It Never Runs Out

When I asked a friend who is about to retire what she feared about her next stage of life, she said, " I want to make sure I don't run out of money." The next day I was talking to my financial counselor he gave me advice on how I might avoid running out of money. Indeed, we all want the security of knowing we'll have the resources we need for the rest of our lives.
      No financial plan can provide an absolute guarantee of earthly security. But there is a plan that extends far beyond this life and indefinitely into the future. The apostle Peter describes it like this: " In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil, or fade."
     When we place our faith in Jesus to forgive our sins we receive an eternal inheritance through God's power. Because of this inheritance, we'll live forever and never run short of what we need.
      Planning for retirement is a good idea if we're able to do so. But more important is having an eternal inheritance that never runs out-and that is available only through faith in Jesus Christ.
     Dear God, I want that assurance of an eternal inheritance the certainty of everlasting life with You. I put my faith in Jesus to forgive my sins and make me His child. Thank You for saving me and reserving a place for me in Your eternal kingdom.
     The promise of heaven is our eternal hope.
Please read Jeremiah 22-23 and Titus 1

Stage by Stage

Numbers 33 is a chapter in the Bible we might pass by without reflection. It appears to be nothing more than a long list of places tracing Israel's pilgrimage from Rameses in Egypt to their arrival in the plains of Moab. But it must be important because it's the only section in Numbers that follows with the words: " At the Lord's command Moses recorded..."
     Why keep a record of this? Could it be that this list provides a framework upon which the Israelites emerging from the wilderness could retrace that forty-year journey in their thoughts and recall God's faithfulness at each location?
     I envision an Israelite father, sitting near a campfire, reminiscing with his son: " I will never forget Rephidim! I was dying of thirst, nothing but sand and sage for hundreds of miles. Then God directed Moses to take his staff and strike a rock-actually a hard slab of flint.  I thought, What a futile gesture; he'll never get anything out of that stone. But to my amazement water gushed out of that rock! A generous flow that satisfied the thirst of the thousands of Israelites. I'll never forget that day!".
      So why not give it a try? Reflect on your life-stage by stage-and remember all the ways God has shown you His faithful, covenant love.
     Count your many blessings, name them one by one.
    God's faithfulness extends to all generations.
Please read Jeremiah 12-14 and 2 Timothy 1

Learning to Count

My son is learning to count from one to ten. He counts everything from toys to trees. He counts things I tend to overlook, like the wildflowers on his way to school or the toes on my feet.
     My son is also teaching me to count again. Often I become so immersed in things I haven't finished or things I don't have that I fail to see all the good things around me. I have forgotten to count the new friends made this year and the answered prayers received, the tears of joy shed and the times of laughter with good friends.
      My ten fingers are not enough to count all that God gives me day by day. " Many, Lord my God, are the wonders you have done, the things you planned for us. None can compare with you; were I to speak and tell of your deeds, they would be too many to declare." How can we even begin to count all the blessings of salvation, reconciliation, and eternal life?
     Let us join David as he praises God for all His precious thoughts about us and all He has done for us, when he says, " How precious to me are your thoughts, God! How vast is the sum of them! Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand."
     Let's learn to count again!
      Lord, Your works are so many and good I can't count them all. But I thank You for each one.
    Let's thank God for His countless blessings.
Please read Jeremiah 15-17 and 2 Timothy 2

The Gift

A number of years ago I wrote an essay about my collection of canes, staffs, and walking sticks and mused that I might someday graduate to a walker. Well, the day has come. A combination of back issues and peripheral neuropathy has left me pushing a three-wheel walker. I can't hike; I can't fish; I can't do many of the the things that used to bring me great joy.
     I'm trying to learn, however, that my limitation, whatever it may be, is a gift from God, and it is with this gift that I am to serve Him. This gift and not another. This is true of all of us, whether our limits are emotional, physical, or intellectual. Paul was so bold as to say that he boasted in his weakness for it was in weakness that God's power was revealed in him.
     Seeing our so-called liabilities this way enables us to go about our business with confidence and courage. Rather than complain, feel sorry for ourselves, or opt out, we make ourselves available to God for His intended purposes.
      I have no idea what He has in mind for you and me, but we shouldn't worry about that. Our task today is just to accept things as they are and to be content, knowing that in the love, wisdom, and providence of God this moment is as good as it can possibly be.
     Dear Lord, I know that You are good and You love me. I trust You to give me everything I need for today.
Contentment enables you to grow where God has planted you.
     Please read Jeremiah 6-8 and 1 Timothy 5

