Devotion
The Spirit Knows Our Needs
Frances Taylor
There are times in our lives when we may not know how to pray. Perhaps there is someone who is very ill and may die. We want them to live but we don't want them to suffer and so we're not sure what we should ask God for. We feel guilty thinking about asking for death and selfish asking for life. What to do? Sometimes we are so confused and upset that we can't think of a single prayer.
I once read a story about a woman who grew up memorizing prayers but didn't realize that she could use her own words to pray. When she had children, she taught them to talk to God but thought she was doing them a favor by not making them memorize any formal prayers. One day, her son was in a terrible accident and told her that he didn't know what to pray, and she suggested that he say The Lord's Prayer, but he told her he didn't know it. Prayer is an interesting thing. As we can see from this story, it's not an either or but a both and approach that we need. We need permission to use our own words but it's nice to know a formal prayer for many reasons, including the ability to pray with the community. I know my mother as a child had to learn the 23rd Psalm in addition to the Lord's Prayer. And my introduction to prayer was using my own words, but my parents made sure I knew both. It's also good to know that when all we can do is cry out in pain, the Holy Spirit will take over and provide what we need.
Prayer
Thank you, Lord, for taking such good care of us so that you know what is in our hearts as well as knowing what is best in any situation. 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.
