Devotional for the day

[Judy Harder]

Daily Devotionals July 10, 2008

Don't Let It Grow

READ: Hebrews 12:14-25

Looking carefully . . . lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled. -Hebrews 12:15
In June 1966, Rubin "Hurricane" Carter, a celebrated boxer, along with an acquaintance were convicted of murder in a highly publicized and racially charged trial. The boxer maintained his innocence and became his own jailhouse lawyer. After serving 19 years, Carter was released when the verdict was overturned. As a free man, he reflected: "Wouldn't anyone under those circumstances have a right to be bitter? . . . I've learned that bitterness only consumes the vessel that contains it. And for me to permit bitterness to control or infect my life in any way whatsoever would be to allow those who imprisoned me to take even more than . . . they've already taken."

I believe that bitterness is what the writer of Hebrews had in mind when he penned his warnings. In today's text, some of the Christians may have been considering returning to Judaism because of persecution and injustice. Like a small root that grows into a great tree, bitterness could spring up in their hearts and overshadow their deepest Christian relationships (12:15).

When we hold on to disappointment, a poisonous root of bitterness begins to grow. Let's allow the Spirit to fill us so He can heal the hurt that causes bitterness.  - Marvin Williams

When angry feelings go unchecked,
They'll mushroom into hate;
So don't let time feed bitterness-
Forgiveness must not wait. -Sper

Bitterness is a root that ruins the garden of peace.

I Hate to Complain by Dr. Woodrow Kroll

Exodus 16:8
Also Moses said, "This shall be seen when the Lord gives you meat to eat in the evening, and in the morning bread to the full; for the Lord hears your murmurings which you make against Him. And what are we? Your murmurings are not against us but against the Lord."

I Hate to Complain

Certain expressions in the English language raise doubts in our minds, such as: "Your check is in the mail," from a debtor; "This shouldn't cost much," from your mechanic; or "This won't hurt," from your dentist. Another such expression we often hear is, "I hate to complain." How often have you heard someone say, "I hate to complain, but . . ." and then launch into a lengthy tale of how, in some fashion, you've fallen short of his expectations?

Moses and Aaron heard it a lot. At least on three occasions (at Marah, Ex. 15:24; in the Wilderness of Sin, Ex. 16:2; and at Rephidim, Ex. 17:3), the people complained about the hardships encountered on their journey. In fact, at Rephidim, Moses told God, "The people are ready to stone me!" (17:4).

The truth is, most of us don't mind complaining at all. Yet we need to remember that when we complain, ultimately the person we're finding fault with is God. He is sovereign, so everything that comes into our lives must first meet His approval. When we complain, we are telling God, "You've made a mistake. You shouldn't have allowed this to happen to me." But God is too wise to make a mistake and too loving to permit unnecessary heartache.

When you are next tempted to complain, remember that you have a sovereign God who loves you. All that you experience is to shape and mold you into the best person you can be. Instead of complaining, be happy that God cares enough about you even to allow you hardship under His watchful eye.

Ultimately, all our complaints are directed against God.

Living Free Every Day®
Today's Scripture
"You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor." Exodus 20:16 NIV

Thoughts for Today
The ninth commandment tells us that we are not to speak dishonestly about our neighbor. Who is our neighbor? Anyone in the human race!

This commandment is broken not only when we tell an outright lie, but also when we use deception of any kind. We have probably all been guilty of participating in gossip, either by carrying tales ourselves or by listening to others gossip and remaining silent, failing to stand up for the accused.

Consider this
Gossip is often couched in seemingly caring language: Please understand-I don't mean to put this person down, but did you know or Isn't it sad that Joe is abusing his wife or I wouldn't tell you this, but you need to know how to pray.

If for some reason we do need to share something negative about another person, we first need to be certain that we have our facts straight. Then we need to examine our motives for wanting to tell someone about it and to tell only those who really do need to know.

The Bible says "the tongue has the power of life and death." (Proverbs 18:21) Are you using yours for life? Strive always to speak the truth in love.

Prayer Lord, forgive me for the times I have participated in gossip the times my careless words have hurt someone. Help me always to speak the truth in love. 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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The Spiritually Lazy Saint

READ:
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
We are all capable of being spiritually lazy saints. We want to stay off the rough roads of life, and our primary objective is to secure a peaceful retreat from the world. The ideas put forth in these verses from Hebrews 10 are those of stirring up one another and of keeping ourselves together. Both of these require initiative- our willingness to take the first step toward Christ-realization, not the initiative toward self-realization. To live a distant, withdrawn, and secluded life is diametrically opposed to spirituality as Jesus Christ taught it.

The true test of our spirituality occurs when we come up against injustice, degradation, ingratitude, and turmoil, all of which have the tendency to make us spiritually lazy. While being tested, we want to use prayer and Bible reading for the purpose of finding a quiet retreat. We use God only for the sake of getting peace and joy. We seek only our enjoyment of Jesus Christ, not a true realization of Him. This is the first step in the wrong direction. All these things we are seeking are simply effects, and yet we try to make them causes.

"Yes, I think it is right," Peter said, ". . . to stir you up by reminding you . . ." (2 Peter 1:13 ). It is a most disturbing thing to be hit squarely in the stomach by someone being used of God to stir us up- someone who is full of spiritual activity. Simple active work and spiritual activity are not the same thing. Active work can actually be the counterfeit of spiritual activity. The real danger in spiritual laziness is that we do not want to be stirred up- all we want to hear about is a spiritual retirement from the world. Yet Jesus Christ never encourages the idea of retirement- He says, "Go and tell My brethren . . ." (Matthew 28:10 ).