Choosing to Change

When my son acquired a small robot, he had fun programming it to perform simple tasks. He could make it move forward,stop, and then retrace it's steps. He could even get it to beep and replay recorded noticed. The robot did exactly what my son told it to do. It never laughed spontaneously or veered off in an unplanned direction. It had no choice.
     When God created humans, He didn't make robots. God made us in His image, and this means we can think, we're able to choose between right and wrong. Even if we have made a habit of disobeying God, we can decide to redirect our lives.
     When the ancient Israelites found themselves in trouble with God, He spoke to them through the prophet Ezekiel. Ezekiel said, " Repent! Turn away from all your offenses; then sin will not be your downfall... Get a new heart and a new spirit."
     This kind of change can begin with just one choice, empowered by the Holy Spirit. It might mean saying no at a critical moment. No more gossip. No more greed. No more jealousy. No more anger. If you know Jesus, you're not a slave to sin. You can choose to change, and with God's help, this personal revolution can start today.
     Dear God, all things are possible with You. Through the power of Jesus's resurrection help me to take the first step toward a life of greater devotion to You.
     For a new start, ask God for a new heart.
Please read Jeremiah 3-5 and 1 Timothy 4

Unfailing Love

On a recent airline flight the landing was a little rough, jostling us left and right down the runway. Some of the passengers were visibly nervous, but the tension broke when two little girls sitting behind me cheered, " Yeah! Let's do that again!"
     Children are open to new adventures and see life with humble, wide eyed wonder. Perhaps this is part of what Jesus had in mind when He said that we have to " receive the kingdom of God like a little child."
     Life has its challenges and heartaches. Few knew this better than Jeremiah, who is also called " the weeping prophet." But in the middle of Jeremiah's troubles, God encouraged him with an amazing truth: " the faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning."
      God's fresh mercies can break into our lives at any moment. They are always there, and we see them when we live with childlike expectation-watching and waiting for what only He can do. Jeremiah knew that God's goodness is not defined only by our immediate circumstances and that His faithfulness is greater than life's rough places. Look for God's fresh mercies today.
     Lord, please help me to have the faith of a child so that I can live with expectation, always looking forward to what You will do next.
      God is greater than anything that happens to us.
Please read Isaiah 62-64 and 1 Timothy 1

Your Journey

I grew up in the rebellious 1960s and turned my back on religion. I had attended church all my life but didn't come to faith until my early twenties after a terrible accident. Since that time, I have spent my adult years telling others of Jesus's love for us. It has been a journey.
     Certainly " a journey" describes life in this broken world. On the way we encounter mountains and valleys, rivers roads-highs and lows, joys and sorrows, conflict and loss, heartache and solitude. We can't see the road ahead, so we must take it as it comes, not as we wish it would be.
      The follower of Christ, however, never faces this journey alone. Scriptures remind us of the constant presence of God. There is nowhere we can go that He is not there. He will never leave us or forsake us. Jesus, after promising to send the Holy Spirit, told His disciples, " I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you."
      The challenges and opportunities we face on our journey can be met confidently, for God has promised us His never failing presence.
      Loving Lord, thank You that You not only know the path I take, You walk it with me. Help me to rely on Your presence, help, and wisdom every day of my journey through life.
      Faith never knows where it is being led, but it loves and knows the One who is leading.
      Please read Isaiah 59-60 and 2 Thessalonians 3

Desert Solitaire

Desert Solitaire is Edward Abbey's personal history of his summers as a park ranger in what is now called Arches National Park in Utah. The book is worth reading if only for Abbey's bright language and vivid descriptions of the US Southwest.
     But Abbey, for all his artistry, was an atheist who could see nothing beyond the surface of the beauty he enjoyed. How sad! He lived his entire life in praise of beauty and missed the point of it all.
     Most ancient peoples had theories of origins enshrouded in legend, myth, and song. But Israel's story of creation was unique: It told of a God who created beauty for our enjoyment and childlike delight. God thought up the cosmos, spoke it into being and pronounced it " beautiful." (The Hebrew word for good also signifies beauty.) Then, having created paradise, God in love spoke us into being, placed us in Eden, and told us, " Enjoy!"
     Some see and enjoy the beauty of the Creator's good gifts all around them, but don't " worship him as God or even give him thanks." They " think up foolish ideas of what God (is) like. As a result, their minds become dark and confused."
     Others see beauty, say " Thank You, God," and step into His light.
     Loving Father, we praise You because You are good. Thank You for infusing Your creation with beauty and purpose and for placing us here to enjoy it as we discover You. Your love endures forever!
     All of creation reflects the beauty of God.
Please read Isaiah 56-58 and 2 Thessalonians 2

