Answered Prayer

 

In these last days of the Church Age, people are ever-learning, but never walking in the Truth of God's Word. They go to multiple conferences and Bible studies and take veracious notes, but never apply the Truth to their life.

They fill their mind, but their heart is hardened. They do not keep their focus on Jesus, but on the letter of the law; becoming legalistic and judgmental (Hebrews 12:2; 2 Corinthians 3:6).

They lack a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and they do not walk in the Spirit. Knowledge is their God and focus, which puffs us up with pride (1 Corinthians 8:1). They fall apart in trials, because their faith is based on information rather than relationship.

Jesus gave us His Word, but He also gave us Himself and abides within our Born Again spirit. He gives us His peace and an eternity to worship Him in His comfort and joy as we live a life of praise to His Holy Name (John 14:27).

We are often too busy with our worldly pursuits to spend time listening to God. We are anxious and stressed because we do not have His peace to guard our heart and mind (Philippians 4:7).

When we trust in God, our mind is focused only on Him and is immovable and resting in God's peace (Isaiah 26:3). His Spirit takes up residence in our spirit and we are filled with all of His fruit (Galatians 5:22-23).

Only a life which is totally surrendered to God's control and walking by His Spirit's direction can experience this peace in the turmoil all around us in this world.

God hears our prayers and provides us with everything we need to live Godly in Christ Jesus (2 Timothy 3:12). He supplies all of our needs according to His glorious riches, turns every trial into a blessing, and keeps us in the center of His will - the happiest place on earth (Romans 8:28).

Prayer:

Father God, we choose to follow hard after You, rather than pursuing the things of this life (Psalm 63:8). We come to You in repentance and enter into Your rest; in quietness and confidence in Your faithfulness we find our strength (Isaiah 30:15). We bask in Your presence as in the noonday sun, and we rest in Your warmth that envelops us with Your healing touch.

Remind us to spend quality and quantity time in prayer with quiet reflection, repentance and dedication of our time, resources and talents to Your service. We rest in Your loving, everlasting arms and hide under the shadow of Your wings. We vow to boldly walk in Your ways and to serve at Your pleasure. We thank You for Your provision, which You give to us, even before we get a chance to ask for it.

Thought for the Day:

Prayer is not our last offense, it is our first defense.

Spiritual Pursuits

Old Testament Saints were given seasons of the presence of God's Spirit within them; but in this new dispensation of time, we enjoy the presence of God dwelling within His temple within us every moment of our life (Romans 10:9).

God's Spirit brings to our cognizant thoughts an increasing awareness of His wisdom, direction, presence and truth (Colossians 1:27; Galatians 2:20). This consciousness affects our thoughts, words, attitude, behavior and feelings.

We often drain the resources of our body and soul by over-extending our time and commitments beyond what God's Spirit leads us to do. This weariness causes us to neglect our times of prayer, Bible study and worship with other Saints.

We are so caught up in the affairs of this world that we forget to communicate with God until we fall exhausted into bed. We take God for granted, trusting that He is always there and will bail us out of any negative issues.

Yet, He often allows us to boil in the stew of our own making. The fountains of Living Water within our spirit dry up and we ignore our thirsty soul, getting more parched with each passing moment (John 4:14). We stubbornly continue to pursue worldly gain and advantage.

Thankfully, God loves us enough to discipline us, in order to teach us lessons and to cause us to walk only in His Spirit and not to rely on our human reasoning (Proverbs 3:5-6).

It is important for us to understand that the most vital aspect of our life is spiritual advancement. Our spirit longs for a deeper relationship with God. Prayer, Bible study and Christian fellowship are the key vehicles for our spiritual maturity.

No amount of worldly gain can satisfy us as much as immersing our self in spiritual pursuits will fulfill us. God created us as spiritual beings and our entire body, soul and spirit long to return to this intimate relationship.

Prayer:

Father God, thank You for wooing us back to Your presence when we wander from Your chosen path for our life (Ephesians 2:10). Help us to remain focused on the pursuit of Your Kingdom rather than building our own kingdom on this earth. We thank You for Your love, kindness, supply, presence and spiritual leading as we progress through each moment of time.

We want nothing more than to know You more deeply and to understand Your ways. We draw all of our strength from Your Spirit within us and we delight to do only Your will with the life You provide for us both now and throughout eternity. We enjoy the intimate fellowship with You, which You provide for us all day long.

