Devotion
Persevere
Frances Taylor
Have you ever talked to a new Christian a month or so after his/her baptism? I have. You might think that they would still be on top of the world, but often they wonder why they feel like the world is against them. Living the Gospel is not an easy task to begin with and the new Christian can be surprised by the challenges. One woman began to have nightmares about past issues in her life. Another person was surprised that his friends didn't want him around because he was now too "holy." Just as with Adam and Eve, Satan can be jealous of their relationship with God and wants to stir up trouble. In this passage from Hebrews, the early Christians are reminded of the abuse they suffered because of following Christ. They are told to hold fast to their confidence in God. We need to stay firm in our confidence in God whether we are new to Christianity or have been Christians from our youth. Life is always going to throw hardships at us. Some will shake our faith and there will be those who will say that these hardships mean either that there is no God, or that God has abandoned us. Not true. God is with us in the difficult times. As with the early Christians, we need to stand firm and persevere in our faith, knowing that God will never abandon us. All we need to do is call upon him.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, just as you were with your son, Jesus, in the difficult times in his life, we know you are with us as well. Help me to persevere knowing that you are with me. Amen.
Night Prayer
A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;
Inspiration
Spiritual leaders must possess specific characteristics as they complete works in the name of the Lord. He calls upon them to lead a lifestyle that reflects His nature. They must be an example to us regarding how we spiritually align our lives with the will of God and remove sin from our hearts. We will be on the lookout for these characteristics in people we choose as leaders or look up to as role models.
Prayer
Dear Lord, You have told us what to expect from a true spiritual leader. Help us remain alert to imposters as we look to them for guidance. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
Devotion
The Wicked or the Righteous
Frances Taylor
Which would you be? Which would I be? We all would like to think we would be among the righteous, but can we really be sure? You see, we're not the ones doing the judging! That's both a good thing and not so good. It's a good thing because we would probably throw away a lot of good people just because we didn't like them, were envious of their success, thought in a different way, or we considered them part of some enemy group. It's also a good thing because people who don't like us or are afraid of us can't throw us away. It's a bad thing because God knows everything including our thoughts and the opportunities to do good that we ignored. He knows our prejudices, our lack of forgiveness, the times we lied or failed to tell the truth when someone else took the blame for something we did. God knows the real us that lives beneath the surface. Our private face as well as our public face. The reality is that we don't need to wait for the end ...
Morning Prayer
I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images. Behold, the former things are come to pass, and new things do I declare: before they spring forth I tell you of them.
Inspiration
God is a jealous god. He does not want us to give our affection to anything of the world. As the creator of the universe, He knows all things as He created all things. Therefore, he deserves all our praise. He knows what has passed and what is yet to come.
Prayer
Dear God, forgive me for the times when I have turned away from you and idolized the things of this world. You are the only one who deserves my worship. Forgive me. Thank you for extending your mercy. Thank you for continuing to do new things, O Lord. I place my trust in you. In Jesus' name, amen.
