Devotion
No Exclusions
Chipo Biti
This parable is representative of what God tried to do with the children of Israel. God tried to bring the children of Israel to the Promised Land where they would rest. He had made them the chosen nation. God intended for the Israelites to receive Christ and then He would use them to spread the gospel to other nations. But time after time, the Israelites rejected God's plans. When Jesus, the ultimate plan of God, came to earth, many of the Jews rejected him and saw him as the carpenter's son or a madman - nothing else. After Jesus ascended to the heavens and the apostles became filled with the Holy Spirit, there were still many Jews who opposed the gospel. They rejected the gift that God had given to them freely.
God used Paul to spread the gospel to the Gentile nations, thus exposing them to the free gift of salvation. It was always part of God's plan, for everyone to receive salvation. There was just a particular way in how it would be done. The Gentiles were far more receptive to the gospel than the Jews were, who were still fixated on fulfilling the Law.
God is not a respecter of persons. This means that He loves everyone equally - no race more than the other, no gender more than the other, no person over the others. The love is shed abroad equally and the gift was for everyone. When the Gentiles started receiving the Holy Spirit, the Jews were shocked. Some of them were resentful and tried to impose the Law on the Gentiles but their actions were refuted.
Prayer
We must never think that we deserve salvation more than anyone else - no matter who they are or what they have done. Salvation is for everyone in the world. God's greatest desire is for as many people to receive salvation as possible. He sees everyone as His children.
We, as the children of God, should adopt this mindset and focus on reaching out to everyone. We should celebrate every instance when a person gives their life to Christ. We should see them as family.
Devotion
Allowing The Scriptures
To bring Joy To My Life
Frances Taylor
The beginning of Luke's Gospel has always been one of my favorite readings. It makes me feel confident that I can believe what I have been taught. It also gives me peace because I know that God's promise has been fulfilled. We have been set free from fear. Of course, we will know fear of the unknown in this unpredictable world, but not fear of death because we can be sure that death is not the end, only the beginning of a new life. Otherwise, how could we continue to experience happiness and joy in the face of suffering? This freedom of fear, this belief in the good news – this Gospel message – is what made the early Christians so willing to face suffering in the name of Jesus. It is what motivated them to spread the good news to anyone who would listen. Is our world any less in need of the Gospel than theirs? I doubt it. Considering how we work so hard to be happy! How hard we work to avoid pain or suffering! So ...
Morning Prayer
And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep, and that mutter: should not a people seek unto their God? for the living to the dead?
Inspiration
Many wish to go to a multitude of other sources to find direction in life, especially in times of trouble. In Isaiah's day, many turned to wizards and those involved in the occult, and many still do today. But God's people should reject these methods and turn "to the Law and to the testimony. " (verse 20)
Prayer
We dare not trust the world of darkness, but we put our trust in you alone, O Lord, as our source of wisdom for life. We know that Satan himself appears like an angel of light to better deceive many, and that false religions are full of doctrines of devils and sacrifices to devils, though the participants mostly are unaware of it. Only in your Word do we find the true light that will guide us through even the most trying of times. Amen.