Thought for the Day:

Mankind is so convinced of the laws of science that they believe these laws can exist without the Creator of it all; yet, God holds His entire creation of the cosmos together in the span of one of His hands. - Isaiah 40:12

Too Busy

Frequent inspections of our weekly schedule are very productive. We can note the number of hours spent in each activity. Then we can trim away some of the time spent in futile activities. Is our family overly scheduled? Where is our time to play, rest and relax together as a family? How often do we worship together on Sunday, pray together at home or do a family Bible study?

We can take time to stop, breathe deeply and count our blessings, and to meditate on God's Word or to sing praises to His name, even when we are all alone. I enjoy plugging in my favorite worship music and dancing around the house dusting or vacuuming. It is fun and freeing. We have eternal security as an authentic Believer; if nothing else, that is a great reason to praise God.

We actually have many reasons to praise God. As our Father, He not only favors us with natural blessings, but also with everlasting benefits in heavenly places with our Lord Jesus Christ (Ephesians 1:3). At Salvation, His Holy Spirit comes to abide in us. We now live, move and have our being in Christ (Acts 17:28). Our future is eternally secure because of the price Jesus paid on Calvary for our sins (Romans 4:25; Isaiah 53:4).

The Church is our family of brothers and sisters, and we are part of the Body of Christ (Ephesians 2:19). Heaven is our home. Even with all the blessings of God in our life now, we have not seen, heard or imagined all the benefits God prepared for those of us who love Him (1 Corinthians 2:9). The world, the flesh and the devil can offer us nothing equal to this.

Prayer:

Father God, we enjoy our life in You now, and also live with the security of knowing that our future in Christ is sure. Remind us to reflect on the multitude of blessings You give us each waking moment, and to spend them praising Your name and giving You thanks for Your love, grace and mercy toward us. We want to express our gratitude to You now and always.

Thought for the Day:

Let us take time to appreciate what God did, will do and is doing for us every moment of our life.

Connecting with God

People often wonder why God will not answer their prayers. They accuse Him of not caring about them (1 Peter 5:7). It could be that we do not have a personal relationship with Him and He does not know us (Matthew 7:21-23). Sin may be blocking God from hearing our words or tainting the message of our prayer. Possibly, we do not spend enough time listening in order to hear His voice.

God answers our prayers with a "yes", "no", or "wait". Our Father knows the end from the beginning and knows what is best for us (Isaiah 46:10). He is not spiteful or vindictive. He does not punish us. He will discipline His children; but though He wounds, He always heals (Job 5:18). He will also heal our land, if His Saints will humble themselves and pray (2 Chronicles 7:14; Ezekiel 22:30).

A lack of a personal relationship with God (John 3:18), sinful behavior or a hectic lifestyle with little prayer and devotion hinder our ability to connect with God (Isaiah 59:2). Only repentance cleanses us as we confess our failings (Psalm 66:18; Isaiah 59:1-2). With intimate times of prayer, we have more power to stand against spiritual warfare, trials and temptations (2 Corinthians 10:3-5).

King David realized that God did not want sacrifice from us as much as He wanted obedience and devotion (Hebrews 10:8-9). God would rather have us praying than working for Him without His Spirit's direction. He created works for us to do, but we will only know what they are as we pray (Ephesians 2:10). God's truest desire is that we love Him with our whole heart, mind, soul and strength (Luke 10:27).

Prayer:

Father God, we ask You to fill us with a deep desire and hunger to know You more and to connect with You through our prayer life and Bible study. Our heart thirsts after You, like the deer pants for water (Psalm 42:1). Fill us with Your Holy Spirit every day and cause us to hear Your loving kindness each new morning (Ephesians 5:18-19; Psalm 143:8). Teach us to use Your Word to pray effectual prayers.

Thought for the Day:

If we remain connected to God, we will bear fruit for His Kingdom; but apart from Him, we can do nothing. - John 15:5-8

Spiritual Awareness

As God proves His Faithfulness to us, our intimacy with Him grows. We feel safe and we trust Him with every aspect of our life. This makes it easier to submit to His will (Ephesians 2:10). 

We spend time in prayer, Bible reading, fellowshipping with His Saints and continually seeking Him. We also develop a confident intimacy with our Father God, which deepens over the years.

