Morning Bible Verse of the Day
Morning Scripture
For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;
From: 2 Corinthians 4:17 (KJV)
Inspiration
The persecution, mockery, beatings, isolation, and attacks we may face for being advocates of the gospel, will never gain any comparison to the glory of what is to come on the day of the Resurrection, where we will receive new glorious bodies, free from infirmities and sin. Persecution neither adds nor removes to our eternal security in Christ. Our salvation remains our priority and we should strive to proclaim it, defend it, and be proud of it no matter what.
Prayer
Dear God, I would like to use this moment to declare my faith in you and my resolve to abide in you no matter what. I am aware of what may come my way because I choose to align myself with you. Whatever my earthly body endures on this earth, as a result of being a Christian, I count it worth it when I think of the glory that is to come. I thank you, Lord, that I can be a partaker of this glorious future. In Jesusβ name, I pray. Amen.
Morning Devotional
Acts 6:2-4 (KJV)
Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables.
Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business.
But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.
The Diaconate
Frances Taylor
This passage of Acts gives us the institution of the order of Deacon. The purpose of the deacon was to serve. The word for deacon comes from the Greek word for βto serve.β This is the first separation we see in those called to spread the Gospel message. The apostles continued their ministry of prayer and preaching the good news. The apostles understood that there was another whole side of ministry and that was to serve the needs of the people. This continues today with some men and women called to a ministry of prayer and preaching and some being called to serve more practical needs. God wants the whole person to be served. Just as he both healed the sick and fed the multitudes and prayed both alone and with others while talking about the coming of the kingdom, Jesus expects us to serve the whole person as well. It is no less a ministry to serve in a soup kitchen or a homeless shelter, than it is to preach or to teach.
We are physical as well as spiritual beings and when our physical needs are not met, it is hard to concentrate on the spiritual. When weβre hungry, when we canβt take care of our families, we need to spend time taking care of these needs. As James says in his letter, what good does it do to wish a person a good day and then do nothing to help him have one. The apostles understood that and so the order of deacons began. Not all of us are called to the order of deacons, but we are called to reach out and help alleviate the needs of the poor as best we can.
Prayer
Lord, thank you for showing us the importance of reaching out in love to the whole person if we want to lead them to you. May we be witnesses of your love in all ways and at all times. Amen.
Night Bible Verse of the Day
Night Scripture
I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.
From: John 6:51 (KJV)
Inspiration
Bread is a staple food, a fundamental part of our nourishment. We thank God for our daily bread that sustains us each day. It is no wonder that Jesus uses this metaphor to describe His own impact on us. Jesus is the one that sustains our life by providing the nourishment we need, through His word and His Spirit. And we must take Him in daily, not just sometimes, so that our souls may be nourished and strengthened each day.
Prayer
Lord Jesus, You are my daily portion. In You, I find all the nourishment that my soul needs. As I come to You, feed me through Your word and fill me with Your Spirit so that my hunger may be satisfied. Grow me and strengthen me more each day, so that I may serve You in all that I do. In Jesusβ name, amen.
Morning Bible Verse of the Day
Morning Scripture
No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.
From: John 1:18 (KJV)
Inspiration
It is through Christ that we have access to the Father. Jesus Christ made us one with God again when He cleansed us of our sins and justified us and made us righteous. We have been reconciled to the Father, because of our Lord, Jesus Christ. With salvation, we adopted the spirit of adoption, the Holy Spirit, which has enabled us to call God, Father. This gift is eternal; never to end, and never to change.
Prayer
Dear God, thank you for this new life I live because of your Son, Jesus Christ. I am no longer identified as a sinner, or a fallen man or woman; because of what your Son did for me, I can now boldly say I am your child, O God. Thank you, Lord, for setting me free from the sin power had over my life. I have chosen to be in Christ and I will abide in Him. In Jesusβ name, I pray. Amen.
Morning Devotional
John 13:34-35 (KJV)
A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.
