Devotional for the day

[Judy Harder]

Daily Devotionals May 4, 2008

A time for revival! Won't you join The Gospel Hiway as we pray daily for a time of great revival in this world. All we ask is that you pray, ask your friends, pastors, and churches to pray. Our world is in need of great revival and is has to start somewhere, let it begin here.

The Ascension

READ: Acts 1:1-11

I go to prepare a place for you. . . . I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. -John 14:2-3
The repeated appearances of Jesus after His death and resurrection brought His followers so much joy that they must have wanted the visits to continue indefinitely. But on the 40th day after His resurrection, having given His disciples final instructions, Jesus slowly ascended and a cloud hid Him from view.

Jesus could have vanished instantly, as He had done previously (Luke 24:31). But He chose to ascend visibly to impress on His followers that this was the end of His visits. His bodily presence would soon be replaced by "another Helper," the Holy Spirit promised in John 14:16. Jesus' ascension marked the dawn of a new era.

In His glorified human body, the Lord Jesus ascended, entered heaven, sat down at the right hand of God, sent the Holy Spirit (John 14:16-18; Acts 2:33), and now intercedes for us (Rom. 8:34; Heb. 7:25). He permeates the whole universe with His spiritual presence and power (Col. 1:15-23; Eph. 4:10).

An ancient writing says that Jesus ascended bodily into heaven "our entrance to secure, and our abode to prepare." That's true. But it's also true that as God, He is always spiritually present with us and will be "to the end of the age" (Matt. 28:20). What a wonderful Savior we have!

  - Herbert Vander Lugt

The Lord ascended bodily
From earth to heaven's throne;
Now He is there to intercede
For those who are His own. -Sper

Jesus went away so the Holy Spirit could come to stay.

Committed to Purity by Woodrow Kroll

Daniel 1:8
But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's delicacies, nor with the wine which he drank; therefore he requested of the chief of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.

Committed to Purity

Some hunters are totally sold out to hunting. They suffer all kinds of discomfort in order to enjoy their hobby. Many sports fans are totally absorbed by games, whether baseball, football or soccer or anything else. Whatever else might be taking place, they're in the stands or in front of the TV rooting for their favorite team. Likewise, some businessmen can think of nothing but their business. Everything takes second place to being successful in their chosen profession.

But Daniel was sold out in a different way. He was totally committed to maintaining his purity. The drink and rich foods of Babylon in all probability were very tasty, but, prepared by pagan cooks, they surely would not have met the strict Jewish dietary laws. To have eaten these delicacies would have caused Daniel and his friends ritual impurity. And in Daniel's heart, the culinary pleasures he might have enjoyed were not worth the price of moral pollution.

Today we live in a time of gross immorality. We live in a sea of sensual indulgence. Sex appeal is used to promote everything from cars to shoes. Images that would have made our grandparents blush are brazenly displayed on billboards. Standards that once protected society from its own carnal appetites have been long abandoned. Therefore, it's more important than ever that those who follow Christ commit themselves to maintaining their purity, as Daniel did.

Resolve in your own heart, even before you face temptation, that you will make purity your highest priority. Expect to be tempted, but determine that, with God's help, you will stay undefiled and never waver. The short-lived pleasures of immorality are not worth the price.

When purity is not a priority it is a casualty.

May 2

Thump-Thud, Thump-Thud
by Max Lucado

When a potter bakes a pot, he checks its solidity by pulling it out of the oven and thumping it. If it "sings," it's ready. If it "thuds," it's placed back in the oven.

The character of a person is also checked by thumping.

Been thumped lately?

Late-night phone calls. Grouchy teacher. Grumpy moms. Burnt meals. Flat tires. You've-got-to-be-kidding deadlines. Those are thumps. Thumps are those irritating inconveniences that trigger the worst in us. They catch us off guard. Flat-footed. They aren't big enough to be crises, but if you get enough of them, watch out! Traffic jams. Long lines. Empty mailboxes. Dirty clothes on the floor. Even as I write this, I'm being thumped. Because of interruptions, it has taken me almost two hours to write these two paragraphs. Thump. Thump. Thump.

How do I respond? Do I sing, or do I thud?

Jesus said that out of the nature of the heart a man speaks (Luke 6:45). There's nothing like a good thump to reveal the nature of a heart. The true character of a person is seen not in momentary heroics but in the thump-packed humdrum of day-to-day living.

If you have a tendency to thud more than you sing, take heart.

There is hope for us "thudders":

Begin by thanking God for thumps. I don't mean a half-hearted thank-you. I mean a rejoicing, jumping-for-joy thank-you from the bottom of your heart (James 1:2). Chances are that God is doing the thumping. And he's doing it for your own good. So every thump is a reminder that God is molding you (Hebrews 12:5-8).

Learn from each thump. Face up to the fact that you are not "thump-proof." You are going to be tested from now on. You might as well learn from the thumps-you can't avoid them. Look upon each inconvenience as an opportunity to develop patience and persistence. Each thump will help you or hurt you, depending on how you use it.

Be aware of "thump-slump" times. Know your pressure periods. For me, Mondays are infamous for causing thump-slumps. Fridays can be just as bad. For all of us, there are times during the week when we can anticipate an unusual amount of thumping. The best way to handle thump-slump times? Head on. Bolster yourself with extra prayer, and don't give up.

Remember no thump is disastrous. All thumps work for good if we are loving and obeying God.

From On the Anvil:
Stories On Being Shaped Into God's Image

This is a new edition of Max's first book.
It contains an updated forward, written by him, as well as thoughtful questions for each chapter.

© (Tyndale House, 1985, 2008) Max Lucado

VICARIOUS INTERCESSION
By
Oswald Chambers
 
"Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus." Hebrews 10:19

Beware of imagining that intercession means bringing our personal sympathies into the presence of God and demanding that He does what we ask. Our approach to God is due entirely to the vicarious identification of our Lord with sin. We have "boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus."

Spiritual stubbornness is the most effectual hindrance to intercession, because it is based on sympathy with that in ourselves and in others that we do not think needs atoning for. We have the notion that there are certain right and virtuous things in us which do not need to be based on the Atonement, and just in the domain of "stodge" that is produced by this idea we cannot intercede. We do not identify ourselves with God's interests in others, we get petulant with God; we are always ready with our own ideas, and intercession becomes the glorification of our own natural sympathies. We have to realize that the identification of Jesus with sin means the radical alteration of all our sympathies. Vicarious intercession means that we deliberately substitute God's interests in others for our natural sympathy with them.

Am I stubborn or substituted? Petted or perfect in my relationship to God? Sulky or spiritual? Determined to have my own way or determined to be identified with Him?

God bless

[Judy Harder]

Daily Devotionals May 5, 2008

A time for revival! Won't you join The Gospel Hiway as we pray daily for a time of great revival in this world. All we ask is that you pray, ask your friends, pastors, and churches to pray. Our world is in need of great revival and is has to start somewhere, let it begin here.

The Debt Of Leadership

READ: Psalm 86

Save Your servant who trusts in You! -Psalm 86:2
Examine the words of Psalm 86, and you might forget that you are reading the musings of a good leader. King David prayed, "O Lord, hear me; for I am poor and needy" (v.1). Then the king of Israel refers to himself as a "servant" and pleads for mercy. Think of it! This was the man God had chosen to lead His people, pleading for God's help. Wow!

As we think about the role of leaders-whether centuries ago or today-it's vital that we review what leadership means. According to businessman and author Max De Pree, whose leadership moved his company near the top of the Fortune 500: "The first responsibility of a leader is to define reality. The last is to say thank you. In between the two, the leader must become a servant and a debtor. That sums up the progress of an artful leader." Those two words, servant and debtor, describe David's view of himself as he asked God for help during his time of leadership.

All of us who are in a leadership position-whether leading a family, a church, a classroom, or a business-need the humble words of Psalm 86 as our guide. The "poor and needy" (v.1) servant-leader who trusts God is the one who, in the end, can say as David did, "You, Lord, have helped me and comforted me" (v.17).

  - Dave Branon

Controlling other people's lives
Is not a godly leader's trait;
But serving other people's needs
Is what the Lord considers great. -Sper

The only leaders qualified to lead are those who have learned to serve.

