Devotion
Job’s faith tested
David Jacobs
When I was 22, I experienced one hardship after another and was unable to focus on anything positive for a long time. At that time, I truly began to think that nothing mattered and life had no meaning. My best friend had died of cancer at the age of 21, and I had to witness him waste away until he was just skin and bones. My oldest friend died when he fell out of a window, an incredible stroke of bad luck. My best friend's mom, mere months after his passing, also was diagnosed and suddenly died from cancer. Egotistically, I thought about my role, blaming myself for their deaths in one way or another: what could I have done differently? Why did God hate me? Worst of all, I hated God.
Satan puts Job to the absolute test, making my misfortunes seem almost insignificant. Within a span of a few verses, one messenger after another approaches Job with worse and worse news: first the cows were stolen and servants killed, then the sheep and fields were burned, then the camels and more servants were killed, and, the icing on the cake, all of his children were killed when the house collapsed. It would be enough to break any man. More than just break, it would be enough to send most men away, a new ally of Satan.
Somehow, Job's faith is strong enough. He realizes that he was born alone and will die alone, except accompanied by God. He has a good point too: we were alone saving for God upon birth, and do we look upon it as terrible? The same could be true of death, yet we seldom view it as such. Our time on earth is fleeting, like water vapor: here one second, gone the next (James 4:14).
Prayer
With a strong faith and trust in God, we are promised life eternal. For a stubborn man like me, and a stronger man like Job, it may take some time, but the choice is clear.
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.
