Devotional for the day

[Judy Harder]

Daily Devotionals May 23, 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.

Heart Disease

READ: Zechariah 7:8-14
Do not harden your hearts. -Psalm 95:8
Pharmaceutical companies make billions of dollars selling drugs that prevent hardening of the arteries, a condition that can lead to heart attacks, which kill thousands of people every year.

A more serious condition than hardening of the arteries, however, is hardening of the heart, and it cannot be prevented by any wonder drug. The prophet Zechariah warned the Israelites about it. They had hardened their hearts and refused to listen to the words of the Lord. Symptoms of this deadly condition were their refusal to execute true justice and their failure to show mercy and compassion (Zech. 7:9). As a result, the Lord became angry and stopped listening to them (v.13).

While it's important to keep plaque from forming in our arteries, it's even more important to keep our hearts from becoming callous to people who are important to God: widows, orphans, aliens, and the poor (v.10).

It's crucial to follow our doctor's orders to keep our arteries from hardening. But it's even more crucial to obey God to keep our hearts from becoming hardened to the needs of others.

Ask God to bring to mind a person who needs the help of someone with a soft heart.

  - Julie Ackerman Link

If I can right a human wrong,
If I can help to make one strong,
If I can cheer with smile or song,
Lord, show me how. -Kleiser

To love Christ is to have a heart for others.

In the Eye of the Storm by Woodrow Kroll

Daniel 6:21-23
Then Daniel said to the king, "O king, live forever! My God sent His angel and shut the lions' mouths, so that they have not hurt me, because I was found innocent before Him; and also, O king, I have done no wrong before you." Then the king was exceedingly glad for him, and commanded that they should take Daniel up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no injury whatever was found on him, because he believed in his God.

In the Eye of the Storm

Hurricanes are whirling storms that can measure several hundred miles in diameter. Their devastating winds begin to be clocked at 74 miles per hour and may exceed 150 miles per hour. Yet in the center of these storms is a space about 20 miles in diameter where everything is perfectly calm. Surrounded by roaring winds and heavy rains, the eye of the storm is a site of serenity and tranquility.

Daniel occupied such a spot. While confined in a den of lions, he was surrounded by a pride of hungry felines that would have liked nothing better than a good Kosher meal. Yet through the intervention of God's angels, Daniel had nothing to worry about. In the midst of a terrifying situation, he experienced God's perfect peace and calm.

The storms of life are bound to hit all of us at some point. The strong winds of adversity and the heavy rains of affliction show no respect for a person's age or circumstances. Yet in the midst of these trials, God offers to those who have placed their trust in His Son, Jesus Christ, a place of perfect peace and safety. Isaiah testifies, "You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You" (Isa. 26:3).

If you feel like a hurricane is blowing through your life, a hurricane of debt, depression, disease or deprivation, look to God, who is able to keep you in its eye. Cast your cares upon Him, and He will provide a place of rest for your soul.

When you're in a storm, stay close to the eye.

Living Free Every Day®
Today's Scripture
"Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. Their responsibility is to equip God's people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ. This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God's Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ.  He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love." Ephesians 4:11-13, 16 NLT

Thoughts for Today
The Church of Jesus Christ is God's antidote to the Tower of Babel because its unity is based in the person of Christ, not in the organization of man, or is it?

Today's scripture describes in some detail God's plan for the church. To get all the detail, read the entire fourth chapter of Ephesians. God calls for Christ-centered unity, not man-centered. Think about your church, and churches throughout the nation. Where is our focus?

Sometimes good intentions go awry and the focus shifts from Jesus to an over-emphasis on things like attendance and giving numbers , the style of music, using the latest programs, providing cutting edge props for the message ,using all the latest electronic techniques. Sometimes the ministry neglects reaching outside the church to touch the lost and hurting and focuses only on blessing.and entertaining the congregation.

Consider this
Consider your own church or ministry. Is it based in the person of Christ or in the organization of man? And consider your own life. Is Jesus your first consideration in all you do? Is he the greatest influence in your life, or has the world's influence become more important?

Prayer
Father, help us to stay focused on Jesus in all we do-both in the church and in our personal lives. Forgive me for drifting at times into the world's influence and neglecting yours. In Jesus' name

These thoughts were drawn from
One Nation Under God: Toward Race Reconciliation by Donna Saunders, Ph.D. and Jean Leak, MS, RN. This 9-week study pursues the subject of race reconciliation. It shows that the foundational truth for the entire process is oneness in Christ. This guide discusses the barriers and shows how to make Christ visible through love in action. It also offers the way to strengthen and bond relationships.   

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.

CAREFUL INFIDELITY
By
Oswald Chambers
 
"Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body what ye shall put on." Matthew 6:25

Jesus sums up common-sense carefulness in a disciple as infidelity. If we have received the Spirit of God, He will press through and say - Now where does God come in in this relationship, in this mapped out holiday, in these new books? He always presses the point until we learn to make Him our first consideration. Whenever we put other things first, there is confusion.

"Take no thought . . ." don't take the pressure of forethought upon yourself. It is not only wrong to worry, it is infidelity, because worrying means that we do not think that God can look after the practical details of our lives, and it is never any thing else that worries us. Have you ever noticed what Jesus said would choke the word He puts in? The devil? No, the cares of this world. It is the little worries always. I will not trust where I cannot see, that is where infidelity begins. The only cure for infidelity is obedience to the Spirit.

The great word of Jesus to His disciples is abandon.
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God bless

[Judy Harder]

Judy, what a great positive and uplifting way  to start the day by reading your daily "Devotional for the Day". Myrna and I got to meet and have dinner with Bonnie and Bob Tuesday night, what a pleasure, they are really neat and pleasant people and both are very positive thinking people.
Frank Winn

Thank you Frank,

There have been times when I wonder if I have I am helping anyone. Then I remember if I can just help one person find there way to peace and Grace than that is ok; plus it lets me be faithful in my reading................it is good for us.!!!

I had lunch with Bob and Bonnie yesterday and I always enjoy being with them. We play catch up and then they run and run and run.
I hope I can see them again, before they head off to Illinois.............they are super nice people.
Maybe some day you and I can meet.

