Devotion
What does it mean to be wise?
David Jacobs
If I asked you who the wisest person in the Bible was, who would you say? Maybe Jesus, maybe Moses, but the name Solomon is almost synonymous with wisdom, referenced several times in the books of the Bible (especially 1 Kings 3 and 4). His wisdom was so great that God rewarded him as He rewarded no other man on earth: He chose Solomon as the person to build His temple in Jerusalem. King David is one of the most lauded characters in the Old Testament, and he was ready to build the temple for God. God chose his son, Solomon, known for his wisdom, rather than David, a conquering war hero, known perhaps too much for bloodshed and sin. David accepts this nobly, for he knows that Solomon is...the wise choice (1 Chronicles 28-29).
There are 2 things to notice about these verses: first, it is God's favor to wisdom. With sound counsel, understanding, and wisdom, there is strength.
The second thing to notice is what God abhors: evil, pride, and arrogance. These are the things that God hates. These are the evil way, the path to darkness. God does not hate many things, but these are the things He makes clear to use the word hate in reference to. If we are to fully understand and follow the word of the Lord, we must remember these verses: to closely follow God's path, we must love wisdom and hate pride and arrogance. To do so grants us more wisdom and strength. With these things, we can build our own inner temple, just as Solomon did, and join God, Solomon, and Christ, in the temple of heaven.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, lead me away from all sin, and towards a path of wisdom, understanding, and strength. I ask that you pardon my sins when I have been arrogant and prideful; I shall do all in my power to be better and clasp to the things that you deem righteous. Amen.
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.
