Devotional for the day

[Judy Harder]

Daily Devotionals March 26, 2008

Honest Doubts

READ: Matthew 28

When they saw [Jesus], they worshiped Him; but some doubted. -Matthew 28:17
Our experience tells us that people do not return from the grave. At the heart of our desolation when death strikes is the awful certainty that in this life we will not see our loved ones again. We attend funerals to honor their memory and grieve our loss, but we do not expect to be greeted at the door by the person who has died.

In light of this, it should not seem surprising that Jesus' disciples were reluctant to believe that He had risen from the dead. Following the testimony of the women who had seen an angel, an empty tomb, and Jesus Himself (Matt. 28:1-10), "the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them. When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some doubted" (vv.16-17).

Among those who were closest to the Lord and had heard His remarkable teaching and witnessed His powerful miracles, some doubted that Jesus was actually alive again. But the honest doubts of the disciples soon turned to joy and hope as they embraced the reality of their risen Lord.

What do we doubt about Jesus today? Does our experience tell us that our past mistakes, present struggles, or future prospects can't be changed? With fresh memories of Easter, let's trust that He can do all things.  - David C. McCasland

Where Jesus reigns there is no fear,
No restless doubt, no hopeless tear,
No raging sea nor tempest dread,
But quietness and calm instead.  -Anon.
One look to Calvary can dispel your doubts.

The Cure Is Contentment by Tony Beckett and Woodrow Kroll

Joshua 22-24, Luke 3
Key Verse: Luke 3:14

Years ago the only clothes people owned were probably handmade. The same was true of their furniture and most everything they had. Then came the rise of manufacturing. More things were available, if you had the money to buy them. With the increase in goods came the increased desire to have.

The finishing touch, of sorts, was the catalog. It made more people aware of how much more there was to have. The catalog stoked the fires of materialism, a fire that rages in epic proportions today.

Manufacturing and marketing, however, are not the source of materialism. The source is the sinful human heart.

Ever notice what John the Baptist said to the soldiers who asked him, "And what should we do?" He replied, "Don't extort money . . . be content with your pay" (v. 14). John knew that soldiers used their position for personal gain. He also knew that the problem was one of the heart. The cure is contentment.

Watch carefully what you feed your heart. Feed it the trappings of materialism, and discontentment will grow. In contrast, Paul said, "Godliness with contentment is great gain" (1 Tim. 6:6). Find true gain by feeding your heart godliness and contentment.

Ask yourself if you have these two qualities: godliness and contentment. Sometimes it is hard to admit they are missing in one's life, but that is the first step in developing them.

Living Free Every Day®

Today's Scripture
"For I have known (chosen, acknowledged) him [as My own], so that he may teach and command his children and the sons of his house after him to keep the way of the Lord and to do what is just and righteous, so that the Lord may bring Abraham what He has promised him." Genesis 18:19 AMP

Thoughts for Today
Because of Abraham's strong faith, he taught and directed his children and their children to keep the way of the Lord. He instilled his faith in them. Much of what he taught was by example. He truly left a heritage of faith.

God wants us to instill our faith in our children so that it can pass from generation to generation. One of the most important ways to share your faith with your family is to live it. Let them see the love of the Heavenly Father flow through you to them and others. Let them see your walk of obedience. Let them see you walk by faith, not by sight. And those times that you fail, that you sin, that you make mistakes, let them see you repent and learn from your mistakes.

It is also important to accept responsibility for teaching your children from God's Word, reading from it in family devotions and turning to it in family situations. Sunday school and church are important for your children. Perhaps they even go to a Christian school. But all this should only supplement what they are learning at home.

Consider this
It is also important to pray with your children. During family devotions. During special times of need or choices. At family meals. And diligently and faithfully pray for them during your own private times of prayer. Be sure that they know you are praying for them.

Prayer
Father, help me leave my children and those who come after them a rich heritage of faith. Help me to teach them. Help me to live my faith before them. Help me to demonstrate your love to them. In Jesus' name 

These thoughts were drawn from
Godly Heroes: A Small Group Study of Hebrews 11 by Jimmy Ray Lee, D.Min. This guide presents a step-by-step study of Hebrews 11. It also features the profile of the characteristics of Godly heroes, written in language that relates to today's living and offering definitions, characteristics and examples of the heroes' faith life. Learn more about this topic.

Note: This curriculum was written especially for small groups and we encourage people to use it that way. However, it can also be used effectively as a personal study for individuals or couples.   

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

VISION BY PERSONAL PURITY-Oswald Chambers
 
"Blessed are the pure in heart; for they shall see God." Matthew 5:8

Purity is not innocence, it is much more. Purity is the outcome of sustained spiritual sympathy with God. We have to grow in purity. The life with God may be right and the inner purity remain unsullied, and yet every now and again the bloom on the outside may be sullied. God does not shield us from this possibility, because in this way we realize the necessity of maintaining the vision by personal purity. If the spiritual bloom of our life with God is getting impaired in the tiniest degree, we must leave off everything and get it put right. Remember that vision depends on character - the pure in heart   see God.

God makes us pure by His sovereign grace, but we have something to look after, this bodily life by which we come in contact with other people and with other points of view, it is these that are apt to sully. Not only must the inner sanctuary be kept right with God, but the outer courts as well are to be brought into perfect accord with the purity God gives us by His grace. The spiritual understanding is blurred immediately the outer court is sullied. If we are going to retain personal contact with the Lord Jesus Christ, it will mean there are some things we must scorn to do or to think, some legitimate things we must scorn to touch.

A practical way of keeping personal purity unsullied in relation to other people is to say to yourself - That man, that woman, perfect in Christ Jesus!   That friend, that relative, perfect in Christ Jesus!

God bless

[Judy Harder]

Daily Devotionals March 27, 2008

Create Your Own God

READ: Psalm 146
That they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. -John 17:3
I've built a bathroom. I've wired an addition to my house. I've finished an entire basement. I enjoy do-it-yourself projects-as long as there's a good hardware store nearby.

But some people take this do-it-yourself thing too far. They create their own God. A report in Newsweek magazine said a youth pastor asked his teens who they think God is. One said He was like his grandfather: "He's there, but I never see him." Another suggested He is "an evil being who wants to punish me all the time." The last teen concluded that everyone is right because that's what they really believe.

Do we decide who God is by taking a poll? Is He a being we can make up as we go along? This create-your-own-deity idea is increasingly popular today. And it is extremely dangerous. It robs us of knowing who our heavenly Father really is-as Scripture describes Him. He is, after all, the One "who made heaven and earth" (Ps. 146:6) and "the only true God" (John 17:3).

One historical confession of faith says: "God is a spirit, infinite, eternal, and unchangeable in His being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, and truth." Examine the Scriptures. Find out who God really is and establish a relationship through Jesus. Then trust and obey the one true God.  - Dave Branon

The gods of this world are empty and vain,
They cannot give peace to one's heart;
The living and true One deserves all our love-
From Him may we never depart.  -D. De Haan

The infinite God cannot be measured by finite man.

