Today We Pray

Dear Lord, I confess with faith and adore You, O Light indivisible, Holy Trinity and single Godhead, creator of light and dispeller of darkness. Dispel from my soul the darkness of sin and ignorance, and at this hour enlighten my mind, that I may pray to You according to Your will, and receive from You the fulfillment of my supplications. Have mercy upon Your Creatures and upon me, a great sinner.

Teach me to treat every person with the pure love of Christ. Do not let me hate any person, but to forgive them when they sin, and to disregard every external attribute that prejudices one person against another. For we are all Your children, equally loved, although we are all sinners.

Into Your hands, O Lord, Jesus Christ, my God, I commend my spirit. Bless me and all those who pray in faith of You this day. Save us and grant unto us everlasting life.

Amen

Today's Godly Reminder - 1 Peter 5:6-7

Be reminded that you must always be humble in everything you do. If you're not, it has a negative impact to others, especially to your character impression. God will be exalted if you will be humble in His Name, depending on Him. Tell Him all your anxieties, too. God cares for all of us, God has our back.

The Daily Grace - A Gnat Lesson

During one of my daily walks, I inadvertently walked through a small tornado of little insects. I didn't think much of it at the time, but later on, I found all kinds of bites on my ankles and arms. It seems I had walked through a swarm of gnats, whose bites led to uncomfortable itching and sores.

This experience gave me a new perspective on the plague of gnats that God visited upon Egypt when Pharaoh would not free the Israelites. The Hebrew word translated "lice" in Exodus 8:16-18 can also mean "gnats" or "mosquitoes". Because the insects are compared to the sand of the desert, a swarm of gnats seems the most likely. The pagan priests of Pharaoh who prided themselves in their frequent washings and shavings were now covered with numerous insect bites. God had designed this plague to get Pharaoh to repent and let Israel go, but instead, he hardened his heart.

Is God trying to get your attention through some circumstances in your life? Is He trying to persuade you to get back in step with Him? (Gal. 5:25). We should resist the urge to harden our hearts. But let's instead submit to God (James 4:6-8). and ask Him what spiritual lessons He wants us to learn. God makes us miserable through conviction to make us joyful through confession.

Today We Pray

Dear God, the author of all good, I come to You for the grace another day will require for its duties and events. I step out into a wicked world; I carry about with me an evil heart. I know that without You I can do nothing, that everything with which I shall be concerned, however harmless in itself, may prove an occasion of sin or folly unless I am kept by Your power.

God, of Your goodness, give me Yourself for you are sufficient for me. I cannot properly ask anything less, to be worthy of You. If I were to ask less, I should always be in want. 

May every creature be made good to me by prayer and Your will. Teach me how to use the world and not abuse it, to improve my talents, to redeem my time, to walk in wisdom toward those without, and in kindness to those within, to do good to all men, and especially to my fellow Christians. And to You, O God, be the glory.

Amen

Today's Godly Reminder - James 4:6b

God will shower more grace unto us, it is His promise. It is through the power of the Holy Spirit to defy sin and live an obedient life that reflects both our faith and our gratitude for our salvation. But, He will only show grace to the humble. God defies proud and haughty people.

Thus, He loves people who are humble. He continually gives the gift of grace to these kinds of people. These are the people who turn away from self-righteousness. God goes against the willful proud. But, God gives grace to the willing humble.

The Daily Grace - Difficult People

In the book God in the Dock, author C.S. Lewis describes the kind of people we have trouble getting along with. Selfishness, anger, jealousy, or other quirks often sabotage our relationship with them. We sometimes think, "Life would be much easier if we didn't have to contend with such difficult people". Lewis then turns the tables on us by pointing out that these frustrations are what God has to endure with each of us every day. He writes: "You are just that sort of person. You also have a fatal flaw in your character. All the hopes and plans of others have again and again shipwrecked on your character just as your hopes and plans have shipwrecked on theirs". This self-awareness should motivate us to try to show the same patience and acceptance to others that God shows to us daily.

In Ephesians, Paul exhorts us to arm ourselves relationally "with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love" (4:2). The one who is patient is better able to deal with a difficult person without becoming provoked to anger and retaliation. Instead, he or she is able to endure, exhibiting grace in spite of upsetting behavior. Are there difficult people in your life? Ask God to show His love through you. See others as God sees you.

Today We Pray

Dear Lord, I pray for all my Christian brothers and sisters and for each and every family member in their households. I pray for peace to come into their heart. I pray for love and joy to abound in their homes.

I pray that every eye that reads this knows there is no problem, circumstance, or situation greater than you, Mighty God. Every battle is in Your hands for You to fight, Lord. I pray that these words be received into the hearts of every eye that sees them and every mouth that confesses them.

Send me Your light and truth, to keep this day and all the days of my life. And may Your mighty hand protect me, and all my brothers and sisters who have joined me in prayer this day, blessing our homes and our lives. In Christ’s name.

Amen