Devotion
Keep Our Eyes on Christ
Chipo Biti
Fear and doubt are two of the major things that will interfere with our relationship with God if we give them the room to do so. In this scenario, in Matthew 14:22-33, Jesus had just show the disciples that he was able to walk on water. This should have shown them that he was capable of doing pretty much anything. Walk on water? Take a second to really think about what that means. Sometimes, our minds tend to normalize these miraculous feats. Think of the lake. Picture the disciples in the boat when suddenly, they spotted their leader walking on water as if he were walking on the ground. That sight is enough to send your heart right into your throat.
One can understand why they were scared. The disciples had never seen such a sight before. I'm pretty sure if you were to see someone walk on water, you'd be pretty freaked out too.
Peter boldly spoke out and asked Jesus to call him out onto the waters. Jesus did and Peter got out of the boat. For a while, he walked on water too. He was walking on water the same way Jesus was walking on water! His eyes where focused on Jesus in the midst of this supernatural feat.
Things started to go wrong when he lost sight of Jesus and started to focus on the wind. Fear filled his heart and his faith left. When fear interferes with faith, it makes it hard for us to take a leap and follow the will of God. We end up focusing on the wrong things. Fear makes way for doubt. Once doubt makes a home in our hearts, it becomes very hard for us to chase it out.
Prayer
We need faith in order to be saved. We need faith in order to fulfil the call of God upon our lives. When we keep our eyes focused on Jesus - who is the author and the finisher of our faith - the journey becomes possible.
Night Prayer
Let me not be ashamed, O Lord; for I have called upon thee: let the wicked be ashamed, and let them be silent in the grave.
Inspiration
We humble ourselves before the Lord when we come to Him with earthly burdens. We understand we do not have the power to control or fix our problems alone, so we lay our egos down and align our lives with the will of God. We are proud to be His servants and accept His help throughout our struggles. His love is unconditional, and His wisdom parallels none other.
Prayer
Dear Lord, we humble ourselves before You, seeking Your wisdom and guidance all the days of our lives. Thank You for Your presence and unfailing love. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
Devotion
You are a Temple of The Holy Spirit
Frances Taylor
This is a hard saying in today's world. Sexual immorality is so rampant and public that few people believe it to be immoral! People no longer think of sexual behavior outside of marriage as wrong and, in fact, have no problem with going from one person to another quite publicly, broadcasting their behavior on social media and if you're famous enough, on twitter, on TV, in magazines, etc. What happened to "Thou shalt not commit adultery?" I guess I'm old fashioned. I'm not about to condemn anyone who truly loves another and is faithful to them regardless of marriage, but I don't understand and cannot condone random sexual encounters that are not based on love but lust, have no desire for permanency but are literally just to satisfy a sexual itch.
Sorry if I offend anyone, but if we believe that our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit to be kept holy, how can we treat them as what – toys, prizes? I'm aware that women have often ...
Morning Prayer
For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee.
Inspiration
Think of a grudge that you held on for a long time. Did you feel better from holding this grudge? Now think about this deeper: what if God held a grudge against us? Wow, how blessed we are that he forgives our sins! He leads by example, forgiving those of us that do exactly what he asks us not to do. We all should all be more forgiving, like God is to us.
Prayer
You sent your only son to the world to die so that we may be forgiven, merciful God. Forgive me, once again, for being too selfish and proud to not forgive those that trespass against me. I wish that I can sin less and ask for forgiveness and guidance when I need it. I thank you for sending your son to us, Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior. Amen.
