Devotion
Make a joyful noise to the King of all gods
David Jacobs
As a musician, it always brings me great pleasure to be able share my musical gift with others. The one place I get to do that more than any other, besides singing in the shower, is at church. In the comfortable confines of the church is one of the few places I get to sing, play the piano, and play the violin for an audience of interested listeners. How joyful is the sound of heavenly music, and how joyful it is to be able to share this music with fellow Christians in a house of worship!
The Old Testament is filled with stories that may make God seem serious, vengeful, and even scary. Never forget how much God loves you! So much so that he sent His only son to die so that we may experience life eternal. Between the lines of thousands of verses within the Bible, one may find the joy and exultation of celebrating the name of the Lord. God is not spiteful and full of vengeance! He is as a Father unto us, endowing us with the gift of light, love, and even laughter. Perhaps no figure in the Bible is a better example of the joyful praise that can and should be shared with others and our Lord than King David. The Psalms particularly details the joyous relationship we have with God, recommending we make a joyful noise to the Lord. My joyful noise might be different from yours, but the Lord does not judge us on our musical abilities! Anyone can lift up their voice and sing – even my tone deaf mother – but singing is not the only way to make a joyful noise celebrating our love for God. Find yours, and lift it up in praise!
Prayer
When have you felt at your most 'joyous'? What does your joyful noise sound like?
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.
