Devotion
You Are Anointed
Frances Taylor
These were the words that Jesus quoted in the synagogue when he began his ministry. When you were baptized into Christ, you (and I) were appointed to do the same. Just as Jesus brought good news to the people, it is our job to bring good news to those around us. We are to reach out to people in pain even if the only thing we can do is pray for them. We may not be able to go into prison and free those who are there, but there are different kinds of prisons and we can help to bring freedom to people held in bondage there. There are the prisons of addiction, the prisons of closed doors to people who have disabilities, the prisons of injustice.
We can choose to get involved and try to help, or we can decide it's not our problem and turn a blind eye. We can work to get more facilities to help people with addictions and get funding for those who cannot pay. We can challenge property owners to make their businesses more accessible to those with disabilities. We can work with community groups to help provide housing, educational opportunities, and food to the poor. I'm sure if we look around our neighborhoods, our communities, our churches, we will find areas where we who are anointed and appointed can fulfill the mission we have been given.
Prayer
Lord, open our eyes to see the work that needs to be done for your people and give me the courage to get involved. 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.
