Devotion
Light overcomes all darkness
David Jacobs
Recently the light in my closet began flickering, making it almost impossible to see anything. Thinking that it would be a fairly easy job, I took off the light and replaced it with another only to see, much to my dismay, the new light bulb also flickered. I remained proactive, and removed the entire fixture and had to eventually replace the transformer (which I admit I did not know existed). After multiple days, voila! The light was back on in my closet, so now I was able to notice the state of complete disarray that my clothes were in. Do we neglect to illuminate our own light in our lives?
Jesus is the light of the world and knows that he must shine so that we may see him. Should we not also hold ourselves to the same standard? Luke 8:16-17 discusses the importance of where a light is used. We would not light a candle and put it under a pot or under a bed (and unfortunately not in my closet). We should hold the light high so that we, and others, can see it. Jesus shined brightly for us, a gleaming example to which we should aspire, and his light was not extinguished even when pressed by the Pharisees. No, he remained confident, knowing full well that he was the truth and the light.
Many Christians do not shine bright enough in their daily lives. Much of society frowns upon it but is accepting of public displays of sex, greed, and violence. We should not put our faith under a vessel! We owe it to God and his son, who is our light in the darkness! We owe it to all those around us, to help lead them when they cannot see. Last, we owe it to ourselves, to surround ourselves with light and drive away darkness. Everything else, we leave to God.
Thought: If you notice darkness around you, do not be afraid to step up and shine, even in public. As Jesus stood up when pressed by the Pharisees, we too, can stand up and shine when we know we are right.
Prayer
Dearest Father, help listen to the words of your Son and my savior. He is your light and mine, my guide, strength, and redeemer. Humble me in thy sight, O Lord, so that I realize that I am lost without your guidance, a lamb without a shepherd. In times of darkness, help me to stand for what I know is good, and shine as an example to others. In your 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.
