Devotion
The Beatitudes
Frances Taylor
Jesus' Sermon on the Mount is one of the most quoted sections of the New Testament. In some translations, blessed is translated as happy. If you read them that way, would they take on a different meaning? After all we all want to be happy! Happy are the poor in spirit. We want to get to the kingdom of God but do we really want to be poor in spirit, or be persecuted? I know it doesn't say "poor." But to be poor in spirit might mean being generous in spirit. We might have to think of others before ourselves, making sacrifices, helping the poor. None of us wants to mourn, but the fact is that unless we die before all the people we love, we will mourn. Jesus is telling us that even though we will grieve, that isn't the end, and if we turn to God and allow him to walk with us, we will find comfort. The world doesn't hold the meek in high esteem, but turning the other cheek takes strength. Acknowledging our weaknesses as well as our strength takes strength. Since Jesus calls us to work for justice, it is part of following Christ that should encourage our hunger for what is right. Those who are merciful, who are able to be compassionate and forgive are the ones that will be forgiven more easily when they fail. And who doesn't want peace? The problem is we need to work for justice if we want peace. We need to refrain from seeing violence as an answer to problems. If we pay attention to the beatitudes, and live them, we will be happy.
Prayer
Lord, you gave us the commandments to help us learn how to live, and you had your Son, Jesus, give us the rules for happiness. Help us to live them. 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.
