Devotion
The Lord’s Spiritual Spring-Cleaning
David Jacobs
The hardest things to find aren't the small things, or the translucent things, or even something that has been cleverly hidden. The most difficult things to find are those that we aren't even aware that we have lost. Yet, one of the greatest delights is in finding something that you hadn't noticed was missing.
Spring cleaning is a yearly chore for many of us in the modern world. We clean our homes from bottom to top, moving things from their place and giving everything a good polish, scrub or mopping. Occasionally we find things: a book that had fallen behind a cabinet, a dollar bill that had slipped between the sofa cushions, perhaps an earring who's partner had been sitting alone in your jewelry box. The point is, until we restructure our life from bottom to top, those little treasures remain hidden from us.
Prayer
Conceptualized differently, one may say Jesus was a Messiah of reversal, to turn the world upon its head. The last first, the high made low, the sick to be healed, the sinful to be saved. Jesus himself surprised many when rode a donkey into Jerusalem – In sharp contrast to what was expected and preceded him as a King amongst men. So rejoice in his name, for he has found what was lost! The Lord came, flipped the top to the bottom in order to spring clean us all, allowing us to find hidden treasures along the way.
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.
