Devotion
The only true word
David Jacobs
In modern times, more people are losing their faith in religion, which is and was the backbone of civilization for thousands of years. Many people claim that religion is not real and that science is the path to truth. Are science and religion opponents? Science has advanced us to heights that we could have hardly imagined. Science has attempted to answer questions about existence, make our lives better, and increase our chance of survival. However, science cannot answer all questions and it does not provide a moral path to walk on. Christianity does. Science and Christianity are not opponents. They are teammates.
Many have claimed to be prophets and many of these prophets have been correct about many things. Some have been correct about most things, accurately forecasting things that seem almost impossible to predict. In these verses, a prophet comes to King Jeroboam, refuses to eat with him citing his wicked ways, and predicts that the altar shall break in half, which it does. The prophet was blessed by God early in this chapter, but makes the mistake of listening to another prophet later in the chapter. After listening to the false prophet and going against God's commands, the prophet is killed by a lion after leaving.
Think back to the state of our current world: as more people leave religion and listen to other "prophets." Has the world improved? People are more lost than ever before, turning to temptation and sin where they used to turn to God. Do not make the same mistake as the prophet in these verses!
Prayer
Continue to walk the righteous path, the path laid out by Christ, a moral path to God' Heavenly Kingdom. It is the way, the truth, and life. Thanks be to God!
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.
