MORNING MEDITATION

[Godbetheglory]

MORNING DEVOTION - "O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee..." (Psalm 63:1)

Scripture Reading: Acts 6:1-7; 7:1-60

It wasn't long before the apostles found themselves back in prison. The religious leaders were jealous of their success, particularly because they were "unschooled, ordinary men" (Acts 4:13). Jesus, their faithful Teacher, had prepared them for such a time as this, telling them, "If they persecuted Me, they will persecute you also" (John 15:20b). The Lord would not allow those who opposed His purposes prevent His faithful followers from fulfilling their task (reference Proverbs 19:21): "But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the jail and brought them out. 'Go stand in the temple courts...and tell the people the full message of this new life" (Acts 5:19-20). They were flogged and beaten for disobeying the court order to stop preaching in the name of Jesus Christ; after the apostles received their punishment they went away rejoicing, "because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name" (v.41). Jesus had warned them, "They will put you out of the synagogue; in fact, a time is coming when anyone who kills you will think he is offering a service to God" (John 16:2). That time was fast approaching; and is upon us now!

Their suffering led to greater boldness in proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Christ, and the church experienced tremendous growth as a result. This led to increased problems within the church as the apostles attention became so focused on meeting the needs of the people and serving tables that they were neglecting the more important ministry of the Word and prayer (reference Acts 6:2). The enemy loves it when the people of God are so busy and distracted with ministry that they have little time for nurturing their relationship with the Lord, ultimately weakening them to the point they are unable to serve fully in the power they have been given. Much of the church today is spiritually starved because we have neglected giving our attention to prayer and the Word of God; we are unaware of how truly malnourished we are, and how this neglect has weakened the various members of the Body, and has tremendously impacted the health of the entire Body and the overall ministry of the church. The apostles quickly recognized their deficiency, and, with wisdom, chose seven men to handle the responsibilities within the church, while the apostles gave themselves "continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word" (v.4).

One of the men chosen, who was "full of the Spirit and wisdom", was Stephen. No one could "stand up against his wisdom or the Spirit by whom he spoke" (v.10). He, also, found himself arrested by the Sanhedrin, but it was the Lord's divine providence that placed him in a position to preach the gospel message to these teachers of the Law; to teach them a history lesson that would take them back to their spiritual roots. Sadly their hearts were hardened and their eyes were blinded; deeply rooted in their religious traditions their ears were closed to the Truth spoken before them, and they missed a vital opportunity to express faith in the living God whom they claimed to worship. "These people come near to Me with their mouth and honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me. Their worship of Me is made up only of rules taught by men" (Isaiah 29:13). Even though it was plainly presented to them, the truth did not penetrate their hardened hearts, it only shed light on the wickedness of a heart that is far from God and they stoned Stephen to silence him from speaking anymore in the Name of the One they refused to accept. Stephen responded to their threats and hostility just as Jesus had on the cross, by praying for their forgiveness while they put him to death, "Lord, Jesus, receive my spirit...Lord, do not charge them with this sin" (v.59b, 60b).

Heavenly Father,
"O LORD, You have searched me and know me.
You know my sitting down and my rising up;
You understand my thought afar off.
You comprehend my path and my lying down,
and are acquainted with all my ways.
For there is not a word on my tongue,
but behold, O LORD, You know it altogether.
You have hedged me behind and before,
and You laid Your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
It is high, I cannot attain it." (Psalm 139:1-6)
Lord, open our eyes, our ears, and our hearts
to the deep truths hidden in Your Word which You
desire Your children to learn, that we would have
the boldness of the early disciples and of Stephen,
who was full of the Holy Spirit, and whose only
desire was to please You and bring glory to
Your name through his witness and life.
May we take courage from his Words that
the leaders of his day failed to comprehend:
That You are always with us, that You are
within us, and that we can never move out
of Your Presence.
"How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God!
How great is the sum of them!
If I should count them, they would be more
in number than the sand; when I awake, I am still with You." (vv. 17-18)
Praise Your holy name.
In Jesus' Name. Amen.

We have a responsibility, as followers of Jesus Christ, to daily pick up our Sword (the Holy Bible) and sharpen our skill with meditation and memorization, so we will be prepared for those divine appointments the Holy Spirit schedules for us throughout our day. We need to be vigilant against distractions, both good and bad, that rob us of the time we should be spending in solitude with God and in the study of His Word. We cannot expect to lead others where we haven't been ourselves, and we cannot minister effectively when we have been drained of our necessary spiritual power that is only derived from spending time with the Lord and getting our necessary nourishment from His Word. There is no greater knowledge than the knowledge of God. Let us pray this morning that we would yield to the Holy Spirit's promptings and submit to His call in the first moments of our day and allow our Teacher to take us deeper into all truth so we can be prepared at all times to give the reason for the hope that we have. "However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth" (John 16:13a).

