Devotional for the day

[Judy Harder]

Daily Devotionals June 30, 2008

Lassa Fever

READ: Romans 3:19-26
Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. -Romans 5:9
When Lily Pinneo, a missionary nurse, was in West Africa, she contracted a deadly disease called Lassa fever. After Lily was flown to New York for medical treatment, her temperature soared to 107°F. To reduce the fever, doctors packed her in ice and fed her intravenously. The fever subsided. After 9 weeks, she had lost 28 pounds and most of her hair. Yet somehow, she survived.

In a laboratory, Dr. Casals carefully isolated and analyzed the Lassa virus. But he too fell ill from his exposure to the disease. At the time, no known treatment was effective. Fortunately, Nurse Pinneo was convalescing and had built up antibodies to the dread disease. She donated blood plasma to Dr. Casals and he recovered too. Her blood saved his life.

All of us are infected with the fatal disease of sin (Rom. 6:23). There is only one cure. It resides in the cleansing power of Jesus Christ's shed blood. Paul wrote, "Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him" (Rom. 5:9). The righteous wrath of God against transgression has been fully satisfied through Jesus' death in our place. All we need do is repent, recognize Him as our Savior, and receive the spiritual cure for sin. Have you made that decision?
  - Dennis Fisher

Redeemed-how I love to proclaim it!
Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb;
Redeemed through His infinite mercy,
His child, and forever, I am. -Crosby

The price of our freedom from sin was paid by Jesus' blood.

Before You Call by Woodrow Kroll

Isaiah 65:24
It shall come to pass that before they call, I will answer; and while they are still speaking, I will hear.

Before You Call

Dr. Helen Roseveare, a missionary to Africa, told about a mother who died at the mission station after giving birth to a premature baby. An incubator was set up to keep the infant alive, but the only available hot water bottle was beyond repair. During devotions that morning the children were asked to pray for the baby and for her young sister, who were now orphans. One of the girls responded, "Dear God, please send a hot water bottle today. Tomorrow will be too late because by then the baby will be dead. And dear Lord, send a doll for the sister so she won't feel so lonely."

That afternoon a large parcel arrived from England. Eagerly the children watched as it was opened. Much to their delight, under some clothing was a hot water bottle! Immediately the girl who had prayed so earnestly started to delve deeper, exclaiming, "If God sent that, I'm sure He also sent a doll." And she was right! Five months earlier, God had led a group of women in England to include both of those items in response to a prayer that had not yet been uttered.

That's the promise God gives us through Isaiah. As the One who knows what lies ahead, the Lord works even in the past to bring about blessings for His children's future.

As you consider your situation today, it may seem that the Lord is asking you to do the illogical. You may think, Why should God prompt me to do this? I see no need. But remember, what you do today could be the answer to someone's prayers tomorrow. Trust God, and let the One who holds both the past and future be your Guide for the present.

With God, the past and future are simply part of the eternal present.

Living Free Every Day®
Today's Scripture
"You must not have any other god but me." Exodus 20:3 NLT

Thoughts for Today
The Ten Commandments deal with our relationship with God and with others. The bottom line is love. Each of these commandments holds a great deal of meaning for our lives today. One of the more prevalent "other gods" in our society today is the New Age Movement.

Today's scripture is the first of the Ten Commandments. It calls for an undivided faithfulness to God. Because we have been created in God's image, this relationship is at the very core of human need and affects everyone. "Other gods" usually brings to mind a wooden or stone image or the proclaimed god of another religion, but there are more subtle "other gods." Anything that takes our focus off Christ anything that we devote more time and attention and allegiance to than Jesus can become our other god. It might be money or sports or sex. It could be our job, a relationship or even working in a ministry.

Consider this
It is so easy to be sidetracked-sometimes even doing good things-that we let our personal relationship with the Lord suffer. It is good to do a periodic reality check. Am I asking God for guidance or doing my own thing? Am I trusting in my job, or another person or my own abilities more than I'm trusting in the Lord?

If you find that you've wandered off the path, begin to refocus on Jesus.

Prayer
Lord, forgive me for sometimes getting sidetracked and making other things or people a more important part of my life than you are. Help me to refocus on Jesus. In Jesus' name 

These thoughts were drawn from
The Ten Commandments by Dr. Jimmy Ray Lee helps us understand God's boundaries. It shows how the Ten Commandments apply today. It also discusses the biblical laws on which the legal codes of every civilized society are based. This guide is written in a way that helps people see the Ten Commandments in light of today's problems. Note: This curriculum was written especially for small groups and we encourage people to use it that way. However, it can also be used effectively as a personal study for individuals or 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.

Do It Now!

READ:
Agree with your adversary quickly . . . -Matthew 5:25
In this verse, Jesus Christ laid down a very important principle by saying, "Do what you know you must do- now. Do it quickly. If you don't, an inevitable process will begin to work 'till you have paid the last penny' ( Matthew 5:26  ) in pain, agony, and distress." God's laws are unchangeable and there is no escape from them. The teachings of Jesus always penetrate right to the heart of our being.

Wanting to make sure that my adversary gives me all my rights is a natural thing. But Jesus says that it is a matter of inescapable and eternal importance to me that I pay my adversary what I owe him. From our Lord's standpoint it doesn't matter whether I am cheated or not, but what does matter is that I don't cheat someone else. Am I insisting on having my own rights, or am I paying what I owe from Jesus Christ's standpoint?

Do it quickly- bring yourself to judgment now. In moral and spiritual matters, you must act immediately. If you don't, the inevitable, relentless process will begin to work. God is determined to have His child as pure, clean, and white as driven snow, and as long as there is disobedience in any point of His teaching, He will allow His Spirit to use whatever process it may take to bring us to obedience. The fact that we insist on proving that we are right is almost always a clear indication that we have some point of disobedience. No wonder the Spirit of God so strongly urges us to stay steadfastly in the light! (see John 3:19-21  ).

"Agree with your adversary quickly . . . ." Have you suddenly reached a certain place in your relationship with someone, only to find that you have anger in your heart? Confess it quickly- make it right before God. Be reconciled to that person- do it now!

God bless

[Judy Harder]

Daily Devotionals July 1, 2008

Joyful Living

READ: 1 Timothy 6:17-19
Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy. -1 Timothy 6:17
Our search for joy takes us many different directions-dream holidays, shopping, food, clothes, friends, cars-the list is almost endless.

My guess is that if you perked up at the mention of shopping, holidays, or cars, you might have felt a twinge of guilt. We often view the joy of temporal things as less than spiritual and show our discomfort by apologizing for nice things: "I wouldn't have bought this, but someone gave me a wonderful deal." As if real Christians never eat quiche, drive cool cars, or wear designer clothes!

No doubt God's greatest gift to us is our relationship with His Son Jesus. It's a gift beyond comparison. Jesus promised that when we abide in Him we will experience the fulfillment of His joy (John 15:11), and without that kind of deep, abiding joy the rest of life is mundane at best.

But Scripture also casts the joy of the Lord in terms of temporal things. The enjoyment of "things" can be a positive spiritual experience. When we recognize that He "gives us richly all things to enjoy" (1 Tim. 6:17) and that "every good gift . . . is from above" (James 1:17), our hearts should be full of thankfulness and praise. This, in and of itself, is an act of worship! Enjoy the Giver and the gifts.  - Joe Stowell

We thank Thee, Lord, for daily food,
For plenteous store of earthly good;
For life and health we still possess,
With house and home so richly blessed. -Mohler

Our heavenly Father delights in bringing us delight.

