Devotional for the day

[Judy Harder]

October 7

1 Corinthians 9

Paul limits his freedom for the sake of other Christians.

INSIGHT

Spiritual maturity is not a product of human effort. The fruit of the Spirit is the fruit of the Spirit, not of self-effort. Yet God will not grant spiritual maturity to us unless we are striving for it. Paul says, "I run . . . not with uncertainty. I fight . . . not as one who beats the air. I discipline my body . . . " in pursuit of spiritual goals (1 Corinthians 9:26-27). The reality is that few of us have the spiritual passion to equal the temporal passion of the unsaved. It is a challenge to care about the same things God cares about--a challenge we must accept!

PRAYER

Praise God that His work of sanctification continues in your life:
May the Lord give you increase more and more,
You and your children.
May you be blessed by the Lord,
Who made heaven and earth.
The heaven, even the heavens, are the Lord's;
But the earth He has given to the children of men.
The dead do not praise the Lord,
Nor any who go down into silence.
But we will bless the Lord
From this time forth and forevermore. Praise the Lord!
(Psalm 115:14-18)

Pause for praise and thanksgiving.

Pray this confession to the Lord as you seek to keep your life free from sin:
"Execute true justice,
Show mercy and compassion
Everyone to his brother.
Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless,
The alien or the poor.
Let none of you plan evil in his heart
Against his brother" (Zechariah 7:9-10).

As you confess your sins, pray this affirmation to the Lord:
I will praise You,
For You have answered me,
And have become my salvation. (Psalm 118:21)

As you make your requests known to the Lord, include:

Purity of mind
Your spiritual goals
Today's activities
Finally, offer this prayer to the Lord:
Let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. (Colossians 3:15-16) 

Daily Devotionals October 7, 2008

Unused MusclesREAD: 1 Corinthians 12:14-27The manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all. -1 Corinthians 12:7
My wife recently visited a physiotherapist to seek relief for her neck and shoulder pain. When the problem did not go away after several visits, she asked why. She was told that her pain was because of some "lazy neck muscles."

Apparently, the neck muscles that were supposed to hold her head upright were not doing their job. As a result, her shoulder muscles had to take over the function of holding up her head. This caused unnaturally stiffened shoulder muscles. The solution? Exercises were prescribed to train her neck muscles to do what they were designed to do.

In a way, her problem depicts what happens in the body of Christ. God has given each believer gifts that are to be exercised for the common good of the church (1 Cor. 12:7). But when some don't pull their weight, others far less gifted in those areas must pitch in. Although the body of Christ continues to function, it is not functioning at its best. There are some overworked Christians around!

God wants us to use our spiritual gifts to benefit others in the church. When we work together, we keep the body strong. What has God gifted you to do so that you can help relieve the strain the church is suffering?  - C. P. Hia

All Christians have been gifted
By grace from God above,
Equipped to build and strengthen
The church in faith and love. -Fitzhugh

Teamwork divides the effort and multiplies the effect.

Greatness of Jesus By: Ron Edmondson Tuesday, October 07, 2008 Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written. John 21:25 NIV

Do you remember the song: "He's got the whole world in His hand, the whole wide world in His hands. He's got me and you Sister in His hands, He's got the whole world in His hands"?

Jesus has been good to me! I feel like John. John was close to Jesus. John was "the disciple whom Jesus loved." They were prayer partners. John had witnessed miracle after miracle. He tried to recount, with the help of the Holy Spirit, all the things Jesus did that we needed to know.

However, John just couldn't record it all! Read in Revelation how John saw the vision of Heaven, and he just wasn't able to put it into real descriptive words. It was just too, you know, glorious! Even greater!

John would love to have you experience Jesus the way he has. He would love for you to walk in his steps a while and learn and know the Lord and all His wonderful ways. But, there is no way in the world to describe His greatness!

You need to walk with Jesus, growing in fellowship with Him, relying on Him to fulfill all your needs, trusting Him by faith, and watching Him care for you and give you peace. Only then can you understand what John was (and I am) talking about!

The whole world can't contain His greatness!

Living Free Every Day®
Today's Scripture
"Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry."James 1:19 NLT

Thoughts for Today
Anger is a God-given emotional energy designed for good. It can lead to sin, but doesn't have to. We can control our thoughts and actions. We can stop allowing anger to master us. The Bible teaches that we should not be quick-tempered.

We need to slow down and think about things before we respond in anger. We have all blurted out hurtful angry remarks and then wished we could take the words back. Slowing down can help us avoid these situations.

Consider this
The next time someone does or says something that you don't like-stop! Take a deep breath. Consider your response. You can avoid a lot of hurt and regret by making the right choices at this point.

Prayer
Father, help me look beyond what people say and see their heart. Forgive me for the times I've responded too quickly-and foolishly-in anger. Teach me to be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. In Jesus' name

These thoughts were drawn from
Anger: Our Master or Our Servant-Creative Use of a Powerful Emotion by Larry Heath. This study offers a clear explanation of anger, what causes it, and how to recognize when you are sinning with anger. It not only ministers to church members, but serves as a powerful evangelistic tool. 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.

Visit our website to read more about this study and learn more about Living Free.   

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 Nature of ReconciliationREAD: He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him -2 Corinthians 5:21
Sin is a fundamental relationship- it is not wrong doing, but wrong being- it is deliberate and determined independence from God. The Christian faith bases everything on the extreme, self-confident nature of sin. Other faiths deal with sins- the Bible alone deals with sin. The first thing Jesus Christ confronted in people was the heredity of sin, and it is because we have ignored this in our presentation of the gospel that the message of the gospel has lost its sting and its explosive power.

