Daily Devotion for January 12, 2017

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.
A charming contemporary Gospel song from Kirk Franklin. (For you Motown fans, Al Green is listed as co-writer!)
(The truth can hurt you,
Or the truth can change you.
What would truth do to you?)
I just wanna be happy.
But if I keep on doing the things
That keep on bringing me pain
There's no one else I can blame.
If I'm not happy.
Wasted time but now I can see,
The biggest enemy it was me;
So I'm not happy
Cry yourself to sleep,
Shout and raise your hands,
It wont change a thing child
Until you understand.
If you're tired of being the same,
If you're tired of things not changing,
It's time for you to get out the way.
Don't get stuck in how you feel,
Say Jesus take the wheel,
He knows the road that you need to take.
(But it only works if)
If you wanna be happy.
(Look at yourself and say)
Don't you wanna be happy?
I just wanna be happy.
But if I keep on giving my heart
For people to tear apart,
The healing will never start.
So I can be happy,
Will I ever be happy?
Cry yourself to sleep
Shout and raise your hands.
It wont change a thing child
Until you understand.
If you're tired of being the same,
If you're tired of things not changing,
It's time for you to get out the way.
(You been down too long)
Don't get stuck in how you feel,
Say Jesus take the wheel,
He knows the road that you need to take.
(I feel different right here)
It's so easy to complain,
Addicted to the pain,
You give you heart, they push it away.
(But I got good news for ya)
Jesus knows just how you feel,
Just let him take the wheel,
The love you need, he already gave.
(But the question is)
Do you wanna be happy?
(If you're tired of you then say)
I just wanna be happy.
(Now if you really mean that, open up your heart and say it)
Let me hear you say yeah
Yeah yeah.
(If you're tired of going in circles)
Let me hear you say yeah
Yeah yeah.
(Tired of making the same mistakes)
Let me hear you say yeah
Yeah yeah
(But now's your chance)
Let me hear you say yeah
(Say yeah)
Yeah yeah.
Written by Al Green and Kirk Franklin
Rise Up!
Rise up, oh children of light, and let us give glory to the Lord, who alone can save our souls. O Lord, as you withdraw sleep from the eyes of my body, grant me wakefulness of mind so that I may stand before you in awe and sing your praises worthily, all of this day.
Keep Me from Falling
'Mid the discordant noises of the day I hear thee calling;
I stumble as I fare along Earth's way; keep me from falling.
Mine eyes are open but they cannot see for gloom of night:
I can no more than lift my heart to thee for inward light.
The wild and fiery passion of my youth consumes my soul;
In agony I turn to thee for truth and self-control.
For Passion and all the pleasures it can give will die the death;
But this of me eternally must live, thy borrowed breath.
'Mid the discordant noises of the day I hear thee calling;
I stumble as I fare along Earth's way; keep me from falling.
Benediction
Eternal God, heavenly Father, you have graciously accepted me as a living member of your Son our Savior Jesus Christ, and you have blessed me with the grace of forgiveness through the sacrifice He made for me and for all people. Send me now into the world in peace, and grant me strength and courage to love and serve you with gladness and singleness of heart; through 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.
Today’s “Remember the Bible” Question
Which verse tells us that Christ’s power is made perfect in weakness?

Guidance
Do not ask God to guide your footsteps if you are not willing to move your feet.

Galatians 5:22-23 (Daily Prayer Bible)
Fruits of the Spirit - Kindness (Galatians #81)
22-23 The Spirit, on the other hand, produces fruit: . . . kindness . . . . In this, the Law and the Spirit agree, because the Law does not forbid such things.
DP Parallel Bible (3-Column) - Galatians 5
Notes on the Scripture

ncient Greek did not have nearly as many words as English does — I would guess about 10% as many. This is especially difficult for the Biblical translator when it comes to abstract nouns and adjectives (like “kindness” or “kind”), because many Greek words stand for more than one English word. Greek nouns are necessarily broader than English ones. But this also make studying the Bible directly from the Greek deeper and more helpful.
The Greek word Paul used here (chrestotes) has several related meanings. Kindness is certain an accurate and useful way to translate it, but how we generally think of “kindness” is perhaps too narrow to cover the range of meanings that Paul intended. So we should broadly flesh out kindness, to get at everything Paul wants to say.
First off, kindness involves what we might call “uprightness” in one’s relationships with other people. So we must understand that it includes, for example, honesty; and as another example, disdaining malicious gossip. It signifies a general attitude of goodness and concern towards other people in all sorts of ways, even when they are unaware of it.
One also finds generosity towards others as a meaning of kindness in the Bible. We must be generous towards others in all sorts of ways: Generous with praise, generous with patience, and generous with our worldly wealth. And as we study Christ, we see that our generosity may include sacrifices, both great and small. Those of us who are parents might sacrifice a planned vacation to pay for our child’s education or wedding or something; but would we do this for a friend? How about someone we don’t really like very much?
Timothy Keller calls kindness “an ability to serve others practically in a way which makes me vulnerable, which comes from having a deep inner security. Its opposite is envy, which leave me unable to rejoice in another’s joy.”
Seen this way, lack of kindness springs from an inadequacy of faith. If there is one thing faith will do for us while we are still on earth, it is the shrinking of insecurity, anxiety and fear. This is suffering that “taking up our cross” will actually alleviate! Feeling secure in one’s salvation and resurrection is proof against the fears of the world. If you are immune to caring what others think of you, you are free to base your deeds on what God thinks of you and follow his commands, no matter how the world may see them.

French “Book of Hours.”