Being a Witness of Godβs Love to Others
Frances Taylor
Iβm going to start with the family! If your family is anything like mine, you will have at least one person who doesnβt speak to another person. Sometimes that one person wants YOU to choose sides. What do you do? Then thereβs the neighborhood. Feuds happen. What is your response? Moving on to the workplace, do you treat all your fellow workers with equal kindness and generosity? Your family, neighbors and maybe co-workers know that you are a Christian and that you go to church. For them, you are an example of the faith that you β that I β profess and there are expectations. We are all Godβs beloved children. He doesnβt play favorites and doesnβt expect us to either. Jesus gave us this command: love one another. I donβt hear any exceptions in this Gospel passage. Sometimes a simple smile can change a personβs day. We are usually good when there is a crisis. We send sympathy cards or a meal to someone who experiences a loss. We might help babysit for someone who has a family emergency. But in the everyday, itβs how we show respect, courtesy, kindness β love β that lets others know that we care. Thereβs an old story about a monastery where the monks are told that Jesus is one of them. They begin to treat everyone as if he were Jesus and before long, people flocked to the monastery because of the love they witnessed among the monks. Well, Jesus is among us. He lives in each of us. If we begin to treat everyone as we would treat Jesus, what wonders we might see in our families, our neighborhoods, our workplaces and our church.
Prayer
Lord, please forgive me for the times that my example is not a witness to your love. Help me to be a better witness of your love and forgiveness within my family and among my neighbors. Amen.
Night Bible Verse of the Day
Night Scripture
For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
From: Romans 8:6 (KJV)
Inspiration
Sin and its consequences donβt come about just because of our actions. They start with our thoughts. A mind on worldly things is a mind on death- that is, absent of the Spirit, fixated only on the pleasures of this life that will not last. But the mind that dwells on heavenly things is filled with life and peace, alive in the Spirit and viewing this life through the lens of eternity.
Prayer
Lord God, thank You for filling me with the Spirit of life. Please teach me to train my thoughts on heavenly things so that I may live fully in this world, with a mind set not on the things of the world, but on Your kingdom. Use me to bring Your life and peace to those who see only this world, so that they may know You, too. In Jesusβ name, amen.
Morning Bible Verse of the Day
Morning Scripture
Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:
From: Matthew 6:19-20 (KJV)
Inspiration
Greed is perhaps the deadliest and most tempting of sins. With more money and more possessions, we can better take care of ourselves and our families. At what point is it enough? At what point does it go from being a good thing to being a sin? Worldly possessions will fade, as will our bodies. Our time spent on Earth should be spent pursuing good so that we can live beside God in heaven. It is only then will we understand what true treasure really is.
Prayer
My awesome God, I thank you for even giving me the opportunity to know and understand the richness and beauty of heaven. Assist me in my pursuit of good and help me be generous rather than greedy, as your son was for all of humanity. I pray that I can be a humble servant of yours by giving the treasure of my life in service to your name. Amen.
Morning Devotional
Mark 4:26-32 (KJV)
And he said, So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground;
And should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up, he knoweth not how.
For the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear.
But when the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle, because the harvest is come.
And he said, Whereunto shall we liken the kingdom of God? or with what comparison shall we compare it?
It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when it is sown in the earth, is less than all the seeds that be in the earth:
But when it is sown, it groweth up, and becometh greater than all herbs, and shooteth out great branches; so that the fowls of the air may lodge under the shadow of it.
The Kingdom of God is Likeβ¦
Frances Taylor
In todayβs Gospel, Jesus gives us two answers. The Kingdom of God is as if a man scatters seed which grows and yields fruit for him to harvest and the familiar parable of the mustard seed which grows into a plant capable of providing shade for all the birds to enjoy. For those of us who try to garden, we know that it usually takes work to get those seeds to grow! And, most of us have not tried to plant a mustard seed. What is Jesus trying to say to us?