Have a great day.
Judy

[frawin]

Judy, if you ever get to Bartlesville, call us we would like to meet you.
Frank

[Judy Harder]

Daily Devotionals May 24, 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.

Getting What You Want

READ: Luke 12:15,22-34
One's life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses. -Luke 12:15
There's a popular idea floating around about how to get whatever you want. It's called "the law of attraction." Just think and feel what you want to attract, and "the law will use people, circumstances, and events to magnetize what you want to you, and magnetize you to it." This positive-thinking philosophy teaches that the "energy" of your dominant thoughts "attracts" your circumstances.

You won't find that idea anywhere in the Bible! As believers, we have good reason to be positive in our thinking, but it's because our heavenly Father understands our needs and meets them. Because He cares for us, we don't have to be anxious (Luke 12:29-30). Life doesn't consist "in the abundance of the things [we possess]" (v.15), so we make it our aim instead to be "rich toward God" (v.21). We do that by seeking His kingdom and purpose (v.31) and by laying up treasures in heaven, not for ourselves in this life.

Jesus said, "Take heed and beware of covetousness" (v.15) because one day, like the rich fool in the parable in Luke 12, we will leave it all behind. That's when we'll have more than we ever dreamed of. In the meantime, God promises to care for our needs-no matter what the circumstances. And that's no secret.

  - Anne Cetas

I know not by what methods rare
The Lord provides for me;
I only know that all my needs
He meets so graciously. -Adams

God has promised to supply all our needs, not all our wants.

You Can Depend on It by Woodrow Kroll

Daniel 7:1?3
"In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon, Daniel had a dream and visions of his head while on his bed. Then he wrote down the dream, telling the main facts. Daniel spoke, saying, "I saw in my vision by night, and behold, the four winds of heaven were stirring up the Great Sea. And four great beasts came up from the sea, each different from the other."

You Can Depend on It

The following statements are taken from official documents, newspapers and magazines widely read during their day. Listen to what the "authorities" had to say:

"Anyone traveling at the speed of thirty miles per hour would surely suffocate" (1840).

"Electric lights are unworthy of serious attention" (1878).

"No possible combination can be united into a practical machine by which men shall fly" (1901).

"This foolish idea of shooting at the moon is basically impossible" (1926).

"To harness the energy locked up in matter is impossible" (1930).

It's obvious that the accuracy of all these "prophecies" left something to be desired. They were all based on human wisdom, and every one of them turned out to be false.

Yet the prophecies Daniel shared were quite different. As he foresaw the rise of these four great beasts, which represent four earthly kingdoms, he was not drawing from his own knowledge and wisdom. Instead, he was relating a vision that was given to him directly from God.

While people may disagree as to which kingdoms these beasts represent, the rock-solid assurance we have is that God is still in control. After describing these frightening apparitions, Daniel proceeded to describe a scene in heaven in which "the court shall be seated, and they shall take away his [the fourth and last beast's] dominion" (v. 26).

If you are frightened by the future, take confidence in this: God is still on His throne and He always will be. The courts of heaven are in session and they will rule in our favor (v. 27). That's something you can bank on.

Fear God and you don't need to fear the future.

Who is Your Enemy?

When George Whitefield arrived in Boston, one of that city's prominent ministers told him, "I am very sorry to see you come to Boston, Mr. Whitefield." The great evangelist replied, "So is the devil, sir."

There is a real enemy at work in our world. He is the same enemy that has been at work throughout the ages. He has sought to bring sorrow, heartache, and havoc to the hearts and minds of God's greatest saints, but he has not succeeded. Though many have faced extreme difficulty and stress-sometimes to the point of death-all have gained eternal victory because of the life and death and the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

In his victorious hymn, A Mighty Fortress Is Our God, Martin Luther reminds us that though we face a powerful enemy, we will not taste defeat.

And though this world, with devils filled,
Should threaten to undo us,
We will not fear, for God hath willed
His truth to triumph through us.

The Prince of Darkness grim,
We tremble not for him.
His rage we can endure;
For lo, his doom is sure.

One little word shall fell him

Let goods and kindred go,
This mortal life also.
The body they may kill;
God's truth abideth still.

His kingdom is forever.

The first step to defeating your enemy is to know your enemy. Know the truth about him. Also know the truth about his fate: He is a defeated foe!

Your enemy prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith.
1 Peter 5:8-9

Everybody wants to have good friends... but what kind of a friend are you? Michael Youssef explores this topic in our free resource-"Building on the Right Foundation." Download it today.
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By Passionately Proclaiming Uncompromising Truth, Leading The Way is revolutionizing lives at home and around the world. Discover more at www.leadingtheway.org.

THE DELIGHT OF DESPAIR
By
Oswald Chambers
 
"And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead." Revelation 1:17

It may be that like the apostle John you know Jesus Christ intimately, when suddenly He appears with no familiar characteristic at all, and the only thing you can do is to fall at His feet as dead. There are times when God cannot reveal Himself in any other way than in His majesty, and it is the awfulness of the vision which brings you to the delight of despair; if you are ever to be raised up, it must be by the hand of God.

"He laid His right hand upon me." In the midst of the awfulness, a touch comes, and you know it is the right hand of Jesus Christ. The right hand not of restraint nor of correction nor of chastisement, but the right hand of the Everlasting Father. Whenever His hand is laid upon you, it is ineffable peace and comfort, the sense that "underneath are the everlasting arms," full of sustaining and comfort and strength. When once His touch comes, nothing at all can cast you into fear again. In the midst of all His ascended glory the Lord Jesus comes to speak to an insignificant disciple, and to say - "Fear not." His tenderness is ineffably sweet. Do I know Him like that?

Watch some of the things that strike despair. There is despair in which there is no delight, no horizon, no hope of anything brighter; but the delight of despair comes when I know that "in me (that is, in my flesh) dwelleth no good thing." I delight to know that there is that in me which must fall prostrate before God when He manifests Himself, and if I am ever to be raised up it must be by the hand of God. God can do nothing for me until I get to the limit of the possible.

