Devotion
The Knowledge of Good and Evil
Frances Taylor
With one small act of disobedience, sin entered the world. Do you ever wonder what induced Eve and then Adam to eat of the forbidden fruit? You have to admit that the serpent was sneaky! He didn't say that they would get rich or famous, he came at them through their desire to be more than they were, he said they would be like God. Well he was right about one thing; they discovered the difference between good and evil. Original sin! Which was the original sin – eating the fruit of the tree or wanting to be God? Let's face it, this goes right to the heart of the first commandment – you shall have no other gods before me – not even yourself! Could you resist the idea of being God, could I? I like to think no, but then I remember when I put myself and my own wants or needs before God. Satan is still up to his old tricks every day tempting us with ways of trying to be God. I am reminded of the story of Snow White. The wicked queen is jealous of Snow White and sets out to destroy her. First, she pretends to need her help and then offers her the reddest and shiniest apple in her basket. Satan can begin by working on our compassion and then offers the poison. All temptation looks good and that is why we fail.
Prayer
Dear God, help us to see through the lies of Satan in our lives. Give us the grace to rest. 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.