________

[Godbetheglory]

MORNING DEVOTION - "O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee..." (Psalm 63:1)

Scripture Reading: Acts 8:18-40

After Stephen was martyred the church experienced great persecution and was scattered "throughout Judea and Samaria" (Acts 8:1b). As seeds landing on prepared soil this move of God accelerated the growth of the church. When the enemy's external attempts to devour the Lord's chosen one's and destroy God's work failed, he implemented a more deceptive scheme within the church, having found a willing vessel in Simon the sorcerer, but Peter was discerning and recognized this man's faith was not genuine: "You have no part or share in this ministry, because your heart is not right before God. Repent of this wickedness and pray to the Lord" (v.21). Simon's faith was not in God's Word, but rather in the miracles that were being performed; he desired the power he witnessed in the disciples for his own self-interests and not for the purposes of glorifying God. Peter called this counterfeit to repentance. "Repent of this wickedness and pray to the Lord. Perhaps He will forgive you for having such a thought in your heart" (v. 22).

In contrast, when Philip was led by the Lord to journey down the road from Jerusalem to Gaza (v.26) he met an Ethiopian eunuch traveling on important business. This eunuch was seriously seeking to understand the faith, and God providentially placed Philip in his path to lead him to the truth. "Do you understand what you are reading?' Philip asked" (v.30). The eunuch replied, "How can I, unless someone explains it to me?" (v.31). The Lord had prepared his heart and Philip, sensitive to the Holy Spirit, was obedient to plant God's seed. "How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent?" (Romans 10:14-15a). So Philip "began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus" (Acts 8:35). The Ethiopian eunuch expressed genuine faith in the Word of God and was saved that very day; confirming that it is God's Word, not miracles, that has the power to convict and bring a sinner to true repentance (reference John 12:37-43).

The Ethiopian eunuch, and the other converts in Samaria, confirmed that God was faithfully fulfilling His promise to carry His gospel message beyond Jerusalem (reference Matthew 28:19; Acts 1:8). The enemy had planted persecutors and deceivers as obstacles along the pathway in an attempt to prevent the good news from going forward, but God's purposes will always prevail, and the difficulties God's messengers encountered only helped to promote His message further (reference Acts 4:3-4). "Remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his ways will save him from death and cover over a multitude of sins" (James 5:20).

Heavenly Father,
Give your servant "a wise and discerning heart"
to recognize when the enemy is
attempting to block my path and hinder your work.
Give me greater understanding to
recognize those divine appointments
that You place in my path so I can promote
Your message and share the good news
of Your salvation with others.
Help me to "show this by my good life,
by deeds done in humility that comes from wisdom."
May I not harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition.
This wisdom does not come from heaven,
but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil.
The wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure;
then peace-loving, considerate, submissive,
full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.
May Your people be "peacemakers who sow in peace"
so we will "raise a harvest of righteousness."
(James 3:13-15, 17-18)
In Jesus' Name. Amen.


This morning let us pray for the church to grow in holiness and in its' devotion to God's service. So much of the information that we are bombarded with each day is ungodly, lacking in truth, immoral, deceptive, and worldly; and so many of God's people, especially those who are young in their faith, are weak and vulnerable to temptation. May God establish us in His Word and by His Spirit, and may we all become receptive and sensitive to the Spirit so we can resist the power of Satan and walk in the fullness of the Spirit. "Now it is God who makes both of us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set His seal of ownership on us, and put His Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come" (2 Corinthians 1:21-22).

__________________________________________________ _____________________

[danfinger]

I announce and carry out this Yasna for the creator Ahura Mazda, the radiant and glorious, the greatest and the best, the most beautiful to our conceptions, the most firm, the wisest, and the one of all whose body is the most perfect, who attains His ends the most infallibly, because of his Asha, to him who disposes our minds aright, who sends His joy-creating grace afar; who made us, and has fashioned us, and who has nourished and protected us, who is the most bounteous Spirit!