Honoring God by Woodrow Kroll

Daniel 1:14?15
So he consented with them in this matter, and tested them ten days. And at the end of ten days their countenance appeared better and fatter in flesh than all the young men who ate the portion of the king's delicacies.

Honoring God

Eric Liddell, a young Scottish ministerial student, was the best sprinter in the British Empire. He was favored to win the 100-meter race in the 1924 Paris Olympics. A few weeks before the Games, however, he learned that the preliminary 100-meter races were scheduled for a Sunday afternoon. Liddel considered participating in Sunday sports dishonoring to the Lord. His friends then began to notice during the weeks prior to the Olympics that he excused himself after dinner each evening and would return home hours later, exhausted.

A few weeks later the whole world discovered his secret. He had spent those evening hours practicing for another event that was scheduled for a weekday but which required a different type of speed and endurance. On the closing day of the Olympics, he stood on the winner's platform and received the Gold Medal as the 400-meter champion. By putting God's honor first, Liddel himself received honor.

Daniel was faced with a similar choice. To him and his friends, partaking of the king's refreshments would be shameful before the Lord. Bravely they chose to honor God. When they did so, God honored them. After ten days of eating only vegetables, they were in better condition than those who had eaten of the king's food.

The pressure to compromise is tremendous. Many people tell us that unless we choose to follow the world's standards, we'll never get ahead. If we don't drink socially, we'll never rub elbows with the influential people who can make our business a success. If we aren't willing to engage in premarital sex, we'll never meet a potential marriage partner.

Obviously, Satan skews such thinking. If we choose to honor God with our lives, He will honor us by meeting our needs. Put God's honor first, and your honor will never suffer.

Honor God and He will never dishonor you.

Living Free Every Day®
Today's Scripture
"And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice-the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him." Romans 12:1 NLT

Thoughts for Today
Through the years before Jesus died on the cross, God called the Israelites to offer animals as sacrifices for their sin. These sacrifices were offered repeatedly at regular time intervals. Then Jesus came and gave his own life on the cross to pay the ultimate everlasting sacrifice for our sins. (Hebrews 9:11-14)

We no longer have to offer sin sacrifices. When we accept Jesus as our Savior and make him Lord of our lives, our sins are forgiven and Jesus clothes us in his righteousness. But he does call us to be a living sacrifice by surrendering our lives to him. He wants us to turn control over to his care. He views our total submission as worship.

Consider this

Most of us like to feel in control. The thought of turning control over to someone else, even God, might seen frightening-or just unappealing. What we need to remember is that God is a merciful and compassionate God. He wants what is best for us-and only he knows what that really is. He is all-knowing and all-powerful. We aren't. How much better to submit to his control, to trust his plan, than to stick to our "I can do it myself" attitude.

Are you struggling with a temptation , a problem , a challenge right now? Are you willing to turn it over to God, submitting completely to his plan?

Prayer
Father, I thank you for Jesus. I thank you that through him my sins are forgiven. I have committed my life to you  and claim to make you Lord  but so many times I try to take control again. I know this shows a lack of trust in you. Please forgive me. May my body-all that I am--be a living sacrifice to you. 

These thoughts were drawn from Stepping into Freedom by Jimmy Ray Lee, D.Min. is a Christ-centered twelve-step program suggested for use in support groups, recovery groups and home groups. It offers help for anyone struggling with a life-controlling problem like drug addiction, alcoholism, sexual addiction, gambling or workaholism.   

PO Box 22127 ~ Chattanooga, Tennessee 37421 ~ 423-899-4770
© Living Free 2007. Living Free is a registered trademark. Living Free Every Day devotionals may be reproduced for personal use. When reproduced to share with others, please acknowledge the source as Living Free, Chattanooga, TN. Must have written permission to use in any format to be sold. Permission may be requested by sending e-mail to info@LivingFree.org.

JUDGMENT ON THE ABYSS OF LOVE
By Oswald Chambers
 
"For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God." 1 Peter 4:17

The Christian worker must never forget that salvation is God's thought, not man's; therefore it is an unfathomable abyss. Salvation is the great thought of God, not an experience. Experience is only a gateway by which salvation comes into our conscious life. Never preach the experience; preach the great thought of God behind. When we preach we are not proclaiming how man can be saved from hell and be made moral and pure; we are conveying good news about God.

In the teachings of Jesus Christ the element of judgment is always brought out, it is the sign of God's love. Never sympathize with a soul who finds it difficult to get to God, God is not to blame. It is not for us to find out the reason why it is difficult, but so to present the truth of God that the Spirit of God will show what is wrong. The great sterling test in preaching is that it brings everyone to judgment. The Spirit of God locates each one to himself.

If Jesus ever gave us a command He could not enable us to fulfil, He would be a liar; and if we make our inability a barrier to obedience, it means we are telling God there is something He has not taken into account. Every element of self-reliance must be slain by the power of God. Complete weakness and dependence will always be the occasion for the Spirit of God to manifest His power

God bless

[Judy Harder]

Daily Devotionals May 6, 2008

A time for revival! Won't you join The Gospel Hiway as we pray daily for a time of great revival in this world. All we ask is that you pray, ask your friends, pastors, and churches to pray. Our world is in need of great revival and is has to start somewhere, let it begin here.

Our Daily Bread

Anti-Aging Power

READ: Isaiah 40:25-41:1

Those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength. -Isaiah 40:31
Americans spend more than $20 billion annually on various anti-aging products that claim to cure baldness, remove wrinkles, build muscle, and renew the powers of youth. Can those products deliver what they promise? Dr. Thomas Perls of Boston University School of Medicine says there is "absolutely no scientific proof that any commercially available product will stop or reverse aging."

But there is a promise of spiritual vitality that defies the ravages of time. "Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall, but those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint" (Isa. 40:30-31).

Isaiah used the eagle as a symbol of freedom and endurance, held aloft by a source of power outside itself. As we put our hope and trust in the Lord, we are carried along by His strength and not our own. The psalmist said it is the Lord who nourishes us so that our "youth is renewed like the eagle's" (Ps. 103:5).

Are we taking advantage of God's anti-aging power? It's promised to all who put their trust in Him for strength of heart, vigor of spirit, and energy of soul.

  - David C. McCasland

The ravages of time cannot be stopped;
Yes, outwardly we perish every day;
But inner strength of heart can be renewed
By trusting in the Lord to light our way. -Sper

Growing old is a blessing when you're growing closer to God.

No Man on Earth by Woodrow Kroll

Daniel 2:8-10
The king answered and said, "I know for certain that you would gain time, because you see that my decision is firm: if you do not make known the dream to me, there is only one decree for you! For you have agreed to speak lying and corrupt words before me till the time has changed. Therefore tell me the dream, and I shall know that you can give me its interpretation." The Chaldeans answered the king, and said, "There is not a man on earth who can tell the king's matter; therefore no king, lord, or ruler has ever asked such things of any magician, astrologer, or Chaldean."

No Man on Earth

In the realm of fairy tales, straw is spun into gold, frogs turn into Prince Charmings, and pumpkins become royal coaches with mice for footmen. But these things are not possible in our world. Human beings in the real world have limitations.

Such limitations caused problems for the wise men of Babylon. King Nebuchadnezzar had dreamed a disturbing dream. Immediately he issued a call for his magicians, astrologers, sorcerers and Chaldeans. Not trusting these advisers to give him a true answer, however, he demanded they first tell him the dream and then interpret it. If they didn't, he said, they would be cut in pieces and their houses would be made an ash heap (2:5). Of course, their response was, "No ruler has ever asked such a thing!" This was an impossible request.

Often in our world we encounter things that are simply impossible. No man on earth can do them. Fortunately, as believers in Christ, our resources extend beyond earthly man; we have a Heavenly Father. God can do what no man can do. He said of Himself, "Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh. Is there anything too hard for Me?" (Jer. 32:27).

Are you facing an impossible task today? Is there trouble in your life that is greater than any person on earth can resolve? Then look to God. He can do what others cannot. He'll do it for you.

