Devotional for the day

[Judy Harder]

Daily Devotionals January 1, 2009

Live It!
READ: Ezekiel 33:30-33
You are to them as a very lovely song . . . they hear your words, but they do not do them. -Ezekiel 33:32

Each year, one of my goals is to read the entire Bible. While listing it among my New Year's resolutions, I noticed a bookmark on my desk. On one side was a brief appeal for people to take in foster children. On the other side were these words referring to that appeal: "Don't read it. Live it. Real children. Real stories. Real life." The people who produced the bookmark knew how easily we absorb information without acting on it. They wanted people to respond.

Regular intake of God's Word is a worthy practice, but it's not an end in itself. The prophet Ezekiel spoke to an audience who loved to listen but refused to act. The Lord said to Ezekiel: "Indeed you are to them as a very lovely song of one who has a pleasant voice and can play well on an instrument; for they hear your words, but they do not do them" (33:32).

Jesus said: "Whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock" (Matt. 7:24).

How will each of us read the Bible this year? Will we read it quickly to achieve the goal of getting through it? Or will we read it with the aim of doing what it says?

Don't just read it. Live it!  - David C. McCasland

The Bible gives us all we need
To live our lives for God each day;
But it won't help if we don't read
Then follow what its pages say. -Sper


The value of the Bible consists not only in knowing it but obeying it.

May the favor of the Lord our God rest upon us; establish the work of our hands for us -- yes, establish the work of our hands (Ps 90:17).

Martin Luther brought the word of God back to the people. Today, God is bringing the work of God back to the people. God never intended the clergy to be the primary distribution channel of His Gospel. You and I are the distribution channel to those of us in the workplace.

The local church is simply the franchise to equip and release His army into the world to effect every aspect of society. Today, God is establishing mini-franchises in the form of prayer groups and Bible studies in the workplace. He is igniting the silent remnant of workplace believers who have never realized, until now, that their work really is their ministry. It is a holy calling on par with vocational ministry.

Our local franchises (churches) should be viewed as mini battle ships designed to raise an army of qualified warriors who can pray, create, and influence their workplaces and industries with a biblical worldview. We must be reminded of God's perfect plan found in Ephesians 4:11-13.

"It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ."

The next time you are tempted to pass ministry responsibility to your pastor, remember what Ephesians 4 says. After all, there are no part-time Christians in His Kingdom. We may get our checks in secular fields, but our ministry is full-time

TGIF
Volume 2
All New TGIF Devotionals by Os Hillman
Os Hillman has the unique ability to capture a deep spiritual truth in a succinct "daily devotional" format that is amazingly relevant to the 'real-world' of business and the workplace.Volume 2 contains all new 365 daily messages at your fingertips in an attractive hardcoverversion ready to encourage you daily at work. New messages on topics such as work as ministry, handling disappointments, time management, integrity, finances, decision-making, hearing God, and much more.
Click to Order or Learn More 

Living Free Every Day®
 
Today's Scripture
"God is good, a hiding place in tough times. He recognizes and welcomes anyone looking for help, No matter how desperate the trouble." Nahum 1:7 MSG   

Thoughts for Today
Becoming entrapped by life-controlling issues is generally a four-stage progression through experimentation, social use, daily preoccupation and finally using the substance or practicing the behavior just to feel normal.   

When we move from the social use or practice stage into daily preoccupation, we start to lose control and break the self-imposed rules we set during stage 2. The behavior or substance becomes the center of our lives. We look to it for comfort and relief. We begin to feel the pain of addiction, and our life enters a downward spiral of deterioration. Our delusion grows deeper until we no longer recognize the truth.   

Consider this 
Does this sound like a hopeless situation?   

Perhaps you have reached this stage of a problem in your life. Or maybe you have a loved one who is trapped by a life-controlling problem. Finding the way out of this despair might seem impossible. And alone, it probably is. But you are not alone. And your loved one is not alone. Jesus is with you and he loves you unconditionally-a love so great that we can't even comprehend it.   

Will you turn to him today? Receive his love, his forgiveness and his guidance. He won't let you down.

Prayer
Father, thank you for your promise to help me in tough times. I realize now that my situation is hopeless without you. Please forgive me and help me. In Jesus' name 
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These thoughts were drawn from
Living Free DVD Training. Prepare your congregation to minister to hurting people within your church and your community. Through Living Free, your church or ministry can unleash a fresh wave of small group leaders and develop a small group ministry that will result in transformed lives.
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Let Us Keep to the Point
". . . my earnest expectation and hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death" -Philippians 1:20
My Utmost for His Highest. ". . . my earnest expectation and hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed . . . ." We will all feel very much ashamed if we do not yield to Jesus the areas of our lives He has asked us to yield to Him. It's as if Paul were saying, "My determined purpose is to be my utmost for His highest- my best for His glory." To reach that level of determination is a matter of the will, not of debate or of reasoning. It is absolute and irrevocable surrender of the will at that point. An undue amount of thought and consideration for ourselves is what keeps us from making that decision, although we cover it up with the pretense that it is others we are considering. When we think seriously about what it will cost others if we obey the call of Jesus, we tell God He doesn't know what our obedience will mean. Keep to the point- He does know. Shut out every other thought and keep yourself before God in this one thing only- my utmost for His highest. I am determined to be absolutely and entirely for Him and Him alone.

My Unstoppable Determination for His Holiness. "Whether it means life or death-it makes no difference!" (see Philippians 1:21). Paul was determined that nothing would stop him from doing exactly what God wanted. But before we choose to follow God's will, a crisis must develop in our lives. This happens because we tend to be unresponsive to God's gentler nudges. He brings us to the place where He asks us to be our utmost for Him and we begin to debate. He then providentially produces a crisis where we have to decide- for or against. That moment becomes a great crossroads in our lives. If a crisis has come to you on any front, surrender your will to Jesus absolutely and irrevocably.

God Bless

[Judy Harder]

Daily Devotionals January 2, 2009

Don't Waste Your Breath

READ: Genesis 2:1-7
Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. -Psalm 150:6

If I were to scoop up a handful of dirt and blow into it, all I would get is a dirty face. When God did it, He got a living, breathing human being capable of thinking, feeling, dreaming, loving, reproducing, and living forever.

As one of these human beings, I speak of "catching" my breath, "holding" my breath, or "saving" my breath, but these are idioms of language. I cannot save my breath for use at a later time. If I don't use the one I have now, I'll lose it, and I may even lose consciousness.

When God breathed into Adam, He gave more than life; He gave a reason to live: Worship! As the psalmist said, "Let everything that has breath praise the Lord" (Ps. 150:6).

This means that we waste our breath when we use it for something that doesn't honor the One in whom "we live and move and have our being" (Acts 17:28).

Although we cannot blow life into a handful of dirt, we can use our breath to speak words of comfort, to sing songs of praise, and to run to help the sick and oppressed. When we use our breath to honor our Creator with our unique combination of talents, abilities, and opportunities, we will never be wasting it.  - Julie Ackerman Link

Breathe on me, Breath of God,
Fill me with life anew,
That I may love what Thou dost love,
And do what Thou wouldst do. -Hatch

All that I am and have I owe to Jesus.

So Moses took his wife and sons, put them on a donkey and started back to Egypt. And he took the staff of God in his hand (Exod. 4:20).

When Moses was called by God from his forty years in the desert to lead the people out of Egypt, God first changed his paradigm about his shepherd's staff which represented his work life as a shepherd. God told him He was going to perform miracles through his staff (v17).

A shepherd was considered a very lowly profession by the Egyptians. Moses had a time of breaking in the desert which separated him from all that he learned in Egypt. Many times, the way God calls us into His purpose in our work life is through a hardship of some kind.

God will often "break" our staff, or our vocation, in order to reshape and re-commission us. The purpose of the breaking is not to destroy us, but to bring us to a place of willingness to lay down our vocations so that God can use them for His purposes. The breaking prepares our heart for the new calling. God required Moses to lay down his staff in order for him to see it as something that had power. He had not viewed his work life as a shepherd as having any power.

