Devotion
New Wine
Frances Taylor
Once we have accepted Christ as our Savior, are we hanging on to our old ways – old wineskins – while trying to fit Jesus into it? If so, it just doesn't work. Just as the new wine would ferment and eventually split the wineskins, we need to decide whether to work with our new beliefs and spiritual path or go back to our former way of life. A person with an addiction – alcohol, gambling, drugs, etc. – cannot continue to visit those places where temptation can be overwhelming – bars, casinos, etc. – or to keep company with the same friends who don't understand why their friend has changed. Now, I'm not saying that it is necessary to give up our old friends, what I am saying is that we can't expect to do the same things we did before. Did you enjoy x-rated movies? Is foul language a staple in your vocabulary? Do you have a whole collection of your favorite "dirty" or offensive jokes? Do you think this is what Jesus wants of you? Somehow these things don't really fit with following Christ. If Jesus is my Savior and I have turned my life over to him, I have to rethink how I live. May all of us work to place this new wine into new wineskins and so have our lives give testimony to our new awareness of the glory of God.
Prayer
Dear Jesus, I want to follow you. Give me the grace I need to be a true witness of my love for you. Amen.
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.
