Tag: prayer

faith

Devotional for January 26

Bruce ColemanLeave a comment

Praise the Lord, O My Soul

15 As for man, his days are as grass: as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth.
16 For the wind passeth over it, and it is gone; and the place thereof shall know it no more.
17 But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children's children;
18 To such as keep his covenant, and to those that remember his commandments to do them.
19 The Lord hath prepared his throne in the heavens; and his kingdom ruleth over all.
20 Bless the Lord, ye his angels, that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word.
21 Bless ye the Lord, all ye his hosts; ye ministers of his, that do his pleasure.
22 Bless the Lord, all his works in all places of his dominion: bless the Lord, O my soul. Psalm 103:15-22 (KJV)

The Morning Exhortation

Just as the newborn baby needs to be nourished for physical growth, so to the believer needs to be nourished with the pure spiritual milk of the Word of God to grow. Obey and pray, then pray and work. Do everything with prayer and thanksgiving. Be it physical or spiritual, you’ve got to be nourished and be willing to grow. Remember that faith in God must be tested, and that such properly placed faith will never fail. Everybody wants to be blessed, but few are willing to actually obey the Word of God and pray. Our Lord promised to give us His peace. Pray for it, be still and know that He is God. Allow the peace of God to be the normal default temperature setting of your heart. When this inner peace is disturbed, look for the cause and take appropriate action. Be quick to confess and forsake every sin no matter how small. Be quick to forgive others. Be quick to make amends, and quick to right any wrongs. Do these things, and the peace of God that surpasses understanding will quickly return to you.  

Today’s Bible Reading

Genesis 27; Matthew 26

Esther 3; Acts 26

The Prayer Appointed for This Week

Almighty God, whose Son our Savior Jesus Christ is the light of the world: Grant that your people, illumined by your Word, may shine with the radiance of Christ’s glory, that he may be known, worshipped, and obeyed to the ends of the earth; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, now and for ever. Amen. The Book of Common Prayer

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Devotional for January 19

Bruce ColemanLeave a comment

The Lord Accepts My Prayer

106 Praise ye the Lord. O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.
2 Who can utter the mighty acts of the Lord? who can shew forth all his praise?
3 Blessed are they that keep judgment, and he that doeth righteousness at all times.
4 Remember me, O Lord, with the favour that thou bearest unto thy people: O visit me with thy salvation;
5 That I may see the good of thy chosen, that I may rejoice in the gladness of thy nation, that I may glory with thine inheritance.
6 We have sinned with our fathers, we have committed iniquity, we have done wickedly.
7 Our fathers understood not thy wonders in Egypt; they remembered not the multitude of thy mercies; but provoked him at the sea, even at the Red sea.
8 Nevertheless he saved them for his name's sake, that he might make his mighty power to be known.
9 He rebuked the Red sea also, and it was dried up: so he led them through the depths, as through the wilderness.
10 And he saved them from the hand of him that hated them, and redeemed them from the hand of the enemy.
47 Save us, O Lord our God, and gather us from among the heathen, to give thanks unto thy holy name, and to triumph in thy praise.
48 Blessed be the Lord God of Israel from everlasting to everlasting: and let all the people say, Amen. Praise ye the Lord. Psalm 106:1-10, 47-48 (KJV)

The Morning Exhortation

Strength is not renewed by diet, exercise, and rest alone. Strength is also a spiritual fruit. Make the spiritual tree good and the fruit will be good as well. Do not be content with a secondhand knowledge of God. Taste and see that the Lord is good for yourself. Working out our salvation has to do with willfully practicing the change of heart God has created within us into our everyday life and way of living. This is the working out of what God has worked within. The greatest gains are made by standing firm in the face of the resistance provided by the wickedness of this fallen world. Faith grows strong with testing, with preservice, and with patience. Trust in God. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He asks each of us just as He did the blind men: “Do you believe I am able to do this?” We must first choose to believe that God is able, and then to acknowledge the fact that He is also willing to grant all that He has promised. The chief of our faculties is the will. The will must learn to hold faith in God as the default rule of the heart. It is natural for the emotions to respond automatically to what the eyes see, which will often leave us suspectable to evil thoughts from within. Still, being born again by the Spirit makes us free to exercise our will in order to keep the heart firm in faith. Assurance of the truth comes in time. The essence of the Gospel promise is this: come to the Lord just as you are, be transformed, and all things will become new. Trust the Lord. Be strong and courageous. The God who has commanded us is almighty and forever faithful. The promise “ask and you shall receive” belongs to those who choose to please God.