The revealed truth of the Bible is not that Jesus Christ took on Himself our fleshly sins, but that He took on Himself the heredity of sin that no man can even touch. God made His own Son "to be sin" that He might make the sinner into a saint. It is revealed throughout the Bible that our Lord took on Himself the sin of the world through identification with us, not through sympathy for us. He deliberately took on His own shoulders, and endured in His own body, the complete, cumulative sin of the human race. "He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us. . ." and by so doing He placed salvation for the entire human race solely on the basis of redemption. Jesus Christ reconciled the human race, putting it back to where God designed it to be. And now anyone can experience that reconciliation, being brought into oneness with God, on the basis of what our Lord has done on the cross.

A man cannot redeem himself- redemption is the work of God, and is absolutely finished and complete. And its application to individual people is a matter of their own individual action or response to it. A distinction must always be made between the revealed truth of redemption and the actual conscious experience of salvation in a person's life.

God Bless

[Judy Harder]

October 8

1 Corinthians 13

Love is the greatest virtue that all Christians should exhibit.

INSIGHT

Throughout the Bible, love is clearly considered the supreme virtue. Both Jesus and Paul teach that the greatest Christian virtue is love. However, it is not always easy to measure love, especially because our society has such a distorted concept of what love is. Many people think that love is simply an emotion. We may think that if we don't feel "warm and fuzzy," we don't love. While emotions certainly may be attached to biblical love, love is primarily an act of the will. And God commands us to love. If you exhibit the qualities listed in today's chapter, you are loving regardless of your emotions.

PRAYER

Thank the Lord and praise Him that He loves us with the same love He asks from us:
Praise the Lord!
Praise, O servants of the Lord,
Praise the name of the Lord!
Blessed be the name of the Lord
From this time forth and forevermore!
From the rising of the sun to its going down
The Lord's name is to be praised.
The Lord is high above all nations,
His glory above the heavens. (Psalm 113:1-4)

Pause for praise and thanksgiving.

Pray this confession to the Lord as you seek to keep your life free from sin and in fellowship with Him:
So Samuel said:
"Has the Lord as great delight in burnt
offerings and sacrifices,
As in obeying the voice of the Lord?
Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice,
And to heed than the fat of rams" (1 Samuel 15:22).

Confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to your mind, and pray this affirmation to the Lord:
I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. (Romans 8:18)

As you make your requests known to the Lord, include:

Greater love for fellow Christians
The work of missions in Europe and Asia
Whatever else is on your heart
Finally, offer this prayer to the Lord:
Let the words of my mouth and the
meditation of my heart
Be acceptable in Your sight,
O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer.
(Psalm 19:14) 

Daily Devotionals October 8, 2008

Erev Yom Kippur

READ: Matthew 5:21-26First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. -Matthew 5:24
In Judaism, the holiest day of the year is Yom Kippur, the day of atonement. On that day, the nation seeks God's forgiveness for sins both personal and national.

What is interesting, however, is the day before Yom Kippur, known as Erev Yom Kippur. It represents a person's last opportunity to seek forgiveness from other people before Yom Kippur begins. This is important because, in Jewish thought, you must seek forgiveness from other people before you can seek the forgiveness of God.

Today, we are called to do the same. Jesus pointed out that in order to worship Him with all our heart, we first need to resolve matters with others. In Matthew 5:23-24, He said, "If you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift."

Even in a matter so basic as our giving, the ability to truly worship God is hindered by the reality of relationships broken by our wrong actions, attitudes, and words.

So that our worship can be pleasing and acceptable to God, let us make every effort to be reconciled to one another-today.  - Bill Crowder

Have you hurt a friend or brother?
Go at once and make things right;
From your heart say, "Please forgive me."
How these words bring God delight! -D. De Haan

An offense against your neighbor is a fence between you and God.

Ambition to Preach By: Ron Edmondson It has always been my ambition to preach the gospel where Christ was not known, so that I would not be building on someone else's foundation. Romans 15:20 NIV

What is your ambition in life? To retire early? To acquire great wealth? To get more degrees than the others in your class? To be a straight-A student? To live in a really big house? To sail the seven seas? To climb the highest mountain? To discover the latest cure?

Those may all be meaningful ambitions, and I'm sure yours is as well, but do you really want to make a difference in the world? Then tell someone about Jesus!

A friend of mine said he walked into a fast food restaurant the other day and handed one of the workers a gospel track. The boy had never heard of the gospel. Oh, he had heard of Jesus, but he hadn't a clue what difference Jesus could make in his life today. No one had ever told him that to enter Heaven one must be born again. The boy, that day, prayed to receive Christ. He will never be the same! I can't wait to meet him in Heaven! He'll be the one with the big smile on his face.

You and I have been assigned a mission in life. We are to win a lost world to Jesus. Can you imagine, right around you today, perhaps where you work or even in your own home, someone you know is lost and going to Hell. God may be depending on you to lead them to Christ!

Make it your ambition today to tell someone about the love of Jesus! Their lives will never be the same and neither will yours!

Living Free Every Day®
Today's Scripture
"And 'don't sin by letting anger control you.' Don't let the sun go down while you are still angry." Ephesians 4:26 NLT

Thoughts for Today
Yesterday we looked at the importance of being slow to anger-to listen well and not react impulsively. But the Bible also tells us to deal with the anger appropriately. We shouldn't wait for days, weeks, months or even years to pass before we talk with someone we may have hurt or reacted to in anger. Delay could cause greater pain for everyone concerned. In fact, God's Word instructs us to deal with anger the same day it occurs. "Do not let the sun go down"

Deal with your anger while there is opportunity to do so. Don't let it stockpile in a slush fund of repressed and denied angry feelings-feelings that may surface at unexpected times, causing you to hurt someone you care about. Lingering anger can develop into bitterness and resentment, leading to emotional, spiritual and even physical problems.

