Devotional for the day

[Judy Harder]

October 13

2 Corinthians 8

We should follow Christ's example and be generous toward others.

INSIGHT

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

PRAYER

Praise God for supplying all your needs:
Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
And lean not on your own understanding;
In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He shall direct your paths. (Proverbs 3:5-6)

Indeed I have all and abound. I am full . . .
And my God shall supply all your needs according to
His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:18-19)

Pause for praise and thanksgiving, and pray this confession to the Lord as you seek to keep your life free from sin:
It is good for me that I have been afflicted,
That I may learn Your statutes.
The law of Your mouth is better to me
Than thousands of coins of gold and silver. (Psalm 119:71-72)

Confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to your mind and pray this affirmation to the Lord:
Happy is the man who finds wisdom,
And the man who gains understanding;
For her proceeds are better than the profits of silver,
And her gain than fine gold.
She is more precious than rubies,
And all the things you may desire cannot
compare with her. (Proverbs 3:13-15)

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

Yieldedness to God's will
Missionaries in the Middle East
Your activities for the day
Offer this closing prayer to the Lord:
May the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen. (Hebrews 13:20-21) 

Daily Devotionals October 13, 2008

  Erasmus READ: Psalm 119:17-24
Your Word was to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart. -Jeremiah 15:16

For centuries, many Christians were not permitted to read God's Word in their own language. Instead, they were encouraged to attend Latin services that few could understand.

Then, in 1516, the Dutch scholar Erasmus compiled and published the first New Testament in the original Greek language. This landmark work was the basis for the later publication of Luther's German Bible, Tyndale's English Bible, and the King James Version. These translations made the Scriptures understandable to millions of people around the world.

Erasmus could not have known the influence his Greek New Testament would have, but he did have a passion for getting its message to laypeople from all walks of life. In the preface he wrote: "I would have [the Gospels and the Epistles] translated into all languages . . . . I long for the plowboy to sing them to himself as he follows the plow [and] the weaver to hum them to the tune of his shuttle."

The prophet Jeremiah reflected this same passion for the Word: "Your words were found, and I ate them, and Your Word was to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart" (15:16).

Having God's Word in our own language allows us to experience the joy of meditating on it each day.  - Dennis Fisher

More precious than gold is God's Word to me,
Much better than pearls from deep in the sea;
For in the Lord's Word I take great delight,
And it is my joy each day and each night. -Fitzhugh

The treasures of truth in God's Word are best mined with the spade of meditation.

God-sized Miracle By: Ron Edmondson Monday, October 13, 2008

My days have passed, my plans are shattered, and so are the desires of my heart. Job 17:11 NIV

Notice what book of the Bible this comes from? This is Job talking. Good ole righteous Job. A follower of God. A good man. A man who had a great misfortune. In fact, Job lost it all-- his children, his livestock, his health-- and then his wife and friends try to convince him he is a failure. Job was a desperate man.

Have you ever felt like Job? Job never really cursed God. He just thought his last days had come. He thought his good life had ended and he would suffer and die. He had given up on life. His plans were shattered. He had no more dreams. All he had worked and planned for, all he had hoped for in this life were gone.

My dear friend, I hope you have never been to this desperate point in life. I have! I have been to a point where I felt that my best days were behind me. The only thing I could see in the future, except for eternity, was pain and suffering.

Maybe you have felt this kind of pain. Perhaps a business has failed. Maybe someone let you down. You might have had a marriage fail or your children turned away from your love. Maybe this world has just stepped all over you.

If you are feeling like Job today, let me tell you some good news. The story of Job has a happy ending. My story has a happy ending. God is good! God is still in the business of restoring lives. Jesus still mends the broken hearted. He still restores futures!

Job's life ended better than it had ever been before! His desires, his dreams, his plans in life were far exceeded by the wonderful grace of a loving God.

Job saw the glory of God restore a life to peace! You and I can, too! Call to God and ask Him to show you His power! Ask God to work a Job-sized miracle in your life!

 
Living Free Every Day®
Today's Scripture
"Hot-tempered people must pay the penalty. If you rescue them once, you will have to do it again." Proverbs 19:19 NLT

Thoughts for Today
When someone we care about is struggling with a life-controlling problem, we naturally want to help. But sometimes, even though we have the best intentions, our efforts hurt more than they help and we end up enabling our loved one to continue in the destructive behavior.

Negative consequences naturally flow from wrong behaviors. When we intervene and prevent someone from experiencing those consequences, they have no reason to change their behavior. We enable them to continue.

Consider this
Enabling is progressive. It begins by making small allowances for someone's irresponsible behavior and gradually progresses until our lives are dominated by trying to cure and control our loved one. A line must be drawn to avoid the progression. The first time you bail someone out, that's mercy. The second time, it is enabling.

Prayer
Father, I want so much to help my loved one. I've tried to take care of him, to "fix" things, to keep him from suffering. But I see now that continually rescuing him is just prolonging the problem and even making it worse. Help me to trust you more. Help me stand back and allow him to learn. In Jesus' name 

These thoughts were drawn from
Living Free by Jimmy Ray Lee, D.Min. and Dan Strickland, M.Div. Using Living Free training, your church or ministry can unleash a new kind of group leader-one who understands how tough life can be, but also knows the hope and freedom found in Christ.

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

 
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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Individual Discouragement and Personal Growth
READ: . . . when Moses was grown . . . he went out to his brethren and looked at their burdens -Exodus 2:11
Moses saw the oppression of his people and felt certain that he was the one to deliver them, and in the righteous indignation of his own spirit he started to right their wrongs. After he launched his first strike for God and for what was right, God allowed Moses to be driven into empty discouragement, sending him into the desert to feed sheep for forty years. At the end of that time, God appeared to Moses and said to him, " '. . . bring My people . . . out of Egypt.' But Moses said to God, 'Who am I that I should go . . . ?' " ( Exodus 3:10-11  ). In the beginning Moses had realized that he was the one to deliver the people, but he had to be trained and disciplined by God first. He was right in his individual perspective, but he was not the person for the work until he had learned true fellowship and oneness with God.

We may have the vision of God and a very clear understanding of what God wants, and yet when we start to do it, there comes to us something equivalent to Moses' forty years in the wilderness. It's as if God had ignored the entire thing, and when we are thoroughly discouraged, God comes back and revives His call to us. And then we begin to tremble and say, "Who am I that I should go . . . ?" We must learn that God's great stride is summed up in these words- "I AM WHO I AM . . . has sent me to you" ( Exodus 3:14 ). We must also learn that our individual effort for God shows nothing but disrespect for Him- our individuality is to be rendered radiant through a personal relationship with God, so that He may be "well pleased" ( Matthew 3:17  ). We are focused on the right individual perspective of things; we have the vision and can say, "I know this is what God wants me to do." But we have not yet learned to get into God's stride. If you are going through a time of discouragement, there is a time of great personal growth ahead

God Bless

[Judy Harder]

October 14

2 Corinthians 9

Christians should give generously as God has prospered them.

INSIGHT

God asks for your money, not for His sake, but for yours. What God wants is your heart, and one measure of how much of your heart He has is how willing you are to give your money back to Him. Two of God's reasons for asking Christians to give to other Christians are to foster mutual unity and concern among believers, and to show the love of God to the unsaved. Remember, it is not the amount but the willingness that counts. Give as God has prospered you.

PRAYER

Praise the Lord for the many material possessions you enjoy:
We have thought, O God, on Your lovingkindness,
In the midst of Your temple.
According to Your name, O God,
So is Your praise to the ends of the earth;
Your right hand is full of righteousness.
Let Mount Zion rejoice,
Let the daughters of Judah be glad,
Because of Your judgments. (Psalm 48:9-11)

Pause for praise and thanksgiving.

Pray this confession to the Lord as you seek to keep your life free from sin:
Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, "One thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me."
But he was sad at this word, and went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. (Mark 10:21-22)

Confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to your mind, and pray this affirmation to the Lord:
How sweet are Your words to my taste,
Sweeter than honey to my mouth!
Through Your precepts I get understanding;
Therefore I hate every false way. . .
Deal with Your servant according to Your mercy,
And teach me Your statutes.
I am Your servant;
Give me understanding,
That I may know Your testimonies.
(Psalm 119:103-104, 124-125)

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

Contentment with what you own
Health concerns of friends and family members
Whatever else is on your heart
Finally, offer this prayer to the Lord:
Your testimonies are wonderful;
Therefore my soul keeps them.
The entrance of Your words gives light;
It gives understanding to the simple.
(Psalm 119:129-130) 

Daily Devotionals October 14, 2008

The UshpizzinREAD: James 1:19-27Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world. -James 1:27
In Jewish legend, the ushpizzin are guests who visit the pious at Sukkot, the Feast of Tabernacles. They are supposedly the great Old Testament heroes who come offering comfort and encouragement to the faithful.

According to Jewish lore, these unseen guests only visit the sukkah (shelter) where the poor are welcome-a reminder of each person's responsibility to care for others. It also reminds them that unseen watchers may be observing their conduct.

The story of the ushpizzin isn't true, of course. But beyond the lore and legend we are reminded that we as Christ-followers are living observed lives. Others are watching us. And our concern for others, particularly the least among us, is an expression of the compassion Christ displayed to the hurting and outcast of His generation.

James, the half-brother of Jesus, challenged believers to put the love of Christ into practice. He wrote, "Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world" (James 1:27).