God bless

[Judy Harder]

Daily Devotionals July 11, 2008

Savor The Flavor

READ: Galatians 3:26-29

There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. -Galatians 3:28
America has often been called "a melting pot." But obviously that is not the case. Politicians tend to fuel sensitivity to class and color divisions for their own gain. Gender tensions abound. Generational differences are more marked than ever. In fact, cultural observers are starting to say that the "melting pot" metaphor is outdated-that the goal should be a cultural "stew" in which the distinct taste of each ingredient is enhanced by the contribution of the other ingredients.

In a world where pride and prejudice abound, Jesus offers us the joy of unity across all the lines that so easily divide us. In His church, the unique flavors of our diverse backgrounds can complement each other, united "through faith in Christ Jesus" (Gal. 3:26) and empowered by His Spirit and our submission to His principles. In Him our diversity doesn't divide but rather unites and enriches us as we recognize that we all have Jesus, His Word, and His ways in common. As we embrace Him together, our differences become secondary and our mutual love for Him drives us to love each other as He has loved us.

Jesus is the master mixer! In His kingdom, pride and prejudice are out, and love and mutual acceptance are the order of the day.  - Joe Stowell

Within the church of Jesus Christ
The joys of unity abound
When love accepts diversity
And prejudice cannot be found. -Sper

Christ's love creates unity in the midst of diversity.

Rest by Dr. Woodrow Kroll

Exodus 16:23
Then he said to them, "This is what the Lord has said: Tomorrow is a Sabbath rest, a holy Sabbath to the Lord. Bake what you will bake today, and boil what you will boil; and lay up for yourselves all that remains, to be kept until morning."

Rest

In 24 hours the average adult accomplishes much: his heart beats 103,689 times, his blood travels 168 million miles, he breathes 23,040 times, he inhales 438 cubic feet of air, he eats 3 1/2 pounds of food and drinks 2.9 quarts of liquid, he speaks 4,800 words, he moves 750 muscles, his nails grow .000046 inch, and he exercises 7 million brain cells. It's no wonder we need rest!

When God established the laws governing the lives of the Israelite people, He built into their schedule a time for rest. Physically it enabled their bodies to recuperate. Spiritually it reminded them that their salvation was not complete. They needed a spiritual "rest" that would come only when the Messiah would take away their sins. The writer of Hebrews makes it clear that even though the Jewish people practiced Sabbath-keeping, the real "rest" was a future event. He declared, "For if Joshua had given them rest, then He would not afterward have spoken of another day. There remains therefore a rest for the people of God" (Heb. 4:8-9).

In the New Testament the command to "remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy" is the only one of the Ten Commandments not repeated, and for good reason. The spiritual rest that the Old Testament saints looked forward to and which the Sabbath represented is now a reality. Jesus said, "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest" (Matt. 11:28).

Taking a day to rest is still an important part of maintaining a healthy body. But it's a physical necessity, not a spiritual law. Now we can rejoice in the true rest that comes in Christ.

Rest is a matter of wisdom, not law.

Living Free Every Day®
Today's Scripture
"You shall not covet your neighbor's house. You shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor." Exodus 20:17 NIV

Thoughts for Today
The tenth commandment focuses on a person's unseen evil motives and desires. Coveting can lead us to break the other nine commandments.

To covet is to wish for enviously, to long for or crave something, especially something that belongs to another person. This includes spouse, real estate, car, position, success, prosperity and so forth. A covetous person always wants more.

It is not wrong to desire things that will better our lives, but these desires can become a trap when they replace our focus on God.

Consider this
We live in an age of instant gratification. Advertising touts stuff and more stuff. Everything from cars to designer clothes to the latest electronic gadgets. But all the stuff in the world cannot bring us peace or lasting joy. Only a relationship with Jesus can do that.

It is important to keep your perspective. Don't think that more money and stuff and power will produce happiness. Instead, seek above all else a personal relationship with Jesus. Seek God's plan for your life. Only then will you find true contentment.

Prayer
Father, help me to keep my perspective and not to covet anything or anyone. Forgive me for the times I have focused so much on my desire to advance my career or to obtain some thing or just to have my own way so much that it distracted me from focusing 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.
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The Spiritually Vigorous Saint
READ: . . . that I may know Him . . . -Philippians 3:10
A saint is not to take the initiative toward self-realization, but toward knowing Jesus Christ. A spiritually vigorous saint never believes that his circumstances simply happen at random, nor does he ever think of his life as being divided into the secular and the sacred. He sees every situation in which he finds himself as the means of obtaining a greater knowledge of Jesus Christ, and he has an attitude of unrestrained abandon and total surrender about him. The Holy Spirit is determined that we will have the realization of Jesus Christ in every area of our lives, and He will bring us back to the same point over and over again until we do. Self-realization only leads to the glorification of good works, whereas a saint of God glorifies Jesus Christ through his good works. Whatever we may be doing- even eating, drinking, or washing disciples' feet- we have to take the initiative of realizing and recognizing Jesus Christ in it. Every phase of our life has its counterpart in the life of Jesus. Our Lord realized His relationship to the Father even in the most menial task. "Jesus, knowing . . . that He had come from God and was going to God, . . . took a towel . . . and began to wash the disciples' feet . . ." ( John 13:3-5 ).

The aim of a spiritually vigorous saint is "that I may know Him . . ." Do I know Him where I am today? If not, I am failing Him. I am not here for self-realization, but to know Jesus Christ. In Christian work our initiative and motivation are too often simply the result of realizing that there is work to be done and that we must do it. Yet that is never the attitude of a spiritually vigorous saint. His aim is to achieve the realization of Jesus Christ in every set of circumstances.

God bless 

[Judy Harder]

Daily Devotionals July 12, 2008

Marriage Before Love

READ: Genesis 24:61-67

Live joyfully with the wife whom you love all the days of your vain life which He has given you under the sun. -Ecclesiastes 9:9
A man went to his pastor for counseling. In his hands were pages of complaints against his wife. After hours of uninterrupted listening, the pastor couldn't help but ask, "If she is that bad, why did you marry her?" Immediately the man shot back, "She wasn't like this at first!" The pastor, unable to hold back his thoughts, asked, "So, are you saying that she is like this because she's been married to you?"

