Devotional for March 26

Sing Praises to God Our King

47 O clap your hands, all ye people; shout unto God with the voice of triumph.
2 For the Lord most high is terrible; he is a great King over all the earth.
3 He shall subdue the people under us, and the nations under our feet.
4 He shall choose our inheritance for us, the excellency of Jacob whom he loved. Selah.
5 God is gone up with a shout, the Lord with the sound of a trumpet.
6 Sing praises to God, sing praises: sing praises unto our King, sing praises.
7 For God is the King of all the earth: sing ye praises with understanding.
8 God reigneth over the heathen: God sitteth upon the throne of his holiness.
9 The princes of the people are gathered together, even the people of the God of Abraham: for the shields of the earth belong unto God: he is greatly exalted. Psalm 47 (KJV)

The Morning Exhortation

What do you do when you wake up feeling like an ugly duckling still in the shell? Remember that feelings are vain and faith creates reality, so get to pecking. That’s what to do. Just as the Israelites in the desert had to lift their gaze off the snake bites and onto the bronze serpent, so do we need to lift our gaze off what is troubling us and onto our Lord Jesus Christ. He is our all sufficient loving Savior, whose name is above every name, and in whose hands are all power and authority on earth and in heaven. Despite any feelings, regardless of the circumstances, we are commanded by the written word of God to be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. Pharaoh commanded the Israelites to make bricks even while denying them the materials they needed to obey his command. Be fully convinced of the truth that God is righteous and always abundantly supplies the means to accomplish what He commands of us. It doesn’t depend on your strength or your will power. That would be to fall into the trap of trying to do the work of God in the power of the flesh rather than in the power of the Spirit. Deny self if you would know the power of God. The flesh and the Spirit are not compatible. To hold onto one, you must choose to let go of the other. Though the enemy will try to convince you otherwise, it is so easy a child can do it. Only believe. “Have faith in God” is the one command that unlocks all the promises of God. 

Question

Money problems, family problems, health problems, and many more heavy and grievous burdens there are for us to bare in this world. How many of such burdens are Christians to struggle underneath?

Answer

Not a single one! Remember the command of our Lord Jesus Christ who beacons all who are weary under heavy burdens to come take His yoke upon you (Matthew 11:28-30). Give your burdens to Him and He will give you rest (1 Peter 5:6-10). We only need concern ourselves with doing the best we can with each present moment, and in faith release all future results to be determined by the Lord (Matthew 6:25-34). 

The Prayer Appointed for This Week

Almighty God, you know that we have no power in ourselves to help ourselves: Keep me both outwardly in my body and inwardly in my soul, that I may be defended from all adversities which may happen to the body, and from all evil thoughts which may assault and hurt the soul; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen. from the Book of Common Prayer