The example of Christ and the words of Scripture inspire us to care for our hurting world. Who's watching us? Our world is watching. And so is our Lord!  - Bill Crowder

FOR FURTHER STUDY
The church is made up of needy people-including us! How are we to respond to each other's needs? Read The Church We Need at www.discoveryseries.org/q0904

When people observe your life, do they see the love of Christ?

Salvation Plan By: Ron Edmondson Tuesday, October 14, 2008 Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under Heaven given to men by which we must be saved. Acts 4:12 NIV

Jesus, only Jesus! There is no other way!

We have, as a generation of peoples, watered down the gospel. We have tried to please man by making our churches more contemporary. We have seen entire denominations rewrite scripture so that it "fits" with current society. We have witnessed our schools and government dictate when and where the name of Jesus can be proclaimed.

We see a nation, perhaps some would say, the most powerful nation on Earth, fall from a land built on the foundations of God to become a nation where God's people are a minority. We have seen the profession of preaching the gospel go from the most admired career to one of the least admired.

We see young people, searching for something fulfilling, often turning to a life of drugs and violence (although there are a precious few who faithfully serve our Lord). We watch as our prisons fill faster than we can build new ones.

All the while, we, as Christians, try to "adapt" the word of God to meet the needs around us. We see people adding to (or taking away from) the scriptures for a "new generation."

Dear friends, read carefully, I love contemporary music and the church I pastor is contemporary, and I agree Jesus adapted His message so that His listeners could understand it, but let me also say that we must never forget the simplicity of the gospel of Jesus Christ! We must get back to the basics of our faith!

God loves us! We are sinners! Christ died for us! We need to accept Him as our personal Lord and Savior!

Only by Jesus, ONLY BY JESUS, can we be saved! There is no other way!

Living Free Every Day®
Today's Scripture
"Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you." 1 Peter 5:7 NIV

Thoughts for Today
Enablers work hard to shield their loved ones from the consequences of self-destructive choices. As a result, the enabler brings pain upon themselves that really belongs to their loved one.

In their well-intentioned efforts to help, enablers may:

lie for their loved one   
allow abusive behaviors   
hide the truth from relatives and friends   
defend their loved one when others point out problems   
help them with legal difficulties   
change the home environment to accommodate the person with the problem   
refuse to discuss the problem with anyone 
Consider this
It is difficult to stop enabling a loved one because we don't like to admit that we have no power to change another person. As we take on responsibility-and control-of our loved one, our focus is on "fixing" them. But only God can transform lives. This is a God-size problem, not one we can fix. And we need to step back, to give our worry and anxiety to God, and to trust him.

If we don't come to the realization that we have no power to change another person, enabling will progress to a condition known as codependency. Codependents take ownership of another person's problems, get their sense of well-being from managing the behavior of the dependent person, and end up being controlled by the person they are trying to help.

Prayer
Father, forgive me for trying to take your place in my loved one's life. I realize now that I cannot change anyone's life. Only the power of Jesus can do that. I commit my loved one to you. I pray that he will turn to you for help in making right choices. In Jesus' name

These thoughts were drawn from
Living Free by Jimmy Ray Lee, D.Min. and Dan Strickland, M.Div. Using Living Free training, your church or ministry can unleash a new kind of group leader-one who understands how tough life can be, but also knows the hope and freedom found in Christ.

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

 
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 Key to the Missionary's Work (1)READ:Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, 'All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations . . .' -Matthew 28:18-19
The key to the missionary's work is the authority of Jesus Christ, not the needs of the lost. We are inclined to look on our Lord as one who assists us in our endeavors for God. Yet our Lord places Himself as the absolute sovereign and supreme Lord over His disciples. He does not say that the lost will never be saved if we don't go- He simply says, "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations . . . ." He says, "Go on the basis of the revealed truth of My sovereignty, teaching and preaching out of your living experience of Me."

"Then the eleven disciples went . . . to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them" ( Matthew 28:16 ). If I want to know the universal sovereignty of Christ, I must know Him myself. I must take time to worship the One whose name I bear. Jesus says, "Come to Me . . ."- that is the place to meet Jesus- "all you who labor and are heavy laden . . ." ( Matthew 11:28  )- and how many missionaries are! We completely dismiss these wonderful words of the universal Sovereign of the world, but they are the words of Jesus to His disciples meant for here and now.

"Go therefore . . . ." To "go" simply means to live. Acts 1:8 is the description of how to go. Jesus did not say in this verse, "Go into Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria," but, ". . . you shall be witnesses to Me in [all these places]." He takes upon Himself the work of sending us.

"If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you . . ." ( John 15:7 )- that is the way to keep going. Where we are placed is then a matter of indifference to us, because God sovereignly engineers our goings.

"None of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus . . ." ( Acts 20:24  ). That is how to keep going until we are gone from this life.

God Bless

[Judy Harder]

October 15

2 Corinthians 12

Paul was given a vision of heaven and then "a thorn in the flesh" to keep him humble.

INSIGHT

The Bible gives us a number of reasons why Christians suffer adversity. One reason is to strengthen and mature us. Another is that it is the natural consequence of our own foolishness from which God does not necessarily protect us. And another reason Paul gives us in today's chapter is to keep us humble. If things always went well for us, if life was always "coming up roses," we would tend to become conceited, to think more highly of ourselves than we ought and perhaps think less of others. Notice that Paul only prayed three times for the removal of his "thorn in the flesh" (vv. 7-8). When it was clear that God was not going to remove it, Paul accepted it.

PRAYER

Because the Lord always has a reason for allowing adversity, we can praise Him for all things:
Men shall speak of the might of Your awesome acts,
And I will declare Your greatness.
They shall utter the memory of Your great goodness,
And shall sing of Your righteousness.
The Lord is gracious and full of compassion,
Slow to anger and great in mercy.
The Lord is good to all,
And His tender mercies are over all His works.
(Psalm 145:6-9)

Pause for praise and thanksgiving.

Pray this confession to the Lord as you seek to keep your life free from sin and in fellowship with Him:
Show me Your ways, O Lord;
Teach me Your paths.
Lead me in Your truth and teach me,
For You are the God of my salvation;
On You I wait all the day. (Psalm 25:4-5)

Confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to your mind, and pray this affirmation to the Lord:
God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. (2 Timothy 1:7)

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

Patience in difficult circumstances
The work of missions in South America
Whatever else is on your heart
Finally, close with this prayer to the Lord:
Let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us,
And establish the work of our hands for us;
Yes, establish the work of our hands. (Psalm 90:17) 

Daily Devotionals October 15, 2008

Joy To The World

READ: Deuteronomy 31:9-13The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. -John 1:14

When Christmas displays go up before Halloween displays come down, I long for the days when people didn't think about Christmas until after Thanksgiving. However, there may be a legitimate reason to celebrate Christmas in October.

No one knows the exact day when Jesus was born, but December 25 is unlikely. His birth may have been in autumn, when the weather was still warm enough for shepherds to be outdoors with their flocks. We know that Jesus was crucified on Passover, and that the Holy Spirit came on Pentecost. So some scholars have reasoned that Jesus' birth may have occurred on another Jewish holiday, the Feast of Tabernacles, or Sukkot.

Although we cannot know for sure, we do know that it would be in keeping with God's way of working to send His Son-the Word made flesh who "dwelt" ("tabernacled") among us (John 1:14)-on the Feast of Tabernacles. Sukkot was a time when observant Jews lived in temporary dwellings and listened to the Word of the Lord being read (Deut. 31:10-13).

For Jews, Sukkot is "the time of our rejoicing." For all of us, our time of rejoicing is the birth of Christ, who brings the joy of salvation to all the world.  - Julie Ackerman Link

Tidings, glad tidings! God is love,
To man He sends His salvation!
His Son beloved, His only Son,
The work of mercy hath begun. -Montgomery


The date of Christ's birth may be debatable, but the fact of His life is indisputable.
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Do You Trust Him Now? By: Ron Edmondson Wednesday, October 15, 2008 If you do not stand firm in your faith, you will not stand at all. Isaiah 7:9b NIV

Jesus said He hated lukewarm Christianity. Do you?

Have you ever noticed how easy it is to trust in God when everything is going well, but when a little trouble comes our way, our faith waivers? Do you think that is why God's Word consistently tries to prepare us for the tough times of life, and why God repeats the promise "I will never leave you nor forsake you"?

Let me tell you something I have learned from Christian experience, if I do not stand firm in my faith, I will have no faith at all! I can't be half-hearted in my devotion to Christ, or I will have no devotion at all. It is not enough just to say I believe, I have to live it out everyday; through the good times and the bad. If I play with my Christianity, Satan will win in his temptations towards me everytime.

I can honestly say I have had my share of hard times. Don't misunderstand, I can clearly see evidence of God's goodness, but the truth is my faith has been tested. I have learned this, when I plant my faith deeply in God, in His Holy Word, and when I lean on Him completely and not on my own abilities, I seem to have a strength about me that overcomes the problems of this world. I seem to be able to conquer the spirit of fear and relish in the peace and joy of the Lord.

It does require a firm foundation of faith! But, I have learned that without a firm faith, I have no faith at all! It is all or nothing with God!
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Living Free Every Day®
Today's Scripture
"They traded the truth about God for a lie. So they worshiped and served the things God created instead of the Creator himself, who is worthy of eternal praise! Amen." Romans 1:25 NLT

Thoughts for Today
When we become obsessed with controlling someone else's behavior, we have a problem called codependency. Codependents center their lives on the person they are trying to help, and as a result they exchange the truth of God for a lie, worshiping and serving a created person (the struggling loved one) rather than God the Creator.

