Devotion
A debt we can never fully repay
David Jacobs
I am not too fond of the feeling of owing people anything, be it money or even a favor. I always do my best to pay people back right away, because I feel guilty of taking something from someone and not being able to pay them back. I do not particularly appreciate owing people so much that I will not ask when I need help, even though my friends and family would certainly help me with no hesitation. Worst of all, I sometimes do not ask God for help, because I feel that I owe Him most of all.
Taking on debt and feeling indebted makes me feel helpless. "Ask and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth, and to him that knocketh it shall be opened." (Matthew 7:7-8) In these verses, a widow comes to Elisha with creditors coming and no money to pay them. The widow asks Elisha for assistance, and Elisha asks God. All that she had was a jar of oil, and Elisha tells her to ask her neighbors for jars as well. She did, and the jars became filled by God, and she could feed her family and pay her debt.
Sometimes asking for help is the hardest part. We may feel unworthy; we may be embarrassed; we may feel ashamed at being unable not to know what to do. Everybody needs help sometimes, and our friends, family, neighbors, and God are all willing and able to help. "Ask, and it shall be given unto you." It is easier said than done, but once done, it seems so easy.
Prayer
Precious Lord, forgive me for not asking for your help when I need it. Forgive me for pushing you away when I should have pulled you closer. Help me to be more open with you and those closest to me so that they can help me when I need it and I can say they will be more willing to come to me for help. Lord, I am forever indebted to you. We are all indebted to you, for your son, Jesus Christ, has paid the debt for our sins. In his 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.