Today’s Bible Reading

Genesis 20; Matthew 19

Nehemiah 9; Acts 19

The Prayer Appointed for This Week

Almighty God, whose Son our Savior Jesus Christ is the light of the world: Grant that your people, illumined by your Word, may shine with the radiance of Christ’s glory, that he may be known, worshipped, and obeyed to the ends of the earth; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, now and for ever. Amen. The Book of Common Prayer

faith

Devotional for January 18

Bruce ColemanLeave a comment

O Lord, Give Strength to Your Servants

11 Teach me thy way, O Lord; I will walk in thy truth: unite my heart to fear thy name.
12 I will praise thee, O Lord my God, with all my heart: and I will glorify thy name for evermore.
13 For great is thy mercy toward me: and thou hast delivered my soul from the lowest hell.
14 O God, the proud are risen against me, and the assemblies of violent men have sought after my soul; and have not set thee before them.
15 But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, long suffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth.
16 O turn unto me, and have mercy upon me; give thy strength unto thy servant, and save the son of thine handmaid.
17 Shew me a token for good; that they which hate me may see it, and be ashamed: because thou, Lord, hast holpen me, and comforted me. Psalm 86:11-17 (KJV)

The Morning Exhortation

There is only so much that can be achieved by working to strengthen the physical body alone. We certainly have need of our physical strength and good health in this life, but these profit little unless the inner life is set right before the eyes of God as well. Funerals and the grave are stark reminders of our physical limitations in this life. Go first to God, but not for His gifts. Seek God simply as a child desiring to know his Father. Our first priority must be in restoring our proper relationship with God. This will bring healing for the inner life as well as provide health to the body and nourishment to the bones. Only in Christ Jesus does life have true hope and death loses its sting.

Today’s Bible Reading

Genesis 19; Matthew 18

Nehemiah 8; Acts 18

The Prayer Appointed for This Week

Almighty God, whose Son our Savior Jesus Christ is the light of the world: Grant that your people, illumined by your Word, may shine with the radiance of Christ’s glory, that he may be known, worshipped, and obeyed to the ends of the earth; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, now and for ever. Amen. The Book of Common Prayer

faith

Devotional for January 14

Bruce ColemanLeave a comment
Black and white photo of a flying dove.

The God of My Salvation

25 Unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul.
2 O my God, I trust in thee: let me not be ashamed, let not mine enemies triumph over me.
3 Yea, let none that wait on thee be ashamed: let them be ashamed which transgress without cause.
4 Shew me thy ways, O Lord; teach me thy paths.
5 Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all the day. Psalm 25:1-5 (KJV)

The Morning Exhortation

There is a difference between “eating to live” and “living to eat.” The main motive when living to eat is the pleasure that comes from what tastes good. Eating only what tastes good in this modern age will only make you sick. This is because today there are literally thousands of highly delicious food-like stuff filled with fat/sugar/salt and void of nutrients in grocery stores, restaurants, and convenience stores everywhere. Our food has been scientifically engineered to taste good and leave the body craving for more. The modern table has become a snare to us. As a result we are the fattest and sickest generation in history. It’s a consequence of our food producers being a for profit industry, and the use of modern science to hijack our taste buds to get at our dollars. Many Pilgrims traveling through the forest are enticed off the straight path by the deceiver’s sugary coated persuasions to avoid all hardship and eat only what is delicious. Running from the promised tribulations of a righteous life will surely stunt the Christian’s growth. This will keep them a breast sucking babe long after the time when they should have be a fully develop flame of fire. Strive to be conformed to the Word of God in all you do, say, and think. Deny the taste buds, choose to walk by faith regardless of how hard the way may seem. Though the forest may be dark at times, there is a shining city up ahead. The Holy Guest is more than able to get you there safely.

