Devotion
We Are Reconciled
Frances Taylor
From the beginning of human sinfulness, humanity needed to be reconciled with God. But what human was perfect enough to take away the guilt of so many? Only a human being who was also divine could accomplish this. God promised a Savior, but no one expected that the Savior would be the Son of God who took on our flesh, become one of us so that we might be redeemed. We certainly don't deserve this gift as each one of us has sinned. We continually go against God's law and then get into a cycle of repentance, being forgiven, promising to change – which we do for a little while – and then start the cycle all over again. If God has reconciled all people to himself, what right do we have to refuse to reconcile with others who have offended us? Forgiveness is not always easy especially when we are hurt by those who are closest to us, family members or close friends. We all are aware of families torn apart, neighborhoods in turmoil and even nations that are divided. Some of these problems are beyond our ability to change. But what about family or friends? Is it so hard to take the high road and either ask forgiveness or offer it? Neighborhoods can be divided when there is a problem between two neighbors and people take sides. Reconciliation is something, as Paul says, a ministry to which we have been called. If God has forgiven us, we need to forgive others.
Prayer
Lord, thank you for not treating us as we should be treated but to forgive us. As you have reconciled us to yourself, may we reach out and reconcile others to ourselves. Amen.
Night Prayer
Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.
Inspiration
Sin rules our lives until we accept Christ as our personal Lord and Savior. When we invite Him into our lives, our old sinful heart dies, and God creates within us a new one, where sin no longer rules our life; God does! Our thoughts and actions begin to change because we no longer desire a sinful lifestyle. We joyfully devote our lives to serving Him and inviting others to understand His promise of salvation.
Prayer
Dear Lord, we are sinners born again and recreated to live according to Your will. We are grateful for Your love and the peace we experience by abolishing our old sinful self. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
Devotion
Satan Has Been Defeated
Frances Taylor
Salvation and power have come with Christ and Satan has been defeated. Sin and death have been conquered by the actions of one man, Jesus the Christ, the Son of God, both human and divine who came into the world to bring the Good News of salvation by living, dying and rising for us. As Christians we claim to believe this but our actions sometimes deny it. Unfortunately, people seem to resurrect Satan all the time. We allow him to lead us away from God, forgetting the way to the Father that is love, and giving in to Satan's path of hatred, anger, pride, lust, chaos and destruction.
Satan, of course, doesn't present these as bad things, he makes them seem attractive. He presents sin as goods to be desired, as things to make us happy or give us pleasure. It can be hard to stay on the path that leads to God when the world seems to be crowding us and pushing us off of it. How easy it is to forget the sacrifice that bought our freedom! Which of us ...
Morning Prayer
Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.
Inspiration
It is right for us to defer to others and to rejoice with others when they have cause to rejoice over some blessing in their life, instead of sorrowing before them over some problem in our life. It is right also to weep with those who weep, showing compassion and feeling for them in their grief instead of "dancing joyfully before those who mourn" as if insensitive to their sorrow.
Prayer
Give me a discerning spirit, Lord, to know when to rejoice and when to weep. Let me show concern for others and their situation and life events instead of just focusing only on my own. Let me show true compassion and genuine joy in the right way and time to others. Amen.