God was instructing Moses to lay down that which represented his life and calling, so that He could transform it and raise it up for His purposes. Once Moses laid his staff down and then took it back up, a significant change took place. It was no longer his shepherd's staff; it was the "staff of God."

God's staff has power. After Moses' staff became God's, it was used as the instrument of deliverance and transformation for the people of God. It delivered people out of the slavery of Egypt through one of the most dramatic miracles of all time -- the parting of the Red Sea (see Ex. 14:16). Moses' staff transformed a people from slavery to freedom and was used to demonstrate his God-given authority.

How about you? Are you willing for God to use your "staff" to bring a people out of bondage?

TGIF
Volume 2
All New TGIF Devotionals by Os Hillman
Os Hillman has the unique ability to capture a deep spiritual truth in a succinct "daily devotional" format that is amazingly relevant to the 'real-world' of business and the workplace.Volume 2 contains all new 365 daily messages at your fingertips in an attractive hardcoverversion ready to encourage you daily at work. New messages on topics such as work as ministry, handling disappointments, time management, integrity, finances, decision-making, hearing God, and much more.
Click to Order or Learn More 

Living Free Every Day®
Today's Scripture

"I patiently waited, LORD, for you to hear my prayer. You listened and pulled me from a lonely pit full of mud and mire. You let me stand on a rock with my feet firm, and you gave me a new song, a song of praise to you. Many will see this, and they will honor and trust you, the LORD God." Psalm 40:1-3 CEV

Thoughts for Today

We have been looking at the four-stage progression of life-controlling problems. When we reach the fourth stage, the only times we feel normal are when we are using the substance or engaging in the behavior. We can't get through a day without it. We are out of control and in constant pain spiritually, emotionally and sometimes physically. Without help, we are headed for disaster.

Consider this

Perhaps your life is out of control. Finding the way out of this despair might seem impossible. And alone, it probably is. But you are not alone. Help is available to you, but first you must admit that you need help and decide that you want help. Then turn to Jesus and to people who care about you. Be honest with yourself and with them.

Reaching this level of despair took time, and working your way out will take time too. It is a process. But with Jesus' help you can do it. He is offering you his love, forgiveness and strength. Turn to him today. He won't let you down.

Prayer

Lord, I'm really in trouble here. I have made so many mistakes and let so many people down. Please forgive me. Help me start the process of working my way out. Please pull me out of this lonely pit and stand me on a rock. I need your help. In Jesus' name 

These thoughts were drawn from

Living Free DVD Training. Prepare your congregation to minister to hurting people within your church and your community. Through Living Free, your church or ministry can unleash a fresh wave of small group leaders and develop a small group ministry that will result in transformed lives.

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Will You Go Out Without Knowing?
He went out, not knowing where he was going -Hebrews 11:8
Have you ever "gone out" in this way? If so, there is no logical answer possible when anyone asks you what you are doing. One of the most difficult questions to answer in Christian work is, "What do you expect to do?" You don't know what you are going to do. The only thing you know is that God knows what He is doing. Continually examine your attitude toward God to see if you are willing to "go out" in every area of your life, trusting in God entirely. It is this attitude that keeps you in constant wonder, because you don't know what God is going to do next. Each morning as you wake, there is a new opportunity to "go out," building your confidence in God. ". . . do not worry about your life . . . nor about the body . . ." (Luke 12:22). In other words, don't worry about the things that concerned you before you did "go out."

Have you been asking God what He is going to do? He will never tell you. God does not tell you what He is going to do- He reveals to you who He is. Do you believe in a miracle-working God, and will you "go out" in complete surrender to Him until you are not surprised one iota by anything He does?

Believe God is always the God you know Him to be when you are nearest to Him. Then think how unnecessary and disrespectful worry is! Let the attitude of your life be a continual willingness to "go out" in dependence upon God, and your life will have a sacred and inexpressible charm about it that is very satisfying to Jesus. You must learn to "go out" through your convictions, creeds, or experiences until you come to the point in your faith where there is nothing between yourself and God.

God Bless

[Judy Harder]

Daily Devotionals January 3, 2009

Eating As Worship

READ: Genesis 2:8-17
Have you found honey? Eat only as much as you need. -Proverbs 25:16

When you walk into the bookstore and see a table filled with books on dieting, you know it must be January. After several weeks of overeating all kinds of holiday foods, people in many cultures turn their attention to not eating.

Food plays an important role in Scripture. God uses it not only to bless us but also to teach us. Our misuse of food keeps us from knowing God in ways He wants to be known.

In the Old Testament, God gave instructions to Adam as to what to eat and what not to eat (Gen. 2:16-17). Later He gave the Israelites manna to convince them that He was God and to test them to find out if they believed Him (Ex. 16:12; Deut. 8:16). In the New Testament, the apostle Paul stated the proper attitude for everything we do, including eating: "Whether you eat or drink, . . . do all to the glory of God" (1 Cor. 10:31).

When we think of food as a friend that comforts us or an enemy that makes us fat, we miss the wonder of receiving with gratitude a splendid gift from God. Obsessive eating or not eating indicates that we are focused on the gift rather than on the Giver, which is a form of idolatry.

When eating becomes a true act of worship, we will no longer worship food.  - Julie Ackerman Link

You alone are worthy, Lord,
To be worshiped and adored;
We to You our tribute bring
As our hearts rejoice and sing. -Hess

When food becomes our god, our appetite for the Bread of Life is diminished.

Then Moses said to him, "If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here. How will anyone know that you are pleased with me and with your people unless you go with us? What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?" (Exod. 33:15-16).

A few years ago, the "AD 2000" movement was a major emphasis in the church and had a goal of reaching the "10/40" window. This reference was related to the 10th parallel and the 40th parallel of the globe. It was determined that this was where the most people resided who had never heard the message of the gospel.

Today, there is a new move of God that is focused on the "9-5" window. This represents those who work-whether they are homemakers, construction workers, nurses, executives, Fortune 500 CEOs or pastors and vocational ministers. The one thing many of us have in common is that we work. However, the one thing most workers have failed to do is bring Jesus into their work lives. But, God is changing this.

God is helping workplace believers today understand the importance of bringing the presence of Jesus into their work lives so that He may be shared with those who have yet to receive salvation. God is calling us to move past "principle-based" living to "presence-based" living. It is only when we bring God's presence into our work lives that we see real transformation in us and others. It is the mission field of the 21st century-the "9-5" window. It is where more unsaved people live than the 10/40 window.

God is calling us to establish "church plants" into this new frontier that the church has failed to focus upon. The "Church" is a Church when two believers come together in the name of Jesus. It is not a building. It is a people. So today, bring the Church to the workplace by focusing your mission activity on the greatest mission field of the 21st century-the 9-5 window.


The Church In The Workplace Conference: Reclaim the 7 Mountains of Culture
February 6-8, 2009 Atlanta, GA
"Shout! For the Lord has given you the city" (Joshua 6:16b). This is the theme of our 2009 International Church in the Workplace Conference on the theme of Reclaiming the 7 Mountains of Culture. If you are called to impact culture through your marketplace calling you must understand the spiritual and the physical dimension of your assignment. This year's conference will focus on the process that God uses in the life of the leader to impact culture. You can become a change agent!

The Door Is Not Closed

In Revelation 7-8 we read how the trumpets have been sounded and God's redemptive plan fulfilled. Not all men and women will be saved from an eternal death. Certainly, God's desire is that every person would come to know Him as Savior and Lord, but many have chosen to follow other gods.