Consider this
When you are angry at someone, think about why you are angry. Ask God to help you understand your feelings and to express them appropriately. And then tell the other person(s) involved how you feel. If you have hurt them or treated them unfairly, ask for their forgiveness. And always be quick to forgive them.

Is there someone you should talk to today?

Prayer
Lord, help me understand my feelings and learn to express them appropriately. Help me not to take offense easily, but when I am angry, help me to settle things quickly and in love. Help me not to let the sun go down on my anger. In Jesus' name 

These thoughts were drawn from
Anger: Our Master or Our Servant-Creative Use of a Powerful Emotion by Larry Heath. This study offers a clear explanation of anger, what causes it, and how to recognize when you are sinning with anger. It not only ministers to church members, but serves as a powerful evangelistic tool. 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.

Visit our website to read more about this study and learn more about Living Free.   

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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Coming to JesusREAD: Come to Me . . . -Matthew 11:28
Isn't it humiliating to be told that we must come to Jesus! Think of the things about which we will not come to Jesus Christ. If you want to know how real you are, test yourself by these words- "Come to Me . . . ." In every dimension in which you are not real, you will argue or evade the issue altogether rather than come; you will go through sorrow rather than come; and you will do anything rather than come the last lap of the race of seemingly unspeakable foolishness and say, "Just as I am, I come." As long as you have even the least bit of spiritual disrespect, it will always reveal itself in the fact that you are expecting God to tell you to do something very big, and yet all He is telling you to do is to "Come . . . ."

"Come to Me . . . ." When you hear those words, you will know that something must happen in you before you can come. The Holy Spirit will show you what you have to do, and it will involve anything that will uproot whatever is preventing you from getting through to Jesus. And you will never get any further until you are willing to do that very thing. The Holy Spirit will search out that one immovable stronghold within you, but He cannot budge it unless you are willing to let Him do so.

How often have you come to God with your requests and gone away thinking, "I've really received what I wanted this time!" And yet you go away with nothing, while all the time God has stood with His hands outstretched not only to take you but also for you to take Him. Just think of the invincible, unconquerable, and untiring patience of Jesus, who lovingly says, "Come to Me. . . ."

God Bless

[Judy Harder]

October 9

1 Corinthians 15

Christ's resurrection is the basis for our resurrection, which is the final victory over sin.

INSIGHT

It is difficult for us to imagine what our resurrected bodies will be like. Yet there are snatches of information in the Scriptures that may give us some idea. In Matthew 17, for example, we read about Jesus, Moses, and Elijah who, having lost their earthly appearance, glow with a dazzling light. From this one brief example, we might conclude that our bodies will shine with dazzling light, that we will be free from gravity, that we may travel at fabulous speeds, and will be able to appear and disappear. C. S. Lewis once wrote that if we were to see our glorified selves coming down the street, we would be tempted to fall at our own feet and worship ourselves.

PRAYER

Praise the Lord that each believer will have a wonderful resurrected body:
Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us,
But to Your name give glory,
Because of Your mercy,
Because of Your truth. . .
You who fear the Lord, trust in the Lord;
He is their help and their shield. . .
But we will bless the Lord
From this time forth and forevermore.
Praise the Lord! (Psalm 115:1, 11, 18)

Pause for praise and thanksgiving.

Now pray this confession to the Lord as you seek to keep your life free from sin:
David's heart condemned him after he had numbered the people. So David said to the Lord, "I have sinned greatly in what I have done; but now, I pray, O Lord, take away the iniquity of Your servant, for I have done very foolishly"
(2 Samuel 24:10).
Confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to your mind, and pray this affirmation to the Lord:
There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. (Romans 8:1-2)

As you make your requests known to the Lord, include:

Greater faithfulness with your time
The president, national leaders, and national and world affairs
Whatever else is on your heart
Finally, offer this prayer to the Lord:
Who is wise?
Let him understand these things.
Who is prudent?
Let him know them.
For the ways of the Lord are right;
The righteous walk in them,
But transgressors stumble in them.
(Hosea 14:9) 

Daily Devotionals October 9, 2008

The Chain Of Ungrace
READ: Matthew 6:9-15
Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. -Matthew 6:12
When I feel wronged, I can contrive a hundred reasons against forgiveness. "He needs to learn a lesson." "I'll let her stew for a while; it'll do her good." "It's not up to me to make the first move." When I finally soften to the point of granting forgiveness, it seems a leap from hard logic to mushy sentiment.

One factor that motivates me to forgive is that as a Christian I am commanded to, as the child of a Father who forgives. Jesus said, "If you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses" (Mark 11:25).

But beyond that, I can identify three pragmatic reasons. First, forgiveness halts the cycle of blame and pain, breaking the chain of ungrace. Without it we remain bound to the people we can't forgive, held in their vise grip.

Second, forgiveness loosens the stranglehold of guilt in the perpetrator. It allows the possibility of transformation in the guilty party, even if a just punishment is still required.

And third, forgiveness creates a remarkable linkage, placing the forgiver on the same side as the party who did the wrong. We are not as different from the wrongdoer as we would like to think, for we too must ask our heavenly Father, "Forgive us our debts" (Matt. 6:12).  - Philip Yancey

When I consider Calvary's dismay-
The shame, the scorn, the scourging borne by You-
Resentment melts; I am compelled to say,
"Forgive them, Lord, they know not what they do!" -Mollon

He who cannot forgive others burns the bridge over which he himself must pass. -Herbert

The Will of God
By: Ron Edmondson
The world and all its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever. 1 John 2:17 NIV

Some of my best growth times with the Lord have been during teaching times with my children. I remember when my son asked an important question, "Daddy, what is the 'will of God'?"