Spending time with God increases our spiritual awareness. We learn His ways, and He transforms our nature by His Spirit into His fruit and divine nature (Galatians 5:22-23; 2 Peter 1:4). 

His Spirit illuminates His Word for us. He gives us discernment to make good judgments (John 7:24). Living in His presence brings us total satisfaction as we joyfully die to our flesh and to this sin-filled world (Romans 8:13). 

Eventually, our union with Christ takes priority over everything else in our life (Colossians 3:3-4). We are a better mate, employee, friend, child, parent, employer, etc because of our relationship with Him. 

Since He dwells within us, we live a fuller and more fulfilled life. We come to realize that He is our all in all (Ephesians 4:6; Ephesians 2:8-9). We can do nothing without Him (Philippians 4:13). 

God is our high tower. We run to Him and are safe (Proverbs 18:10). Under His wings we trust (Psalm 91:1,4; Proverbs 29:25). He is our Rock, stronghold and deliverer in whom we take refuge (Psalm 61:3; 91:2; 144:2). 

He is our shield and the horn of our salvation (Psalm 18:2). Our love and respect for the Lord provide our children and us with a secure future (Proverbs 14:26; Deuteronomy 5:10, 7:9; Exodus 20:6).

Prayer:

Father God, lead us by Your Spirit into a richer relationship with You. You promised that everyone who believes in and trusts in You will enter Your eternal life (Hebrews 4:1-11; John 3:16-18).

Bring us to the end of our striving and allow us to enter into the rest You already prepared for us (Matthew 11:28-30). It is only then that we can experience an intimate relationship with You and enjoy a keener spiritual awareness.

Thought for the Day:

God calls us to be still before Him and to patiently wait on Him. - Psalm 37:7

The Tyranny of Self-Effort

Our human effort can never produce spirituality. No amount of carnal exertion, ceremonies, rituals or precepts can govern the spiritual world. Repentance is the first step to true spirituality. This humbles us and allows God into our life. The more we worship our Creator and King, the more spirituality we encourage in our life. This creates a new attitude and mindset in us.

God gives us gifts to use to minister to the lost and dying world around us (1 Corinthians 12:4). We testify to others about what God does in our life. Many will turn a deaf ear, because their life is ruled by the tyranny of self-effort. However, some who are tired of servitude to the dictates of the flesh will be ready to surrender their life to God and to enjoy His love and blessings like we do.

The steady habitation of our spirit by the Spirit of God gives us peace and joy, which transcends what the world and its religions can offer to us. Our connection to God becomes our foremost priority. We deepen our relationship through prayer, Bible study, fellowship with other Believers and Christian service in our community. We encounter God’s hand in our life through many significant ways.

God cares about us. He even lived in human form and suffered in every area in which we do (1 Peter 2:21-22; Hebrews 4:15). God cannot fellowship with sin, so we must not grieve His Spirit with our carnality and self-effort (Habakkuk 1:13; Ephesians 4:30). God’s Spirit continually transforms us with the mind of Christ. If we give our constant attention to His will and ways in our life, we will sense God’s powerful presence.

Prayer:

Father God, we relinquish every area of our life, which serves as a distraction to us from following You with our whole heart. We confess every sin, which stands between Your heart and ours. We trust in Your faithfulness and surrender our anxieties and stress to You for Your miraculous healing and provision. Remind us not to allow the cares of this world to choke out our focus on You (Mark 4:19).

Thought for the Day:

A personal encounter with God on a daily basis will free us from the tyranny of self-effort.

Knowing God

The key to our life in Christ is to realize that as Born Again Believers, we are one with Him. Jesus gave us the glory that God gave Him, so that we can be united with Him just as He and our Father are one. He lives in us, our Father lives in Him and we are brought into complete unity with the Trinity – Father, Son and Spirit (John 17:22-23). We are one Spirit with them all (1 Corinthians 6:17).

We know God personally through prayer and Bible study and we come to know Him intimately through the experience of Him manifesting Himself in and through us. This personal relationship is what eternal life is all about (John 17:3; Mark 6:53-56). The only issue that blocks our connection with Him is sin. However, confessed and forgiven sin opens the door between us again.