The good news is that it is not too late to know the Savior. As of today, the trumpet has not sounded. The door of eternal opportunity has not closed, and you still have time to make a decision to follow Jesus Christ. Charles Spurgeon writes:

One person may say, "I cannot see how simply trusting Christ and believing God's witness of Him would save my soul." To which I would reply, "My dear man, are you never to believe anything but what you can see, and how are you to see this thing till you have tried it? You must believe the gospel on the evidence of God, and not otherwise, or have faith in the record God has given concerning His Son-a faith that takes God at His word. Believe, then, on the Lord Jesus Christ and you have believed God to be true; refuse to trust in Jesus Christ, unless you get some other evidence beyond the witness of God, and you have practically said that God's testimony is not enough-that is to say, you have made God a liar."

But God is not a liar. Within Him is all truth and justice. Up until the final moment, He is longing for the lost to accept His gracious gift of salvation. Satan, however, wants to lead us astray by filling our minds with the idea that we don't need God.

Nothing could be further from the truth. Have you fully surrendered your life and heart to the Savior? If not, today is the day to discover anew the graciousness of His love.

Praise and glory and wisdom and thanks and honor and power and strength be to our God forever and ever. Amen! (Revelation 7:12).

The circumstances of life do not have to get you down.  Learn how you can turn negative situations into ones of hope and promise in our free resource this month-"When Life Gets You Down, Look Up!" Download it today.

By Passionately Proclaiming Uncompromising Truth, Leading The Way is revolutionizing lives at home and around the world. Discover more at www.leadingtheway.org.
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Clouds and Darkness
Clouds and darkness surround Him . . . -Psalm 97:2
A person who has not been born again by the Spirit of God will tell you that the teachings of Jesus are simple. But when he is baptized by the Holy Spirit, he finds that "clouds and darkness surround Him . . . ." When we come into close contact with the teachings of Jesus Christ we have our first realization of this. The only possible way to have full understanding of the teachings of Jesus is through the light of the Spirit of God shining inside us. If we have never had the experience of taking our casual, religious shoes off our casual, religious feet- getting rid of all the excessive informality with which we approach God- it is questionable whether we have ever stood in His presence. The people who are flippant and disrespectful in their approach to God are those who have never been introduced to Jesus Christ. Only after the amazing delight and liberty of realizing what Jesus Christ does, comes the impenetrable "darkness" of realizing who He is.

Jesus said, "The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life" (John 6:63). Once, the Bible was just so many words to us - "clouds and darkness"- then, suddenly, the words become spirit and life because Jesus re-speaks them to us when our circumstances make the words new. That is the way God speaks to us; not by visions and dreams, but by words. When a man gets to God, it is by the most simple way- words.

God Bless

[Judy Harder]

Daily Devotionals January 4, 2009

Living Deceptively
READ: 2 Timothy 3:10-17

You have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. -2 Timothy 3:15

The year 2007 was labeled the "Year of Living Deceptively" for South Korea, because of the country's numerous scandals involving fake academics and corrupt politicians. A survey of 340 professors selected the Chinese phrase "ja-gi-gi-in" (deceiving yourself and others) to sum up the year.

It should not surprise us to hear of deception like that. The apostle Paul wrote in 2 Timothy 3:13, "Evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived." To deceive is to make others believe falsehood as truth and accept wrong as right.

Our defense against deception is to know God's Word, for "all Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness" (v.16). Correction is to set right what is wrong, and instruction is to make known what is right. God's Word not only makes us aware of wrongs, it also prompts and teaches us to do what is right.

Is your New Year's resolution to walk rightly before God and others and to be "thoroughly equipped for every good work"? (v.17). Then read and apply God's Word, asking the Lord to make you a person of integrity.  - Albert Lee

When reading God's Word, take special care
To find the rich treasures hidden there;
Give thought to each truth, each precept hear,
Then practice it well with godly fear. -Anon.

The more we meditate on Scripture, the more readily we'll detect error.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! (2 Cor. 5:17).

A mulligan is a golf term which allows a player to play a second shot off the first tee if the first shot is poor. It's a second chance to get a fresh start without penalty.

Sometimes in life we need a mulligan - a new start. Christ represents the invitation to throw away our first life and begin anew with Him as a new creation.

The Promised Land represented a new life for the people of Israel who had lived a life of bondage and slavery in Egypt. It is also symbolic of a new life in Christ. It says we are no longer going to be driven by the appetites of our old nature, but Christ now lives in us to live a righteous and holy life. It does not mean we're perfect, we're just forgiven.

The new life in Christ has nothing to do with church attendance or even doing good things. Christ said there will be many people who will claim Him as their Savior but they never really knew Him. In other words, there was no evidence of the living Savior in them. "Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!" (Matt 7:22-23).

Jesus invites everyone to partake of the new life He offers. We only must believe, invite him to remove our sins and allow Him to live as Lord through our lives. "Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me?" (Rev 3:20).

If you've never had a mulligan in life, now is the time to let Jesus give you a brand new start. Ask Him for that new start today. 

The Church In The Workplace Conference: Reclaim the 7 Mountains of Culture
February 6-8, 2009 Atlanta, GA
"Shout! For the Lord has given you the city" (Joshua 6:16b). This is the theme of our 2009 International Church in the Workplace Conference on the theme of Reclaiming the 7 Mountains of Culture. If you are called to impact culture through your marketplace calling you must understand the spiritual and the physical dimension of your assignment. This year's conference will focus on the process that God uses in the life of the leader to impact culture. You can become a change agent!

Just a Moment
by Max Lucado

It all happened in a moment, a most remarkable moment.

As moments go, that one appeared no different than any other. If you could somehow pick it up off the timeline and examine it, it would look exactly like the ones that have passed while you have read these words. It came and it went. It was preceded and succeeded by others just like it. It was one of the countless moments that have marked time since eternity became measurable.

But in reality, that particular moment was like none other. For through that segment of time a spectacular thing occurred. God became a man. While the creatures of earth walked unaware, Divinity arrived. Heaven opened herself and placed her most precious one in a human womb.

The omnipotent, in one instant, made himself breakable. He who had been spirit became pierceable. He who was larger than the universe became an embryo. And he who sustains the world with a word chose to be dependent upon the nourishment of a young girl.

God as a fetus. Holiness sleeping in a womb. The creator of life being created.

God was given eyebrows, elbows, two kidneys, and a spleen. He stretched against the walls and floated in the amniotic fluids of his mother.

God had come near.

He came, not as a flash of light or as an unapproachable conqueror, but as one whose first cries were heard by a peasant girl and a sleepy carpenter. The hands that first held him were unmanicured, calloused, and dirty.

For thirty-three years he would feel everything you and I have ever felt. He felt weak. He grew weary. He was afraid of failure. He was susceptible to wooing women. He got colds, burped, and had body odor. His feelings got hurt. His feet got tired. And his head ached.

To think of Jesus in such a light is-well, it seems almost irreverent, doesn't it? It's not something we like to do; it's uncomfortable. It is much easier to keep the humanity out of the incarnation. Clean the manure from around the manger. Wipe the sweat out of his eyes. Pretend he never snored or blew his nose or hit his thumb with a hammer.

He's easier to stomach that way. There is something about keeping him divine that keeps him distant, packaged, predictable.

But don't do it. For heaven's sake, don't. Let him be as human as he intended to be. Let him into the mire and muck of our world. For only if we let him in can he pull us out.

It all happened in a moment. In one moment ... a most remarkable moment. The Word became flesh.

There will be another. The world will see another instantaneous transformation. You see, in becoming man, God made it possible for man to see God. When Jesus went home he left the back door open. As a result, "we will all be changed-in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye." (1 Corinthians 15:51-52)

The first moment of transformation went unnoticed by the world. But you can bet your sweet September that the second one won't. The next time you use the phrase "just a moment, ... " remember that's all the time it will take to change this world.

From
God Came Near
© (Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2006) Max Lucado

Why Can I Not Follow You Now?

Peter said to Him, 'Lord, why can I not follow You now?' -John 13:37
There are times when you can't understand why you cannot do what you want to do. When God brings a time of waiting, and appears to be unresponsive, don't fill it with busyness, just wait. The time of waiting may come to teach you the meaning of sanctification- to be set apart from sin and made holy- or it may come after the process of sanctification has begun to teach you what service means. Never run before God gives you His direction. If you have the slightest doubt, then He is not guiding. Whenever there is doubt- wait.