 
Feel the Power By Tony Beckett and Woodrow Kroll

Judges 1-3, Luke 4:1-30
Key Verse: Luke 4:14

There is nothing wrong with the desire to have the Holy Spirit's power in your life. Sadly, however, teaching on the subject too often strays from biblical truth. In the quest for Holy Spirit power, many people follow paths paved with emotion rather than doctrine.

There is an interesting sequence surrounding the temptation of Jesus. He was full of the Holy Spirit and led by the Spirit (v. 1). Filling comes with surrender. Surrender allows the Spirit to lead. The Spirit-filled believer will be an obedient believer.

In a setting of temptation, He withstood the direct attempts of Satan to get Him to sin. The Spirit-filled believer also will resist temptation and live a righteous life.

After the temptation Jesus is described as returning to Galilee "in the power of the Spirit" (v. 14). It is not incidental that "power" is noted after surrender, obedience and resisting temptation.

There is no short circuit to Holy Spirit power. One must start with surrender and proceed with obedience. Righteousness also is required. A lack of spiritual power is not due to a shortage of emotion. More often it is a shortage of the Christlike life.

If you want Holy Spirit power, follow the example of Jesus. Do not start with emotion but with truth.

To know the power of the Spirit, begin where these verses begin. Ask God to help you follow these steps.

Living Free - Mar. 27, 2008

Living Free Every Day®

Today's Scripture
"Abraham had faith and obeyed God. He was told to go to the land that God had said would be his, and he left for a country he had never seen. Because Abraham had faith, he lived as a stranger in the promised land. He lived there in a tent, and so did Isaac and Jacob, who were later given the same promise. Abraham did this, because he was waiting for the eternal city that God had planned and built. "Hebrews 11:8-10 CEV

"No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us. " Philippians 3:13-14 NLT

Thoughts for Today
God called Abraham to leave everything that was familiar to him and enter a world of the unknown. Abraham obeyed without hesitation. He set out leaving relatives and friends, leaving the security of his home, leaving his culture and religion and followed God. And he didn't look back. Abraham could have spent his days complaining or grieving over all he had left behind. He could have rebelled about being taken out of his comfort zone. But he didn't. Why? He believed God. He believed God's promises. And he set his eyes on "the eternal city that God had planned and built."

The apostle Paul knew God wasn't finished with him yet. He had made many mistakes in the past, but he forgot the past and looked forward to what lay ahead, pressing on to the eternal prize. He didn't look back.

Consider this
Is God calling you out of your comfort zone? Or maybe you have already stepped out of your comfort zone but really want to do an "about face."

In every situation we need to fix our eyes on Jesus. If we look back and dwell on what was, we can't be effective in the here and now. We need to focus on what God is calling us to do today and press on to what he has promised us for tomorrow.

Prayer
Father, help me to put the past behind and focus on what you want me to do today. Help me to be willing to step out of my comfort zone and not look back. In Jesus' name 

These thoughts were drawn from
Godly Heroes: A Small Group Study of Hebrews 11 by Jimmy Ray Lee, D.Min. This guide presents a step-by-step study of Hebrews 11. It also features the profile of the characteristics of Godly heroes, written in language that relates to today's living and offering definitions, characteristics and examples of the heroes' faith life. Learn more about this topic.

Note: This curriculum was written especially for small groups and we encourage people to use it that way. However, it can also be used effectively as a personal study for individuals or couples.

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

VISION BY PERSONAL CHARACTER-Oswald Chambers
 
"Come up hither, and I will shew thee things." Revelation 4:1

An elevated mood can only come out of an elevated habit of personal character. If in the externals of your life you live up to the highest you know, God will continually say - "Friend, go up higher." The golden rule in temptation is - Go higher. When you get higher up, you face other temptations and characteristics. Satan uses the strategy of elevation in temptation, and God does the same, but the effect is different. When the devil puts you into an elevated place, he makes you screw your idea of holiness beyond what flesh and blood could ever hear, it is a spiritual acrobatic performance, you are just poised and dare not move; but when God elevates you by His grace into the heavenly places, instead of finding a pinnacle to cling to, you find a great table-land where it is easy to move.

Compare this week in your spiritual history with the same week last year and see how God has called you up higher. We have all been brought to see from a higher standpoint. Never let God give you one point of truth which you do not instantly live up to. Always work it out, keep in the light of it.

Growth in grace is measured not by the fact that you have not gone back, but that you have an insight into where you are spiritually; you have heard God say "Come up higher," not to you personally, but to the insight of your character.

"Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do?" God has to hide from us what He does until by personal character we get to the place where He can reveal it.

God bless

[Judy Harder]

Daily Devotionals March 28, 2008

Nic At Nite

READ: John 3:1-21
I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness. -John 12:46
According to the apostle John, Nicodemus "came to Jesus by night" (John 3:2). Was this Pharisee skulking under cover of darkness, embarrassed or ashamed that he, as one of the ruling class, was curious about Jesus?

Some have suggested that it was just cooler at night. Others have said that evening was a better time to ask Jesus questions because it was quieter and there were fewer distractions.

We really don't know the reason Nicodemus went to Jesus at night, but John seemed determined to make a point of that specific fact. Every time he mentioned Nicodemus, he identified him by saying something like: "You know who I'm talking about-the guy who came to Jesus by night" (see 7:50; 19:39).

Nicodemus, no doubt, was quite moral and lived according to Mosaic Law. People probably thought he was a pretty good person. Yet none of that mattered. He was in the dark about who Jesus really was, and he wanted to know the truth. So he was drawn from the darkness into the presence of "the light of the world" (John 8:12).

Jesus calls us "out of darkness" too (1 Peter 2:9) and promises that whoever believes in Him will not stay in the dark (John 12:46).  - Cindy Hess Kasper

Our search for truth is hindered by
The darkness of the night,
Until the Bright and Morning Star
Reveals His brilliant light.  -Sper
Faith in Christ is not a leap into the dark; it's a step into the Light.

 
Mighty Man? by Tony Beckett and Woodrow Kroll

Judges 4-6, Luke 4:31-44
Key Verse: Judges 6:12

The name Gideon strikes a few notes in our brain, such as "mighty man of valor" and "hero of the faith." Then the notes sound sour as we can then think, "Not like me." Gideon is seen as a great man, while we often feel like much less.

Yes, he is included in the list of heroes in Hebrews 11. Yes, he was a mighty man of valor. It was not always that way, though. He started out quite fearful.

When we first meet Gideon, he is threshing wheat in a winepress to keep it from the Midianites (6:11). He's hiding out. Then when the angel tells him that he is being sent to save Israel, his reply is not a mighty one. "How can I?" he asks (v. 15).

After a great deal of "coaxing" and encouragement from God, Gideon did finally lead the fight to drive out the Midianites. God patiently worked with His reluctant warrior.

God can meet us where we are and lead us to where He wants us to be. Our lack of self-confidence may seem insurmountable. Remember, though, that our God is the same as Gideon's. The One who saw a mighty man of valor in Gideon sees a choice servant in you. He has equipped you and challenges you to serve Him.

