Devotion
Focus on What Comes Out of Your Mouth
Chipo Biti
Jesus spoke a very profound truth here. In the times of the Old Testament (Pre-Jesus times) people were more concerned about the things they ate. Food was a major part of the Law of Moses. It was the way the children of Israel separated themselves from idolatrous Gentile nations. There were particular foods that were deemed as clean - which were the foods were required to eat. There were also foods that were deemed unclean - the Jews were not to touch them otherwise they would be defiled.
The reason why the Law of Moses required the children of Israel to be separate from Gentile nations was to prevent them from mixing with people who fellowshipped with idols.
God has never been okay with idolatry and back then, Moses had declared that it would be better for the children of Israel to stay away from idolatrous nations, altogether, in case they ended up becoming influenced by them (which did happen on a number of occasions).
But when Jesus came to the earth, He shifted the focus completely. Instead of re-emphasizing the cleanness and uncleanness of food, Jesus raised the bar and gave the people a higher standard to live by. He informed them that anything that entered a man - food, words, etc. - was capable of defiling him. He said that it is what came out of the man that defiled him - referring to a man's words and actions.
When you look at it from a clear point-of-view, you will realize that the food people ate was not what was making them unclean. It was what those foods would lead to - idol worship, strange acts, etc. that would defile them. The people, however, had missed this completely.
This still applies to us today. There are so many external influences that are capable of affecting the way we act. But this should not be where our focus should be. Our focus should be on the attitudes and beliefs we possess, and the words and actions that follow. If your words and actions are harmful and do not bring glory to God, then you are acting in a contrary manner.
Prayer
If your actions and words are righteous and do glorify the name of God, then you are walking in a way that is truly worthy of the calling you have come into.
As Jesus said, "If any man have ears to hear, let him hear."
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.