At first you may see clearly what God's will is- the severance of a friendship, the breaking off of a business relationship, or something else you feel is distinctly God's will for you to do. But never act on the impulse of that feeling. If you do, you will cause difficult situations to arise which will take years to untangle. Wait for God's timing and He will do it without any heartache or disappointment. When it is a question of the providential will of God, wait for God to move.

Peter did not wait for God. He predicted in his own mind where the test would come, and it came where he did not expect it. "I will lay down my life for Your sake." Peter's statement was honest but ignorant. "Jesus answered him, ' . . . the rooster shall not crow till you have denied Me three times' " (John 13:38). This was said with a deeper knowledge of Peter than Peter had of himself. He could not follow Jesus because he did not know himself or his own capabilities well enough. Natural devotion may be enough to attract us to Jesus, to make us feel His irresistible charm, but it will never make us disciples. Natural devotion will deny Jesus, always falling short of what it means to truly follow Him.

God Bless

[Judy Harder]

Daily Devotionals January 5, 2009

A Lot To Remember
READ: Proverbs 10:11-21
He who restrains his lips is wise. -Proverbs 10:19

Thanks a lot," the man behind the postal counter said to the person in front of me. The clerk, Jon, had seen me in line and was hoping I would overhear him. When it was my turn, I said hello to Jon, who had been a student of mine when I taught high school in the 1980s.

"Did you notice what I said to her?" Jon asked. "I told her, 'Thanks a lot.'" Sensing that I was missing his point, he explained, "Remember what you told us about the term a lot? You said a lot was a piece of land, not a phrase to use instead of much."

Astounding! An English lesson from a quarter-century before had stuck with Jon through all those years. That speaks clearly to us of the importance of what we say to others. It also backs up one of my favorite lines by poet Emily Dickinson: "A word is dead when it is said, some say. I say it just begins to live that day."

The words we say may have long-term consequences. Our comments, our compliments, and even our harsh criticisms may stick with the hearer for decades.

No wonder Scripture says, "He who restrains his lips is wise" (Prov. 10:19). The words we speak today live on. Let's make sure they come from "the tongue of the righteous" (v.20).  - Dave Branon

Father, help me live today
With thoughtfulness in what I say,
Confronting wrong with truth and fact,
Expressing gentleness and tact. -Hess

The tongue is a small organ that creates either discord or harmony.

"You know me inside and out, you know every bone in my body; You know exactly how I was made, bit by bit, how I was sculpted from nothing into something" (Psalm 139: 15). (Msg)

If you are going to discover how God wants to use your life and work, you must know why you were created. If you start trying to determine your purpose in life before understanding why you were created, you will inevitably get hung up on the things you do as the basis for fulfillment in your life, which will only lead to frustration and disappointment.

First and foremost, God created you to know Him and to have an intimate relationship with Him. In fact, God says that if a man is going to boast about anything in life, "boast about this: that he understands and knows me" (Jer. 9:24). Mankind's relationship with God was lost in the Garden when Adam and Eve sinned. Jesus' death on the cross, however, allows us to restore this relationship with God and to have an intimate fellowship with Him. The apostle Paul came to understand this when he said, "I gave up all that inferior stuff so I could know Christ personally, experience his resurrection power, be a partner in his suffering, and go all the way with him to death itself" (Phil. 3:10, THE MESSAGE).

Establishing this relationship with God is vital to understanding your purpose. If you don't have this relationship with God, you will seek to fulfill your purpose out of wrong motives; such as fear, insecurity, pride, money, relationships, guilt, or unresolved anger. God's desire is for you to be motivated out of love for Him and to desire to worship Him in all that you do. As you develop your relationship with God, He will begin to reveal His purpose for your life. "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord" (Jer. 29:11).

Today, ask God to help you discover your unique purpose.

Note: Marketplace Leaders.org provides a process to help every believer discover their unique purpose. Visit our website and click on Discover My Purpose.

The Church In The Workplace Conference: Reclaim the 7 Mountains of Culture
February 6-8, 2009 Atlanta, GA
"Shout! For the Lord has given you the city" (Joshua 6:16b). This is the theme of our 2009 International Church in the Workplace Conference on the theme of Reclaiming the 7 Mountains of Culture. If you are called to impact culture through your marketplace calling you must understand the spiritual and the physical dimension of your assignment. This year's conference will focus on the process that God uses in the life of the leader to impact culture. You can become a change agent!

Living Free Every Day®
"Listen to me, O my people, while I give you stern warnings. O Israel, if you would only listen to me! ... But no, my people wouldn't listen. ... Oh, that my people would listen to me!" Psalm 81:8, 11, 13 NLT (Suggested reading: Psalm 81:8-14)

Thoughts for Today

In today's passage, God is lamenting the fact that no one is listening. You can almost feel the sadness in his heart as he speaks these words. He pleads with his people: Please listen to me!

These words were directed toward Israel, but God wants all of his children to listen. Jesus said, "My sheep listen to my voice." (John 10:27 NIV)

Consider this

Have you ever been involved in a "conversation" with a person who never gives you a chance to say a word? Frustrating, isn't it? But sadly, this is what we so often do when we pray. We do all the talking and expect God to do all the listening!

God wants us to talk to him. And he listens. The psalmist expressed it well: "He has never wandered off to do his own thing; he has been right there, listening." (Psalm 22:24 MSG) God listens to us, and he wants us to listen to him. In our prayer time and throughout the day.

Are you listening?

Prayer

Father, so often I am guilty of spending all my prayer time talking, never staying quiet to listen to you. Please forgive me and help me be a better listener. In Jesus' name 

These thoughts were drawn from

A Passionate Pursuit of God: Drawing Nearer to Him by Dr. Mike Chapman. This study teaches participant how to move into God's inner circle, how to listen for the voice of God, how to enjoy the freedom of worship, and how to embrace the mission of worship. This 45-minute format will accommodate groups with limited meeting times. 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.

Would you like to have these devotions appear daily on your church or ministry website? Learn More   

PO Box 22127 ~ Chattanooga, Tennessee 37421 ~ 423-899-4770
© Living Free 2007. Living Free is a registered trademark. Living Free Every Day devotionals may be reproduced for personal use. When reproduced to share with others, please acknowledge the source as Living Free, Chattanooga, TN. Must have written permission to use in any format to be sold. Permission may be requested by sending e-mail to info@LivingFree.org.
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The Life of Power to Follow
Jesus answered him, 'Where I am going you cannot follow Me now, but you shall follow Me afterward' -John 13:36
"And when He had spoken this, He said to him, 'Follow Me' " (John 21:19). Three years earlier Jesus had said, "Follow Me" (Matthew 4:19), and Peter followed with no hesitation. The irresistible attraction of Jesus was upon him and he did not need the Holy Spirit to help him do it. Later he came to the place where he denied Jesus, and his heart broke. Then he received the Holy Spirit and Jesus said again, "Follow Me" (John 21:19). Now no one is in front of Peter except the Lord Jesus Christ. The first "Follow Me" was nothing mysterious; it was an external following. Jesus is now asking for an internal sacrifice and yielding (see John 21:18 ).

Between these two times Peter denied Jesus with oaths and curses (see Matthew 26:69-75). But then he came completely to the end of himself and all of his self-sufficiency. There was no part of himself he would ever rely on again. In his state of destitution, he was finally ready to receive all that the risen Lord had for him. ". . . He breathed on them, and said to them, 'Receive the Holy Spirit' " (John 20:22 ). No matter what changes God has performed in you, never rely on them. Build only on a Person, the Lord Jesus Christ, and on the Spirit He gives.

All our promises and resolutions end in denial because we have no power to accomplish them. When we come to the end of ourselves, not just mentally but completely, we are able to "receive the Holy Spirit." "Receive the Holy Spirit "- the idea is that of invasion. There is now only One who directs the course of your life, the Lord Jesus Christ.