Don't think God works only through "super saints." He uses ordinary believers made extraordinary by being available, teachable and useable

Living Free - Mar. 28, 2008

Living Free Every Day®

Today's Scripture
"Every one of those people died. But they still had faith, even though they had not received what they had been promised. They were glad just to see these things from far away, and they agreed that they were only strangers and foreigners on this earth. "Hebrews 11:13 CEV

Thoughts for Today
Today's scripture is talking about heroes of faith-and, of course, one of those great heroes is Abraham. All these heroes placed their hope, their faith, in the promised Messiah and in eternity in heaven with God. They knew that earth was not their permanent home, that they were only passing through. That someday all the struggles in this world would be left behind and they would go home to be with the Lord.

Abraham was able to leave his home and many of his love ones to live in a strange land the rest of his life because he had a hope for the future. God had made him a wonderful promise-that his descendants would become a great nation and possess the land. But his hope was built on something even greater than the land of Canaan. According to Hebrews 11:10 he was "looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God."

Abraham and other heroes of faith had an eternal perspective on things. They were able to endure much here on earth because they knew this was just a short visit, an opportunity to do what God had called them to do. They trusted God that a perfect future lay ahead for all eternity.

Consider thisIt's easy for us to get bogged down in day-to-day struggles. To sometimes feel overwhelmed with a sense of hopelessness. We need to ask God to help us develop an eternal perspective. As we do this, our priorities and outlook will change. We will be reminded that our stay here on earth is temporary and that, if we have received Jesus, we will spend eternity in heaven with him. And we will be even more determined to make our time here on earth count, to accomplish the purpose of our journey.

Prayer
Father, help me to develop an eternal perspective. Help me to place my hope in Jesus and in your promises of eternity. And help me to use my time on earth effectively, to accomplish the purpose of my journey. In Jesus' name

These thoughts were drawn fromGodly Heroes: A Small Group Study of Hebrews 11 by Jimmy Ray Lee, D.Min. This guide presents a step-by-step study of Hebrews 11. It also features the profile of the characteristics of Godly heroes, written in language that relates to today's living and offering definitions, characteristics and examples of the heroes' faith life. Learn more about this topic.

Note: This curriculum was written especially for small groups and we encourage people to use it that way. However, it can also be used effectively as a personal study for individuals or couples.   

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

ISN'T THERE SOME MISUNDERSTANDING?-Oswald Chambers

"Let us go into Judea. His disciples say unto Him . . . Goest Thou thither again?" John 11:7-8

I may not understand what Jesus Christ says, but it is dangerous to say that therefore He was mistaken in what He said. It is never right to think that my obedience to a word of God will bring dishonour to Jesus. The only thing that will bring dishonour is not obeying Him. To put my view of His honour in place of what He is plainly impelling me to do is never right, although it may arise from a real desire to prevent Him being put to open shame. I know when the proposition comes from God because of its quiet persistence: When I have to weigh the pros and cons, and doubt and debate come in, I am bringing in an element that is not of God, and I come to the conclusion that the suggestion was not a right one. Many of us are loyal to our notions of Jesus Christ, but how many of us are loyal to Him? Loyalty to Jesus means I have to step out where I do not see anything (cf. Matt. 14:29); loyalty to my notions means that I clear the ground first by my intelligence. Faith is not intelligent understanding, faith is deliberate commitment to a Person where I see no way.

Are you debating whether to take a step in faith in Jesus or to wait until you can see how to do the thing yourself? Obey Him with glad reckless joy. When He says something and you begin to debate, it is because you have a conception of His honour which is not His honour. Are you loyal to Jesus or loyal to your notion of Him? Are you loyal to what He says, or are you trying to compromise with conceptions which never came from Him? "Whatsoever He saith unto you, do it."

God bless

[Judy Harder]

Today's Verse For Saturday, March 29

Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. Now it is God who has made us for this very purpose and has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. 2 Corinthians 5:1-5 NIV

March 29, 2008

See All Evil

READ: Ephesians 5:1-17
It is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret. —Ephesians 5:12While waiting at the doctor's office, I read an article about the importance of freedom of speech. The writer suggested that producing obscene movies and pornography is good because it helps us to see our own potential for evil. He believes that naively thinking we are innocent is worse than knowing about and watching evil.

This rationale for evil is disturbing, especially for those of us who follow Christ. God doesn't expect us to avoid all contact with wickedness. Jesus—God in the flesh—loves sinners. But in the book of Ephesians, Paul said: "Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them. For it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret" (5:11-12).

Our responsibility is to expose evil by living a life of "goodness, righteousness, and truth" (v.9), and by not taking part in "the unfruitful works of darkness" (v.11). Hendriksen's New Testament Commentary says that the conduct of believers as children of light exposes the deeds of those in darkness and reveals the vast contrast between the two.

It's not realistic or wise to hide in a "holy cocoon." But we don't need to see evil to understand our propensity to sin. Expose the darkness by living in the Light.  — Anne Cetas

Lord, keep us from entanglements
That choke Your Spirit's work within,
So we can then reflect Your light
Into a world that's dark with sin.  —Sper

Children of the light will not be comfortable in the dark.

[Judy Harder]

Daily Devotionals March 30, 2008

The Richness Of Humility

READ: 1 Corinthians 3:1-10
Neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase. -1 Corinthians 3:7
She lived out spiritual humility, yet she had much on a human level to be proud of. As an author of over 70 books and a translator of many others into Afrikaans, Annalou Marais had much cause to brag-but she was more concerned about honoring Christ than advancing herself. She worked behind the scenes of the Bible conference, doing a servant's tasks with a smiling face and a joyful heart. It would have been natural for her to desire, and even deserve, the spotlight. Instead, she quietly served, joyfully weeping as God worked in people's hearts. It was an impressive humility, because it was completely genuine.

I have heard it said, "It is amazing what can be accomplished when we don't care who gets the credit." This is certainly true of Christian service. Paul told the church at Corinth, "I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase" (1 Cor. 3:6-7). Paul had learned that great lesson of the servant's heart, as Annalou has learned-it's entirely about God. What we do is accomplished by His power and grace, and all the glory must go to Him.  - Bill Crowder

It was a lesson in humility watching Annalou, and one that reminded me of the richness of serving God. 
God often uses lowly things
His purpose to fulfill,
Because it takes a humble heart
To carry out His will.  -D. De Haan
Pride and grace cannot dwell in the same place.

 
In the Midst of the Whirlwind by Woodrow Kroll

2 Kings 2:1, 11

And it came to pass, when the Lord was about to take up Elijah into heaven by a whirlwind, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal. Then it happened, as they continued on and talked, that suddenly a chariot of fire appeared with horses of fire, and separated the two of them; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.

In the Midst of the Whirlwind

Eagles have an interesting flight pattern. Instead of fleeing the winds of stormy weather, they turn to face them. The same winds that blow others away are used by these magnificent birds to lift them higher.

A storm lifted Elijah into the presence of God. Traveling from Gilgal with his disciple Elisha, he was forewarned by the sons of the prophets in Bethel, and again in Jericho, that this was the day God would take him away. But instead of fleeing from this potentially frightening possibility, the prophet continued on, content to let God have His will. When they crossed over the Jordan River, a chariot of fire separated Elisha from his master, and a whirlwind lifted Elijah up and away. The roaring winds of a desert storm, which normally brought destruction, became for Elijah the vehicle by which God elevated him into heaven.