Living in the Valleys by Dr. Woodrow Kroll

Exodus 15:21-22
And Miriam answered them: "Sing to the Lord, for He has triumphed gloriously! The horse and its rider He has thrown into the sea!" So Moses brought Israel from the Red Sea; then they went out into the Wilderness of Shur. And they went three days in the wilderness and found no water.

Living in the Valleys

Mountaintops are great places. As you stand on some lofty peak it seems as if you can see forever. But most people don't live on mountains. The demands of reality require that life is generally lived in the valleys.

The Israelites had just come through one of the high points of their nation's history, a mountaintop experience. Pursued by Pharaoh's army, they crossed the Red Sea with dry sandals and then saw the waters rush together again upon their enemy's horses and chariots. With tremendous joy, they sang God's praise. Then they hit the valley,from the fresh air of the mountaintop to the dry, oppressive air of the wilderness. For three days they traveled without finding water. Compared to the mountaintops, the valleys are real spiritual challenges.

But that's the way real life is. Spiritual mountaintops are wonderful. You feel particularly close to God during your devotional time; you return from a weekend retreat knowing the living Lord has met with you in a special way; you come home from church after the pastor's sermon has met a deep spiritual need in your life. You revel in the warmth of these marvelous mountaintop experiences.

But that's not where you live. You live in the valley, where there are dirty dishes to wash, lawns to mow and children to raise. Often real life isn't much fun.

Fortunately, Israel discovered, as will you, that God is with you both on the mountain and in the valley. He never leaves you, never allows you out of His loving care. We all appreciate those times when we encounter God in a special way, but we know that God is also with us when we sink to spiritual lows and feel a little dry. The God you meet in the good times is the same God who meets you in the hard times.

The God who dwells on the mountains also inhabits the valleys.

Living Free Every Day®
Today's Scripture
"You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below." Exodus 20:4 NIV

Thoughts for Today
This is the second of the Ten Commandments and shows that we are to worship only God. God forbids us to worship or use created things or even creation itself as an approach to him. The only correct image of God to worship is his son, Jesus Christ. Not trees or flowers or land. Not statues or monuments or traditions. Only Jesus.

We should have no God-substitutes. When we look to anyone or anything other than Christ as our primary source of meaning, self-worth, comfort or fulfillment, we are in danger of having an idol in our lives. An idol is anything that we depend on for solutions that only God can provide. Three common types of idols are substances, behaviors and relationships that control our lives.

Consider this
God doesn't want us to serve idols because he loves us and knows what is best for us. Let us come before him daily, seeking his will and his plan for our lives. Let us worship Jesus.

Prayer
Lord, forgive me for trying to find comfort  solutions happiness in things or activities or relationships. Although you may use some of these things or people to enrich my life and to help me, I know that you are the source of all good things. Help me to never again depend on a substitute. In Jesus' name

These thoughts were drawn from
The Ten Commandments by Dr. Jimmy Ray Lee helps us understand God's boundaries. It shows how the Ten Commandments apply today. It also discusses the biblical laws on which the legal codes of every civilized society are based. This guide is written in a way that helps people see the Ten Commandments in light of today's problems. Note: This curriculum was written especially for small groups and we encourage people to use it that way. However, it can also be used effectively as a personal study for individuals or 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 Inevitable Penalty

READ:
You will by no means get out of there till you have paid the last penny -Matthew 5:26
There is no heaven that has a little corner of hell in it. God is determined to make you pure, holy, and right, and He will not allow you to escape from the scrutiny of the Holy Spirit for even one moment. He urged you to come to judgment immediately when He convicted you, but you did not obey. Then the inevitable process began to work, bringing its inevitable penalty. Now you have been "thrown into prison, [and] . . . you will by no means get out of there till you have paid the last penny" ( 5:25-26 ). Yet you ask, "Is this a God of mercy and love?" When seen from God's perspective, it is a glorious ministry of love. God is going to bring you out pure, spotless, and undefiled, but He wants you to recognize the nature you were exhibiting- the nature of demanding your right to yourself. The moment you are willing for God to change your nature, His recreating forces will begin to work. And the moment you realize that God's purpose is to get you into the right relationship with Himself and then with others, He will reach to the very limits of the universe to help you take the right road. Decide to do it right now, saying, "Yes, Lord, I will write that letter," or, "I will be reconciled to that person now."

These sermons of Jesus Christ are meant for your will and your conscience, not for your head. If you dispute these verses from the Sermon on the Mount with your head, you will dull the appeal to your heart.

If you find yourself asking, "I wonder why I'm not growing spiritually with God?"- then ask yourself if you are paying your debts from God's standpoint. Do now what you will have to do someday. Every moral question or call comes with an "ought" behind it- the knowledge of knowing what we ought to do.
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God bless

[Judy Harder]

Daily Devotionals July 2, 2008

Being An Ambassador

READ: 2 Corinthians 5:14-21
[God] has committed to us the word of reconciliation. Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ. -2 Corinthians 5:19-20
After visiting a homeless shelter, a group of teenagers couldn't wait to express what they had experienced. Excitedly, they wrote about their visits with men and women of all ages who were poor and destitute.

One teen wrote: "I talked with a Vietnam vet and told him that in heaven he would have a new body. I was able to reassure him in his faith."

Another said, "A guy named Michael showed me that even though he was living in a homeless shelter, having faith made all the difference."

Still another wrote: "I talked with a man who had almost stopped believing in God. I tried to [encourage him in his faith]."

While desiring to share God's message of reconciliation, these teens were surprised to find that some of the people already knew God. By cutting through the discomfort of their differences, the kids discovered people who needed the reassurance that God still cared for them. The teens' roles changed from sharing the good news to guiding their new friends toward a deeper faith.

Being "ambassadors for Christ" (2 Cor. 5:20) opens doors of opportunity both to share the gospel and to strengthen the struggling. Seek out someone today who needs encouragement or "the word of reconciliation" (v.19).  - Dave Branon

Lord, use us as Your instruments
Of truth and love and care,
And may we bring encouragement
As Your good news we share. -Sper

A word of encouragement can make the difference between giving up and going on.

By The Waters Of Bitterness by Dr. Woodrow Kroll

Exodus 15:23
Now when they came to Marah, they could not drink the waters of Marah, for they were bitter. Therefore the name of it was called Marah.

By the Waters of Bitterness

During the last few decades the news has been filled with stories about a pollutant called acid rain. It?s an increasing problem in the northeastern United States and Canada. Acid rain is the result of sulfur and nitrogen oxides being washed from the air by normal rainfall. These pollutants are killing whole forests and destroying fish and other aquatic life in numerous lakes.

The people of Israel encountered a similar situation at an oasis they called Marah, which means "bitter." Something had so polluted the water that it was undrinkable. The people of God were in danger of dying of thirst. But when we need God most, He is always there. Jehovah directed Moses to a tree that miraculously restored the pureness of the water when cast into it (v. 25).

Bitter water also can destroy our spiritual lives. James asks, "Does a spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening?" (James 3:11). The sweet spirit God wants for us cannot exist in a heart polluted by bitterness. Bitterness on the inside will eventually manifest itself on the outside. No matter how carefully we think we have concealed it, bitterness will contaminate all we are, all we say, and all we do. The only solution is to apply the healing balm of God?s Spirit to the bitterness of our lives.

If you are being polluted by bitterness, isn't it time for God's freshness? Confess that your bitterness is a sin that is keeping you miserably distant from God. Ask for His forgiveness and begin to enjoy a renewed sweetness.

