Daily Devotion for September 19, 2009
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.
Prayer for the Morning
Oh Lord, most heavenly Father, Almighty and everlasting God, who has safely brought me to the beginning of this day; I give you thanks for my creation, preservation, and all the blessings of my life. Grant that this day I fall into no sin, neither run into any kind of danger; but that all my doings, being governed by your will, may be righteous in your sight. Through Christ our Lord, I pray.
For the Men and Women in the Armed Forces
Almighty God, I commend to your gracious care and keeping all the men and women of our armed forces at home and abroad. Defend them day by day with your heavenly grace; strengthen them in their trials and temptations; give them courage to face the perils which beset them; and grant them a sense of your abiding presence wherever they may be; through Jesus Christ our Lord,
Community of Prayer
May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be among the community of all who pray in the name of Christ this morning, and remain among us always.
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.
Click here to see (and download) the full-size photograph of the Swiss countryside illustrating today's Bible verse
Gospel of Matthew 7:13-20
The Sermon on the Mount [Part 11]
Enter by the narrow gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the road, that leads to destruction, and many are they that enter by them. But narrow is the gate, and straitened the road, that leads to life, and few are they that find it.
Beware false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. By their fruits you will know them. Do men gather grapes from thorns, or figs from thistles? Just so, every good tree bears good fruit; but the corrupt tree bears evil fruit. A good tree cannot bear evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is chopped down, and put into the fire. Therefore, know them by their fruits.