[Godbetheglory]

MORNING DEVOTION - "O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee..." (Psalm 63:1)

Scripture Reading: Acts 9:1-31

In our reading yesterday the Ethiopian eunuch had his eyes open to the gospel message and he was saved. Today, we read the account of one of the greatest spiritual transformations in church history - the great persecutor Saul, who became the great preacher Paul. The church had been scattered throughout Judea and Samaria because of the persecution of this man Saul who, "began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off men and women and put them in prison" (Acts 8:3). When the disciples had received their great commission from the Lord (reference Matthew 28:19), they probably did not expect that the fulfillment would come through such great persecution. But God's ways are not our ways, they are higher. "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts" (Isaiah 55:9). The Lord desires that we know Him, therefore He has given us His Word so that we will grow in our understanding of His will and His ways. He desires this for all men, and on this particular day He desired to make Himself known to the man who was hurting His children and hindering His work.

Saul was on his way to Damascus, an important commercial center; he had letters from the high priest authorizing him to take the necessary action to prevent the men and women of "the Way" from propagating their "new religion" to the surrounding regions. Fortunately, his evil plans were brought into the light as he was confronted by the great Light from above: "...suddenly a light shone around him from heaven...and heard a voice saying to him, 'Saul, Saul, why do you persecute Me?...I am Jesus whom you are persecuting' " (Acts 9:3b, 4b, 5). Saul, who desired to snatch others from their new way of life, was snatched out of his old way of life; and although his spiritual eyes were opened, his physical eyes were blinded for three days. The men traveling with him led him into Damascus, where the Lord had a radically different plan for him than what he had originally purposed in his heart. Just maybe, Saul needed to sit in the dark for a few days to get a taste of his own spiritual blindness, so the eyes of his heart could be opened to see the higher more noble purposes of God. "Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the LORD's purpose that prevails" (Proverbs 19:21).

The Lord chose a man named Ananias to minister to Saul. "Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying" (Acts 9:11). Saul had been fasting and praying as he waiting on the Lord. "For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything" (v. 9). We have read of another chosen servant of God who was placed in the house of the king of Persia, who after fasting and praying for three days, saved the Jewish people from annihilation (Esther 4:14-16). This time the Lord would not only stop this man from persecuting the Jewish people, but He would promote him to be His chosen missionary to carry His light to the Gentiles. "I was advancing in Judaism beyond many Jews of my own age and was extremely zealous for the traditions of my fathers. But when God, who set me apart from birth and called me by His grace, was pleased to reveal His Son in me so that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not consult any man...I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ" (Galatians 1:15-16, 12b).

Heavenly Father,
"The LORD is my light and my salvation - whom shall I fear?
The LORD is the stronghold of my life - of whom shall I be afraid?"
(Psalm 27:1)
Thank you for opening my eyes and inviting me to walk in Your glorious light.
Help me to radiate Your light to those You lead me to,
whomever they may be, knowing that You desire all
men to be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth.
In Jesus' Name. Amen.

God will use whomever He chooses to fulfill His purposes for His kingdom. In Saul we find a man who was filled with evil intentions, but once he was confronted by the Light of the Lord his heart was so transformed that he became one of the greatest evangelists in history. We also find another man in the story who offered himself, despite fear and concern, as a willing vessel of the Lord to go and minister to Saul. Ananias may not have been a great evangelist, but he had a willing, and obedient heart; God used him to reach this "one" person - the one that was chosen to carry the message of the gospel to the Gentiles, ultimately accomplishing a great work for the Kingdom of God. We must never underestimate the people God chooses; and we shouldn't judge or discount people because we, in our own limited understanding, put limits on God's ability to save or change their lives. Our business as Christians is to pray and to be available when God calls - you never know "who" God may radically transform and use for the kingdom because of your obedience. Pray to be a willing and obedient vessel. "The Church on its knees would bring heaven upon the earth" - E.M. Bounds.

__________________________________________________ _____________________

[danfinger]

[Godbetheglory]

MORNING DEVOTION - "O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee..." (Psalm 63:1)

Scripture Reading: Acts 10:1-48

In our devotion time yesterday we read about Saul who had set his course to destroy those who walked in the Way of Jesus Christ, but a divine encounter with Jesus Christ Himself stopped Saul dead in his tracks and changed his course, and the course of all mankind forever, for the glory of God. Saul the persecutor had become Paul the preacher, the man chosen to carry God's message to the Gentiles. However, there was one man who had been given the keys of the kingdom of heaven (reference Matthew 16:19), and he would unlock the door for the Gentiles to enter into a relationship with Jesus Christ. Peter would be the one to break down the wall that separated the Jew from the Gentile (reference Ephesians 2:14-16) and open the way for Paul to carry on the ministry to the Gentiles.

