“Grace to the Hearers” Devotional Guide October Day Scripture Quote Prayer Response 1 2 Kings 4:27 And the man of God said, “Almost all Christian women feel exactly the same way. They Pray right now for a fresh sense of God’s Leave her alone; for her soul is vexed are gentle souls whose emotions are in a knot because peace, not because there are no longer within her: and the LORD has hid it from they’re trying to keep bad things from happening to the threats to your loved ones, but because me. ones they love, and it’s not working very well.” DDR God’s loving genius is at work in their lives. 2 1 Timothy 4:8 For bodily exercise profits a “God gave me a horse and a message. I have killed the horse Repent in prayer right now for any little, but godliness is profitable for all and I can no longer deliver the message.” Robert Murray unnecessary harm you are causing to your things, having promise of the life that M’Cheyne’s regret for not caring for his health. own health. now is and of that which is to come. 3 John 14:2 In My Father’s house are many “Someday I’ll be sleeping when death knocks on my door, Thank the Savior right now for His promise mansions; if it were not so, I would have and I’ll awake to find that I’m not homesick anymore.” Pat of a truly wonderful home in heaven for all told you. I go to prepare a place for you. Terry and B.J. Thomas His followers when this life is over. 4 Matthew 11:28 Come to me, all you who “I may be over-cynical, but it seems that the best that our Come humbly and teachably to the Great labor and are heavy laden, and I will give state-of-the-art clinical psychology and Physician in prayer right now for His you rest.29 Take my yoke upon you, and psychopharmacological research has been able to achieve is promise of “rest for your soul.” learn from me; for I am gentle and lowly a recovery rate of around 50-60 percent for common mental in heart: and you will find rest for your health problems—compared with placebo and spontaneous souls. remission rates of between 30-45 percent.” Graham C.L. Davey, Psychology Today, 12/11/12 5 John 17:24 Father, I wish that they also, “'There was a real railway accident,' said Aslan softly. 'Your Praise the Lord right now for dearly loving whom you have given me, shall be with father and mother and all of you are—as you used to call it His children and wishing to be as near them me where I am; that they may behold my in the Shadowlands—dead. The term is over: the holidays as possible in His radiantly beautiful glory. have begun. The dream is ended: this is the morning.’ surroundings forever. But the things that began to happen after that were so great and beautiful that I cannot write them. And for us this is the end of all the stories, and we can most truly say that they all lived happily ever after. But for them it was only the beginning of the real story. All their life in this world had only been the cover and the title page: now at last they were beginning Chapter One of the Great Story which no one on earth has read: which goes on for ever: in which every chapter is better than the one before.” C.S. Lewis 6 Ecclesiastes 7:9 Do not hasten in your “If his chest had been a cannon, he would have shot his Repent in prayer right now for the spirit of spirit to be angry, For anger rests in the heart upon it.” Star Trek paraphrase of Herman Melville. bitterness, irritability, and temper that bosom of fools. makes a fool out of you. 7 Mark 7:13 making the word of God of no “What the Bible ‘teaches’ is not nearly as important as what Commit yourself freshly to God in prayer effect through your tradition which you it says.” Original Source Unknown right now to be loyal to His actual words have handed down. And many such and not the twists various teachers like to things you do. assign to His words. 8 Romans 8:35 Who shall separate us from "We must tell them what we have learned here. We must In the midst of so many hardships, express the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or tell them that there is no pit so deep that He is not deeper your admiration and appreciation to the distress, or persecution, or famine, or still. They will listen to us, Corrie, because we have been Lord right now for working out a truly nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 As it is here.” Betsy ten Boom at the Ravensbruck concentration happy ending for the life of every soul who written, For your sake we are killed all camp. follows Him. the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. 37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. 9 Ecclesiastes 2:17 Therefore I hated life; “The pain of meaninglessness is too great to bear, but the Dedicate yourself freshly to God in prayer because the work that is done under the cost of purpose is formidable.” DDR right now to pursue His high calling for your sun is grievous to me: for all is worthless life regardless of what it may cost you in and vexation of spirit. terms of popularity and creature comforts. 10 John 16:33 In the world you will have “The Lord is not saying to us, ‘Cheer up, there is nothing to Worship the Lord right now, not because tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have worry about.’ On the contrary, He says, ‘In the world ye shall there’s nothing wrong, but because you overcome the world. have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the have a perfect Rescuer to rely on. world.’” Robert C. McQuilken. 11 Song of Solomon 5:16 His mouth is most “The bride eyes not her garment, but her dear bridegroom’s Thank the Lord right now for being such a sweet, Yes, he is altogether lovely. face. I will not gaze at glory, but on my king of grace.” beloved friend and for saying such sweet This is my beloved, And this is my friend. Samuel Rutherford words to all who love Him.