When life's whirlwinds blow through our lives, we have a choice. We can focus on our trials and troubles, or we can use the whirlwind to be lifted up before the Lord in prayer and praise. What others see as a deadly devastation can become that which draws us more completely into God's presence.

Don't run away from the storms of life. They may be God's method of bringing you closer to Him. Instead, spread your wings of prayer and praise. Consider the winds of strife as opportunities to be lifted closer to the Lord.

Don't let your trials blow you down; let them lift you up.

Every Knee Shall Bow
by Max Lucado

". . . whoever believes in him shall not perish . . ."

How could a loving God send sinners to hell? He doesn't. They volunteer.

Once there, they don't want to leave. The hearts of damned fools never soften; their minds never change. "Men were scorched with great heat, and they blasphemed the name of God who has power over these plagues; and they did not repent and give Him glory" (Rev. 16:9 NKJV). Contrary to the idea that hell prompts remorse, it doesn't. It intensifies blasphemy.

Remember the rich man in torment? He could see heaven but didn't request a transfer. He wanted Lazarus to descend to him. Why not ask if he could join Lazarus? The rich man complained of thirst, not of injustice. He wanted water for the body, not water for the soul. Even the longing for God is a gift from God, and where there is no more of God's goodness, there is no longing for him. Though every knee shall bow before God and every tongue confess his preeminence (Rom. 14:11), the hard-hearted will do so stubbornly and without worship. There will be no atheists in hell (Phil. 2:10-11), but there will be no God-seekers either.

But still we wonder, is the punishment fair? Such a penalty seems inconsistent with a God of love-overkill. A sinner's rebellion doesn't warrant an eternity of suffering, does it? Isn't God overreacting?

Who are we to challenge God? Only he knows the full story, the number of invitations the stubborn-hearted have refused and the slander they've spewed.

Accuse God of unfairness? He has wrapped caution tape on hell's porch and posted a million and one red flags outside the entrance. To descend its stairs, you'd have to cover your ears, blindfold your eyes, and, most of all, ignore the epic sacrifice of history: Christ, in God's hell on humanity's cross, crying out to the blackened sky, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" (Matt. 27:46). The supreme surprise of hell is this: Christ went there so you won't have to.


From 3:16, The Numbers of Hope
Copyright (Thomas Nelson, Inc, 2007) Max Lucado


HOLINESS V. HARDNESS Towards GOD-Oswald Chambers
 

"And He . . . wondered that there was no intercessor." Isaiah 59:16

The reason many of us leave off praying and become hard towards God is because we have only a sentimental interest in prayer. It sounds right to say that we pray; we read books on prayer which tell us that prayer is beneficial, that our minds are quieted and our souls uplifted when we pray; but Isaiah implies that God is amazed at such thoughts of prayer.

Worship and intercession must go together, the one is impossible without the other. Intercession means that we rouse ourselves up to get the mind of Christ about the one for whom we pray. Too often instead of worshipping God, we construct statements as to how prayer works. Are we worshipping or are we in dispute with God - "I don't see how You are going to do it." This is a sure sign that we are not worshipping. When we lose sight of God we become hard and dogmatic. We hurl our own petitions at God's throne and dictate to Him as to what we wish Him to do. We do not worship God, nor do we seek to form the mind of Christ. If we are hard towards God, we will become hard towards other people.

Are we so worshipping God that we rouse ourselves up to lay hold on Him so that we may be brought into contact with His mind about the ones for whom we pray? Are we living in a holy relationship to God, or are we hard and dogmatic?

"But there is no one interceding properly" - then be that one yourself, be the one who worships God and who lives in holy relationship to Him. Get into the real work of intercession, and remember it is a work, a work that taxes every power; but a work which has no snare. Preaching the gospel has a snare; intercessory prayer has none.

God bless

[Judy Harder]

Daily Devotionals March 31, 2008

Finding Jesus

READ: Revelation 3:14-22

Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. -Rev. 3:20
If I asked the question, "Where's Waldo?" you might recall those popular children's picture books from the 1980s. That little guy in the red-and-white-striped shirt and hat loved to hide in the pages amid a busy blur of images that made it nearly impossible to find him.

Thankfully, finding Jesus is a lot easier than finding Waldo. Jesus doesn't play hide-and-seek. He says, "Behold, I stand at the door and knock" (Rev. 3:20). You can find Him at the door of your heart-the core of your existence-waiting to come in.  He doesn't just want to meet you at church, or to be kept at bay on the outer edges of your life. Rather, He longs to be in the center of your dreams, deliberations, and desires. He wants a real relationship with the real you.

And as wonderful as that is, I need to warn you that it may be a little unsettling. Your heart is no doubt harboring a few things that He will want to deal with. But there is nothing that is more valuable than intimacy with Him. Welcome Jesus in and He will clear out the clutter until the air is fragrant and fresh with the purity, power, and pleasure of His presence.

Who's knocking at your heart's door? It's Jesus! How wonderful is that!  - Joe Stowell

Sweetest of all of life's blessings,
Communion with Christ above,
Assured of His constant presence,
His matchless, eternal love.  -Anon.
Jesus is standing at the door of your heart-welcome Him in!

In His Steps by Woodrow Kroll

2 Kings 2:14

Then he took the mantle of Elijah that had fallen from him, and struck the water, and said, "Where is the Lord God of Elijah?" And when he also had struck the water, it was divided this way and that; and Elisha crossed over.

In His Steps

Someone once said, "The footsteps that a boy usually wants to follow are those that his father hoped he had covered up." But not so with Elijah.

In the time that Elijah had spent with Elisha, he left behind footprints that he hoped his "spiritual son" would be able and willing to follow. Not the least of these was the miraculous way God demonstrated His power through his prophet. Just as the Lord had parted the water of the Jordan River when Elijah struck it with his mantle (v. , Elisha soon discovered that God would do the same for him as he walked in Elijah's footsteps.

Every Christian leaves behind footprints. As he walks through the good times as well as times of difficulty, and as he demonstrates God's power and presence in the various situations he encounters as a believer, a Christian leaves indelible impressions upon those who are watching.

If people were to follow in your footsteps, where would they be led? Would they find themselves at places of pleasure more often than at church? Would your footprints lead to questionable activities rather than to godly behavior? Would they discover more intimacy with God because they trod where you had stepped?

As you make your way through life, remember that others are coming behind you. Be sure your feet only take you where you want their feet to take them. Like it or not, you're leaving footprints behind that they will want to follow.

Watch where you step; those you love are close behind.
 
Living Free - Mar. 31, 2008

Living Free Every Day®

Today's Scripture
Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Romans 12:15 NIV

Thoughts for Today
God's Word tells us to mourn with those who mourn.

Perhaps you sense God calling you to minister to people who have suffered the loss of a loved one by death. But how? So often we feel helpless and just don't know what to say. We might even avoid contact with the bereaved person because we are afraid we might say or do the wrong thing. This week we will look at just a few of the many teachings from God's Word about tangible things we can do to prepare ourselves to be God's hand extended to people in grief.

