Devotion
Heirs With Christ
Frances Taylor
Paul, in quoting Jesus, tells us that as children of God we have the right to call God" Daddy." This is what "Abba" means, not the more formal Father. We are heirs of heaven so we should not have a spirit of fear. Have you ever thought of what it means to have God as "Daddy?" I'd like you to think for a few minutes about what it might feel like. If we were in the same room, I'd ask you to close your eyes for this meditation. Picture your favorite peaceful spot. It may be in your home, or in a part, or as for me, watching the water lap the shore. You sit on a comfortable chair or bench and God comes and sits beside you. He invites you to share with him, all your concerns, worries, fears, all that is bothering you. You pour your heart out to him as he sits smiling at you. There is no judgment in his eyes, only love. Soon, you are finished and wonder what God will say. Instead, he puts his arms around you and tells you how much he loves you. He tells you that he is with you and will help you carry your burdens; you only need to trust him. After a few minutes, he gets up and walks away. Feeling lighter and refreshed, you return to your day, knowing you have a loving forgiving father that will always be there when you need to talk to him.
Prayer
Father, you are there watching over us as a loving parent. Help us to remember that we can always come to you when we need to talk and we believe that you will answer 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.