We have talked about our responsibility to be disciples and we will continue to talk about our mission going forward. For some, this can be a scary proposition. Jesus is telling us that if we just plant the seed, he will take care of the rest. Telling someone in pain or who needs help making a decision that you will pray for them is a seed. Inviting someone to come with us to church or a church function is planting a seed. Helping someone realize their giftedness and that God loves them is planting a seed. We may not see the harvest. The seeds we plant might blossom years later. But God is there to water and nurture the fragile plant. As any gardener knows, not all the seeds we plant take root, but that doesnβt stop us from planting them. So it is with the seeds of love and faith. However, Jesus also tells us that even the smallest seed can grow and branch out and the love that blossoms from that one seed will be passed on to others and bear fruit for years to come in the lives of all they meet. Letβs get planting!
Prayer
Lord, it takes patience to plant seed, and it takes faith and trust. We pray in the Lordβs Prayer, βThy Kingdom come.β It is up to us to help bring about the Kingdom by planting seeds that lead others to Christ. Give us the patience, faith and trust to be your gardeners on earth. Amen.
Night Bible Verse of the Day
Night Scripture
And the Lord said unto Satan, The Lord rebuke thee, O Satan; even the Lord that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee: is not this a brand plucked out of the fire?
From: Zechariah 3:2 (KJV)
Inspiration
The name βSatanβ means βaccuser.β He is the one that points the finger at us, charging us with every sin and shortcoming that lies behind us. But we have a powerful advocate in God, who speaks in our defense. He proclaims us innocent by His actions that rescued us from the fire. And Satan is silenced. He has no further argument because Godβs forgiveness is complete and absolute.
Prayer
God, thank You for sending Jesus to save me from my sins and snatch me from the fire. I rejoice in the forgiveness and mercy that You have poured out on me. Still, the accuser whispers doubt and tries to turn me back toward my sin. Be my vindication, Lord, and silence my enemy, so that I may move forward in Your righteousness knowing that I am Yours. In Jesusβ name, amen.
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Morning Bible Verse of the Day
Morning Scripture
My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.
From: James 1:2-3 (KJV)
Inspiration
What doesnβt kill you makes you stronger. When it comes to a test of faith, this quote rings true. Challenges can be met with excitement or anxiety. Life can always be viewed as a gift, although it can be very difficult to think of it like this when times are tough. With practice, devotion, and faith, it gets easier with each challenge overcome.
Prayer
O Heavenly Father, give me the strength and resolve to face lifeβs difficulties with a faithful heart. I ask that you strengthen my devotion to you with each hurdle that I pass, knowing that it was you that helped me over. When the path seems too challenging to continue, help remind me that the righteous path is one that leads to heaven. For your glory, I ask these things in your holy name. Amen.
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Morning Devotional
Acts 7:51-53 (KJV)
Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye.
Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which shewed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers:
Who have received the law by the disposition of angels, and have not kept it.
Are We Any Different
Frances Taylor
In this passage, Stephen, one of the original deacons, is speaking to the Jewish people reminding them of all that God had done for them from the time of Abraham. How God gave Moses the law, how they continued to fall away and wouldnβt listen to the prophets, ignoring their warnings and even killing them. He compared them to their ancestors for crucifying Jesus. So, my question is, are we any different? We, who have seen the saving power of Jesus, we who claim that he is our Savior and have been baptized into him, still sin, still fail to love our enemies, still harbor hate in our hearts. Are we different? We have even been known to kill the prophets who have come among us such as Martin Luther King, Jr. Human beings can be very stiff-necked. If we work together to live as Jesus wants us to, following his guidelines and learning to love better, we may regain the ability for others to recognize Christians by their love for one another.
Prayer
Lord, why do we keep repeating the sins of the past? Why do we fail in our ability to love? Help us to do better beginning in this Easter season to make our world a more loving place. Amen.
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Night Bible Verse of the Day
Night Scripture
Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,
From: Ephesians 3:20 (KJV)
Inspiration
Sometimes we assume that God wonβt have us do anything significant and that Heβll leave the major work for the really talented people. But Godβs power is limitless, and when He appoints, He equips us by the power of His Spirit, especially if we think we are not capable. For ultimately, it is God working through us that accomplishes what He desires for us so that His glory is revealed in our lives.