Today’s Bible Reading

Genesis 15; Matthew 14

Nehemiah 4; Acts 14

The Prayer Appointed for This Week

Father in heaven, who at the baptism of Jesus in the River Jordan proclaimed him your beloved Son and anointed him with the Holy Spirit: Grant that all who are baptized into His Name may keep the covenant they have made, and boldly confess him as Lord and Savior; who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen. The Book of Common Prayer

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Devotional for January 9

Bruce ColemanLeave a comment

O God of Our Salvation

65 Praise waiteth for thee, O God, in Sion: and unto thee shall the vow be performed.
2 O thou that hearest prayer, unto thee shall all flesh come.
3 Iniquities prevail against me: as for our transgressions, thou shalt purge them away.
4 Blessed is the man whom thou choosest, and causest to approach unto thee, that he may dwell in thy courts: we shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy house, even of thy holy temple.
5 By terrible things in righteousness wilt thou answer us, O God of our salvation; who art the confidence of all the ends of the earth, and of them that are afar off upon the sea: Psalm 65:1-5 (KJV)

The Morning Exhortation

God is able to heal by miracle or by pill. To expect a miracle when the ordinary means of grace have already been provided is to tempt God. When you have a headache, don’t pray for it to be miraculously relieved when God has already given you the bottle of aspirin in your hand. Give thanks for the aspirin, bless it in the name of the Lord, and then take the proper dose knowing that it is just the means by which the Lord heals you. Blessed is the one who is able to see the invisible hand of God in all things. From everlasting to everlasting, God is good. Let this be the bedrock of your faith and trust in the Lord. Do what good you can with what you have right now, and every day you will be walking in your calling. It’s not fancy, but it works when you believe.

Today’s Bible Reading

Genesis 9-10; Matthew 9

Ezra 9; Acts 9

The Prayer Appointed for This Week

Father in heaven, who at the baptism of Jesus in the River Jordan proclaimed him your beloved Son and anointed him with the Holy Spirit: Grant that all who are baptized into His Name may keep the covenant they have made, and boldly confess him as Lord and Savior; who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen. The Book of Common Prayer

faith

Devotional for January 6

Bruce ColemanLeave a comment

Every Day I Will Praise You

145 I will extol thee, my God, O king; and I will bless thy name for ever and ever.
2 Every day will I bless thee; and I will praise thy name for ever and ever.
3 Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; and his greatness is unsearchable.
4 One generation shall praise thy works to another, and shall declare thy mighty acts.
5 I will speak of the glorious honour of thy majesty, and of thy wondrous works.
6 And men shall speak of the might of thy terrible acts: and I will declare thy greatness.
7 They shall abundantly utter the memory of thy great goodness, and shall sing of thy righteousness. Psalm 145:1-7 (KJV)

The Morning Exhortation

What we feed and do with the body will eventually be reflected in the mirror. The unseen always precedes what is seen. This is true for both our physical and spiritual natures. Desires are like strong winds that constantly blow to move the hands and feet towards scratching every itch. Like compound interest, good desires work for us and wrong desires work against us. Therefore, feed on the pure spiritual milk of the word and obey the command to store up the word of God in your heart. Be quick to turn the eyes, ears, head, hands, and feet from anything that would feed evil desires. Be it as dear as an eye or hand, pluck it out or cut it off. Seek to walk with the living God and to do His will. Let this be your treasure. Know for certain that every command of God is also a promise. God is not like Pharoah who commanded the children of Israel to make bricks without straw. All that God commands, He has also promised to enable us to do. Therefore, ask for what He has commanded, believe that He will give you the power to do it, and by faith receive it and obey. Great is the God we serve! He is perfect in love and infinite in power.

