Daily Devotion for August 17, 2026
Prayers
Scripture
Lord’s Prayer
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever.
Well no matter who you are and no matter what you’ve done, there will come a time when you can’t make it on your own.
Well, late one night, she started to cry and thought, "He ain't coming home."
She was tired of the lies, tired of the fight, but she didn't want to see him go.
She fell on her knees and said, "I haven't prayed since I was young,
But Lord above, I need a miracle."
Refrain:
Well no matter who you are and no matter what you've done,
There will come a time when you can't make it on your own.
And in your hour of desperation,
Know you're not the only one,
Prayin', "Lord above, I need a miracle."
He lost his job and all he had in the fall of '09; Now he feared the worst, that he would lose his children and his wife. So he drove down deep into the woods and thought he'd end it all, And prayed, "Lord above, I need a miracle."
He turned on the radio to hear a song for the last time,
He didn't know what he was looking for, or even what he'd find.
The song he heard gave him hope and strength to carry on.
And on that night they found a miracle.
And in your hour of desperation,
Know you're not the only one
Prayin', "Lord above, I need a miracle."
Music and Lyrics by
Mac Powell, Tai Anderson,
David Carr, and Mark Lee.
A Prayer of Entreaty by Jane Austen
Compassionate Lord, give me a thankful sense of the Blessings in which I live, of the many comforts of my lot; that I may not deserve to lose them by Discontent or Indifference.
Be gracious to my Necessities, and guard me, and all I love, from Evil this day. May the sick and afflicted, be now, and ever thy care; and heartily do I pray for the safety of all that travel by Land or by Sea, for the comfort & protection of the Orphan and Widow and that thy pity may be shewn upon all Captives and Prisoners.
Above all other blessings Oh! God, for myself, and my fellow-creatures, I implore Thee to quicken our sense of thy Mercy in the redemption of the World, of the Value of that Holy Religion in which we have been brought up, that we may not, by our own neglect, throw away the salvation thou hast given us, nor be Christians only in name. Hear me Almighty God, for His sake who has redeemed me, and taught me thus to pray.
To Be Filled of the Spirit
Heavenly Father, fill me with Your Spirit until I am overflowing, as the sun is filled with light, until it spills out of me and illuminates everything it my path. Crowd out the flawed thoughts of my mind with your truth and wisdom; put so much of your knowledge and fear in my heart that there is no longer room for the seductive lies of this world. Comfort me in my pain, convict me in my transgressions, guide me when I am tested. Fill my being with energy and focus to spread your word and do your will, and, with the salvation of your grace through Jesus Christ, this will be enough for me.
Meditation
“The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.”
Benediction
May I go in peace, with God and with his other children, and may we love one another as Christ taught us. May I follow the example of good saints of old, and may God comfort and help me and all who believe in Him, both in this world and in the world which is to come.
Think of the day ahead in terms of God with you, and visualize health, strength, guidance, purity, calm confidence, and victory as the gifts of His presence.
Psalm 82:1-4 (NKJV)
God stands in the congregation of the mighty;
He judges among the gods.
How long will you judge unjustly,
And show partiality to the wicked? Selah
Defend the poor and fatherless;
Do justice to the afflicted and needy.
Deliver the poor and needy;
Free them from the hand of the wicked.
Philippians 4:10-13 (ESV)
God’s Provision
rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at length you have revived your concern for me. You were indeed concerned for me, but you had no opportunity. Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound.
In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.
Notes on the Scripture
Paul had founded the church at Philippi ten years earlier and had made one visit in the interim. So they had seen him twice in ten years; yet when word reached them of his imprisonment in Rome, they sent him money, so that he might be comfortable and, perhaps, be able to write more.
Paul was paying his own expenses for house arrest, so no doubt the money was well-spent. But although he was touched by their concern, and no doubt grateful for the gift, foremost in his mind was to teach them that his happiness was not determined by his wealth or poverty.
One sees the last line frequently in Christian writings: “I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” But in most cases the phrase is misunderstood. Paul was not trying to impart that he could reach a personal goal despite hardship. He was not saying, “I can accomplish anything, because Christ is on my side.”
Rather, we must read his words in the context of the preceding sentence: “I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need.” He is talking about endurance and gratitude; he has not become discouraged or anxious when he has slept on the ground or in chains, nor has he considered that he reached a goal when he had a warm bed, plenty of food, and friends surrounding him. He has learned equanimity through the ups and downs of his life; his spirit is unaffected by his circumstances.
We must remember, also, that half of his secret is how to deal with comfort and abundance. It is an odd response to a gift, to say “I didn’t really need it; Christ empowers me to endure poverty and riches equally.” But he would rather share his secret than act falsely gracious. And, one would expect, that the Philippians were mature enough that they did not send the gift to get a social stroking from Paul, but sent it as a gift to God.