As we journey through the book of Acts we have met men and women who were religiously devoted to God, but were not saved (you could say they were "so close, but yet so far away"); until God brought His disciples to lead them the rest of the way home. Today, we meet Cornelius, who was a centurion in the Roman army. He was part of a class of religious people who were not full converts to Judaism ("God-fearers"), but who "respected the moral and ethical teachings of the Jews." He was a devote man who prayed and gave generously to the Jewish people (reference Acts 10:2). One afternoon, during the appointed hour of prayer, Cornelius had a vision and an angel of God spoke to him: "Your prayers and gifts to the poor have come up as a memorial offering before God" (v.4b). Cornelius was seeking salvation and he brought a sacrifice of prayer to the Lord, and the Lord received his offering and sent him a message that the answer he sought was not far away. "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise" (Psalm 51:17).

About thirty miles away, in the town of Joppa, Peter was praying on a rooftop, when he also received a vision from God. "He saw heaven opened and something like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners. It contained all kinds of four-footed animals, as well as reptiles of the earth and birds of the air. Then a voice told him, 'Get up, Peter. Kill and eat" (Acts 10:11-13). Peter was hungry and wanted something to eat, but these animals were impure and forbidden to be eaten by the law, so he refused. Again the voice spoke to him, "Do not call anything impure that God has made clean" (v.15b). The voice spoke again and then the object was gone. Before Peter had barely enough time to contemplate the vision three men showed up to tell him that Cornelius had sent for him. The Holy Spirit had prepared him by telling him, "Behold, three men are seeking you..." (v. 19). Cornelius responded with faith by sending the messengers to find Peter, and he demonstrated his faith by gathering a group of people together in his home while he waited for the answer to arrive. He had heard from God and was already doing the work of an evangelist. When Peter arrived he told them: "I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts men from every nation who fear Him and do what is right..." (v.34-35); Peter was not even able to finish his message before "the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message" (v.44). Cornelius sought the Lord in prayer, Peter responded with obedience, and Cornelius and his entire household received the message and were saved. "Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ" (Romans 10:17). This would be the commission carried by every faithful servant of Christ from this point forward to bring the gospel message to "the ends of the earth" (Acts 1:8).

Heavenly Father,
Even as I'm praying You are constantly
bringing to mind people I need to pray for.
You hear their cries and have burdened
my heart to intercede for them until Your answer comes.
Help me to be faithful in prayer, but also
obedient to respond when you call me to also
stand by their side.
In Jesus' Name. Amen.

Peter had to let go of thousands of years of tradition to be able to unlock the door for the message of salvation to be brought to the Gentiles. The "new" covenant of love fulfilled the "old" covenant law, and the hearts of all men would be open and have an opportunity to receive Jesus Christ as their Savior. Peter, by his obedience, preserved the promise given through Abraham (reference Genesis 17:3-8), who himself had believed by faith (reference Genesis 15:6); and carried forward the tradition that men would come to salvation by expressing faith in Jesus Christ. "You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized unto Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise" (Gal. 3:26-28). May we pray that we will be ready when the call comes to respond immediately to every opportunity the Lord places in our path to share Christ, in word and deed, trusting that God has already prepared the way for us to intercede and help those who are waiting to receive the help and healing we have to give.

[danfinger]

I Invoke and beseech Thee, O mighty Mother of all life and fertility. By seed and root, by stem and bud, by leaf and flower and fruit, by Life and Love, do I invoke Thee to descend into the body of thy servant and High Priestess .

[Godbetheglory]

MORNING DEVOTION - "O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee..." (Psalm 63:1)

Scripture Reading: Acts 12:5-19


Peter was sent to Caesarea to be used by God to open the door to the Gentiles. "So then, God has granted even the Gentiles repentance unto life" (Acts 11:18). The first "largely" Gentile church would be in Antioch. It was there that the disciples were first called "Christians" (v.26); and it was from there that Paul would be sent on three important missionary journeys.

Meanwhile, the church was facing intense persecution, and Peter had been arrested and thrown in prison by King Herod. Unlike his other two times in prison, Peter was alone; although he was being guarded "closely" with two guards being chained to him. King Herod was not taking any chances of him "disappearing" again (reference Acts 5:19). What King Herod didn't count on, however, is that "the church was earnestly praying to God for him" (v.5). The church interceded for Peter day and night, specifically praying for his deliverance; and God heard their prayers and answered their fervent request. Peter seemed to be at ease as he slept in his prison cell; he rested confidently in God's promises and protection. "The night before Herod was to bring him to trial, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, both bound with two chains, and sentries stood guard at the entrance. Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him up. "Quick, get up!" he said, and the chains fell off Peter's wrists" (Acts 12:6-7).