Now, he wasn't asking, "What does God want me to do?" It was more general than that. He simply wanted to know what the phrase "will of God" meant. My hope is that you and I can also grow through this experience.

I explained it to him, as I understand it, that God's will can actually be described in several ways. First there is God's individual will. That is for the individual decisions you and I make each day. You know that God cares intimately for you, even down to the number of hairs on your head. God does allow, however, for you to make some decisions for yourself in life. You may choose what to eat for breakfast or you may choose a red car instead of a blue. It isn't that God doesn't care which you get, but He most likely will allow you to make that decision.

Second, there is God's moral will. God's desire for you is that you develop your character into the image of Christ. He will present you with every opportunity for you to do just that, but you will play a part in how far you grow spiritually. You may choose to love your neighbor as yourself or you may choose to be a very selfish person. God, however, is very concerned about your character, and for His moral will for your life. In fact, God cares more that His moral will for your life be done than His individual will, because God is in the character-changing business.

Third, there is God's sovereign will. God has a will that is set in stone! It won't change. It can't change. It always stays the same! For example, God cannot help but love you because that is His sovereign will. God cannot break His promises, because that is His sovereign will. Some things God has set into motion, and they will never be different.

Now, I don't know what God's individual will is for your life. (I hope for you it is Wheaties and a shiny red convertible.) But I can tell you this. His moral will is that you be right with Him through the blood of Jesus! And better yet, His sovereign will says that once you do, He will reserve you a place in Heaven!

You can't be in a better place than within the "will of God"!
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Living Free Every Day®
Today's Scripture
"A man's wisdom gives him patience; it is to his glory to overlook an offense." Proverbs 19:11 NIV

Thoughts for Today
One key to controlling our temper is to have realistic expectations of others. No one is ever wrong or right all the time. It is wrong to expect others to always be happy and helpful. None of us are "up" all the time. We all have times that we are sick, stressed or just plain tired. And, right or wrong, these things do affect our moods.

We need to remember that other people are affected by these same things. They may have reasons for their seemingly rude behavior and are not just being selfish or thoughtless. We need to avoid getting offended every time people don't respond or act the way we think they should. They might just be having a bad day.

We also need to remember that everyone and everything do not exist for our convenience or purpose. We will control anger better if we do not say things like "I can't stand this " or "They better never " These statements lock us into emotionalizing rather than thinking.

Consider this
Learn to align yourself with reality. Don't let everything bother you to the point that you always "lose it" over other people's failures. Show them the same kind of understanding you would like to have on your challenging days.

Prayer
Lord, help me not to expect others to be perfect or to always do things my way. Make me willing to overlook offenses, to see people's hearts and be sensitive to their needs. In Jesus' name 

These thoughts were drawn from
Anger: Our Master or Our Servant-Creative Use of a Powerful Emotion by Larry Heath. This study offers a clear explanation of anger, what causes it, and how to recognize when you are sinning with anger. It not only ministers to church members, but serves as a powerful evangelistic tool. 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.

Visit our website to read more about this study and learn more about Living Free.   

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

Building on the Atonement
. . . present . . . your members as instruments of righteousness to God -Romans 6:13
I cannot save and sanctify myself; I cannot make atonement for sin; I cannot redeem the world; I cannot right what is wrong, purify what is impure, or make holy what is unholy. That is all the sovereign work of God. Do I have faith in what Jesus Christ has done? He has made the perfect atonement for sin. Am I in the habit of constantly realizing it? The greatest need we have is not to do things, but to believe things. The redemption of Christ is not an experience, it is the great act of God which He has performed through Christ, and I have to build my faith on it. If I construct my faith on my own experience, I produce the most unscriptural kind of life- an isolated life, with my eyes focused solely on my own holiness. Beware of that human holiness that is not based on the atonement of the Lord. It has no value for anything except a life of isolation- it is useless to God and a nuisance to man. Measure every kind of experience you have by our Lord Himself. We cannot do anything pleasing to God unless we deliberately build on the foundation of the atonement by the Cross of Christ.

The atonement of Jesus must be exhibited in practical, unassuming ways in my life. Every time I obey, the absolute deity of God is on my side, so that the grace of God and my natural obedience are in perfect agreement. Obedience means that I have completely placed my trust in the atonement, and my obedience is immediately met by the delight of the supernatural grace of God.

Beware of the human holiness that denies the reality of the natural life- it is a fraud. Continually bring yourself to the trial or test of the atonement and ask, "Where is the discernment of the atonement in this, and in that?"

God Bless

[Jo McDonald]

Sunday's Inspirational



     The Cold Within


      by: Author Unknown, Source Unknown

    Six humans trapped by happenstance

    In black and bitter cold.

    Each one possessed a stick of wood,

    Or so the story's told.


    Their dying fire in need of logs,

    The first woman held hers back

    For on the faces around the fire,

    She noticed one was black.



    The next man looking cross the way

    Saw one not of his church,

    And couldn't bring himself to give

    The fire his stick of birch.



    The third man sat in tattered clothes;

    He gave his coat a hitch.

    Why should his log be put to use

    To warm the idle rich?



    The rich man just sat back and thought

    Of the wealth he had in store.

    And how to keep what he had earned

    From the lazy poor.



    The black man's face bespoke revenge

    As the fire passed from his sight,

    For all he saw in his stick of wood

    Was a chance to spite the white.



    And the last man of this forlorn group

    Did naught except for gain.

