Devotion
God’s word is the judge
David Jacobs
A few years ago my father died. He was a larger-than-life figure to me and I have always felt inadequate in some way because I constantly compare myself to him. He was an excellent student; I was a decent student. He worked incredibly hard; I got by with charm. He was the best father anyone could hope for; I felt unable to take care of even myself at times. I spent so much of my life doing things to prove that I was worthy to him, not based on things that I wanted to do but by doing things that I thought he would want me to do.
Right before he passed away, he told me that he was proud of me. He told me that all he ever wanted was to give me a better life, to be fulfilled, and for me to be a good person. I had made mistakes, but he seemed to not even remember them. All of the guilt and insecurity that I had felt was my own. I was projecting my own beliefs on how he felt onto myself...and they were not even accurate!
Many Christians are wracked with similar feelings of guilt, anxiety, and insecurity regarding their faith, behaviors, and even thoughts. Read these verses and understand that Christ did not come to judge you! He came to save you, by sharing his word and showing you a path to peace. The world can seem to be filled with darkness, and our faith constantly challenged. Christ was the light for the world and for all believers. Let that light shine inside you, share it with the world, and stamp out the darkness that fills you with feelings of guilt, despair, and worthlessness. God shared his light; go share yours!
Prayer
Generous God, help me to spread light to the world. Assist me in changing my feelings of guilt and insecurity to feelings of hope and love. You sent your son, Jesus Christ, to save us. I will do all that I can to follow your Word, so that his sacrifice will not be for naught. I pray all of this in your holy name, thanking you for showing me the way, Amen.
Devotion
Forgiveness
Frances Taylor
Joseph is a lot more forgiving than I'm afraid I would be. Joseph not only forgives his brothers but sees God's hand in allowing their sin to bring good out of evil. How do we look at sins committed against us? Can we find any good that has come from them? I can remember losing a job because of the lies of a co-worker. It was devastating at the time, and yet it led to my being able to live out one of my childhood dreams and then to some of the happiest years of my life. The co-worker lost her job soon after. There are so many times when if we look back we can see how God is working. We also can see how a lack of forgiveness can cause damage to families, communities and beyond. I've seen this with divorce where one or both parents try to turn their child against the other parent. This can damage the child but also the parents themselves and their families. Forgiveness might not be easy, but ongoing hostility and anger can cause physical as well as ...
Morning Prayer
Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Inspiration
I honestly believe that the world is in a state of crisis right now. There are more and more people turning away from God, and because of this, the hero that has sustained peace and love for thousands of years does not have the same reach that he once did. There is a hero vacuum, and people are looking for other places to live vicariously, wishing that they could be more like a superhero or a celebrity. We should all already have our superhero. He lived and died for our sins; he bore a cross in shame; he sits at the right hand of his Father, God in heaven. Do not look for other heroes when the mightiest of all already exists!
Prayer
Jesus, my hero and savior, why have I ever looked at other sources for motivation? Forgive me for this transgression. I am weak and did ...
Night Prayer
And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
Inspiration
We do not like to be wrong, and our egos become bruised when we stand corrected. The Bible provides details as to how we should conduct our lives so that we align with the will of God. We read the Word of God and gain wisdom regarding sins we need to remove from our lives. People who enjoy their sinful lifestyles don't want to hear they are wrong; they deflect from the truth and do what they want to do instead of what God asks of them. We will continue to study the Word and understand truth from false prophecy.
Prayer
Dear God, please guide us as we read Scripture. We desire wisdom regarding the truth to remain in line with Your will. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