God can do anything but fail.

Living Free Every Day®
Today's Scripture
Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God's will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. Romans 12:2 NLT

Thoughts for Today
It's so easy to become molded to the world's thinking. Television programs subtly-and more and more often not so subtly-dishonor God. They present sinful behavior and lifestyles as normal-over and over again through the months and the years. Without realizing it, we can gradually begin accepting the sinful behavior as "normal."

Other influences-friends, employers, books, movies, etc.-can shape our thinking as well. One real danger has been introduced in the form of books and movies that claim to be Christian and use "Christian-ese" words, but in fact teach things that are totally unscriptural. Usually good teaching is mixed in with the deceptive teaching, drawing many Christians into accepting the whole. Jesus warned us to be careful-that even the elect could be deceived. Mark 13:21-23

Consider this
How can we avoid being drawn into the pull of the world's influences? By letting God transform us into a new person by changing the way we think. We will continue to change our mind, will, intellect and emotions as we obey God's Word. He transforms our minds as we pray, study his Word and make godly choices.

We need to measure every influence in the light of God's Word-and reject those that don't line up. Quit watching the television program. Don't read the book. Choose what is right over what is easy or popular. Be willing to take a stand.

Prayer
Lord, open my eyes to the wrong influences in my life. Transform me into a new person by changing the way I think. Give me a deeper understanding of your Word and help me live in obedience to your will, making right choices even when they are difficult ones. In Jesus' name

These thoughts were drawn from
Stepping into Freedom by Jimmy Ray Lee, D.Min. is a Christ-centered twelve-step program suggested for use in support groups, recovery groups and home groups. It offers help for anyone struggling with a life-controlling problem like drug addiction, alcoholism, sexual addiction, gambling or workaholism   

PO Box 22127 ~ Chattanooga, Tennessee 37421 ~ 423-899-4770
© Living Free 2007. Living Free is a registered trademark. Living Free Every Day devotionals may be reproduced for personal use. When reproduced to share with others, please acknowledge the source as Living Free, Chattanooga, TN. Must have written permission to use in any format to be sold. Permission may be requested by sending e-mail to info@LivingFree.org.
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LIBERTY ON THE ABYSS OF THE GOSPEL
By Oswald Chambers
 
"Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free." Galatians 5:1

A spiritually minded man will never come to you with the demand - "Believe this and that;" but with the demand that you square your life with the standards of Jesus. We are not asked to believe the Bible, but to believe the One Whom the Bible reveals (cf. John 5:39-40). We are called to present liberty of conscience, not liberty of view. If we are free with the liberty of Christ, others will be brought into that same liberty - the liberty of realizing the dominance of Jesus Christ.

Always keep your life measured by the standards of Jesus. Bow your neck to His yoke alone, and to no other yoke whatever; and be careful to see that you never bind a yoke on others that is not placed by Jesus Christ. It takes God a long time to get us out of the way of thinking that unless everyone sees as we do, they must be wrong. That is never God's view. There is only one liberty, the liberty of Jesus at work in our conscience enabling us to do what is right.

Don't get impatient, remember how God dealt with you - with patience and with gentleness; but never water down the truth of God. Let it have its way and never apologize for it. Jesus said, "Go and make disciples," not "make converts to your opinions."
----------------------------------------------------------------------

God bless

[Judy Harder]

Daily Devotionals May 7, 2008

A time for revival! Won't you join The Gospel Hiway as we pray daily for a time of great revival in this world. All we ask is that you pray, ask your friends, pastors, and churches to pray. Our world is in need of great revival and is has to start somewhere, let it begin here.

Do Unto Others

READ: Matthew 7:7-12

Whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets. -Matthew 7:12
In May 2006, a man set out from base camp to make his third attempt on Mount Everest. He actually reached the summit, but on his way down he ran out of oxygen. As he lay on the side of the mountain dying, 40 climbers passed him by.

Some say that at such oxygen-deprived altitudes, rescues are too perilous. But others say that climbers are too eager to reach the top and too selfish to help those in trouble.

I wonder what would have happened if someone who passed that stricken climber had said, "I will treat him the way I want to be treated."

In Matthew 7:12, the golden rule, Jesus gave His disciples the secret to fulfilling the entire Old Testament relational regulations-love others and live for their benefit. He said this in the larger context of all the radical principles that He had taught up to this point in His sermon (5:17-7:11).

As difficult as it is to live for the benefit of others, Jesus knew His followers could consistently live out this ethic as they drew strength from a righteousness that went beyond duty and outward conformity to rules (5:20). It is a righteousness that can come only from God Himself.

If we are Jesus-followers, let's walk in His steps-loving others and living for their benefit.

  - Marvin Williams

Love is an attitude, love is a prayer
For someone in sorrow, a heart in despair;
Love is good will for the gain of another,
Love suffers long with the fault of a brother. -Anon.

Love is the debt we owe one another.

God With Us by Woodrow Kroll

Daniel 2:11
"It is a difficult thing that the king requires, and there is no other who can tell it to the king except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh."

God With Us

A farmer was plowing his field when he noticed a very large anthill out in the middle of the field. It was evident that hundreds, perhaps thousands, of ants had worked long and hard to build this magnificent edifice. Now, in a short time, his plow would destroy it, along with many of the ants that lived there. I wonder, he thought, how I might communicate with them. I could write them a letter, but they couldn't read it. I could stand near their home and urge them to flee from destruction. But they wouldn't understand me. Then he realized there was really only one solution, he would have to become an ant and dwell among them.

The gods the Babylonians worshiped were deities who kept themselves apart from their worshipers. At best, they communicated only through the priests and priestesses who served them in the temples. It took the true God to devise a meaningful way to communicate with His people. John 1:14 tells us, "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth."

Christians have the privilege of communicating with a God who is not way off in some distant place. Instead, He is as near as our next breath (Acts 17:28). We don't have to go to a special place to speak with Him; He dwells in us and delights to fellowship with us. By becoming one of us and dying for our sins, He has made it possible for us to carry every burden to Him and leave it there.

Rejoice that God wrapped Himself in human flesh and dwelt among us. Give thanks that He is only a prayer away. Whatever question or concern you may have, come to Him. His Word and His Spirit are always available to help you find the answer.

God is so near that the faintest prayer can reach Him.

Living Free Every Day®
Today's Scripture
"Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don't try to figure out everything on your own. Listen for God's voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he's the one who will keep you on track. Don't assume that you know it all. Run to God! Run from evil!" Proverbs 3:5-7 MSG

Thoughts for Today
In order to fully submit our lives to God, we have to trust Him from the bottom of our heart. Trust his unconditional love. Trust that his way really is the best way. Trust that he is able. Trust that listening to him and obeying him will keep us on track.

How do we build that kind of trust? By getting to know him better. Through prayer. Through studying and meditating on the Bible. By being sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit. And by experience-looking back and remembering how he has loved us and helped us in the past. How his way has always proved to be the right way.

Consider this
How do you make choices? By trying to figure things out on your own? By following your intellect, emotions and reasoning? Today's scripture cautions not to assume that you know it all.

Or are you listening for God's voice in everything you do, everywhere you go. Are you submitting to his plan above all else? Is he truly at the center of your life?

Prayer
Father, please forgive me for all the times I've attempted to figure things out on my own instead of relying on you. I do trust you but help me to trust you more. Teach me to hear your voice in everything I do and everywhere I go. Help me to always seek your will, your plan, above my own desires. In Jesus' name 

These thoughts were drawn from Stepping into Freedom by Jimmy Ray Lee, D.Min. is a Christ-centered twelve-step program suggested for use in support groups, recovery groups and home groups. It offers help for anyone struggling with a life-controlling problem like drug addiction, alcoholism, sexual addiction, gambling or workaholism.   

PO Box 22127 ~ Chattanooga, Tennessee 37421 ~ 423-899-4770
© Living Free 2007. Living Free is a registered trademark. Living Free Every Day devotionals may be reproduced for personal use. When reproduced to share with others, please acknowledge the source as Living Free, Chattanooga, TN. Must have written permission to use in any format to be sold. Permission may be requested by sending e-mail to info@LivingFree.org.