Before entering this area of ministry, we must recognize that authenticity is essential. We dare not play charades or project false images or unrealistic hopes to the newly bereaved person. We should do some reading, perhaps talk to a pastor, about the phases involved in the process of grieving not to put the grieving person into a mold, but to better understand some of the stages that most people experience.

Consider this
It is important to remember that ministering to a bereaved person involves listening more than helping. We cannot tell them what to do  we cannot fix their problem. But we can be with them. Our presence is more important than words. God calls us to come alongside and mourn with them.

Prayer

Father, teach me to help those who have suffered the loss of a loved one. My tendency is to try and "fix" the problem when someone is hurting. Help me to remember that I can't fix this problem  I can't speak the right words that will make everything better but I can be there. I can listen. I can pray. I can mourn with them. May the love and compassion of Jesus flow through me. In His name

These thoughts were drawn from Handling Loss and Grief by Raymond T. Brock, Ed.D. This group study helps identify what the Bible has to say about handling the losses of life. To grieve is human; how to grieve Christianly is supernatural. It requires us to invite the Holy Spirit to guide us through the grieving process. This booklet also provides guidance in the use of Scripture to help the grieving. It offers biblical coping methods for facing loss and comfort to those who have faced loss. This guide also provides help for anyone ministering to those experiencing a "little death" in life: divorce, loss of job, etc.

Note: This curriculum was written especially for small groups and we encourage people to use it that way. However, it can also be used effectively as a personal study for individuals or couples.   

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

HEEDFULNESS V. HYPOCRISY IN OURSELVES Oswald Chambers
 
"If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and He shall give him Life for them that sin not unto death." 1 John 5:16

If we are not heedful of the way the Spirit of God works in us, we will become spiritual hypocrites. We see where other folks are failing, and we turn our discernment into the gibe of criticism instead of into intercession on their behalf. The revelation is made to us not through the acuteness of our minds, but by the direct penetration of the Spirit of God, and if we are not heedful of the source of the revelation, we will become criticizing centres and forget that God says - ". . . he shall ask, and He shall give him life for them that sin not unto death." Take care lest you play the hypocrite by spending all your time trying to get others right before you worship God yourself.

One of the subtlest burdens God ever puts on us as saints is this burden of discernment concerning other souls. He reveals things in order that we may take the burden of these souls before Him and form the mind of Christ about them, and as we intercede on His line, God says He will give us "life for them that sin not unto death." It is not that we bring God into touch with our minds, but that we rouse ourselves until God is able to convey His mind to us about the one for whom we intercede.

Is Jesus Christ seeing of the travail of His soul in us? He cannot unless we are so identified with Himself that we are roused up to get His view about the people for whom we pray. May we learn to intercede so whole-heartedly that Jesus Christ will be abundantly satisfied with us as intercessors.

God bless

[Judy Harder]

Daily Devotionals April 1, 2008

In The Driver's Seat

READ: Matthew 5:13-16
Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. -Matthew 5:16
I love the story of the stressed-out woman who was tailgating a man as they drove on a busy boulevard. When he slowed to a stop at a yellow light, the woman hit the horn, cussing and screaming in frustration and gesturing angrily. As she was still in mid-rant, she heard a tap on her window and looked up into the face of a police officer who ordered her to exit the car with her hands up. He took her to the police station and placed her in a holding cell.

An hour later, the officer returned and said, "I'm sorry, Ma'am. This has been a big mistake. When I pulled up behind you, I noticed your 'What Would Jesus Do?' license plate holder and your 'Follow Me to Sunday School' bumper sticker. I assumed the car was stolen!"

Satan doesn't care so much if you're a Christian as long as you don't act like one. If he can get you to live by his signals, he can damage and disarm you every time and dishonor the name of Christ in the process.

Instead, Jesus calls believers to be "salt" and to "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven" (Matt. 5:16).

With Jesus in the driver's seat of our lives, we can show off the love and glory of God.  - Joe Stowell

Called to be salt and light in this world,
Called to preserve and to shine,
Called to reflect the glory of God-
Oh, what a calling is mine! -Fitzhugh

Don't let Satan manage the details of your life.

Desperate Times by Woodrow Kroll

Ruth 1:1

Now it came to pass, in the days when the judges ruled, that there was a famine in the land. And a certain man of Bethlehem, Judah, went to sojourn in the country of Moab, he and his wife and his two sons.

Desperate Times

Desperation can drive us to many extremes. Comedian Woody Allen characterized our times when he said, "We stand at a crossroads. Down one road is despondency and despair, and down the other is total annihilation. Let us pray that we choose the right road." This kind of desperation sometimes even plagues God's people and causes them to make poor choices.

Elimelech was facing desperate times, and he needed to make some difficult choices. He was struggling to feed his family. A wife and two growing boys needed nourishment, but a famine gripped the land. Famines were often God's way of bringing His people to the point of submission. They were not simply to punish Israel, but to get them to turn from their sins. Yet without clear guidance from God, Elimelech chose to run away. Instead of facing the Lord's judgment on the land and trusting God to provide, he moved his family to a pagan land and raised his children in a society that did not know the God of Israel. He even broke God's law by allowing his sons to marry pagan wives (Deut. 7:3-4). It is very tempting to look for the easy way out of our problems. But any choice that takes us away from God is, in the long run, the wrong way. Elimelech's choice ultimately brought death to himself and his two sons. No matter how desperate the situation, it is always better to face what God has allowed and trust Him than it is to run from our circumstances and go it alone.

If you are experiencing difficult times, make your choices based on clear direction from God. Don't allow a feeling of desperation to steer you in the wrong direction.

Desperate choices are seldom the best choices.

Living Free - Apr. 1, 2008

Living Free Every Day®

Today's Scripture
"Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me." Psalm 23:4 NIV

Thoughts for Today
Christians wanting to minister to those who have suffered loss by death need to present themselves as authentic, caring individuals who have resolved the issues of dying so they can live in the here and now honestly with an eternal perspective. This requires coming to grips with one's own mortality so as to be confident of the path to immortality.  To be able to honestly say, "I fear no evil" when confronting death.

Make it a habit to think about death and dying occasionally. It is important to have a workable theology of death and eternal life before trying to help someone who is confronting death in their family. We need to grasp the truth that we are visitors on this earth (Hebrews 11:13, 1 Peter 2:11)  that Jesus has prepared a perfect place for us (Hebrews 11:16)  that through Jesus death has been swallowed up in victory (1 Corinthians 15:54-57)  and that He has promised eternal life to those who follow Him (John 3:16, Romans 6:23).

Consider thisAs you grow in your understanding of these truths, and they become a part of who you are, God can use you more fully to minister to people who are facing death or who have lost a loved one. Not by preaching at them or giving them a reading list of scriptures. But by living out the peace and calm brought about by your understanding and perspective. And, if the Holy Spirit leads that way, by sharing your hope with them through words and through the scriptures.

