Devotion
Let Us Go UP To The House of God
Frances Taylor
We may be glad to head for the House of God, but I can remember my children not always feeling any joy, especially as teenagers. The Israelites, on the other hand, were happy to have a place of worship, where they could give thanks to God for all the times that they had been rescued from enemy nations. In today's world, most of us can worship God in safety and so we take it for granted. In Sweden last year, a Catholic church was undergoing renovations and needed a place to hold its services so the Lutheran church in Lund, Sweden, allowed the Catholic parish to hold its services until the renovations were complete. When churches have been damaged, other churches step up and help out. In all of these situations, people are very grateful and are happy for the opportunity to worship God. Why is it that the churches aren't full every Sunday? One of my friends who was pastor of a Congregational church was thrilled when he finally had enough children, ten, so that they could put on a Christmas pageant. Ten children! Another of my friends, a Baptist minister, had to allow another denomination to rent his church in order to pay the utility bills. Many of the churches in my area have part time ministers who work multiple churches to earn enough money to feed their families. We are so complacent. And yet, any time a church closes, there is an outcry. How did this happen, people ask. Of course the answer is that people aren't attending and they're not supporting their churches. If we want to turn this around, then we need to be the people who are glad to go up to the house of God and give him praise and glory.
Prayer
Oh God, we say we love you and want to be with you but we are often complacent and take your presence for granted. Help us to show our love by spending time with you and your community of believers in your house of prayer and praise. 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.
