“All that a college course can do for a student is coarse and external compared with the spiritual and delicate refinement obtained by communion with God. …All our libraries and studies are mere emptiness compared with our [prayer] closets. We grow, we wax mighty, we prevail in private prayer.” -Charles Spurgeon
The Bible says that Abraham was a man full of faith. On the surface it looks like he walked with God without the struggles I face in my life. But, if we dig a little deeper we see a much different story. What about the time God asked Abraham to sacrifice his son? And God said, “Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou anything unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou has not withheld thy son, thine only son from me.” (Genesis 22:12 in the King James Version of the Holy Bible). When the faith test ended God said, “now I know.” In other words, Abraham proved just how much he trusted Him. God wasn’t sure how Abraham would react to His request. The tests you are facing will prove to God whether you trust Him or not.
Prayer: Lord, I know You are always faithful. I’m never alone in any situation. You are always with me. I want to be faithful and prove my faith by my actions.
Devotion by: Kaye Singleton
“If I should neglect prayer but a single day, I should lose a great deal of the fire of faith.” – Martin Luther
“Reading without meditation is unfruitful; meditation without reading is hurtful; to meditate and to read without prayer upon both is without blessing.”
My husband is an avid fisherman. He will take our grandson and spend hours baiting his hook with those nasty worms to catch a few fish. I must admit, he rarely goes fishing without catching anything. Reading in the Book of John, I can imagine the exasperated fishermen who fished all night and caught NOTHING. John 21:3 says, “Simon Peter saith unto them, I go a- fishing. They say unto him, we also go with thee. They went forth, and entered into a ship immediately: and that night they caught nothing” (In the King James Version of the Holy Bible). The Bible says Jesus asked them to fish on the other side of the boat and their long night of nothing turned into something. It always amazes me how quickly Jesus can turn things around. What a fish story they had to tell!
Prayer: Today, I need to hear from You, Lord. My efforts seem to have been in vain. Let me hear Your voice directing me. I know You have the answer! In Jesus’ Name! Amen!
Devotion by: Kaye Singleton
“All you need to do to learn to pray is to pray.” -Wesley Duewel (Mighty Prevailing Prayer)
“When I am praying the most eloquently, I am getting the least accomplished in my prayer life. But when I stop getting eloquent and give God less theology and shut up and just gaze upward and wait for God to speak to my heart He speaks with such power that I have to grab a pencil and a notebook and take notes on what God is saying to me.”
Driving under the influence or (DUI) is at all time high in our community. People who drink and get into a car lose the ability to make good decisions. I find we have a considerable amount of folks who are functioning under the influence of others. They have allowed others to steer them the wrong way. It doesn’t just affect the common man but those in affluent positions are often under the influence of others. Solomon was a great king who was influenced by his wives. “For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods; and his heart was not perfect with the Lord his God, as was the heart of David his father” (1 Kings 11:4 in the King James Version of the Holy Bible). Who is influencing you?
Prayer: Lord, give me a clean heart. Let me always serve You and You only! Keep me from being distracted and affected by the influence of others to the point that I turn from following You. Amen.
Devotion by: Kaye Singleton
“But he forsook the counsel of the old men, which they had given him, and consulted with the young men that were grown up with him, and which stood before him” (1 Kings 12:8 in the King James Version of the Holy Bible). Peer pressure is prevalent at any age. We do care what our peers have to say. Rehoboam was a new king under pressure. He wanted to know how to handle his constituents. First he went to the elders and asked them what to do. Next he went to the young men who he had grown up with. What was the end result? He was pressured by those peers to do the wrong thing which ended in disaster.
Prayer: I am facing a decision and, Lord, I want to make the right one. Help me not to give into my peers because of what they think. Thank You for those elders who have already crossed a similar path. Give me wisdom to hear Your voice in the matter.
Devotion by: Kaye Singleton