Devotion
Living for the Sake of the Gospel
Frances Taylor
Peter had good reason to question Jesus as he had just told them that it was harder for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven than for a camel to pass through the narrow gate. Many people believed that riches were how God showed favor to a person and that poverty showed his displeasure. There may even be some people today who think the same way. But Peter had forgotten about Job. After all, he had lost everything and his friends kept after him to blame God who had certainly been the cause of all his misfortune and he must have done something to displease God. Just as Job was rewarded, Jesus tells Peter that he, too, would be rewarded for his sacrifice. He could expect persecution, but he would have eternal life. We can also be persecuted for following Jesus.
There are people and practices that are not compatible with living for Christ and the Gospel. A woman I know lost her job because the people she worked for were dishonest with their customers and expected her to cover it up. When she refused, she was fired. Most of us will not have to choose to give up our livelihood for the sake of the Gospel, but perhaps we will have to give up people whose lives are incompatible with our beliefs and who lead us into sin. Living for the sake of the Gospel is not always easy, but life on earth is transitory, eternal life with Jesus is eternal. We need to choose.
Prayer
Loving God, you have promised us eternal life and the graces we need to deal with worldly temptations and persecution alike. Thank you for your grace and keep us on the path to new life. 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.