God is more than our ever-present help in times of crisis (Psalm 46:1). He is our Father each moment of the day. Jesus is our Brother. He sits on His throne with our Father in Heaven; yet, lives within us at the same time. The power of Christ is evident through us to the world around us as we live in Him and He lives through us (1 John 4:9). We do not follow our own desires and will for our day, but Christ’s life flows through us (Ephesians 2:10).

He is the vine and we are His branches (John 15:5). We are hidden with Christ in God and Christ is our whole life (Galatians 2:20; Colossians 3:3-4). Another analogy is that we are God’s temple and He abides in us. He creates us as vessels, to be used according to His will for our life (2 Timothy 2:20). Rather than work for God, we submit to God working through us. We are united with Him and we do what we see Him do by His Spirit (Galatians 5:6-25).

During witnessing opportunities, we open our mouth and God fills it with the right words to speak (Matthew 10:19). If we counsel or mentor or disciple someone, God gives us the words to share with this person to set him/her free to honor God with their life (Psalm 81:10). We take no credit for the results and God gets all the glory. We can do nothing from our own human effort, but God manifests Himself through us (John 15:19).

Prayer:

Father God, if we lack wisdom, we merely need to ask and You fill us generously without finding any fault in us (James 1:5). We come to know You through our salvation and then through spending each moment of our day with You. Help us not to allow the flesh, the world and the devil to distract us from walking by Your Spirit, but allow us to keep our mind on You (Isaiah 26:3). Then You will keep us in perfect peace as we go about doing Your will for our life (Ephesians 2:10).

Thought for the Day:

The Holy Spirit teaches us at all times what we are to say. - Luke 12:12

The Secret of a Joyfilled Life

As authentic Christians, our satisfaction in life comes from accomplishing the will of God each moment of the day. We do everything, even the most mundane of things, out of our love for God (1 Corinthians 10:31). We do not seek His blessings. We seek nothing more than to know Him. We rely totally on God for wisdom and grace in everything we do and say. Once we develop this habit, we have little difficulty in walking in the Spirit and being led by His desires instead of our own carnal ones (Galatians 5:25).

We live our entire life in the presence of God within us. We start in daily prayer, Bible reading and study. Then we carry that devotional attitude throughout the interaction of earning a living; caring for our home, family and community; and serving in a ministry in the Body of Christ. This consistent life brings amazing pleasures that fill our spirit and soul – our mind, choices and emotions – and affect the health of our body as well. Even difficult times are more bearable with our mind focused on pleasing God in them and through them (Isaiah 26:3).

Our stress in life only occurs when we wander from His presence and try to achieve success in life in our own self-effort. God is intimately present within us and eager to direct our thoughts, words and actions. We go throughout our day in constant conversation with Christ within us. We consult His wisdom and direction for every object of our interest and every duty we perform. This allows our times of work to mirror our times of devotion. We achieve all of our duties while informally dialoguing with our Lord.

We accomplish everything, even our secular employment, out of our love for God. After all, He is our true employer. We serve the company at which we work and the family in which we live as unto the Lord. Our quiet times of prayer and our conversational dialogue with God all throughout the day do not differ. They are equally as devout and joyful. In this way, we live in the joy of the Lord throughout the day and night. Our facial expressions and body language reflects the calm devotion in our soul and spirit.

Even in the most hectic times of life, we enjoy the peace of God, which transcends all human reasoning. People we work and live with wonder how the calamities and abuses we endure do not disturb our peace. It is because the Master Designer of the universe is in control of our life. He keeps the earth rotating in the exact orbit and tilt from the sun, which we need for optimum living. He never sleeps, day or night (Psalm 121:3-4). We trust Him implicitly to care for us no matter what anyone else does to us or against us (Psalm 121:7).

Prayer:
Father God, You are our hiding place. You protect us from trouble and surround us with comforting songs (Psalm 32:7). You do not turn us over to the evil desires of our foes. You always deliver us in Your timing and way (Psalm 41:2). No circumstance will overwhelm us, because You give us joy and peace in the midst of them (Proverbs 12:21). You surround us with Your blessings as a shield (Psalm 5:12). You give the oppressed a refuge and the troubled a stronghold of safety (Psalm 9:9). We give You all the praise, glory and honor due Your name (Psalm 96:8).

