Devotion
Fasting for the Lord
Frances Taylor
Do these phrases look familiar? When Jesus talks about the last judgment, and he separates the sheep from the goats, as described in Matthew's gospel, he lists these examples of how we will be judged. Have we fed the hungry, clothed the naked, sheltered the homeless?
For God, offering sacrifice was meaningless unless our lives were in sync with our prayers. Fasting is one of the practices of Lent. But what kind of fasting are we willing to do? Are we willing to really put ourselves out there and look at what the Lord calls "fasting?" Isaiah gives us some good examples and he goes on to say we need to eliminate malicious speech as well.
Can you imagine going for 40 days without hearing gossip, cursing, foul language, put-downs, racial or ethnic slurs? No violence of any sort coming out of anyone's mouth? What a peaceful 40 days that would be! And if there's no violence of speech, perhaps there would be less violence in every area of life. How many fights begin because someone felt insulted? How many fights escalate because the friends of the one who felt insulted gang up on the friends of the one who did the insulting? If we concentrate on looking for people we can help and refrain from hurtful language, we will be fasting as the Lord desires, our prayers will be heard and lives will change for the better.
Prayer
Gracious God, you have given us the way to you. Why do we insist on doing things our way instead of your way? Help us to listen to you, so that when we pray, you will listen to us. 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.