Prayer
Lord, thank you that I don't have to fear death. Thank you that I am just a visitor on this earth and that someday I will be home with you. May the peace that you've given me somehow be used to help others who are dealing with the death of a loved one or facing death themselves. In Jesus' name

These thoughts were drawn from
Handling Loss and Grief by Raymond T. Brock, Ed.D. This group study helps identify what the Bible has to say about handling the losses of life. To grieve is human; how to grieve Christianly is supernatural. It requires us to invite the Holy Spirit to guide us through the grieving process. This booklet also provides guidance in the use of Scripture to help the grieving. It offers biblical coping methods for facing loss and comfort to those who have faced loss. This guide also provides help for anyone ministering to those experiencing a "little death" in life: divorce, loss of job, etc.

Note: This curriculum was written especially for small groups and we encourage people to use it that way. However, it can also be used effectively as a personal study for individuals or couples.   

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

HEARTINESS V. HEARTLESSNESS TOWARDS OTHERS-Oswald Chambers
 
"It is Christ . . . who also maketh intercession for us." "The Spirit . . . maketh intercession for the saints." Romans 8:34, 27

Do we need any more argument than this to become intercessors - that Christ "ever liveth to make intercession;" that the Holy Spirit "maketh intercession for the saints"? Are we living in such a vital relationship to our fellow men that we do the work of intercession as the Spirit-taught children of God? Begin with the circumstances we are in - our homes, our business, our country, the present crisis as it touches us and others - are these things crushing us? Are they badgering us out of the presence of God and leaving us no time for worship? Then let us call a halt, and get into such living relationship with God that our relationship to others may be maintained on the line of intercession whereby God works His marvels.

Beware of outstripping God by your very longing to do His will. We run ahead of Him in a thousand and one activities, consequently we get so burdened with persons and with difficulties that we do not worship God, we do not intercede. If once the burden and the pressure come upon us and we are not in the worshipping attitude, it will produce not only hardness toward God but despair in our own souls. God continually introduces us to people for whom we have no affinity, and unless we are worshipping God, the most natural thing to do is to treat them heartlessly, to give them a text like the jab of a spear, or leave them with a rapped-out counsel of God and go. A heartless Christian must be a terrible grief to Our Lord.

Are we in the direct line of the intercession of our Lord and of the Holy Spirit?

God bless

[Judy Harder]

Daily Devotionals April 2, 2008

Michael Cardinal

READ: Matthew 6:25-34

Look at the birds of the air . . . . -Matthew 6:26
Twig by twig a cardinal constructed a bowl-shaped home in the bush outside my office window. Soon she laid an egg and kept it warm until it hatched. I named the little bird Michael. Although he was tiny, he had a huge appetite. His parents worked hard to keep him fed and safe. In a few months, Michael was ready to leave, and I was there to witness the amazing event.

When Michael left, so did mom and dad. The nest remained empty until the next spring. When mama cardinal returned, I was happy to see her but also sad. We had sold our house and I was concerned that the new owners might chop down the bush. But my concern soon turned to amazement. As I dismantled my office, mama cardinal dismantled her nest. By the time we left, so had the cardinal family. Mama cardinal's God-given instincts had told her to move.

This brought to mind another nature lesson. Using birds and lilies as examples, Jesus urged people not to worry. Since God takes care of birds, surely He will take care of His people (Matt. 6:26-30).

When concern for our own well-being leads to anxious thoughts, we can look at the birds and be assured of our value to God and of His care for us.  - Julie Ackerman Link

I sing because I'm happy,
I sing because I'm free,
For His eye is on the sparrow,
And I know He watches me. -Martin

We need not fear the perils around us because the eye of the Lord is always upon us.
Transient or Tenant? by Woodrow Kroll

Ruth 1:2-4

The name of the man was Elimelech, the name of his wife was Naomi, and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Chilion, Ephrathites of Bethlehem, Judah. And they went to the country of Moab and remained there. Then Elimelech, Naomi's husband, died; and she was left, and her two sons. Now they took wives of the women of Moab: the name of the one was Orpah, and the name of the other Ruth. And they dwelt there about ten years.

Transient or Tenant?

Time has a way of slipping by quickly. Perhaps you've heard of the fellow who said, "You know, I'm 56. I'm middle-aged!" His wife brought him back to reality when she replied, "How many men do you know who are 112?"

Time slipped by for the family of Elimelech as well. Ruth 1:1 indicates that Elimelech moved his family to Moab with the intent to "sojourn" there. The word sojourn carries the idea of a temporary stay. Elimelech hadn't intended to remain in the land?only to visit a short time until the famine was over. But verse 4 reveals that before they knew it, they had been in the land for ten years. The sons who had gone there as young men had grown up, married local women and eventually passed away, as had their father (v. 5).

Sometimes we intend for situations to be only temporary. We think, Just as soon as the kids are through college, we'll start tithing again. Or perhaps you reason, As soon as I get through this busy period at work, I'll get back to having a daily quiet time. But days turn into weeks, weeks into months and before you know it, circumstances that were only going to be temporary have become a way of life.

Have you allowed something that was intended as transient to become a permanent fixture in your life? Have you been waiting for a more convenient time to do what you know you should be doing now? If time has slipped away for you, don't linger another day "in a distant land." If you're not where you should be, this is the day to do something about it.

Don't expect time to stand still just because you do.

Living Free Every Day®
Today's Scripture
"Share each other's burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ." Galatians 6:2 NLT

Thoughts for Today
Sharing the burdens of a person who has a lost a loved one includes offering our presence and spiritual support. But it can also include much-needed acts of service. Cooking meals. Cleaning. Providing transportation. Caring for children. Errands. Whatever is needed. James makes it clear that words need to be supported by acts. We need to ask God to help us be sensitive to all the needs and to give us wisdom to help in any way we can.

            Dear friends, do you think you'll get anywhere in this if you learn all the right words but never do anything?
            Does merely talking about faith indicate that a person really has it? For instance, you come upon an old
            friend dressed in rags and half-starved and say, "Good morning, friend! Be clothed in Christ! Be filled with
            the Holy Spirit!" and walk off without providing so much as a coat or a cup of soup! where does that get
            you? Isn't it obvious that God-talk without God-acts is outrageous nonsense? James 2:14-17 MSG

Consider this
In order to share the burdens with people recovering from the impact of death, it is vital to take care of yourself physically so that you will have the stamina required. You also need to encourage the survivors to take the necessary precautions to be strong through the bereavement period.

Regular exercise (at least a half-hour session of aerobic exercises three or four times a week) is important. Balanced and nutritious meals are needed three times a day and from eight to nine hours of sleep each 24 hours are essential.

Prayer
Father, as I reach out to help people who have lost a loved one, help me to truly share their burden-in prayer and spiritual support and also in practical acts of service. Help me to be sensitive to their needs and give me wisdom in responding. In Jesus' name 

These thoughts were drawn fromHandling Loss and Grief by Raymond T. Brock, Ed.D. This group study helps identify what the Bible has to say about handling the losses of life. To grieve is human; how to grieve Christianly is supernatural. It requires us to invite the Holy Spirit to guide us through the grieving process. This booklet also provides guidance in the use of Scripture to help the grieving. It offers biblical coping methods for facing loss and comfort to those who have faced loss. This guide also provides help for anyone ministering to those experiencing a "little death" in life: divorce, loss of job, etc.

