Daily Devotion for May 11, 2018
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 pretty song written and sung in Chinese. Let us remember today and pray for the estimated 67 million Christians in China, who suffer constant persecution.
The Way of the Cross that Jesus trod,
I too want to follow.
The path of the blood sacrifice,
I will follow to the end.
Refrain:
It doesn’t matter how steep the mountain,
I would follow to the ends of the earth,
In order to save lost souls,
I would give up my precious life.
Father, I beg you to send me.
I will rush to the Way of the Cross.
I will not hesitate to sacrifice my precious life.
I beg you to send me.
Though the world hate me unjustly,
Yet I will counter with love.
When the Cross saved my spirit,
I willingly took this road.
Even as you sacrificed your life for me,
You loved me unto the end;
I ask you accept my extremely small
Offering of love to God.
Prayer to Dedicate This Day to God
Holy God, as I face another day, I know I am going to face many challenges: to my faith, to my patience, to my love for others. I am going to have constant temptations to lapse into sin. Come to me now, Lord, and stay with me all day. Let your Spirit encompass my mind. Let me know your presence. Steer my hand, direct my words, guide my thoughts in everything I think and say and do. I resolve to live this day as a beacon of your glory, the best I can, with your help. I commit myself to give this day to you. In the name of Christ, be with me and help me.
To Live in the Spirit
Holy Spirit of God, I pray for commitment and enthusiasm in every good work, showing the happiness and cheerfulness that comes only when we work for you. Let me live in your presence. Give me patience in difficulties, Lord, being happy and cheerful as I place my trust in you. Show me how to live in your presence. When difficulties arise, teach me to be patient.
I resolve to welcome others and to be generous with those in every sort of need. May I never curse others, but bless them, even when they have not been good to me. Help me to do all I can to live in peace with everyone. Let me support and encourage others by rejoicing with those who are happy, and sharing the sadness of those who are in sorrow.
May I never look down on another person, but always be positive and helpful towards my fellow man. May I be as concerned for those who can do nothing for me in return as for those who are very close to you. Lord, let me break the cycle of evil, conquering it with goodness, for only with your help and your strength can I live fully in obedience to your Word.
In Christ’s name I pray,
Meditation
[What are the challenges to my faith? Where do they come from?]
Dedication to Service
Now, oh heavenly Father, I ask to be called as a witness to your love by the love I extend to others; a precursor of your justice by my unfailing commitment to what is right and good; a lamp set on a hill, reflecting the light of Christ in my forgiveness, mercy and compassion; and a harvester of souls through my humble and dedicated servanthood. In Jesus’ name, I pray,
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.
Primary Purpose
“You are priests, not social or political leaders. Let us not be under the illusion that we are serving the Gospel through an exaggerated interest in the wide field of temporal problems.”
~ John Paul II
John 3:31-33 (ESV)
Heaven and Earth
He who comes from above is above all. He who is of the earth belongs to the earth and speaks in an earthly way. He who comes from heaven is above all.
He bears witness to what he has seen and heard, yet no one receives his testimony. Whoever receives his testimony sets his seal to this, that God is true.
Notes on the Scripture
John emphasizes a line sharply dividing two worlds: the earthly and the heavenly. Those who come from the earth belong to the earth, whereas He who comes from heaven is above all.
his is why we sin. Do you ever wonder why, in spite of all your prayers and struggles and even your heartfelt wishes, you still judge others, or act greedy, or have lustful thoughts? You can't help it. You have to try, but you cannot think that you or anyone else is going to succeed. “All sin and fall short of the glory of God.”
So never let your sin get you down or defeat you. Evil is powerful and Satan is stronger than we are. The earth has a grip on us we cannot loosen. The Holy Spirit will take us a long way during our lives, and our belief in Christ will cleanse us of our sins. But we must never become discouraged, depressed, or downhearted. This is the day the Lord has made.
