Devotion
Showing Love As A Disciple
Frances Taylor
There are so many ways in which we show love to others every day. Doing something nice for a friend or family member – or even a stranger – is showing love. Praying for others is love. For me, one of the most powerful way we show love as a disciple of Jesus is forgiveness. In 1970, a movie came out called "Love Story." In it, there was an often quoted line: "Love is never having to say you're sorry." I believe that "Love" is just the opposite. I have a feeling that Jesus would agree with me. Jesus told Peter that we must forgive "seventy times seven." We are told in The Lord's Prayer that we will be forgiven as we forgive, and the most powerful sign of love and forgiveness is when he forgave the soldiers who were nailing him to the cross. Family, friends, co-workers, even the person who cuts you off in traffic, or takes the parking space you were waiting for give us an opportunity to show love through forgiveness every day. And, because we are human and often offend others, we need to seek forgiveness from those we may have hurt. Each one of us will have a different opinion as to how we show love as a disciple, but I hope each of us has forgiveness near the top of the list.
Prayer
O Lord, it is so hard to forgive sometimes. Even the people we love can hurt us, our spouses, our children, our friends, and yet forgiveness is one of the greatest signs that we love. Help us to let go of wrongs and open our hearts to the fullness of love. Amen.
Devotion
Abraham is Father of All
Frances Taylor
There are questions in every age about the importance of the Old Testament for Christians. Abraham is considered to be the Father of Faith for Jews, Christians and Muslims. We forget that it was Abraham who believed in the doctrine of only one God. It is through him and his descendants that this tradition comes down to us. Another fact that we can overlook is that Jesus was Jewish. He was born a Jew, lived as a Jew, died, rose and ascended into heaven as a Jew. Because we believe that he was the Messiah, the Christ, and we follow him, we are called Christian. Without the Old Testament, we wouldn't understand the promise of salvation; we wouldn't understand why it was important for Jesus to be of the family of King David. We would not understand his teaching either, because Jesus quoted from Scripture – the Old Testament – frequently. He told us that he came to fulfill the Scriptures, not to abolish them. In the same way, we can ...
Morning Prayer
Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.
Inspiration
We have a responsibility, as Christians, to abstain from the sinful practices we partook in before we became saved. While it may be a gradual process of change, we should ensure that we are putting in our best to play our part in resisting temptation. God enables us to resist temptation, but it is up to us to actually resist.
Prayer
Dear God, I pray that I will always be a person of action. Father, I take delight in my new life in you and I do not desire otherwise. I pray that in times of temptation, may I act on the strength you have given me to flee and/or resist. May I never rely on excuses or procrastination, Lord. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.
Night Prayer
Thou whom I have taken from the ends of the earth, and called thee from the chief men thereof, and said unto thee, Thou art my servant; I have chosen thee, and not cast thee away.
Inspiration
We have chosen to surrender our lives and serve the Lord. We serve Him by witnessing, completing missionary projects, and ministering to those in need. There is always work to do and a world full of people to help. We will look for opportunities to provide for our brothers and sisters in Christ by any means necessary. We are servants to one another as a service to the Lord; He will never forsake us.
Prayer
Dear God, Help us see the world through Your eyes. We desire to serve those around us by reflecting Your love through our actions. You will never forsake us, and we will continually lift praises of thanksgiving to You. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