From the Heart

In many cultures, loud weeping, wailing, and tearing of clothing are accepted ways of lamenting personal sorrow or a great national calamity. For the people of Old Testament Israel, similar outward actions expressed deep mourning and repentance for turning away from the Lord.
    An outward demonstration of repentance can be a powerful process when it comes from our heart. But without a sincere inward response to God, we may simply be going through the motions, even in our communities of faith.
     After a plague of locusts devastated the land of Judah, God, through the prophet Joel, called the people to sincere repentance to avoid His further judgment. " ' Even now,' declares the Lord, ' return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning' "
      Then Joel called for a response from deep inside: " Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity"
     True repentance comes from the heart.
    The Lord longs for us to confess our sins to Him with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength.
     Whatever you need to tell the Lord today, just say it-from the heart.
  Lord, please give me a heart of repentance to see myself as You do. Give me the grace to respond to Your merciful call for change.
    God wants to hear your heart.
Please read Isaiah 53-55 and 2 Thessalonians 1

Do We Have To?

Joie started the children's program with prayer, then sang with the kids. Six-year-old Emmanuel squirmed in his seat when she prayed again after introducing Aaron, the teacher.Then Aaron began and ended his talk with prayer. Emmanuel complained: " That's four prayers! I can't sit that long!"
     If you think Emmanuel's challenge is difficult, look at 1 Thessalonians 5:17: " Pray continually" or always be in a spirit of prayer. Even some of us adults can find prayer to be boring. Maybe that's because we don't know what to say or don't understand that prayer is a conversation with Our Father.
     Back in the seventeenth century, Francois Fenelon wrote some words about prayer that have helped me: " Tell God all that is in your heart, as one unloads one's heart, its pleasures and its pains, to a dear friend. Tell Him your troubles, that He may comfort you; tell Him your joys, that He may sober them; tell Him your longings, that He may purify them." He continued, " Talk to Him of your temptations, that He may shield you from them:show Him the wounds of your heart, that He may heal them....If you thus pour out all your weaknesses, needs, troubles, there will be no lack of what to say."
      May we grow in our intimacy with God so that we will want to spend more time with Him.
     For further study, read about Jesus's example of prayer in John 17 and Luke 5:16
     Prayer is an intimate conversation with our God.
Please read Isaiah 50-52 and 1 Thessalonians 5

A Fan for Life

Cade Pope, a 12-year-old boy from Oklahoma, mailed out 32 handwritten letters-one to each executive in charge of a National Football League ( NFL) team in the US> Cade wrote, " My family and I love football. We play fantasy football and watch [the] games every weekend....I am ready to pick an NFL team to cheer on for a lifetime!"
      Jerry Richardson, owner of the Carolina Panthers football team, responded with a handwritten note of his own. The first line read: " We would be honored if our [team] became your team. We would make you proud." Richardson went on to commend some of his players. His letter was not only personal and kindhearted-it was the only response that Cade received. Not surprisingly, Cade became a loyal fan of the Carolina Panthers.
     In Psalm 86, David spoke about his allegiance to the one true God. He said, " When I am in distress, I call to you, because you answer me. Among the gods there is none like you, Lord". Our devotion to God is born from His Character and His care for us. He is the one who answers our prayers, guides us by His spirit, and saves us through the death and ressurection of His Son, Jesus Christ. He deserves our lifelong loyalty.
     Dear God, there is no one like You. Help me to consider Your holiness and let it lead me into deeper devotion to You.
     Only God is worthy of our adoration and devotion.
Please read Isaiah 45-46 and 1 Thessalonians 3

