Devotion
Loving Wounds
Chipo Biti
It is far better to be smarting from the correction of a friend who cares for you, instead of being led on the wrong path by people who try to deceive you with false approval. If you choose to base your life on positive feedback only and you block out any form of correction, you will end up with the wrong people advising you. Positive feedback is great. It can boost you, it can get you motivated, and it can make you feel good. But if that feedback is blinding you from the areas in your life that you need to correct, you will find yourself on that fast track to making a series of mistakes.
Correction is necessary for our growth as Christians. We need correction in our spiritual lives in order to ensure that we are reflecting God and His love and righteousness. We also need correction in other aspects of our life. We can never know everything or get everything right. When we are corrected, we are alerted to the areas in our lives that we need to work on. When we work on those areas, we become better people. If we don't receive that correction, how will we grow?
Correction may be hard to receive, especially from the people we love, but it is worthwhile. The people who love you will always desire to see you become the best person you can be. In order for that to happen, they have to correct you when they see that you are headed in the wrong direction.
People who are trying to use you will not care about what is best for you. They will only be concerned with how you can serve their hidden agenda. They will take advantage of your shortcomings in order to gain a one up on you.
Prayer
Discernment is required when it comes to who you listen to when you are in need of counsel. If you surround yourself with people who will tell you what you want to hear, you will not get very far in life. But if you choose to have honest people around you, who are convicted by the love they have for you and not their selfish interests, you will be able to grow. You should also aim to be the person who corrects, in love. Lying to someone or overlooking their errors in order to make them happy is not love.
Night Prayer
My times are in thy hand: deliver me from the hand of mine enemies, and from them that persecute me.
Inspiration
God only wants the best for us. On days we feel defeated and lost, we continue to have hope in God. He delivers us from our darkest moments, and with Him, we will always find peace. Our Lord is mighty and dependable. We surrender our lives and find happiness living according to His will, and we rest peacefully in His loving arms.
Prayer
Dear Lord, we submit our lives to You. You are trustworthy and good. We praise Your name for the unconditional love You bestow upon us. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
Devotion Loss or GainFrances Taylor Paul is telling us and the Philippians that whatever he has suffered, whatever he has lost, it is nothing compared to what he has gained in Christ. Whenever we make changes in our lives, we lose as well as gain. When we move on from high school to the work force or to college, we will gain friends and lose friends. If we change jobs, we may even lose the ability to see our families as often as we had been able to do. If we change our religion or our religious habits, we also may lose friends or even connections with our family members. Christianity requires changes in our lifestyle if we are to be faithful to God's will. Doing the right thing becomes more important than hanging out with friends who can lead you in a different direction. Attitudes can change and your behavior with them. You're no longer the fun person who likes the dirty jokes who doesn't complain about foul language, who won't go to the x-rated movies, or engage in other activities...
Morning Prayer
Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.
Inspiration
Good things generally happen to good people. If you commit good deeds, think good thoughts, and surround yourself with good people, in time you will be rewarded with a good harvest. However, it doesn't take many rotten apples to ruin a harvest, so think carefully with, how you spend your energy, how you spend your time, and who you spend it with.
Prayer
Everyday we are surrounded with the beautiful reminders of your creation God: flowers, trees, animals, people. I pray that you make me work, to use me as a vessel to blossom and spread my gifts to the world, spreading your joy to all that encounter me, just as you did with Jesus Christ. His eternal harvest is one that keeps on giving, and I pray that you help me give all that I ...
