Devotion
Why do you love my brother and not me?
David Jacobs
For those of us with siblings, we may have asked ourselves this question: "which one of us do our parents like the most?" It is a natural question and in some families, may be a legitimate issue. I was lucky, because I really believe that my parents loved all of their children equally. Although we are different, each having our own unique qualities and faults, to our parents we were all the same. What about some of the characters in the Bible who did not felt the same love that I did?
The story that Malachi speaks of is of Esau and Jacob, the sons of Isaac. The two sons were twins and they are described as near opposites of each other: Esau is hairy, profane, and rugged, a skilled hunter; Jacob is a sensitive, loving, and devout man, winning the favor of his mother. Through a series of cunning tricks, Jacob eventually gets Esau to swear his birthright to him (Genesis 25) and then poses as Esau with the help of his mother to get his father's blessing (Genesis 27), leaving Esau with nothing. It begs the question: why did God love Jacob more than Esau? In the historical context of the book of Malachi, why did God allow other nations to rule over the kingdom of Israel?
Prayer
All of this changed with the coming of Christ. Christ wiped the slate clean, with God proving that he loves us all equally. Christ's life is a testament to that, and his teachings only reinforce it. Believer, non-believer, Jew, Gentile, Greek, man, woman...God loves us all equally, our merciful Father.
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.
