Devotion
Use Your Freedom To Love
Chipo Biti
As children of God, we have been freed from the power of sin and all strongholds of the enemy. In Christ, we live a life of freedom - free from all forms of bondage. We are no longer slaves to guilt and shame. We are free to live lives filled with joy in Christ. But Paul admonished the Galatians - and us as well - not to use our liberty to fulfill the desires of our flesh. These desires are anything that are contrary to God and what He stands for. The last thing we should want is to use our freedom to indulge in things that are against God, our Father.
Instead, we are to focus on serving one another in love. Love is the main thing that should be at the center of every gathering of believers. Love reflects the nature of God. As we love one another, in Christ, we are showing the world evidence of God's existence. Love is a rare thing in this world because of the evil that abounds in those who are under the devil's influence. When we live our love out loud, in our actions and our words, we are calling the world to attention. We are making them aware of a better life to live - a life in Christ.
All of the law that was written in the Old Testament is fulfilled in "Love your neighbor as you love yourself". The same things that you desire for yourself should be the things that you desire for other people. The love and care that you give yourself should be the love you give to others and more. When you love your neighbor you do not desire to inflict any harm on them. To do so would be to cause a great travesty.
If we treat each other maliciously, like the devil would want us to, we will end up destroying each other and the report of God. We cannot preach of God and His love if we are constantly at one another's throats. That is not the way we are supposed to live.
Prayer
We are meant to look out for one another, encourage one another, and support one another in all times and seasons. That is the love God desires us to give to one another.
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.