Whether or not this story is true, it does suggest an important lesson to be learned. At times, feelings toward a spouse may grow cold. But love is much more than feelings-it's a lifelong commitment.

Although most people choose to marry only because of love, in some cultures people still get married through matchmaking. In the lives of Isaac and Rebekah recorded in the book of Genesis, love came after marriage. It says in chapter 24 that Isaac married Rebekah and then he loved her (v.67).

Biblical love is about our willingness to do what is good for another. Husbands are instructed to "love their own wives as their own bodies" (Eph. 5:28).

So, walking in obedience to the Lord, let's keep our marriage vows to love "till death do us part."  - Albert Lee

"For better or for worse," we pledge,
"Through sickness and through strife";
And by the help and grace of God
We'll keep these vows for life. -D. De Haan

Love is more than a feeling, it's a commitment.

Give 'Em A Brake by Dr. Woodrow Kroll

Exodus 17:1-3
Then all the congregation of the children of Israel set out on their journey from the Wilderness of Sin, according to the commandment of the Lord, and camped in Rephidim; but there was no water for the people to drink. Therefore the people contended with Moses, and said, "Give us water, that we may drink." And Moses said to them, "Why do you contend with me? Why do you tempt the Lord?" And the people thirsted there for water, and the people murmured against Moses, and said, "Why is it you have brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our livestock with thirst?"

Give 'Em a Brake

Where highway construction is taking place, a sign frequently will be posted that reads, "Give 'Em a Brake." This has a double message: one is to slow down, and the other is to spare the workers from injuries caused by carelessness. Highway workers do their job under hazardous conditions and we need to give them a "brake."

The same sign could have been posted outside the tents of Aaron and Moses. Time after time the people of Israel rushed into judgment against their leaders until finally, here at Rephidim, they were ready to stone Moses to death (v. 4). Only God's intervention prevented a tragedy. Without question, these people needed to give Moses a break.

This sign would fit equally well in front of the homes of many pastors and other church leaders. A study by Leadership Journal and Christianity Today, Inc., found that 22.8 percent of pastors have been fired or forced to leave their churches at least once in their career, and one in four of these has experienced this more than once. Sixty-two percent of the discharged pastors said the church that let them go was a "repeat offender" and had fired at least one previous pastor. Isn't it time we gave a break to those called of God to lead His church?

Be very careful when tempted to be critical of your pastor or other church leaders. You may find yourself not only opposing them but God as well. Slow down before passing judgment, sincerely check your motives, and make sure there is a sound, biblical reason for your complaint and not simply a personality issue. More often than not, what you need to do is "give 'em a brake."

Pastors need your grace, not your gripes.

Week of July 7

The Subtle Sin of Compromise

"The safest road to hell," wrote C.S. Lewis, "is the gradual one-the gentle slope, one that is soft underfoot, without sudden turnings, without milestones, without signposts."

Many Christians do not believe that they can or will ever drift away from God. They see their devotion as being solid. However, compromise and a lack of spiritual discipline quickly open the door to temptation and sin.

Once we accept Christ as our Savior, the enemy knows his work of eternal destruction has been thwarted. However, he is relentless in his effort to work havoc in the lives of God's people. Therefore, he goes to work in a different way. He knows that he cannot have our souls, but he remains committed to destroying our lives.

One of his greatest weapons against the body of Christ is pride. He seeks to tell us we are complete and worthy apart from the Lord. He wants us to feel good about our talents and abilities-so much so that we begin to make decisions without considering God's purpose and plan. Before we know it, we have believed a lie and departed from our first love, which is the love of Christ.

There is nothing wrong with knowing God has gifted you and that He is the One who is using your abilities. The story, however, changes when you begin to take life into your own hands without regard to the Savior's will.

Temptation by itself is not sin, but if left unchecked, it quickly leads to sin and broken fellowship with the Lord. You can say no to the subtle sin of compromise by asking the Lord to keep you close to Himself. Be committed to spending time in prayer with Him each day.

Prayer: Lord, forgive me for the times I have compromised my love for You.

Can a man scoop fire into his lap without his clothes being burned? (Proverbs 6:27).

Don't be tempted to toss in the towel and give up the race. Shore up your confidence in God today. Michael Youssef explores this topic in our free resource-"Don't Lose Your Confidence." 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.

The Spiritually Self-Seeking Church

READ:
. . . till we all come . . . to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ . . . -Ephesians 4:13
Reconciliation means the restoring of the relationship between the entire human race and God, putting it back to what God designed it to be. This is what Jesus Christ did in redemption. The church ceases to be spiritual when it becomes self-seeking, only interested in the development of its own organization. The reconciliation of the human race according to His plan means realizing Him not only in our lives individually, but also in our lives collectively. Jesus Christ sent apostles and teachers for this very purpose- that the corporate Person of Christ and His church, made up of many members, might be brought into being and made known. We are not here to develop a spiritual life of our own, or to enjoy a quiet spiritual retreat. We are here to have the full realization of Jesus Christ, for the purpose of building His body.

Am I building up the body of Christ, or am I only concerned about my own personal development? The essential thing is my personal relationship with Jesus Christ- ". . . that I may know Him. . ." ( Philippians 3:10  ). To fulfill God's perfect design for me requires my total surrender- complete abandonment of myself to Him. Whenever I only want things for myself, the relationship is distorted. And I will suffer great humiliation once I come to acknowledge and understand that I have not really been concerned about realizing Jesus Christ Himself, but only concerned with knowing what He has done for me.

My goal is God Himself, not joy nor peace, Nor even blessing, but Himself, my God.

