Devotion
We Have Hope
Frances Taylor
We all have lost someone we loved. Because of our faith in Jesus, we have hope. There must have been people in Paul's time who questioned the resurrection of the dead since Paul made such a point of telling the Thessalonians that as Jesus rose, so he will raise those who have died in Christ. Death is such a mystery. There are those who claim that they can communicate with the dead. I must admit I'm skeptical. That doesn't mean that I think that they are all fake. I just say that I am skeptical. Do I believe that people have had experiences that are unexplainable? Yes, of course I do. One of my classmates was diagnosed with Leukemia when she was in high school. As this was more than fifty years ago, there were not the same treatments available to treat this cancer then and she went downhill quickly. Her father had died when she was in eighth grade. On the day of her death, surrounded by her mother and other relatives, she opened her eyes and looked up, said, "I'm coming daddy!" and died. Do I believe that her father came to get her? I don't know, but I've never ruled it out. I can't explain the many times over the centuries how Jesus and Mary have appeared to people. Were they just visions? It doesn't seem so. Too many people were witnesses to the events. I believe that the main reason Jesus appeared to the disciples after the resurrection was to let us know that this is also what God plans for us.
Prayer
Lord, you are always taking care of us. You know our weaknesses, our fears, our concerns. Thank you for all you do for us. 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.