God bless

[Judy Harder]

Daily Devotionals May 25, 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.

Building Bridges

READ: Acts 9:17-27
Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. -Acts 9:27
A new believer recently attended our worship service. He had long, multicolored, spiked hair. He dressed in dark clothes and had multiple piercings and tattoos. Some gaped; others just gave him that "It's good to see you in church, but please don't sit next to me" smile. Yet there were some during the greeting time who went out of their way to welcome and accept him. They were bridge builders.

Barnabas was that bridge builder for Saul (also called Paul). When Saul arrived in Jerusalem 3 years after his conversion, many disciples were afraid of him and doubted his transformation (Acts 9:26). He didn't receive a warm welcome from the Jerusalem church greeters for good reason. Saul had a terrible reputation for persecuting Christians! But Barnabas, a Jewish convert, believed God's work of grace in Saul's life and became a bridge between him and the apostles (v.27).

Saul needed someone to come alongside him to encourage and teach him, and to introduce him to other believers. Barnabas was that bridge. As a result, Saul was brought into deeper fellowship with the disciples in Jerusalem and was able to preach the gospel there freely and boldly.

New believers need a Barnabas in their lives. We are to be a bridge in the lives of others.

  - Kevin M. Williams

Oh, I would be to others
A cheering ray of light,
Inspiring them with courage
To climb some newfound height! -Bosch

Be a bridge of encouragement to someone today.

An Awesome God by Woodrow Kroll

Daniel 7:9-10
I watched till thrones were put in place, and the Ancient of Days was seated; His garment was white as snow, and the hair of His head was like pure wool. His throne was a fiery flame, its wheels a burning fire; a fiery stream issued and came forth from before Him. A thousand thousands ministered to Him; ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him. The court was seated, and the books were opened.

An Awesome God

Many things in creation are said to be awesome. The Grand Canyon could be described as awesome. The Pacific Ocean can instill a sense of awe. The sweeping mountain ranges of the Alps or the Himalayans or the Rockies inspire awe. But nothing is more awesome than God.

As Daniel turned from a vision of four frightening creatures, representing four powerful earthly empires, he saw a sight that put all these others things in their place. To counterbalance the awesomeness of these man-made kingdoms, he beheld the Ancient of Days, arrayed in garments of white, seated on a throne of fire and surrounded by innumerable worshipers. Suddenly, everything else became insignificant.

It's easy to become overwhelmed by earthly things. They may be awesome in beauty or size. They also may seem awesome in the sense of being threatening. Sometimes our problems are awesome. There are even days when the little tasks of life loom as awesome. At those times we need to step back and get a perspective on what real awesomeness is. We need a fresh view of God.

If you are feeling overawed by earthly things, take time out to worship God. Don't come to Him with your typical inventory of things you want or need. Leave behind your list of prayer requests for others. Instead, come before Him to seek His face alone. Ask Him to reveal Himself to you as He really is, and be prepared to be awed.

God is not just filled with some awe; He is awesome.

He Understands
by Max Lucado

I know I'd read that passage a hundred times. But I'd never seen it. Maybe I'd passed over it in the excitement of the resurrection.

But I won't miss it again. It's highlighted in yellow and underlined in red. You might want to do the same. Look in Mark, chapter 16. Read the first five verses about the women's surprise when they find the stone moved to the side. Then feast on that beautiful phrase spoken by the angel, "He is not here, he is risen," but don't pause for too long. Go a bit further. Get your pencil ready and enjoy this jewel in the seventh verse (here it comes). The verse reads like this: "But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before you to Galilee.

Did you see it? Read it again. (This time I italicized the words.)

"But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before you to Galilee."

Now tell me if that's not a hidden treasure.

What a line. It's as if all of heaven had watched Peter fall-and it's as if all of heaven wanted to help him back up again. "Be sure and tell Peter that he's not left out. Tell him that one failure doesn't make a flop."

Whew!

No wonder they call it the gospel of the second chance.

Not many second chances exist in the world today. Just ask the kid who didn't make the little league team or the fellow who got the pink slip or the mother of three who got dumped for a "pretty little thing."

Not many second chances. Nowadays it's more like, "It's now or never." "Around here we don't tolerate incompetence." "Not much room at the top." "Three strikes and you're out." "It's a dog-eat-dog world!"

Jesus has a simple answer to our masochistic mania. "It's a dog-eat-dog world?" he would say. "Then don't live with the dogs." That makes sense doesn't it? Why let a bunch of other failures tell you how much of a failure you are?

Sure you can have a second chance.

Just ask Peter. The message came loud and clear from the celestial Throne Room through the divine courier. "Be sure and tell Peter that he gets to bat again."

It's not every day that you get a second chance. Peter must have known that. The next time he saw Jesus, he got so excited that he barely got his britches on before he jumped into the cold water of the Sea of Galilee. It was also enough, so they say, to cause this backwoods Galilean to carry the gospel of the second chance all the way to Rome where they killed him. If you've ever wondered what would cause a man to be willing to be crucified upside down, maybe now you know.

It's not every day that you find someone who will give you a second chance-much less someone who will give you a second chance every day.

But in Jesus, Peter found both.

From No Wonder They Call Him the Savior
© (W Publishing Group, 1986, 2004) Max Lucado
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THE TEST OF SELF-INTEREST
By
Oswald Chambers
 
"If thou wilt take the left hand, then I will go to the right; or if thou depart to the right hand, then I will go to the left." Genesis 13:9

As soon as you begin to live the life of faith in God, fascinating and luxurious prospects will open up before you, and these things are yours by right; but if you are living the life of faith you will exercise your right to waive your rights, and let God choose for you. God sometimes allows you to get into a place of testing where your own welfare would be the right and proper thing to consider if you were not living a life of faith; but if you are, you will joyfully waive your right and leave God to choose for you. This is the discipline by means of which the natural is transformed into the spiritual by obedience to the voice of God.

