Devotion
Lord of the Sabbath, Lord of all days
David Jacobs
These verses make me sad. How could the Pharisees possibly decide, after seeing Jesus heal and feed those that needed it, "how they might destroy" Jesus? Then I started to think about it a little deeper and how I have acted at times, and it began to make more sense.
Think of a dark time in your life, one where God was testing you, and you couldn't figure out why. Did you always react calmly? Do you ever regret some of the things that you thought or said towards God? I certainly know the answer for myself, and it is a mistake I have made several times.
It can be difficult to get over ourselves sometimes. We often inflate our egos and when make everything about "me" when it should always be about God. He has a plan for all of us, just as He had a plan for Jesus. He also had a plan for the Pharisees who saw Jesus break the Sabbath rules, saw him perform acts that they could not, and saw themselves being less important than before. They inflated their egos and decided that committing an act of evil that they knew was wrong at any time, not just on the Sabbath, and plotted to kill Jesus! On reading this I was angry at these foolish Pharisees for not seeing God's plan, and a bit bashful when realizing that I could easily have been one of them. I have not always trusted fully in the Lord, and these verses helped me know that I must improve and humble myself. God has a plan, on the Sabbath and every day.
Prayer
Merciful and forgiving Father, how lucky I am to have you in my life. When I have been weak, you have forgiven me, and with each time I gain a stronger faith. Praise be to you, my one and only Lord, for giving your only begotten Son to us, so that we would have a shining example that never strayed from your path. I beg that you strengthen me, my Lord, as you strengthened Jesus. In his holy name I pray. Amen.
Night Prayer
Let me not be ashamed, O Lord; for I have called upon thee: let the wicked be ashamed, and let them be silent in the grave.
Inspiration
We humble ourselves before the Lord when we come to Him with earthly burdens. We understand we do not have the power to control or fix our problems alone, so we lay our egos down and align our lives with the will of God. We are proud to be His servants and accept His help throughout our struggles. His love is unconditional, and His wisdom parallels none other.
Prayer
Dear Lord, we humble ourselves before You, seeking Your wisdom and guidance all the days of our lives. Thank You for Your presence and unfailing love. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
Devotion
You are a Temple of The Holy Spirit
Frances Taylor
This is a hard saying in today's world. Sexual immorality is so rampant and public that few people believe it to be immoral! People no longer think of sexual behavior outside of marriage as wrong and, in fact, have no problem with going from one person to another quite publicly, broadcasting their behavior on social media and if you're famous enough, on twitter, on TV, in magazines, etc. What happened to "Thou shalt not commit adultery?" I guess I'm old fashioned. I'm not about to condemn anyone who truly loves another and is faithful to them regardless of marriage, but I don't understand and cannot condone random sexual encounters that are not based on love but lust, have no desire for permanency but are literally just to satisfy a sexual itch.
Sorry if I offend anyone, but if we believe that our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit to be kept holy, how can we treat them as what – toys, prizes? I'm aware that women have often ...
Morning Prayer
For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee.
Inspiration
Think of a grudge that you held on for a long time. Did you feel better from holding this grudge? Now think about this deeper: what if God held a grudge against us? Wow, how blessed we are that he forgives our sins! He leads by example, forgiving those of us that do exactly what he asks us not to do. We all should all be more forgiving, like God is to us.
Prayer
You sent your only son to the world to die so that we may be forgiven, merciful God. Forgive me, once again, for being too selfish and proud to not forgive those that trespass against me. I wish that I can sin less and ask for forgiveness and guidance when I need it. I thank you for sending your son to us, Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior. Amen.