Prayer
Lord, thank You for making me a part of Your kingdom. I feel inadequate to do the things that You have called me to do. So I trust in Your power to carry me through the work that is before me. Strengthen me and use me for Your kingdomβs sake, so that Your glory may be made known in all that I do. In Jesusβ name, amen.
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Morning Bible Verse of the Day
Morning Scripture
With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;
From: Ephesians 4:2. (KJV)
Inspiration
Be gentle. Be humble. Love each other. Not much more to say.
Prayer
Gentle and loving God, mold me the way that you see fit. I want to be more like you with every breath that I take, but I am a sinner. Forgive me for my sins, for not loving my brothers and sisters. I seek to love all of them, love Jesus, and love you. Amen.
Morning Devotional
Acts 8:1-3 (KJV)
And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles.
And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him.
As for Saul, he made havock of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison.
Persecution
Frances Taylor
Belief in Christ does not mean that we will be free of problems including persecution. Persecution of Christians begins here with the stoning of Stephen and continues to today. You will notice that Saul was doing a lot of the persecution. He believed that he was doing what God wanted. Thatβs been one of the problems with persecution also from the beginning. We think of the Roman persecution of Christians, but what of persecution of one Christian group against another as in Northern Ireland, of the persecution of Jews and Christians during the Holocaust, or in the boardrooms of businesses and the neighborhoods of some of our cities today. Persecution goes on, often in very subtle ways. But overt or subtle, this is not the will of God. Saul came to realize that he was not doing Godβs will. The Romans failed to stop the spread of the Christian church. And one of the positive effects of destroying the church in Jerusalem was that the disciples and others who fled, actually carried the gospel message to more and diverse areas of the world. Instead of Christianity being a religion of an isolated part of the Roman Empire, it flowed forward until it covered the earth.
Prayer
Lord, we donβt always realize persecution when it appears in our
neighborhoods. Give us the grace to keep our eyes open and work to stop it when we see it and not become a part of the problem. Amen.
Night Bible Verse of the Day
Night Scripture
Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.
From: Proverbs 16:18 (KJV)
Inspiration
Pride goes before the fall. It is a well-known saying, but do we give it much thought? It was pride that first brought sin into the world, and pride that drives every selfish decision we make when we seek to be Godβs of our own lives. Even as Christians, if we forget that we are acting in Godβs power and try to use our own strength, we will be reminded swiftly of our limits and our need to rely on Him.
Prayer
Father, thank You for saving me from my prideful and destructive ways. Your power and Your grace are all that I need. Please guard my heart against pride so that all that I do may be for Your glory, not my own. Teach me to lean on Your wisdom and Your power so that I may remain in step with Your Spirit. In Jesusβ name, amen.
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Morning Bible Verse of the Day
Morning Scripture
Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.
From: 1 Corinthians 13:1-3 (KJV)
Inspiration
How much has been written about the meaning of love? Paul explains what love is in this passage: not just a word, not just a feeling, an ACTION. All of the good deeds and actions that he explains are nothing without love behind them. If your actions are done out of selfishness rather than with love, you will gain nothing. Think about this the next time you do something really good for someone: was there truly love behind it?
Prayer
My heart overflows with love for you, perfect and wondrous God. I feel blessed every moment to have you in my life, knowing that all of your actions are done with love for me and all people. I know that I do not deserve it. I know that I have sinned. Forgive me for my weakness, and I pray with all my heart that you reinforce my love and faith in you, as well as my love and faith in other people. I believe in you Father. I pray that you believe in me. Amen.
Morning Devotional
John 6:44-45 (KJV)
No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.
It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me.