Note: This curriculum was written especially for small groups and we encourage people to use it that way. However, it can also be used effectively as a personal study for individuals or couples.   

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

THE GLORY THAT EXCELS-Oswald Chambers
 
"The Lord . . . hath sent me that thou mightest receive thy sight." Acts 9:17

When Paul received his sight, he received spiritually an insight into the Person of Jesus Christ, and the whole of his subsequent life and preaching was nothing but Jesus Christ - "I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ, and Him crucified." No attraction was ever allowed to hold the mind and soul of Paul save the face of Jesus Christ.

We have to learn to maintain an unimpaired state of character up to the last notch revealed in the vision of Jesus Christ.

The abiding characteristic of a spiritual man is the interpretation of the Lord Jesus Christ to himself, and the interpretation to others of the purposes of God. The one concentrated passion of the life is Jesus Christ. Whenever you meet this note in a man, you feel he is a man after God's own heart.

Never allow anything to deflect you from insight into Jesus Christ. It is the test of whether you are spiritual or not. To be unspiritual means that other things have a growing fascination for you.

"Since mine eyes have looked on Jesus,
I've lost sight of all beside,
So enchained my spirit's vision,
Gazing on the Crucified."

God bless

[Judy Harder]

Daily Devotionals April 3, 2008

Right Place

READ: Proverbs 16:1-9

A man's heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps. -Proverbs 16:9
They were in the right place, on the wrong day. Or so it would seem.

The Dayspring Chorale, a traveling high school singing group, arrived at a nursing home for a Thursday concert. However, the folks at the home were expecting them on Friday. But they said if the group could get set up fast, they could sing for 20 minutes. Then they'd have to stop for a memorial service for one of the residents.

The chorale hurriedly got ready and sang, and as they did, the son of the man who had died heard them. When they were done, he asked if they could sing at his dad's service. They gladly agreed and ministered hope and truth to all who attended. God used these young people in a special way-all because of a secretarial error. But was it a mistake?

We carefully make schedules so we can be where we think we should be. But we always need to keep in mind the words of Solomon, "A man's heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps" (Prov. 16:9).

Do we seek ministry in life's unplanned schedule changes? Do we turn detours into guided tours of what He wants to do through us? If we're doing God's will, we'll be in the right place. Then, wherever we are, we can point people to Him.  - Dave Branon

Sometimes our plan does not unfold
The way we thought it would;
But God is always in control
To use it for our good. -Sper


Unexpected changes are opportunities in disguise.

 
Never Alone by Woodrow Kroll


Ruth 1:3, 5

Then Elimelech, Naomi's husband, died; and she was left, and her two sons.

Then both Mahlon and Chilion also died; so the woman survived her two sons and her husband.

Never Alone

A man took his elderly mother out to the cemetery to decorate graves for Memorial Day. After placing a bouquet of flowers on her husband's grave, she wandered among the other gravestones marking the resting places of other family members who had gone to be with the Lord. Finally she stopped, looked her son in the eye and with a wistful smile asked, "What have I done to deserve all this overtime?"

Perhaps Naomi felt the same way. She had left Israel with a husband and two sons; now only she was left alone, and yet not alone. God had brought into her life two compassionate daughters-in-law, one of whom would follow her all the way back to Israel. Even though Naomi intensely felt the loss of her loved ones, God had not deserted her. He provided, even in a foreign land, those who would love and care for a forlorn widow.

God never really leaves us alone. When He removes those whom we expect to love and support us, He always provides another way for this need to be met. While you may experience the pain of separation, you never need to feel totally abandoned. Sometimes God grants you an unmistakable sense of His company. Other times He uses people around you to be the instruments of His love and comfort. In either case, His compassion never fails and His presence never falters.

Perhaps you have lost the one dearest to you. Maybe you have moved far away from family and friends. Let God fill your life with His presence in whatever way He chooses, and rejoice that He never forgets nor forsakes. Be assured that even though there may be an empty place in your home, there can be a fullness in your heart.

You may feel lonely, but you need never feel alone.

Living Free - Apr. 3, 2008

Living Free Every Day®
Today's Scripture
"For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven. A time to be born and a time to die. A time to plant and a time to harvest. A time to kill and a time to heal. A time to tear down and a time to build up. A time to cry and a time to laugh. A time to grieve and a time to dance." Ecclesiastes 3:1-4 NLT

Thoughts for Today
As you prepare to minister to someone who has lost a loved one, you will find it helpful to have a basic understanding of the numerous stages of grief. Grief is a process. Although most people follow some similar patterns through this process, there is no set template or timetable. Most people start with a time of shock or denial and move from there into some kind of emotional release.

Shock and denial combine to form the initial stage. This numbing experience delays full comprehension of the intensity of the loss. As realization of the magnitude of the loss is acknowledged, emotional release is normal.

Emotional release comes as shock subsides and denial fades. The survivor begins to express grief feelings openly. At this stage, it is appropriate to encourage the survivor to express genuine feelings in keeping with the magnitude of the loss. The bereaved should be encouraged to realize this spontaneous emotional release is natural and normal.

Consider this
Today's scripture makes it clear that there is a time to weep and a time to mourn. Freedom to shed tears must be granted to the survivors as they process their grieving and learn how to forgive both self and others, including God. Repressed feelings of guilt, anger, fear and grief can have long-lasting harmful effects. As you seek to help, learn to be a good listener-not judging or condemning, but offering unconditional love.

Prayer
Father, thank you for helping us understand that a time to weep and a time to mourn are part of life and can be an important part of the healing process. Teach me to listen without passing any kind of judgment. To encourage the vital expression of emotions during the grieving process. To love unconditionally. In Jesus' name 

These thoughts were drawn fromHandling Loss and Grief by Raymond T. Brock, Ed.D. This group study helps identify what the Bible has to say about handling the losses of life. To grieve is human; how to grieve Christianly is supernatural. It requires us to invite the Holy Spirit to guide us through the grieving process. This booklet also provides guidance in the use of Scripture to help the grieving. It offers biblical coping methods for facing loss and comfort to those who have faced loss. This guide also provides help for anyone ministering to those experiencing a "little death" in life: divorce, loss of job, etc.

Note: This curriculum was written especially for small groups and we encourage people to use it that way. However, it can also be used effectively as a personal study for individuals or couples.   

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

IF THOU HADST KNOWN!
By Oswald Chambers
 
"If thou hadst known . . . in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes." Luke 19:42

Jesus had entered into Jerusalem in triumph, the city was stirred to its foundations; but a strange god was there, the pride of Pharisaism; it was religious and upright, but a "whited sepulchre."

What is it that blinds me in this "my day"? Have I a strange god - not a disgusting monster, but a disposition that rules me? More than once God has brought me face to face with the strange god and I thought I should have to yield, but I did not do it. I got through the crisis by the skin of my teeth and I find myself in the possession of the strange god still; I am blind to the things which belong to my peace. It is an appalling thing that we can be in the place where the Spirit of God should be getting at us unhinderedly, and yet increase our condemnation in God's sight.