A bitter spirit will keep you from being a better person.

Living Free Every Day®
Today's Scripture
You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name. Exodus 20:7 NIV 

Thoughts for Today
This is the third of the Ten Commandments and emphasizes right thinking regarding the name of the Lord. Most of us want our names to be spoken correctly and with honor and respect. God, whose name is above every name, desires-and deserves-his name to be used with the greatest respect and honor.

Consider this
Although this commandment is correctly viewed as prohibiting profanity and blasphemy, it means more than that. It also means we are never to take the Lord's reputation lightly. If we call ourselves Christian, we are privileged to use his name. We dishonor his precious name every time we say or do something that does not show honor or respect for him when we hurt or condemn rather than showing love to others.

We should take care not to take God's name frivolously in conversation or lightly in worship. We should avoid movies and TV programs that use his name in profanity or show other signs of disrespect.

Let us use the Lord's name with reverence and honor him in all we say, in all we do and in all that we are.

Prayer
Father, help me to honor your name not only in my speech, but also in every thought, in my attitudes and in all that I do. In Jesus' name 

These thoughts were drawn from
The Ten Commandments by Dr. Jimmy Ray Lee helps us understand God's boundaries. It shows how the Ten Commandments apply today. It also discusses the biblical laws on which the legal codes of every civilized society are based. This guide is written in a way that helps people see the Ten Commandments in light of today's problems. Note: This curriculum was written especially for small groups and we encourage people to use it that way. However, it can also be used effectively as a personal study for individuals or 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 Conditions of Discipleship

READ:
If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also . . . . And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me . . . . So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple -Luke 14:26-27, 33
If the closest relationships of a disciple's life conflict with the claims of Jesus Christ, then our Lord requires instant obedience to Himself. Discipleship means personal, passionate devotion to a Person- our Lord Jesus Christ. There is a vast difference between devotion to a person and devotion to principles or to a cause. Our Lord never proclaimed a cause- He proclaimed personal devotion to Himself. To be a disciple is to be a devoted bondservant motivated by love for the Lord Jesus. Many of us who call ourselves Christians are not truly devoted to Jesus Christ. No one on earth has this passionate love for the Lord Jesus unless the Holy Spirit has given it to him. We may admire, respect, and revere Him, but we cannot love Him on our own. The only One who truly loves the Lord Jesus is the Holy Spirit, and it is He who has "poured out in our hearts" the very "love of God" (Romans 5:5  ). Whenever the Holy Spirit sees an opportunity to glorify Jesus through you, He will take your entire being and set you ablaze with glowing devotion to Jesus Christ.

The Christian life is a life characterized by true and spontaneous creativity. Consequently, a disciple is subject to the same charge that was leveled against Jesus Christ, namely, the charge of inconsistency. But Jesus Christ was always consistent in His relationship to God, and a Christian must be consistent in his relationship to the life of the Son of God in him, not consistent to strict, unyielding doctrines. People pour themselves into their own doctrines, and God has to blast them out of their preconceived ideas before they can become devoted to Jesus Christ.
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God bless

[Judy Harder]

Daily Devotionals July 3, 2008

What, Me Worry? READ: Numbers 13:26-33Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. -Philippians 4:6
Whenever a preacher begins to talk about worry, I sense a pair of eyes staring at me. Without even turning my head, I know that my husband is looking at me to see if I'm paying attention.

I hate to admit it, but I'm a worrier. And precisely because there are a lot of people just like me, Jesus addressed this problem in Matthew 6:25-34 when He said: "Do not worry." Don't worry about the basic needs of life-food, clothing, shelter-and don't worry about tomorrow.

Worry may be a symptom of a bigger problem. Sometimes it's a lack of gratitude for the way God has cared for us in the past. Or perhaps it's a lack of faith that God really is trustworthy. Or it may be a refusal to depend on God instead of ourselves.

Some people expand the worry circle to their families, friends, and churches. They're a lot like the 10 spies in Numbers 13:26-33 who spread their fear and doubt to everyone else. But those who put their trust in God alone can stand alongside Joshua and Caleb, the only ones in the group of 12 whom God allowed to enter the Promised Land.

Don't let worries hold you back from what God may be trying to teach you. He invites you to bring your anxious thoughts directly to Him (Phil. 4:6).  - Cindy Hess Kasper

When you feel the tension mounting,
And across the busy day
Only gloomy clouds are drifting,
As you start to worry-pray! -Anon.

To be anxious about nothing, pray about everything.

The Attitude of Ingratitude by Dr. Woodrow Kroll

Exodus 15:24
And the people murmured against Moses, saying, "What shall we drink?"

The Attitude of Ingratitude

Hot springs and cold springs are found side by side in some parts of Mexico. Because of the convenience of this natural phenomenon, women often bring their laundry to such places so they can boil their clothes in the hot springs and then rinse them in the cold ones. A tourist who was watching this procedure commented to his Mexican guide, "I imagine they think Mother Nature is pretty generous to supply such ample, clean, hot and cold water here side by side for their free use." The guide replied, "No, Senor, there is much grumbling because she supplies no soap."

Ingratitude is not limited to Mexican peasants; Israel demonstrated the same attitude. God had just performed some awe-inspiring miracles for His people's benefit. He had slain the first born of Egypt so that Pharaoh would free the Israelites. He had provided a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire at night to guide their journey. He had opened the Red Sea for them to cross and brought it crashing back on the Egyptian army pursuing them. Yet when they hit their first snag, instead of trusting God, they turned to complaining.

Times of need are times for praying, not complaining. Complaining says to God, "You aren?t taking very good care of me." Prayer says to God, "I may not understand what's happening, but I trust You to take care of me."

Do you feel life is treating you unfairly? Are you tempted to complain? Try this. Take a notebook and list some of the marvelous things God has already done in your life, such as providing your salvation, a measure of health, a supportive family and an inspired Bible. Then look with confidence that He will provide for your situation today as well.

Nothing cures ingratitude as quickly as a good memory.

Living Free Every Day®
Today's Scripture
"Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy." Exodus 20:8 NIV

Thoughts for Today
The fourth commandment focuses on setting aside a time for rest and worship and clearly shows that God is concerned about our time.

In today's world, time seems to be a real issue for most people. We have time management courses and an unending stream of electronic devices to help us organize, schedule and remember.

God wants us to balance work with rest and worship. Even he set aside a day of rest after six days of creation. Jesus set aside times to rest away from the crowds. And so we need to learn to balance all our busy activities with rest and worship. Sabbath means rest. God told us to set aside this time because he loves us and knows we need it. Without a special time to rest and worship, our focus on God will become dim. We will tend to stress out and to suffer physically and emotionally, as well as spiritually.

Consider this
Jesus said that the Sabbath was made for man. It is a time to regroup for the coming days. A time to focus on God. A time to enjoy our family and to experience rest and recreation.

God has given us this gift. Let's enjoy it!

