Devotion
At the right hand of God
David Jacobs
Have you ever played the game 'telephone'? The game basically goes like this: I tell the person next to me a sentence that only they can hear. They then have to tell the person next to them so only they can hear. It goes on and on until it comes back to me, and then I relay what the final sentence sounds like. By the time it reaches the original person, what you end up with is usually completely inaccurate, with perhaps a lot of the same phonetic sounds but the meaning completely changed.
The reason I bring up this game is because of the gospels themselves: each gospel was written at different times and by different people. The style of each gospel is unique; Mark is more simple, John more fantastic and supernatural, Matthew more poetic, and Luke more detailed. Like the game of telephone, the more people that are playing, the farther that the message has to go, the more distorted it will become.
This is why Mark, in my opinion, is the most accurate depiction of the life of Christ. Christ is still the son of God; he performs miracles, healing the sick and preaching about love for all mankind; and finally, in these verses, he dies and rejoins his Father, and ours, sitting beside God.
Prayer
If you read the final chapter of each gospel, you will get a more clear idea of the style of each writer. The more fantastic the story, perhaps the more likely it was embellished due to the distance that the story had to travel. Mark's gospel lacks a lot of the flair and poetic beauty of the other gospels. That is why I feel it is the most accurate.
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.
