Devotion
Ingratitude
Frances Taylor
Every once in a while, I read a piece of Scripture that I'm sure I never read before, and yet I know I have. In this case, I know I have read the book of Numbers, in fact all of the Torah, completely, even the boring sections. But when I read this today, I realized that I had forgotten why the Israelites spent the forty years wandering in the desert. They had reached the land of Canaan in much less time than that and Moses sent out scouts to investigate the land. They spent forty days and came back with a glowing report of the land itself and evidence of the produce they found. However, some of the group brought back a report of savage people who would destroy them. They forgot all about God's goodness and power in bringing them out of Egypt and tried to find a new leader to bring them back to Egypt. For their rebellion, the forty days became the forty years and a new generation would claim the Promised Land. It made me think about the times I have rebelled and complained that I couldn't do what God wanted me to do, not trusting that he would be there for me just as he has been with me in the past. It made me wonder if my behavior has delayed God's plans from being achieved. I promise to do a better job of trusting in the power of God to be with me when the going gets tough.
Prayer
Loving and forgiving God, thank you for being with me through the storms of my life and reminding me of the times that I have forgotten this, and giving me renewed courage for the storms to come. 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.
