Devotion
His Workmanship
Chipo Biti
We are the workmanship - the creation - of God. He took time to form us in His image. When He created us He desired that we enjoy and prosper in our relationship with Him. At the beginning of time, before the Fall, there was no pain or suffering. Man was left to flourish, multiply, and enjoy the best of what God had created for them. God created us with love. He has loved us from the beginning of time and He actually intended for us to live a perfect life of fulfillment. The work that man was required to do was work that He enjoyed.
Unfortunately, this all changed after the Fall of Man. Evil entered the world and so did pain and sorrow. Things changed for mankind. We became at war with the world and with one another.
But in a world filled with trials and tribulations of many sorts, we can be confident because we are loved by God and we know that the plans that He has for us will always work us. Think of it like this, God managed to sort out the greatest thing of our lives - our salvation. Without Jesus Christ, we would all be damned to hell and there would be nothing that could save us. But God, out of His endless love for us, sent His son to take the fall for us so that we would be able to live.
We are loved by God and, as His children, we love Him too. We have been created with a purpose; God has a plan for our lives.
After the Fall, God did not turn His back on mankind. He could have chosen to wipe everyone out and start again but He could not do that. The love He had for man was too much for Him to try and wipe them all out. Instead, He came up with a redemption plan that came in the form of Jesus. While we may not be able to live in that paradise right now, a time will come where we will. When Jesus returns, we will live a more glorious life - free of all evil, pain, and sorrow. Until then, we will hold fast to God's promises and root our Hope in Him.
Prayer
Now, as Christians, we walk confidently because we know of where we are headed. We have received eternal life. A life that will not be revoked from us because of the love that we have for God. In a world filled with hopelessness and uncertainty, we can walk with our heads held high because we know that all is truly well with our lives. If God could turn around our eternity, the greatest thing in our lives, for us, what can't he do? Is there anything more important than the fate of our eternity? No! So walk tall, dear believer, and know that you are covered.
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.
