Devotion
Beware the Leaven
Frances Taylor
Jesus must have been shaking his head at them, frustrated by their lack of understanding. He must feel the same about us too. What is the leaven of today that we need to avoid? Let's think about that for a minute. Who do you listen to? It's very difficult to avoid the leaven of the world. We are confronted daily with ads promising to make our life better if only we buy this, take that, behave in this way, avoid behaving that way.
When I was much younger, I used to watch the soap operas on television. The couples were married, went to church, would often invite the minister and his wife over for dessert after Sunday dinner. Only the "bad" girls would try to seduce the "good" men. Beds were single and only the "bad" girls were shown having sex, and everyone was fully clothed and no one cursed or used foul language. Action or crime shows left the violence to the imagination, and good always triumphed over evil.
Today, violence, sex nudity, crude language and ads promoting lust and greed abound. Beware the leaven of the world is a warning we need to pay attention to. We need to pay attention for our sake and also for the sake of our children. Do we want our youth corrupted by the moral values of the world? Do we want them to believe that violence is the answer to everything and that sex is only for pleasure and has no consequences, and crude language and racial or religious slurs are okay?
I know I don't want my children and grandchildren believing that this behavior is acceptable. My response is just not to watch such programs and make my reasons clear to others. I would rather read something worthwhile or chat with a friend. It is most important that we pay attention to what our children watch and discuss with them how these programs – or video games – violate the moral values of Christians. Beware the leaven!
Prayer
Lord, your warning to the disciples is one we need to heed today. Guide us through the maze of this world helping us to choose only that which is to your glory. 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.