Today’s Bible Reading

Genesis 6; Matthew 6

Ezra 6; Acts 6

The Prayer Appointed for This Week

O God, who wonderfully created, and yet more wonderfully restored, the dignity of human nature: Grant that we may share the divine life of him who humbled himself to share our humanity, your Son Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. Book of Common Prayer

faith

Devotional for January 3

Bruce ColemanLeave a comment

Tremble, O Earth, at the Presence of the Lord

114 When Israel went out of Egypt, the house of Jacob from a people of strange language;
2 Judah was his sanctuary, and Israel his dominion.
3 The sea saw it, and fled: Jordan was driven back.
4 The mountains skipped like rams, and the little hills like lambs.
5 What ailed thee, O thou sea, that thou fleddest? thou Jordan, that thou wast driven back?
6 Ye mountains, that ye skipped like rams; and ye little hills, like lambs?
7 Tremble, thou earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob;
8 Which turned the rock into a standing water, the flint into a fountain of waters. Psalm 114 (KJV)

The Morning Exhortation

We must be willing to be humble and acknowledge our own weakness before our prayers for strength from God will avail much. Grace is offered to all, but only faith receives it. Daily we must feed on the Word. We spend years in schools learning the ways of the world that don’t profit the soul at all. The scientific worldview has come to dominate all aspects of daily life. We are constantly surrender by advertising and entertainment that draws us to the things of this world. Such worldly influences void of the knowledge of God have both immediate and delayed consequences. Perhaps all of these things are examples of the flood from the serpent’s mouth spoken of in Revelation 12:15. Who will save us from all that is set against us to cause us to be carried away by the ways of this world? Let us humbly turn to God with all our heart and receive the grace of Lord we so desperately need. We can do all things though Christ only because of the love God has for us. By faith, which is setting of our will to refuse all that is contrary to faith in Him, are we saved to the uttermost. We believe the witness of men we deem trustworthy. How much more should we accept the witness of the living God who loves us. The only reason we can love Him is because He has first loved us. Remain in His love, set your mind right, fix your eyes on Jesus, and seek to know Him better. This is His will for us in Christ Jesus. 

Today’s Bible Reading

Genesis 3; Matthew 3

Ezra 3; Acts 3

The Prayer Appointed for This Week

O God, who wonderfully created, and yet more wonderfully restored, the dignity of human nature: Grant that we may share the divine life of him who humbled himself to share our humanity, your Son Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. Book of Common Prayer

faith

Devotional for December 31

Bruce ColemanLeave a comment

Let All Creation Praise the Name of the Lord

148 Praise ye the Lord. Praise ye the Lord from the heavens: praise him in the heights.
2 Praise ye him, all his angels: praise ye him, all his hosts.
3 Praise ye him, sun and moon: praise him, all ye stars of light.
4 Praise him, ye heavens of heavens, and ye waters that be above the heavens.
5 Let them praise the name of the Lord: for he commanded, and they were created.
6 He hath also stablished them for ever and ever: he hath made a decree which shall not pass.
7 Praise the Lord from the earth, ye dragons, and all deeps:
8 Fire, and hail; snow, and vapours; stormy wind fulfilling his word:
9 Mountains, and all hills; fruitful trees, and all cedars:
10 Beasts, and all cattle; creeping things, and flying fowl:
11 Kings of the earth, and all people; princes, and all judges of the earth:
12 Both young men, and maidens; old men, and children:
13 Let them praise the name of the Lord: for his name alone is excellent; his glory is above the earth and heaven.
14 He also exalteth the horn of his people, the praise of all his saints; even of the children of Israel, a people near unto him. Praise ye the Lord. Psalm 148 (KJV)