BUILDING FOR ETERNITY
By
Oswald Chambers
 
"For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it?" Luke 14:28

Our Lord refers not to a cost we have to count, but to a cost which He has counted. The cost was those thirty years in Nazareth, those three years of popularity, scandal and hatred, the deep unfathomable agony in Gethsemane, and the onslaught at Calvary - the pivot upon which the whole of Time and Eternity turns. Jesus Christ has counted the cost. Men are not going to laugh at Him at last and say - "This man began to build, and was not able to finish."

The conditions of discipleship laid down by Our Lord in vv. 26, 27 and 33 mean that the men and women He is going to use in His mighty building enterprises are those in whom He has done everything. "If any man come to Me, and hate not . . . he cannot be My disciple." Our Lord implies that the only men and women He will use in His building enterprises are those who love Him personally, passionately and devotedly beyond any of the closest ties on earth. The conditions are stern, but they are glorious.

All that we build is going to be inspected by God. Is God going to detect in His searching fire that we have built on the foundation of Jesus some enterprise of our own? These are days of tremendous enterprises, days when we are trying to work for God, and therein is the snare. Profoundly speaking, we can never work for God. Jesus takes us over for His enterprises, His building schemes entirely, and no soul has any right to claim where he shall be put.

God bless

[Judy Harder]

Daily Devotionals May 8, 2008

A time for revival!  All we ask is that you pray, ask your friends, pastors, and churches to pray. Our world is in need of great revival and it has to start somewhere, let it begin here.

Moody Artwork

READ: 1 Peter 3:8-12

Be tenderhearted, be courteous. -1 Peter 3:8

British and American computer scientists have created artwork that changes according to how the viewer feels. The computer program analyzes the position and shape of the mouth, the angle of the brows, the openness of the eyes, and five other facial features to determine the viewer's emotional state. The artwork then alters, based on the viewer's mood. If joy is seen on the face, the artwork will show up in bright colors. If there's a scowl, the image will become dark and somber.

Our moods can also affect the people around us-our family, friends, co-workers, and acquaintances. Our life touches people, whether for good or bad. Each person is responsible for his or her own reaction to us, of course. Yet the way we behave makes a difference in others' lives.

The apostle Peter encouraged us to have compassion for others, to love, to be tenderhearted and courteous, and not to return evil for evil but rather blessing (1 Peter 3:8-9). Following his instructions may be difficult for us on a day when we feel cranky. By depending on the Holy Spirit, we can have a positive impact on everyone we meet-even if all we do is smile or listen.

Let's paint our world in bright colors today.

  - Anne Cetas

My life will touch a dozen lives
Before this day is done,
Leave countless marks for good or ill
Before the setting sun. -Anon.

A heart touched by grace brings joy to the face.

Speaking Without Anger by Woodrow Kroll

Daniel 2:12?14
For this reason the king was angry and very furious, and gave a command to destroy all the wise men of Babylon. So the decree went out, and they began killing the wise men; and they sought Daniel and his companions, to kill them. Then with counsel and wisdom Daniel answered Arioch, the captain of the king's guard, who had gone out to kill the wise men of Babylon.

Speaking Without Anger

Anger has become a major problem in our society, especially when associated with driving. Between 1990 and 1997, 250,000 people were killed in traffic accidents. The U.S. Department of Transportation estimates that two-thirds of these road fatalities were caused by drivers who were angry. They not only lost their temper, but they lost their lives as well.

When Daniel was confronted with the king's edict, it could have given way to anger. The king's demands were unreasonable. Who ever heard of telling the dream as well as giving the interpretation? Furthermore, it was unfair. Why destroy all the wise men when not everyone had been given the opportunity to redeem himself? But Daniel knew better than to give way to such futile passions. Instead, he answered with "counsel and wisdom."

To his credit, Daniel first sought information. He checked out the facts to find out what lay behind this seemingly unreasonable edict. Then he spoke with wisdom. Daniel took the time to understand the situation and then offered a practical solution that would both meet the king's need and save the lives of many innocent people.

Anger can be terribly devastating, especially for Christians. Not only do they suffer the same consequences unbelievers do when they lose their temper, but they also tarnish their testimony before a watching world.

If you struggle with anger, learn to seek counsel and then speak with wisdom. Get the facts straight. Give yourself time to think about the consequences of your anger. And then, rather than waste your energy on a fit of rage and bring shame to the Lord, ask God to show you how you can resolve the situation for His glory.

Anger isn't always wrong, but it's seldom profitable.

Living Free Every Day®
Today's Scripture
"This is my command-be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the LORD your God is with you wherever you go." Joshua 1:9 NLT

Thoughts for Today
We have all experienced fear and discouragement at times. In today's scripture God is speaking to Joshua, telling him to be strong and courageous. "Do not be afraid or discouraged." How is this possible? Joshua was faced with the tremendous responsibility of leading the Israelites into the Promised Land, conquering the land and setting up residence. There would be times of defeat, great challenges,  biting criticism,  and immense frustration. And yet God told him not to fear or be discouraged  "because the Lord your God is with you wherever you go."

What a wonderful promise! As we submit to God, making Jesus Lord of our life, we too can be assured that he will be with us wherever we go. He will protect us, comfort us, defend us, teach us, guide us and love us unconditionally. No matter how bleak things might look, or what challenges or sorrows we face, we can know that our heavenly Father is with us-and that as we trust him and walk in obedience, he will work all things together for good. (Romans 8:28)

Consider this
Are you feeling afraid or discouraged right now? Perhaps you don't feel as though God is with you. The good news is that feelings can lie-but God's promises are always true.

No matter what your circumstances, you can be strong and courageous-not on your own but because the Lord is with you.

Prayer
Father, thank you that I can always count on you. Even though I don't always sense your presence, help me to remember from your Word that you are always with me. Help me to focus on you, not on the circumstances. Help me to be strong and courageous. In Jesus' name 

These thoughts were drawn from Stepping into Freedom by Jimmy Ray Lee, D.Min. is a Christ-centered twelve-step program suggested for use in support groups, recovery groups and home groups. It offers help for anyone struggling with a life-controlling problem like drug addiction, alcoholism, sexual addiction, gambling or workaholism.   

PO Box 22127 ~ Chattanooga, Tennessee 37421 ~ 423-899-4770
© Living Free 2007. Living Free is a registered trademark. Living Free Every Day devotionals may be reproduced for personal use. When reproduced to share with others, please acknowledge the source as Living Free, Chattanooga, TN. Must have written permission to use in any format to be sold. Permission may be requested by sending e-mail to info@LivingFree.org.

THE PATIENCE OF FAITH
By
Oswald Chambers
 
"Because thou hast kept the word of My patience." Revelation 3:10

Patience is more than endurance. A saint's life is in the hands of God like a bow and arrow in the hands of an archer. God is aiming at something the saint cannot see, and He stretches and strains, and every now and again the saint says - "I cannot stand any more." God does not heed, He goes on stretching till His purpose is in sight, then He lets fly. Trust yourself in God's hands. For what have you need of patience just now? Maintain your relationship to Jesus Christ by the patience of faith. "Though He slay me, yet will I wait for Him."

Faith is not a pathetic sentiment, but robust vigorous confidence built on the fact that God is holy love. You cannot see Him just now, you cannot understand what He is doing, but you know Him. Shipwreck occurs where there is not that mental poise which comes from being established on the eternal truth that God is holy love. Faith is the heroic effort of your life, you fling yourself in reckless confidence on God.

God has ventured all in Jesus Christ to save us, now He wants us to venture our all in abandoned confidence in Him. There are spots where that faith has not worked in us as yet, places untouched by the life of God. There were none of those spots in Jesus Christ's life, and there are to be none in ours. "This is life eternal, that they might know Thee." The real meaning of eternal life is a life that can face anything it has to face without wavering. If we take this view, life becomes one great romance, a glorious opportunity for seeing marvellous things all the time. God is disciplining us to get us into this central place of power.

God bless

[Judy Harder]

Daily Devotionals May 9, 2008

A time for revival! Won't you join The Gospel Hiway as we pray daily for a time of great revival in this world. All we ask is that you pray, ask your friends, pastors, and churches to pray. Our world is in need of great revival and is has to start somewhere, let it begin here.

