Prayer for Today, Thursday, July 7

O God our God,

You have given us everything. Give us one thing more…..a grateful heart. May the way we live our lives be our gift to You. May our hearts be a reflection of Your love. May our witness invite others into an acceptance of Your life transforming grace. In Jesus’ name we pray. AMEN.
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Please pray for the family of Travis Billings.

Phil McCoy, Vickie (Harris) McCoy’s husband, had a stroke. The clot buster drug has worked and he should be released from ICU at St. Mary’s hospital today. Please pray for Phil and Vickie.

Sue McClendon has been moved out of St. Mary’s ICU to a regular room. Please pray for Sue and her family. She will have a long road to recovery.

Davida Whitsett has been released back to Golden Oaks.

Please continue to pray for L.V. Powell.

Carolyn and I are off to points east. Please pray for all those travelling to the General Assembly.

Today’s scripture is Romans 2:17-29:
But if you call yourself a Jew and rely on the law and boast of your relation to God and know his will and determine what is best because you are instructed in the law, and if you are sure that you are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, a corrector of the foolish, a teacher of children, having in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth, you, then, that teach others, will you not teach yourself? While you preach against stealing, do you steal? You that forbid adultery, do you commit adultery? You that abhor idols, do you rob temples? You that boast in the law, do you dishonor God by breaking the law? For, as it is written, “The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.”Circumcision indeed is of value if you obey the law; but if you break the law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision. So, if those who are uncircumcised keep the requirements of the law, will not their uncircumcision be regarded as circumcision? Then those who are physically uncircumcised but keep the law will condemn you that have the written code and circumcision but break the law. For a person is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is true circumcision something external and physical. Rather, a person is a Jew who is one inwardly, and real circumcision is a matter of the heart—it is spiritual and not literal. Such a person receives praise not from others but from God.

Grace and peace,

John McLemore