Devotion
Let there be no evil in your mouth
David Jacobs
You may have heard the phrase, "Sticks and stones may break my bones but words may never hurt me." I always thought this was an incredibly foolish thing to teach a child, because words can obviously hurt us! In fact, there are many examples in the Bible urging believers of God to be mindful of their speech. Christ's followers should be swift to hear and slow to speak. This is the path to wisdom, and in my own experiences, I would say that my ability to listen to people far outweighs my ability to speak.
Swift to listen and slow to speak...this phrase reminds me of another popular quote. There is a saying from the movie Bambi. Thumper, the cute rabbit, utters this line: "If you can't say something nice don't say nothin' at all." It may sound less pretty, but it is a good summation of this verse in Ephesians. The final verses discuss things that we should avoid, most in regards to our temperament, and the last is feelings that we should feel.
Prayer
Paul has learned well from Christ; hopefully we can too, but if not, maybe the rabbit, Thumper, can teach us a valuable lesson.
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.
