Daily Devotion for October 25, 2014
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.
For “Oldies Saturday”, we have a gospel song that was a big country hit in the 1960s.
Prayer to Live this Day with God
Dear Lord, I thank you for this day. I thank you that I can see or hear your Word this morning. Let me give thanks all day for what I have, especially your eternal love, and forgive me this day when I go astray, by my thoughts or actions; my only aim is to please you, to know and do your will. Guide my every step.
Help me to live this day with wisdom and discretion so that I may not fall short of your glory. Protect me from danger, both in the world and in my attitude. Give me the gift of a clear mind, that I might hear the quiet voice of your Spirit. Help to massage away resentments and blame for things gone by, that would eat my energy and poison my mind; but instead, help me to look to the moment, to what I can do, to work for the future. And let me never become frustrated where I lack control of events, for you are in charge, not me; and I put my entire faith in your power, your knowledge, your plan for humanity.
Your are my leader and my coach, Lord. I am on your team. Help me to keep this in mind for just today, in Christ's name I pray,
For Understanding Truth
Lord God, let me not put my trust in the words of men, for their minds are weak and their tongues are tainted by the world; but let me test everything having to do with faith against our only true teacher, Jesus Christ, and the true Word of God that was inspired through the Holy Spirit.
Meditation
[Our only true teacher.]
Benediction
Lord, support me all the day long of this troublous life, until the shadows lengthen and the evening comes, and the busy world is hushed, and the fever of life is over and my work is done. Then of Thy mercy, grant me a safe lodging, and a holy rest and a peace at last through Jesus Christ, our Lord.
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.
Proverbs 20:17 (The Message)
Stolen bread tastes sweet,
but soon your mouth is full of gravel.
Psalm 113 (KJV)
Praise Ye the Lord
Blessed be the name of the Lord from this time forth and for evermore.
From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same, the Lord's name is to be praised.
The Lord is high above all nations, and his glory above the heavens.
Who is like unto the Lord our God, who dwells on high,
Who humbles himself to behold the things that are in heaven, and in the earth!
He raises up the poor out of the dust, and lifts the needy out of the dunghill;
That he may set him with princes, even with the princes of his people.
He makes the barren woman to keep house, and to be a joyful mother of children.
Praise ye the Lord.
Notes on the Scripture
Whom do we praise? We praise someone who has done something really well, who has done a good job, an exceptional job. But who has done the most exceptional job of anyone we know of? God, Jehovah, Yahweh. He made everything. We praise our husband or wife if they work in the yard or clean the garage, so how can we possibly have words to express how we feel about God, who made the grass and the sky and dogs and cats and people? Who made us.
We need to praise Him, for there is nothing to compare to His creation, nothing even in the same league. And when should we praise Him? How much is enough? There is not enough. We should praise Him from the time we wake up until we go to sleep, for our life is His work. From the rising of the sun to its setting, because light is His creation also. If we eat food, we should praise Him for the existence of our food, because it is His creation.
Presidents and senators and armies are full of pride in their importance and strength, but they are so pitiful compared to the glory of the God who created them that they are not worth noticing; and yet, God notices them, and not just them, but every one of us.
This is the greatest miracle of all. There are six billion people on earth, and a hundred billion planets in our galaxy, and a hundred billion galaxies (we think) in our universe, and yet . . . God will take the time and trouble to notice every one of us. He knows who we are. He will listen to us for as long as we want to pray to Him. He will send His Spirit to live with us. Amazing!
Do we pity the beggar in the street? We should not, because God is with him. We may help him if we can, for to love is God's will for us, but we should not pity him, for God will raise him out of his poverty to the level of a king. He is important in the eye of God and his inheritance will be perfect happiness. Who else could possibly do this? Who should care enough? And if we do not praise such wonderful love, the total love of the highest Being in existence for the lowliest and most miserable, what could possibly be worthy of praise?
We should praise God, with our mouth, with our deeds, and with our thoughts every moment of the day, for that is how wonderful He is.
