Devotion
United as One Kingdom
Frances Taylor
The last time before the Judeans and the Israelites were united with one king was under the kingship of Solomon. Then the lands were divided – Israel in the North and Judea in the South. But both kingdoms fell first to the Assyrians and then the Babylonians and the people were sent into exile. The kings at that time allowed idol worship and other sins against God. They refused to listen to the prophets and suffered the consequences. God is now promising those in exile that they will return to their homeland and there will be one king of the now reunited country. Now we know that they were only faithful for a time and then were conquered by the Greeks and then the Romans. At the Last Supper, Jesus will appeal for unity among his followers. Christianity started out as one, but now is also divided. God must be wondering if human beings will ever get it together and learn from the mistakes of the past. We even sometimes forget that Jesus offered his life to save ALL people, not just a few. Next week at this time we will be standing in front of the tomb in Jerusalem waiting for the stone to be rolled back so that we can witness the empty tomb and rejoice in the promise of eternal life. Let us pray as Jesus did that all may be one in him.
Prayer
Dear Lord, you keep sending us reminders of the fact that you want unity among your peoples. Help us to be agents of unity and not division. 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.
