Devotion
Satan at work
David Jacobs
Before my brother had married his wife, she went through several tragedies in a very short period of time. Her father died, mother died, and then her stepmother committed suicide. This would test the mettle of any human, and she fell into a depression. She turned to drugs, alcohol, and was in a destructive relationship that she couldn't seem to get out of. God did not abandon her, and she thanks my brother for saving her life. She is one of the strongest people I have ever met, and if you met her, you would never think that she had gone through such a dark period in her life.
Satan is real. The temptation of sin bombards us, and with the ease of access that we have in the technologically advanced world that we live in, most of these sins are just a click or phone call away. Satan is lurking, ready to pounce when we least expect it, like a lion stalking a lamb. In these verses, God boasts of Job's excellence, and Satan vows to show God that Job will curse him when pushed to his limits. Poor Job! A good man made to suffer, a wandering lamb for the prowling Satan.
Prayer
What can we do to eliminate Satan's role in our life? By surrounding ourselves with a group of other faithful Christians, we will have strength in numbers. Two is greater than one, and it is especially useful to have a safety net of friends in faith when we are struck with misfortune. Like my sister-in-law, without this safety net, the suffering may wander and make her easy prey for Satan. As Christians, we are united, a mighty herd stampeding with goodness over all the earth.
Night Prayer
And he sent, and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and withal of a beautiful countenance, and goodly to look to. And the Lord said, Arise, anoint him: for this is he.
Inspiration
God appoints leaders and allows them authority for a time. We do not always agree with our leaders' decisions or lifestyles, yet, we must respect their position and trust God's wisdom. His thoughts are higher than ours; He sees much farther into the future than we do, and we will never be able to understand His plan. We rely on our faith while enduring a leader who has conflicting beliefs. God is our shelter and ruler of all things.
Prayer
Dear God, We come to You in prayer for our leaders. Please guide them in decision-making; so their actions align with Your plan. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
Devotion
All Have Sinned
Frances Taylor
We might try to deny it, but we have all sinned. And as Paul says, we fall short of the glory of God. There is nothing we can do to earn eternal life in heaven. Even to think that it is in our power to do so, is considered presumption. Only someone divine can redeem us, and only someone who is human and has free will and can choose to do so. In other words, only Jesus who is both human and divine is able to do so. Our responsibility is to accept this gift with gratitude and humility. We show our gratitude by following Jesus and living lives based on love. We show our humility by recognizing that all we have is gift. We are expected to use our gifts for the good of others, to develop them to the best of our ability and to say thank you. No one deserves God's love or forgiveness more than another. No one deserves his or her giftedness more than another. In fact, Jesus tells us that we must care for the poor and the vulnerable. So if you or I have more...
Morning Prayer
Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;
Inspiration
Thanks to Jesus Christ, we are no longer strangers or foreigners to the word of God. We have been accepted into God's family, being identified as His children. The Bible even takes it further to define us as "Born of God". That is how deep our identity in Christ runs – we are coheirs with Him. We no longer live in isolation, being subject to the wiles of the enemy. We are safe in the Father's arms, for the rest of the days of our lives and beyond.
Prayer
Dear God, I am thankful because I am a part of your family, now. Lord, I am grateful that the enemy can never do anything that will pluck me out of your hands. This salvation is eternal and always here to stay. Father, thank you for loving me so much, when I should have been ...
