Devotion
The Kingdom of God is Like…
Frances Taylor
In today's Gospel, Jesus gives us two answers. The Kingdom of God is as if a man scatters seed which grows and yields fruit for him to harvest and the familiar parable of the mustard seed which grows into a plant capable of providing shade for all the birds to enjoy. For those of us who try to garden, we know that it usually takes work to get those seeds to grow! And, most of us have not tried to plant a mustard seed. What is Jesus trying to say to us?
We have talked about our responsibility to be disciples and we will continue to talk about our mission going forward. For some, this can be a scary proposition. Jesus is telling us that if we just plant the seed, he will take care of the rest. Telling someone in pain or who needs help making a decision that you will pray for them is a seed. Inviting someone to come with us to church or a church function is planting a seed. Helping someone realize their giftedness and that God loves them is planting a seed. We may not see the harvest. The seeds we plant might blossom years later. But God is there to water and nurture the fragile plant. As any gardener knows, not all the seeds we plant take root, but that doesn't stop us from planting them. So it is with the seeds of love and faith. However, Jesus also tells us that even the smallest seed can grow and branch out and the love that blossoms from that one seed will be passed on to others and bear fruit for years to come in the lives of all they meet. Let's get planting!
Prayer
Lord, it takes patience to plant seed, and it takes faith and trust. We pray in the Lord's Prayer, "Thy Kingdom come." It is up to us to help bring about the Kingdom by planting seeds that lead others to Christ. Give us the patience, faith and trust to be your gardeners on earth. 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.
