Devotion
United in Love
Chipo Biti
The only way that believers can be united is when their bond is rooted in the love of God. The love of God that will help us remove our resentment and hatred towards one another. Instead of trying to gain an upper hand on the next person, we look out for one another. Instead of causing strife over one another's imperfections, we become patient with one another. These things cannot be done in our own power. That is we have the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of God, to help us love one another in a way that reflects God and who He really is.
We should let unity be our driving force for loving one another. When we as Christians are united, we become unstoppable as we move to spread the love of God across the world. We cannot do it as individuals. Christianity is not a life of isolation. We cannot thrive on our own. We have to be joined together. That is what God intended - for all of us to be united in love. When the world sees us genuinely looking out for one another as we worship God, they will be moved to join in.
In the times of the apostles, in Acts, love was shared among the believers and it drew in more new converts with every day that passed. They grew in multitudes and the love among them grew. As they grew, the gospel reached the world with a great speed. Even when the early church was scattered, they continued to support each other from a distance.
Prayer
We are called to be one - One in God, One in the faith. This cannot be achieved if we do not walk in love. Love helps us reach out to one another. We aren't meant to be looking out for our selfish interests. We have to see looking out for one another as an honorable thing to do - because it really is. There is nothing greater than walking in the love of God.
Nothing at all.
Night Prayer
I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:
Inspiration
Paul says he has fought the good fight, meaning he has surrendered his entire life to the will of God and has a clear conscience regarding every action taken. When we look at our own lives, can we say the same? Paul was beaten, jailed, and persecuted; yet, he continued forward as the Holy Spirit directed. Paul surrendered his heart to God and lived only for Him. We may not experience the same struggles as Paul, but we have plenty of moments when we feel as though we should give up instead of moving forward; but, we stand firm in our faith. God is our salvation, and we remain devoted to Him.
Prayer
Dear God, we are devoted to You. We have no regrets about accepting Christ as our Lord and Savior. We will continue to surrender our lives to Your will. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
Devotion
Forgiveness
Frances Taylor
Joseph is a lot more forgiving than I'm afraid I would be. Joseph not only forgives his brothers but sees God's hand in allowing their sin to bring good out of evil. How do we look at sins committed against us? Can we find any good that has come from them? I can remember losing a job because of the lies of a co-worker. It was devastating at the time, and yet it led to my being able to live out one of my childhood dreams and then to some of the happiest years of my life. The co-worker lost her job soon after. There are so many times when if we look back we can see how God is working. We also can see how a lack of forgiveness can cause damage to families, communities and beyond. I've seen this with divorce where one or both parents try to turn their child against the other parent. This can damage the child but also the parents themselves and their families. Forgiveness might not be easy, but ongoing hostility and anger can cause physical as well as ...
Morning Prayer
Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Inspiration
I honestly believe that the world is in a state of crisis right now. There are more and more people turning away from God, and because of this, the hero that has sustained peace and love for thousands of years does not have the same reach that he once did. There is a hero vacuum, and people are looking for other places to live vicariously, wishing that they could be more like a superhero or a celebrity. We should all already have our superhero. He lived and died for our sins; he bore a cross in shame; he sits at the right hand of his Father, God in heaven. Do not look for other heroes when the mightiest of all already exists!
Prayer
Jesus, my hero and savior, why have I ever looked at other sources for motivation? Forgive me for this transgression. I am weak and did ...
