Devotion
Lions, bears, and Goliath are no match
David Jacobs
No story in the Bible is more important to me than the story of David and Goliath. As a child, I would go to church with my parents and be forced to sit and listen to adults read the scriptures and give sermons that I could hardly focus on. I would take the Bible from the pew and read my favorite Old Testament passages: Moses calling down plagues on Egypt, Jonah and the whale, and most of all the story of a young King David. I would put myself in his shoes (or sandals) and think that I, too, could do anything if I believed it. If he, a young boy with the same name as me, can kill lions, bears, and Goliath, surely, I can do great things.
More important than the result of this battle to me is that David volunteered. He had no doubt what the outcome would be. His faith was so strong that he seemed to view the battle that nobody else wanted to fight was almost a foregone conclusion. It was not always easy for me to empathize with other characters in the Bible, but David was so human to me in many ways, but his confidence and faith in God never seemed to waver. His faith leads him to glory in his lifetime and his family to more glory than he could ever imagine. If he can do it, so can we!
Prayer
Almighty Father, your Heavenly Kingdom awaits all that have faith in you. Strengthen my faith, O Lord, for I, like David, hope to be a shining example to all that know me, an example of how strong faith is rewarded during this life and the next. You are my alpha and omega, you have delivered me from my trials, and you will deliver me through the next. In your holy name, I pray, Amen.
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.