Am I measuring my life by this standard or by something less?
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God bless

[Judy Harder]

Daily Devotionals July 13, 2008

The Time Of Anyone's Life

READ: Galatians 6:6-10

Let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. -Galatians 6:9
What am I getting out of life? That's a question often asked by those who focus only on themselves. But as believers, we need to ask: What am I putting into the lives of others?

Years ago, Dr. Wilfred Grenfell served as a medical missionary in Labrador. On a recruiting tour, he challenged nurses at Johns Hopkins Hospital to join him for a summer in his difficult ministry. He promised them hardship and discomfort. He warned that instead of earning a salary, they would have to pay their own expenses. But he also promised them they would experience joy because "it's having the time of anyone's life to be in the service of Christ."

A nurse who accepted that challenge wrote this after her return from Labrador: "I never knew before that life was good for anything but what one could get out of it. Now I know that the real fun lies in seeing how much one can put into life for others." If we change that word fun to blessing, we have the key to Christian self-fulfillment.

Take the apostle Paul's encouragement: "[Do] not grow weary while doing good . . . . Do good to all" (Gal. 6:9-10). Put yourself into the lives of others for Jesus' sake. You'll experience a fulfillment beyond compare.  - Vernon C. Grounds

Make me a channel of blessing today,
Make me a channel of blessing, I pray;
My life possessing, my service blessing,
Make me a channel of blessing today. -Smyth

We are at our best when we serve others.

Water From the Rock by Dr. Woodrow Kroll

Exodus 17:5-6
And the Lord said to Moses, "Go on before the people, and take with you some of the elders of Israel. Also take in your hand your rod with which you struck the river, and go.
Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock in Horeb; and you shall strike the rock, and water will come out of it, that the people may drink." And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel.

Water From the Rock

The importance of water can never be underestimated. Sixty percent of a lean, adult body is composed of water. A person can fast from food for 40 days or longer, but the human body can go only for about 7 days without water even under ideal circumstances.

It's no wonder, then, that the Israelites were getting desperate. The wilderness was far from ideal. It was a hot, desert-like stretch of land dotted with huge rocks but little vegetation. Without water they would quickly perish. So God instructed Moses to strike a rock, and out of this flinty hardness flowed sufficient water to meet the needs of all the people and their livestock.

The Bible writers later saw this rock as a symbol of Christ (1 Cor. 10:4). In the midst of a sin-parched life, Christ offers a well of living water that never runs dry, no matter how often we drink from it.

Have you received Christ as your Savior? If not, trust Jesus today and you will never thirst again. If you want eternal water, come to Jesus who said, "Whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life" (John 4:14).

The world offers a cistern; Christ offers a well.

Week of July 11

Serve One Another
by Max Lucado

Jesus "set aside the privileges of deity and took on the status of a slave, became human! Having become human, he stayed human. It was an incredibly humbling process. He didn't claim special privileges. Instead, he lived a selfless, obedient life and then died a selfless, obedient death-and the worst kind of death at that: a crucifixion" (Phil. 2:7-8 MSG).

Let's follow his example. Let's "put on the apron of humility, to serve one another" (1 Pet. 5:5 TEV). Jesus entered the world to serve. We can enter our jobs, our homes, our churches. Servanthood requires no unique skill or seminary degree. Regardless of your strengths, training, or church tenure, you can

Love the overlooked. Jesus sits in your classroom, wearing the thick glasses, outdated clothing, and a sad face. You've seen him. He's Jesus.

Jesus works in your office. Pregnant again, she shows up to work late and tired. No one knows the father. According to water-cooler rumors, even she doesn't know the father. You've seen her. She's Jesus.

When you talk to the lonely student, befriend the weary mom, you love Jesus. He dresses in the garb of the overlooked and ignored. "Whenever you did one of these things to someone overlooked or ignored, that was me-you did it to me" (Matt. 25:40 MSG).

You can do that. Even if your sweet spot has nothing to do with encouraging others, the cure for the common life involves loving the overlooked. You can also

Wave a white flag. We fight so much. "Where do you think all these appalling wars and quarrels come from?" asks the brother of Jesus. "Do you think they just happen? Think again. They come about because you want your own way, and fight for it deep inside yourselves" (James 4:1 MSG). Serve someone by swallowing your pride. One more aspect of servanthood

Every day do something you don't want to do. Pick up someone else's trash. Surrender your parking place. Call the long-winded relative. Carry the cooler. Doesn't have to be a big thing. Helen Keller once told the Tennessee legislature that when she was young, she had longed to do great things and could not, so she decided to do small things in a great way. Don't be too big to do something small. "Throw yourselves into the work of the Master, confident that nothing you do for him is a waste of time or effort" (1 Cor. 15:58 MSG).

A good action not only brings good fortune, it brings God's attention. He notices the actions of servants. He sent his Son to be one.

When you and I crest Mount Zion and hear the applause of saints, we'll realize this: hands pushed us up the mountain too. The pierced hands of Jesus Christ, the greatest servant who ever lived.

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
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The Price of the Vision

READ:
In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord . . . -Isaiah 6:1
Our soul's personal history with God is often an account of the death of our heroes. Over and over again God has to remove our friends to put Himself in their place, and that is when we falter, fail, and become discouraged. Let me think about this personally- when the person died who represented for me all that God was, did I give up on everything in life? Did I become ill or disheartened? Or did I do as Isaiah did and see the Lord?

My vision of God is dependent upon the condition of my character. My character determines whether or not truth can even be revealed to me. Before I can say, "I saw the Lord," there must be something in my character that conforms to the likeness of God. Until I am born again and really begin to see the kingdom of God, I only see from the perspective of my own biases. What I need is God's surgical procedure- His use of external circumstances to bring about internal purification.

Your priorities must be God first, God second, and God third, until your life is continually face to face with God and no one else is taken into account whatsoever. Your prayer will then be, "In all the world there is no one but You, dear God; there is no one but You."

