Devotion
Divisiveness
Frances Taylor
The letter of Jude doesn't get much attention. It's very short, just one chapter, but it gives an interesting insight into the early church. The person mentioned, Diotrephes, has made himself the sole judge of authentic teaching and rejects even those missionaries sent with letters authorizing them to teach and preach, men who have been declared to be preaching truth. We might think that division in the Christian community is something relatively new, but if we read the letters of the New Testament, we see that there were problems there as well. The introduction to the letters of Jude as well as the third letter of John, talks about Diotrephes as someone who was a leader but who had taken upon himself authority that was not appropriate. He is described as hostile and ambitious and doesn't accept letters or visitors that have the backing of the church leaders. Throughout the centuries, there have been periods of dispute over doctrine and practices, over who has truth behind him or her. I have often thought that it has only been because of the presence of the Holy Spirit that Christianity has survived for two thousand years. If it depended on human leadership, it would have died out a long time ago. Leaders have been both good and bad, saints and sinners and yet Christianity is still flourishing in the world. We are not so different today than in the first century and I, for one, am grateful for the guidance of the Holy Spirit in the past, today, and for years to come.
Prayer
Lord, thank you for sending us the Holy Spirit, our Advocate, to guide us and to guide the church. May we always work for the greater good of all, and put ambition aside as we bring your message to others. Amen.
Morning Prayer
O LORD, correct me, but with judgment; not in thine anger, lest thou bring me to nothing.
Inspiration
God corrected his people Israel, but he did not consume them in his wrath. He disciplined that nation, but he did not cease to work among them or cease to call them his people. Christians and the Church more generally can also receive correction and discipline from God, and he does not make a full end of us either but purges away our sins and restores us.
Prayer
O Lord, no discipline seems pleasant at the time, but a father who hates his children refuses to discipline them. You are our loving Heavenly Father, and you discipline and corrrect those you love. You do not let us wander off down our own paths and get hopelessly lost, but you seek your sheep and bring them home on your shoulders in joy. Amen.
Night Prayer
That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:
Inspiration
Gold and silver become purified by a process known as cupellation, which separates these elements from other impure materials. Paul explains that our faith is more precious than gold and silver; our faith becomes purified by the trials and hardships we experience in our earthly lives. Our spiritual faith is valuable because it gives us the strength to endure struggles through the love of our Lord and Savior and inspires hope amidst a broken world. We call upon the Lord to strengthen our faith in every trial as we grow closer to Him.
Prayer
Dear Lord, we have faith in Your plan for our lives, and we will lift praises to Your name for Your love and support during all our earthly trials. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
Devotion
Jonah’s Prayer
Frances Taylor
I love the book of Jonah. The poor guy! He doesn't want God to spare his enemy, so he runs in the opposite direction when God calls him to preach a mission of repentance to Nineveh. We all know what happens, the boat begins to sink, he admits to offending his God and gets thrown overboard. He prays and God rescues him, although he does it in an unorthodox manner. Of course he eventually does what God wants him to do, but still isn't happy because the people of Nineveh are saved. We probably don't run from God in such a dramatic way, but there are times when each of us isn't happy to do what we know God wants us to do. We also don't wind up in the belly of a fish, but we do run to God to save us from whatever mess we get ourselves into. We should be grateful that God keeps saving us. Sometimes Jonah reminds me of my children. As a parent, I would warn them about the problems that they could get into if they did certain things, but they often didn't ...
