Devotion
By God’s grace we are saved
David Jacobs
I feel that Christians are under attack in modern society: the atheist movement claims that we are fools, unwilling to listen to logic and science; with Muslims we face a passionate group of believers and many feel that we are in opposition to one another; an aging population of believers and an inability to attract young people to the church leads us to the point where we are now, desperate and willing to try new methods to gain new believers of Christ. Why have we grown to be so despised? What teachings of Christ are so wicked that we deserve such scorn?
The answer to that question is simple: we DON'T deserve this scorn. In these verses in the book of Titus, Christ's followers are given simple lists of instructions on how to live faithfully: avoid ungodliness and worldly lusts, live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present world. OK, simple enough. The verse that really stood out to me, especially when considering our present situation, is the final one.
Prayer
Brothers and sisters, do not be afraid to share your beliefs with anyone at anytime. We do not deserve this disdain! We should not be afraid to say that we believe that Christ lived and died so that we all could be saved. Go from this place with zeal, proclaiming that which you believe from the highest mountain. Remember this: let no man despise thee. Praise be to the Lord! For Him we will forever endure!
Night Prayer
I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:
Inspiration
Paul says he has fought the good fight, meaning he has surrendered his entire life to the will of God and has a clear conscience regarding every action taken. When we look at our own lives, can we say the same? Paul was beaten, jailed, and persecuted; yet, he continued forward as the Holy Spirit directed. Paul surrendered his heart to God and lived only for Him. We may not experience the same struggles as Paul, but we have plenty of moments when we feel as though we should give up instead of moving forward; but, we stand firm in our faith. God is our salvation, and we remain devoted to Him.
Prayer
Dear God, we are devoted to You. We have no regrets about accepting Christ as our Lord and Savior. We will continue to surrender our lives to Your will. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
Devotion
Forgiveness
Frances Taylor
Joseph is a lot more forgiving than I'm afraid I would be. Joseph not only forgives his brothers but sees God's hand in allowing their sin to bring good out of evil. How do we look at sins committed against us? Can we find any good that has come from them? I can remember losing a job because of the lies of a co-worker. It was devastating at the time, and yet it led to my being able to live out one of my childhood dreams and then to some of the happiest years of my life. The co-worker lost her job soon after. There are so many times when if we look back we can see how God is working. We also can see how a lack of forgiveness can cause damage to families, communities and beyond. I've seen this with divorce where one or both parents try to turn their child against the other parent. This can damage the child but also the parents themselves and their families. Forgiveness might not be easy, but ongoing hostility and anger can cause physical as well as ...
Morning Prayer
Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Inspiration
I honestly believe that the world is in a state of crisis right now. There are more and more people turning away from God, and because of this, the hero that has sustained peace and love for thousands of years does not have the same reach that he once did. There is a hero vacuum, and people are looking for other places to live vicariously, wishing that they could be more like a superhero or a celebrity. We should all already have our superhero. He lived and died for our sins; he bore a cross in shame; he sits at the right hand of his Father, God in heaven. Do not look for other heroes when the mightiest of all already exists!
Prayer
Jesus, my hero and savior, why have I ever looked at other sources for motivation? Forgive me for this transgression. I am weak and did ...