Keep paying the price. Let God see that you are willing to live up to the vision

God bless

[Judy Harder]

Daily Devotionals July 14, 2008

Living Sacrifice

READ: Romans 12:1-8

Present your bodies a living sacrifice. -Romans 12:1
When my son Steve left home in the summer of 2006 to join the US Navy, he knew the gravity of his decision. He understood that once he walked onto that naval base for boot camp, he was giving up everything a teenager lives for. He was leaving behind his freedom, his guitars, his music, and his girlfriend. He surrendered the right to make his own choices and to do what he wanted to do. He said, in effect, "I am making myself a living sacrifice. I no longer do things for me; I do them for the service of my country."

The sacrifice Steve and thousands of others make when they enter the military service reminds me of what the apostle Paul taught in Romans 12:1. In that passage, he urged us "to present [our] bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service." This means we are to give up our selfish ways and surrender ourselves completely to God. We are to seek to be "holy" in all we do-to have a godly character (1 Peter 1:16), which is acceptable to God.

It wasn't easy for Steve, who cherished self-determination, to give it all up for the Navy. But he did it. And it isn't easy for us to completely surrender our will to God. How can you and I be a living sacrifice for God today?  - Dave Branon

Here is my heart, Lord Jesus,
I have but one for Thee;
Oh, let my heart be Thine alone,
Thy will be done in me. -Mick

A life given fully to God is at the heart of true sacrifice.

Unanswered Prayer by Dr. Woodrow Kroll

I will go and return to My place, till they acknowledge their offence, and seek My face: in their affliction they will seek Me early.

Hosea was a resident of the northern kingdom. Throughout his prophecy it is evident that Hosea had a tender feeling of compassion for the people of his land.

Alternately he warned the people and then pled with them to return to God in repentance. He knew, regardless of how wicked they had been, if they repented of their sins and forsook their wicked ways, God would receive them back in His love.

In Hosea 5:2 the prophet described the Israelites as "the revolters" and himself as "a rebuker." He saw it as his task to point out Israel's sin and call them to repentance. But there was a problem. Of the Jews he said, "They shall go with their flocks and with their herds to seek the LORD; but they shall not find Him; He hath withdrawn Himself from them." God does not answer our prayers if we have unconfessed personal sin in our lives. Again and again the Bible affirms this truth (see John 9:31; Psalm 66:18; Isaiah 59:1-2).

We should not assume that God will always hear and answer our prayers. There are many things that can militate against God's answer. The greatest hindrance to answered prayer is personal, unconfessed sin. The Apostle Peter, after listing a variety of attitudes that a righteous person will have, makes this observation: "For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous and His ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil" (1 Peter 3:12). Many other things in life block the divine answer to prayer: idolatry (Jeremiah 11:11-14), irreverence for the Bible (Proverbs 28:7-9), family problems (1 Peter 3:1-7), improper motives (James 4:3), prayer without faith (James 1:5-6); but the most certain way to make God unavailable to us when we seek Him is for us to harbor iniquity in our hearts.

If the conditions were met, God would not withdraw Himself from Israel, He would listen to their prayers, and He would answer them. Therefore, Jehovah promised, "I will go and return to My place, till they acknowledge their offense and seek My face; in their affliction they will seek Me early" (Hosea 5:15). The absence of God's influence in their lives would be affliction enough for the Israelites. God was about to get their attention and He would do so by means of the calamities which Hosea prophesied. But once He got their attention and their repentance for sin was made, they would again arise early in the morning to seek the face of God.

If God appears to have withdrawn Himself from you, perhaps you ought to ask yourself these questions: "Have I treated God well enough for Him to answer my prayers?" (idolatry); "Have I heeded God's Word well enough for Him to answer my prayers?" (irreverence for the Bible); "Have I treated my family well enough for God to answer my prayers?" (family problems); "Have I examined my motives well enough for God to answer my prayers?" (improper motives); "Have I trusted God well enough for Him to answer my prayers?" (prayer without faith); "Have I confessed personal sin well enough for God to answer my prayers?" (iniquity). When we can answer each of these questions in the affirmative, there is no reason for God to withdraw Himself from us when we seek Him. He has promised always to be near. Having confessed our sin, let us claim that promise today.

MORNING HYMN
Power in prayer, Lord, power in prayer,
Here 'mid earth's sin and sorrow and care;
Men lost and dying, souls in despair,
O give me power, power in prayer!

Living Free Every Day®
Today's Scripture
For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength. Philippians 4:13 NLT

Thoughts for Today
The Bible is filled with scriptures that help us understand the reality of death and guide us toward comfort and healing when we suffer the loss of a loved one.

God promises us that nothing can separate us from his love (Romans 8:38-39). No matter what trauma we suffer or how painful the loss, God's love is still with us. And his love is a love of strength, comfort, healing and hope.

We know that life is not always easy, but with him it is always possible. Possible to sense his love and take comfort in it. Possible to receive his strength. Possible to experience healing from the hurt. Possible to have hope for tomorrow. Possible to move on.

Consider this
If you have lost a loved one, be encouraged to look up. God invites you to enter his presence and call on him in every time of need. Trust him to help you through this time. Trust him to love you no matter what. Trust him to help you enjoy memories of the past, give you strength for the challenges of the present and fill you with hope for the future.

Take time to read his words of comfort and strength in the Bible. God loves you. He cares. And he is able.