Horsepower

READ: Jeremiah 6:16-21

Ask for the old paths, where the good way is, and walk in it; then you will find rest for your souls. -Jeremiah 6:16
On a cold winter day in Michigan, a woman in labor was being rushed to the hospital when the unthinkable happened. The ambulance slid off an icy road into a ditch. A passing four-wheel drive truck stopped and tried to haul the emergency vehicle out but couldn't get a grip.

That's when help arrived. An Amish man driving a two-horse team stopped to offer help. He told the ambulance service that the horses' shoes had been sharpened so they would bite into the ice. Once he hooked up the horses to the ambulance, they walked it right out of the ditch.

By today's standards, this young mother received help from a source of strength that was old-fashioned and outmoded. But on that day, old ways helped to ensure the safe arrival of new life into the world.

Most of us wouldn't want to return to the old-fashioned ways. But more than 2,500 years ago, Jeremiah reminded us that there is nothing more relevant than the truth of the past. Even though he was regarded as a relic of his time, he urged his neighbors to walk in the old paths of truth so that they would find peace and rest for their souls (Jer. 6:16). Today, we can still find rest and peace in Jesus, our eternal source of truth (Matt. 11:28).

  - Mart De Haan

Upon Thy Word I rest, so strong, so sure;
So full of comfort blest, so sweet, so pure,
Thy Word that changest not, that faileth never!
My King, I rest upon Thy Word forever. -Havergal

The old truth of God's Word is ever new.

He Removes Kings by Woodrow Kroll

Daniel 2:20-21

Daniel answered and said: "Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, for wisdom and might are His. And He changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and raises up kings; He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding."

He Removes Kings

Robert Ingersoll, a 19th-century American politician and atheist, said, "The universe is all the God there is." Ingersoll lectured widely about his belief that God did not exist. Yet Ingersoll is gone and God is still here. Bertrand Russell, a British philosopher and social critic, proclaimed, "My own view on religion is that it is a disease born of fear and is a source of untold misery to the human race." Russell has stepped into eternity and is no doubt rethinking his view.

Daniel realized that even powerful dictators like King Nebuchadnezzar are no match for the omnipotent, omniscient God of the universe. Though they swagger in their own self-importance, the time comes when God removes them and raises up others to take their place. As the seasons of nature come and go, so even the most authoritarian leaders pass from the scene. Though they may seem to hold the power of life or death over millions, they themselves are subject to the desires of Him who holds their lives in His hand.

The pages of history are filled with individuals who have either denied or defied the God of heaven and earth. Yet without exception, they have been confronted with the realization that they were only mortal and posed no real threat to God. While they confidently basked in the power of their independence, God retained the ability to lift them up or cast them down.

Do not fear those who mock God. They have no more power than what God will allow. When you hear someone railing on God, remember that it is only divine grace that keeps that person from destruction. If God were not so good, atheists would have no opportunity to talk.

Man's decisions seem final until God decides otherwise.

Living Free Every Day®
Today's Scripture
"I am the LORD, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me?" Jeremiah 32:27 NIV

Thoughts for Today
When we are facing difficult times, sometimes we begin to feel as though our situation is hopeless. If friends and family try to encourage us, we might respond with, "But you don't understand."

Our loved ones might or might not understand. But the Lord always understands. He always cares. And he assures us that nothing is too hard for him.

Even when we've prayed about a problem, we tend to continue trying to figure things out. Somewhere in our minds we seem to think that God needs our help. If we can't see any possible solution, we despair. We lose all hope. But when we do this, we are making God so small. He is the LORD, the God of all mankind. Nothing, absolutely nothing, is too hard for him.

Consider this
What challenges are you facing? An illness? A rebellious child? Marriage problems? Financial challenges? Whatever it is, remember that God is bigger.

As you turn your problem over to God, remember that his answer might not be what you are expecting. And his timing might seem ever so slow. But he will be with you throughout the process. And his plan and his time are always the best plan and the best time. No matter how things appear right now, he will work all things together for good. He loves you  and nothing is too hard for him.

PrayerFather, thank you for your promise that nothing is too hard for you. Thank you for your faithfulness  your understanding  your loveyour grace. Thank you for the plan you have for me. In Jesus' name 

These thoughts were drawn from Stepping into Freedom by Jimmy Ray Lee, D.Min. is a Christ-centered twelve-step program suggested for use in support groups, recovery groups and home groups. It offers help for anyone struggling with a life-controlling problem like drug addiction, alcoholism, sexual addiction, gambling or workaholism.   

PO Box 22127 ~ Chattanooga, Tennessee 37421 ~ 423-899-4770
© Living Free 2007. Living Free is a registered trademark. Living Free Every Day devotionals may be reproduced for personal use. When reproduced to share with others, please acknowledge the source as

Living Free, Chattanooga, TN. Must have written permission to use in any format to be sold. Permission may be requested by sending e-mail to info@LivingFree.org.

GRASP WITHOUT REACH
By
Oswald Chambers
 
"Where there is no vision, the people cast off restraint." Proverbs 29:18 (R.V.)

There is a difference between an ideal and a vision. An ideal has no moral inspiration; a vision has. The people who give themselves over to ideals rarely do anything. A man's conception of Deity may be used to justify his deliberate neglect of his duty. Jonah argued that because God was a God of justice and of mercy, therefore everything would be all right. I may have a right conception of God, and that may be the very reason why I do not do my duty. But wherever there is vision, there is also a life of rectitude because the vision imparts moral incentive.

Ideals may lull to ruin. Take stock of yourself spiritually and see whether you have ideals only or if you have vision.

"Ah, but a man's reach should exceed his grasp,
Or what's a heaven for?"
"Where there is no vision. . . ." When once we lose sight of God, we begin to be reckless, we cast off certain restraints, we cast off praying, we cast off the vision of God in little things, and begin to act on our own initiative. If we are eating what we have out of our own hand, doing things on our own initiative without expecting God to come in, we are on the downward path, we have lost the vision. Is our attitude to-day an attitude that springs from our vision of God? Are we expecting God to do greater things than He has ever done? Is there a freshness and vigour in our spiritual out look?

God Bless

[Judy Harder]

Daily Devotionals May 10, 2008

A time for revival! Won't you join The Gospel Hiway as we pray daily for a time of great revival in this world. All we ask is that you pray, ask your friends, pastors, and churches to pray. Our world is in need of great revival and is has to start somewhere, let it begin here.

The Power Of Pentecost

READ: Acts 2:1-17

You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me. -Acts 1:8
A pastor I know and love is discouraged. Although he is diligent in prayer and works hard, his church remains small while a new congregation nearby is rapidly developing into a megachurch. Yet when I think of the alcoholics, drug addicts, and sexually immoral people he has led to the Savior and a new way of life, I see him as one who witnesses in the power of the Holy Spirit.

Because of what happened on the Day of Pentecost (described in Acts 2), we tend to associate the Holy Spirit's presence and power with amazing phenomena and large numbers. We forget that a little later the same people filled with the same Holy Spirit were rejected, flogged, imprisoned, even executed. But through it all they were powerful witnesses!

The Holy Spirit's presence and power can be evidenced in a dynamic preacher who attracts great audiences. But it is seen as well in the volunteer who carries on a one-on-one prison ministry, in the person who witnesses to a co-worker or a neighbor, and in the Sunday school teacher who faithfully teaches week after week.

The power of Pentecost is not especially reserved for the highly gifted. Rather, it is available to all believers in Christ who want to serve Him.

  - Herbert Vander Lugt

God's guidance and help that we need day to day
Are given to all who believe;
The Spirit has come and He is the source
Of power that we can receive. -Branon

The power of God's Spirit gives power to our witness.

Mysteries Revealed by Woodrow Kroll

Daniel 2:28
"But there is a God in heaven who reveals secrets, and He has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will be in the latter days. Your dream, and the visions of your head upon your bed, were these."