Once he was set free, Peter immediately went to those who helped gain his release. The believers who had gathered at the prayer meeting at Mary's house had been in continuous and fervent prayer for Peter's release; so intense in their petitioning they almost missed the knock at the door. The one who had been given the keys to unlock the doors of heaven, was locked outside the door of a prayer gathering filled with people who believed God would answer their prayers; however they expressed disbelief when the answer finally arrived (v.15). The scene is amusing, yet we might ask ourselves how many of us pray boldly and confidently, expecting God to answer, and then don't recognize the answer when it finally comes, even when it is staring us straight in the face? It is true we must persevere in our prayers; however, sometimes we need to get up and open the door to receive the answer God has for us. "Stand up! What are you doing down on your face?" (Joshua 7:10).

Heavenly Father,
Thank You for the gift of prayer
with which You enable us to fight,
not only against our enemies,
but to war for our friends who are
in the thick of the battle.
Father, we praise You for delays in answers to our prayers,
and in the hindered purposes of
evil men who are bent on destroying Your work,
that we might pray more fervently.
We are living in days of growing distress
and danger for Christians and our Religious
Liberties, but we thank You that You are
using these days to awaken a praying Church.
In these seasons where it seems, like it was
for Peter, that we are between a rock and a
hard place, and our sentence is determined,
You have positioned us purposefully
that no one, but You alone, our Rock and Refuge,
can rescue and deliver us.
Nothing is impossible for You.
Thank You for the reminder today that
You have come, and called us, to
"Proclaim liberty for the captives."
Thank You for entrusting to us the golden key of prayer
to "loose the chains of injustice", and to "set the captives free."
(Isaiah 58:6; 61:1)
In Jesus' Name. Amen.

After being rescued from the prison cell the angel told Peter to gird up his garments and put on his shoes before taking another step forward (v.8). Though it seemed like an extremely ordinary thing to do in an extremely extraordinary situation, we are reminded of our discussion of the full armor of God in yesterday's devotion. We have been set free from the bondage of sin and have been sealed by the Holy Spirit of God; however, to continue our journey and fulfill our commission we must be adequately dressed for battle. Everywhere we step as Christians in this world we are on a spiritual battlefield; we are in the midst of an ongoing holy war. Remember earlier in our journey when we talked about our prayer closet being the place we go to put on the garment of Jesus Christ. We must take time each day to put on the character, image, and nature of Jesus, if we are going to walk valiantly and victorious in this world (reference Philippians 2:5-11). By girding his clothes and putting on his shoes, Peter was prepared to move forward. God wasn't finished with Peter; there was still much work to be done. It is vital that we listen and obey the instructions, directions, and commands of God - to the smallest detail; in doing so we will be rescued, delivered, and set free to continue the work of leading other captives out of the bondage of wickedness into a life of freedom in Christ Jesus. This morning, as long as there is a battle raging, and there are prisoners who need to be set free - whether Christians in chains for their beliefs, or sinners in bondage to their sin - we must keep praying fervently and continuously until they are rescued and restored. "The LORD sets prisoners free..." (Psalm 146:7b).

[danfinger]

[Godbetheglory]

MORNING DEVOTION - "O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee..." (Psalm 63:1)

Scripture Reading: Acts 20:13-38

As we near the end of our journey together studying the important role prayer played in the early church, we find Paul getting ready to go onto Jerusalem and then eventually onto Rome, where his ministry will come to an end. Paul says goodbye to the elders at Ephesus, but takes time to exhort and care for the church, as was always his primary ministry. "I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches" (2 Corinthians 11:28). In his farewell address he reminds the leaders of the church of the work he had been called to do and the previous warnings he has given them. "So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears" (Acts 20:31). He exhorts them to be spiritual watchmen and to not let their guards down (reference Ezekiel 3:17). Paul then encourages them to continue the work they have been commissioned to carry forward. "Now I commit you to God and to the work of His grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified" (v.32). Finally, he called them to share all that they had with those in need. "We must help the weak" (v.35b).