The Morning Exhortation

Wisdom begins with the fear of the Lord, so says the holy Scriptures. Everyday life is full of choices. We can do this or that. We can go here or there. Remembering that all that we do is seen by God, our love for God compels us to want to do only what pleases Him. There is also a measure of self-preservation in the fear of the Lord. Just like self-preservation will motivate a person who is allergic to bee stings to avoid being stung at all costs. The fear of bees is strong in all who have had an allergic reaction in the past because they know that if they are ever stung again they could die. Such a person would never say, “it’s just a little bee, no need to avoid it.” So too does the fear of the Lord cause an instant aversion to all sin no matter how big or small. The fear of the Lord functions like a guard rail on the narrow way to keep us in the love of God. A type of automatic sensor that prevents us from descending to the left or to the right. This is wisdom indeed. To all those who are finding the way difficult, bear with it for as long as it takes for the switch to flip. When things get as hard as they can possibly get, realize from that point on they can only get easier. Be strong and courageous. Hold on, trusting in Almighty God. Put all your hope in God alone. Give thanks for His unchangeable goodness toward us. Rejoice and praise the Lord regardless of current circumstances, which are only temporary even though they sometimes linger with no end in sight. O Lord, with the dawn of this New Year, let the words of our mouths and the mediation of our hearts be pleasing to You. And let our prayers be in accordance with Thy will. Let the fear of the Lord always be before our eyes so that we hold firmly to the narrow path of eternal life. Let all that is within us praise Thy Holy Name!

Today’s Bible Reading

2 Chronicles 36; Revelation 22

Malachi 4; John 21

The Prayer Appointed for This Week

Almighty God, you have given your only-begotten Son to take our nature upon him, and to be born of a pure virgin: Grant that I, who have been born again and made your child by adoption and grace, may daily be renewed by your Holy Spirit; through my Lord Jesus Christ, to whom with you and the same Spirit be honor and glory, now and for ever. Amen. Book of Common Prayer

faith

Devotional for December 23

Bruce ColemanLeave a comment

It Is Written

6 Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire; mine ears hast thou opened: burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required.
7 Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me,
8 I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart. Psalm 40:6-8 (KJV)

Morning Exhortation

If you have ever been unable to stop yourself from crying while watching a movie you knew to be fictional, you’ve had a real experience of what is unreal. Vicarious experiences such as these are the real danger of movies, television, music, and video games. It’s because our brains learn from them just as it learns from all real-life experiences. Even a surface understanding of neuroscience and the plasticity of the brain reveals that the brain is changed through cinematic sinful deeds enacted and watched for entertainment. We become indifferent to the name of the Lord routinely being taken in vain, and the glorification of all sorts of wickedness while manipulating the consequences for climatic effect. God is not mocked. The Hollywood tabloids are filled with scandal after scandal of the actors and singers that reap the effects of the wickedness they continually portray for entertainment. It is a rare entertainer indeed that escapes the reality that comes along with a life of make believe under the bright lights. Even though these people are idolized by millions, they are often just blind pawns miss-leading the masses. It is wise to consider where a star is pointing before choosing to follow.

Today’s Bible Reading

2 Chronicles 27-28; Revelation 14

Zechariah 10; John 13

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

Almighty and everlasting God, increase in me the gifts of faith, hope, and love; and, that I may obtain what you promise, make me love what you command; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

faith

Devotional for December 22

Bruce ColemanLeave a comment

He Holds Our Souls in Life

8 O bless our God, ye people, and make the voice of his praise to be heard:
9 Which holdeth our soul in life, and suffereth not our feet to be moved.
10 For thou, O God, hast proved us: thou hast tried us, as silver is tried.
11 Thou broughtest us into the net; thou laidst affliction upon our loins.
12 Thou hast caused men to ride over our heads; we went through fire and through water: but thou broughtest us out into a wealthy place.
13 I will go into thy house with burnt offerings: I will pay thee my vows,
17 I cried unto him with my mouth, and he was extolled with my tongue.
18 If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me:
19 But verily God hath heard me; he hath attended to the voice of my prayer.
20 Blessed be God, which hath not turned away my prayer, nor his mercy from me. Psalm 66:8-13, 17-20 (KJV)

Morning Exhortation

Hope is the fuel that keeps the candle of the spirit shining bright in the soul. Hope is a firm conviction that future grace and mercy will be. Difficulties and troubles are common in this world, and hope makes it possible to bear and pass through them all. Stand firm then, with faith and love as your body armor, hope as your helmet of salvation, and keep your right hand in the hand of Almighty God. Be strong.

Today’s Bible Reading

2 Chronicles 26; Revelation 13

Zechariah 9; John 12

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

Almighty and everlasting God, increase in me the gifts of faith, hope, and love; and, that I may obtain what you promise, make me love what you command; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.