Devotion
Help those in need
David Jacobs
When Christ died on the cross we were saved. Our sins were washed away by the sacrifices of the lamb of God and we were tasked with living clean, moral lives, whilst sharing the gospel with our family around the world. Now what? Do we sit and twiddle our thumbs waiting for the end times? Or do we embody the spirit of the Lord and His sacrifice to help those who need it?
As a follower in Christ, we endure more responsibilities than most. We are bound by our Lord to be humble in all we do, and in doing so we may open our eyes to see that others around us are also in need of help. Once we have heard their call, we cannot turn our backs. Good deeds are our duties. However, if one is too charitable and spends too much time helping others, we may find we have nothing left and are now in need of the good of others. We must remember to do the good that is within our power to do. A farmer that gave away all his animals and land will surely starve in the winter.
Prayer
If we give away that which we do not have, we become indebted and rely on someone else to save us.
But don't let that process turn you into a miser. Whilst 'duty' sounds heavy and difficult, no duty truly is if done for our Lord God, and if we understand that is not only for the good of mankind, but it is for the glory of Heaven.
Night Prayer
Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess.
Inspiration
We despise the thought of a pile of dirty dishes in the sink. The outside is easy to clean; it's the caked-up residue on the inside that's so difficult to remove. Jesus compares the scribes and Pharisees with dishes that have been wiped clean on the outside while dirty inside. The Pharisees took exceptional care of their outward appearance and neglected their inward spirits. We are guilty of allowing our hearts to be left filthy as well. We look and act as we should while our souls are full of darkness. We must continue to converse with the Holy Spirit daily and trust His guidance to cleanse our sinful nature.
Prayer
Dear God, Please forgive our sinful nature. We yearn for cleansing from within, so we are genuine witnesses to Your name. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