Prayer
Lord, thank you for the Sabbath, for this special time for rest and worship. Help me learn to balance my time and activities and not neglect the Sabbath. In Jesus' name 

These thoughts were drawn from
The Ten Commandments by Dr. Jimmy Ray Lee helps us understand God's boundaries. It shows how the Ten Commandments apply today. It also discusses the biblical laws on which the legal codes of every civilized society are based. This guide is written in a way that helps people see the Ten Commandments in light of today's problems. Note: This curriculum was written especially for small groups and we encourage people to use it that way. However, it can also be used effectively as a personal study for individuals or 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 Concentration of Personal SinREAD: Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips . . . -Isaiah 6:5
When I come into the very presence of God, I do not realize that I am a sinner in an indefinite sense, but I suddenly realize and the focus of my attention is directed toward the concentration of sin in a particular area of my life. A person will easily say, "Oh yes, I know I am a sinner," but when he comes into the presence of God he cannot get away with such a broad and indefinite statement. Our conviction is focused on our specific sin, and we realize, as Isaiah did, what we really are. This is always the sign that a person is in the presence of God. There is never any vague sense of sin, but a focusing on the concentration of sin in some specific, personal area of life. God begins by convicting us of the very thing to which His Spirit has directed our mind's attention. If we will surrender, submitting to His conviction of that particular sin, He will lead us down to where He can reveal the vast underlying nature of sin. That is the way God always deals with us when we are consciously aware of His presence.

This experience of our attention being directed to our concentration of personal sin is true in everyone's life, from the greatest of saints to the worst of sinners. When a person first begins climbing the ladder of experience, he might say, "I don't know where I've gone wrong," but the Spirit of God will point out some definite and specific thing to him. The effect of Isaiah's vision of the holiness of the Lord was the directing of his attention to the fact that he was "a man of unclean lips." "He touched my mouth with it, and said: 'Behold, this has touched your lips; your iniquity is taken away, and your sin purged' " ( Isaiah 6:7  ). The cleansing fire had to be applied where the sin had been concentrated.
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God bless 

[Judy Harder]

Daily Devotionals July 4, 2008

The Unpayable Debt We Owe

READ: Galatians 5:1-14

Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free. -Galatians 5:1
Our gratitude is deepened when we remember the price others paid to help obtain freedom. In the United States, one such person was Richard Stockton.

Stockton was one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence. He was a prominent lawyer and a wealthy landowner. Because he supported the war efforts, he and his family were driven from their home. That home was sacked and burned. Stockton was imprisoned for several years and subjected to harsh treatment that broke his health. He died a pauper at the age of 51. Yet few Americans remember this hero who paid such a high price for the cause of liberty. His sacrifice is largely forgotten.

Even more important, have we become so familiar with the gospel that we fail to appreciate what our salvation cost the Savior? We rejoice in the spiritual freedom we enjoy by faith in the sin-canceling death of Jesus, but do we realize at least to some small degree the price He paid?

Are we truly grateful to Jesus for all He sacrificed to set us free spiritually? If so, we are to "stand fast . . . in the liberty by which Christ has made us free" (Gal. 5:1). No matter what else may be demanding our attention, let's take time to remember the unpayable debt we owe Him.  - Vernon C. Grounds

But drops of grief can ne'er repay
The debt of love I owe:
Here, Lord, I give myself away-
'Tis all that I can do! -Watts

Salvation is infinitely costly but absolutely free.

Cry Out by Dr. Woodrow Kroll

Exodus 15:25
So he cried out to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a tree; and when he cast it into the waters, the waters were made sweet. There He made a statute and an ordinance for them.

Cry Out

On a gloomy day in 1857, a man in New York City, Jeremiah Lanthier, scanned the morning newspaper. He was distressed to read that the depression gripping the nation was causing fear and panic among the people. Factories were closing and thousands were unemployed. Although Lanthier didn't know what to do, he knew who did! That day he sent a note to all his business acquaintances, telling them that at noon a prayer meeting would be held in his office.

On the first day no one came. All alone he prayed fervently that God would bring about a great change in him and in America. The second day a few friends joined him. A short time later similar gatherings were started around the city. Then like wildfire, the movement spread to all parts of the country. Some historians say that this effort of united prayer and faith was an integral part of the improvement in the economy that soon followed.

Moses also faced a situation for which he had no answers, but he knew who did. Fervently he cried out to God, and God showed him what to do. It was not something he would have dreamed up on his own; it was better. The waters of Marah were bitter, and so were God's people about the quality of the water. The Israelites grumbled about many little things, but this was life-threatening. All Moses could do was pray to God and trust His answer, regardless of how unorthodox that answer may be.

What do you do when you don't know what to do? Follow the example set by other godly people, cry out to the Lord and He will answer. If you are willing to follow His instructions, you will never be left without the right answers.

It's not what you know but who you know that counts.

Living Free Every Day®
Today's Scripture
"Honor your father and your mother." Exodus 20:12 NIV

Thoughts for Today
This is the fifth of the Ten Commandments and is the centerpiece of all the commandments. The first four commandments deal with our relationship with God and the last six focus on social relationships. This one serves as a bridge from our focus on God to our focus on interpersonal relationships. Honoring one's father and mother is a model to respect God and others. Honor is learned in the home and flows into other areas of respect for various kinds of authority.

Children are to obey and honor their parents. Even though we are no longer called to obey after we enter adulthood and are living out on our own, our responsibility to honor them never ceases. If they treat us badly, we don't need to honor the wrong things they do, but we still need to honor them as our parents and show them respect.

As they age, we can continue to honor our parents by checking on them regularly, by seeing that they are lovingly cared for, by visiting them, talking to them, and especially by listening to them. It is easy to get so busy with job, friends and other family and even church that we begin to neglect our parents. It is important to guard against that.

Consider this
As you move through the various cycles of life, ask God to help you honor your parents with your time, your care, your prayers and your love.

Prayer
Father, thank you for my parents. Help me to always honor them in my thoughts, as well as my words and actions. In Jesus' name 

These thoughts were drawn from
The Ten Commandments by Dr. Jimmy Ray Lee helps us understand God's boundaries. It shows how the Ten Commandments apply today. It also discusses the biblical laws on which the legal codes of every civilized society are based. This guide is written in a way that helps people see the Ten Commandments in light of today's problems. Note: This curriculum was written especially for small groups and we encourage people to use it that way. However, it can also be used effectively as a personal study for individuals or 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.

One of God's Great "Don'ts"

READ:

Do not fret- it only causes harm -Psalm 37:8
Fretting means getting ourselves "out of joint" mentally or spiritually. It is one thing to say, "Do not fret," but something very different to have such a nature that you find yourself unable to fret. It's easy to say, "Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him" ( Psalm 37:7  ) until our own little world is turned upside down and we are forced to live in confusion and agony like so many other people. Is it possible to "rest in the Lord" then? If this "Do not" doesn't work there, then it will not work anywhere. This "Do not" must work during our days of difficulty and uncertainty, as well as our peaceful days, or it will never work. And if it will not work in your particular case, it will not work for anyone else. Resting in the Lord is not dependent on your external circumstances at all, but on your relationship with God Himself.

Worrying always results in sin. We tend to think that a little anxiety and worry are simply an indication of how wise we really are, yet it is actually a much better indication of just how wicked we are. Fretting rises from our determination to have our own way. Our Lord never worried and was never anxious, because His purpose was never to accomplish His own plans but to fulfill God's plans. Fretting is wickedness for a child of God.

Have you been propping up that foolish soul of yours with the idea that your circumstances are too much for God to handle? Set all your opinions and speculations aside and "abide under the shadow of the Almighty" ( Psalm 91:1  ). Deliberately tell God that you will not fret about whatever concerns you. All our fretting and worrying is caused by planning without God.

God bless

[Judy Harder]

Daily Devotionals July 5, 2008

Finders Keepers

READ: Matthew 25:31-40

Inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me. -Matthew 25:40
People who find something of value are generally eager to keep it. In such cases, the notion of "finders keepers" seems like a good thing. But what if the thing we find is a problem? In that case, we're eager to give it up.