Codependency is harmful because the person becomes mastered by a loved one's problem or becomes a loved one's master (playing God).

Generally, people are not aware that they are enabling and becoming codependent. They are trying to do the right thing, but too often they feel guilty because their efforts are not good enough to make the person they love change. Children are especially vulnerable to this distorted, guilt-ridden thinking.

Consider this
Christians can be unusually susceptible to codependency. Sometimes when attempting to love others as Christ has commanded us, we slip into enabling behaviors that lead to codependent relations. The subject of codependency should be approached with balance. According to the apostle Paul, the body of Christ should be interdependent (see Romans 12:7-16 and 1 Corinthians 12:12-27). We need to avoid the extremes of selfish independence and codependence.

Prayer
Father, teach me to love and help people without going to the extreme of trying to fix or control them. Help me to always put you first and trust you to guide me in loving and helping others. In Jesus' name 

These thoughts were drawn from
Living Free by Jimmy Ray Lee, D.Min. and Dan Strickland, M.Div. Using Living Free training, your church or ministry can unleash a new kind of group leader-one who understands how tough life can be, but also knows the hope and freedom found in Christ.

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

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 Key to the Missionary's Work (2)READ: He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world -1 John 2:2
The key to the missionary's message is the propitiation of Christ Jesus- His sacrifice for us that completely satisfied the wrath of God. Look at any other aspect of Christ's work, whether it is healing, saving, or sanctifying, and you will see that there is nothing limitless about those. But- "The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!"- that is limitless (John 1:29  ). The missionary's message is the limitless importance of Jesus Christ as the propitiation for our sins, and a missionary is someone who is immersed in the truth of that revelation.

The real key to the missionary's message is the "remissionary" aspect of Christ's life, not His kindness, His goodness, or even His revealing of the fatherhood of God to us. ". . . repentance and remission of sins should be preached . . . to all nations . . ." ( Luke 24:47  ). The greatest message of limitless importance is that "He Himself is the propitiation for our sins . . . ." The missionary's message is not nationalistic, favoring nations or individuals; it is "for the whole world." When the Holy Spirit comes into me, He does not consider my partialities or preferences; He simply brings me into oneness with the Lord Jesus.

A missionary is someone who is bound by marriage to the stated mission and purpose of his Lord and Master. He is not to proclaim his own point of view, but is only to proclaim "the Lamb of God." It is easier to belong to a faction that simply tells what Jesus Christ has done for me, and easier to become a devotee of divine healing, or of a special type of sanctification, or of the baptism of the Holy Spirit. But Paul did not say, "Woe is me if I do not preach what Christ has done for me," but, ". . . woe is me if I do not preach the gospel!" ( 1 Corinthians 9:16  ). And this is the gospel- "the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!"

God Bless

[Judy Harder]

October 16

Galatians 5

As Christians walk by the Spirit, they will manifest His characteristics.

INSIGHT

As Paul teaches in Romans 7, a civil war rages within every child of God. The opposing forces are the power of the flesh and the power of the Spirit. Paul refers to these as the "outer man" and the "inner man." What is at stake is the control of the child of God. As we yield ourselves to the control of the Spirit, then love, joy, peace, patience, etc., begin to take root and bear fruit in our lives. As we yield ourselves to the control of our unrighteous promptings, then anger, jealousy, impurity, etc., begin to take root and bear fruit in our lives. We must yield our "members as instruments of righteousness to God" (Romans 6:13) and begin to taste of the fruit of God.

PRAYER

Because we can taste the fruit of the Spirit in our lives, give thanks and praise to Him:
Praise the Lord!
Praise God in His sanctuary;
Praise Him in His mighty firmament!
Praise Him for His mighty acts;
Praise Him according to His excellent greatness!
Praise Him with the sound of the trumpet;
Praise Him with the lute and harp! . . .
Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.
Praise the Lord! (Psalm 150:1-3, 6)

Pause for praise and thanksgiving, and pray this confession to the Lord as you seek to keep your life free from sin:
Remember, O Lord, Your tender mercies and Your lovingkindness,
For they are from of old.
Do not remember the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions;
According to Your mercy remember me,
For Your goodness sake, O Lord. (Psalm 25:6-7)

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

Now pray this affirmation to the Lord:
They said, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household" (Acts 16:31).

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

Faithfulness with your talents
The ministry of Christian radio
Your activities for the day
Offer this closing prayer to the Lord:
Bless the Lord, all you His hosts,
You ministers of His, who do His pleasure.
Bless the Lord, all His works,
In all places of His dominion.
Bless the Lord, O my soul! (Psalm 103:21-22) 


Daily Devotionals October 16, 2008

A Special SeatREAD: Luke 10:38-42[Martha] had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus' feet and heard His word. -Luke 10:39
I've never sat in the first-class section of an airplane. But I still hold out the hope that someday I'll get on the plane and the flight attendant will stop me and say, "Come with me. I have a special seat for you."

That's why I was pretty excited when a friend gave my sister some tickets for an event and we realized that they were for box seats. Instead of sitting shoulder to shoulder with strangers all around us, we sat in a private compartment where we could see and hear everything perfectly. That evening, we felt privileged and special.

Remember Jesus' friends, Mary and Martha? Although Martha had the opportunity to enjoy having Jesus as her guest, she soon became frustrated with her sister Mary and overwhelmed with the busyness of her preparations. Certainly understandable to a lot of us! Jesus made it clear to her, however, that sometimes it's necessary to step away from the unending pressures of life and spend undistracted time with Him. God has given us the opportunity to have personal moments with Him. By taking the time just to be with the Lord, we are fed, refreshed, and renewed.

Jesus commended Mary for taking time to sit and learn at her Savior's feet (Luke 10:42). As it turned out-she had the best seat in the house!  - Cindy Hess Kasper

Take time to be holy,
The world rushes on;
Spend much time in secret
With Jesus alone. -Longstaff

Jesus longs for our fellowship even more than we long for His.

Childhood Games By: Ron Edmondson Thursday, October 16, 2008 He whose walk is blameless and who does what is righteous, who speaks the truth from his heart.... Psalm 15:2 NIV

"Daddy, he did it!"

"Did not!"

"Did too!

"Did not!"

The blame game! If you have children, it is probably a common occurrence in your house! The blame game happens often in our lives, as well. Someone is always at fault. "Someone caused it, and it wasn't me!" We are quick to judge and seldom care to be judged. It is far easier to pass blame than to accept it.

The world is full, it seems, of those who "didn't do it." No one really wants to take responsibility.

The one who wants to dwell with Jesus will be the one whose walk strives to be TRULY blameless! He or she will be the one who, in spite of all the temptations of life, most often chooses the right and excellent way. The one who lives on the Holy Hill in the presence of our Savior is the one who speaks a word and people listen. Not because the word is always the greatest idea, but because it is consistently truthful.

Does that describe you? Do people trust your words, because over and over again, you have proven to be truthful? Do you have a reputation of one who is "above" the fussing and fighting that so often accompanies relationships in the world today? Do people hold you to a higher standard?

Would friends, those who know you best, be surprised to hear you gossip or tell a dirty joke? Are you above the immature actions of making a politically incorrect remark? Do others expect more dignity to come from you?

Are you walking blameless before your Lord today? He is watching! He wants those who can love Him in this selfless way to join Him on His Holy Hill! It is an open invitation to the invited few.

Are you on the guest list yet?

Living Free Every Day®
Today's Scripture
"Lean on, trust in, and be confident in the Lord with all your heart and mind and do not rely on your own insight or understanding. In all your ways know, recognize, and acknowledge Him, and He will direct and make straight and plain your paths. Be not wise in your own eyes; reverently fear and worship the Lord and turn [entirely] away from evil." Proverbs 3:5-7 AMP

Thoughts for Today
If you are trying to help a loved one with a life-controlling problem, you must first reach a point of accepting the reality of their situation. Only then will you feel free to turn your loved one over to God. This is a time when you are able to detach yourself from the one you love so much. You will be able to truly lean on and trust in the Lord and stop depending on yourself to fix your struggling loved one.

Consider this
The prodigal son's father was not an enabler. He allowed his son to be responsible for his own actions (read Luke 15:11-32). The rebellious son asked to receive an early inheritance and then squandered it all on wild living. He then had nothing he was hired to feed pigs and found himself yearning for their food. Even at this point, no one reached out to rescue his from the consequences of his behavior (verse 16). And so he "came to his senses" (verse 17). He finally was ready to take responsibility for his behavior. He showed humility and took positive action (verses 18-20). He returned home and confessed his sin toward his father and heaven.

This father had faith that his son would return. Although he showed compassion, there is no record of his enabling his son. He allowed the son to be responsible for his actions.

Do you love the struggling person in your life enough to let go and lean on God?

Prayer
Father, I have tried leaning on my own understanding. I know now that I must let go of my loved one, allow him to suffer the natural consequences of his behavior, and lean on you. Help me fully trust in your way and your time. In Jesus' name

These thoughts were drawn from
Living Free by Jimmy Ray Lee, D.Min. and Dan Strickland, M.Div. Using Living Free training, your church or ministry can unleash a new kind of group leader-one who understands how tough life can be, but also knows the hope and freedom found in Christ.