Thought for the Day:

We live our life in calm composure and serenity, because our thoughts are focused on God as He supplies all of our needs according to His glorious riches (Isaiah 26:3; Philippians 4:19).

 

Thank you, Poetry and Love, for the use of your photo.

Success in Life

 

We all have a different definition of the meaning of success. It can relate to everything from a multi-billion dollar bank account, a sports car, control of a company, good health, a loving family, a mansion home, a thriving career, a home in another country, building the largest church in the world, or a Christian heritage, as well as everything in between. We all want to feel good about our self and our lifetime achievements. We want immortality through our success. We use everything and everyone else to make us happy, but every relationship, accomplishment or possession simply disappoints us.

Some people will follow someone else’s aspirations for them. They want to attain the love, respect and pride of their parent or mentor and they strive toward objectives to achieve this goal, but it never really makes them feel happy or successful. They go to college to get a job to earn money, but they are miserable because they hate their work. They are not doing God’s will for them. There is an ache in the most successful life that can only be filled by a deep, intimate relationship with Jesus Christ, followed by doing only His will for our life.

When we come to the end of our self, we will either give up and wander homelessly, or commit suicide to end it all, or turn our life over to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Pursuing a sinful lifestyle can only bring us ultimate ruin and death, but allowing the Spirit of God to control our existence will bring us life and peace (Romans 8:6). We are all sinners. Our conduct may be better than our neighbor’s or a family member’s behavior, but we all fall short of the glory of God, which is the true standard for morality (Romans 3:23).

The wages of that sin is death, but God gives us the gift of eternal life (Romans 6:23). Once we admit our sinful lifestyle and make up our mind to turn our life over to God for redemption, He rescues us from the realm of darkness and gives us His life (John 8:12). We are a city set on a hill and His light in us shines out to draw everyone to Him (Matthew 5:14). All we need to do is to trim our lamp through Bible study and prayer, and then be a friend and neighbor to those God puts in our life.

God gives us supernatural joy and peace. We have no need to be afraid of what we should eat or drink or wear, because as we seek God first, He cares for us and supplies all of our needs (Matthew 6:33). Then, we live with gratitude in our heart as we give God all of our concerns through prayer. His peace, which surpasses all human reasoning, will keep our soul in health and will lead us through each moment of our day (John 14:27; Philippians 4:4-7; 3 John 1:2).

Prayer:

Father God, allow us to be a good example of a Believer in what we say, how we live and in our love, faith and holiness (1 Timothy 4:12). Help us to find success one minute at a time as Christ’s ambassadors (2 Corinthians 5:20). Let us share a smile, a kind word and a helping hand. Help us to be a diligent employee, a serving church member and a dedicated part of our family. Show us what true success is in this life; not as the world gives, but as You give it to us. Shed Your peace throughout our soul – our mind, will and emotions - and fill us with Your love now and for eternity (Philippians 4:7; Romans 5:5).

Thought for the Day:

Worldly success is temporal and fleeting, but spiritual success lasts for eternity.

The Joy of Forgiveness - Part 2

(First, please read: The Joy of Forgiveness – Part 1)

 

When Jesus hung from the cross, He looked upon His persecutors with His vitality ebbing from His body. In His lasts moments of life, He prayed for God to forgive His persecutors (Luke 23:34). How many of us could do that? The only way this is possible is if we are transformed into the likeness of Christ (2 Corinthians 3:18). The more time we spend with God in prayer, Bible study and fellowshipping with other authentic Christian, the more spiritually minded we become.

Forgiveness is the truest sign of a life hidden with Christ in God (Colossians 3:1-4). The only way that we can totally forgive injustices done to us is by the power of the Cross. We realize, as Jesus did, that the actions of mankind toward us are merely a temporary inconvenience, because God has a higher plan and purpose for us in them all (Jeremiah 29:11). We are a true example of Christ when we forgive, and it touches the lives of all those who know about the situation (John 17:23).

God is the only One whose opinion of us really matters. When we relinquish our need to be “right” and to have everyone believe that we are innocent, then we have a better chance of being free from the tyranny of their opinion of us. God calls us to put aside our quarreling, jealousy and pride and to be kind to everyone, to be teachable and not to resent anyone (2 Timothy 2:24).