God Bless

[Judy Harder]

Daily Devotionals January 6, 2009

Faith Of A Child
READ: Matthew 18:1-5
Unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. -Matthew 18:3

One Sunday I heard Mike talk about his relationship with his two fathers-the one who raised him as a child, and his Father in heaven.

First he described his childhood trust toward his earthly father as "simple and uncomplicated." He expected his dad to fix broken things and to give advice. He dreaded displeasing him, however, because he often forgot that his father's love and forgiveness always followed.

Mike continued, "Some years ago I made a mess of things and hurt a lot of people. Because of my guilt, I ended a happy, simple relationship with my heavenly Father. I forgot that I could ask Him to fix what I had broken and seek His advice."

Years passed. Eventually Mike became desperate for God, yet he wondered what to do. His pastor said simply, "Say you're sorry to God, and mean it!"

Instead, Mike asked complicated questions, like: "How does this work?" and "What if . . .?"

Finally his pastor prayed, "Please, God, give Mike the faith of a child!" Mike later testified joyfully, "The Lord did!"

Mike found closeness with his heavenly Father. The key for him and for us is to practice the simple and uncomplicated faith of a child.  - Joanie Yoder

Have you noticed that the childlike faith
Of a little girl or boy
Has so often shown to older folks
How to know salvation's joy? -Branon


Faith shines brightest in a childlike heart.

The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it (Gen. 2:15).

Imagine for a moment that Jesus has just completed his three years of training with the disciples. He has been crucified and is now commissioning the twelve to go into the world and disciple the nations. Now imagine him also making this statement to them.

"Dear brothers, it is now time for you to share what you have learned from me. However, as you share with others be sure that you keep what I taught you separate from your work life. The principles I have shared with you only apply in situations outside your work life. Do not make them fit into this context. The miracles you saw in me can only be done in certain situations outside work life. Keep this in mind when thinking about praying for the sick or the lost. These truths will not work in the marketplace."

Sound preposterous? It may, but this is the mindset of many in our world today. The spiritual does not mix with the everyday world of the workplace. "What happens on Monday has no relationship to what takes place on Sunday," they say.

These are the thoughts expressed so much in our day and time, although they are not expressed in such direct terms. Let's think more about this idea. When Jesus came to earth, how did He come? He came as a carpenter. He was a man given to work with his hands and to provide an honest service to his fellow man. He did not come as a priest, although He was both a King and a Priest (Rev. 1:6 KJV). When it came time to recruit those for whom the Church would be founded, He chose twelve men from the workplace - a fisherman, a tax collector, a doctor, and so on.

They all came from the workplace. None of his disciples were priests from the synagogue, a natural place to recruit from if you were going to start a religious movement. Jesus called them all from the marketplace of life. Was this any accident that Jesus called men and women from the marketplace to play such a vital role in His mission? I think not.

Today, embrace your work life as a holy calling.

The Church In The Workplace Conference: Reclaim the 7 Mountains of Culture
February 6-8, 2009 Atlanta, GA
"Shout! For the Lord has given you the city" (Joshua 6:16b). This is the theme of our 2009 International Church in the Workplace Conference on the theme of Reclaiming the 7 Mountains of Culture. If you are called to impact culture through your marketplace calling you must understand the spiritual and the physical dimension of your assignment. This year's conference will focus on the process that God uses in the life of the leader to impact culture. You can become a change agent!

Living Free Every Day®
Today's Scripture

"He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he gets them all out, he leads them and they follow because they are familiar with his voice." John 10:3 MSG

Thoughts for Today

When you hear someone say, "God told me " do you wonder if God spoke to them audibly and why that never happens to you?

While there are instances recorded in the Bible of God speaking audibly and it no doubt still happens this is not a common occurrence. But there are other ways God speaks to us: through the Bible and in a still small voice in our hearts. As we learn to listen and respond, we will become more and more familiar with his voice.

Consider this

God speaks through the Bible. This is the logos of God-the authoritative, infallible, inerrant, eternal Word of God that is forever settled in heaven. Second Timothy 3:16 says, "All Scripture is God-breathed."

As we read the Bible, every word is God speaking to us. We need to spend regular time in God's Word listening and growing. "people need more than food to live-they need every word that the LORD has spoken" (Deuteronomy 8:3 CEV).

As we spend time in his Word, God also speaks to us in "scripture explosions." This is when a verse literally jumps off the page and speaks to us.

Sometimes God will also speak to us directly through a still small voice, a thought that we know is not our own. Tomorrow we will consider some ways to recognize God's voice.

Prayer

Father, I commit to spending more time in your Word, listening as you speak to me through the scriptures. Help me to become more familiar with your voice. In Jesus' name

These thoughts were drawn from

A Passionate Pursuit of God: Drawing Nearer to Him by Dr. Mike Chapman. This study teaches participant how to move into God's inner circle, how to listen for the voice of God, how to enjoy the freedom of worship, and how to embrace the mission of worship. This 45-minute format will accommodate groups with limited meeting times. 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.

Would you like to have these devotions appear daily on your church or ministry website? Learn More   

 
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.

Worship

He moved from there to the mountain east of Bethel, and he pitched his tent with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east; there he built an altar to the Lord and called on the name of the Lord -Genesis 12:8

Worship is giving God the best that He has given you. Be careful what you do with the best you have. Whenever you get a blessing from God, give it back to Him as a love-gift. Take time to meditate before God and offer the blessing back to Him in a deliberate act of worship. If you hoard it for yourself, it will turn into spiritual dry rot, as the manna did when it was hoarded (see Exodus 16:20 ). God will never allow you to keep a spiritual blessing completely for yourself. It must be given back to Him so that He can make it a blessing to others.

Bethel is the symbol of fellowship with God; Ai is the symbol of the world. Abram "pitched his tent" between the two. The lasting value of our public service for God is measured by the depth of the intimacy of our private times of fellowship and oneness with Him. Rushing in and out of worship is wrong every time- there is always plenty of time to worship God. Days set apart for quiet can be a trap, detracting from the need to have daily quiet time with God. That is why we must "pitch our tents" where we will always have quiet times with Him, however noisy our times with the world may be. There are not three levels of spiritual life- worship, waiting, and work. Yet some of us seem to jump like spiritual frogs from worship to waiting, and from waiting to work. God's idea is that the three should go together as one. They were always together in the life of our Lord and in perfect harmony. It is a discipline that must be developed; it will not happen overnight

God Bless

[Judy Harder]

Daily Devotionals January 7, 2009

The Innocent Man
READ: Genesis 18:22-33
Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right? -Genesis 18:25

John Grisham is well known for his courtroom novels-fast-paced tales of lawyers and victims, authorities and wrongdoers. However, his book The Innocent Man is not fiction. It is a real-life story of injustice. It tells of the brutal murder of a young woman and the two men who, though innocent, were convicted and sentenced to death for the crime. Only with the advent of DNA testing were they proven innocent and spared from execution after 17 years of suffering wrongly. At long last, justice prevailed.

Everyone desires justice. But we must recognize that our human frailty makes it challenging to mete out true justice. And we can be bent toward revenge, making a casualty out of the pursuit of it.

It's helpful to remember that perfect justice can be found only in God. Abraham described Him with the rhetorical question, "Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?" (Gen. 18:25). The necessary answer is yes. But even more, His courtroom is the one and only place where we can be certain that justice will prevail.

In a world filled with injustice, we can take the wrongs done to us, submit them to the Judge of all the earth, and trust Him for ultimate justice.  - Bill Crowder

The best of judges on this earth
Aren't always right or fair;
But God, the Righteous Judge of all,
Wrongs no one in His care. -Egner

Life is not always fair, but God is always faithful.