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

 
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 Key to the Master's OrdersREAD: Pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest -Matthew 9:38
The key to the missionary's difficult task is in the hand of God, and that key is prayer, not work- that is, not work as the word is commonly used today, which often results in the shifting of our focus away from God. The key to the missionary's difficult task is also not the key of common sense, nor is it the key of medicine, civilization, education, or even evangelization. The key is in following the Master's orders- the key is prayer. "Pray the Lord of the harvest . . . ." In the natural realm, prayer is not practical but absurd. We have to realize that prayer is foolish from the commonsense point of view.

From Jesus Christ's perspective, there are no nations, but only the world. How many of us pray without regard to the persons, but with regard to only one Person- Jesus Christ? He owns the harvest that is produced through distress and through conviction of sin. This is the harvest for which we have to pray that laborers be sent out to reap. We stay busy at work, while people all around us are ripe and ready to be harvested; we do not reap even one of them, but simply waste our Lord's time in over-energized activities and programs. Suppose a crisis were to come into your father's or your brother's life- are you there as a laborer to reap the harvest for Jesus Christ? Is your response, "Oh, but I have a special work to do!" No Christian has a special work to do. A Christian is called to be Jesus Christ's own, "a servant [who] is not greater than his master" (John 13:16  ), and someone who does not dictate to Jesus Christ what he intends to do. Our Lord calls us to no special work- He calls us to Himself. "Pray the Lord of the harvest," and He will engineer your circumstances to send you out as His laborer.

God Bless

[Judy Harder]

October 17

Galatians 6

Christians are to look out for one another and bear one another's burdens.

INSIGHT

John Donne once wrote: "No man is an island entire of itself; every man is a piece of the Continent, a part of the main. . . . If a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe is the less." What Donne wrote generally and poetically, Paul wrote specifically hundreds of years earlier: "Restore" one another and "bear one another's burdens" (vv. 1-2); "do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith" (v. 10). We are part of one another, and we are to live for one another in harmony and mutual concern. We are all part of the same "continent"--the "continent" of Christ.

PRAYER

Offer praise to the Lord because the message of Christ the Savior has come to you:
The Lord is righteous in all His ways,
Gracious in all His works.
The Lord is near to all who call upon Him,
To all who call upon Him in truth.
He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him;
He also will hear their cry and save them.
The Lord preserves all who love Him,
But all the wicked He will destroy.
My mouth shall speak the praise of the Lord,
And all flesh shall bless His holy name
Forever and ever. (Psalm 145:17-21)

Pray this confession to the Lord as you seek to stay in fellowship with Him:
My eyes are ever toward the Lord,
For He shall pluck my feet out of the net.
Turn Yourself to me, and have mercy on me,
For I am desolate and afflicted.
The troubles of my heart have enlarged,
Bring me out of my distresses!
Look on my affliction and my pain,
And forgive all my sins. . . .
Let integrity and uprightness preserve me,
For I wait for You. (Psalm 25:15-18, 21)

Confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to your mind, and pray this affirmation to the Lord:
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)

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

Greater wisdom in decision making
The needs of personal friends
Your activities for the day
Offer this closing prayer to the Lord:
That you may with one mind and one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. (Romans 15:6) 

Daily Devotionals October 17, 2008

Breaking The Spin Cycle  READ: John 8:42-47[Satan] was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. . . . He is a liar and the father of it. -John 8:44

Politicians are adept at "spinning" the details of a story to advance their own agenda. During a political campaign, spin doctors massage stories to ensure that their candidate is cast in a positive light-often at the expense of the truth. This leaves us with serious questions about what the real truth is.

According to Jesus, Satan is the "spin doctor" of hell-the master deceiver who "speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar" (John 8:44). He casts himself as the one who wants to give us unfettered freedom and pleasure, carefully masking his plan to steal, kill, and destroy us (John 10:10). He even spins the loving laws of God by claiming that God's boundaries are restrictive, simply intended to take all the fun out of living. When we buy into Satan's damaging lies, we will eventually find ourselves empty and broken-sidelined in our journey with God.

Thankfully, Jesus warns us. He says that Satan is the father of lies. And we know Satan is lying when what he tells us contradicts God's Word. Jesus, on the other hand, is the truth (John 14:6). So, when it comes to sorting out the spin, our only defense against the spin doctor of hell is to listen constantly for the voice of Jesus as we pray and study His Word. And that's the truth!  - Joe Stowell

The devil is crafty, deceptive, and sly;
He cleverly tricks us to swallow his lie.
But his cunning methods we're sure to discern
If we make God's warnings our daily concern. -D. De Haan

God's truth stops the spin of Satan's lies.

Imagine World By: Ron Edmondson Friday, October 17, 2008 [He who] has no slander on his tongue, who does his neighbor no wrong and casts no slur on his fellow man Psalm 15:3 NIV

What kind of friend are you?

When someone confides in you, can they count on you to keep it to yourself? Are you someone others can trust? Or is gossip listed as one of your favorite hobbies?

People in need are desperate for someone they can trust. Recently a friend of mine was going through a rough time. Countless accusations were being made about him. He tells me that he is innocent of all charges (none of them of a criminal nature), but the word on the street has already convicted him. At stake is his reputation, as well as the general welfare of his family life. His question to me was, "What can I do?"

Good question! I wish I had an answer!

Those who want to reside with Jesus will need to walk in His ways. Jesus was not a gossip. He was not a rumor-mill operator. Jesus was a man of integrity, committed to telling the truth, but also dedicated to protecting those He loved. And He loved everyone.

Jesus never commended sin, but He didn't turn the sinner into a public spectacle. Jesus loved the sinner, and He tried to lead them to a saving knowledge of Him. He always had their best interest as His primary goal.

If we want to be like Jesus and dwell on His holy hill, we will treat others as we want to be treated. We will speak only truth, and we will not say anything about someone else that would be hurtful in any way. In love, we will build others up as we strive to lead them closer to the cross.

Imagine a world where everyone looked out for each other, wanting only good to come to our neighbors! What a wonderful world that would be!

Sounds almost like Heaven!----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
Living Free Every Day®
Today's Scripture
"Lean on, trust in, and be confident in the Lord with all your heart and mind and do not rely on your own insight or understanding. In all your ways know, recognize, and acknowledge Him, and He will direct and make straight and plain your paths. Be not wise in your own eyes; reverently fear and worship the Lord and turn [entirely] away from evil." Proverbs 3:5-7 AMP

Thoughts for Today
If you are trying to help a loved one with a life-controlling problem, you must first reach a point of accepting the reality of their situation. Only then will you feel free to turn your loved one over to God. This is a time when you are able to detach yourself from the one you love so much. You will be able to truly lean on and trust in the Lord-and stop depending on yourself to fix your struggling loved one.

Consider this
The prodigal son's father was not an enabler. He allowed his son to be responsible for his own actions (read Luke 15:11-32). The rebellious son asked to receive an early inheritance and then squandered it all on wild living. He then had nothing-he was hired to feed pigs and found himself yearning for their food. Even at this point, no one reached out to rescue his from the consequences of his behavior (verse 16). And so he "came to his senses" (verse 17). He finally was ready to take responsibility for his behavior. He showed humility and took positive action (verses 18-20). He returned home and confessed his sin toward his father and heaven.

This father had faith that his son would return. Although he showed compassion, there is no record of his enabling his son. He allowed the son to be responsible for his actions.

Do you love the struggling person in your life enough to let go and lean on God?

Prayer
Father, I have tried leaning on my own understanding. I know now that I must let go of my loved one, allow him to suffer the natural consequences of his behavior, and lean on you. Help me fully trust in your way and your time. In Jesus' name 

These thoughts were drawn from

Living Free by Jimmy Ray Lee, D.Min. and Dan Strickland, M.Div. Using Living Free training, your church or ministry can unleash a new kind of group leader-one who understands how tough life can be, but also knows the hope and freedom found in Christ.

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

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 Key of the Greater Work READ: . . . I say to you, he who believes in Me, . . . greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father -John 14:12

Prayer does not equip us for greater works- prayer is the greater work. Yet we think of prayer as some commonsense exercise of our higher powers that simply prepares us for God's work. In the teachings of Jesus Christ, prayer is the working of the miracle of redemption in me, which produces the miracle of redemption in others, through the power of God. The way fruit remains firm is through prayer, but remember that it is prayer based on the agony of Christ in redemption, not on my own agony. We must go to God as His child, because only a child gets his prayers answered; a "wise" man does not (see Matthew 11:25  ).

Prayer is the battle, and it makes no difference where you are. However God may engineer your circumstances, your duty is to pray. Never allow yourself this thought, "I am of no use where I am," because you certainly cannot be used where you have not yet been placed. Wherever God has placed you and whatever your circumstances, you should pray, continually offering up prayers to Him. And He promises, "Whatever you ask in My name, that I will do . . ." (John 14:13 ). Yet we refuse to pray unless it thrills or excites us, which is the most intense form of spiritual selfishness. We must learn to work according to God's direction, and He says to pray. "Pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest" ( Matthew 9:38  ).

There is nothing thrilling about a laboring person's work, but it is the laboring person who makes the ideas of the genius possible. And it is the laboring saint who makes the ideas of his Master possible. When you labor at prayer, from God's perspective there are always results. What an astonishment it will be to see, once the veil is finally lifted, all the souls that have been reaped by you, simply because you have been in the habit of taking your orders from Jesus Christ.

God Bless

[Judy Harder]

October 18

Ephesians 1

Christians have forgiveness of sin--an eternal inheritance.