12 Psalm 147:1 Praise the Lord: for it is good “I had not noticed how the humblest, and at the same time Worship the Lord right now for the to sing praises unto our God; for it is most balanced and capacious, minds praised most, while the incomprehensible genius that motivates all pleasant; and praise is fitting. cranks, misfits, and malcontents praised least. I had not His actions, and for His deep desire to have noticed either that just as men spontaneously praise you as a dear companion. whatever they value, so they spontaneously urge us to join them in praising it: ‘Isn’t she lovely? Wasn’t it glorious? Don’t you think that magnificent?’ The Psalmists in telling everyone to praise God are doing what all men do when speaking about something they care about.” C.S. Lewis 13 Philippians 3:3 For we…worship God in “Self will always be nothing more than a sinking ship, and Renounce in prayer right now any self-trust the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and anything we say or do to distract ourselves from that reality you are relying on to bring you success in have no confidence in the flesh. can never affect the outcome that awaits us if we remain this life, and express instead your onboard.” DDR dependence on God for success. 14 1 Thessalonians 2:13 For this cause also “On the cruel edges of the world, there is no need for In prayer right now, renew your loyalty to we thank God without ceasing, because, elaborate explanations to bring a distant biblical text closer God’s word as your lifeline of choice in a when you received the word of God to our lives. When an abducted and trafficked girl like frightening and perilous world. which you heard of us, you received it Elizabeth writes on her filthy brothel walls, ‘The Lord is the not as the word of men, but as it strength of my life,’ it is not in a manner of speaking.” Andy is in truth, the word of God, which works Crouch. also in you that believe. 15 Matthew 24:46 Blessed is that servant, “Best for best. That’s God’s policy. If you give God your best, Devote yourself in prayer right now to whom his lord when he cometh shall find He will give you His best.” DDR giving the Lord your fullest obedience and so doing. 47 Verily I say unto you, That he making His pleasure and reputation the top shall make him ruler over all his goods. consideration in every choice you make. 16 John 14:1 Let not your heart be troubled; “Hast thou not seen how thy desires e'er have been granted Acknowledge God in prayer right now for you believe in God, believe also in me. in what He ordaineth?”Joachim Neander being the one who has granted every good thing that ever has or ever shall come to you in this broken world and beyond it. 17 Hebrews 4:15 For we do not have a high “God honestly feels sorry for us.” DDR Thank the Lord right now for being tenderly priest who cannot be touched with the and emotionally involved with us in our feeling of our infirmities… 16 Let us problems and not distant or detached. therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. 18 John 14:3 And if I go and prepare a place “We walk…through this pilgrim land. Here we linger for a Thank the Lord right now for His promise to for you, I will come again, and receive day. But soon we'll leave this land of night. And there my come again and take all His followers to be you unto myself; that where I am, there friend and I will stay.” Ralph Carmichael with Him forever. you may be also. 19 1 Thessalonians 4:13 But I would not “I have but one request, My Father. When I reach that Express gratitude in prayer right now for have you to be ignorant, brethren, distant shore, I can wait to see the pearly gates, the golden the assurance that Christian loved ones concerning them which are asleep, so streets, and the many mansions. But grant, Dear God, that never really say goodbye to one another in that you will not sorrow, even as others after I have first seen Him, whom having not seen I love, my death, only “See you soon.” who have no hope. 14 For if we believe dearest may be next to meet me, just like she used to do.” that Jesus died and rose again, even so Vance Havner them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. 20 Job 5:7 Yet man is born unto trouble, as “We tend to assume that our lives will be mostly happy and Confess to God in prayer right now your surely as the sparks fly upward. safe without God’s interference. But if we were ever utter dependence on Him in this hostile somehow left to float freely in outer space, our skin would world where troubles seem to come in a become simultaneously flash-frozen from -455° never ending parade. temperatures and sunburned from UV radiation, and our organs would begin to shut down after only two minutes in the pure vacuum of the cosmos. Even here on earth, nature, and all of life, is a little bit like that. We are all in desperate need of the protection and peace that God alone can bring to our lives.” DDR 21 Romans 8:26 For we do not know what “If the apostle Paul did not characteristically know precisely Pray in faith for something right now—not we should pray for as we ought. what he should be praying for, then: We should all stop faith that you know exactly what God claiming to know what to pray for. And we should all stop should do for you, but faith that God would expecting ourselves to know precisely what we should be never allow any real harm to come to one praying for. And we should all largely ignore the self- of His children. confident boasts of those who profess to know precisely what they (or we) should be praying for.” DDR 22 1 Corinthians 2:3 And I was with you in “Sometimes fear does not subside and one must choose to Ask the Lord right now to help you do the weakness, and in fear, and in do it afraid.” Elisabeth Elliot next necessary thing, even though you are much trembling. worried about it. 23 Matthew 26:39 …nevertheless not as “Have no controversy with God.” William Culbertson In prayer right now, devote yourself freshly I wish, but as you wish. to following even the Lord’s slightest preferences. 24 Psalm 21:6 For you have made him most “I ask no other sunshine than the sunshine of His face. Renounce in prayer right now your blessed forever: you have made him Content to let the world go by, to know no gain nor loss.” temptation to find contentment in the exceedingly glad with your countenance. Elizabeth Clephane flattery and shiny things of the world.