    Giving only to those who gave

    Was how he played the game.



    The logs held tight in death's still hands

    Was proof of human sin.

    They didn't die from the cold without,

    They died from the cold within

[pam]

That's awesome Jo

[sixdogsmom]

Yes, yes and yes!

[Judy Harder]

Thank you Jo.........God bless
Judy

[Judy Harder]

October 10

2 Corinthians 1

The Lord comforts us in our affliction so we may comfort others.

INSIGHT

There is a fellowship of suffering. Someone who has suffered the same things we have suffered is better able to minister to us. And if we have been comforted in our suffering, we are better able to comfort someone else who experiences the same difficulties. Suffering can make us compassionate toward others. As the sufferings of Christ overflow into our lives, so can the compassion of Christ overflow from our lives into the lives of others.

PRAYER

Praise the Lord that Jesus was willing to lay down His immediate comfort for our sakes:
Praise the Lord!
Praise the name of the Lord;
Praise Him, O you servants of the Lord!
You who stand in the house of the Lord,
In the courts of the house of our God,
Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good;
Sing praises to His name, for it is pleasant.
For the Lord has chosen Jacob for Himself,
Israel for His special treasure.
For I know that the Lord is great,
And our Lord is above all gods. . .
Blessed be the Lord out of Zion,
Who dwells in Jerusalem!
Praise the Lord! (Psalm 135:1-5, 21)

Pause for praise and thanksgiving.

Pray this confession to the Lord as you seek to keep your life free from sin:
O Lord, do not rebuke me in Your anger,
Nor chasten me in Your hot displeasure.
Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I am weak;
O Lord, heal me, for my bones are troubled.
My soul also is greatly troubled;
But You, O Lord - how long? (Psalm 6:1-3)

Confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to your mind, and pray this affirmation to the Lord:
When the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared,
not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy,
He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit . . .
that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs
according to the hope of eternal life. (Titus 3:4-5, 7)

As you make your requests known to the Lord, include:

The renewing of your mind
The needs of your extended family
Your activities for the day
Offer this closing prayer to the Lord:
This is the day the Lord has made;
We will rejoice and be glad in it. (Psalm 118:24) 

Daily Devotionals October 10, 2008

A Handful Of ThornsREAD: Psalm 105:1-6Give thanks to the LORD for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men! -Psalm 107:21
Jeremy Taylor was a 17th-century English cleric who was severely persecuted for his faith. But though his house was plundered, his family left destitute, and his property confiscated, he continued to count the blessings he could not lose.

He wrote: "They have not taken away my merry countenance, my cheerful spirit, and a good conscience; they have still left me with the providence of God, and all His promises . . . my hopes of Heaven, and my charity to them, too, and still I sleep and digest, I eat and drink, I read and meditate. And he that hath so many causes of joy, and so great should never choose to sit down upon his little handful of thorns."

Although we may not be afflicted with the grievous difficulties that Jeremy Taylor endured, all of us face trials and troubles. Are we grumbling? Or do we refuse to let our "little handful of thorns," our troubles, obscure the overwhelming abundance of our blessings?

When we feel like complaining, let's remember God's faithfulness and "give thanks to the LORD! Call upon His name; make known His deeds among the peoples! . . . Remember His marvelous works which He has done!" (Ps. 105:1,5).  - Vernon C. Grounds

When upon life's billows you are tempest-tossed,
When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost;
Count your many blessings-name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord has done. -Oatman

Spend your time counting your blessings, not airing your complaints.

Come Home By: Ron Edmondson So he got up and went to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. Luke 15:20 NIV 

This is one of the finest word pictures in the Bible: God running to His children!

Jesus told this parable, not about a boy, foolish in his youth who squanders away all his wealth and then comes cowering back to an expectant father. Oh, it's a great story, and that is what occurs in the story, but this story is about you and me.

Jesus is describing for us how God feels about His children. If you are a child of God, bought and paid for by the blood of Jesus through your faith in Him and Him alone to save you, then God will always be ready to welcome you home! God will never give up on His children.

Now He may discipline you, even to the point of bringing you home to Heaven, but you can rest assured He will never forsake you. You are His, and He will wait for you as His own.

Stop for a moment and picture this story as Jesus meant for you to. You are the prodigal child. You have wandered away from the comfort and protection of your Father God. You have wasted your life on wild living. Oh it was fun at first, but then the new wore off and you were homesick. You realized what you had given up. What you wouldn't give to go home.

But, how could you? You had traveled so far. Your pride was at stake. People would say, "I told you so." Your friends might make fun of you. How could He ever forgive you for what you have done? And does He really want you to come home anyway?

Still, anything is better than where you are at. So, you head for home. But, before you can even see the front porch, while your head is still hanging low, you hear a sound. It sounds like footsteps. Heavy footsteps. You look up, almost afraid to, and you see a sight never seen before!

GOD IS RUNNING TO MEET YOU! God, the Creator of stars is running to greet you, a sinner, and welcome you home. He isn't coming with a frown or a smirk of anger on His face. He has His arms open wide! He has on a great big smile! He has that loving twinkle in His eye, the kind He always had when He was proud of something you did!

He reaches you and instead of shouting insults at you, He tells you how pleased He is to have you home. There are tears in His eyes! He lets out a shout of joy. He orders a party to be held in your honor! He tells the angels to get the band playing! GOD IS GLAD YOU HAVE COME HOME!

Maybe you need to go home today. God is waiting. He's probably over half-way towards you right now! All you have to do is turn around, and head for home!
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Living Free Every Day®
Today's Scripture
"If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking." James 1:5 NLT

Thoughts for Today
One vital key to controlling anger is to correctly identify the cause. Sort out what you did and what others did to produce the anger. Sometimes the incident that seems to trigger the anger is not actually the root cause.