Dying for Others

I love birds, which is why I bought six caged birds and carried them home to our daughter Alice, who began to care for them daily. Then one of the birds fell ill and died. We wondered if the birds would be more likely to thrive if they were not caged. So we freed the surviving five and observed them fly away in jubilation.
     Alice then pointed out, " Do you realize, Daddy, that it was the death of one bird that caused us to free the rest?"
      Isn't that what the Lord Jesus did for us? Just as one man's sin ( Adam's) brought condemnation to the world, so one Man's righteousness ( Jesus's) brought salvation to those who believe (Romans 5:12-19). Jesus said, " I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep" ( John 10:11)
     John makes it more practical when he says, " Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought  to lay down our lives with Jesus's example of sacrificial love, we find that we are " laying down our lives." For instance, we might choose to deprive ourselves of material goods in order to share them with others or make time to be with someone who needs comfort and companionship.
      Who do you need to sacrifice for today?
     In what ways have others sacrificed for your well-being?
     Christ's ultimate sacrifice for us motivates us to sacrifice ourselves for others.
 Please read Isaiah 43-44 and 1 Thessalonians 2

All Welcome!

The much-prayed-for film night at the church youth club had finally arrived.Posters had been displayed all around the village and pizzas were warming in the oven. Steve, the youth pastor, hoped that the film-about gang members in New York who were brought face-to-face with the claims of Jesus by a young pastor-would bring new recruits to the club.
     But he hadn't realized that a key football match was being shown on television that even, so attendance was much smaller than he had hoped for. Sighing inwardly, he was about to dim the lights and begin the film when five leather-clad members of the local motorbike club came in. Steve went pale.
     The leader of the group, who was known as TDog, nodded in Steve's direction. " It's free and for everyone, right?" he said. Steve opened his mouth to say, " Youth club members only" when TDog bent down and picked up a bracelet with the letters WWJD ( What Would Jesus Do) stamped on it. " This yours, mate?" he asked. Steve nodded, hot with embarrassment, and waited while the new guests found a seat.
      Have you ever been in Steve's situation? You long to share the good news about Jesus, but you have a mental list of the "right" people who would be acceptable? Jesus was often criticized by the religious authorities for the company He kept. But He welcomed those everyone else avoided, because He knew they needed Him most ( Luke 5:31-32).
     Lord, please help me to see people through Your eyes of love and to welcome all those You bring into my life.
      A heart is open to Christ will be open to those He loves.
Please read Isaiah 41-42 and 1 Thessalonians 1

Changing Hearts

On the last day of the US Civil War, officer Joshua Chamberlain was in command of the Union army. His soldiers lined up on both sides of the road that the Confederate army had to march down in surrender. One wrong word or one belligerent act and the longed-for peace could be turned to slaughter. In an act as brilliant as it was moving. Chamberlain ordered his troops to salute their foe! No taunting here, no vicious words-only guns in salute and swords raised to honor.
       When Jesus offered His words about forgiveness in Luke 6, He was helping us understand the difference between people of grace and people without grace. Those who know His forgiveness are to be strikingly unlike everyone else. We must do what others think impossible: Forgive and love your enemies. Jesus said, " Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful."
      Imagine the impact in our workplaces and on our families if we were to embrace this principle. If a salute can make armies whole again, what power there must be in Christ's grace reflected through us! Scripture gives evidence of this in Esau's embrace of his deceitful brother ( Genesis 33:4), in Zacchaeus's joyful penance ( Luke 19:1-10), and in the picture of a father racing to greet his prodigal son ( Luke 15).
      With the grace of Christ, may we let this be the final day of bitterness and dispute between our enemies and us.
     Lord, we know how gentle power of forgiveness can bring healing in relationships. Grant us the courage to end our conflicts by Your grace.
     Anger almost always vanishes in the face of grace.
Please read Isaiah 37-38 and Colossians 3

Doing the Opposite

A wilderness excursion can seem daunting, but for outdoor enthusiasts this only adds to the appeal. Because hikers need more water than they can carry, they purchase bottles with built-in filters so they can use water sources along the way. But the process of drinking from such a container is counterintuitive. Tipping the bottle does nothing. A thirsty hiker has to blow into it to force the water through the filter. Reality is contrary to what seems natural.
     As we follow Jesus, we find much that is counterintuitive. Paul pointed out one example: Keeping rules won't draw us closer to God. He asked, " Why, as though you still belonged to the world, do you submit to its rules: ' Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!'?  These rules.... are based on merely human commands and teachings" ( Colossians 2:20-22)
      So what are we to do? Paul gave the answer. " Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above". " You died," he told people who were still very much alive, " and your life is now hidden with Christ in God".
      We are to consider ourselves " dead" to the values of this world and alive to Christ. We now aspire to a way of life demonstrated by the One who said, " Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant" ( Matthew 20:26)
     Consider what these counterintuitive principles from the Bible might mean for you: " Whoeer loses their life for me will find it" ( Matthew 16:25).
     " The last will be first, and the irst will be last" ( Matthew 20:16)
     " When I am weak, then I am strong" ( 2 Corinthians 12:10)
     God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise. ( 1 Corinthians 1:27)
Please read Isaiah 34-36 and Colossians 2

