Devotion
Obedience is Part of Love
Chipo Biti
Obedience is a key part of our relationship with God. We cannot say we love God if we disobey His instructions and go against His guidance on a daily basis. That isn't love. That is rebellion. When we obey God, we are showing Him that we have submitted to His will and we have put our total trust in Him. Try and imagine if you were in a relationship with someone who was always doing the opposite of whatever you would ask them to do. You'd start to doubt them whenever they express their love for you, right? Fortunately for us, God doesn't think the way we do. He loves us when we are faithful. He loves us when we are not.
This, however, should not serve as a reason to continue being disobedient. If you truly love someone then you will want to show them that you value their guidance - not just with your words but with your actions as well. Love is expressed in words and actions. They should be expressed equally. If you say that you love God, you have to express it in everything you do.
There are blessings that come with being obedient. It's just a natural way of things rolling out. When you are obedient to the will of God, you prevent yourself from encountering potentially dangerous situations, and you find yourself walking on favorable paths. Blessings are inevitable when you remain on the favorable paths that God guides you on.
Prayer
When you are obedient to the will of God for your life, it speaks volumes to the people around you. Younger Christians will be encouraged by the example that you choose to set for them. Remember that everything you say and do will serve as a testimony to the people who get to witness your life on a regular basis.
Devotion
Abraham is Father of All
Frances Taylor
There are questions in every age about the importance of the Old Testament for Christians. Abraham is considered to be the Father of Faith for Jews, Christians and Muslims. We forget that it was Abraham who believed in the doctrine of only one God. It is through him and his descendants that this tradition comes down to us. Another fact that we can overlook is that Jesus was Jewish. He was born a Jew, lived as a Jew, died, rose and ascended into heaven as a Jew. Because we believe that he was the Messiah, the Christ, and we follow him, we are called Christian. Without the Old Testament, we wouldn't understand the promise of salvation; we wouldn't understand why it was important for Jesus to be of the family of King David. We would not understand his teaching either, because Jesus quoted from Scripture – the Old Testament – frequently. He told us that he came to fulfill the Scriptures, not to abolish them. In the same way, we can ...
Morning Prayer
Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.
Inspiration
We have a responsibility, as Christians, to abstain from the sinful practices we partook in before we became saved. While it may be a gradual process of change, we should ensure that we are putting in our best to play our part in resisting temptation. God enables us to resist temptation, but it is up to us to actually resist.
Prayer
Dear God, I pray that I will always be a person of action. Father, I take delight in my new life in you and I do not desire otherwise. I pray that in times of temptation, may I act on the strength you have given me to flee and/or resist. May I never rely on excuses or procrastination, Lord. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.
Night Prayer
Thou whom I have taken from the ends of the earth, and called thee from the chief men thereof, and said unto thee, Thou art my servant; I have chosen thee, and not cast thee away.
Inspiration
We have chosen to surrender our lives and serve the Lord. We serve Him by witnessing, completing missionary projects, and ministering to those in need. There is always work to do and a world full of people to help. We will look for opportunities to provide for our brothers and sisters in Christ by any means necessary. We are servants to one another as a service to the Lord; He will never forsake us.
Prayer
Dear God, Help us see the world through Your eyes. We desire to serve those around us by reflecting Your love through our actions. You will never forsake us, and we will continually lift praises of thanksgiving to You. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
