Devotion
Behold, the Son
Chipo Biti
There is no other way to receive salvation except through Jesus Christ, who offered himself up so that we would not have to suffer the condemnation for our sins. In Christ we have found the light, we walk away from darkness.
Jesus Christ is the manifestation of the fullness of God's love for all mankind. When the world was at its worst, God sent His son, Jesus Christ, to die for our sins and set us free from the bondage of the enemy. There was no one else who could have done this for us without any ulterior motives. God simply did this because of His love for us. We didn't deserve it. Humanity was a mess at the time Jesus came to the earth.
There was a mixed multitude of people - those who knew God but had chosen to turn their backs on Him, those who did not know God at all, and those who walked around with their noses in their air as they depended on their self-righteousness. But they all had one thing in common: sin. There was nothing no man could do to resolve it.
Many had tried to fulfill their law in their own power but they could not do it. All the sacrifices that were done to atone the sins of the children of Israel were done on a regular basis because they were unable to stop sinning. Sin had a powerful grip over the people and it brought out the worst in them. We were redeemed through the blood of Jesus Christ, reconciled to God, the Father. It is only through Jesus Christ that we can be children of God. There is no other way.
People try to find peace in earthly goods and substances but they never find it because none of these things have ever been able to do what Jesus did for us. We can only get this sure peace from Christ, our solid foundation.
Prayer
Our lives have been justified by the sacrifice Jesus Christ made on our behalf. All of this done out of love and nothing else. When you think about the magnitude of this great gift, it is more than enough to make you want to dance for joy for as long as you can. When we think of the love of God, all we have to do is think of Jesus because that is where it is all shown. Jesus Christ is the evidence we have of the loving Father that we have.
Devotion
My Refuge, My Fortress
Frances Taylor
When we are in trouble, where do we turn? Is God our first thought? Do we really believe that God is our fortress, and our refuge? From the beginning Scripture tells us to trust in God. From Adam and Eve, we find human beings want to trust in themselves first. When we fail, then we turn to God. Ever wonder what it might be like to turn to God first? If we turn to God and place our trust in him, it would save us a lot of unnecessary anxiety. The key is trust. We need to trust that God knows best, that he is with us through whatever is going on, that our prayers are being heard. The difficulty is that we think we know what's best and we can get upset when God has other plans. We pray and don't like the answer, or don't want to wait for the answer.
I remember a story once told me about how we can miss God's answer because it wasn't the answer we wanted. A woman had to work to pay her bills and her mother got sick and needed full time care. She ...
Morning Prayer
But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved; )
Inspiration
I must admit that in times of trouble I have demanded that God show me a sign, talk to me, anything to reinforce my faith in him. What an ego I have! We are blessed to be given the gift of life on earth and life everlasting. It is through his mercy that we have the opportunity to be saved at all. Seek this opportunity and ye shall find it.
Prayer
Father! My heart cries out to you for mercy! We are the clay, and you our potter and all of us are the work of Your hand. Our ancestors have praised you, and now it is our blessing to do the same. I pray that you will use me as a tool for good, and deliver me from sin. I wish to do all things in your holy name, as your son, Jesus Christ, did for us. In his name I pray, Amen.
