Devotion
Be humble in victory
David Jacobs
World War I ended in 1918, and it took six months of negotiations for the warring countries to sign the Treaty of Versailles. The treaty forced Germany to take responsibility for the war in some ways, such as admitting "war guilt," paying substantial reparations and ceding large amounts of territories. It may have seemed like a great victory for the victorious powers, but the harsh terms of the treaty against Germany left them seething and feeling alienated from the rest of Europe. As we all may know, a few decades later, this burning resentment led to a second World War, and millions of lives lost.
Saul had lost his claim to the kingdom of Israel (1 Samuel 15) and grown jealous of David's success (1 Samuel 18). Saul and David had grown apart, and the kingdom of Israel had been split as Samuel predicted. In 1 Samuel 28, Saul uses a medium to speak to the deceased Samuel, who reiterates that Saul disobeyed God and will lose the kingdom, adding that his sons will soon join Samuel in the afterlife. Sure enough, the Philistines find him and his sons, killing his sons and forcing Saul to take his own life.
The Philistines desecrate Saul's body, cutting off his head, removing his armor, and fastened his body to a wall for people to see it. I think you can see the similarity between this grisly scene and the Treaty of Versailles: honoring a defeated opponent can help to bring peace, where mocking them will often lead to revenge. Be humble, even in victory.
Prayer
Precious Lord, your light shines in the darkness. Help me shine brightly, so that I, too, may help drive out darkness. Together, believers of Christ can drive out the darkness, violence, and arrogance that plague this life, and the darkness will not overcome it. I am humbled by your mercy, O God, and will follow the path laid before me 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.
