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.
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.