United in Christ

When we come across a list of names in the Bible, we might be tempted to skip over it. But we can find treasures there, such as in the list of the twelves apostles whom Jesus called to serve in His name. Many are familiar- Simon whom Jesus called Peter, the rock Brothers James and John, fishermen. Judas Iscariot, the betrayer. But we could easily overlook that Matthew the tax collector and Simon the Zealot must once have been enemies.
      Matthew collected taxes for Rome, and therefore, in the eyes of his fellow Jews, collaborated with the enemy. Tax collectors were despised for their corrupt practices and for requiring the Jewish people to give money to an authority other than God. On the other hand, before Jesus's call, Simon the Zealot was devoted to a group of Jewish nationalists who hated Rome and sought to overturn it, often through aggressive and violent means.
     Although Matthew and Simon held opposing political beliefs, the gospels don't document them bickering or fighting about them. They must have had at least some success in leaving their previous allegiances behind as they followed Christ.
     When we too fix our eyes on Jesus, the God who became Man, we can find increasing unity with our fellow believers through the bond of the Holy Spirit.
      Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, You exist in perfect harmony. May Your Spirit dwell in us that the world might see You, and believe.
     Our strongest allegiance is to Christ, who gives us unity with each other.
Please read Isaiah 32-33 and Colossians 1

The Drinkable Book

Because it is so difficult in parts of the world to find clean drinking water, an organization called Water is Life developed a wonderful resource called " The Drinkable Book." The paper in the book is coated in silver nanoparticles that filter out almost 99.9 percent of harmful bacteria! Each tear-out page can be used and reused to filter up to 100 liters of water at the cost of only four pennies per page.
     The Bible is also an unusually " drinkable" Book. In John 4, we read of a particular kind of thirst and a special kind of water. The woman at the well needed much more than to quench her physical thirst with clean, clear liquid. She was desperate to know the source of  living water." She needed the grace and forgiveness that comes from God alone.
     God's Word is the ultimate " drinkable" Book that points to God's Son as the sole source of " living water." And those who accept the water that Jesus gives will experience " a spring of water welling up to eternal life."
     Father, we yearn for the satisfaction that only You can give. Help us discard the things that leave us empty and thirsting, and exchange them for the satisfaction of the living water You offer.
     Jesus is the sole source of living water.
Please read Isaiah 30-31 and Philippians 4
   

Graping The Cross

In 1856, Charles Spurgeon, the great London preacher, founded the Pastor's College to train men for the Christian ministry. It was renamed Spurgeon's College in 1923. Today's college crest shows a hand grasping a cross and the Latin words, Et Teneo, Et Teneor, which means, " I hold and am held."
      In his autobiography, Spurgeon wrote, " This is our college motto. We...hold forth the cross of Christ with a bold hand...because that Cross holds us fast by its attractive power. Our desire is that every man may both hold the Truth, and be held by it; especially the truth of Christ crucified."
     In Paul's letter to the Philippians, he expressed this truth as the bedrock of his life. " Not that I have....already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me" ( Philippians 3:12) As followers of Jesus, we extend the message of the cross to others as Jesus holds us fast in His grace and power. " I have been crucified with Christ; and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me." ( Galatians 2:20)
     Our Lord holds us in His grip of love each day-and we hold out His message of love to others.
     Lord Jesus, Your cross is the focal point of history and the turning point of our lives. Hold us tightly as we cling to Your cross and extend Your love to others.
     We hold to the cross of Christ and are held by it.
Please read Isaiah 28-29 and Philippians 3