For example, if you get angry because your car won't start, are you really angry that the car won't start or are you afraid of being late and facing your boss's recriminations? Or maybe you are angry because if the car is broken, you will have additional financial sorry and stress.

Try to learn to accept responsibility for your anger and then to locate the true cause. A variety of needs such as insecurity, fear, pride, loneliness, inferiority and unrealistic expectations can create anger. You might get angry with a friend who is encouraging you to take on a challenging project. You accuse the friend of being pushy. In fact, the project may be something you'd like to do but are afraid to try-afraid of failure.

Consider this
Are you struggling with anger right now? Ask God to give you wisdom and insight. Ask him to help you identify the real source of your anger and then to deal with it appropriately.

Prayer
Lord, I need your help, your wisdom. Help me to understand my anger and to overcome it. In Jesus' name 

These thoughts were drawn from
Anger: Our Master or Our Servant-Creative Use of a Powerful Emotion by Larry Heath. This study offers a clear explanation of anger, what causes it, and how to recognize when you are sinning with anger. It not only ministers to church members, but serves as a powerful evangelistic tool. 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.

Visit our website to read more about this study and learn more about Living Free.   

 
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.

How Will I Know?READ: Jesus answered and said, 'I thank You, Father . . . that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and have revealed them to babes' -Matthew 11:25
We do not grow into a spiritual relationship step by step- we either have a relationship or we do not. God does not continue to cleanse us more and more from sin- "But if we walk in the light," we are cleansed "from all sin" ( 1 John 1:7  ). It is a matter of obedience, and once we obey, the relationship is instantly perfected. But if we turn away from obedience for even one second, darkness and death are immediately at work again.

All of God's revealed truths are sealed until they are opened to us through obedience. You will never open them through philosophy or thinking. But once you obey, a flash of light comes immediately. Let God's truth work into you by immersing yourself in it, not by worrying into it. The only way you can get to know the truth of God is to stop trying to find out and by being born again. If you obey God in the first thing He shows you, then He instantly opens up the next truth to you. You could read volumes on the work of the Holy Spirit, when five minutes of total, uncompromising obedience would make things as clear as sunlight. Don't say, "I suppose I will understand these things someday!" You can understand them now. And it is not study that brings understanding to you, but obedience. Even the smallest bit of obedience opens heaven, and the deepest truths of God immediately become yours. Yet God will never reveal more truth about Himself to you, until you have obeyed what you know already. Beware of becoming one of the "wise and prudent." "If anyone wills to do His will, he shall know . . ." (John 7:17 ).

God Bless

[Judy Harder]

October 11

2 Corinthians 4

Man's evident weakness presents an opportunity for God to manifest His power.

INSIGHT

When we look at Israel and the Mosaic Law, we tend to think that the Jews performed poorly. All they had to do was be obedient to some basic laws, and God would bless them beyond measure. Yet they might say the same about us. With the Holy Spirit living in us, we have only to live in love toward God and man and God will bless us spiritually beyond measure. While human frailty is glaring in both systems, the work of God is being accomplished nevertheless. God's message is carried in "jars of clay" so that in eternity the glory of the redeemed will go to God and not to man.

PRAYER

Offer your praise to the Lord as an expression of the gratefulness of your heart:
I will extol You, my God, O King;
And I will bless Your name forever and ever.
Every day I will bless You,
And I will praise Your name forever and ever.
Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised;
And His greatness is unsearchable.
One generation shall praise Your works to another,
And shall declare Your mighty acts.
I will meditate on the glorious splendor of Your majesty,
And on Your wondrous works. (Psalm 145:1-5)

Pause for praise and thanksgiving.

Now pray this confession to the Lord as you seek to keep your life free from sin and in fellowship with Him:
Who can understand his errors?
Cleanse me from secret faults.
Keep back Your servant also from presumptuous sins;
Let them not have dominion over me.
Then I shall be blameless,
And I shall be innocent of great
transgression. (Psalm 19:12-13)

Confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to your mind, and pray this affirmation to the Lord:
Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
(Romans 6:11)

As you make your requests known to the Lord, include:

The Lord's leading in your life
Opportunities for evangelism
Whatever else is on your heart
Finally, offer this prayer to the Lord:
Oh, satisfy us early with Your mercy,
That we may rejoice and be glad all our days! (Psalm 90:14) 

Daily Devotionals October 11, 2008

The Art Of Common PeopleREAD: Matthew 4:18-25I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance. -Luke 5:32
The 16th-century Italian painter Caravaggio received scathing criticism in his day for depicting people of the Bible as common. His critics reflected a time when only members of royalty and aristocracy were considered appropriate subjects for the "immortality" of art. His commissioned canvas of St. Matthew and the Angel so offended church leaders that it had to be redone. They could not accept seeing Matthew with the physical features of an everyday laborer.

According to one biographer, what the church fathers did not understand was that "Caravaggio, in elevating this humble figure, was copying Christ, who had Himself raised Matthew from the street."

Caravaggio was right about the people of the Bible. Jesus Himself grew up in the home of a laborer. When His time came to go public, He was announced by a weather-worn man of the wilderness known as John the Baptizer. His disciples were fishermen and common people.

Jesus lived, loved, and died for wealthy people too. But by befriending those who had been demon-possessed, lepers, fishermen, and even despised tax collectors, the teacher from Nazareth showed that no one is too poor, too sinful, or too insignificant to be His friend.  - Mart De Haan

What a friend we have in Jesus,
All our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry
Everything to God in prayer! -Scriven

Jesus wants you for a friend.

