Replies

Ddevotional.

"I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you" (Psalm 119:11, NIV).

A Word From Billy Graham
"Do you have a time when you gather your family together for a few minutes and read them a few verses from the Bible and pray? Maybe you've never had a family altar in your home and you feel embarrassed to talk to your wife or your husband about it. You don't know how to bring it up. Why is this? Why is it embarrassing to talk about the Kings of kings and the Lord of lords? Is it embarrassing to talk about the Queen of England? Is it embarrassing to talk about some scientific discovery? Why is it embarrassing to talk about the Creator of the whole universe? Why are we timid about talking to Him? We have the privilege of coming every day into the throne room, and it will do more to solve our family problems than anything else, yet we don't do it. Why? Has Satan somehow trapped us into thinking that prayer doesn't count? What is your attitude toward the world situation? Are you wringing your hands all the time and saying the world is going to the devil? Or do you tell your children of God's plan as given in the Bible: that Christ is coming back to set up His Kingdom; that Utopia is coming, and while we may see world problems gathering on the dark horizon, beyond it is the Kingdom of God? They should see the smile of faith on your face."

The Blessings of Daily Devotions
"My habit of reading the Bible daily began before my salvation. I was 13 years old when I decided to follow my mother's example: She read her Bible every morning. For me, for 16 years, it was mere ritual. I seemed to gain no spiritual insight -- yet God used this ritual. One day He opened my eyes with just one verse. Suddenly I knew that Jesus Christ is God in the flesh and that He died for my sins. At that point, my ritual became life-changing. I started reading the Bible with enthusiasm. It started to make sense. Then someone told me, 'Read the Bible until the Lord speaks to you, then write what He says.' I began again, starting with the Gospel of John, and moving through the rest of the New Testament. Through the years I have tried other methods which all have helped me in some way. Daily devotions put me in a place where God can apply His Word to my life. He rebukes and convicts me of sin, warns against certain behaviors and attitudes, and offers new ways to think and to speak. And He knows exactly what I need, repeatedly surprising me at just the right time with just the right passage" (Elsie Montgomery).

Prayer
Lord, at times we have taken for granted the privilege of coming daily into Your presence. We want to be closer to You and to hear Your voice daily. Please help us to put aside the distractions of life, to daily read the Bible and to pray. Teach us the joy of spending time with You. We pray in Jesus' name. Amen.