While working for the US Justice Department, Gary Haugen discovered a big problem. Someone needs to do something about this, he thought. He looked around for someone who could take on the injustice and abuse of authority he had uncovered. But then he realized that God was looking at him. In 1997, Haugen founded International Justice Mission to rescue victims of violence, sexual exploitation, slavery, and oppression.

Just as Moses was God's answer for the slavery of His people in Egypt (Ex. 3:9-10), so too Haugen and his team are becoming God's answer for those in slavery today. As Haugen says, "God doesn't have a Plan B. His plan is you. You are the answer."

God places us in unique circumstances where our abilities match the problem He wants to fix. Jesus said that what we do for those in need, we do for Him (Matt. 25:35-40).

Have you found a problem? How might you be God's solution? God may want you to be an answer to someone's prayer.  - Julie Ackerman Link

By God's design, there lies in wait for you
Important work that no one else can do.
Just as the planets find their paths through space,
You too must grow to fill your proper place. -Thayer

When God shows you a problem, He may ask you to be His solution.

The Key to Health by Dr. Woodrow Kroll

Exodus 15:26
"If you diligently heed the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in His sight, give ear to His commandments and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have brought on the Egyptians. For I am the Lord who heals you."

The Key to Health

Millions of people are exploring alternatives to traditional Western medicine. Such approaches as biofeedback, autogenics training, kinesiology, bioenergetics, reflexology, stress management, homeopathy, naturopathy and macrobiotics are just a few of the possibilities. But God offers the real key to health; it's called obedience.

God told the Israelites if they would "give ear to His commandments" and "keep all His statutes," they would avoid many of the illnesses that plagued the people of Egypt. This was not a matter of "buying" their obedience; it was a matter of natural consequences. By avoiding sin, they would avoid the unhealthy results of sin as well.

This principle still holds true today. We talk a great deal about breaking God's laws, but we really only break ourselves against God's laws. By living contrary to God's commandments, people contract sexually transmitted diseases; others weaken their bodies by a lack of exercise, poor diets and high stress; still others smoke or drink themselves into life-threatening danger.

It is God's will that you treat your body as the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 6:19). Don't take it anywhere or expose it to anything that you know to be contrary to God's law. Get appropriate rest, eat healthy food and reduce stress. Obedience is the key. Living in harmony with His commandments will avoid many illnesses and make others more easy to overcome.

An ounce of obedience is worth a pound of protection.

Week of June 30

The Day I Died

George Müller, an esteemed evangelist and prayer warrior of the nineteenth century, was once asked, "What is the secret of your victorious life?"

His answer was simple. "It was the day I died, utterly died."

As he spoke, Müller bent down until he reached the floor and then continued:

Died to George Müller-his opinions, preferences, tastes, and will. Died to the world-its approval or censure. Died to approval or blame-even of my brethren and friends. Since then I have studied only to show myself approved unto God.

Until you learn to die to self, you will live your Christian life in defeat. Until you learn to die to sin, you will live in bondage. Until you learn to die to pride, you will live in slavery and servitude.

If any believer feels defeated, it is because he has bought into the lie of believing that Satan has invincible power over him. As a child of God, you do not need to be in bondage. James 4:7 commands, "Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you."

When James says, "Resist the devil, and he will flee from you," it does not mean that you are standing in the battle arena and being beaten. Rather, it is a picture of a general who has defeated his enemy and calls out to his officers to clean house.

Your commanding general arose from the dead, ascended into heaven, and is at the Father's right hand-with angels, authorities, and powers in submission to Him (1 Peter 3:22).

When you are joined with Christ, you have the same authority. You can break out of bondage. You can give up a sinful habit. You can be freed from an addiction-by the power of Christ.

You have been given fullness in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority (Colossians 2:10).

Are you spiritually alert? Can you recognize your real enemy? Michael Youssef explores this topic in our free resource-"Who is Your Real Enemy?" Download it today.

By Passionately Proclaiming Uncompromising Truth, Leading The Way is revolutionizing lives at home and around the world. Discover more at www.leadingtheway.org.
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Don't Plan Without God

READ:
Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass -Psalm 37:5
Don't plan without God. God seems to have a delightful way of upsetting the plans we have made, when we have not taken Him into account. We get ourselves into circumstances that were not chosen by God, and suddenly we realize that we have been making our plans without Him- that we have not even considered Him to be a vital, living factor in the planning of our lives. And yet the only thing that will keep us from even the possibility of worrying is to bring God in as the greatest factor in all of our planning.

In spiritual issues it is customary for us to put God first, but we tend to think that it is inappropriate and unnecessary to put Him first in the practical, everyday issues of our lives. If we have the idea that we have to put on our "spiritual face" before we can come near to God, then we will never come near to Him. We must come as we are.

Don't plan with a concern for evil in mind. Does God really mean for us to plan without taking the evil around us into account? "Love . . . thinks no evil" ( 1 Corinthians 13:4-5  ). Love is not ignorant of the existence of evil, but it does not take it into account as a factor in planning. When we were apart from God, we did take evil into account, doing all of our planning with it in mind, and we tried to reason out all of our work from its standpoint.

Don't plan with a rainy day in mind. You cannot hoard things for a rainy day if you are truly trusting Christ. Jesus said, "Let not your heart be troubled . . ." (John 14:1 ). God will not keep your heart from being troubled. It is a command- "Let not. . . ." To do it, continually pick yourself up, even if you fall a hundred and one times a day, until you get into the habit of putting God first and planning with Him in mind.

God bless

[Judy Harder]

Daily Devotionals July 6, 2008

   Why Bother With Church?

READ: Ephesians 4:1-16

Let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together. -Hebrews 10:24-25
Winston Churchill once said that he related to the church rather like a flying buttress: He supported it from the outside. (A flying buttress is an external support that reinforces the walls of old cathedrals.) I tried that strategy for a while, after coming to believe Christian doctrine sincerely and committing myself to God.

I am not alone. Fewer people attend church on Sunday than claim to follow Christ. Some feel burned by a former experience. Others simply "get nothing out of church." Why bother?

Today, I could hardly imagine life without church. Church has filled a need for me that can't be met in any other way. An early-church leader wrote, "The virtuous soul that is alone . . . is like the burning coal that is alone. It will grow colder rather than hotter."

Christianity is not a purely intellectual, internal faith. It can be lived only in community. At a deep level, I sense that church contains something I desperately need. Whenever I abandoned church for a time, I found that I was the one who suffered. My faith faded, and the crusty shell of lovelessness grew over me again. I grew colder rather than hotter.

And so, my journeys away from church have always circled back to the church.  - Philip Yancey

We join our hearts and hands together,
Faithful to the Lord's command;
We hold each other to God's standards-
All that truth and love demand. -D. De Haan

The church is not a select circle for a few but a spiritual center open to all.

Does Jesus Care? by Dr. Woodrow Kroll

Exodus 15:27
Then they came to Elim, where there were twelve wells of water and seventy palm trees; so they camped there by the waters.

Does Jesus Care?

Almost a hundred years ago, a minister was plagued with ongoing trials and discouragements. When he thought he no longer could stand it, Rev. Frank Graeff remembered 1 Peter 5:7, which says, "casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you." A new joy and peace encouraged his soul and he penned a song in which every stanza began with the question, "Does Jesus care . . . ?" The refrain echoes back, "O yes, He cares, I know He cares! His heart is touched with my grief."

