Devotional for October 16

God Is My Strength and Portion Forever

24 Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory.
25 Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee.
26 My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.
27 For, lo, they that are far from thee shall perish: thou hast destroyed all them that go a whoring from thee.
28 But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord God, that I may declare all thy works. Psalm 73:24-28 (KJV)

Morning Exhortation

To err is human because in our own strength we will always be limited in knowledge and finite in power. Take up what God has provided by His grace to equip us for all that is to come. Put on the whole armor of God. Set your heart fully to stand firm in the knowledge of Jesus Christ. Consider it all joy to fight the good fight of the faith, which means to resist the devil and the fiery thoughts of unbelief slung at us by lifting up the shield of faith with praise and thanksgiving to God. Do this and the enemy will flee from you. Be on guard against him sneaking back in when given an opportune moment to entice you into turning your thoughts out of the way of faith. It is to the enemy’s advantage if he can get you to focus only on your feelings, on your problems, on your circumstances, or on the difficulties set against you. Getting us to believe in accordance to how we feel rather than what God has said is one of the devil’s favorite tactics. Fight the good fight of faith as God has commanded, and God will give us the victory every time. Let us encourage one another to stand firm in faith, praising and thanking God. So let it be just as it is written, we are more than conquerors through Christ Jesus. 

Today’s Bible Reading

1 Thessalonians 2

Psalm 105

The Prayer Appointed for This Week from the Book of Common Prayer

Almighty and everlasting God, in Christ you have revealed your glory among the nations: Preserve the works of your mercy, that your Church throughout the world may persevere with steadfast faith in the confession of your Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.