Devotion
Gimme gimme gimme!
David Jacobs
When I was about 5 years old, I stole for the first time. I was with my family at a museum in a different city. I saw a kaleidoscope and was in awe of the amazing shapes, colors, and patterns that I saw in it. I knew that I had to have it, and went to ask my mom. She told me that we already had one at home and that I could play with it as soon as we got back. There was one big problem with her logic: I wanted it now! So, I stuck it in my pocket and out the door I went.
I wasn't the cleverest thief, because as soon as we got out of the door, I pulled the kaleidoscope out and start using it. My mom obviously saw me with it, scolded me and made me take the walk of shame back to the store. Although she intended to teach me a lesson, and I suppose that she did, the shopkeeper was generous and felt pity for the cute thief, and gave it to me for free. In this instance crime paid off...but really I think it was the morals that my mother instilled in me that the shopkeeper appreciated.
Greed is perhaps the deadliest sin in today's world. The consumer culture that we live in teaches us that we can never have enough. The teachings of Christ suggest otherwise.
Prayer
If we are able to be healthy and take care of the ones that we care about, what more do we need? Worldly possessions will fade, as will our bodies themselves. To be truly rich is to be spiritually fulfilled, and although wealth may make us many friends (Proverbs 19), there is only one friend that we truly need: our Father, who lives in Heaven. Amen.
Night Prayer
And Delilah said to Samson, Tell me, I pray thee, wherein thy great strength lieth, and wherewith thou mightest be bound to afflict thee.
Inspiration
Delilah asks Samson what makes him strong so his enemies can attack him in his weakness. Satan is like a lion, constantly on the prowl, searching out our weakness and working diligently to distract us from the path of righteousness. We rely on the Holy Spirit to help us focus when the enemy tries to trick us. We are thankful for the Holy Spirit's presence and guidance every moment of our earthly lives.
Prayer
Dear Father, We praise You for the presence of Your Spirit in our daily lives. Please continue to encourage us to remain watchful as Satan plans his attack. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
Devotion
The Law of Life
Frances Taylor
Freedom! Doesn't it sound great? We all want freedom, but what is true freedom? According to Paul it is freedom in the law of the Spirit of life in Christ. Unfortunately, most of us don't want freedom, they want license. Freedom does not mean that a person can do whatever he/she wants. We are given free will so that we can choose the GOOD. My freedom ends where yours begins and there are people who forget that.
When we follow Jesus law of love we are truly free. We don't even have to worry about the commandments because they are all based on love – love of God and love of others. Later in Romans, Paul talks about this in a question about the obligation of the Jewish people to follow the law as opposed to the Christians who are no longer subject to the law because they need to follow the way of love. We must follow civil laws, but first we must know them. For example, we must know the speed limit and follow it when we drive. We must know tax laws, ...
