[Membersandfriends] Saturday, October 02, 2004

Fri Oct 1 22:02:08 PDT 2004

The Upper Room Daily Devotional -- E-mail Edition
Brought to You by Upper Room Ministries
Saturday, October 02, 2004

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The Upper Room's Worldwide Ministry

Did you know that many people do not have Christian reading material in their native languages?  THE UPPER ROOM daily devotional guide is published around the world in 73 editions and 44 languages.  You can help support this vital ministry: 
http://www.upperroom.org/fundraising/area_int.asp?ep_id=250
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SONG IN THE NIGHT
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Ephesians 5:19-20

Be filled with the Spirit, as you sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, singing and making melody to the Lord in your hearts,  giving thanks to God the Father at all times and for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

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The psalmist wrote, "I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety."
-- Psalm 4:8 (KJV)
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THOSE who do needlepoint or counted cross-stitch first stitch in colors to create the picture or design.  Then they fill in the background.  Like one of those pictures, during the day my life seems to have purpose and design, but at night I often awake troubled.  Around three o'clock in the morning, worries, aches, pains, and terrors haunt me.  Thoughts that do not bother me during the day continuously replay in my mind at night.

Recently I have learned to replace these unsettling thoughts with prayers, hymns, and scripture passages that I learned as a child.  When my mind dwells on a person who has hurt me, I mentally sing a song I like that says peace on earth begins with me.  Filling my mind with wholesome, inspirational thoughts displaces troubled thinking.  Peaceful slumber engulfs me, and soon I realize that I have slept until sunrise.

Prayer:  God, we thank you for inspired words that bring life and peace.  We pray as Jesus taught, saying, "Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.  Thy kingdom come.  Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth.  Give us day by day our daily bread.  And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us.  And lead us not into temptation:  but deliver us from evil."*  Amen.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
What hymns and Bible verses calm my fears today?

-- Norma Beaumont (Alabama)

PRAYER FOCUS: Those kept awake by worry

*Luke 11:2-4 (KJV)

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RELATED READING ...

In the tradition of the popular POCKET PRAYER BOOK comes A BOOK OF PERSONAL PRAYER, a compilation of prayers to help us open ourselves to the presence of God.  Small enough to carry in a pocket or purse, this collection of easy-to-read prayers comes from scripture, church tradition, and contemporary writings.  These selections transcend faith perspectives and cultural backgrounds, providing a timeless treasure of the writers' spiritual longings and desires as expressed in their prayers.
http://www.upperroom.org/bookstore/desc.asp?ep_id=30&item_id=12588

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The scripture quotation is from the NEW REVISED STANDARD VERSION of the Bible, copyright (c) 1989, by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the U.S.A.  Used by permission.  All rights reserved.