Devotional for March 4

The Hope of the Faithful

16 Preserve me, O God: for in thee do I put my trust.
2 O my soul, thou hast said unto the Lord, Thou art my Lord: my goodness extendeth not to thee;
3 But to the saints that are in the earth, and to the excellent, in whom is all my delight.
4 Their sorrows shall be multiplied that hasten after another god: their drink offerings of blood will I not offer, nor take up their names into my lips.
5 The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup: thou maintainest my lot.
6 The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; yea, I have a goodly heritage.
7 I will bless the Lord, who hath given me counsel: my reins also instruct me in the night seasons.
8 I have set the Lord always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.
9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope. Psalm 16:1-9 (KJV)

The Prayer Appointed for This Week

O God, our Father, Thou Searcher of human hearts, help us to draw near to Thee in sincerity and truth. May our religion be filled with gladness and may our worship of Thee be natural. Strengthen and increase our admiration for honest dealing and clean thinking, and suffer not our hatred of hypocrisy and pretense ever to diminish. Encourage us in our endeavor to live above the common level of life. Make us to choose the harder right instead of the easier wrong, and never to be content with a half truth when the whole can be won; through your Son Jesus Christ our Lord; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. based on the West Point Cadet Prayer

The Morning Exhortation

Our strength flows from the heart. Let the heart be established by grace and guarded by faith. Faith always counsels what is best and leads to strength. One of the inner tempter’s devices is to get us to focus on fear or worry instead of faith. When faith is left unattended, it can be plucked off like a feather from the wing and then blown about and tossed in the wind. If you choose faith, consider the decision settled forever. Never look back, and faith will never fail you. Focus on faith and let fear starve to death. Let the love of God be a purifying fire in your heart. The lukewarm of heart, not really awake, not really dreaming, breeds only murmuring, suffering, and unhappiness. The way of the burning heart on the other hand, is like a champion rejoicing to run a difficult race. Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to be champions of anything. It is God who has made us, who heals us, sustains us, and leads us. To Him be the glory and power forever. 

Question

How can we get rid off worry and fear?

Answer

Control attention, focus, and re-focus. Faith must take worry and fear to the Savior and leave them there with Him. If they come back, give them over to Him again and again as often as necessary.