Devotion
I Have Heard Their Cry
Frances Taylor
God hears us. He hears the cries of his people when they are being oppressed. In this case, the people of Israel were being oppressed by the Egyptians and God had placed Moses in a position to help them be free. God hears his people cry today. There is oppression in some countries of Christians and also of the Jews. God never abandoned his chosen people, and he doesn't abandon those who have chosen to follow his Son, Jesus. Sometimes oppression occurs in the workplace or neighborhoods as well. Men and women can be oppressed because of religious beliefs, for race, for language, for country of origin, for economic status, or for gender. While I was still in college a friend got a job teaching in an inner city school. Because the children were mostly from poor families and minorities, the budget for supplies was not the same as that for schools in better neighborhoods. People got together and demanded equality. It took time, but God guided them to victory. We have a responsibility to be available for God to use to help free people from oppression. Sometimes it is standing up for equality in the workplace, sometimes it is working for non-discrimination in our policies providing access to a good education for all students. We also have a responsibility to pray for freedom of religion in the world. God is Father to all creation, and he doesn't want any of his creatures to suffer oppression. We need to make sure that we are part of the solution, not part of the problem because of our own possible prejudices.
Prayer
Lord and Father of us all, may we never be oppressors of your children; may we keep our eyes open and our ears to also hear the cries of those who suffer and do what we can for 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.