Mysteries Revealed

Many people love a good mystery story. With avid interest they follow the twists and turns of plots woven by such master mystery writers as Agatha Christie or Mary Higgins Clark. Yet there comes a point when the mystery needs to be revealed. Who really did it? Was it the butler? Perhaps the jilted lover? Maybe the upstairs maid? Unless the mystery is revealed, the whole point of the story is lost.

God never leaves a mystery unresolved either. As Daniel was faced with the need to unravel the strange and disturbing dream of King Nebuchadnezzar, God supplied the answers. What could not be known by any other means, God revealed to Daniel at the appropriate time. Nothing is hidden from God's sight; no answers are beyond His understanding. When the need to know is there, God always provides the information.

Life is filled with mysteries. We ask ourselves, Why did this young missionary die in a car accident? On the surface, it appears to be a mystery. Why did I develop cancer while an ungodly neighbor lives a long and healthy life? The answer doesn't seem obvious. Why was my child born with birth defects while my friend's child is healthy? There are no easy explanations.

If you are struggling with a mystery, if you have more questions than answers, wait patiently. It's hard, but you must believe that God will not keep the answer hidden forever. A day will come, perhaps on earth or maybe in heaven, when you will understand. Some day all the mysteries that plague us, all the plaintive wails of "Why?" will be answered. Until then, trust the Divine Writer. At just the right time, He'll reveal the secret.

God is a God of revelation, not a God of secrets.

They Don't Know What They Are Doing
by Max Lucado

Anger. It's a peculiar yet predictable emotion. It begins as a drop of water. An irritant. A frustration. Nothing big, just an aggravation. Someone gets your parking place. Someone pulls in front of you on the freeway. A waitress is slow and you are in a hurry. The toast burns. Drops of water. Drip. Drip. Drip. Drip.

Yet, get enough of these seemingly innocent drops of anger and before long you've got a bucket full of rage. Walking revenge. Blind bitterness. Unharnessed hatred. We trust no one and bare our teeth at anyone who gets near. We become walking time bombs that, given just the right tension and fear, could explode.

Yet, what do we do? We can't deny that our anger exists. How do we harness it? A good option is found in Luke 23:34. Here, Jesus speaks about the mob that killed him. "'Father forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.'"

Look carefully. It's as if Jesus considered this bloodthirsty, death-hungry crowd not as murderers, but as victims. It's as if he saw in their faces not hatred but confusion. It's as if he regarded them not as a militant mob but, as he put it, as "sheep without a shepherd."

"They don't know what they are doing."

And when you think about it, they didn't. They hadn't the faintest idea what they were doing. They were a stir-crazy mob, mad at something they couldn't see so they took it out on, of all people, God. But they didn't know what they were doing.

And for the most part, neither do we. We are still, as much as we hate to admit it, shepherdless sheep. All we know is that we were born out of one eternity and are frighteningly close to another. We play tag with the fuzzy realities of death and pain. We can't answer our own questions about love and hurt. We can't solve the riddle of aging. We don't know how to heal our own bodies or get along with our own mates. We can't keep ourselves out of war. We can't even keep ourselves fed.

Paul spoke for humanity when he confessed, "I do not know what I am doing." (Romans 7:15, author's paraphrase.)

Now, I know that doesn't justify anything. That doesn't justify hit-and-run drivers or kiddie-porn peddlers or heroin dealers. But it does help explain why they do the miserable things they do.

My point is this: Uncontrolled anger won't better our world, but sympathetic understanding will. Once we see the world and ourselves for what we are, we can help. Once we understand ourselves we begin to operate not from a posture of anger but of compassion and concern. We look at the world not with bitter frowns but with extended hands. We realize that the lights are out and a lot of people are stumbling in the darkness. So we light candles.

From No Wonder They Call Him the Savior

TAKE THE INITIATIVE
By
Oswald Chambers
 
"Add to your faith virtue. . ." ("Furnish your faith with resolution.") (MOFFATT.) 2 Peter 1:5

"Add" means there is something we have to do. We are in danger of forgetting that we cannot do what God does, and that God will not do what we can do. We cannot save ourselves nor sanctify ourselves, God does that; but God will not give us good habits, He will not give us character, He will not make us walk aright. We have to do all that ourselves, we have to work out the salvation God has worked in. "Add" means to get into the habit of doing things, and in the initial stages it is difficult. To take the initiative is to make a beginning, to instruct yourself in the way you have to go.

Beware of the tendency of asking the way when you know it perfectly well. Take the initiative, stop hesitating, and take the first step. Be resolute when God speaks, act in faith immediately on what He says, and never revise your decisions. If you hesitate when God tells you to do a thing, you endanger your standing in grace. Take the initiative, take it yourself, take the step with your will now, make it impossible to go back. Burn your bridges behind you - "I will write that letter"; "I will pay that debt." Make the thing inevitable.

We have to get into the habit of hearkening to God about everything, to form the habit of finding out what God says. If when a crisis comes, we instinctively turn to God, we know that the habit has been formed. We have to take the initiative where we are, not where we are not.

God bless

[Judy Harder]

Daily Devotionals May 11, 2008

A time for revival! Won't you join The Gospel Hiway as we pray daily for a time of great revival in this world. All we ask is that you pray, ask your friends, pastors, and churches to pray. Our world is in need of great revival and is has to start somewhere, let it begin here.

Best Mum

READ: Prov. 31:10-12,28-31

Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her. -Proverbs 31:28
On Mother's Day, 2007, British national television ran an intriguing story. Peggy Bush's daughter had died, so Peggy absorbed the responsibility of caring for her daughter's three children while her son-in-law worked. Then, tragically, her son-in-law also died. With both parents gone, Peggy took her three grandchildren in and raised them as if they were her own.

In a world where wrong is glamorized and the lurid is presented as appealing, we seldom hear of the good things that happen. Yet this woman's love and sacrifice were recognized, acknowledged, and honored as the nation took note of her as Britain's "Best Mum" for 2007.

Today is Mother's Day in the US. Most of the efforts, sacrifices, and expressions of love our mothers have given us will not be the lead story on the news. Their recognition will be more personal. But what matters is not the scope of the appreciation but its genuineness.

On this special day, may we thank God for the mothers who have molded our hearts. As we honor them, we fulfill the truth of Proverbs 31:28, "Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her."

  - Bill Crowder

A Christian mother's love contains
A gospel all its own,
Because the King of love has found
Her heart an ample throne. -Crawford


Nothing touches a child like a mother's love.

The Forever Kingdom by Woodrow Kroll

Daniel 2:44
"And in the days of these kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people; it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever."

The Forever Kingdom

Three huge gates lead into the Cathedral of Milan in Italy. Over one gate is an inscription in marble under a beautiful floral bouquet that says, "The things that please us are temporary." Over another gate is a cross with the inscription, "The things that disturb us are temporary." Over the central gate, however, is a large inscription that says, "The things that are important are eternal."

As Daniel shared with Nebuchadnezzar the interpretation of the king's dream, he revealed that God had shown him that many kingdoms would rise and fall. As mighty and magnificent as Babylon was under the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, it would someday be replaced by an even more magnificent kingdom. Yet even this kingdom would come to an end, and others would rise after it. Finally, however, God would set up His kingdom, which would last forever.

It's so easy to get caught up in things that are here today but gone tomorrow. They look so solid and permanent, yet they are temporary and inconsequential. Thus, we find ourselves chasing changing fads and grasping at straws as they are blown about by the wind. Only when we fix our hearts and minds on the things of God do we find true stability. God's kingdom will never end.

Don't waste your time on things that are only temporary. Neither your pleasures nor your problems will last forever. Count on it. Fix your mind on things that are above and invest in things that are eternal. When you look to God and His kingdom, you look to what really matters.

Don't let a fascination with the temporal diminish your focus on the eternal.

Week of May 5

God's Grace Was in the Beginning

Grace has been defined as the second chance we did not expect.

Picture this: We hang our heads in shame because we know we blew it. We missed our opportunity to be the best. So, here we are, stuck with being second best, a far cry from what God intended for us. Yet it is with uncontrolled delight that we see God coming down the street to dry our tears and to encourage us to get back out there. He still believes in us.

