Devotion
Be Prepared
Frances Taylor
What will we be doing when the Master comes? Will we be faithful servants waiting for our Lord's return, or will we be waiting until we're older or sick, or dying? The parable goes on to tell how much more so, if he comes in the second or third watch. As the year winds down we will continue to be reminded to be prepared to meet God. There is a song that was popular several years ago called "Live Like We're Dying." Although not specifically geared toward being prepared to die, it does invite us to live each moment of every day loving others, letting those we love know it and not wasting a single second. In fact the song tells us exactly how many seconds there are in a day – 36,400! If we knew we were dying, who would we want to spend time with or who do we need to forgive? Who needs to know that we love them? If you had answers for these questions, then what are you waiting for? What do we need to do to prepare for eternity? How is our prayer life? Do we need to put a little more time into reading the Bible? Are we as kind to our friends and family as we could be? Each day is a day to witness God's love to others; each day is a day to grow in our faith; each day is important and one in which we need to be prepared to meet our Lord.
Prayer
Dear God, we don't know the day or the hour, all we can do is be the best Christian we can be each day of our lives. We depend on you to help us and we thank you for being there beside us. Amen.
Devotion
The Unjust Manager
Frances Taylor
We all know the story of the unjust servant. He had been stealing from his master and now he'd been caught. He decided to ingratiate himself with those who owed his master money so they would take care of him after he lost his job. His master commended him on his worldly wisdom, what today we might call "street smarts." But dishonesty has a price. It is very hard for someone to trust those who are dishonest. The person who robs a bank, or embezzles money, probably stole from a parent of shoplifted first. People who are dishonest start out early, a few lies, a piece of candy stolen from a store, something minor, then they progress. Acquiring money can get to be a habit, as the parable of the dishonest manager points out. People often misquote the saying, "The love of money is the root of all evil." They say, "Money is the root of all evil." Money itself is not the problem; it's the love of money. There are those who put money above family or ...
Morning Prayer
The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul. The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.
Inspiration
God has never shirked his responsibility to his children. Bad things may of course also happen to good people, but that is not what is simply meant here. For our earthly bodies are encumbrances in the afterlife, shed so the spirit may roam free. All bad we endure on earth here are at the hands of men, and to be taken as part of God's trails, since he still watches over us. But remember, our ultimate, and our most important safeguarding comes in the afterlife. The faithful are rewarded, and in Heaven their souls are all finally protected from evil. Where we will be at last, safe and secure in everlasting peace.
Prayer
Lord God, my guide and protector, I pray you be with me today as I face unknown trials and tribulations. Help me endure these storms, so that I may be strengthened in my ...
Night Prayer
But ye shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve.
Inspiration
As leaders, we must be trainable, which means we are willing to take constructive criticism as a newcomer and understand that we are serving those we lead. We must be open-minded to the way people have functioned in the past and gentle when announcing the change. God bless us with authority, and we seek to use it for the good of others with humble, teachable hearts.
Prayer
Dear Father, when You select us for leadership positions, we will accept them with humility. Instead of leading with tyranny, we will lead with love and open-mindedness. In Jesus' name, Amen.