Praising and Asking

Teen challenge, a ministry to at-risk youth that started in New York City, was born from an unusual commitment to prayer. Its founder, David Wilkerson, sold his television set spent his TV-watching time (two hours each night) praying. In the months that followed, he not only gained clarity about his new endeavor but he also learned about the balance between praising God and asking Him for help.
      King Solomon's temple dedication prayer shows this balance. Solomon began by highlighting God's holiness and faithfulness. Then he gave God credit for the success of the project and emphasized God's greatness, declaring, " The heavens, even the highest heavens, cannot contain you. How much less this temple I have built! ( 2 Chronicles 6:18)
      After exalting God, Solomon asked Him to pay special attention to everything that happened inside the temple. He asked God to show mercy to the Israelites and to provide for them when they confessed their sin.
      Immediately after Solomon's prayer, " fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the glory of the Lord filled the temple". This incredible response reminds us that the mighty One we praise and speak to when we pray is the same One who listens to and cares about our requests.
     How would you describe your conversations with God? What might help you grow closer to Him as you pray?
     Prayer helps us see things as God sees them.
   

Good Medicine

Careless driving, rising tempers, and use of foul language among some taxi and minibus drivers are a constant source of traffic fights in our city of Accra, Ghana. But one traffic incident I witnessed took a different turn. A bus was almost by a careless taxi driver. I expected the bus driver to get angry and yell at the other driver, but he didn't. Instead, the bus driver relaxed his stern face and smiled broadly at the guilty looking taxi driver. And the smile worked wonders. With a raised hand, the taxi driver apologized, smiled back, and moved away-the tension diffused.
     A smile has a fascinating effect on our brain chemistry. Researchers have found that  when we smile it releases brain chemicals called endorphins which have an actual physiological relaxing effect." Not only can a smile diffuse a tense situation, but it can also diffuse tension within us. Our emotions affect us as well as others. The bible teaches us to " get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another" ( ephesians 4:31-32)
     When anger or tension or bitterness threatens our relationship with the Lord and with others, it helps to remember that a " cheerful heart is good medicine" for our own joy and that well-being.
      Think about a time when you were angry with someone or when you had an argument. How did you feel inside What parts of your life did it affect?
     We find joy when we learn to live in Jesus's love.
   

Setting Prisoners Free

When my wife and I visited the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force near Savannah, Georgia, we were especially moved by the prisoner-of-war exhibit, with its re-creation of a German prisoner-of-war camp's barracks.
     Marlene's dad, Jim, served in the Eighth Air Force, the " Mighty Eighth, " as they flew missions over Europe during World War 2. During the war, the Eighth Air Force suffered over 47,000 injuries and more than 26,000 deaths. Jim was one of those shot down and held as prisoner of war. As we walked through the exhibit, we recalled Jim telling about the absolute joy he and his fellow prisoners felt the day they were set free.
     God's care for the oppressed and liberation of the imprisoned are declared in Psalm 146. The psalmist describes the one who " upholds the cause of the oppressed and gives food to the hungry, " who " sets prisoners free." All of this is cause for celebration and praise. But the greatest freedom of all is freedom from our guilt and shame. No wonder Jesus said, " So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed." ( JOHN 8:36)
     Through Christ's sacrifice, we are set free from the prison of sin to know His joy and love and the freedom that only forgiveness can bring.
     The prison of sin cannot withstand the power of Christ's forgiveness.
Please read Isaiah 20-22 and Ephesians 6

No Outsiders

In the remote region of Ghana where I lived as a boy, " Chop time, no friend" was a common proverb. Locals considered it impolite to visit at " chop time" ( mealtime) because food was often scarce. The maxim applied to neighbors and outsiders alike.
     But in the Philippines, where I also lied for a time, even if you visit unannounced at mealtime, your hosts will insist on sharing with you regardless of whether they have enough for themselves. Cultures differ for their own good reasons.
     As the Israelites left Egypt, God provided specific instructions to govern their culture. But rules-even God's rules-can never change hearts. So Moses said, " Change your hearts and stop being stubborn" ( DEUT. 10:16). Interestingly, right after issuing that challenge Moses took up the topic of Israel's treatment of outsiders. God " loves the foreigner residing among you," he said, " giving them food and clothing. And you are to love those who are foreigners, for you yourselves were foreigners in Egypt".
     Israel served the " God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome". One powerful way they were to show their identification with God was by loving foreigners-those from outside their culture.
     What might this small picture of God's character mean for us today? How can we show His love to the marginalized and the needy in our world?
     Heavenly Father, help us bless others today by showing Your love in some small way.
     In Christ there are no outsiders.
Please read Isaiah 17-19 and Ephesians 5:17-33