INSIGHT

Most Christians need to re-identify who they are. We still see ourselves as mere human beings, children of the age with the albatross of the world hanging around our necks. That is who we once were, but are no longer. We have been adopted by God and are now His children. We are newly created in Him in holiness and righteousness. We have been given an inheritance in heaven that includes wealth and power. We have been changed; we are no longer what we were. When that truth "sinks in," we begin to act like who we really are rather than who we were.

PRAYER

Praise God for His mighty work of regeneration in your life!
Praise the Lord, O my soul!
While I live I will praise the Lord;
I will sing praises to my God while I have my being. . . .
Happy is he who has the God of Jacob for his help,
Whose hope is in the Lord his God. . . .
The Lord shall reign forever--
Your God, O Zion, to all generations.
Praise the Lord! (Psalm 146:1-2, 5, 10)

Pause for praise and thanksgiving.

Now pray this confession to the Lord as you seek to keep your life free from sin:
I said, "Lord, be merciful to me;
Heal my soul, for I have sinned against You." . . .
But You, O Lord, be merciful to me, and raise me up,
That I may repay them. . . .
Blessed be the Lord God of Israel
From everlasting to everlasting!
Amen and Amen. (Psalm 41:4, 10, 13)

Confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to your mind, and pray this affirmation to the Lord:
All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:16-17)

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

A renewed mind
Opportunities to serve the Lord
Whatever else is on your heart
Finally, offer this prayer to the Lord:
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
(Romans 15:13) 

Daily Devotionals October 18, 2008

A Hill Too High

READ: Exodus 16:1-5 Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. -Matthew 6:34

My wife and I like to rollerblade. Near the end of one of our favorite routes is a long hill. When we first started taking this route, I tried to encourage Sue by saying, "Are you ready for the hill?" just before pushing our way to the top. But one day she said, "Could you please not say that? You make it sound like a huge mountain, and that discourages me."

It was better for Sue to face the hill thinking only about one "step," or one rollerblade push, at a time instead of an entire steep hill to conquer.

Life can be like that. If we peer too far ahead of today, the challenges may feel like a Mt. Everest climb. They can appear impossible to handle if we think we have to be "ready for the hill."

The Bible reminds us that today is all we need to tackle. We don't need to worry about tomorrow's tasks (Matt. 6:34). Imagine Moses thinking, "I've got to feed all these people for who knows how long. How can I get that much food?" God took care of that mountain with manna-but only enough for one day at a time (Ex. 16:4).

Every hill in life is too high if we think we must climb it all at once. But no hill is insurmountable if we take it one step forward at a time-with God's help.  - Dave Branon

He whose heart is kind beyond all measure
Gives unto each day what He deems best-
Lovingly, its part of pain and pleasure,
Mingling toil with peace and rest. -Berg


God is there to give us strength for every hill we have to climb.

A Remote Control Attitude

A father asked his daughter, who spent too much time watching television, to begin memorizing Scripture. He chose the verses in Galatians concerning the fruit of the Spirit as a place for her to begin.

When she was sure she had reached her goal, she began to list the fruit of the Spirit to her Dad, "Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and remote control!"

When it comes to the subject of self-control, many of us would like to dodge the issue. Maybe we would like to think there is a way to put our minds, wills, and emotions under God's "remote control." Instead of having to take responsibility for our actions and decisions, we think it would be easier for God simply to control us.

However, God has a more creative plan in mind. He designed us with a limited free will. This means we have the ability to choose right over wrong and self-control over emotional response.

Paul warns:

Be very careful, then, how you live-not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but  understand what the Lord's will is. ... Be filled with the Spirit. Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything (Ephesians 5:15-20).

Don't set your heart on having a "remote control" attitude. Dig deep into God's Word. Learn what it means to be self-controlled. Pray that you always will reflect His love and self-control to others whose lives are spinning out of control.

Make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control (2 Peter 1:5-6).

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

By Passionately Proclaiming Uncompromising Truth, Leading The Way is revolutionizing lives at home and around the world. Discover more at www.leadingtheway.org.

Your Place in God's Band
by Max Lucado

Two of my teenage years were spent carrying a tuba in my high school marching band. My mom wanted me to learn to read music, and the choir was full while the band was a tuba-tooter short, so I signed up. Not necessarily what you would describe as a call from God, but it wasn't a wasted experience either.

I had a date with a twirler.

I learned to paint white shoe polish on school buses.

And I learned some facts about harmony that I'll pass on to you.

I marched next to the bass-drum player. What a great sound. Boom. Boom. Boom. Deep, cavernous, thundering.

And at the end of my flank marched the flute section. Oh, how their music soared. Whispering, lifting, rising into the clouds.

Ahead of me, at the front of my line, was our first-chair trumpet. He could raise the spirit. He could raise the flag. He could have raised the roof on the stadium if we'd had one.

The soft flute
needs
the brash trumpet
needs
the steady drum
needs
the soft flute
needs
the brash trumpet.

Get the idea? The operative word is need. They need each other.

By themselves they make music. But together, they make magic.

Now, what I saw two decades ago in the band, I see today in the church. We need each other. Not all of us play the same instrument. Some believers are lofty, and others are solid. Some keep the pace while others lead the band. Not all of us make the same sound. Some are soft, and others are loud. And not all of us have the same ability. But each of us has a place.

Some play the drums (like Martha).

Some play the flute (like Mary).

And others sound the trumpet (like Lazarus).

Mary, Martha, and Lazarus were like family to Jesus. After the Lord raised Lazarus from the dead, they decided to give a dinner for Jesus. They decided to honor him by having a party on his behalf (see John 12:2).

They didn't argue over the best seat. They didn't resent each other's abilities. They didn't try to outdo each other. All three worked together with one purpose. But each one fulfilled that purpose in his or her unique manner. Martha served; she always kept everyone in step. Mary worshiped; she anointed her Lord with an extravagant gift, and its aroma filled the air. Lazarus had a story to tell, and he was ready to tell it.

Three people, each one with a different skill, a different ability. But each one of equal value.

From
Cast of Characters
© (Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2008) Max Lucado

The Key to the Missionary's DevotionREAD:. . . they went forth for His name's sake . . . -3 John 7
Our Lord told us how our love for Him is to exhibit itself when He asked, "Do you love Me?" ( John 21:17 ). And then He said, "Feed My sheep." In effect, He said, "Identify yourself with My interests in other people," not, "Identify Me with your interests in other people." 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 shows us the characteristics of this love- it is actually the love of God expressing itself. The true test of my love for Jesus is a very practical one, and all the rest is sentimental talk.

Faithfulness to Jesus Christ is the supernatural work of redemption that has been performed in me by the Holy Spirit- "the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit . . ." ( Romans 5:5  ). And it is that love in me that effectively works through me and comes in contact with everyone I meet. I remain faithful to His name, even though the commonsense view of my life may seemingly deny that, and may appear to be declaring that He has no more power than the morning mist.

The key to the missionary's devotion is that he is attached to nothing and to no one except our Lord Himself. It does not mean simply being detached from the external things surrounding us. Our Lord was amazingly in touch with the ordinary things of life, but He had an inner detachment except toward God. External detachment is often an actual indication of a secret, growing, inner attachment to the things we stay away from externally.

The duty of a faithful missionary is to concentrate on keeping his soul completely and continually open to the nature of the Lord Jesus Christ. The men and women our Lord sends out on His endeavors are ordinary human people, but people who are controlled by their devotion to Him, which has been brought about through the work of the Holy Spirit.

God Bless

[Judy Harder]

October 19

Ephesians 2

All men are dead in sin, but by grace through faith in Christ they may be saved from sin.

INSIGHT

Two of the most wonderful words in the Bible occur in this chapter: "But God . . ." We were dead in our transgressions and sins; we followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the spirit of disobedience; we lived to gratify the cravings of our sinful natures; and we were by nature objects of wrath. BUT GOD, because of His great love for us, made us alive with Christ. We have been saved; God has raised us up with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms, that in the coming ages He might show the incomparable riches of His grace expressed in His kindness to us in Christ Jesus.

PRAYER

Praise the Lord that He extends grace to you:
All Your works shall praise You, O Lord,
And Your saints shall bless You.
They shall speak of the glory of Your kingdom,
And talk of Your power,
To make known to the sons of men His mighty acts,
And the glorious majesty of His kingdom.
Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
And Your dominion endures throughout all generations.
(Psalm 145:10-13)

Pause for praise and thanksgiving.

Pray this confession to the Lord as you seek to keep your life free from sin:
Good and upright is the Lord;
Therefore He teaches sinners in the way.
The humble He guides in justice,
And the humble He teaches His way. . .
For Your name's sake, O Lord,
Pardon my iniquity, for it is great.
(Psalm 25:8-9, 11)

Confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to your mind, and pray this affirmation to the Lord:
He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? (Romans 8:32)

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

Christian educational institutions
Challenges for the disabled
Whatever else is on your heart
Finally, offer this prayer to the Lord:
The Lord shall preserve you from all evil;
He shall preserve your soul.
The Lord shall preserve your going out and your coming in
From this time forth, and even forevermore. (Psalm 121:7-8)

The weapons of our warfare are not carnal
but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds. (2 Corinthians 10:4)

Daily Devotionals October 19, 2008

Looks Can Be Deceiving  READ: Matthew 15:1-11These people draw near to Me with their mouth, and honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. -Matthew 15:8

On June 22, 2002, a 33-year-old pitching star for the St. Louis Cardinals was found dead in his Chicago hotel room. He was young, physically active, and appeared to be in good health. However, the autopsy revealed that he had a 90-percent blockage in two of three coronary arteries, an enlarged heart, and a blood clot in one of the arteries. His appearance misled many to think that he was physically healthy.