The Gift of Faith
Frances Taylor
This passage points out that faith is a gift. βNo one can come to me unless the Father draw him.β Faith comes from God. It is not something we do for ourselves. God plants the seed, Jesus provides all we need to let that seed develop and grow, what we need to do is use the nutrients that Jesus has provided and nurture the seed within us until it becomes a full grown plant and flowers. You see that there are two parts here. It is not enough that we have heard from the Father, it is necessary to have learned from him as well and have then turned to Jesus. Jesus is speaking here to a group of people who are having problems accepting him, and in some ways are excusing those who cannot believe. He has even asked them if his teaching had shaken their faith. Sometimes, our faith can be shaken, and like the disciples we must decide. Once the decision is made, we have further responsibilities because Jesus expects this faith that has flowered within us to reach out to nourish the faith of others. Remember, only God plants the seed, but it needs to be fed and watered and since we already know where to find that in Jesus, we need to share.
Prayer
Lord, thank you for the gift of faith that you have so generously given me. Show me the way to lead others to your Son, Jesus, so that their faith may also grow in them. Amen.
Night Bible Verse of the Day
Night Scripture
Give us this day our daily bread.
From: Matthew 6:11 (KJV)
Inspiration
Most of us get up each morning and head to work to earn our keep for the day. But do we pause and ask God to sustain our work? Do we assume that our work is guaranteed and our jobs are secure forever? The Israelites could gather manna each day only because God had already supplied it for them. Let us not lose sight of where our daily bread comes from.
Prayer
Lord, thank You for sustaining me each day. As I prepare for the dayβs work, I ask that You would sustain me through the day. Give me enough to do to earn my keep, and provide for me this day. I know that nothing in this life is guaranteed, so teach me to trust in You each and every day, in Jesusβ name, amen.
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Morning Bible Verse of the Day
Morning Scripture
There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.
From: 1 John 4:18 (KJV)
Inspiration
Humans are fearful beings. Survival is our primary goal, and the fear of death is one that many people struggle with for their entire lives. God has given us the chance to live without that primary fear. God has allowed all Christians to not fear judgment day and enjoy everlasting life. Godβs love for us is without fear, but can we say the same? This should be our ultimate goal, one that we must strive for. The reward: a life in heaven, next to our savior, Jesus Christ.
Prayer
Eternal and forgiving God, you have shown me light of truthful and pure love. With all my being I wish to reciprocate it to you. Forgive me, my Lord, for my times of weakness and fear. My faith has wavered, my knees have buckled, my eyes have shed tears, but I pray that you know that I know that you were always with me. I long to stand next to you in heaven, and with each breath I take, I get closer to that day. Merciful God, I pray all of this to your name, Amen.
Morning Devotional
Acts 9:3-5 (KJV)
And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven:
And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.
Saul/Paul
Frances Taylor
Saulβs eyes have been blinded physically and I believe that this is a metaphor for his spiritual blindness in persecuting the Christians. For three days he neither saw nor ate, nor drank. Again, I think of this as his time in a tomb. During this time he prayed and saw in a vision a man coming to him who would lay his hands upon him and give him back his sight. Now, Ananias was the man Saul saw, and God asked Ananias to go to Saul. Needless to say he was reluctant but he did do as the Lord asked and Saul received his sight, rose, was baptized, ate and was strengthened. Once he had come to know Jesus he began to proclaim Jesus as the Son of God. Iβm sure you can understand why the Christians in the area were afraid of him and didnβt believe his transformation. Saul/Paul became the βapostle to the Gentilesβ and without him, we would have so much less knowledge of the early church and the teachings of Jesus. We, too, can be suspicious of a personβs transformation. I wonder sometimes why we canβt believe that God can still change the heart of a person and bring him or her to faith. I think it may come from a desire for punishment of someone who has behaved badly. But we are not the judges of a personβs heart. Thatβs Godβs job. I for one am happy to leave it to him.
Prayer
Loving God, you want all your children to be with you in heaven. You give us all opportunities to come to know and believe in you. Let us not be suspicious of those who come to you later in their journey, but be grateful that we have come to know of your love at an early age. Amen.
