Jesusβ name, amen.
