Devotion
…You will keep my commandments! Doesn't that sound easy? But, like the Rich Young Man in the Gospel, and the scribe who wants to know who is his neighbor, it's just not that simple. Today's world makes it a lot more difficult to figure out what the commandments mean. On the surface, many of them sound easy to keep because we don't think we adore other gods, and we don't believe in murder, and what does covet mean anyway? When we dig a little deeper and realize that the god we worship is often ourselves, or those curse words that slip off the tongue are just part of today's speech, or who doesn't tell a little white lie occasionally, we realize that the commandments are more difficult to keep than we originally thought. Perhaps it's time to review the seven deadlies and see how they work into this equation. Do I let pride make me put God or others at the end of the line? Am I envious of the good fortune of others? Do I fuel the fires of anger instead of forgiveness? Do I allow lust to take root in me so that unhealthy relationships enter my life – in person, or electronically? Does gluttony for the good things in life rule my days so that work or the desire for money is more important than family? Perhaps sloth is a problem. Am I too lazy to pray, to go to church, to help my neighbor? You see, when these sins are rooted out, the commandments become a lot easier to follow, and that goes for the most important commandment at well – love others as Jesus has loved us. And as Jesus tells us, we don't have to go it alone, the Holy Spirit is there to help us. All we have to do is ask.
Prayer
Lord, please remind me that the commandments are not suggestions but rules to be followed. 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.