Whenever right  is made the guidance in the life, it will blunt the spiritual insight. The great enemy of the life of faith in God is not sin, but the good which is not good enough. The good is always the enemy of the best. It would seem the wisest thing in the world for Abraham to choose, it was his right, and the people around would consider him a fool for not choosing. Many of us do not go on spiritually because we prefer to choose what is right instead of relying on God to choose for us. We have to learn to walk according to the standard which has its eye on God. "Walk before Me."

God bless

[Judy Harder]

Daily Devotionals May 26, 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.

Gone The Sun

READ: Isaiah 60:17-22
Your sun shall no longer go down , . . . for the Lord will be your everlasting light, and the days of your mourning shall be ended. -Isaiah 60:20
In 1862, during the US Civil War, General Daniel Butterfield wanted a new melody for "lights out." And so, without any musical training, he composed one in his head.

Years later, the general wrote, "I called in someone who could write music, and practiced a change in the call of 'Taps' until I had it suit my ear, and then . . . got it to my taste without being able to write music or knowing the technical name of any note, but, simply by ear, arranged it." General Butterfield gave the music to the brigade bugler, and the rest is history.

While there are no official lyrics to the hauntingly familiar strains of "Taps," here is a commonly accepted version of one verse:

Day is done, gone the sun,
From the hills, from the lake, from the sky;
All is well, safely rest, God is nigh.

What a comforting lyric as faithful members of the military are laid to rest! And what hope in the acknowledgment that God is near, even-especially-in death!

At a time when death and evil reigned, the prophet Isaiah anticipated a day when death itself would die. "Your sun shall no longer go down," he wrote to Israel, "for the Lord will be Your everlasting light" (60:20).

For those who follow Jesus, the strains of "Taps" are not a funeral dirge but a song of hope. "The days of your mourning shall be ended" (v.20). All is well. God is nigh.

  - Tim Gustafson

Sunset in one land is sunrise in another.

The Book of Books by Woodrow Kroll

Daniel 9:1-2
In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, of the lineage of the Medes, who was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans?in the first year of his reign I, Daniel, understood by the books the number of the years specified by the word of the Lord, given through Jeremiah the prophet, that He would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem.

The Book of Books

John Wanamaker, an outstanding American businessman of the 19th century, put together one of the most successful careers of his time. When asked what he considered the best investment he ever made, he replied, "I have made large purchases of property in my lifetime involving millions of dollars. But when I was only 11 years old, I made my biggest purchase of all. From my teacher in a little mission Sunday school, I bought a small, red leather Bible. It cost me $2.75. I paid in small installments from my own money that I had earned." John Wanamaker knew the value of the Bible and he lived by it.

Daniel also knew the value of God's Word. While he was studying the "books" (among which was the Book of Jeremiah), he realized God had set a limit on Israel's captivity. While some assumed the Jewish people would never return to their homeland, Daniel discovered in Jeremiah that God had ordained a period of 70 years for the fulfillment of Israel's chastisement. What a joy and encouragement this must have been for the elderly prophet. God had not forsaken His people; Israel would flourish again as a nation.

Much of the Bible has similar solace for God's people. It offers words of comfort (John 14:1-3), joy (1 John 1:4), encouragement (Isa. 41:10) and instruction (Matt. 28:19-20). When we fail to make the Scriptures a daily part of our lives, we miss the greatest resource for living we have been given.

Are you wondering what to do with your life? Are you afraid and uncertain about the future? Are you troubled by guilt and regrets? The Bible has just what you need, answers. Purchasing a Bible is the best investment you'll ever make. Reading it is the best use of your time.

There are many books, but only one can change your life.

Living Free Every Day®
Today's Scripture
"For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well." Psalm 139:13-14 NIV

Thoughts for Today
Abuse takes many forms, but it is always devastating. In the United States alone, three to four million women are battered each year by their husbands or partners. And children are suffering from a hidden epidemic of child abuse and neglect. While three million reports of child abuse are made every year just in the United States, experts estimate that the actual number of incidents of abuse and neglect is three times greater than reported. While these are US figures, the problems exist around the world.

Abuse, whether physical or verbal, erodes confidence and self-esteem. We begin believing what we are told about ourselves; we think that anyone treated so violently and abusively must deserve it. These beliefs are often accepted early in life and become part of the initial screen through which all information is processed. Even if abuse occurs when we are older, the intensity of the experience makes it a formidable opponent to positive self-image.

Consider this
How do you see yourself? Is your self-image based on other people's words and actions toward you? Or is it based on the truth of God's Word? God knew you before you were even born. He created you and His works are wonderful.

This week we will be considering more about who we are in Christ. As we learn to let Jesus help us take our eyes off ourselves and begin the process of putting our eyes on him, he is able to heal us.

Prayer
Father, thank you for this reminder that you formed me and made me-and that your works are wonderful. I must admit, though, sometimes I don't feel as though I'm wonderful at all. In fact, sometimes I feel as though I don't deserve anything good. Help me to really grasp what Jesus did for me. In His name 

These thoughts were drawn from
Restoring Families: Overcoming Abusive Relationships through Christ by Janet M. Lerner, D.S.W. This study helps to minister to families caught in the cycle of abusive relationships and is recommended for use in support groups and Christian counseling.
· Ministers to families from abusive relationships
· Ministers to victims of family violence
· Deals with wounded emotions
· Deals with control and intimacy issues
· Presents a strong message of Christ as healer of abusive relationships   

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.

THINK AS JESUS TAUGHT
By Oswald Chambers
   
"Pray without ceasing." 1 Thessalonians 5:17

We think rightly or wrongly about prayer according to the conception we have in our minds of prayer. If we think of prayer as the breath in our lungs and the blood from our hearts, we think rightly. The blood flows ceaselessly, and breathing continues ceaselessly; we are not conscious of it, but it is always going on. We are not always conscious of Jesus keeping us in perfect joint with God, but if we are obeying Him, He always is. Prayer is not an exercise, it is the life. Beware of anything that stops ejaculatory prayer. "Pray without ceasing," keep the childlike habit of ejaculatory prayer in your heart to God all the time.

