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.
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.