Forgiveness does not require that we trust the offender. However, God does required that we Agape them ~ love them with God’s love in their time of need (Matthew 5:44). We do not, however, have to welcome them back into our life with open arms. We can still keep them at arm’s length until they prove to us that we can trust them. We do not even have to like them. The Bible never commands us to like someone. God only requires that we allow Him to love that person through us.

Forgiveness is not something we can do through self-effort. When someone injures us, treats us unfairly or misunderstands our intent, it wounds us to the core. We want them to be humble and to ask us for our forgiveness before we consent to forgive them. However, Christ gave us the perfect example on Calvary’s cross of true forgiveness.

Luke 6: 27-31 is our guide…"But I say to you that hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. To him who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other cheek also; and from him who takes away your coat do not withhold even your shirt. Give to every one who begs from you; and of him who takes away your goods do not ask for them back again. And as you wish that men would do to you, do so to them.”

What advice do we find here:

1. Pray for those who mistreat us.
2. Ask God to bless them.
3. Do something good for them.
4. In time, God will give us His love for them.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, we humble our self, confess the sin in our heart and go to Your Cross for forgiveness for our desire to control our own life. We acknowledge our need for Your forgiveness. Remind us that we are not worthy to cast the first stone at others (John 8:7). Help us to submit to the dealing of Your Holy Spirit in our life and to trust You to finish Your sanctifying work in us that You started at the moment of our salvation.

Thought for the Day:
Forgiveness requires daily crucifixion of our pride and total submission to God’s Spirit.

Keeping Watch

Did you ever notice that God created some people as early risers and some people who stay up all night? Yes, I said that God created them this way. We do not all have to spend quality time with the Lord in the morning. He programs our bodily clocks differently, so that we keep Him company every hour of the day and night. There are even special “watches” during the night and early morning (Mark 6:48; Exodus 14:24; Judges 7:19; 1 Samuel 11:11).

The Bible tells us in Mark 13:35 that:

The First, Evening Watch is Sunset To 9 P.M. (Lamentations 2:19)
The Second, Midnight Watch is 9 P.M. To Midnight (Judges 7:19)
The Third, Cock-Crowing Watch is Midnight To 3 A.M. (Luke 2:38)
The Fourth, Morning Watch is 3 A.M. To Sunrise (Matthew 14:25)

God loves company even in the night watches (Psalm 119:148). I take the second and Third Watches with the Lord every night between 9PM and 3AM. This is my perfect time to read His Word, to write a devotional about what I learn, to pray for those God puts on my heart and to sing praises to Him as I do my household chores. My husband enjoys the Morning Watch with the Lord and then he researches for, prays about and internalizes his weekly sermons. My girlfriend spends her lunch hour with the Lord. She reads her Bible and prays instead of socializing.

One day, Jesus dismissed the crowds that came to hear Him preach. Then, He sent the disciples across the lake while He went up into the mountain to pray. They encountered a tempest on their way across. Jesus did not come to help them during the initial hours of the storm, but He waited until they had already struggled for hours in a raging squall. In the darkest watch of the night, Jesus walked out to them on the water (Matthew 14:22-34). Jesus often comes to us in the darkest watch of our “night” too. When life gets too difficult, when our heart is broken, when everything goes wrong and we despair of all hope. This is when Jesus comes to our aid, and He is always right on time.

The important aspect here is that we spend time with the Lord every day, preferably all day as we pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 1:2, 5:17). God gives us countless opportunities to spend time with Him throughout the day and the night. We pour out our heart in prayer and worship in the presence of our Almighty God. We lift up our hands to Him and praise Him for the lives of our children and for those who are needy, homeless or distraught (Lamentations 2:19). Our eyes are open all during the day, and even in the night watches, as we meditate on God’s precepts and promises (Psalm 119:148).  

Prayer:

Father God, You watch over everyone who loves You (Psalm 145:20). A thousand years in Your sight are like a day, or even as short as one watch in the night (Psalm 90:4). You will never allow us to stumble as long as we depend upon You. You watch over us endlessly, because You never sleep or even take a nap (Psalm 121:3-5). When I wake up with a song filtering through my mind or a prayer on my heart, I know my spirit has been remembering You and thinking of You even as I sleep (Psalm 63:6).

Thought for the Day:

As long as it is day, we must do the Lord’s work, because the dark night is coming when no one will be able to hear His Truth. – John 9:4