Paul reminded the people of the importance of giving. At the heart of ministry is selfless, sacrificial giving which is the outflow of a heart that has experienced the extraordinary love of the Father who gives all good gifts, and a sincere desire to bless others out of the overflow of that love. He then took the opportunity to collect an offering to carry to the saints who were in need in Jerusalem. "At the present time your plenty will supply what they need, so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need" (2 Corinthians 8:14). In our discussion yesterday, we read how Jesus met the needs of the people He was ministering to. When Jesus began His earthly ministry He read from the scroll of Isaiah in the synagogue: "The Spirit of the Lord in on Me, because He has anointed Me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor" (Luke 4:18-19; Isaiah 61:1,2). Jesus had come to free mankind from the bondage of sin and death by offering Himself as our sin-sacrifice on the cross. He gave up His throne and became a servant so we could be saved (reference Philippians 2:7); He became poor so that we could become rich (reference 2 Corinthians 8:9). He set the supreme example for us to follow, so that we might experience the blessing of taking up our cross and becoming a blessing to others. "May those who bless you be blessed" (Numbers 4:9b).

The Lord bears the burdens of His people and watches over His servants so that His kingdom work can be accomplished. Throughout Paul's ministry the Lord was near Paul (Acts 23:11); he was given the strength and help he needed to complete the work he had been called to do (reference Acts 18:9; 22:18; 27:23). Paul, who understood what it meant to be weak, and in need of the Lord's help to accomplish his ministry work, boasted of his weakness, for it revealed God's provision of strength. "Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me" (2 Corinthians 12:9b). Paul encouraged the church to continue in the Lord's strength and to trust in His provision, sharing with others the blessings they had received from the Lord. Paul knew the Lord's work could only be done with the Lord's help, therefore he depended upon the prayers of the saints. When it was time to say goodbye he gathered them together to pray (reference Acts 20:36; 21:5). Of all the gifts we can give to others, our prayers provide the greatest power to meet their every need. May we pray and inquire of the Lord to show us how He would have us help meet the practical needs of the people He has brought into our lives with the time, talent, gifting, resources and spiritual blessings He has bestowed upon us.

Heavenly Father,
"Praise be to the God and Father
of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed
us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual
blessing in Christ." (Ephesians 1:3)
"We who are strong ought to bear with
the failings of the weak" (Romans 15:1).
Give us great endurance to pray fervently
for the blessings from Your hand that will
meet the many needs of the people
that You bring to our mind and place in our path today.
May I never fail to use the grace given to me
to proclaim "the unsearchable riches of Christ"
(Ephesians 3:8b).
In Jesus' Name. Amen.

Jesus accomplished His ministry with open hands, an open heart (the love of the Father poured out upon the earth), and a surrendered will. He stretched out His arms and had those tender, benevolent hands nailed to the cross that we might gain access to the infinite riches of His kingdom. He touched a multitude of people with His selfless acts of kindness and love, and blessed the whole world with His ultimate sacrificial gift. He set the supreme example for His disciples to follow. "I have set you and example that you should do as I have done for you" (John 13:15). The entire ministry of Christianity is rooted in giving. Our heavenly Father gives generously to His children who ask. What we receive from the Father we are not to keep for ourselves. What He gives to the faithful stewards of His kingdom is meant to be poured out as a blessing to others. It is our duty as His children to keep that channel of blessing clear and open through repentance, so that we can continually receive and give. "Freely you have received, freely give" (Matthew 10:8b). The destiny of the men is dependent upon the prayers of God's people. This morning let us enter our prayer closet and ask the Lord to clothe us with His power so we can pray down His blessings on the people He has placed in our lives and use us to reveal His glory on the earth.

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[danfinger]

Helper to the King in raising the Djed pillar. Lord of the mysteries of Roseatu, of the necropolis, of Kemit, of the temple of Ptah, of the sky, of the Earth and of the underground world…
I pray to these 8 divinities and listen to their words:

Osiris, Great God, Lord of Roseatu, the first of the west, Great God who said:
- I shall give you an awe inspiring funeral

Apis Osiris, the chief of the west, the King of gods, the Eternal Lord who is the master of eternity, said:
- I shall give you all good things of the country of the gods

Isis, the Great Mother of gods, Eye of Re, Queen of the Heavens said:
- I grant that your Ba will come to your defense.

Nephthys, God's sister (of Osiris), who protects her brother, said:
- I shall make breath to come into your nose.

Harendotes said:
- I will make sure that your remains stay where they are buried.

Anubis on his Mountain, the head of the divine halls, great God and Lord of the Necropolis says:
- I will give you all the sweet odors of the Necropolis.