The Gospel of the Kingdom

1 John 2:5-6
This is how we know we are in Him: Whoever claims to live in Him must walk as Jesus did.

When Christ came to earth, He came to bring to mankind the gospel of the Kingdom. Over the centuries, the Church has tended to emphasize only a portion of the gospel. That portion is the gospel of salvation. However, Jesus came that we might have more than just salvation. He came to give us a whole new life that was accompanied by signs, wonders, and His Spirit living in us and revealing Himself to us daily. He came so that we might walk on this earth as He did. If our lives are not reflecting the same things as Jesus' did, we must ask why?

I have noticed three distinct types of businesspeople throughout my 24 years of walking with Christ. First, many of us come to Christ out of a need for salvation. Our hearts have been touched by His call on our lives. We reason and analyze the claims of Christ and make a decision for Him. It is the convenient time to accept Him in our lives. This first stage is often characterized by a "Bless me, Lord" attitude toward God. It is the first stage that primarily brings salvation into our lives. Some never really go past this first stage.

The second stage is the crisis stage. A crisis takes place in our lives, and we are motivated to seek Christ with a whole heart. However, this motivation is not out of pure love for Christ; rather, it is motivated by the desire to get out of the pain of living. The motivation is to solve the what versus the why in my life at the time. This stage is best characterized as "Help me, Lord."

In the third stage we begin to experience the gospel of the Kingdom. It is the place where Jesus resided in His walk with His heavenly Father. It is the place of conviction. The number of people who live at this level are quite few, but these people are experiencing the reality of a walk with God that is foreign to all others. They are seeing daily occurrences of His involvement in their lives. They are motivated by a deep love for Him. They know Him. These people have an attitude characterized by these thoughts, "Have me, Lord; though He slay me, still will I trust Him."

Where are you today? Have you merely accepted His salvation to simply float along? Or do you seek Him with a whole heart only when a crisis occurs? His desire is for you and me to live a life of conviction, motivated by our love for Him and His love for us. This is where we will experience the gospel of the Kingdom.

The Church In The Workplace Conference: Reclaim the 7 Mountains of Culture
February 6-8, 2009 Atlanta, GA
"Shout! For the Lord has given you the city" (Joshua 6:16b). This is the theme of our 2009 International Church in the Workplace Conference on the theme of Reclaiming the 7 Mountains of Culture. If you are called to impact culture through your marketplace calling you must understand the spiritual and the physical dimension of your assignment. This year's conference will focus on the process that God uses in the life of the leader to impact culture. You can become a change agent!

Living Free Every Day®
Today's Scripture

"The sheep that are My own hear and are listening to My voice; and I know them, and they follow Me." John 10:27 AMP

Thoughts for Today

When you think God is speaking a word to you through the Scriptures, through circumstances, or through that still small voice in your mind and heart, how can you be sure it is God? Jesus said his sheep are listening to his voice; if we belong to him, he will help us know when he is speaking to us. Here are some guidelines based on biblical principles: 

The Approach: God comes openly. The enemy sneaks in causing fear, anxiety and guilt.   
The Relevance: What you hear will often be a confirmation of something God has already spoken to you. You will understand.   
The Content: Always lines up with the Scriptures and builds faith.   
The Results: More love, more power, mind will not be fragmented.
Consider this

Do you believe that God is speaking to you about some area in your life? How does what you are hearing line up with these four points?

For major decisions, it is always good to confirm God's voice through the protection of spiritual authority. Talk to your pastor or an elder in your church. "Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give an account." (Hebrews 13:17)

Prayer

Lord, thank you for your promise that your sheep can hear your voice. Teach me to listen better and to recognize when it is you speaking. In Jesus' name 

These thoughts were drawn from

A Passionate Pursuit of God: Drawing Nearer to Him by Dr. Mike Chapman. This study teaches participant how to move into God's inner circle, how to listen for the voice of God, how to enjoy the freedom of worship, and how to embrace the mission of worship. This 45-minute format will accommodate groups with limited meeting times. 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.

Would you like to have these devotions appear daily on your church or ministry website? Learn More   

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.

Intimate With Jesus
Jesus said to him, 'Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip?' -John 14:9
These words were not spoken as a rebuke, nor even with surprise; Jesus was encouraging Philip to draw closer. Yet the last person we get intimate with is Jesus. Before Pentecost the disciples knew Jesus as the One who gave them power to conquer demons and to bring about a revival (see Luke 10:18-20). It was a wonderful intimacy, but there was a much closer intimacy to come: ". . . I have called you friends . . ." (John 15:15). True friendship is rare on earth. It means identifying with someone in thought, heart, and spirit. The whole experience of life is designed to enable us to enter into this closest relationship with Jesus Christ. We receive His blessings and know His Word, but do we really know Him?

Jesus said, "It is to your advantage that I go away . . ." (John 16:7). He left that relationship to lead them even closer. It is a joy to Jesus when a disciple takes time to walk more intimately with Him. The bearing of fruit is always shown in Scripture to be the visible result of an intimate relationship with Jesus Christ (see John 15:1-4).

Once we get intimate with Jesus we are never lonely and we never lack for understanding or compassion. We can continually pour out our hearts to Him without being perceived as overly emotional or pitiful. The Christian who is truly intimate with Jesus will never draw attention to himself but will only show the evidence of a life where Jesus is completely in control. This is the outcome of allowing Jesus to satisfy every area of life to its depth. The picture resulting from such a life is that of the strong, calm balance that our Lord gives to those who are intimate with Him.

God Bless

[Judy Harder]

Daily Devotionals January 8, 2009

The King
READ: Revelation 17:9-14
These will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, for He is Lord of lords and King of kings. -Revelation 17:14

It might be surprising how many people around the world know that today is Elvis Presley's birthday. The enduring popularity of the singer from Mississippi spans generations and cultures. More than 30 years after his death, sales of Presley's music, memorabilia, and licensing agreements generate millions of dollars in annual income. Once dubbed "The King of Rock and Roll," Elvis is often called simply, "The King."

Whether the "kings" of this world are celebrities, athletes, crowned heads, or tycoons, they come and go. Their influence may be immense and their followers fanatically loyal, but it doesn't last forever.

The Bible, however, refers to Jesus Christ as the eternal King. Revelation 17 speaks prophetically of earthly kings who will fight to establish their authority at the end of the ages. Biblical scholars have debated the identities of these kings, but there is no mistake about the One they cannot overpower: "These will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, for He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and those who are with Him are called, chosen, and faithful" (Rev. 17:14).

Jesus Christ the Lord is King, and He will reign forever.  - David C. McCasland

The King of kings and Lord of lords,
Who reigns today within our heart,
Will one day bring His peace on earth-
A kingdom that will not depart. -Sper

There is no greater privilege than to be a subject of the King of kings.

Jesus Was A Workplace Minister
by Os Hillman, www.MarketplaceLeaders.com

"Isn't this the carpenter? Isn't this Mary's son and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon? Aren't his sisters here with us?" And they took offense at him (Mark 6:3).

In 2005, a movie entitled The Passion was released that chronicled the last twenty-four hours of Jesus' life. During a flashback scene, Jesus was seen in his carpentry shop making a table with his mother standing by playfully observing. It was a very beautiful scene that reminds us that Jesus was a carpenter for most of his adult life. In fact, Jesus was more qualified to be a carpenter than the Son of God in the eyes of the people because that is the history they knew of this young working class man from Nazareth.

Consider that in the New Testament of Jesus' 132 public appearances, 122 were in the marketplace. Of 52 parables Jesus told, 45 had a workplace context. Of 40 miracles in the book of Acts, 39 were in the marketplace. Jesus spent his adult life as a carpenter until age 30 before he went into a preaching ministry in the workplace. And, 54% of Jesus' reported teaching ministry arose out of issues posed by others in the scope of daily life experience. Saint Bonaventure said, "His doing nothing 'wonderful' (his first 30-years) was in itself a kind of wonder."

Work, in its different forms, is mentioned more than 800 times in the Bible -more than all the words used to express worship, music, praise, and singing combined. God created work and He is a worker. "My father is always at his work to this very day, and I too, am working" (John 5:17).

