Devotion
They Came to Believe
Frances Taylor
Jesus' time is getting close and the Jews who wished to kill him were getting closer but he wasn't quite ready, so he went back to the beginning. In Jesus' day, people didn't travel as far as they do today so many if not most of the people that Jesus would have encountered as he returned to the area where John had baptized, would have remembered John as well as his prophesy concerning Jesus and would have heard of him with his teaching and healing. Now they could decide for themselves if John had been right. This passage tells us that they did understand that John had spoken the truth and they came to believe. We don't have this gift of seeing and experiencing Jesus in the flesh, but we have come to believe. Have you ever thought of thanking those who brought you to believe? None of us gets there on our own. Someone must have told you about Jesus, and others must have nurtured that faith, helped you in times of doubt and brought you to the point where you could accept Jesus as your Savior. These are important people in your life and we should be grateful for them. For me, it started with my grandmother, then my parents who witnessed their faith to me. It continued with the many people of faith through the years who were there to answer questions, challenge me and helped me grow in my knowledge and love of Jesus. Who do you need to thank?
Prayer
Gracious God, thank you for putting all these wonderful people in my life. Let me be able to thank them by helping to bring others to you. 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.