Imhotep, Son of Ptah, capable in all his actions, and great miracle-worker, said:
- I will give you a son who will be very healthy.

The Mother of gods of the West said:
- the dead of the West will welcome you in peace, and you will join them in joy.

[Godbetheglory]

MORNING DEVOTION - "O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee..." (Psalm 63:1)

Scripture Reading: Daniel 9:1-19

Daniel was a devoted servant of God who was able to look and live beyond his challenging circumstances because he had his eyes and his heart fully fixed on God. In 606 - 605 B.C, when Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, laid siege to Jerusalem, Daniel and his three friends were included with the first group of Jews dragged from their homes and taken into captivity. From the very beginning of his time in exile Daniel was determined to live his life set apart to the Lord, and to resolved not to become corrupted by this pagan nation - the place God had brought His chosen people to cure them of their own idolatrous practices and covenant unfaithfulness (reference Daniel 1:8).

Daniel was a man of prayer who would not even allow the threat of being thrown into a den of hungry lions to interrupt his daily prayer meeting with the Lord (Daniel 6:10). Daniel was also a man of the Word who understood from his diligent studies that their captivity was almost over. His prayers were in accordance with God's revealed will. Therefore he prayed that God would prepare the people for their coming deliverance. Daniel became God's chosen instrument to intercede for the people of Israel as well as influence the reign of four kings. In Daniel's prayer for the restoration of his people we find a great model for our own prayers for our nation today. Before praying, Daniel prepared first by humbling himself before the Lord: "So I turned to the Lord God and pleaded with Him in prayer and petition, in fasting, and in sackcloth and ashes" (Daniel 9:3). He then began his prayer as many of the saints in the Scripture have - with adoration and worship; and acknowledging his fear of, and faith in, God. "O Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps His covenant of love with all who love Him and obey His commands" (v.4). When we fix our eyes and our hearts on how great our God is, we have no reason to fear man or believe that God doesn't want anything but His best for us. The Jewish people pointed the finger at the wicked people of Babylon for their personal woes, but Daniel recognized that they were responsible for their present circumstance. They had violated God's law and they had refused to listen to His repeated warnings through His prophets. Daniel acknowledged that it was sin that was the cause of all their trouble; therefore he confessed his sins to God, and included himself in his prayer of repentance for the sins of the nation. "We have sinned and done wrong. We have been wicked and have rebelled; we have turned away from your commands and laws" (v.5). God only needed to hear the cries of one faithful intercessor to be able to begin to work on behalf of His people (reference Exodus 32:11-14). God is always ready to pardon sin. When we come to the Lord with humble repentance in our hearts and with true confession on our lips, God will hear our prayers, forgive our sin, and bring the healing and restoration we need. Daniel reminded God of His past faithfulness, and he admitted that they deserved the punishment they were receiving, but, then he cried out for mercy; not for their sake, but that through their restoration God would be glorified. "We do not make requests of You because we are righteous, but because of Your great mercy. O Lord, listen! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, hear and act! For Your sake, O my God, do not delay, because Your city and Your people bear Your name (vv. 18b, 19)!"

God heard Daniel's prayer and He answered by moving the heart and hand of king Cyrus to issue a decree the very next year, allowing the Jews to return to their land and rebuild the temple (reference Ezra 1:1-4). It was about 67 years after the conquest that Daniel discovered, through studying the writings of Jeremiah, that their captivity in Babylon would last seventy-years. Believing that God would fulfill the promises in His word, Daniel sought the Lord with fasting and prayer to prepare the people for the future. We live in our own modern Babylon, and we are called to Christ to live set apart and "holy unto the Lord" as Daniel did, and not allow ourselves to be corrupted by the world, or conformed to its patterns, but rather be transformed daily by God's holy standards (reference Romans 12:2). The Scriptures tell us to be ready, watchful and prepared for the Lord's return (reference Matthew 24:45; 25:13; Mark 13:35; Luke 12:40). If we are believing and anticipating the Lord's return we should be praying more fervently for the people of God to respond to God's call to return and repent so we can purified and prepared to finish the work that we have been called to do (reference Matthew 28:18-20). We are called to be salt and light in this dark and tasteless world (reference Matthew 5:13-16), so that many will be drawn to Christ and be saved (reference Acts 2:38).