Jesus never mentioned unanswered prayer, He had the boundless certainty that prayer is always answered. Have we by the Spirit the unspeakable certainty that Jesus had about prayer, or do we think of the times when God does not seem to have answered prayer? "Every one that asketh receiveth." We say - "But . . . , but . . ." God answers prayer in the best way, not sometimes, but every time, although the immediate manifestation of the answer in the domain in which we want it may not always follow. Do we expect God to answer prayer?

The danger with us is that we want to water down the things that Jesus says and make them mean something in accordance with common sense; if it were only common sense, it was not worth while for Him to say it. The things Jesus says about prayer are supernatural revelations.

God bless

[Judy Harder]

Daily Devotionals May 27, 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.

Can We Really Hear From God?

READ: 1 Kings 19:9-12
Be still, and know that I am God. -Psalm 46:10
A friend of mine who leads spiritual retreats once told me that not one person who has followed his regimen of a silent retreat has failed to hear from God. Intrigued and a bit skeptical, I signed up for a 5-day retreat. We had much free time and just a few requirements, such as the assignment to spend 2 hours praying each day.

I doubt I had devoted more than 30 minutes to prayer at any one session in my life. The first day I wandered to a meadow and sat against a tree. How long will I stay awake? I wondered. To my great fortune, a herd of 147 elk wandered into the very field where I was sitting. To watch 147 elk in their natural habitat is enthralling and, eventually, boring. Yet after a while the very placidity of the scene began to affect me. Over the next few days I said many words to God. I was turning 50, and I asked for guidance on how I should prepare my soul for the rest of life. Many things came to mind while sitting in a field for hours at a time. I had to agree that I had indeed heard from God.

When Elijah stood before the Lord on Mount Horeb, he didn't meet Him in the wind, earthquake, or fire. Rather, God spoke in a "still small voice" (1 Kings 19:11-12).

I'm more convinced than ever that God finds ways to communicate to those who truly seek Him-especially when we lower the volume of the surrounding static.

  - Philip Yancey

Speak, Lord, in the stillness, while I wait on Thee;
Hushed my heart to listen, in expectancy. -Grimes
© 1951 Singspiration, Inc.

God speaks to those who are quiet before Him.

Corporate Guilt by Woodrow Kroll

Daniel 9:4-5
And I prayed to the Lord my God, and made confession, and said, "O Lord, great and awesome God, who keeps His covenant and mercy with those who love Him, and with those who keep His commandments, we have sinned and committed iniquity, we have done wickedly and rebelled, even by departing from Your precepts and Your judgments."

Corporate Guilt

American culture places a great deal of emphasis on the individual. Our heritage admires the hardy pioneer who single-handedly carved his farmstead from the wilderness. We have a sense of awe toward the lone gunman of the Wild West who tamed a lawless town. We take as our role model the rugged individualist who made it on his own in the business world. Therefore, we seldom stop to think that God holds us accountable not only for those things we do as individuals, but for the actions of others as well.

Daniel, however, understood very well this concept of corporate guilt. When he went before the Lord in prayer, it was not just a personal and individual matter; it was a group confession. He prayed, "We have done wickedly," "We have rebelled," "We have departed from Your precepts and Your judgments." Daniel personally had been very scrupulous to uphold God's standards. But he accepted his part in the corporate guilt of his people. He confessed national sin as if it were his own.

We may feel that it's unfair of God to hold us responsible for the sins of others. We aren't the ones having abortions, spreading pornography or dealing in drugs. Yet we are part of a group of people that is doing all these things, and much more. As a member of a society, we are responsible for the actions of our society and, in a sense, participate in its sin as well as share in its guilt.

As you pray today, confess your personal sins to God, but do more. See yourself as one who is responsible to confess the sins of your family, your church and your nation. Recognize that you are not only an individual but part of a corporate body.

Sin is everybody's responsibility.

Living Free Every Day®
Today's Scripture
"But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. And since we have been made right in God's sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God's condemnation." Romans 5:8-9 NLT

Thoughts for Today
How do you see yourself?

We need to look at self-worth because we do not want to respond defensively to others and hurt them as we may have been hurt and because God does not want us to walk around feeling we are worthless and of no value. After all, he stretched out his arms and died for us, so he has already demonstrated how valuable we are to him.

If we base our self-worth on anything other than what God says about us, we will never feel good enough to please him because we are not. But Jesus is! And in him, so are we. Instead of focusing on ourselves and our failures and hurts, we need to focus on God's love for us his promises to us and who we are in Christ Jesus.

Consider this
Jesus loved you enough even before you knew him to die on the cross for your sins. You are precious to him.

If you have asked Jesus to forgive your sins and have made him Lord of your life, you are clothed in his righteousness. God looks at you and sees you cleansed and forgiven. You are special and he has a good plan for your life.

If you have not yet received Jesus, you can come to him right now. No matter what you have done. No matter what you think about yourself-or what anyone else thinks about you. God's love is more than enough. The power of the cross is more than enough. Say "yes" to Jesus and let him envelope you in his love and forgiveness.

Prayer
Father, thank you for Jesus. Thank you for forgiving me-and not condemning me. Help me to stop looking at my own failures and hurts and focus on your love for me and on who I am in Jesus. In His name 

These thoughts were drawn from
Restoring Families: Overcoming Abusive Relationships through Christ by Janet M. Lerner, D.S.W. This study helps to minister to families caught in the cycle of abusive relationships and is recommended for use in support groups and Christian counseling.
· Ministers to families from abusive relationships
· Ministers to victims of family violence
· Deals with wounded emotions
· Deals with control and intimacy issues
· Presents a strong message of Christ as healer of abusive relationships   

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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THE LIFE THAT LIVES
By
Oswald Chambers
 
"Tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high." Luke 24:49

The disciples had to tarry until the day of Pentecost not for their own preparation only; they had to wait until the Lord was glorified historically. As soon as He was glorified, what happened? "Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, He hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear." The parenthesis in John 7:39 ("For the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified") does not apply to us; the Holy Ghost has been given, the Lord is glorified; the waiting depends not on God's providence, but on our fitness.

