Daily Devotion for September 3, 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.
Prayer for Grace and Strength
Lord God, I pray that you will fill my heart with the blessing of your Holy Spirit. Grant me this day the strength to be temperate in all things, diligent in my duties, and patient under my afflictions. Direct me in all my ways. Give me grace to be just and upright in all my dealings; quiet and peaceable; full of compassion; and ready to do good to all people, according to my abilities and opportunities. For the sake of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ,
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.
Isaiah 40:1-5 (King James)
1 Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God.
2 Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received of the LORD's hand double for all her sins.
3 The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
4 Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain:
5 And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.
Gospel of Matthew 3:1-12
John the Baptist: The Voice of One Crying in the Wilderness
In those days John the Baptist came to preach in the wilderness of Judaea, saying, 'Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. For this is the man that Isaiah the prophet was given to speak of:
The voice of one crying in the wilderness — "Make ready the road of the Lord; Make straight his pathways."
John himself had clothing made of camel's hair, and a leather belt about his waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey.
Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about the Jordan, went out unto him; and they confessed their sins, and were baptized in the Jordan River.
But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, John said to them: 'You vipers, who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Show deeds worthy of repentance: and don't say to yourselves, We have Abraham for our father: for I say to you, that God can turn these stones into children of Abraham.
Right now the axe is at the root of the trees: every tree that doesn't bear good fruit will be hewn down and thrown into the fire.
I indeed baptize you in water for repentance: but he who comes after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he wall baptize you in the Holy Spirit and in fire that he fans. He will clean his threshing-floor spotless; and he will gather his wheat into storage, but he will burn the chaff with unquenchable fire.