Heavenly Father,
"I will proclaim the name of the LORD.
Oh, praise the greatness of our God!
He is the Rock, His works are perfect,
and all His ways are just.
We have acted corruptly toward Him;
we are a warped and crooked generation -
a nation without sense or discernment.
Show us how to be wise in this evil age, and give us understanding.
Judge Your people and have compassion on Your servants.
For there is no god besides You.
You put to death and You bring to life,
You have wounded and You will heal,
and no one can deliver out of Your hand.
Rejoice, O nations, with His people,
for He will avenge the blood of His servants;
He will take vengeance on His enemies
and make atonement for His land and people."
(Deuteronomy 32:3-5, 28, 36, 39, 43)
In Jesus' Name. Amen.

As we meet with the Lord this morning, as we have done for the past 40 days, let us take time to write out our own prayer following the framework that Daniel has given us: (1) Adoration and worship - our worship must be focused on God if we are to be heard (true worship includes the Word of God. Worship begins and ends with knowing who God is and praising Him for being who He is. Search the Scriptures for verses that speak of God's character; Daniel included the words from Deuteronomy 7:9 and 7:21 in his prayer); (2) Confession and repentance - when we begin to worship the Lord with all our hearts and come in contact with His majesty and holiness, we become increasingly aware of the sinful condition of our own heart. Let us lay our hearts bare before the Lord and ask Him to make us aware of any sin that is hindering our prayers from being heard and answered. Let us take time today to confess our sin by name and be willing to turn from any unholy activity or pursuit. (3) Thanksgiving - Let us then offer a prayer of gratitude to the Lord for His forgiveness, His restoration, and for His continued blessings in our lives; finally, (4) Supplication - this is where we humbly and boldly submit our requests for others before the Lord. We begin our prayers by first focusing on the One who hears our prayers and meets our needs, and Who knows our every need before we even begin to pray, and then, after emptying self in our prayers of repentance we turn our attention to the needs of other. This is where Daniel reminds God of His past faithfulness in delivering His people, and asks for the Lord to extend His hand of mercy once again, that the name of God would be glorified. "Not to us, O LORD, not to us but to Your name be the glory, because of Your love and faithfulness" (Psalm 115:1).


_________

[danfinger]

Pure spiritual devotion is achieved when all desires drop away such as grief, hate, fleeting happiness or desire for personal gain. The result is the realization of ones true self. The spiritual devotee becomes intoxicated and overwhelmed with the bliss of union with the supreme. This bliss comes not from desire but from the true nature from within which is stillness. This inner stillness makes sacred the required functions that arise from one's position in life. The blissfull inner stillness is a product of a total focus on God and the successful avoidance of anything that would deflect one from that focus.

[Godbetheglory]

As we meet with the Lord this morning, as we have done for the past 40 days, let us take time to write out our own prayer following the framework that Daniel has given us: (1) Adoration and worship - our worship must be focused on God if we are to be heard (true worship includes the Word of God. Worship begins and ends with knowing who God is and praising Him for being who He is. Search the Scriptures for verses that speak of God's character; Daniel included the words from Deuteronomy 7:9 and 7:21 in his prayer); (2) Confession and repentance - when we begin to worship the Lord with all our hearts and come in contact with His majesty and holiness, we become increasingly aware of the sinful condition of our own heart. Let us lay our hearts bare before the Lord and ask Him to make us aware of any sin that is hindering our prayers from being heard and answered. Let us take time today to confess our sin by name and be willing to turn from any unholy activity or pursuit. (3) Thanksgiving - Let us then offer a prayer of gratitude to the Lord for His forgiveness, His restoration, and for His continued blessings in our lives; finally, (4) Supplication - this is where we humbly and boldly submit our requests for others before the Lord. We begin our prayers by first focusing on the One who hears our prayers and meets our needs, and Who knows our every need before we even begin to pray, and then, after emptying self in our prayers of repentance we turn our attention to the needs of other. This is where Daniel reminds God of His past faithfulness in delivering His people, and asks for the Lord to extend His hand of mercy once again, that the name of God would be glorified. "Not to us, O LORD, not to us but to Your name be the glory, because of Your love and faithfulness" (Psalm 115:1).

[danfinger]

Hail Odhinn, Lord of Asgard,
Warrior and wanderer, valiant and wise,
You to whom all the gods of Asgard look,
Sky Father on the eight-legged steed,
You who traded an eye for wisdom
And ruled a turbulent realm,
Give us the wisdom to accept
The twists and turns of Fate
Even as you surrendered yourself
To the mercies of the Norns.
Protect us, All-Father,
From what harm may come to us.
Lead us through the wilderness
And bring us safely to that great hall
That you reserve only for the brave of spirit.