Devotion
God’s gift
David Jacobs
Can you remember the best gift that you ever received? I have spent several minutes wracking my brain trying to think of a great gift that I have received, and honestly, I mostly think back to the great gifts that I have given to others. It sounds like a cliché, but it truly is better to give than to receive. The same can be said of the Lord our God, as these verses suggest.
All of the gifts that I have received come from God. All of the gifts that any of us have received come from God. Why would God do this for us? Like I said before, perhaps even God feels that it is better to give than to receive. He has created both heaven and earth, and given us the chance, through the teachings and life of his son, Jesus Christ, to be redeemed. We all have been gifted a gift that we can never possibly repay, and if we are slow to receive the message or refuse it, we will feel the wrath of God. In 1 Peter 4:10, it says:
10 As every man hath received the gift, even so, minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.
All of us have been given a gift. We also have a responsibility to give back. We should read these verses from James, and reflect on it: we should aim to be slow to speak, swift to hear, and slow to wrath, for that is the path to wisdom. Following the path that God has laid out for us is the ultimate gift that we can use to pay him back. Unlike me, hopefully God can remember it.
Prayer
Generous and loving God, every moment that I have to grow closer to you is a gift. I shall use every moment as I said, for that is also my greatest gift that I can give to you. Lead me away from the sins and temptations that may fall in front of my feet as I walk with you, my Lord, my strength and my redeemer. Amen.
Night Prayer
And Samson called unto the Lord, and said, O Lord God, remember me, I pray thee, and strengthen me, I pray thee, only this once, O God, that I may be at once avenged of the Philistines for my two eyes.
Inspiration
Samson's power came from God, not from his beautiful locks of hair! He knew the origin of his strength and called out to the Lord to help him abolish his enemies. We have the power to overcome obstacles and hardships in our earthly life. We must remember that our strength comes from the Lord and contribute our tenacity to Him. We are grateful for His gracious character as He gifts us with skills to battle our enemies.
Prayer
Dear Father, We are grateful for the strength You have instilled in us. We could not stand against sin alone and we praise You for gifting us the power to conquer our sin. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
Devotion
Allowing The Scriptures
To bring Joy To My Life
Frances Taylor
The beginning of Luke's Gospel has always been one of my favorite readings. It makes me feel confident that I can believe what I have been taught. It also gives me peace because I know that God's promise has been fulfilled. We have been set free from fear. Of course, we will know fear of the unknown in this unpredictable world, but not fear of death because we can be sure that death is not the end, only the beginning of a new life. Otherwise, how could we continue to experience happiness and joy in the face of suffering? This freedom of fear, this belief in the good news – this Gospel message – is what made the early Christians so willing to face suffering in the name of Jesus. It is what motivated them to spread the good news to anyone who would listen. Is our world any less in need of the Gospel than theirs? I doubt it. Considering how we work so hard to be happy! How hard we work to avoid pain or suffering! So ...