Prayer
Father, thank you for your love, your comfort and your strength. This time of loss and pain is so difficult for me, but I know that with you, it is possible. In Jesus' name 

These thoughts adapted from
Handling Loss and Grief by Raymond T. Brock, Ed.D. As a person goes through this group they will be able to identify what the Bible has to say about handling the losses of life. To grieve is human; how to grieve Christianly is supernatural. It requires us to invite the Holy Spirit to guide us through the grieving process. This group study provides guidance in the use of Scripture to help the grieving. It offers biblical coping methods for facing loss and comfort to those who have faced the loss of a loved one, as well as help for anyone ministering to those experiencing other types of losses in life: divorce, loss of job, etc. 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

Suffering Afflictions and Going the Second Mile
READ:
I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also -Matthew 5:39
This verse reveals the humiliation of being a Christian. In the natural realm, if a person does not hit back, it is because he is a coward. But in the spiritual realm, it is the very evidence of the Son of God in him if he does not hit back. When you are insulted, you must not only not resent it, but you must make it an opportunity to exhibit the Son of God in your life. And you cannot imitate the nature of Jesus- it is either in you or it is not. A personal insult becomes an opportunity for a saint to reveal the incredible sweetness of the Lord Jesus.

The teaching of the Sermon on the Mount is not, "Do your duty," but is, in effect, "Do what is not your duty." It is not your duty to go the second mile, or to turn the other cheek, but Jesus said that if we are His disciples, we will always do these things. We will not say, "Oh well, I just can't do any more, and I've been so misrepresented and misunderstood." Every time I insist on having my own rights, I hurt the Son of God, while in fact I can prevent Jesus from being hurt if I will take the blow myself. That is the real meaning of filling "up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ . . ." ( Colossians 1:24 ). A disciple realizes that it is his Lord's honor that is at stake in his life, not his own honor.

Never look for righteousness in the other person, but never cease to be righteous yourself. We are always looking for justice, yet the essence of the teaching of the Sermon on the Mount is- Never look for justice, but never cease to give it.

God bless

[frawin]

Judy, what a way to start the day with your Daily Devotionals, thanks for your work and dedication for doing this daily. Your message today is especially important to me as yesterday I attended my Mother's Family annual Cox reunion in Rose Hill Kansas. My Uncle announced that his son, Stan had rejoined the Army Reserve and had volunteered to go to Afghanistan, he is in training now. My cousin Stan Cox was Sheriff of Butler County, resigned as Sheriff and put in to go with his Reserve Unit to Iraq, Stan did his tour of duty in Iraq, returned home and now he has signed up at age 55 to go back in the reserve so he can be with his unit in Aghanistan. He said he wanted to be with his unit.
Frank

[Judy Harder]

Daily Devotionals July 15, 2008

Silent Helper

READ: Isaiah 25:1-9

I will praise Your name, for You have done wonderful things. -Isaiah 25:1
The discovery of penicillin revolutionized health care. Prior to the 1940s, bacterial infections were often fatal. Since then, penicillin has saved countless lives by killing harmful bacteria. The men who recognized its potential and developed it for widespread use won a Nobel Prize in 1945.

Long before the discovery of penicillin, other silent killers were at work saving lives by destroying bacteria. These silent killers are white blood cells. These hard workers are God's way of protecting us from disease. No one knows how many invasions they have stopped or how many lives they have saved. They receive little recognition for all the good they do.

The Lord gets similar treatment. He often gets blamed when something goes wrong, but He seldom gets credit for all the things that go right. Every day people get up, get dressed, drive to work or school or the grocery store, and return safely to their families. No one knows how many times God has protected us from harm. But when there is a tragedy, we ask, "Where was God?"

When I consider all the wonderful things that God does silently on my behalf each day (Isa. 25:1), I realize that my list of praises should be much longer than my list of petitions.  - Julie Ackerman Link

God's goodness undergirds our lives
In many silent ways;
His blessings are beyond compare-
For them we give Him praise. -D. De Haan

God keeps giving us reasons to praise Him.

God's Timetable by Dr. Woodrow Kroll

And they rose up early in the morning, and gat them up into the top of the mountain, saying, Lo, we be here, and will go up unto the place which the LORD hath promised: for we have sinned.

If the child of God is to obey the will of God, he must keep his eye on the timetable of God. Israel had been miraculously delivered from Egyptian bondage by the evident power of God. Two months later the Israelites camped at the foot of Mount Sinai where Moses received the law of God. Here they remained nearly a year until God commanded them to move on to Kadesh-Barnea. Everything was right on God's schedule.

God had led His people each step of the way. But before He would lead them into the promised land, this luscious countryside had to be explored. For this task the twelve heads of their respective tribes were chosen. Their names are given at length but only two of them are memorable: Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh.

The twelve spies spent forty days on their intelligence gathering foray. Sure enough, the land was all that the Lord had promised. It was truly a land that "floweth with milk and honey." In fact, the grapes which they brought back were so robust that a cluster of them had to be borne on a staff supported on the shoulders of two men.

But the news was not all good. Ten of the returning spies reported that the people dwelt in very great, walled cities: the Amalekites in the south; the Hittites, Jebusites, and Amorites in the mountains; and the Canaanites by the sea. But more than this, the giant sons of Anak dwelt there, before whom the spies felt as grasshoppers. In spite of the encouragement by Joshua and Caleb in the minority report, the people broke into open rebellion. God was leading them into the land, but they were afraid and would not follow His leading.

The disobedience of Israel evoked the wrath of God. All Israelites twenty years of age and older were banned from ever dwelling in the land they had refused to enter. Instead, God declared they would wander in the wilderness for forty years, one year for each day the spies were in the land, and would die during that wandering. Only Joshua and Caleb were permitted to settle in the promised land, for they alone were ready to move on God's command and according to His timetable.

When the people learned of God's sentence on their disobedience, they were not at all penitent. Instead, they resolved to atone for their sin by belatedly storming the promised land. But delayed obedience is the brother of disobedience. "And they rose up early in the morning" in preparation for their ill-fated campaign (Numbers 14:40). In spite of Moses' warning, the people marched against the Amalekites and Canaanites. What they would not do with God's help, they now attempted to do without it. First they refused to enter the land because of their unbelief in the power of God. Then they attempted to enter that same land because of their unbelief in the severity of God's judgment. In their own strength and outside of God's timing, they were sure to fail. They did. The enemy defeated the Israelites with a great slaughter and drove them back as far as Hormah.