"If thou hadst known" - God goes direct to the heart, with the tears of Jesus behind. These words imply culpable responsibility; God holds us responsible for what we do not see. "Now they are hid from thine eyes" - because the disposition has never been yielded. The unfathomable sadness of the "might have been!" God never opens doors that have been closed. He opens other doors, but He reminds us that there are doors which we have shut, doors which need never have been shut, imaginations which need never have been sullied. Never be afraid when God brings back the past. Let memory have its way. It is a minister of God with its rebuke and chastisement and sorrow. God will turn the "might have been" into a wonderful culture for the future.

God bless

[Judy Harder]

Daily Devotionals April 4, 2008

What Should I Do?

READ: Proverbs 2:1-9

The Lord gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding. -Proverbs 2:6
My friend Krista is struggling with a decision: Should she keep her old car with its continual maintenance problems or buy a newer model? She wants to be a good steward of her finances, and she desires to make a wise decision. And most of all, she wants to honor God.

Financial decisions can be tough to make. Billy Graham even says, "If a person gets his attitude toward money straight, it will help straighten out almost every other area in his life."

Here are a few ideas to consider about wisdom in money matters:

Do a checkup to be sure you're following God's priorities. Are you giving to Him and to others? (1 Cor. 16:2). Taking care of family needs? (1 Tim. 5:. Not letting money control you? (Luke 16:13).

Research the topic. Consider all the options and the pros and cons of each one.

Ask God for wisdom. Pray, pray, and pray some more. He will direct you (Prov. 2:6).

Trust God and make the decision. Use the knowledge and wisdom you've gained, and commit your decision to Him.

Obedience to God nurtures a growing love-and-trust relationship with Him. What's most important is that we see each decision as an opportunity to draw closer to Him.  - Anne Cetas

When you're facing a decision
And it seems a daunting task,
Trust the Lord for true discernment-
He'll give wisdom if you ask. -Hess

The closer we walk with God, the clearer we see His guidance.

Heading Home by Woodrow Kroll

Ruth 1:6

Then she arose with her daughters-in-law that she might return from the country of Moab, for she had heard in the country of Moab that the Lord had visited His people by giving them bread.

Heading Home

A Christian man took his eyes off God and committed a crime. He was arrested and served a seven-year sentence in a penal institution. Through an encounter with a Barnabas-like pastor, however, this man was led to know the restorative power of the blood of Jesus Christ. On the flyleaf of his Bible he wrote, "The soul that comes to Jesus through failure, shame, or pain, by His wondrous love and mercy may soar as high again."

The famine that God sent on Israel had brought a great deal of pain. It had been the primary motivation for Elimelech and his family to migrate to Moab. But for those who remained in the land, this tribulation apparently accomplished its purpose. The people repented of their sins and turned to God. For His part, God graciously restored their food supply. As the reports of Israel's recovery reached Moab, Naomi's desire was turned back toward her homeland. Although God still had work to do in her heart, this decision was the first step in her restoration to Him.

When we have sinned and turned our backs on God, the Lord often sends chastening events into our lives. As our hearts are brought to the breaking point, we sometimes wonder if God will receive us back. Is it possible for someone who has dwelt in a distant land for many years to come home again? The answer is always yes. Even though our sins are like scarlet, they can be washed white as snow (Isa. 1:18).

Have you wandered away from God? Have you been away too long? Do you fear what His response will be if you return to Him? Take heart. Jesus said, "The one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out" (John 6:37). Confess your sins, place them under the blood of Christ, and turn yourself toward home.

Repentant sinners always find God has the welcome mat out.

Living Free - Apr. 4, 2008

Living Free Every Day®
Today's Scripture
"I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace and confidence. In the world you have tribulation and trials and distress and frustration; but be of good cheer [take courage; be confident, certain, undaunted]! For I have overcome the world. [I have deprived it of power to harm you and have conquered it for you.]" John 16:33 AMP

Thoughts for Today
Physical death is not the only loss in life with which we must learn to cope. Other losses bring intense pain as well. Some are sudden; others are gradual. Either way, they demand our attention and bring pain into our lives. You have probably experienced at least one of these "little deaths" in your life. These difficult times might include divorce, miscarriage, post-abortion distress, job loss, moving, natural disaster and a host of other things.

In today's Scripture Jesus cautions us not be surprised when we have problems-"tribulation and trials and distress and frustration." That is part of life on this earth. He lived among us and faced much tribulation, but we can be encouraged because he overcame the world-and he will help us through every trial we might have to face. In him we can have "perfect peace and confidence"even amidst the storm.

Consider this
God might give you opportunity to minister to others who are going through a difficult time-suffering a "little death." This week we've discussed some principles for helping people who have suffered the death of a loved one. Many of those same principles can be adapted to help people struggling in other situations. As we learn to experience peace and confidence in Jesus through every situation, we will be more prepared to help others do the same.

Prayer
Father, thank you that no matter what is going on around us, because of Jesus we can experience peace and confidence. Teach me to trust you in every situation and to help others who are experiencing trials. In Jesus' name 

These thoughts were drawn from
Handling Loss and Grief by Raymond T. Brock, Ed.D. This group study helps identify what the Bible has to say about handling the losses of life. To grieve is human; how to grieve Christianly is supernatural. It requires us to invite the Holy Spirit to guide us through the grieving process. This booklet also provides guidance in the use of Scripture to help the grieving. It offers biblical coping methods for facing loss and comfort to those who have faced loss. This guide also provides help for anyone ministering to those experiencing a "little death" in life: divorce, loss of job, etc.

Note: This curriculum was written especially for small groups and we encourage people to use it that way. However, it can also be used effectively as a personal study for individuals or couples.   

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© 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.

THOSE BORDERS OF DISTRUST
By Oswald Chambers
 
"Behold, the hour cometh . . . that ye shall be scattered." John 16:32

Jesus is not rebuking the disciples, their faith was real, but it was disturbed; it was not at work in actual things. The disciples were scattered to their own interests, alive to interests that never were in Jesus Christ. After we have been perfectly related to God in sanctification, our faith has to be worked out in actualities. We shall be scattered, not into work, but into inner desolations and made to know what internal death to God's blessings means. Are we prepared for this? It is not that we choose it, but that God engineers our circumstances so that we are brought there. Until we have been through that experience, our faith is bolstered up by feelings and by blessings. When once we get there, no matter where God places us or what the inner desolations are, we can praise God that all is well. That is faith being worked out in actualities.

". . . and shall leave Me alone." Have we left Jesus alone by the scattering of His providence? Because we do not see God in our circumstances? Darkness comes by the sovereignty of God. Are we prepared to let God do as He likes with us - prepared to be separated from conscious blessings? Until Jesus Christ is Lord, we all have ends of our own to serve; our faith is real, but it is not permanent yet. God is never in a hurry; if we wait, we shall see that God is pointing out that we have not been interested in Himself but only in His blessings. The sense of God's blessing is elemental.

"Be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." Spiritual grit is what we need.

God bless