Devotion
All things came into being through Him
David Jacobs
These verses remind me very much of a scripture lesson that I read in front of my congregation on Christmas as a child. John 1:3 is this:
1 In the beginning, was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.2 The same was in the beginning with God.3 All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made.4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
My parents were so proud of me for reading these verses, and I obviously was too considering I can still remember the exact verses that I had to read decades ago. It gave me a thrill to read the Lord's word in front of so many admiring eyes. It also made me think about what these words really meant.
Without God, there would be nothing. We know that in the first few verses of the Bible. He created everything. There is a new caveat in these verses, talking about the church itself. Christ is the head of the body, and God is happy that Christ is in the head of the body of the church. God's covenant with humanity was completed by the blood of Christ on the cross. Jesus contains the many within him: we owe him a debt for taking our sins, transgressions, fears and anxieties, placing them all on his shoulders when he carried that cross. For us, he was willing to spill his own blood, so that we may all be reconciled. He did not have to do this for us, because he created all things.
Prayer
He wanted to do it. God wanted to do it because he loved us so much. Loving us so much that He gave us His only son. Thanks be to God. 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.