Jesus said that appearances can deceive people into thinking that they are spiritually healthy. After the Pharisees accused Him and His followers of breaking religious traditions by not washing their hands before they ate, Jesus said that the Pharisees had laid aside commands of God for man-made, religious traditions. He reminded them that kingdom righteousness was not an outside-in job but an inside-out, transforming work of God. Jesus said that they looked impressive spiritually, but their hearts were diseased and distant: "[They] honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me" (Matt. 15:. Their talk never matched their walk, thus producing the illegitimate child of hypocrisy.

Spiritual health is not determined by how we look, but by how we live. Let's ask God to search us, know our hearts, test us, and lead us in His way (Ps. 139:23-24).  - Marvin Williams

Search me, O God, and know my heart today;
Try me, O Savior, know my thoughts, I pray.
See if there be some wicked way in me;
Cleanse me from every sin and set me free. -Orr
1964 Singspiration

As we talk the talk, let's make sure we walk the walk.

By Dr. Bill Bright

God's Word Works

"As the rain and snow come down from heaven and stay upon the ground to water the earth, and cause the grain to grow and to produce seed for the farmer and bread for the hungry, so also is My Word. I send it out and it always produces fruit. It shall accomplish all I want it to, and prosper everywhere I send it" (Isaiah 55:10-11).

An angry student leader confronted me at the conclusion of my message to a student meeting at UCLA. "You have no right to impose your views on these students," he exclaimed. "You will confuse them. They are easily influenced and might respond to some of your religious views which I totally reject."

I learned that he was the Communist leader on the campus and did not believe in God or the Scriptures. I invited him to our home for dinner and as we ate, we talked about many things of a general nature, nothing controversial. After we had finished our dessert, I reached over and picked up my Bible and said that I would like to read something very important to him. He resisted, saying, "I don't want to hear anything from the Bible. I don't believe it. It is a ridiculous book filled with all kinds of myths, contradictions and exaggerations."

I would have made similar statements during my years of agnosticism. Not because I knew such statements to be true, but because I was simply parroting what others had told me - I did not really know the facts.

I said, "If you don't mind, I would like to read you something anyway," and I turned to John 1:1. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God" (KJV). I continued through the 14th verse. Then I turned to Colossians 1 and Hebrews 1, reading similar portions identifying Christ as the Creator, the visible expression of the invisible God. I concluded with 1 John 2:22,23.

As I read each passage, he asked if he could read for himself. The initial flash of anger soon turned to interest and then to acceptance and finally he was life a repentant child experiencing the love of the Father's embrace. He surrendered all resistance. As he stood to leave that evening, I asked him to sign our guest book. He wrote his name, address and these words: "The night of decision"

TODAY'S ACTION POINT: Today I will share a portion of God's word with someone who does not know our Savior with the prayer that he, too, will come to know Him and experience with me the supernatural life which is our heritage in Christ.
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The Unheeded Secret READ: Jesus answered, "My kingdom is not of this world -John 18:36

The great enemy of the Lord Jesus Christ today is the idea of practical work that has no basis in the New Testament but comes from the systems of the world. This work insists upon endless energy and activities, but no private life with God. The emphasis is put on the wrong thing. Jesus said, "The kingdom of God does not come with observation . . . . For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you" ( Luke 17:20-21  ). It is a hidden, obscure thing. An active Christian worker too often lives to be seen by others, while it is the innermost, personal area that reveals the power of a person's life.

We must get rid of the plague of the spirit of this religious age in which we live. In our Lord's life there was none of the pressure and the rushing of tremendous activity that we regard so highly today, and a disciple is to be like His Master. The central point of the kingdom of Jesus Christ is a personal relationship with Him, not public usefulness to others.

It is not the practical activities that are the strength of this Bible Training College- its entire strength lies in the fact that here you are immersed in the truths of God to soak in them before Him. You have no idea of where or how God is going to engineer your future circumstances, and no knowledge of what stress and strain is going to be placed on you either at home or abroad. And if you waste your time in overactivity, instead of being immersed in the great fundamental truths of God's redemption, then you will snap when the stress and strain do come. But if this time of soaking before God is being spent in getting rooted and grounded in Him, which may appear to be impractical, then you will remain true to Him whatever happens.

God Bless

[Judy Harder]

October 20

Ephesians 3

Paul is called to be a minister and to take the Gospel to the Gentiles.

INSIGHT

Paul calls his ministry the fulfillment of a "mystery." In the Bible, a mystery is nothing mysterious but something previously unknown. The mystery was that Jews and Gentiles would join together to form a new entity--the church. This mystery was foretold by Jesus, but the details of the doctrine, walk, and destiny of the church were communicated by Paul and his fellow apostles. Now as a new thing--the body of Christ--we are all to allow Christ to live His life through us.

PRAYER

Praise God for the mighty plan He has for the church:
Praise the Lord!
Praise, O servants of the Lord,
Praise the name of the Lord! . . .
The Lord is high above all nations,
His glory above the heavens.
Who is like the Lord our God,
Who dwells on high,
Who humbles Himself to behold
The things that are in the heavens and in the earth?
(Psalm 113:1, 4-6)

Pause for praise and thanksgiving.

Now pray this confession to the Lord as you seek to keep your life free from sin:
Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. (James 5:16)

Confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to your mind, and pray this affirmation to the Lord:
By Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence. (Colossians 1:16-18)

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

Wisdom as you serve in your local church
Your activities for the day
Whatever else is on your heart
Finally, offer this prayer to the Lord:
For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. (Colossians 1:9-10)  


Daily Devotionals October 20, 2008

Do Something With NothingREAD: Ephesians 5:15-21Walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. -Ephesians 5:15-16
A newspaper ad showed three people waiting for a city bus. Two of them were bored and listless, while the third was happily playing a game on a small electronic device. "Do something with your nothing," the ad said. "That nothing time. The time in between everything else you have to do." The idea was to sell the portable player so people could use all those segments of wasted "waiting" time.

I suspect that many of us already constructively use those small increments of waiting time to read a book, memorize a verse, or pray for a friend. It's our longer waiting periods filled with uncertainty and indecision that may leave us anxious and frustrated.

Paul challenged the Christians in Ephesus to "walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil" (Eph. 5:15-16). The Greek scholar Kenneth Wuest suggests that this refers to time in its "strategic, opportune seasons" and means "making a wise and sacred use of every opportunity for doing good."

During those seasons when we wonder, "How did I get here and when can I leave?" it's best to look for our God-given opportunities instead of focusing on the obstacles. That's the way to do something with our nothing.  - David C. McCasland

Wait and, in waiting, listen for His leading;
Be strong, thy strength for every day is stored.
Go forth in faith, and let thine heart take courage;
There is no disappointment with the Lord. -Anon.

When you find time on your hands, put them together in prayer.

God Is Seeking By: Ron Edmondson Monday, October 20, 2008 [He] who despises a vile man but honors those who fear the Lord, who keeps his oath even when it hurts Psalm 15:4 NIV

The man whom God esteems, the one who can dwell on the Holy Hill of our Lord, is the man whose heart is in line with the Creator and whose mind is steadfast on the things of his heart!

If you want to really please God, then honor those who do His will. Place the emphasis of your life on lifting up those who have set their hearts on the things of God. Give respect to the ones who fear the Lord and are committed to seeing the cross exalted!

Hate sin! Be careful of those with whom you associate. Love everyone, but don't give credence to those who participate in worldly living or that take people away from being holy. Don't honor the sinner; honor the saint!

And keep your word! Try everyday not to make promises you cannot keep. If you do make a commitment, follow it through at any cost! Let your yes be yes and your no be no! People should know that they can rely on you to be above reproach. As people begin to see you in your consistent, trusting walk with God, they will begin to understand how they can trust Him as Lord of their lives, too.

God is seeking those who will honor Him with their obedience. Those who do have the wonderful blessing of dwelling intimately with the Master!

Living Free Every Day®
Today's Scripture
"And be constantly renewed in the spirit of your mind [having a fresh mental and spiritual attitude], And put on the new nature (the regenerate self) created in God's image, [Godlike] in true righteousness and holiness." Ephesians 4:23-24 AMP

Thoughts for Today
Some estimate that in the United States alone as many as 15 million adults are affected by major depression in any given year.

People experiencing severe depression may find it hard to believe, deep down, that there are good things about themselves. They are trapped between a rock and a hard place, between a deep desire to be affirmed as "good" and a deep feeling of not being very good at all.

The Apostle Paul declared that "God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." 2 Corinthians 5:21 NIV But depression causes many of us to reject the free gift of God: a new identity as a good and righteous person.

Consider this
Astronomers tell us there are swirling whirlpools in the universe with a powerful magnetic pull that does not allow light to escape from within them. Black holes, therefore, cannot be seen, but their existence can be identified by the debris that revolves around them. In the same way, we cannot see into the heart of another person, but we can tell the condition of the heart by observing the things that revolve around that person's life. If we are suffering from depression, those revolving things might include feeling angry, helpless, hopeless, isolated and even suicidal. All of these revolve around a black hole, a self-identity of being worthless.

