Devotion
We Pray For You
Frances Taylor
Paul is praying for the people in Thessalonica who had accepted the Good News and had become Christians. Paul praised them for their kindness and acceptance of Gospel and how they were spreading their faith in the region. How often do we pray for those who have taught us our faith? Whether these are family members, members of the clergy, friends, they deserve our prayers of thanksgiving. We also need to pray for those whom we have taught. Maybe we haven't taught in a formal sense, but each of us has brought the faith to our children, neighbors, co-workers and any others with whom we have shared our beliefs. We should also pray for ourselves and our ability to live our faith each day. We need to stay strong in our faith each day and it doesn't hurt to pray for ourselves, our families and our friends. We all pray for the sick and for the needs of friends, and we pray for people who ask for prayers, but do we think to thank God for the gift of faith and the courage to stay firm. Maybe we don't think it's necessary to pray for faith, but we don't have any idea of how difficult it can be to live our faith in today's culture. We live in a way that is counter-cultural. We try to live a moral life, one that is based on love and justice and not greed and selfishness. This is not the way of the world. Perhaps we had better begin – or continue – to pray for the ability to stay strong for ourselves and those we love.
Prayer
Lord, you have gifted us with faith and we try to follow in the footsteps of your Son, Jesus. Please give us the graces we need to do this well. 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.
