Devotion
Christ Our King
Frances Taylor
This phrase is both a statement and a question. Is Christ my king, or your king, and what does it mean to say yes? Today's gospel is a very familiar one. How often we hear the story of the "good thief" and take comfort in it. But what about the other criminal? Both men seem to think that Jesus just might be the Christ, the Messiah, but they have very different attitudes about that. The first is thinking only of himself; and tells Jesus to save himself and them while the second is aware of his sinfulness and only asks Jesus to remember him when he comes into his kingdom. Each time I have reflected on this one of the last words of Jesus on the cross, it makes me think. Is just acknowledging Jesus as Messiah enough, or do we need to put that knowledge into action? I once heard it said that the one who knows Jesus best is Satan. So I would guess that just knowing isn't enough! If we truly accept Jesus as King, then our actions must follow. We bow to the will of God and not our own. We follow in the footsteps of Jesus; we call upon the Holy Spirit for guidance and we beg forgiveness when we fail. Perhaps a renewed commitment to having our lives bear witness to our faith is in order. And then we, too, might hear at the hour of our death, "Today, you will be with me in Paradise."
Prayer
Dearest Lord, today we remember the sacrifice you made so that we might be saved. Help us to live each day with gratitude letting our actions as well as our words testify to the gift of salvation won for us because of your great love. 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.
