Daily Prayer

Good Friday morning, my friends.

 

This morning on my way to work I was listening to the letter of 1 John.  I heard this: 

If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person?  Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth. (1 John 3:17-18) 

I was pondering those words, and frankly feeling more than a little convicted as I considered people I see on the streets, news reports from Somalia and Haiti, etc. And then I heard the next 3 verses: 

This is how we know that we belong to the truth and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence:  If our hearts condemn us, we know that God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything.  Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God (1 John 3:19-23) 

My heart was condemning me. Or was it?  Often the evil one whispers these lies in our ears so that we begin to feel unworthy.  I gotta tell you though – I struggle with the concept that "It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God" (Matthew 19:24).  

 

We need to work this through carefully (and continually).  We must always be asking ourselves where are hearts truly are in any given situation for that is what indicates our motives and intentions.  We should be preaching the Gospel to ourselves every day (or even more often) – praying the sinner's prayer every day.  That is how we have confidence before God.

 

 

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

Bruce

 

 

Heavenly Father,

 

I know that I have sinned against you and that my sins separate me from you.

 

I am truly sorry. I now want to turn away from my sinful past and turn to you for forgiveness. Please forgive me, and help me avoid sinning again.

 

I believe that your Son, Jesus Christ, died for my sins, that He was raised from the dead, is alive, and hears my prayer.

 

I invite Jesus to become my Savior and the Lord of my life, to rule and reign in my heart from this day forward.

 

Please send your Holy Spirit to help me obey You and to convict me when I sin.

 

I pledge to grow in grace and knowledge of you.

 

My greatest purpose in life is to follow your example and do Your will for the rest of my life.

 

In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.

Bruce MacPherson macpherson@celtic.ca / Blog: The Celtic Christian / Home: 613.489.4174 Cell: 613.720.0821 You are receiving this email because you have requested it or I felt you would be interested in this material. If you would like to be removed from this email list, please do not hesitate to contact me at the above email address. Likewise, if you know of someone else who you believe would appreciate receiving these messages, please let me know.