The Holy Spirit's influence and power were at work before Pentecost, but He was not here. Immediately Our Lord was glorified in Ascension, the Holy Spirit came into this world, and He has been here ever since. We have to receive the revelation that He is here. The reception of the Holy Spirit is the maintained attitude of a believer. When we receive the Holy Spirit, we receive quickening life from the ascended Lord.

It is not the baptism of the Holy Ghost which changes men, but the power of the ascended Christ coming into men's lives by the Holy Ghost that changes them. We too often divorce what the New Testament never divorces. The baptism of the Holy Ghost is not an experience apart from Jesus Christ: it is the evidence of the ascended Christ.

The baptism of the Holy Ghost does not make you think of Time or Eternity, it is one amazing glorious NOW. "This is life eternal that they might know Thee." Begin to know Him now, and finish never.

God bless

[Judy Harder]

Daily Devotionals May 28, 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.

Are We Listening?

READ: Psalm 119:41-48
Be doers of the Word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. -James 1:22
A fascinating film made in 1950, The Next Voice You Hear, tells a story of a family with a typical amount of trials and tensions. Then, one night, the voice of God speaks on the radio. But not just their radio-God's voice is heard throughout the world on every radio, saying the same thing at the same time.

At first people react with disbelief, then fear. After several days of hearing "The Voice," however, people's attitudes, actions, and priorities begin to change. The impact of what God is saying directly affects how they live their lives.

I have heard people say, "If only God would talk to me! If He would just tell me what to do, I would do it." The simple fact is that God has already spoken to us through His Word, the Bible. Do we listen to Him as He speaks?

The psalmist desired to obey God's Word "continually, forever and ever" (119:44). And James warned about ignoring it when he said, "Be doers of the Word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves" (James 1:22).

How would you respond if God began to speak to you on your radio? We can be thankful that God does speak to us-not on the radio but in the Scriptures. May we be wise enough to listen and obey.

  - Bill Crowder

Instill within my heart, dear Lord,
A deep desire to know Your Word;
I want to learn to hear Your voice
So that Your will becomes my choice. -D. De Haan

In God's works we see His hand; in His Word we hear His heart.

Humble Prayer by Woodrow Kroll

Daniel 10:12
Then he said to me, "Do not fear, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand, and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard; and I have come because of your words."

Humble Prayer

A young seminary graduate stepped up to the pulpit, very self-confident and immaculately dressed. He began to deliver his first sermon in his first church. There was a problem, however. The words simply would not come out. Finally, he burst into tears and left the platform obviously humbled. Two elderly women were sitting in the front row. One remarked to the other, "If he'd come in like he went out, he would have gone out like he came in."

What's true of preaching is also true of praying. When the messenger from God arrived to speak with Daniel, he assured the prophet that God had responded to his prayers because Daniel had set his heart to understand and to humble himself before his God. Daniel's spirit of humility made him a powerful force with God. As Proverbs reminds us, "Surely He scorns the scornful, but gives grace to the humble" (Prov. 3:34; cf. James 4:6; 1 Pet. 5:5).

A vital key to effective prayer is a humble spirit. Prayer moves the hand of God, but it must be humble prayer. We cannot enter God's presence with a list of demands or a detailed plan that we only want Him to bless. Instead, we must go with open hearts and open hands ready to receive whatever He knows is best for us. We must bow humbly before Him, willing to place ourselves at His disposal to meet His will, whatever that may be. That's the type of attitude that gets God's attention and response.

Consider your attitude in prayer. If you go with a grocery list to be filled or a sense that God somehow owes you an answer, you'll likely come away empty-handed. But if you come to Him recognizing that you do so only by His grace, unworthy to stand before His throne, and yet privileged to come through Christ, then you are ready to pray. Attitude is everything.

Only the humble can get God's ear.

Living Free Every Day®
Today's Scripture
"No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us. And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God's love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow-not even the powers of hell can separate us from God's love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below-indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 8:37-39 NLT

Thoughts for Today
Perhaps you have suffered abuse from a parent or spouse or another "trusted" person. Maybe you have suffered a traumatic personal loss. Or perhaps you have made some poor choices and are suffering the consequences.

God promises that despite all these things, you can have overwhelming victory through Christ. Come to him for help and forgiveness. If you do, nothing ,absolutely nothing,can separate you from his love.

Consider this
Sometimes it is easy to look at scriptures about God's love and think, Yes, God loves all people. But in our innermost being we don't include ourselves in the "all people." We think I'm different  I'm just not good enough.That's alright for other people, but I've made too many mistakes. It's too late for me.

But God's Word makes it abundantly clear that you are included. No matter what you have done. No matter what other people say or think about you. No matter what you think about yourself. God loves you. Jesus died for you. Nothing will ever separate you from his love. And as you walk with Jesus, you can have overwhelming victory over every problem and obstacle in your life. The problems might still be there  the obstacles may still come. But you won't have to face them alone and Jesus will give you the strength to overcome.

Prayer
Lord, thank you that these promises are not just for other people but they are really for me. Thank you for your unconditional love. Thank you that no matter what has happened in the past or comes my way in the future, I can walk in victory through Jesus.

These thoughts were drawn from
Restoring Families: Overcoming Abusive Relationships through Christ by Janet M. Lerner, D.S.W. This study helps to minister to families caught in the cycle of abusive relationships and is recommended for use in support groups and Christian counseling.
· Ministers to families from abusive relationships
· Ministers to victims of family violence
· Deals with wounded emotions
· Deals with control and intimacy issues
· Presents a strong message of Christ as healer of abusive relationships   

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.

UNQUESTIONED REVELATION
By Oswald Chambers
 
"And in that day ye shall ask Me nothing." John 16:23

When is "that day"? When the Ascended Lord makes you one with the Father. In that day you will be one with the Father as Jesus is, and "in that day," Jesus says, "ye shall ask Me nothing." Until the resurrection life of Jesus is manifested in you, you want to ask this and that; then after a while you find all questions gone, you do not seem to have any left to ask. You have come to the place of entire reliance on the resurrection life of Jesus which brings you into perfect contact with the purpose of God. Are you living that life now? If not, why shouldn't you?

