Devotion
I Will Praise Him
Frances Taylor
Our theme of praising and thanking God continues as we contemplate Easter. This passage from the psalms gives us a reminder that it is in God we boast, not ourselves, and we ask God to be even more within us. If we are to exalt God's name together, it presumes that we have found others who also want to praise God. That means we need to reach out to others. I once heard a wonderful definition of evangelization, which we are all called to be about. The preacher said that evangelization is seeing the God in the other and allowing the other to see the God in us. We can only achieve the second part of that equation by allowing God to increase in us so that our behavior imitates that of Christ. The way we achieve the first half is to see each individual as a face of God. Genesis tells us that we are made in the image and likeness of God. Genesis doesn't say that some people are made in the image and likeness of God, it says all humanity is. Again, we are given a reminder that we have nothing to boast about on our own. People are not drawn to a boastful person, but meekness can attract. It is easier to be meek if we remember that all we have is gift. When we are willing to admit this to ourselves, it is easier to see others as equals, which in turn makes it easier to see everyone as brothers and sisters, children of the one God.
Prayer
Lord, you have created us, you formed us in your image and you have given us all we have. You have called us to share these gifts with others in thanks and praise. Let us be open to sharing your love with all those you send us. 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.