The Israelites had reached a point in their journey where they were asking, "Does God care?" There had been years of hardship in Egypt. Then there was the hard trek through the wilderness. Finally they came upon a campsite where the water was unfit to drink. Life was not easy, but at last God brought them to Elim, where the water was plenteous and the trees were lush and shady. In the midst of their adversity, God brought them to a place of relief.

Does God care about you? He really does. If you're going through a tough time, don't give up. God has an Elim in your future. Scripture promises that God "will not allow you to be tempted [tried] beyond what you are able" (1 Cor. 10:13). Ahead, at God's rest stop, there is rest for the weary and tranquility for the distressed. If you're at Marah, the water of bitterness, look ahead to Elim, the place of peace.

In His time, God gives us rest from every test.

Choosing the Uncommon Life
by Max Lucado

One can't, at once, promote two reputations. Promote God's and forget yours. Or promote yours and forget God's. We must choose.

Joseph did. Matthew describes Jesus's earthly father as a craftsman (Matt. 13:55). He lives in Nazareth: a single-camel map dot on the edge of boredom. Joseph never speaks in the New Testament. He does much. He sees an angel, marries a pregnant girl, and leads his family to Bethlehem and Egypt. He does much, but says nothing.

A small-town carpenter who never said a Scripture-worthy word. Is Joseph the right choice? Doesn't God have better options? An eloquent priest from Jerusalem or a scholar from the Pharisees? Why Joseph? A major part of the answer lies in his reputation: he gives it up for Jesus. "Then Joseph [Mary's] husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly" (Matt. 1:19).

Mary's parents, by this point, have signed a contract and sealed it with a dowry. Mary belongs to Joseph; Joseph belongs to Mary. Legally and matrimonially bound.

Now what? His fiancée is pregnant, blemished, tainted, he is righteous, godly. On one hand, he has the law. On the other, he has his love. The law says, stone her. Love says, forgive her. Joseph is caught in the middle. But Joseph is a kind man. "Not wanting to disgrace her, [he] planned to send her away secretly" (v. 19 NASB).

A quiet divorce. How long would it stay quiet? Likely not long. But for a time, this was the solution.

Then comes the angel. "While he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, 'Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit' " (v. 20).

Mary's growing belly gives no cause for concern, but reason to rejoice. "She carries the Son of God in her womb," the angel announces. But who would believe it? Who would buy this tale? Envision Joseph being questioned by the city leaders.

"Joseph," they say, "we understand that Mary is with child."

He nods.

"Is the child yours?"

He shakes his head.

"Do you know how she became pregnant?"

Gulp. A bead of sweat forms beneath Joseph's beard. He faces a dilemma. He makes his decision. "Joseph.took to him his wife, and did not know her till she had brought forth her firstborn Son. And he called His name JESUS" (Matt. 1:24-25).

Joseph tanked his reputation. He swapped his reputation for a pregnant fiancée and an illegitimate son and made the big decision of discipleship. He placed God's plan ahead of his own.

Would you be willing to do the same? God grants us an uncommon life to the degree we surrender our common one. "If you try to keep your life for yourself, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for me, you will find true life" (Matt. 16:25 NLT). Would you forfeit your reputation to see Jesus born into your world?

From
Cure for the Common Life:
Living in Your Sweet Spot
© (Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2005) Max Lucado

Now in paperback with practical assessment tools included in the back of the book apply the powerful principles of Cure for the Common Life.

Visions Become Reality

READ:

The parched ground shall become a pool . . . -Isaiah 35:7
We always have a vision of something before it actually becomes real to us. When we realize that the vision is real, but is not yet real in us, Satan comes to us with his temptations, and we are inclined to say that there is no point in even trying to continue. Instead of the vision becoming real to us, we have entered into a valley of humiliation.

Life is not as idle ore,
But iron dug from central gloom,
And battered by the shocks of doom
To shape and use.

God gives us a vision, and then He takes us down to the valley to batter us into the shape of that vision. It is in the valley that so many of us give up and faint. Every God-given vision will become real if we will only have patience. Just think of the enormous amount of free time God has! He is never in a hurry. Yet we are always in such a frantic hurry. While still in the light of the glory of the vision, we go right out to do things, but the vision is not yet real in us. God has to take us into the valley and put us through fires and floods to batter us into shape, until we get to the point where He can trust us with the reality of the vision. Ever since God gave us the vision, He has been at work. He is getting us into the shape of the goal He has for us, and yet over and over again we try to escape from the Sculptor's hand in an effort to batter ourselves into the shape of our own goal.

The vision that God gives is not some unattainable castle in the sky, but a vision of what God wants you to be down here. Allow the Potter to put you on His wheel and whirl you around as He desires. Then as surely as God is God, and you are you, you will turn out as an exact likeness of the vision. But don't lose heart in the process. If you have ever had a vision from God, you may try as you will to be satisfied on a lower level, but God will never allow it.

God bless 

[Judy Harder]

Daily Devotionals July 7, 2008

Fatal Frame Of Mind

READ: Exodus 11

Moses and Aaron did all these wonders before Pharaoh; and the Lord hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he did not let the children of Israel go. -Exodus 11:10
When Pharaoh refused to let the people of Israel leave Egypt, thousands of innocent Egyptians died because of his stubborn will. Perhaps the knowledge of what was about to happen to Egypt's firstborn on that first Passover night caused the great anger Moses felt as he left Pharaoh (Ex. 11:. It was going to be a night of devastation and sorrow because the ruler was in a fatal frame of mind.

It's easy for me to condemn Pharaoh's willful disobedience to God, and very difficult to face my own. But this passage forces me to ask, "Is my attitude choking the life out of someone close to me?"

Oswald Chambers said: "The right of life is insisted on all through the Bible. As long as I do not murder anyone outright the law cannot touch me, but is there someone dependent on me to whom in the tiniest way I am not giving the right to live? Someone for whom I am cherishing an unforgiving dislike? 'Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer' (1 John 3:15)."

Our hearts become hard through repeated refusals to yield to God. But they can be softened by obedience. When we say "yes" to God, the result is relief and life-giving release for our families, colleagues, and friends.

What's my frame of mind today?  - David C. McCasland

I thank You for Your patience, Lord,
Because I often strayed,
But, O the joy that came my way
When I Thy Word obeyed. -Stairs

The way of obedience is the way of blessing.

Selective Memories by Dr. Woodrow Kroll

Exodus 16:2-3
Then the whole congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness. And the children of Israel said to them, "Oh, that we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the pots of meat and when we ate bread to the full! For you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger."

Selective Memories

It's amazing how we are able to pick and choose the things we want to remember. A young boy was confronted by his father about the poor grades on his report card. "It's not my fault, Dad. I can't remember anything." "Well," his father assured him, "you're not going to any more baseball games until you get your grades up. And to begin with, forget tonight's game." "Wait a minute," said the boy. "You can't do that to me. The Braves are in town and Maddux is pitching. He was 15-11 last year with a 2.72 earned run average. He won four consecutive Cy Young awards and seven straight Gold Gloves. He led the league in ERA for three straight seasons, has been on five All-Star teams, and has won at least 15 games each of the last nine years."

Israel had the same problem, a selective memory. After only a short time in the wilderness, they had forgotten how they were required to make bricks without straw, how they had been beaten by merciless taskmasters and how the midwives were commanded to kill the infant Israelite boys to appease Pharaoh's fears. Instead, they remembered only the pots of meat and the loaves of bread they had enjoyed.