Pride Undercover

Would you consider yourself a meek person? Or are you still unsure of what true meekness looks like? It may be helpful to know that most of the men and women who were biblical heroes of the faith had to learn meekness.

Meekness is not something that comes naturally; instead it is learned under the direction of the Holy Spirit. When Peter first met Jesus, he was not meek. Instead, he had his heart set on selfish ideas, but life with the Savior changed that. He never lost his sense of courage or confidence. However, Christ molded Peter's personality so that he began to reflect the strength and mercy of God.

Another important aspect we need to consider is that godly meekness is different from human modesty. False meekness can be far more dangerous than bragging about all you have and all you can do. A false sense of meekness or modesty often is hard to detect. It is pride undercover and will usually be found in the lives of those who find it hard to accept God's grace for their lives.

True meekness comes as a result of sincere devotion to the Lord. It is a fruit of the Spirit that He wants to develop in each of our lives. However, there is only one way to begin this journey and that is through prayer and personal dedication. It may also require facing a time of testing. Before Peter could serve, he had to learn how to be meek and humble.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, I realize I need Your gift of meekness in my life. My greatest desire is not to serve myself but to serve You. My prayer is that You will develop in me a true sense of meekness so that others will see You living in me and be drawn closer to You.

Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth (Matthew 5:5).

Seeking wisdom is like seeking a hidden treasure. When you're looking for a treasure-especially a treasure on which your life depends-what do you do? Michael Youssef explores this topic in our free resource this month-"Finding Godly Wisdom." 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.

He is Waiting in the Midst of the Storm
by Max Lucado

Peter knows he is in trouble.

The winds roar down onto the Sea of Galilee like a hawk on a rat. Lightning zigzags across the black sky. The clouds vibrate with thunder. The rain taps, then pops, then slaps against the deck of the boat until everyone aboard is soaked and shaking. Ten-foot waves pick them up and slam them down again with bonejarring force.

These drenched men don't look like a team of apostles who are only a decade away from changing the world. And you can be sure of one thing. The one with the widest eyes is the one with the biggest biceps-Peter. He's seen these storms before. He's seen the wreckage and bloated bodies float to shore. He knows what the fury of wind and wave can do. And he knows that times like this are not times to make a name for yourself; they're times to get some help.

That is why, when he sees Jesus walking on the water toward the boat, he is the first to say, "Lord, if it's you  tell me to come to you on the water." (Matthew 14:28)

He is aware of two facts: He's going down, and Jesus is staying up. And it doesn't take him too long to decide where he would rather be.

Perhaps a better interpretation of his request would be, "Jeeeeeeeesus. If that is you, then get me out of here!"

"Come on" is the invitation.

And Peter doesn't have to be told twice. It's not every day that you walk on water through waves that are taller than you are. But when faced with the alternative of sure death or possible life, Peter knows which one he wants.

The first few steps go well. But a few strides out onto the water, and he forgets to look to the One who got him there in the first place, and down he plunges.

Peter's response may lack class-it probably wouldn't get him on the cover of Gentleman's Quarterly or even Sports Illustrated-but it gets him out of some deep water:

"Help me!"

And since Peter would rather swallow pride than water, a hand comes through the rain and pulls him up.

The message is clear.

As long as Jesus is one of many options, he is no option. As long as you can carry your burdens alone, you don't need a burden bearer. As long as your situation brings you no grief, you will receive no comfort. And as long as you can take him or leave him, you might as well leave him, because he won't be taken half-heartedly.

But when you mourn, when you get to the point of sorrow for your sins, when you admit that you have no other option but to cast all your cares on him, and when there is truly no other name that you can call, then cast all your cares on him, for he is waiting in the midst of the storm.

From
The Applause of Heaven
© (Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1999) Max Lucado
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God's Silence- Then What?READ: When He heard that he was sick, He stayed two more days in the place where He was -John 11:6
Has God trusted you with His silence- a silence that has great meaning? God's silences are actually His answers. Just think of those days of absolute silence in the home at Bethany! Is there anything comparable to those days in your life? Can God trust you like that, or are you still asking Him for a visible answer? God will give you the very blessings you ask if you refuse to go any further without them, but His silence is the sign that He is bringing you into an even more wonderful understanding of Himself. Are you mourning before God because you have not had an audible response? When you cannot hear God, you will find that He has trusted you in the most intimate way possible- with absolute silence, not a silence of despair, but one of pleasure, because He saw that you could withstand an even bigger revelation. If God has given you a silence, then praise Him- He is bringing you into the mainstream of His purposes. The actual evidence of the answer in time is simply a matter of God's sovereignty. Time is nothing to God. For a while you may have said, "I asked God to give me bread, but He gave me a stone instead" (see Matthew 7:9 ). He did not give you a stone, and today you find that He gave you the "bread of life" ( John 6:35 ).

A wonderful thing about God's silence is that His stillness is contagious- it gets into you, causing you to become perfectly confident so that you can honestly say, "I know that God has heard me." His silence is the very proof that He has. As long as you have the idea that God will always bless you in answer to prayer, He will do it, but He will never give you the grace of His silence. If Jesus Christ is bringing you into the understanding that prayer is for the glorifying of His Father, then He will give you the first sign of His intimacy- silence.

God Bless

[Judy Harder]

October 12

2 Corinthians 5

We should live for the eternal rather than the temporal, and we will be rewarded accordingly.