The "trap" occurs when we allow our attention to be distracted primarily by the things revolving around our heart rather than focusing on the condition of the heart itself. The path out of this trap is a process of learning a new identity, one based on the truth of God's Word rather than on a lie. A process of putting "on the new nature (the regenerate self) created in God's image, [Godlike] in true righteousness and holiness."

Prayer
Father, I see myself as worthless, but your Word tells me that as your child, I am clothed in the righteousness of Christ. Help me to accept my new identity as a good and righteous person to see myself as you see me. In Jesus' name

These thoughts were drawn from
Understanding Depression: Overcoming Despair through Christ by Donald G. Miles, Ed.D. This study deals with depression, a condition common throughout the world, and is suggested for use in support groups and Christian counseling.

Understanding what depression is and how it affects relationships   
Understanding the relationship between depression and spiritual warfare   
Ways to fight depression with scripture, prayer and mutual support   
Understanding the special prayer needs of depressed persons   
Bible-based coping skills   
How to pray for healing and what to expect   
Serves as a powerful evangelistic tool by providing a way to minister to people's felt needs and then lead them to Christ 
Visit our website to read more about this study and learn more about Living Free small groups.

 
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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Is God's Will My Will?READ: This is the will of God, your sanctification . . . -1 Thessalonians 4:3
Sanctification is not a question of whether God is willing to sanctify me- is it my will? Am I willing to let God do in me everything that has been made possible through the atonement of the Cross of Christ? Am I willing to let Jesus become sanctification to me, and to let His life be exhibited in my human flesh? (see 1 Corinthians 1:30). Beware of saying, "Oh, I am longing to be sanctified." No, you are not. Recognize your need, but stop longing and make it a matter of action. Receive Jesus Christ to become sanctification for you by absolute, unquestioning faith, and the great miracle of the atonement of Jesus will become real in you.

All that Jesus made possible becomes mine through the free and loving gift of God on the basis of what Christ accomplished on the cross. And my attitude as a saved and sanctified soul is that of profound, humble holiness (there is no such thing as proud holiness). It is a holiness based on agonizing repentance, a sense of inexpressible shame and degradation, and also on the amazing realization that the love of God demonstrated itself to me while I cared nothing about Him (see Romans 5:. He completed everything for my salvation and sanctification. No wonder Paul said that nothing "shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 8:39).

Sanctification makes me one with Jesus Christ, and in Him one with God, and it is accomplished only through the magnificent atonement of Christ. Never confuse the effect with the cause. The effect in me is obedience, service, and prayer, and is the outcome of inexpressible thanks and adoration for the miraculous sanctification that has been brought about in me because of the atonement through the Cross of Christ.

God Bless

[Judy Harder]

October 21

Ephesians 4

Christians are to live in righteousness and holiness, worthy of their calling in Christ.

INSIGHT

On the basis of who we are in Christ - redeemed, inheritors with Christ, adopted into God's family, and destined to spend eternity with Him - we are to live a lifestyle that reflects our identity. We are no longer to live as we did before we knew the Lord - or as those who do not know Him. By putting on the "new man" we will preserve the unity of the Spirit and show the world that Christ is real. He makes a difference in the life that is dedicated to Him.

PRAYER

Praise the Lord that He is molding you into His image:
Praise the Lord!
Blessed is the man who fears the Lord,
Who delights greatly in His commandments.
His descendants will be mighty on earth;
The generation of the upright will be blessed.
Wealth and riches will be in his house,
And his righteousness endures forever.
Unto the upright there arises light in the darkness;
He is gracious, and full of compassion, and righteous (Psalm 112:1-4).

Pause for praise and thanksgiving.

Now pray this confession to the Lord as you seek to keep your life free from sin:
I will behave wisely in a perfect way.
Oh, when will You come to me?
I will walk within my house with a perfect heart.
I will set nothing wicked before my eyes;
I hate the work of those who fall away;
It shall not cling to me.
A perverse heart shall depart from me;
I will not know wickedness
(Psalm 101:2-4).

Confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to your mind, and pray this affirmation to the Lord:
Bless the Lord, O my soul!
O Lord my God, You are very great:
You are clothed with honor and majesty,
Who cover Yourself with light as with a garment,
Who stretch out the heavens like a curtain. . . .
You who laid the foundations of the earth,
So that it should not be moved forever
(Psalm 104:1-2, 5).

As you make your requests known to the Lord, include:
sensitivity to the Holy Spirit,
unsaved friends and co-workers.

Finally, offer this prayer to the Lord:
Whoever is wise will observe these things,
And they will understand the lovingkindness of the Lord
(Psalm 107:43)

Daily Devotionals October 21, 2008

God's Love Story

READ: Hosea 11How can I give you up, Ephraim? How can I hand you over, Israel? . . . My heart churns within Me; My sympathy is stirred. -Hosea 11:8

Is there any human feeling more powerful than that of betrayal? Ask a high school girl whose boyfriend has dumped her for a pretty cheerleader. Or tune your radio to a country-western station and listen to the lyrics of infidelity. Or check out the murders reported in the daily newspaper, an amazing number of which trace back to a quarrel with an estranged lover.

In the Old Testament, God through Hosea's marriage demonstrates in living color exactly what it is like to love someone desperately and get nothing in return. Not even God, with all His power, will force a human being to love Him.

Many people think of God as an impersonal force, something akin to the law of gravity. The book of Hosea portrays almost the opposite: a God of passion and fury and tears and love. A God in mourning over Israel's rejection of Him (11:.

God the lover does not desire to share His bride with anyone else. Yet, amazingly, when Israel turned her back on God, He stuck with her. He was willing to suffer, in hope that someday she would return to Him.

Hosea, and later Jesus, prove that God longs not to punish but to love. In fact, He loved us so much that He sent His Son to die for us!  - Philip Yancey

Love sent the Savior to die in my stead.
Why should He love me so?
Meekly to Calvary's cross He was led.
Why should He love me so? -Harkness

God loved us so much, He sent His only Son.

God Dwelling By: Ron Edmondson Tuesday, October 21, 2008 [He] who lends his money without usury and does not accept a bribe against the innocent. He who does these things will never be shaken. Psalm 15:5 NIV

We have talked this week about who can dwell intimately in the presence of an Almighty God. God's word has outlined here for us some qualities He is seeking for us to allow Him to take up residence in our lives.

Now, we know that we can only come to God through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. We must accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, the only way a sinful man can get to a holy God.

We know, however, that God can allow no sin in His presence. In fact, God turned His back on Jesus as Jesus bore our sins on the cross. Therefore, for God to truly be active and intimate in our walk with Him, we must be striving to be righteous in all we do.

The man with whom God can dwell, as today's verse indicates, must not be a lover of money. He must not take advantage of others for the sake of creating his own wealth. Money should be a means to bring forth blessings for the kingdom of God.

This fits well with the previous verses. God is looking for an attitude that wants to honor and please Him. God is yearning to dwell with those who will strive to be holy, because He Himself is Holy!

God wants to dwell with you and me! And guess what? The promise to those with whom He dwells is that we will never be shaken! Though the world tries to toss us around, we, the children of God, will never be moved! We shall overcome!

Are you ready to dwell with Him now?
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Living Free Every Day®
Today's Scripture
"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!" 2 Corinthians 5:17 NIV

Thoughts for Today
Our childhood experiences contribute to our present makeup, as does our biogenetic and spiritual history. In our struggle to overcome depression, we need to remember that while our psychological and biogenetic past cannot be changed, our spiritual condition can. If we draw our identity from the negative symptom cluster around us (feeling angry, helpless, hopeless, isolated and perhaps even suicidal) rather than from our true identity as a "new creation in Christ Jesus," then indeed we are continually being sucked into a black hole of despair, and we are easily trapped in a self-reinforcing belief system about ourselves: I'm worthless, there is no hope.

Healing can begin to come when we recognize that our problem is not anger or childhood abuse or even "depression," but our self-identity as a worthless person. Only then can we learn a new identity, one based on the truth of God's Word.

Consider this
When our lives begin to revolve around a self-identity that is based on faith and formed by the Bible, we can begin to overcome depression. Then, instead of seeing ourselves as worthless, we can begin to view ourselves as a child of God, a shining star. Now the characteristics revolving around our new self-identity based on our faith in Christ can include surrender to God's purposes human kindness  pure love goodness  reaching for truth  courage and fortitude and a determination to keep going.

Prayer
Father, help me to stop focusing on the swirling symptoms of depression that surround me like debris around a black hole. Help me instead to focus on Jesus and what he has done for me. Help me to remember that I am a new creation in him. In Jesus' name 

These thoughts were drawn from
Understanding Depression: Overcoming Despair through Christ by Donald G. Miles, Ed.D. This study deals with depression, a condition common throughout the world, and is suggested for use in support groups and Christian counseling. 

Understanding what depression is and how it affects relationships   
Understanding the relationship between depression and spiritual warfare   
Ways to fight depression with scripture, prayer and mutual support   
Understanding the special prayer needs of depressed persons   
Bible-based coping skills   
How to pray for healing and what to expect   
Serves as a powerful evangelistic tool by providing a way to minister to people's felt needs and then lead them to Christ 
Visit our website to read more about this study and learn more about Living Free small groups.   

 
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.