Satan may be tempting you in the same way. Maybe this new life is more difficult than you expected and your days as an unbeliever, as your now remember them, are looking pretty good after all. Perhaps the devil is reminding you of the sinful things you enjoyed in your old life and blocking the memories of despair and emptiness you felt as an unbeliever. Ask God to cut through these selective memories and help you recall the reality of the past. Don't be fooled by Satan's selective memories.

The memories Satan selects never reflect the way it really was.

Living Free Every Day®
Today's Scripture
"You shall not murder." Exodus 20:13 NIV

Thoughts for Today
This week we will continue looking at the Ten Commandments. The sixth commandment focuses on the sacredness of human life. It is designed to protect each of us in our relationship with others.

Many in our world today have less and less regard for God. Along with that decline comes a lessening of the value of human life. This decline is apparent in the growing number of abortions and acts of euthanasia. Every life is important to God-the unborn, the elderly, the sick. Everyone. And he calls us to value and protect every life.

Consider this
You may think, "I really don't have to be concerned about this commandment-I'd never kill anyone." But this command goes beyond the actual crime of murder. It includes the condition of our hearts. Jesus said, "You're familiar with the command to the ancients, 'Do not murder.' I'm telling you that anyone who is so much as angry with a brother or sister is guilty of murder." Matthew 4:21-22 NIV Hidden emotions in the form of anger, malice, rage and revenge are in violation of the sixth commandment.

If you are holding on to anger or bitterness toward someone, ask God to help you let go. We must not let anger build and fester. Just as Jesus, in his love, paid the price on the cross for our sins, he calls us to show the same kind of love and forgiveness to others. You don't have to do it alone. Jesus will give you the strength and courage you need.

Prayer
Father, forgive me for any unforgiveness or anger in my heart. Help me to let go and to demonstrate your love and compassion to all people. In Jesus' name 

These thoughts were drawn from
The Ten Commandments by Dr. Jimmy Ray Lee helps us understand God's boundaries. It shows how the Ten Commandments apply today. It also discusses the biblical laws on which the legal codes of every civilized society are based. This guide is written in a way that helps people see the Ten Commandments in light of today's problems. Note: This curriculum was written especially for small groups and we encourage people to use it that way. However, it can also be used effectively as a personal study for individuals or 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.

All Efforts of Worth and Excellence Are Difficult

READ:
Enter by the narrow gate . . . . Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life . . . -Matthew 7:13-14
If we are going to live as disciples of Jesus, we have to remember that all efforts of worth and excellence are difficult.  The Christian life is gloriously difficult, but it difficulty does not make us faint and cave in-it stirs us up to overcome.  Do we appreciate the miraculous salvation of Jesus Christ enough to be our utmost for His highest-our best for His glory?

God saves people by His sovereign grace through the atonement of Jesus, and "it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure" ( Philippians 2:13 ). But we have to "work out" that salvation in our everyday, practical living (Philippians 2:12). If we will only start on the basis of His redemption to do what He commands, then we will find that we can do it. If we fail, it is because we have not yet put into practice what God has placed within us. But a crisis will reveal whether or not we have been putting it into practice. If we will obey the Spirit of God and practice in our physical life what God has placed within us by His Spirit, then when a crisis does come we will find that our own nature, as well as the grace of God, will stand by us.

Thank God that He does give us difficult things to do! His salvation is a joyous thing, but it is also something that requires bravery, courage, and holiness. It tests us for all we are worth. Jesus is "bringing many sons to glory" (Hebrews 2:10 , and God will not shield us from the requirements of sonship. God's grace produces men and women with a strong family likeness to Jesus Christ, not pampered, spoiled weaklings. It takes a tremendous amount of discipline to live the worthy and excellent life of a disciple of Jesus in the realities of life. And it is always necessary for us to make an effort to live a life of worth and excellence.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
God bless

[Judy Harder]

Daily Devotionals July 8, 2008

The Time Machine

READ: Revelation 21:1-4

With the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. -2 Peter 3:8
In 1896, H. G. Wells published a book titled The Time Machine, an imaginative tale of a scientist who builds a machine that can transport someone through time. The time traveler is preoccupied with the future, not the past. Like many scientists, he believes "progress" will enable the human race to build a better world. Yet in Wells' book, this science-fiction story does not have a happy ending.

The protagonist travels millions of years into the future. There the world has grown cold and dark. As a bleak snow falls, he sees the last remnants of life awaiting extinction. Thoroughly sickened by the twilight of life on our planet, the scientist returns to the time of his origin to report his anguish.

The biblical view of the future is very different. It tells us that God is Lord over time itself: "With the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day" (2 Peter 3:. We can be optimistic about the future because God will replace our world with a new one. In that new heaven and new earth we will experience blessed fellowship with our Creator for eternity (Rev. 21:1-4). Even now, Jesus is preparing a place for those who love Him (John 14:1-3), a place where "there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying" (Rev. 21:4).  - Dennis Fisher

If God has made this world so fair,
Where sin and death abound,
How beautiful beyond compare
Will paradise be found! -Montgomery

Jesus is preparing a place for us and preparing us for that place.

Tested By the Blessings

Exodus 16:4
Then the Lord said to Moses, "Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you. And the people shall go out and gather a certain quota every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in My law or not."

Tested by the Blessings

Many tests come in the guise of hardship, illness or some other unpleasant experience, but not all of them. The good times can be just as much a test as the bad times.

When the people of Israel reached the Wilderness of Sin, they were unable to find food. This hot, barren wasteland offered nothing that would sustain a multitude of people. But God used this experience to test His children and teach them to trust Him. He graciously supplied a heavenly food that looked like a dewdrop, which the people called "manna." This miraculous gift was more than just a blessing, however. It was also God's test to see whether they would walk in His law or not.

Being obedient in the midst of plenteous blessings is often more difficult than when we are experiencing a multitude of difficulties. Pleasures can easily dull our spiritual ears so we no longer hear the Lord saying, "This is the way, walk in it" (Isa. 30:21). A lack of trials lulls us into a false sense of security and leaves us vulnerable to the attacks of Satan. It's no wonder that some people claim it's easier to survive poverty than wealth. Agur, the writer of Proverbs 30 prayed, "Feed me with the food You prescribe for me; lest I be full and deny You, and say, Who is the Lord?" (vv. 8-9).

If you are experiencing a time of blessing, that's wonderful, but be sensitive to the potential for danger. Testing doesn't stop just because the trials have ceased. The need for obedience is constant whether the sun shines or not.

Trust and obey, every day.

Living Free Every Day®
Today's Scripture
"Be faithful in marriage." Exodus 20:14 CEV

Thoughts for Today
The seventh commandment serves to protect and purify the sexual urge and the marriage relationship. When followed, the commandment protects against the degradation of human relationships that accompanies adultery.

As with all the Ten Commandments, God gave this one out of love for us. He wants to protect individuals and families from the hurt that adultery is sure to bring. God knows that breaking this commandment will rob people of peace, love and affection while giving them misery and sorrow.

Consider this
We are surrounded by sexually impure thoughts and behavior-movies, television programs and even advertisements. Unless we stay focused on God and the pureness and beauty of the marriage relationship, straying from fidelity can be so easy. Getting emotionally involved with someone or indulging in a little fantasizing now and then might seem innocent enough at first, but adultery is usually committed in stages like these before the actual act occurs.

Be on guard. Don't allow yourself to get into compromising situations. And above all, focus on God and trust him to help you be all that he wants you to be.