There may be any number of things dark to your understanding, but they do not come in between your heart and God. "And in that day ye shall ask Me no question" - you do not need to, you are so certain that God will bring things out in accordance with His will. John 14:1 has become the real state of your heart, and there are no more questions to be asked. If anything is a mystery to you and it is coming in between you and God, never look for the explanation in your intellect, look for it in your disposition, it is that which is wrong. When once your disposition is willing to submit to the life of Jesus, the understanding will be perfectly clear, and you will get to the place where there is no distance between the Father and His child because the Lord has made you one, and "in that day ye shall ask Me no question."
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God bless

[Judy Harder]

Daily Devotionals May 29, 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.

Finally Home

READ: John 14:1-6
If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. -John 14:3
Jan and Hendrikje Kasper sailed into United States waters in January 1957. Their family of 12, along with other Dutch immigrants on board the Grote Beer, crowded on deck to catch their first glimpse of the Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor.

That initial view of Lady Liberty was exciting-and emotional. They had just endured an arduous 11-day journey across the sea on a no-frills voyage. They had left many friends and family members behind in The Netherlands. They had experienced rough seas brought on by a hurricane and had dealt with seemingly endless seasickness. But now-finally-they had arrived. They were home!

Someday those of us who have trusted Jesus Christ as our personal Savior will leave this life and go to the place He has prepared for us (John 14:3). The journey may be difficult or uncomfortable, but we certainly look forward to the final destination.

Composer Don Wyrtzen wrote the music for a wonderful song that pictures our earthly life as a "tempestuous sea." It ends with these words:

Just think of stepping on shore-and finding it heaven!
Of touching a hand-and finding it God's!
Of breathing new air-and finding it celestial!
Of waking up in glory-and finding it home!

When we see Jesus face to face for the first time-we will be "finally home."

  - Cindy Hess Kasper

Those who love and serve God on earth will be right at home in heaven.

Living Free Every Day®
Today's Scripture
"For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16 NLT

Thoughts for Today
We are valuable to God. How could he have expressed his love for us any more than to send his only Son to die so that we might have life.

Focusing on these scriptures-and others like them-can remind you who you are in Christ Jesus 

You are forgiven. 1 John 1:9

You have been made right in God's sight. Romans 5:1

You are righteous. 2 Corinthians 5:21, Romans 3:26

You are loved. 1 John 3:1, 1 John 4:10

You are a member of God's family. Ephesians 2:19

You are known by God. Matthew 10:30

You are God's child. Romans 8:14

You are an overcomer. 1 John 5:3-5

You are his masterpiece-designed for a purpose. Ephesians 2:10

Consider this
Have other people said or done things that make it hard for you to see yourself as God sees you? You can't do anything right. You are ugly.  You are stupid. You will never amount to anything. Or maybe you won't forgive yourself for past failures or sins.

Bring all the self-doubt and self-condemnation to Jesus. Receive his forgiveness  and then walk tall. Meditate on scriptures like these that tell you how important you are to God. How much he loves you. How complete forgiveness in Jesus really is. And what great plans he has for you.

Prayer
Father, thank you for your great love for me. Thank you for forgiveness. Thank you that I am special to you. Help me to view myself not as others do, not from my own perspective, but the way you see me. In Jesus' name 

These thoughts were drawn from
Restoring Families: Overcoming Abusive Relationships through Christ by Janet M. Lerner, D.S.W. This study helps to minister to families caught in the cycle of abusive relationships and is recommended for use in support groups and Christian counseling.
· Ministers to families from abusive relationships
· Ministers to victims of family violence
· Deals with wounded emotions
· Deals with control and intimacy issues
· Presents a strong message of Christ as healer of abusive relationships   

 

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.

UNDISTURBED RELATIONSHIP
By
Oswald Chambers
 
"At that day ye shall ask in My name . . ." "The Father Himself loveth you." John 16:26, 27

"At that day ye shall ask in My name," i.e., in My nature. Not - "You shall use My name as a magic word," but - "You will be so intimate with Me that you will be one with Me." "That day" is not a day hereafter, but a day meant for here and now. "The Father Himself loveth you" - the union is so complete and absolute. Our Lord does not mean that life will be free from external perplexities, but that just as He knew the Father's heart and mind, so by the baptism of the Holy Ghost He can lift us into the heavenly places where He can reveal the counsels of God to us.

"Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in My name. . . ." "That day" is a day of undisturbed relationship between God and the saint. Just as Jesus stood unsullied in the presence of His Father, so by the mighty efficacy of the baptism of the Holy Ghost, we can be lifted into that relationship - "that they may be one, even as We are One."

"He will give it you." Jesus says that God will recognize our prayers. What a challenge! By the Resurrection and Ascension power of Jesus, by the sent-down Holy Ghost, we can be lifted into such a relationship with the Father that we are at one with the perfect sovereign will of God by our free choice even as Jesus was. In that wonderful position, placed there by Jesus Christ, we can pray to God in His name, in His nature, which is gifted to us by the Holy Ghost, and Jesus says - "What soever ye shall ask the Father in My name, He will give it you." - The sovereign character of Jesus Christ is tested by His own statements.

Powerful Prayer by Woodrow Kroll 

Daniel 10:13-14

"But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days; and behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I had been left alone there with the kings of Persia. Now I have come to make you understand what will happen to your people in the latter days, for the vision refers to many days yet to come."

Powerful Prayer

The English poet and hymn writer William Cowper wrote: Restraining prayer, we cease to fight:
Prayer keeps the Christian's armor bright;
And Satan trembles when he sees,
The weakest saint upon his knees. Cowper rightly recognized that Satan fears the prayers of God's people more than anything else. Prayer is often described as simply "talking to God," and that's true. But it's also an act of spiritual warfare. When we pray, we are invading Satan's territory. Through prayer we can defeat the plans of the Devil and bring about events that will glorify God. These are not situations that Satan takes lightly. He will oppose sincere prayer every way he can. As you bow to pray, recognize that you are undertaking serious business, not just having a little chat with a good friend. You are engaging in hand-to-hand combat with a mortal enemy and crashing through his strongholds to enter the throne room of God. That's an incredible privilege. Don't take it lightly.

