Devotion
Who is My Mother, Sister, Brother?
Frances Taylor
Sometimes preachers use this text to question whether or not Jesus has siblings, but I think they miss the point of the text. Jesus looks at the people gathered around him, listening to his message, and says that the one who does the will of God is mother, brother and sister to him. The important thing is that he includes us in that as long as we do the will of God. In another part of the Bible, we are called adopted children of God, again being described as the brothers and sisters of Jesus. The key here is doing the will of God. This can be a stumbling block for us. What does it mean to do the will of God? Do we ever ask God to show us the path he wants us to take? Do we ask for guidance when we have an important decision to make? Do we ask for help when faced with temptations? We know that the commandments provide guidance and we have the Beatitudes to give us further instruction, but do we pay attention to them? Many times I know that I don't. I just go along my own way and then wonder when things don't turn out the way I want! This is especially true when I am not as considerate of others as I know I should be. I say I want justice but don't always let my action follow my words. How about you?
Prayer
Lord, I claim you as my brother as I try to follow the will of God. Help me to truly allow you to lead me on the path to righteousness. Be with me along the way. Amen.
Night Prayer
Let me not be ashamed, O Lord; for I have called upon thee: let the wicked be ashamed, and let them be silent in the grave.
Inspiration
We humble ourselves before the Lord when we come to Him with earthly burdens. We understand we do not have the power to control or fix our problems alone, so we lay our egos down and align our lives with the will of God. We are proud to be His servants and accept His help throughout our struggles. His love is unconditional, and His wisdom parallels none other.
Prayer
Dear Lord, we humble ourselves before You, seeking Your wisdom and guidance all the days of our lives. Thank You for Your presence and unfailing love. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
Devotion
You are a Temple of The Holy Spirit
Frances Taylor
This is a hard saying in today's world. Sexual immorality is so rampant and public that few people believe it to be immoral! People no longer think of sexual behavior outside of marriage as wrong and, in fact, have no problem with going from one person to another quite publicly, broadcasting their behavior on social media and if you're famous enough, on twitter, on TV, in magazines, etc. What happened to "Thou shalt not commit adultery?" I guess I'm old fashioned. I'm not about to condemn anyone who truly loves another and is faithful to them regardless of marriage, but I don't understand and cannot condone random sexual encounters that are not based on love but lust, have no desire for permanency but are literally just to satisfy a sexual itch.
Sorry if I offend anyone, but if we believe that our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit to be kept holy, how can we treat them as what – toys, prizes? I'm aware that women have often ...
Morning Prayer
For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee.
Inspiration
Think of a grudge that you held on for a long time. Did you feel better from holding this grudge? Now think about this deeper: what if God held a grudge against us? Wow, how blessed we are that he forgives our sins! He leads by example, forgiving those of us that do exactly what he asks us not to do. We all should all be more forgiving, like God is to us.
Prayer
You sent your only son to the world to die so that we may be forgiven, merciful God. Forgive me, once again, for being too selfish and proud to not forgive those that trespass against me. I wish that I can sin less and ask for forgiveness and guidance when I need it. I thank you for sending your son to us, Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior. Amen.