Impulsiveness or Discipleship?READ: But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith . . . -Jude 20
There was nothing of the nature of impulsive or thoughtless action about our Lord, but only a calm strength that never got into a panic. Most of us develop our Christianity along the lines of our own nature, not along the lines of God's nature. Impulsiveness is a trait of the natural life, and our Lord always ignores it, because it hinders the development of the life of a disciple. Watch how the Spirit of God gives a sense of restraint to impulsiveness, suddenly bringing us a feeling of self-conscious foolishness, which makes us instantly want to vindicate ourselves. Impulsiveness is all right in a child, but is disastrous in a man or woman-an impulsive adult is always a spoiled person. Impulsiveness needs to be trained into intuition through discipline.

Discipleship is built entirely on the supernatural grace of God. Walking on water is easy to someone with impulsive boldness, but walking on dry land as a disciple of Jesus Christ is something altogether different. Peter walked on the water to go to Jesus, but he "followed Him at a distance" on dry land ( Mark 14:54 ). We do not need the grace of God to withstand crises-human nature and pride are sufficient for us to face the stress and strain magnificently. But it does require the supernatural grace of God to live twenty-four hours of every day as a saint, going through drudgery, and living an ordinary, unnoticed, and ignored existence as a disciple of Jesus. It is ingrained in us that we have to do exceptional things for God-but we do not. We have to be exceptional in the ordinary things of life, and holy on the ordinary streets, among ordinary people-and this is not learned in five minutes.

God Bless

[Judy Harder]

October 22

Ephesians 5

We are to walk in love just as Christ did.

INSIGHT

The wrath of God is coming on the sons of disobedience (the unsaved). Therefore, we are not to partake of their deeds. For we were formerly darkness, but now we are light in the Lord. If this is so, do you as a Christian need to alter any of your present habits? What about your television viewing habits? If it is disgraceful even to speak of the things that are done by the children of darkness, how much more disgraceful is it to sit in our living rooms and watch it? What about movies, books, magazines, or conversations with friends? Do your habits reflect the light of God?

PRAYER

Praise the Lord that He has transferred us out of the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light:
Mary said:
"My soul magnifies the Lord,
And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.
For He has regarded the lowly state of His maidservant;
For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed.
For He who is mighty has done great things for me,
And holy is His name.
And His mercy is on those who fear Him
From generation to generation"(Luke 1:46-50).

Pause for praise and thanksgiving as you pray this confession to the Lord:
Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven,
Whose sin is covered.
Blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity,
And in whose spirit there is no deceit
(Psalm 32:1-2).

Confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to your mind, and pray this affirmation to the Lord:
The Lord God is my strength;
He will make my feet like deer's feet,
And He will make me walk on my high hills (Habakkuk 3:19).

As you make your requests known to the Lord, include:
greater love for your family,
the work of missions in South America.

Finally, close with this prayer:
To Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery kept secret since the world began but now made manifest, and by the prophetic Scriptures made known to all nations, . . . to God, alone wise, be glory through Jesus Christ forever. Amen.
(Romans 16:25-27)

Daily Devotionals October 22, 2008


On His Shoulders

READ: Luke 15:3-7 He shall dwell between His shoulders. -Deuteronomy 33:12

Our family likes to hike, and we've had some grand adventures together. But when our boys were small, our enthusiasm caused us to walk too fast and too far, and their legs often grew weary. They couldn't keep up the pace, despite their determined efforts and our assurance that the end of the trail was just over the next hill.

"Dad," would come the plaintive request, accompanied by upraised arms, "will you carry me?" "Of course," I would reply, and hoist the child on my shoulders. He was not a burden, for he was little and light.

How often, like my children, I've grown weary, and the end of my efforts is not even in sight. I can no longer keep up or accomplish the task. But I am learning that I can turn with arms upraised to my heavenly Father, who walks beside me, and I can ask Him to carry me.

I know He will lay me on His shoulder as a shepherd carries the lamb that was lost (Luke 15:5). There He will joyfully carry me all day long, for I am little and light-no burden to Him. There I find rest, for "the beloved of the Lord shall dwell in safety by Him, who shelters him all the day long; and he shall dwell between His shoulders" (Deut. 33:12).  - David H. Roper

Ask the Savior to help you,
Comfort, strengthen, and keep you;
He is willing to aid you-
He will carry you through. -Palmer


The God who holds the universe is the God who is holding you.


God is Holy By: Ron Edmondson Wednesday, October 22, 2008 Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of His glory. Isaiah 6:3 NIV

God is Holy to the third power and beyond!

The word holy essentially means being absent of any wrong doings (sin) to such a degree as to deserve special recognition, worship or praise. Sounds like God to me!

To be holy is to have no sin! To say someone is holy means they have NO SIN! When you say God is holy, you are saying God has never, will never, and in fact could never sin! Are you starting to have an understanding of the word now? God is holy!

One word holy would be enough to describe that sinless state, but our God is so perfectly holy that it requires three or more holies to get the point across! God is HOLY, HOLY, HOLY!

And, that is where we come in. You see, you and I can't even garner one holy! There is nothing in us, not one ten second span of our lives that could ever be considered holy, not using the definition we have already established for the word.

In fact, when we are compared to God's HOLY, HOLY, HOLY, holiness, we become aware of just how unholy we really are! God is so completely holy, and we, in comparison, are so completely unholy, that the gap between us is greater than you or I could ever fathom.

Don't you see now why we can never get to God apart from His divine intervention? Can't you see how He, the HOLY, HOLY, HOLY God must reach way down into our sin drenched world to reach the lost and bring us by His grace into His Holy presence? Isn't it clear we need Jesus?

We couldn't get to God, so He came to us! HOLY, HOLY, HOLY came down and lifted us up by the precious blood of Jesus!

Aren't we glad today?

Living Free Every Day®
Today's Scripture
"And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world's corruption caused by human desires." 2 Corinthians 5:17 NIV (Suggested reading 2 Peter 1:3-11)

Thoughts for Today
Monday we discussed the fact that the self-identity of a person deep in depression involves a sense of worthlessness. Characteristics that surround this person can include feeling angry, helpless, hopeless, isolated and suicidal. Yesterday we looked at a person set free from that sense of worthlessness, a person who by faith sees himself as a child of God, a shining star. This center of faith can result in surrender to God's purposes, human kindness, pure love, goodness, reaching for truth, courage, fortitude and determination to keep going.

So how do we move from the first scenario to the second? It can't be done by willpower. Only the revelation and power of the Holy Spirit working through our faith can set us free.

We may wonder how our faith can grow and become a channel of God's gift of everything we need. In Romans 10:17 KJV, Paul writes that "faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." In other words, faith is strengthened as we study and meditate on God's Word and allow truth to become the core of what we believe. Only then can we begin to see ourselves through God's eyes: forgiven, righteous, precious, created for a purpose.

Consider this
Depression causes people to feel deeply that they are terribly lacking. They may feel that growing in faith is impossible for them. But every Christian has faith! Peter says that by definition, a believer has already been granted faith, and faith receives the gift of everything we need for happiness and productivity. (See also Romans 12:3.) Jesus said that even if a person's faith is as small as a mustard seed, it is sufficient to move mountains (Matthew 17:20).

Prayer
Father, help me grow in faith as I focus on you and your Word. Help me to fully believe that your promises are for me and to reach the point where I begin to see myself as you see me. In Jesus' name 

These thoughts were drawn from
Understanding Depression: Overcoming Despair through Christ by Donald G. Miles, Ed.D. This study deals with depression, a condition common throughout the world, and is suggested for use in support groups and Christian counseling.

Understanding what depression is and how it affects relationships   
Understanding the relationship between depression and spiritual warfare   
Ways to fight depression with scripture, prayer and mutual support   
Understanding the special prayer needs of depressed persons   
Bible-based coping skills   
How to pray for healing and what to expect   
Serves as a powerful evangelistic tool by providing a way to minister to people's felt needs and then lead them to Christ
Visit our website to read more about this study and learn more about Living Free small groups.

 
PO Box 22127 ~ Chattanooga, Tennessee 37421 ~ 423-899-4770
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The Witness of the Spirit  READ: The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit . . . -Romans 8:16

We are in danger of getting into a bargaining spirit with God when we come to Him- we want the witness of the Spirit before we have done what God tells us to do.

Why doesn't God reveal Himself to you? He cannot. It is not that He will not, but He cannot, because you are in the way as long as you won't abandon yourself to Him in total surrender. Yet once you do, immediately God witnesses to Himself- He cannot witness to you, but He instantly witnesses to His own nature in you. If you received the witness of the Spirit before the reality and truth that comes from obedience, it would simply result in sentimental emotion. But when you act on the basis of redemption, and stop the disrespectfulness of debating with God, He immediately gives His witness. As soon as you abandon your own reasoning and arguing, God witnesses to what He has done, and you are amazed at your total disrespect in having kept Him waiting. If you are debating as to whether or not God can deliver from sin, then either let Him do it or tell Him that He cannot. Do not quote this or that person to Him. Simply obey Matthew 11:28 , "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden . . . ." Come, if you are weary, and ask, if you know you are evil (see Luke 11:9-13  ).

The Spirit of God witnesses to the redemption of our Lord, and to nothing else. He cannot witness to our reason. We are inclined to mistake the simplicity that comes from our natural commonsense decisions for the witness of the Spirit, but the Spirit witnesses only to His own nature, and to the work of redemption, never to our reason. If we are trying to make Him witness to our reason, it is no wonder that we are in darkness and uncertainty. Throw it all overboard, trust in Him, and He will give you the witness of the Spirit.

God Bless