So, the next time you are tempted to minimize your daily work as anything less than a holy calling, remember that Jesus was a workplace minister as a carpenter in his community. He has called you and I to reflect His glory in our work.

The Church In The Workplace Conference: Reclaim the 7 Mountains of Culture
February 6-8, 2009 Atlanta, GA
"Shout! For the Lord has given you the city" (Joshua 6:16b). This is the theme of our 2009 International Church in the Workplace Conference on the theme of Reclaiming the 7 Mountains of Culture. If you are called to impact culture through your marketplace calling you must understand the spiritual and the physical dimension of your assignment. This year's conference will focus on the process that God uses in the life of the leader to impact culture. You can become a change agent!

Living Free Every Day®
Today's Scripture

"Let us all come forward and draw near with true (honest and sincere) hearts in unqualified assurance and absolute conviction engendered by faith (by that leaning of the entire human personality on God in absolute trust and confidence in His power, wisdom, and goodness), having our hearts sprinkled and purified from a guilty (evil) conscience and our bodies cleansed with pure water." Hebrews 10:22 AMP

Thoughts for Today

It is important to prepare ourselves to actively listen to God. Today's scripture suggests some "hearing aids"-ways to prepare ourselves to hear from God. 

Approach God honestly, with a sincere heart. Are our motives right? Do we really want to hear his truth? Are we ready to obey, even if his plan is different from ours?   
Full assurance of faith. Do we have "absolute trust and confidence in His power, wisdom, and goodness"?   
Hearts cleansed from a guilty conscience. Have we repented of any sin in our life?   
Body washed with pure water. Are we walking in obedience to God?
Consider this

Habakkuk 2:1-2 provides a process for active listening. "I will stand at my watch and station myself on the ramparts; I will look to see what he will say to me ... Then the LORD replied: 'Write down the revelation and make it plain on tablets.'"

There are three more "hearing aids" set forth in this passage that can help us be ongoing, active listeners:

Close yourself in with God.   
Look and listen for God.   
Write down what he tells you.
Prayer

Lord, fill me with a hunger to be a more active listener in my relationship with you. Help me to prepare my heart so that I might hear you clearly. In Jesus' name 

These thoughts were drawn from

A Passionate Pursuit of God: Drawing Nearer to Him by Dr. Mike Chapman. This study teaches participant how to move into God's inner circle, how to listen for the voice of God, how to enjoy the freedom of worship, and how to embrace the mission of worship. This 45-minute format will accommodate groups with limited meeting times. 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.

Would you like to have these devotions appear daily on your church or ministry website? Learn More

 
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.

Is My Sacrifice Living?

Abraham built an altar . . . ; and he bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar . . . -Genesis 22:9
This event is a picture of the mistake we make in thinking that the ultimate God wants of us is the sacrifice of death. What God wants is the sacrifice through death which enables us to do what Jesus did, that is, sacrifice our lives. Not- "Lord, I am ready to go with You . . . to death" (Luke 22:33 ). But- "I am willing to be identified with Your death so that I may sacrifice my life to God."

We seem to think that God wants us to give up things! God purified Abraham from this error, and the same process is at work in our lives. God never tells us to give up things just for the sake of giving them up, but He tells us to give them up for the sake of the only thing worth having, namely, life with Himself. It is a matter of loosening the bands that hold back our lives. Those bands are loosened immediately by identification with the death of Jesus. Then we enter into a relationship with God whereby we may sacrifice our lives to Him.

It is of no value to God to give Him your life for death. He wants you to be a "living sacrifice"- to let Him have all your strengths that have been saved and sanctified through Jesus (Romans 12:1). This is what is acceptable to God.

God Bless

[Judy Harder]

Daily Devotionals January 9, 2009

To Judge Or Not To Judge
READ: Matthew 7:1-21
Judge not, that you be not judged. -Matthew 7:1

What better way to tell people to mind their own business than to quote Jesus? People who seldom read the Bible are quick to quote Matthew 7:1 when they want to silence someone whose opinion they don't like. "Judge not, that you be not judged" seems like the perfect response.

In context, however, the passage indicates that we are indeed to judge; we're just supposed to avoid faulty judgments. Furthermore, our judgments are to begin with self: "First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye," Jesus said (v.5). He then said, "Beware of false prophets" (v.15). This too requires judging-we need to be able to discern truth from falsehood.

Jesus used the metaphor of fruit to give us the proper criteria for judging. "By their fruits you will know them" (v.20). We are to judge people (including ourselves) by the quality of the fruit they produce. This fruit cannot be judged by earthly values such as how good we look (v.15). It must be judged by heavenly values-the fruit of the Spirit produced within us-love, joy, peace (Gal. 5:22).

Our tendency is to judge by appearance. But God judges by what we produce, and so should we.  - Julie Ackerman Link

They truly lead who lead by love
And humbly serve the Lord;
Their lives will bear the Spirit's fruit
And magnify His Word. -D. De Haan

Be slow to judge others and quick to judge yourself.

When Your Sails No Longer Have Wind
by Os Hillman, www.MarketplaceLeaders.com

He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed. They were glad when it grew calm, and he guided them to their desired haven (Ps 107:29-30).

Imagine for a moment you began an exciting sailing adventure. You've been trained to navigate and sail on the ocean and be ready should trouble arise. You are confident you can handle the challenge. However, midway in the journey your resources have dried up. It almost seems God has intentionally destroyed all the skills you have to deal with the weather and the obstacles and your sails are now damaged. Even your engine has broken down. And to make matters even worse, your oars were lost overboard. You are stuck in the middle of the ocean and there is no wind to propel your boat. You are, as they say, "up the creek without a paddle."

All of this leads you to the end of yourself and you say, "Lord, I don't know why you brought me out here only to die." The silence is deafening.

Finally, the Lord speaks, "Yes, you are right. I did bring you out here. I did destroy your sails. I did break your engine. And yes, I do want you dead. Not in a physical sense, mind you, but in a spiritual sense. In order that you may LIVE."

"You see my child, you are nothing without Me. You cannot do anything without my grace and power in your life." The sailor quietly yields. Suddenly, a gentle wave lifts the front of the boat. An easterly wind blows through the broken sail moving the boat in the right direction. You realize God is moving your boat! Your role now is to steer it.

Do your sails no longer have wind to move you? Is your engine broken? Does it feel like God has propelled you into the open sea only to stop midway with no options? Perhaps He is saying it is time to die in order that He might live through you. Give the Lord total control today and you will see His wind moving through your tattered sails.

The Church In The Workplace Conference: Reclaim the 7 Mountains of Culture
February 6-8, 2009 Atlanta, GA
"Shout! For the Lord has given you the city" (Joshua 6:16b). This is the theme of our 2009 International Church in the Workplace Conference on the theme of Reclaiming the 7 Mountains of Culture. If you are called to impact culture through your marketplace calling you must understand the spiritual and the physical dimension of your assignment. This year's conference will focus on the process that God uses in the life of the leader to impact culture. You can become a change agent!

Living Free Every Day®
Today's Scripture

"Don't fool yourself into thinking that you are a listener when you are anything but, letting the Word go in one ear and out the other. Act on what you hear!" James 1:22 MSG

Thoughts for Today

According to dictionary.com, listen means "to give attention with the ear to pay attention; heed; obey."

True listening requires obedience. Today's scripture makes it clear that when we hear God's word, when we listen to him speak to us, we must act on what we hear!

Consider this

Sometimes God speaks to us to comfort and encourage us. Do we listen-or do we go right on worrying?

Sometimes we ask God's guidance in making a decision. Do we follow his guidance-even if we wanted to hear a different answer?

Sometimes God speaks to us about some behavior we need to change. Do we obey-or do we continue doing what we want to do?

Sometimes God prompts us to pray for someone or share a testimony. Are we quick to respond-or do we step back in fear?

If we want to listen for God's voice, let's be ready to act on what we hear.