Prayer is not a playground; it's a battlefield.
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God bless 

[Judy Harder]

Daily Devotionals May 30, 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.

From Here To Heaven

READ: Ephesians 2:1-10
We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works. -Ephesians 2:10
Pro athletes and coaches sometimes get something for nothing. Let's say a coach signs a 3-year contract, and the team agrees to pay him $1 million a year. But in his first season, the team is terrible and management fires him. So, the coach leaves but still has 2 more years of pay coming to him. He gets the next $2 million without doing a thing.

We as Christians have to be careful that we don't view our saving faith like that. We must never think, "Hey, I'm saved. I've got eternal riches coming my way. I don't have to do anything for God."

That's partially right but very wrong. In one regard, our journey from here to heaven is paid for in full by Jesus' sacrifice. There's nothing we can do to earn salvation. But there's another part of this that we must consider.

In Ephesians 2:8-9, after Paul clearly says that we do not have to "do" anything and that salvation is a "gift of God," he goes on. Verse 10 says we indeed have a job to do. As believers, we are "created in Christ Jesus for good works." God has tasks planned for us to do while we are on this earth-not to pay our debt but to honor our Savior.

Life from here to heaven is not a vacation cruise-it's a wonderful privilege and calling to serve God.

  - Dave Branon

Must I be carried to the skies
On flowery beds of ease,
While others fought to win the prize
And sailed through bloody seas? -Watts

We are not saved by good works but for good works.

Willing or Not by Woodrow Kroll

Daniel 12:2
And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, some to shame and everlasting contempt.

Willing or Not

In a cemetery in Hanover, Germany, is a grave covered with huge slabs of granite and marble and fastened with heavy steel clasps. It belongs to a woman who did not believe in the resurrection of the dead. Yet she directed in her will that her grave be made so secure that if there were a resurrection, it could not reach her. In time, however, a seed began to grow and push its way out from beneath the slabs. As the trunk enlarged, the stones were gradually shifted and the steel clasps were wrenched from their sockets. But the dynamic life force contained in that little seed is only a faint reflection of the tremendous power of God's creative word that someday will call to life the bodies of all who are in their graves. Willing or not, they will be resurrected.

A messenger from God revealed this same truth to Daniel. As this angelic messenger opened the door to the hallway of time, he revealed to the prophet many things: the rise and fall of various kingdoms, the invasion of the army from the North and, ultimately, the resurrection of the dead. For those who are prepared, whose names are written in the Book of Life, it is a resurrection to everlasting life. For those unprepared, it is a resurrection to everlasting shame and contempt.

This Old Testament message is also echoed throughout the New Testament. The apostle Paul declared that "the dead in Christ will rise first" (1 Thess. 4:16), while the apostle John saw the dead who were "judged, each one according to his works" (Rev. 20:13).

There is no way that you can avoid the resurrection, but you can be ready for it. Make sure that your name is written in the Book of Life. If you haven't done so already, receive Jesus Christ as your Savior and be ready and willing for what is sure to come.

Only a fool fails to prepare for what he knows is coming.

Living Free Every Day®
Today's Scripture
"I don't mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us." Philippians 3:12-14 NLT

Thoughts for Today
As we come to Jesus and begin to understand who we are in him, it is time to learn from the past, put it behind and move on ahead. Paul makes it clear in today's scripture that he is on a journey. He knows he is not perfect, but he determines to forget the past and reach forward-to become all Jesus wants him to be. He is moving the right direction-toward Jesus-and he is not turning back.

That's where we need to be too. On a journey to Jesus, to accomplishing his purpose for us. If we try to drag the hurts and mistakes of the past along with us on the journey, our progress will be slowed or come to a stop altogether. We need to give all that to Jesus and receive his healing and forgiveness. We need to keep our eyes on him and run forward.

Consider this
Are you dragging baggage along as you try to move ahead with Jesus? Painful memories of abuse or other hurts. Unforgiveness. Condemnation. If you have made Jesus Lord of your life, it is time to put all those things behind. You have been made right in God's sight. You are his child. You are his masterpiece, designed for a purpose.

Join the apostle Paul in putting the past behind and moving forward along the marvelous path God has set before you. He has a good plan for you. Press on!

Prayer

Father, thank you for your healing and forgiveness. Help me to truly leave my hurts and failures in the past and keep my eyes on Jesus as I move forward along the path you have for me. In Jesus' name 

These thoughts were drawn from
Restoring Families: Overcoming Abusive Relationships through Christ by Janet M. Lerner, D.S.W. This study helps to minister to families caught in the cycle of abusive relationships and is recommended for use in support groups and Christian counseling.
· Ministers to families from abusive relationships
· Ministers to victims of family violence
· Deals with wounded emotions
· Deals with control and intimacy issues
· Presents a strong message of Christ as healer of abusive relationships   

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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"YES - BUT . . . !"
By Oswald Chambers
 
"Lord, I will follow Thee; but . . ." Luke 9:61

Supposing God tells you to do something which is an enormous test to your common sense, what are you going to do? Hang back? If you get into the habit of doing a thing in the physical domain, you will do it every time until you break the habit determinedly; and the same is true spiritually. Again and again you will get up to what Jesus Christ wants, and every time you will turn back when it comes to the point, until you abandon resolutely. "Yes, but - supposing I do obey God in this matter, what about . . . ?" "Yes, I will obey God if He will let me use my common sense, but don't ask me to take a step in the dark." Jesus Christ demands of the man who trusts Him the same reckless sporting spirit that the natural man exhibits. If a man is going to do anything worth while, there are times when he has to risk everything on his leap, and in the spiritual domain Jesus Christ demands that you risk everything you hold by common sense and leap into what He says, and immediately you do, you find that what He says fits on as solidly as common sense. At the bar of common sense Jesus Christ's statements may seem mad; but bring them to the bar of faith, and you begin to find with awestruck spirit that they are the words of God. Trust entirely in God, and when He brings you to the venture, see that you take it. We act like pagans in a crisis, only one out of a crowd is daring enough to bank his faith in the character of God.

God bless