Devotion
Hope in the Trials
Chipo Biti
We are at peace with God, the Father, as a result of the sacrifice that Jesus Christ made for us when He came to earth to fulfill the will of God. Through faith, which is expressed through receiving salvation and submitting to Jesus Christ, acknowledging Him as the Lord and Savior of our lives, we activate that personal reconciliation with God. We have to make an active and conscious decision to be saved. It won't fall on us from the sky.
The Bible states, in Romans 10:9-10, that the one who confesses with their mouth that Jesus is Lord and they believe in their heart that God raised Him from the dead then He will be saved. This all has to do with the actions we take to affirm our salvation. Confessing and, most importantly, believing the gospel in our hearts.
Through Jesus Christ, we have access to the grace that we did not merit in any way. This grace is what has made us children of God. It is by grace we can look at our futures with eager expectation of the glory that is to come.
It is because of Jesus Christ, and the peace that we have with God, that we can rejoice and be steadfast in times of trials and tribulations. Instead of shaking and cowering away, we stand boldly because we know that God is with us. Our hearts are strengthened during the challenges we face. We build up patience so that the next time a similar trial comes our way, we will confidently endure.
Prayer
That is what we call experience. Experience is when we are familiar with a situation that has come our way. We won't shake or fret as much. If anything, we will be far more confident because we know that we got out of it the first time, we will get out of it again. This is what we call hope. Knowing that we are safe in the loving embrace of God, never to fail or fall away.
Christ is the source of our strength. In Him, we can face all things, boldly knowing that we will come out just fine.
Devotion
Culpability
Frances Taylor
This is an interesting passage because, among other things, it talks about sin and who is considered guilty of sin. Paul is talking about how he has been forgiven, how God has been merciful to him because his actions were committed in unbelief. In order for sin to be committed, one needs to know he is committing it. No one can commit sin in retrospect. Sin is always a deliberate act. This can be hard for some to understand. Actions can be considered sinful, even though the person committing them may not be culpable. For example, lying is a sin. However, is the two year old hiding behind the curtains sinning when he or she claims not to have broken the vase? No, because the child has no understanding of the difference between truth and lie. Those who do not have a relationship with God, who do not know the commandments, who have never heard of Jesus, may commit sinful actions, but are not guilty of sin. This is what Paul claims is his situation. Paul ...
Morning Prayer
And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there: And both Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the marriage. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, ) full of grace and truth.
Inspiration
When the Lord sent his only Son, he sent also his word. For his body was this very word made flesh. Importantly this was not simply a manifestation of God's word, but also rather an 'animation' of it (meant here in the original Latin as 'animare' –'to instill with life or spirit'), an instance of God's love and divine grace in action, among us.
Prayer
Lord, I am grateful for your mercy in showing us your word made flesh so that we may be redeemed. Further, I am grateful to you for showing us your love and grace through your only begotten son. Let his body not have been torn and broken for no avail, but feed us now in the Eucharist. Let not his blood have...