Prayer

Father, help me to be a better listener. Help me to take time to listen, to listen with an honest and clean heart, and to act on what you say to me. In Jesus' name 

These thoughts were drawn from

A Passionate Pursuit of God: Drawing Nearer to Him by Dr. Mike Chapman. This study teaches participant how to move into God's inner circle, how to listen for the voice of God, how to enjoy the freedom of worship, and how to embrace the mission of worship. This 45-minute format will accommodate groups with limited meeting times. 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.

Would you like to have these devotions appear daily on your church or ministry website? Learn More   

 
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Prayerful Inner-Searching
May your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless . . . -1 Thessalonians 5:23
"Your whole spirit . . . ." The great, mysterious work of the Holy Spirit is in the deep recesses of our being which we cannot reach. Read Psalm 139 . The psalmist implies- "O Lord, You are the God of the early mornings, the God of the late nights, the God of the mountain peaks, and the God of the sea. But, my God, my soul has horizons further away than those of early mornings, deeper darkness than the nights of earth, higher peaks than any mountain peaks, greater depths than any sea in nature. You who are the God of all these, be my God. I cannot reach to the heights or to the depths; there are motives I cannot discover, dreams I cannot realize. My God, search me."

Do we believe that God can fortify and protect our thought processes far beyond where we can go? ". . . the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin" (1 John 1:7 ). If this verse means cleansing only on our conscious level, may God have mercy on us. The man who has been dulled by sin will say that he is not even conscious of it. But the cleansing from sin we experience will reach to the heights and depths of our spirit if we will "walk in the light as He is in the light" (1 John 1:7). The same Spirit that fed the life of Jesus Christ will feed the life of our spirit. It is only when we are protected by God with the miraculous sacredness of the Holy Spirit that our spirit, soul, and body can be preserved in pure uprightness until the coming of Jesus-no longer condemned in God's sight.

We should more frequently allow our minds to meditate on these great, massive truths of God.

God Bless

[Judy Harder]

Daily Devotionals January 10, 2009

The Old And The New
READ: Galatians 5:16-23
If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. -2 Corinthians 5:17

Typical resolutions in January are to lose weight, exercise more, spend less time at work and more time with family-maybe even stop chatting on the cell phone while driving.

It's not surprising that we want to change the things in our lives that we're unhappy about-even though most New Year's resolutions are kept for no more than 3 weeks.

What if you were to ask God what He wants you to change, improve, or begin this year? He might tell you to:

· Demonstrate more of the fruit of the Spirit in your life, which is "love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control" (Gal. 5:22-23).

· "Love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who . . . persecute you" (Matt. 5:44).

· "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature" (Mark 16:15).

· "Be content with such things as you have" (Heb. 13:5).

· "Walk according to His commandments" (2 John 1:6).

As believers and new creations, we can be free from old patterns and failures. We must ask God to help us live each day in the power of the Holy Spirit. Then we can shed the old and embrace the new (2 Cor. 5:17).  - Cindy Hess Kasper

How can we live to please the Lord?
By knowing what He says to do
And trusting in the Spirit's strength
To make us into someone new. -Sper

Resolutions are easier to keep when you rely on God.

Your Secular Work Is Ministry
by Os Hillman, www.MarketplaceLeaders.com

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving (Col 3:23-25).

I sat across the table from the well known seminary professor and former missionary as he asked me a very direct question: "So, Os, tell me about this faith at work movement." "Well, there's really nothing complicated about it. I believe every person's work can be viewed as a ministry if done with a motive to glorify God based upon Colossians 3:23," I responded.

"How can you say that if you're not sharing the gospel in that job? You would have to be actively sharing your faith for it to be construed as ministry," he argued.

"No, that's not true. The work itself is ministry because the word for ministry and service come from the same Greek root word, diakonia. When you are serving others even through your secular work and do it with a motive to glorify God, that's why it is ministry. In fact, the Bible says you'll receive an inheritance when you do," I said.

We continued bantering back and forth on the issue. I continued, "God created even secular work to meet human needs. Man began to divide work into spiritual and non-spiritual terms which introduced a form of dualism in the third and fourth centuries. But God never secularized our work. He desires our work to be viewed as worship."

We concluded our meeting in disagreement. However, a few months later I met my friend at a booksellers convention. "Hey, you were right Os! I've done my study and work really is ministry because it is service. This man went on to write a book on the subject and said this; "Think about this. If you are filling someone's teeth, you are ministering to your patient. If you are playing in a symphony orchestra, you are ministering to the audience. If you are flying an airplane, you are ministering to the passengers. If you wait on tables, you are ministering to the customers. All of that clearly fits under biblical diakonia."

It was the first time I'd ever won a theological argument with a theologian!

The Church In The Workplace Conference: Reclaim the 7 Mountains of Culture
February 6-8, 2009 Atlanta, GA
"Shout! For the Lord has given you the city" (Joshua 6:16b). This is the theme of our 2009 International Church in the Workplace Conference on the theme of Reclaiming the 7 Mountains of Culture. If you are called to impact culture through your marketplace calling you must understand the spiritual and the physical dimension of your assignment. This year's conference will focus on the process that God uses in the life of the leader to impact culture. You can become a change agent!

Finding the Strength to Stay Faithful

Ephesians 1:4 clearly states, "He chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight." What an amazing realization we gain when we accept Christ's calling!

Not only are we chosen by God, but also we are called "faithful." However, being called faithful does not mean that we are. We are faithful when we spend time praying and reading God's Word. We are faithful when we share our faith with others, and when we gather with other believers to worship Him.

We are faithful when our behavior reflects Christ. We are faithful when we forgive others for the hurts they have caused us, just as Christ has forgiven us. We are faithful when we give back a portion to the Lord of what He has given us. Are you faithful-in your business, relationships, morals, and finances?

Charles Spurgeon writes, "Seek, O believer, that every good thing you have may be an abiding thing. May your character not be a writing upon the sand, but an inscription upon the rock! May your faith be no 'baseless fabric of a vision,' but may it be built of material able to endure that awful fire which shall consume the wood, hay, and stubble of the hypocrite.

"May you be rooted and grounded in love. May your convictions be deep, your love real, your desire earnest. May your whole life be so firm and strong, that all the blasts of hell and the storms of earth shall never be able to remove you."

You may feel insufficient in being called the chosen and faithful of God. Only the Lord can give you the strength and ability to remain faithful.

Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer (Romans 12:12).

The circumstances of life do not have to get you down.  Learn how you can turn negative situations into ones of hope and promise in our free resource this month-"When Life Gets You Down, Look Up!" Download it today.

By Passionately Proclaiming Uncompromising Truth, Leading The Way is revolutionizing lives at home and around the world. Discover more at www.leadingtheway.org.
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The Opened Sight
I now send you, to open their eyes . . . that they may receive forgiveness of sins . . . -Acts 26:17-18
This verse is the greatest example of the true essence of the message of a disciple of Jesus Christ in all of the New Testament.

God's first sovereign work of grace is summed up in the words, ". . . that they may receive forgiveness of sins . . . ." When a person fails in his personal Christian life, it is usually because he has never received anything. The only sign that a person is saved is that he has received something from Jesus Christ. Our job as workers for God is to open people's eyes so that they may turn themselves from darkness to light. But that is not salvation; it is conversion-only the effort of an awakened human being. I do not think it is too broad a statement to say that the majority of so-called Christians are like this. Their eyes are open, but they have received nothing. Conversion is not regeneration. This is a neglected fact in our preaching today. When a person is born again, he knows that it is because he has received something as a gift from Almighty God and not because of his own decision. People may make vows and promises, and may be determined to follow through, but none of this is salvation. Salvation means that we are brought to the place where we are able to receive something from God on the authority of Jesus Christ, namely, forgiveness of sins.

This is followed by God's second mighty work of grace: ". . . an inheritance among those who are sanctified . . . ." In sanctification, the one who has been born again deliberately gives up his right to himself to Jesus Christ, and identifies himself entirely with God's ministry to others.

God Bless