Devotion
Let my people go!
David Jacobs
What is your greatest fear? In surveys, many people claim that they fear public speaking more than they fear even death! I shared this fear as a child, constantly feeling anxiety in front of crowds and embarrassed by even the smallest speech mistake that I made in front of people. This changed when I performed a scripture reading as a teenager in front of a large crowd at my church on Christmas. I had practiced reading these verses aloud and was well prepared. I read the verses and could see the looks on the crowds' faces, happy to see a young boy reading such important words. From that point on I relished performing in front of crowds because I knew how much people would appreciate it if I did a good job.
Moses shared this fear of public speaking and felt inadequate for the mission that God had asked of him. "Why me?" he asked God. God replies with the famous verse: "I AM THAT I AM...I AM hath sent me unto you." (Exodus 3:14)
In the verses of this devotion, Moses is still unsure of his mission. God makes the objectives of his mission more clear: Moses will go to Egypt and tell the Pharaoh to free the Israelites or else God will kill every first-born. Poor Moses must have felt the pressure! God had even performed several miracles to show Moses his miraculous power, but Moses was still unsure. Like me, a shy boy in front of a big Christmas congregation, it took Moses being in that moment, being on that stage, before he realized that he could do it. We must place our trust in God. He will not ask of us something that we cannot handle. Remain faithful and good. Leave everything else to God.
Prayer
Are there aspects of your life that make you feel inadequate? Go to God and ask Him for strength. Trust in God and face your fears as Moses did. Each time you do, the fear will be slowly transformed into strength.
Devotion
Abraham is Father of All
Frances Taylor
There are questions in every age about the importance of the Old Testament for Christians. Abraham is considered to be the Father of Faith for Jews, Christians and Muslims. We forget that it was Abraham who believed in the doctrine of only one God. It is through him and his descendants that this tradition comes down to us. Another fact that we can overlook is that Jesus was Jewish. He was born a Jew, lived as a Jew, died, rose and ascended into heaven as a Jew. Because we believe that he was the Messiah, the Christ, and we follow him, we are called Christian. Without the Old Testament, we wouldn't understand the promise of salvation; we wouldn't understand why it was important for Jesus to be of the family of King David. We would not understand his teaching either, because Jesus quoted from Scripture – the Old Testament – frequently. He told us that he came to fulfill the Scriptures, not to abolish them. In the same way, we can ...
Morning Prayer
Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.
Inspiration
We have a responsibility, as Christians, to abstain from the sinful practices we partook in before we became saved. While it may be a gradual process of change, we should ensure that we are putting in our best to play our part in resisting temptation. God enables us to resist temptation, but it is up to us to actually resist.
Prayer
Dear God, I pray that I will always be a person of action. Father, I take delight in my new life in you and I do not desire otherwise. I pray that in times of temptation, may I act on the strength you have given me to flee and/or resist. May I never rely on excuses or procrastination, Lord. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.
Night Prayer
Thou whom I have taken from the ends of the earth, and called thee from the chief men thereof, and said unto thee, Thou art my servant; I have chosen thee, and not cast thee away.
Inspiration
We have chosen to surrender our lives and serve the Lord. We serve Him by witnessing, completing missionary projects, and ministering to those in need. There is always work to do and a world full of people to help. We will look for opportunities to provide for our brothers and sisters in Christ by any means necessary. We are servants to one another as a service to the Lord; He will never forsake us.
Prayer
Dear God, Help us see the world through Your eyes. We desire to serve those around us by reflecting Your love through our actions. You will never forsake us, and we will continually lift praises of thanksgiving to You. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
