Devotion
When the going gets tough . . . Pray?
David Jacobs
David is a dynamic figure in the Bible, performing incredibly good deeds as well as heinous sins. He is anointed by God, the King of Israel, the slayer of Goliath (1 Samuel 17), but also murders an Amalekite for putting a dying Saul out of his misery (2 Samuel 1), and forces Uriah the Hittite, the husband of a woman that David committed adultery with, to the front lines because David wants Uriah's wife to be his own (2 Samuel 11). Why does God care so deeply about David when he is so emotional and sinful? The answer lies in these verses.
David is consistently faithful and obedient to God. With the Philistines closing in on him, David turns to God in prayer as he often does. God cares so deeply about David because David cares so deeply about God! It is as simple as that. Does David sin? Absolutely. Does he stray from God at times? Certainly. Does he always come back to God and trust the Lord with all of his heart and soul? He does. God rewards his loyalty and obedience once again, smiting the Philistines and avenging the death of his former friend Saul. He stays calm, keeps his faith, and is strengthened by God.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, purveyor of truth, I humbly come to you seeking to be more faithful to you, O Lord, my strength and my redeemer. May the blessings of my mind and meditations of my heart be acceptable in your sight. Lord, I am yours. Like David before me, I will come to you in times of trouble. You know that I have sinned and will sin again, but I vow to come back to you, this day and everyday. For yours is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever. 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.