Prayer
Father, help me to be faithful to my spouse--mentally, emotionally and physically. In Jesus' name 

These thoughts were drawn from
The Ten Commandments by Dr. Jimmy Ray Lee helps us understand God's boundaries. It shows how the Ten Commandments apply today. It also discusses the biblical laws on which the legal codes of every civilized society are based. This guide is written in a way that helps people see the Ten Commandments in light of today's problems. Note: This curriculum was written especially for small groups and we encourage people to use it that way. However, it can also be used effectively as a personal study for individuals or 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.

Will To Be Faithful
  . . . choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve . . . -Joshua 24:15
A person's will is embodied in the actions of the whole person. I cannot give up my will- I must exercise it, putting it into action. I must will to obey, and I must will to receive God's Spirit. When God gives me a vision of truth, there is never a question of what He will do, but only of what I will do. The Lord has been placing in front of each of us some big proposals and plans. The best thing to do is to remember what you did before when you were touched by God. Recall the moment when you were saved, or first recognized Jesus, or realized some truth. It was easy then to yield your allegiance to God. Immediately recall those moments each time the Spirit of God brings some new proposal before you.

". . . choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve. . . ." Your choice must be a deliberate determination- it is not something into which you will automatically drift. And everything else in your life will be held in temporary suspension until you make a decision. The proposal is between you and God- do not "confer with flesh and blood" about it ( Galatians 1:16  ). With every new proposal, the people around us seem to become more and more isolated, and that is where the tension develops. God allows the opinion of His other saints to matter to you, and yet you become less and less certain that others really understand the step you are taking. You have no business trying to find out where God is leading- the only thing God will explain to you is Himself.

Openly declare to Him, "I will be faithful." But remember that as soon as you choose to be faithful to Jesus Christ, "You are witnesses against yourselves . . ." ( Joshua 24:22 ). Don't consult with other Christians, but simply and freely declare before Him, "I will serve You." Will to be faithful- and give other people credit for being faithful too.
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God bless 

[Judy Harder]

Daily Devotionals July 9, 2008

A Church That Cares

READ: Philippians 2:1-11

Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. -Philippians 2:4
While traveling together, my wife and I started talking with a delightful young woman we met. The time passed quickly as we chatted about lighthearted topics.

But when she heard that I was a minister, the conversation took a heart-wrenching turn. She began to share with us that when her husband left her only a few months earlier, she had struggled with the pain of that abandonment.

Then she smiled and said, "I can't tell you how much my church has meant to me these past months." Her mood and countenance changed dramatically as she recounted the ways her church family had wrapped their loving arms around her in her season of heartache. It was refreshing to hear how that local assembly had surrounded her with the love of Christ.

Far too often, it seems, we limit the significance of church to what happens on Sunday. But the church is to be so much more. It is to be a safe haven, a rescue station, a training center for spiritual service. It is particularly to be an expression of the concerned heart of the Lord for hurting, broken people, such as our young friend.

We are to "love one another," John the disciple reminded us, "for love is of God" (1 John 4:7).  - Bill Crowder

It was only a brief little note,
Or a word that was prayerfully spoken,
Yet not in vain, for it soothed the pain
Of a heart that was nearly broken. -Anon.

Hope can be ignited by a spark of encouragement.

Glory in the Morning by Dr. Woodrow Kroll

Exodus 16:7
And in the morning you shall see the glory of the Lord.

Glory in the Morning

Some days make you wonder if you should have stayed in bed. You cut yourself shaving, you spill coffee on your clothes, you have a computer crash at work, you receive overdue notices in the mail, and your son breaks his arm on the jungle gym at school. It's enough to make you want to crawl under the covers and hide.

The Israelites also were experiencing difficulties. They were hot, tired, hungry and upset. They even wondered if they should have stayed in Egypt. This trip was more difficult than they thought it was going to be.

In the midst of these trials, God did two things: He gave them manna for their physical bodies, but He also promised to reveal His glory to them "in the morning" for their spiritual well-being. God knew that the trials of the day needed a spiritual response as well as physical relief. And He chose to meet that spiritual need while the day was yet young.

When the day is hectic, the frustrations plentiful and the disappointments thick, it's time to turn to God. Yet how different the day might have gone had we turned to the Lord before we ever got started. Whether the events of the day change or not, when we have first spent time fellowshipping with God, we are better prepared to face them.

Perhaps you aren't a morning person, many people aren't. Yet getting up even 10 minutes earlier and spending those moments reading your Bible and praying will yield greater dividends than you might imagine. When you meet with God first in the morning, it's much easier to keep Him first all day.

How you begin your day will frequently determine how you end it.

Living Free Every Day®
Today's Scripture
"You shall not steal." Exodus 20:15 NIV

Thoughts for Today
God places a high value on private property. The eighth commandment focuses on the right of ownership.

While most of us would never go out and rob a bank, there are other forms of stealing: tax evasion, failure to pay debts, fraud, abusing copyright laws, charging excessive interest, being less than honest on an insurance claim-any act of taking something that does not belong to us. We might try to justify these acts with thoughts like That insurance company has plenty of money-and they overcharge me on my premiums or These taxes are unfair-I shouldn't have to pay them. But God says, "You shall not steal.

Consider this
Actually, everything belongs to God. We are stewards of what he has entrusted to us. To abuse people's right of ownership, whether they are rich or poor, is wrong. The rich should not rob their employees and the poor should not expect to be shown favoritism. The Christian example should be that of a giver, not a taker.

If you have been drawn into the all-too-common attitudes of selfishness and compromise that invade our world today, it's time to turn your back on those attitudes and focus on doing things God's way.

Prayer
Father, help me not to rationalize my way to dishonest behavior. In all things, help me to be a giver, not a taker. In Jesus' name 

These thoughts were drawn from The Ten Commandments by Dr. Jimmy Ray Lee helps us understand God's boundaries. It shows how the Ten Commandments apply today. It also discusses the biblical laws on which the legal codes of every civilized society are based. This guide is written in a way that helps people see the Ten Commandments in light of today's problems. Note: This curriculum was written especially for small groups and we encourage people to use it that way. However, it can also be used effectively as a personal study for individuals or 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.
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Will You Examine Yourself?
READ: Joshua said to the people, 'You cannot serve the Lord . . .' -Joshua 24:19
Do you have even the slightest reliance on anything or anyone other than God? Is there a remnant of reliance left on any natural quality within you, or on any particular set of circumstances? Are you relying on yourself in any manner whatsoever regarding this new proposal or plan which God has placed before you? Will you examine yourself by asking these probing questions? It really is true to say, "I cannot live a holy life," but you can decide to let Jesus Christ make you holy. "You cannot serve the Lord . . ."- but you can place yourself in the proper position where God's almighty power will flow through you. Is your relationship with God sufficient for you to expect Him to exhibit His wonderful life in you?

"The people said to Joshua, 'No, but we will serve the Lord!" ( Joshua 24:21 ). This is not an impulsive action, but a deliberate commitment. We tend to say, "But God could never have called me to this. I'm too unworthy. It can't mean me." It does mean you, and the more weak and feeble you are, the better. The person who is still relying and trusting in anything within himself is the last person to even come close to saying, "I will serve the Lord."

We say, "Oh, if only I really could believe!" The question is, "Will I believe?" No wonder Jesus Christ placed such emphasis on the sin of unbelief. "He did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief" ( Matthew 13:58 ). If we really believed that God meant what He said, just imagine what we would be like! Do I really dare to let God be to me all that He says He will be?

God bless