INSIGHT

One of the marks of maturity is the ability to put off immediate reward for the sake of a future goal. Likewise, the willingness to put off temporal reward for the sake of eternal reward is a good mark of Christian maturity. The Scriptures teach that someday we must all appear before the bema seat of Christ. In ancient Greece, the bema was the grandstand where judges gave out honors to the winners of athletic competitions. Thus, it is before the divine "bema" that we will all appear. If we compete according to the eternal rules, we will gain the honor of reward from the eternal Judge. As Paul wrote, we must set our minds "on things above, not on things on the earth" (Colossians 3:2).

PRAYER

Offer your praise to the Lord as you "set your mind on things above":
Unto You I lift up my eyes,
O You who dwell in the heavens.
Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their masters,
As the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress,
So our eyes look to the Lord our God,
Until He has mercy on us. (Psalm 123:1-2)

Pause for praise and thanksgiving.

As you seek to keep your life free from sin and in fellowship with Him, pray this confession to the Lord:
"My God, I am too ashamed and humiliated to lift up my face to You, my God; for our iniquities have risen higher than our heads, and our guilt has grown up to the heavens" (Ezra 9:6).

Confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to your mind.

Then pray this affirmation to the Lord:
We make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. (2 Corinthians 5:9-10)

As you make your requests known to the Lord, include:

Greater commitment to Him
The work of specific Christian ministries
Your activities for the day
Finally, offer this prayer to the Lord:
Oh, love the Lord, all you His saints!
For the Lord preserves the faithful,
And fully repays the proud person.
Be of good courage,
And He shall strengthen your heart,
All you who hope in the Lord. (Psalm 31:23-24) 

Daily Devotionals October 12, 2008

Life According To Plumb READ: Psalm 119:9-16Your Word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You. -Psalm 119:11

Charlie Riggs has been called "the man behind Billy Graham." For nearly 40 years, Riggs was the director of counseling and follow-up for Mr. Graham's evangelistic meetings. In his counselor training classes, Charlie taught thousands of people the basic principles of how to live for Christ and share their faith with others.

At Charlie's 90th birthday celebration, many tributes mentioned his lifelong practice of memorizing Scripture. His goal was not merely to know the Bible, but to know Christ and live by His Word.

Charlie followed Psalm 119:9-11, "How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to Your Word. . . . Your Word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You." He likened the Scriptures to "plumb bobs" for his heart. Like the weight that holds a builder's plumb line straight and true, these divine principles never change, no matter what the circumstances. He sought to measure his own thoughts, feelings, and behavior by God's Word, not the other way around.

Charlie Riggs' life was quiet and steady behind the scenes. His example challenges us today to hide God's Word in our hearts and let it guide our lives. Charlie demonstrated what it means to live according to plumb.  - David C. McCasland

The Bible will transform our lives
And turn us from our sin,
If we will read it and obey
God's principles within. -Sper


The Bible: Know it in your head, stow it in your heart, show it in your life, sow it in the world.

By Dr. Bill Bright

You Can Be Sure

"And how can we be sure that we belong to Him? By looking within ourselves: are we really trying to do what He wants us to? Someone may say, 'I am a Christian; I am on my way to heaven; I belong to Christ.' But if he doesn't do what Christ tells him to do, he is a liar. But those who do what Christ tells them to will learn to love God more and more. That is the way to know whether or not you are a Christian. Anyone who says He is a Christian should live as Christ did" (1 John 2:3-6).

I frequently counsel with people who assure me that they are Christians, but their life-styles betray their profession. In fact, Jesus refers to this kind of person in His parable of the wheat and tares (Matthew 13:24-30).

"I never knew you; depart from me," He will say to people whose profession of Christian faith is insincere (Matthew 7:23, NAS). According to the Word of God, these people are confused, and we do them a great injustice if we do not hold before them the mirror of God's Word. Our Scripture portion today is one of the most effective passages to help open their eyes.

If there has not been a difference in your life-style since you professed faith in Christ; if, even in your failure and sin - and we all fail and sin at times - you do not have a desire to obey God and live a life pleasing to Him, it is quite possible that the new birth has not taken place in your life. Test yourself if you are not sure; if you have not done so, you can experience the new birth simply by receiving Christ into your heart today. This applies more directly to carnal Christians.
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TODAY'S ACTION POINT: To be absolutely certain of my relationship with Jesus Christ, I will take spiritual inventory of my life and seek to ascertain whether my life-style is consistent with that of the true believer and follower of Christ.

Getting into God's StrideREAD: Enoch walked with God . . . -Genesis 5:24
The true test of a person's spiritual life and character is not what he does in the extraordinary moments of life, but what he does during the ordinary times when there is nothing tremendous or exciting happening. A person's worth is revealed in his attitude toward the ordinary things of life when he is not under the spotlight (seeJohn 1:35-37 and John 3:30 ). It is painful work to get in step with God and to keep pace with Him- it means getting your second wind spiritually. In learning to walk with God, there is always the difficulty of getting into His stride, but once we have done so, the only characteristic that exhibits itself is the very life of God Himself. The individual person is merged into a personal oneness with God, and God's stride and His power alone are exhibited.

It is difficult to get into stride with God, because as soon as we start walking with Him we find that His pace has surpassed us before we have even taken three steps. He has different ways of doing things, and we have to be trained and disciplined in His ways. It was said of Jesus- "He will not fail nor be discouraged . . ." (Isaiah 42:4 ) because He never worked from His own individual standpoint, but always worked from the standpoint of His Father. And we must learn to do the same. Spiritual truth is learned through the atmosphere that surrounds us, not through intellectual reasoning. It is God's Spirit that changes the atmosphere of our way of looking at things, and then things begin to be possible which before were impossible. Getting into God's stride means nothing less than oneness with Him. It takes a long time to get there, but keep at it. Don't give up because the pain is intense right now- get on with it, and before long you will find that you have a new vision and a new purpose.

God Bless