25 Psalm 104:34 My meditation of him shall “I do not know when I have had happier times in my soul Consider in prayer right now the happy be sweet: I will be glad in the LORD. than when I have been sitting at work, with nothing before realities of God’s super-intelligence, His me but a candle and a white cloth, and hearing no sound deep love for you, and His desire for but that of my own breath; with God in my soul and heaven companionship with you. in my eye. I rejoice in being exactly what I am—a creature capable of loving God, and who, as long as God lives, must be happy. I get up and look a while out the window. I gaze at the moon and stars, the work of an Almighty Hand. I think of the grandeur of the universe and then sit down and think myself one of the happiest beings in it.” Anonymous Poor Woman in the 1700s 26 2 Thessalonians 2:10 …and with all “All I can comment is that again what facts there are Confess in prayer right now any bias in your unrighteous deception among those who support the authenticity of the scriptures, whenever any heart against God’s truth, or any dislike you perish, because they did not receive the proof at all is available. Here once again the ‘Critics’ fail to may have for some aspect of the truth love of the truth, that they might be ‘make points.’ Proof when it comes never favors the Bible when you are faced with it. saved. 11 And for this reason God will critics. Not that disproof ever stops them. I fear they will all send them strong delusion, that they be dead in Hell when their mouths are finally stopped.” should believe the lie, 12 that they all may Ralph Kyle, Biblical Archaeology be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness. 27 Luke 22:33 And he said to him, Lord, I am “Love so amazing, so divine, demands my soul, my life, my Freshly declare in prayer right now your ready to go with you, both into prison, all.” Isaac Watts loyalty to the Savior, no matter what it may and to death. cost you. 28 Ezekiel 24:27 In that day your mouth “Lord, this is thy cause, not mine. Therefore, do thine own Ask the Lord right now for courage to shall be opened…and you shall be a sign work; for if this gospel do not prosper, it will not be Luther represent Him well in a time of great anti- to them; and they shall know that I am alone who will be a loser, but thine own name will be Christian sentiment. the LORD. dishonored.” Martin Luther 29 Lamentations 3:22 Because His “Strength for today, and bright hope for tomorrow— Thank the Lord right now for the twin compassions do not fail. 23 They are new blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside.” William M. mercies that come to all His children: every morning; Great is Your faithfulness. Runyan strength for this new day, and the promise of heaven soon. 30 Job 1:8 Then the LORD said to Satan, “A truly good God simply cannot relieve the miseries of our Pray right now for the Lord to make you “Have you considered My servant Job, chastening, our pruning, or the showcasing our loyalty. And extraordinary for Him, whatever it takes to that there is none like him on the earth, a we shouldn’t ask Him to.” DDR accomplish that. blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil?” 31 Revelation 21:4 And God shall wipe away “There’s joy in the morning. Oh sinner be still. Earth has no Thank the Savior right now that the sorrows all tears from their eyes; and there shall sorrow that heaven can’t heal.” David Crowder His faithful ones feel, no matter how heart- be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crushing they may be, will all be healed in crying, neither shall there be any more heaven very soon. pain: for the former things are passed away.