Devotion
Balance
Frances Taylor
This is my favorite Proverb. It talks about two things that are so important to following God's will. Honesty is so necessary in life. The person who lies has two things going against him. The first is kind of obvious. Once you know a person lies or is dishonest in business, how can you trust him or her? Even when the person is telling the truth, you don't believe it. You wonder if you're being cheated in business dealings. But there's another problem for the person himself. The dishonest person can't trust anyone else either because he or she figures everyone else lies or has an agenda that is out to get him or her. The second half of the proverb concerns balance. How much does any person need? I'm not asking how much a person might want, but need. It's hard for the rich to realize their dependence on God. This is why Jesus said it was easier for a camel to walk through the eye of the needle than a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God. And the very poor can be tempted to steal in order to take care of their families, and thereby break the commandments and offend the God they love. When we think of the early Christian church, they seemed to understand this and they made sure that their goods were distributed so that all had enough, and no one had an excess.
Prayer
Lord, please let honesty and a generous spirit be the guiding rules for my life, so that I will always realize how much you have given me and that I will not dishonor my calling as a Christian. Amen.
Night Prayer
To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.
Inspiration
When multiple flocks of sheep become blended, there is no need to worry. The good shepherd will call out to his sheep, and they come directly to him because they know his voice and will not confuse it with others. As God's people, we often become mixed up in things of the world. Sin is tempting as we surround ourselves with the wrong crowd; God is always watching and calls us back to the fold. We find Him when we are lost because we know the sound of His voice; it's the only one we've chosen to follow, and we do not confuse it with others.
Prayer
Dear God, when we are lost, we listen for You. Your voice is precious and will guide us back to the fold where we belong. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
Devotion
The Word of God
Frances Taylor
If there's one thing I know about Christians and the Bible, is that there is an ongoing debate about whether it is the word of God or the word of men, and what that means. We all agree that the Bible is the living revealed word of God, but! There are wide differences in how that is interpreted. There are some who believe that every word of the Bible was dictated to someone who wrote it down. For others it is purely men's thoughts. For others, men were inspired by God to write their experience of God. I don't know where you find yourself on this continuum.
For most people who believe that the Bible is inspired either word for word or as guided by God, the Bible tells God's truth. Unfortunately for those of us who speak English, we have to rely the sources we have had over the years as guides to how the Scriptures should be interpreted. I have had many people ask me which translation is correct, but there's no clear answer.
The Bible has been translated ...
Morning Prayer
For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake;
Inspiration
Suffering will be a part of our lives as Christians. The New Testament is filled with warnings about the suffering Christians will incur because of their decision to follow Christ and not the ways of the world. Millions of Christians across the world are subjected to torture, isolation, and mockery just because they have chosen to follow Christ. But Christ has also assured us that we will not endure this suffering alone, and a reward lies ahead for all of those who suffer for the name of Jesus Christ.
Prayer
Dear God, I pray that in times of persecution and great tribulations, may you strengthen me and encourage me to keep going on. I also pray for my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ who endure great pain and torture for choosing to follow you. May you comfort them in these trying times, Lord. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.