Each of us who knows God must learn from Israel's tragedy so that it is not similarly repeated in our lives. We dare not question divine leading. If that leading is to dwell at the foot of Sinai, as the Israelites did, we must learn to be content where we are. But regardless of adverse circumstances, if God tells us that it is time to act, we have no reasonable choice but to act. Whether remaining indefinitely or moving out immediately, we must learn to follow the accurate timetable of God. This can be done successfully only when we are sensitive to that still small voice of His Holy Spirit and are willing to obey it.

MORNING HYMN

It may not be on the mountain's height,
Or over the stormy sea;
It may not be at the battle's front
My Lord will have need of me;
But if by a still, small voice He calls
To paths I do not know,
I'll answer, dear Lord, with my hand in Thine
I'll go where you want me to go.

Living Free Every Day®
Today's Scripture
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 8:38-39 NLT

Thoughts for Today
Grieving over the death of a loved one involves a process. This process will vary for individuals and may last several months or even years. Although working through the process is different for everyone, some things never change.

Jesus always understands. He experienced grief in the death of his friend Lazarus and in facing his own death and separation from his Father.

God's mercy is always available. Join the psalmist in this prayer: "Take care of me, for your mercy is so plentiful" (Psalm 69:16 NLT). God abounds in mercy and lovingkindness (Psalm 86:15).

God always loves you. Today's Scripture assures us that nothing can separate us from his love-not death, not life, not worries about today and not fears about tomorrow. In times of stress and sorrow and change, God's love is a constant comfort. "I will be glad and rejoice in your unfailing love, for you have seen my troubles, and you care about the anguish of my soul" (Psalm 31:7 NLT).

Consider this
There is always hope. No matter how bleak things seem, if you place your trust in Jesus, he will guide you and fill you with hope for the future. Jesus Christ-the same yesterday, today and forever (Hebrews 13:.

Prayer
Father, I thank you so much that even as everything else around me seems to be changing, I can always count on you. I know that you never change. You will always love me, always show me mercy and always give me hope.

These thoughts adapted from
Handling Loss and Grief by Raymond T. Brock, Ed.D. As a person goes through this group, they will be able to identify what the Bible has to say about handling the losses of life. To grieve is human; how to grieve Christianly is supernatural. It requires us to invite the Holy Spirit to guide us through the grieving process. This group study provides guidance in the use of Scripture to help the grieving. It offers biblical coping methods for facing loss and comfort to those who have faced the loss of a loved one, as well as help for anyone ministering to those experiencing other types of losses in life: divorce, loss of job, etc. 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.

My Life's Spiritual Honor and Duty

READ:
I am a debtor both to Greeks and to barbarians . . . -Romans 1:14
Paul was overwhelmed with the sense of his indebtedness to Jesus Christ, and he spent his life to express it. The greatest inspiration in Paul's life was his view of Jesus Christ as his spiritual creditor. Do I feel that same sense of indebtedness to Christ regarding every unsaved soul? As a saint, my life's spiritual honor and duty is to fulfill my debt to Christ in relation to these lost souls. Every tiny bit of my life that has value I owe to the redemption of Jesus Christ. Am I doing anything to enable Him to bring His redemption into evident reality in the lives of others? I will only be able to do this as the Spirit of God works into me this sense of indebtedness.

I am not a superior person among other people- I am a bondservant of the Lord Jesus. Paul said, ". . . you are not your own . . . you were bought at a price . . ." ( 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 ). Paul sold himself to Jesus Christ and he said, in effect, "I am a debtor to everyone on the face of the earth because of the gospel of Jesus; I am free only that I may be an absolute bondservant of His." That is the characteristic of a Christian's life once this level of spiritual honor and duty becomes real. Quit praying about yourself and spend your life for the sake of others as the bondservant of Jesus. That is the true meaning of being broken bread and poured-out wine in real life.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
God bless

[Judy Harder]

Daily Devotionals July 16, 2008

The Bible Guy

READ: 1 Corinthians 12:4-11

Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them. -Romans 12:6
When the youth group in Rich's church needed Bibles for study, he went on a search for more than 70 copies. He got what they needed, but he never stopped collecting and distributing Bibles.

People and businesses donate money; others give him new and used Bibles to share. The motto on the side of the van he uses for this ministry explains his simple desire: "Need a Bible? Ask me for one." Rich is an ordinary guy, a heating and plumbing technician, who carries on this ministry in his spare time. His nickname around his church is "the Bible guy."

Do you ever wish you could have a special ministry like Rich's? The Lord has given each of us at least one spiritual gift to use for His kingdom purposes. The apostle Paul lists several in 1 Corinthians 12 and Romans 12, and some are mentioned in 1 Peter 4:9-11.

If you don't know what gifts you have, volunteer for a ministry in your church that interests you, or meet a need you learn about. Then ask yourself if you saw God work through you and if you had joy as you served. Ask fellow believers if they think you're gifted in that area. And ask the Lord to help you determine where you fit in His plans.

The Lord wants to use you too.  - Anne Cetas

Help us, Lord, to work together
With the gifts that You bestow;
Give us unity of purpose
As we serve You here below. -Sper

Christians who bury their gifts make a grave mistake.

Fruit and Faith by Dr. Woodrow Kroll

And in the morning as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots.

There is an old legend about a great teacher who was walking through an orchard on a windy day. The teacher came to a fence which divided the grove from an adjoining forest and he imagined that he could hear the trees talking to each other. The maple trees taunted a group of nearby fruit trees, "Why don't your leaves rustle in the breeze like ours so that you could be heard from a distance?"

"We don't need such useless fluttering to draw attention to our presence," was the reply. "Our fruit speaks for us!"