What a feeling that must have been for Adam and Eve, the first people to experience the inexplicable grace God has for mankind! There they were, planted in the middle of paradise with the most perfect communion with God. They only had one rule-yet they found a way to break it.

But God is not interested in excommunicating us. Instead of getting upset and declaring the end of the world and starting over, He pursued the hearts of Adam and Eve. In the midst of their sin, God sought their hearts. And He has continued His pursuit ever since.

Many times when we sin, we wonder how God could ever love us again. However, it is the grace of God that gives us a chance to repent and to find new life. God's grace is not a pardon; rather, it is a measure of forgiveness that gives life to the broken.

As we grow in our relationship with God, oftentimes we are surprised by His love for us. But even more surprising is the amount to which He pours out His grace in our lives. When we sin, God does not cast us aside. Instead, the compassionate heart of God meets us where we are and goes to great lengths to mend our hearts and to restore our relationships with Him.

Prayer: Lord, show me Your grace today in my life.

God raised us up with Christ... in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace (Ephesians 2:6-7).

What do you do when you've been hurt real bad? In this month's free resource, Michael Youssef provides biblical insight for bringing happiness out of conflict and disappointment. Download your copy of "Allowing Sorrow to be the Back Door of Happiness."

By Passionately Proclaiming Uncompromising Truth, Leading The Way is revolutionizing lives at home and around the world. Discover more at www.leadingtheway.org.

YOU WON'T REACH IT ON TIPTOE
By
Oswald Chambers
   
"Add to your brotherliness . . . love." 2 Peter 1:7

Love is indefinite to most of us, we do not know what we mean when we talk about love. Love is the sovereign preference of one person for another, and spiritually Jesus demands that that preference be for Himself (cf. Luke 14:26). When the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost, Jesus Christ is easily first; then we must practise the working out of these things mentioned by Peter.

The first thing God does is to knock pretence and the pious pose right out of me. The Holy Spirit reveals that God loved me not because I was lovable, but because it was His nature to do so. Now, He says to me, show the same love to others - "Love as I have loved you." "I will bring any number of people about you whom you cannot respect, and you must exhibit My love to them as I have exhibited it to you." You won't reach it on tiptoe. Some of us have tried to, but we were soon tired.

"The Lord suffereth long. . . ." Let me look within and see His dealings with me. The knowledge that God has loved me to the uttermost, to the end of all my sin and meanness and selfishness and wrong, will send me forth into the world to love in the same way. God's love to me is inexhaustible, and I must love others from the bedrock of God's love to me. Growth in grace stops the moment I get huffed. I get huffed because I have a peculiar person to live with. Just think how disagreeable I have been to God! Am I prepared to be so identified with the Lord Jesus that His life and His sweetness are being poured out all the time? Neither natural love nor Divine love will remain unless it is cultivated. Love is spontaneous, but it has to be maintained by discipline.

God bless

[Judy Harder]

Daily Devotionals May 11, 2008

A time for revival! Won't you join The Gospel Hiway as we pray daily for a time of great revival in this world. All we ask is that you pray, ask your friends, pastors, and churches to pray. Our world is in need of great revival and is has to start somewhere, let it begin here.

A Child's Wonder

READ: Psalm 78:1-8

That they may arise and declare [God's law] to their children, that they may set their hope in God. -Psalm 78:6-7
In 19th-century Scotland, a young mother observed her 3-year-old son's inquisitive nature. It seemed he was curious about everything that moved or made a noise. James Clerk Maxwell would carry his boyhood wonder with him into a remarkable career in science. He went on to do groundbreaking work in electricity and magnetism. Years later, Albert Einstein would say of Maxwell's work that it was "the most fruitful that physics has experienced since the time of Newton."

From early childhood, religion touched all aspects of Maxwell's life. As a committed Christian, he prayed: "Teach us to study the works of Thy hands . . . and strengthen our reason for Thy service." The boyhood cultivation of Maxwell's spiritual life and curiosity resulted in a lifetime of using science in service to the Creator.

The community of faith has always had the responsibility to nurture the talent of the younger generation and to orient their lives to the Lord, "that they may arise and declare [God's law] to their children, that they may set their hope in God" (Ps. 78:6-7).

Finding ways to encourage children's love for learning while establishing them in the faith is an important investment in the future.

  - Dennis Fisher

Our children are a gift from God
On loan from heaven above,
To train and nourish in the Lord,
And show to them His love. -Sper

We shape tomorrow's world by what we teach our children today.

The Consequence of Obedience by Woodrow Kroll

Daniel 3:17-18
"If that is the case, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king. But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up."

The Consequence of Obedience

A recently licensed pilot was flying his private plane on a cloudy day. He was not very experienced yet in instrument landing. When the control tower began to bring him in for a landing, he started thinking about all the hills, towers and buildings in that area. Suddenly he began to panic. How would he be able to miss these things if he couldn't see them? In a calm but stern voice the air traffic controller said, "You just obey instructions; we'll take care of the obstructions."

This was the testimony of Daniel's three friends, Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego. They trusted their God to take care of the obstructions. The three obviously would not have chosen to be burned up in a fiery furnace, who would? But they knew that could be the consequence of their absolute obedience to God. The commandments given to Moses centuries before on Mount Sinai clearly forbade the Jews from worshiping an idol. Their instructions were clear. Their responsibility was obedience; God's responsibility was to take care of the consequences in whatever way He deemed best.

Christians have an equally clear set of instructions. Not only do we have the books of the Old Testament that Daniel's friends would have been familiar with, but we also have the New Testament. Our responsibility is to obey what we know God's Word says and let God deal with the outcome.

Commit your way to the Lord. Be obedient to the clear instructions of God's Word, and let Him deal with any difficulties that might arise. Trust the omnipotent, omniscient God of the universe. Only He can guide you through the obstacles that result from obedience. It's good to know He will.

Obedience is our responsibility; handling the consequences is God's.

Living Free Every Day®
Today's Scripture
"Jesus answered, 'Don't you know that in the beginning the Creator made a man and a woman? That's why a man leaves his father and mother and gets married. He becomes like one person with his wife. Then they are no longer two people, but one. And no one should separate a couple that God has joined together.'" Matthew 19:4-6 CEV

Thoughts for Today
Many people fear commitment, but can a relationship survive without it?

Marriage is a commitment. A commitment to each other. To love each other no matter what. To be there for each other no matter what.

Some people equate this kind of commitment with a loss of freedom, but a marriage commitment based on God's principles can actually be a step into freedom. Freedom in knowing that you and your spouse are there for each other from now on. Freedom in knowing that you are entering into a process of building your lives together.

Some worry about losing their identity. In truth, our real identity is in Christ. When we commit our life to him, we become his child and heir to all that God has. And we become free to grow and to use our God-given gifts. Commitment to a marriage partner further expands our horizons as we encourage and support each other to develop and use our gifts. To discover God's purpose for our lives and to accomplish that purpose-together.

Consider this
Many people today see commitment as a bad thing, something to be avoided at all cost. But a meaningful relationship can be formed only when both parties are willing to commit to it. And by giving their best, they can both find new freedom in that relationship.

Prayer Father, I thank you for my spouse. Help us to remain fully committed to our relationship no matter what-a commitment to base our marriage on your principles and a commitment to each other. Help us to demonstrate your love  forgiveness and grace to each other. And as we do all this, help us to experience the freedom to discover your purpose for our lives and to accomplish that purpose-together. In Jesus' name

These thoughts were drawn from
Committed Couples: God's Plan for Marriage & the Family by Dr. Jimmy Ray Lee. Whether in a private or group setting, couples will be encouraged spiritually and romantically as they research biblical principles that affirm their vows. It can help every married couple grow spiritually and emotionally in their relationship. It is also a great help for engaged-to-be-married couples.   

PO Box 22127 ~ Chattanooga, Tennessee 37421 ~ 423-899-4770
© Living Free 2007. Living Free is a registered trademark. Living Free Every Day devotionals may be reproduced for personal use. When reproduced to share with others, please acknowledge the source as Living Free, Chattanooga, TN. Must have written permission to use in any format to be sold. Permission may be requested by sending e-mail to info@LivingFree.org.

