Devotion
A house united
David Jacobs
When my son was a teenager he was constantly getting into trouble. He was acting out in school, getting in trouble with the police, and generally ignoring all of the things that he had been taught by his mother and I. We were befuddled: where was the good, sensitive, and generous boy that we had known all our lives? We knew that he was there, but he was unwilling to show himself all the time. No matter what we tried to do, he had to figure it out on his own.
In Paul's first letter to the Corinthians, he realizes that he is talking to early Christians or non-believers, and offers to thank the Lord on their behalf. He does it in a way that does not mock or condemn the Corinthians, which my wife and I probably had done too much of with our son. Paul, in his wisdom and generosity, is not blind to their good qualities, in their potential for redemption, and the early church's need for new believers. He patiently extends his hand, asking all who will take it to follow him to spiritual enrichment through Christ. Does God not love atheists, Buddhists, Muslims, and Jews? He does! God is the one that will judge who is worthy or not to join Him in the Heavenly Kingdom. My impatience with my own son drove him to misbehave; if only I had been like Paul! It is not up to us to condemn non-believers; it is up to us to offer our prayers, our thanks, and our hand to them, as Paul did, so that each and everyone has an opportunity to be saved.
Prayer
Patient and loving Lord, give me the strength to stretch out my hand for those that do not know you. Grant them the courage to take my hand, with your word a lamp at our feet as we walk the path towards salvation. Help me to not condemn them for what they do, and instead spread tolerance and kindness. Give me all of this, Lord, and the voices of your believers will grow as we shout our praises to Heaven. 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.
