Devotion
Do My Works Show My Faith
Frances Taylor
Let's pay particular attention to the opening phrases of this passage. Faith teaches us that we are all God's children and have a responsibility for others. It's easy to go through life not paying attention to the needs of others. That way, our consciences won't be moved to do something. We can be quite comfortable by not looking at others in pain whether they are on the streets of our city or on a continent far away. We don't have to go far to see examples of injustice. The real question is, "What do we do about it?"
Our works can take different directions depending on our circumstances. For those who have enough money, they can make donations to organizations that help with food and housing. For those with time, they can volunteer at food banks or homeless shelters. For some, they can volunteer for educational trips to other countries to help teach better methods of sanitation or purification of water. Everyone has some ability to help others. There are many people who do good things for others. Does that mean that they have faith?
Actually, no. In fact, I know of a gentleman who has organized a wonderful group to go to Africa to help organize the local women and teach them about maternal and child care. This man has no problem declaring that he is an atheist. His works are those of a good human being who has not faith in God, but of a good humanitarian. For those of us who declare that we are Christians, our faith needs to go hand in hand with the good works we owe our brothers and sisters who are less fortunate.
Prayer
Lord, I do believe, help me to be more generous with my time, talents and treasure. Amen.
Devotion
His Loving Kindness Endures Forever
Frances Taylor
Psalm 136 is a list of all the wonders that God had done for the Israelites from creation through the deliverance from Egypt and into the land promised to them, providing them with all that they need. I challenge you to write a psalm listing all the things that God has done for you using the same format. Several years ago, I did this myself and it was a wonderful reminder of all that God had done for me. "I give thanks to the Lord for he is good; his mercy endures forever; he has provided me with a family that loved me, his mercy endures forever; he hears me when I call to him, his mercy endures forever; when I was in trouble he rescued me, his mercy endures forever." I listed all the gifts he has given me and continues to give me and I thanked him for all the times that I was in pain and he healed me, and the times when I needed to be rescued. I'm sure if you take up my challenge and compose your own psalm, you will discover ...
Morning Prayer
See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven:
Inspiration
To reject the truths taught in God's Word, spoken by his prophets and apostles and by Jesus Christ his Son, is a grave offense. In the days when Hebrews was written, there were still true prophets in the Church, speaking from God. Today, we have his written Word as our "prophet. " If a preacher preaches truly according to the Book, we are in a grave sin if we reject it.
Prayer
Help me, O Lord, to discern when your Word is being taught correctly and when it is not. Teach me to embrace your truths and love them. Help me to walk in them and meditate on them. Let me not sin in rejecting the plain teachings of the Bible. Amen.
Night Prayer
Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.
Inspiration
Sin rules our lives until we accept Christ as our personal Lord and Savior. When we invite Him into our lives, our old sinful heart dies, and God creates within us a new one, where sin no longer rules our life; God does! Our thoughts and actions begin to change because we no longer desire a sinful lifestyle. We joyfully devote our lives to serving Him and inviting others to understand His promise of salvation.
Prayer
Dear Lord, we are sinners born again and recreated to live according to Your will. We are grateful for Your love and the peace we experience by abolishing our old sinful self. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