MAKE a HABIT of HAVING no HABITS
By
Oswald Chambers
 
"For if these things are yours and abound, they make you to be not idle nor unfruitful." 2 Peter 1:8 (R.V.)

When we begin to form a habit we are conscious of it. There are times when we are conscious of becoming virtuous and patient and godly, but it is only a stage; if we stop there we shall get the strut of the spiritual prig. The right thing to do with habits is to lose them in the life of the Lord, until every habit is so practised that there is no conscious habit at all. Our spiritual life continually resolves into introspection because there are some qualities we have not added as yet. Ultimately the relationship is to be a completely simple one.

Your god may be your little Christian habit, the habit of prayer at stated times, or the habit of Bible reading. Watch how your Father will upset those times if you begin to worship your habit instead of what the habit symbolizes - I can't do that just now, I am praying; it is my hour with God. No, it is your hour with your habit. There is a quality that is lacking in you. Recognize the defect and then look for the opportunity of exercising yourself along the line of the quality to be added.

Love means that there is no habit visible, you have come to the place where the habit is lost, and by practice you do the thing unconsciously. If you are consciously holy, there are certain things you imagine you cannot do, certain relationships in which you are far from simple; that means there is something to be added. The only supernatural life is the life the Lord Jesus lived, and He was at home with God anywhere. Is there anywhere where you are not at home with God? Let God press through in that particular circumstance until you gain Him, and life becomes the simple life of a child.

God bless

[Judy Harder]

Daily Devotionals May 13, 2008

Reframing The Picture

READ: Deuteronomy 32:7-12

As an eagle stirs up its nest, hovers over its young, spreading out its wings, . . . so the Lord alone led [Jacob]. -Deuteronomy 32:11-12
For 3 months I had a ringside seat- or should I say a bird's-eye view- of God's amazing handiwork. Ninety feet above the floor of Norfolk Botanical Garden, workers installed a webcam focused on the nest of a family of bald eagles, and online viewers were allowed to watch.

When the eggs hatched, Mama and Papa Eagle were attentive to their offspring, taking turns hunting for food and guarding the nest. But one day when the eaglets still looked like fuzzballs with beaks, both parents disappeared. I worried that harm had come to them.

My concern was unfounded. The webcam operator enlarged the camera angle, and there was Mama Eagle perched on a nearby branch.

As I pondered this "reframed" picture, I thought of times when I have feared that God had abandoned me. The view in the forest heights of Virginia reminded me that my vision is limited. I see only a small part of the entire scene.

Moses used eagle imagery to describe God. As eagles carry their young, God carries His people (Deut. 32:11-12). Despite how it may seem, the Lord "is not far from each one of us" (Acts 17:27). This is true even when we feel abandoned.

  - Julie Ackerman Link

Under His wings I am safely abiding;
Though the night deepens and tempests are wild,
Still I can trust Him-I know He will keep me;
He has redeemed me and I am His child. -Cushing

Because the Lord is watching over us, we don't have to fear the dangers around us.

When Three Become Four by Woodrow Kroll

Daniel 3:24-25
Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished; and he rose in haste and spoke, saying to his counselors, "Did we not cast three men bound into the midst of the fire?" They answered and said to the king, "True, O king." "Look!" he answered, "I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire; and they are not hurt, and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God."

When Three Become Four

In his book Healing for Damaged Emotions, David Seamands wrote, "The day before the [open heart] surgery, a nurse came into my room to visit. She took hold of my hand, and told me to feel it. 'Now,' she said, 'during the surgery tomorrow you will be disconnected from your heart and you will be kept alive only by virtue of certain machines. When the operation is over, you will waken in a special recovery room. But you will be immobile for as long as six hours. You may be unable to move, speak, or to even open your eyes, but you will be conscious. During this time I will be at your side, holding your hand exactly as I am doing now. Although you may feel absolutely helpless, when you feel my hand, you will know that I will not leave you.' It happened exactly as the nurse told me, but I could feel the nurse's hand in mine for hours. And that made the difference!"

As Daniel's friends went through the fiery furnace, they were not alone. When King Nebuchadnezzar looked into the flames, he saw not three but four men walking about. The fourth man in the fire was the Son of God. What these men lost in the adversity of the fiery furnace were the things that had bound them. What they gained was the certain comfort of God's company. The presence of Christ made the difference.

If you are going through a time of fiery testing, let Christ's presence bring you comfort and peace. He will hold your hand. He will walk with you. And when it's over, you will come out stronger and freer than when you went in. Don't fear the fiery furnace; trust God.

Walk with God and you'll never walk alone.

Living Free Every Day®
Today's Scripture
"Be good wives to your husbands, responsive to their needs.  What matters is not your outer appearance-the styling of your hair, the jewelry you wear, the cut of your clothes-but your inner disposition. Cultivate inner beauty, the gentle, gracious kind that God delights in. The same goes for you husbands: Be good husbands to your wives. Honor them, delight in them." 1 Peter 3:1,3-4,7 MSG

Thoughts for Today
Some couples choose to live together without making a marriage commitment. The relationship often ends in heartache for one, if not both of them. In fact, the likelihood of divorce within the first ten years of marriage is almost twice as high for those who cohabitated before marriage as for those who did not.

Commitment in marriage means more than satisfaction of sexual needs, companionship or a trial run. It is a special union instituted by God. Without the benefit of marital boundaries, there is confusion in a relationship  and so often that confusion ultimately leads to pain for the couple, as well as for any children who may be involved.

Consider this
When a married couple commit themselves to each other in love, respect and honor, a miracle of relationship can develop. Even though struggles are a part of marital growth, couples and children can mature from the disappointments.

Cohabitation, by its very nature, is a "what's in it for me" type of relationship. In a godly marriage, both partners enter the union wanting to give  rather than trying to get. There is freedom in this kind of relationship that can never be found outside of marriage.

Prayer
Father, thank you for all the Bible teaches us about relationships. As I study the Scriptures, help me to grow in my understanding and apply your principles more and more to my life-and my relationships. In Jesus' name 

These thoughts were drawn from
Committed Couples: God's Plan for Marriage & the Family by Dr. Jimmy Ray Lee. Whether in a private or group setting, couples will be encouraged spiritually and romantically as they research biblical principles that affirm their vows. It can help every married couple grow spiritually and emotionally in their relationship. It is also a great help for engaged-to-be-married couples.   

PO Box 22127 ~ Chattanooga, Tennessee 37421 ~ 423-899-4770
© Living Free 2007. Living Free is a registered trademark. Living Free Every Day devotionals may be reproduced for personal use. When reproduced to share with others, please acknowledge the source as Living Free, Chattanooga, TN. Must have written permission to use in any format to be sold. Permission may be requested by sending e-mail to info@LivingFree.org.

The HABIT of a GOOD CONSCIENCE
By
Oswald Chambers
   
"A conscience void of offence toward God, and toward men." Acts 24:16

God's commands are given to the life of His Son in us, consequently to the human nature in which His Son has been formed, His commands are difficult, but immediately we obey they become divinely easy.

Conscience is that faculty in me which attaches itself to the highest that I know, and tells me what the highest I know demands that I do. It is the eye of the soul which looks out either towards God or towards what it regards as the highest, and therefore conscience records differently in different people. If I am in the habit of steadily facing myself with God, my conscience will always introduce God's perfect law and indicate what I should do. The point is, will I obey? I have to make an effort to keep my conscience so sensitive that I walk without offence. I should be living in such perfect sympathy with God's Son, that in every circumstance the spirit of my mind is renewed, and I "make out" at once "what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God."

God always educates us down to the scruple. Is my ear so keen to hear the tiniest whisper of the Spirit that I know what I should do? "Grieve not the Holy Spirit." He does not come with a voice like thunder; His voice is so gentle that it is easy to ignore it. The one thing that keeps the conscience sensitive to Him is the continual habit of being open to God on the inside. When there is any debate, quit. "Why shouldn't I do this?" You are on the wrong track. There is no debate possible when conscience speaks. At your peril, you allow one thing to obscure your inner communion with God. Drop it, whatever it is, and see that you keep your inner vision clear.

God bless