The story of Jesus cursing the fig tree is a story of fruit and faith. As our Lord approached the cross during the Passion Week, many outstanding events took place. On Palm Sunday He triumphantly entered the city of Jerusalem, but he retired to the house of His friends in Bethany that evening. On the morrow He made His way back to the city of Jerusalem early in the morning. He was eager to be about His father's business and did not want to disappoint the people who would come early to hear Him teach in the Temple. Because He had risen early and left Bethany before the breakfast hour, Jesus and His disciples were hungry. On the way He spied a fig tree in full bloom.

The fig tree is unique in that the fruit appears on the tree before it comes to full bloom. Figs generally appear in February, followed by leaves later in the spring. Thus when Jesus saw the tree in full bloom, He had every right to expect that there would be figs which He and the disciples could use for temporary sustenance. When He arrived at the tree, however, even though the tree was in full bloom, it was barren of fruit. Jesus cursed the tree saying, "No man eat fruit of thee hereafter for ever" (Mark 11:14).

When Jesus and the disciples returned in the morning to the site of the fig tree, they saw that the tree had dried up from its roots (Mark 11:20). The disciples were astonished at how rapidly the cursed tree had begun to disintegrate. When Peter called this phenomenon to the Master's attention, Jesus said, "Have faith in God." The cursing of the fruitless fig tree was done deliberately to teach the lesson-"Have faith in God." Jesus continued to illustrate this when He said, "For verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass he shall have whatsoever he saith" (Mark 11:23).

Some years ago a group of botanists went on an expedition to a remote part of the Alps. They were searching for new varieties of flowers. One day they saw a beautiful rare species growing at the extreme bottom of a deep ravine. It was almost impossible to get at. Someone would have to be lowered into the gorge to retrieve the rare flower. The botanist noticed a local Swiss boy standing nearby and asked him if he would get the flower. A rope would be tied around his waist and the men would lower him to the floor of the canyon. The young boy peered thoughtfully into the chasm. "Wait," he said, "I'll be right back." The lad dashed off. When he returned he was accompanied by an older man. The boy said to the scientists, "I'll go over the cliff now and get the flower for you but this man must hold the rope. He's my dad."

Fruit and faith go hand in hand. The incident of Jesus' cursing of the fig tree illustrates this beautifully. If we are to bear fruit, we must have faith in the one who holds our hand. Whatever the task given to us, we will be only as successful in completing it as our faith in the Father will permit.

MORNING HYMN

I would be true, for there are those who trust me
I would be pure, for there are those who care.
I would be strong for there is much to suffer;
I would be brave, for there is much to dare.

Living Free Every Day®
Today's Scripture
Who are those who fear the Lord? He will show them the path they should choose. Psalm 25:12 NLT

Thoughts for Today
Divorce is the ultimate relationship loss. When marriage problems end in separation and divorce, the loss is experienced by the entire family. Divorce can leave the family in suspended animation as custody and child support battles sometimes rage long after the initial disruption.

Recovering from divorce involves working through a grieving process, much like when a spouse has died. It also involves making choices. You might not have had a choice in getting a divorce, but you do have choices in your response. Will you hold on to bitterness and anger or will you forgive? Will you give up and give into despair . or will you trust Jesus to help you rebuild your life? Will you walk in fear or will you place your faith in God to guide you and help you?

Consider this
Divorce can bring one of the most intense pains possible into a person's life. But you don't have to go through it alone. Jesus loves you and wants to help you. If you will commit your ways to him, he will guide you in making those choices he will give you the courage you need and he will restore your hope. With him all things are possible.

Prayer
Lord, forgive me for the poor choices in the past. Right now I have to make so many decisions. I need your help. Help me to choose the right path the one that is right for my family, for me and most of all the one that is pleasing to you.

These thoughts adapted from Handling Loss and Grief by Raymond T. Brock, Ed.D. As a person goes through this group they will be able to identify what the Bible has to say about handling the losses of life. To grieve is human; how to grieve Christianly is supernatural. It requires us to invite the Holy Spirit to guide us through the grieving process. This group study provides guidance in the use of Scripture to help the grieving. It offers biblical coping methods for facing loss and comfort to those who have faced the loss of a loved one, as well as help for anyone ministering to those experiencing other types of losses in life: divorce, loss of job, etc.   

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 Concept of Divine Control

READ:
. . . how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him! -Matthew 7:11
Jesus is laying down the rules of conduct in this passage for those people who have His Spirit. He urges us to keep our minds filled with the concept of God's control over everything, which means that a disciple must maintain an attitude of perfect trust and an eagerness to ask and to seek.

Fill your mind with the thought that God is there. And once your mind is truly filled with that thought, when you experience difficulties it will be as easy as breathing for you to remember, "My heavenly Father knows all about this!" This will be no effort at all, but will be a natural thing for you when difficulties and uncertainties arise. Before you formed this concept of divine control so powerfully in your mind, you used to go from person to person seeking help, but now you go to God about it. Jesus is laying down the rules of conduct for those people who have His Spirit, and it works on the following principle: God is my Father, He loves me, and I will never think of anything that He will forget, so why should I worry?

Jesus said there are times when God cannot lift the darkness from you, but you should trust Him. At times God will appear like an unkind friend, but He is not; He will appear like an unnatural father, but He is not; He will appear like an unjust judge, but He is not. Keep the thought that the mind of God is behind all things strong and growing. Not even the smallest detail of life happens unless God's will is behind it. Therefore, you can rest in perfect confidence in Him. Prayer is not only asking, but is an attitude of the mind which produces the atmosphere in which asking is perfectly natural. "Ask, and it will be given to you . . ." (Matthew 7:7  ).

God bless

[frawin]

Thanks again Judy, you are an ecouragement everyday. With so much negatism, whining, finger pointing and bad news out there you give me a positive start everyday. Keep the messages coming.
HAVE A GREAT DAY
Frank

[Diane Amberg]

Frank, your family members who are going in harms way will be in my prayers. Please keep us posted on how they are doing. Wars used to be fought by the young....bless their hearts for going.