Devotion
Who Is My Neighbor?
Frances Taylor
Several years ago, I was in Copenhagen, Denmark on a remarkable vacation and heard a story that gives new meaning to the answer to this question. We have all heard of the atrocities of the holocaust and its tragedies, but I had never heard the remarkable story of this nation. There is a little fishing village which is a suburb of Copenhagen that opened its arms to the Danish Jews during this terrible time. The fishermen let it be known that if you showed up in the village at the appointed time you would be evacuated to safety. In this way, 95% of Danish Jews escaped deportation and execution. This in itself is enough to show their concern for their neighbors, but there was more.
After the war, when the people returned home to Denmark, they returned to their jobs, their homes, their properties which had been cared for and kept safe by their Christian neighbors. It made me consider how often I go out of my way for a friend, let alone others I may not know. It makes me ponder how well I live out the command to love my neighbor as myself. Would I have been as generous as the Danes under those extreme circumstances? Could I be that generous today? Do I know my neighbors well enough to tell when they might be in trouble? These are questions that I will ponder long after the pictures are looked at, the vacation stories have been told, the souvenirs given away. I hope that having the experiences I encountered on vacation will make me a better person, one who doesn't pass by, or look the other way, when a neighbor is in need.
Prayer
Lord, I confess that I have not always been a good neighbor to those around me. Too often, my priorities and preferences have kept me from sharing Your love. Give me eyes to see others through Your love, so that I may be prepared to offer help where it is needed. In Jesus name, 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.
