Devotion
God’s thunderous storm
David Jacobs
The Lord works in mysterious ways. Have you heard this? While this may seem profound at first, if we dig deeper I think we can see that this phrase is a superficial explanation for something more meaningful. As these verses discuss, do we find it marvelous or mysterious when it rains or snows? Do we dwell on the ways that the Lord is working or do we take it more or less for granted? If we stop and take a moment to consider what we understand about our existence on Earth, we can start to appreciate how beautiful life can be. It helps us to understand our place and our own existence as well as reveal some of the mysterious ways that God is working.
Our worries are often about what God has planned for us: why won't He show us a sign? Why do we feel alone? We become anxious over things beyond our control, causing us to forget that God wants us to enjoy our time on Earth. Worship takes many forms, and one of the most important forms of worship is appreciating the natural world that God created. Rain, snow, thunder, lightning, humans, animals...instead of viewing God's plan as "mysterious", try to appreciate the wonders of His love and the infinite manifestations that we can see, feel, touch, smell, and taste.
Prayer
Take a moment from your busy life and go into nature. The next time you encounter rain, snow, sunshine, wind, plants, and animals, realize that these are all God's creations. More importantly, realize your own place among them and that you, too, are God's work.
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.
