Devotion
Thou Shalt Not Kill
Frances Taylor
Okay, who of us hasn't called someone a fool? Jesus gives us a whole different understanding of the commandments than we get from taking them literally. This is only one of the commandments that he delves further into. Most people don't resort to murder and most of those that do don't usually start that way. If you were never angry, you wouldn't get to the level of murder and if you didn't call people names, you might not get angry. Violence often begins with the mouth. Jesus understood that there is a certain progression to sin. If we have a quick temper, we are more apt to strike out first with the mouth and then physically, then with greater violence. This applies to most of the commandments. In another place, Jesus mentions how lust is the first step toward breaking the commandment concerning adultery. It is not a surprise that the 7 deadly sins are at the root of most evil. We all know them: pride, greed, lust, envy, gluttony, anger, and sloth. We need to take a better look at all the commandments and see what bad habits we might have developed and work to change them.
Prayer
Lord, you have given us rules to live by that will bring us peace and happiness in our lives if we only are willing to follow them. Help us to be faithful to your word. Amen.
Night Prayer
Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the Lord.
Inspiration
We become fearless amid earthly struggles because the Lord is on our side! The power of His name will frighten the enemy and strengthen our hearts to weather any storm. We have hope when faced with physical and spiritual dilemmas because the Lord is always present and willing to carry our burdens. Our relationship with our Heavenly Father grows stronger each day, and we will continue to lift our voices in praise for His amazing love.
Prayer
Dear Lord, we praise You for Your unfailing love. Thank you for Your eternal presence in our lives. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
Devotion
The Laborers Are Few
Frances Taylor
When Jesus says that the harvest is abundant but the laborers are few, do you think he was only talking about his time here on earth, or was he talking about now as well? If statistics are correct, most people who identify themselves as Christian do not attend church on a regular basis. Where are the others? Where are the laborers who should be gathering the harvest? We need to pray for men and women to answer the call to minister to God's people but we also need to pray for ourselves to reach out to those who don't understand the value of what we have. Do you talk about the importance of your faith in God with others in your family, your circle of friends? I know that I was told as a child that the two things you don't talk about are religion and politics, but why?
Perhaps when people were refused jobs or housing on the basis of their religious beliefs, it was necessary, but today? If you are in the market for a car – or a computer – who ...
Morning Prayer
Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;
Inspiration
One of the most popular passages in the Bible at weddings, this verse explains that love cannot be self-seeking: love is about other people. Think about it: if your loving actions are done with others in mind, loving your neighbors as yourself and even your enemies, how easy would it be to love yourself? It is when we hold hate in our heart that evil flows out. It isn't always easy to control our own egos and not demand attention for our good deeds, but is the love that we spread and feel for ourselves after not enough? It surely is enough.
Prayer
Infinitely loving God, I will praise you with all of my heart for all of my days. Assist me in my struggles with selfishness, O Lord, so that I can truly love the people around me that need it most. As you selflessly ...
