Ministry

Walk This Way: Walk a Fearless Path
by

Walk This Way: Walk a Fearless Path

Every day you and I face a variety of choices regarding the path we take.  Many things influence our decisions for both good and bad, yet God wants us to choose daily to walk according to His ways .  Over the next 30 days I will be sharing from the devotional journal, “Walk This Way”, with the prayer that it helps you to grow in your walk with God as you pursue a greater understanding of the path He calls you to.

Here is day two with an important reminder that walking God’s way will lead you on a fearless path.

Walk a Fearless Path

“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.”
Psalm 23:4 (NIV)

What things tend to fill you with fear?  Where is the scariest place that you have ever walked?  What made you so fearful there?  What brings you comfort and peace when you are in the midst of frightening circumstances?  What gives you the courage to overcome your fears?  How would you walk in a way that shows no fear?

For most of us, having a trusted friend with us in the midst of our fears can be a great help and comfort.  We gain courage in knowing we don’t have to walk our path alone.  In the familiar twenty-third Psalm, David says he can walk a fearless path because he knows God is with him.   As you pray, ask God to continually remind you of His presence in the midst of all your fears.  Pray that your trust of Him would grow as you recognize His ever-abiding presence.  Pray that your life would be lived in a way that you become the presence of Jesus that someone else needs when facing their fears.  Pray that  you would not be distracted in your walk with God by fear but that you would enjoy a fearless walk with Christ.

In prayer,

Tom  

Walk This Way: Walk a Blameless Path
by

Walk This Way: Walk a Blameless Path

Every day you and I face a variety of choices regarding the path we take.  Many things influence our decisions for both good and bad, yet God wants us to choose daily to walk according to His ways .  Over the next 31 days I will be sharing from the devotional journal, “Walk This Way”, with the prayer that it helps you to grow in your walk with God as you pursue a greater understanding of the path He calls you to.

Here is day one with an important reminder that walking God’s way will lead you on a blameless path.

Walk a Blameless Path

“LORD, who may dwell in your sanctuary?
Who may live on your holy hill?
He whose walk is blameless
and who does what is righteous,
who speaks the truth from his heart.”
Psalm 15:1-2 (NIV)

Have you ever been blamed for something that wasn’t your fault?  How did you feel?  Have you ever blamed someone for something and then found out they weren’t at fault?  What did you do?  How do you feel when you are at fault for something yet no one blames you for what happened?  What do you think it would look like to walk a blameless path?

God says that the one who can dwell in His sanctuary is the one whose walk is blameless.  It shouldn’t take a very lengthy reading of God’s Word to discover that none of us will ever be blameless through our own efforts.  It is only through Jesus Christ and the forgiveness of sin that He offers that we can be declared blameless.  As you pray, ask God to help you identify areas of wrongdoing that you’ve done to others, and to God, that you need to do your part in making right.  Pray that God would give you the courage to seek forgiveness from others and from Him so that no accusation would have reason to stick to you.  Pray that in Jesus you would always be found walking a blameless path.

In prayer,

Tom  

Living Free: Free To Live By God’s Perfect Law
by

Living Free: Free To Live By God’s Perfect Law

Freedom.  It seems everyone wants to be free yet we often struggle to even admit when we are not.  When Jesus stated that holding to His teachings would lead people to know the truth that would set them free, the religious leaders bristled at even the hint that they had ever been slaves to anyone or anything.  Today wraps up a month of sharing from the daily devotions from the book, “Living Free”, that I wrote several years ago to help you discover a life of freedom found through a consistent gazing into, and practice of, the perfect law of God’s Word.

Here is day thirty-two with an important reminder that living free in Christ means that you, and those around you, can live free because of God’s perfect law.

Free To Live By God’s Perfect Law

“But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it — he will be blessed in what he does.”
James 1:25 (NIV)

Do you tend to view laws as confining or freeing?  Why?  Are you one that attempts to follow laws that you are aware of, or do you tend to ignore them if you believe you can get away with it?  Why?  How does your view of a law being helpful or not influence your obedience?  Should it?  Do you tend to view God’s laws as being given to restrict you or to set you free?  How does gazing intently into God’s perfect law help you to understand His purpose for giving it?  Does understanding the purpose of a law help you with the practice of it?  Why?

Many people tend to see the concepts of freedom and law as two opposites set against each other.  Yet most of us tend to live with greater freedom when we are aware of clear boundaries that we know will keep us from harm.  God’s desire, and the intent of His law, is to prosper us and not to harm us.  When we believe that, we are fully free to live by God’s perfect law, knowing it gives a freedom nothing else can.  As you pray, ask God to help you know His law as a good thing.  Pray that you would know the freedom that is found through God’s perfect law.

In prayer,

Tom  

Living Free: Free From the Wicked
by

Living Free: Free From the Wicked

Freedom.  It seems everyone wants to be free yet we often struggle to even admit when we are not.  When Jesus stated that holding to His teachings would lead people to know the truth that would set them free, the religious leaders bristled at even the hint that they had ever been slaves to anyone or anything.  Over the next 2 days I will be sharing the daily devotions from the book, “Living Free”, that I wrote several years ago to help you discover a life of freedom found through a consistent gazing into, and practice of, the perfect law of God’s Word.

Here is day thirty-one with an important reminder that living free in Christ means that you, and those around you, can live free from the influence of the wicked.

Free From the Wicked

“But the LORD is righteous; he has cut me free from the cords of the wicked.”
Psalm 129:4 (NIV)

How much influence does the deeds of the wicked have on you?  How do you know?  How much influence do your own wicked deeds have on you?  What influence do the sins of your past still have on you today?  Does that influence lead you in a good way, or bad?  Why?  Does living free from “the wicked” mean that you never have interaction with anyone who does bad things?  Explain.  How does God’s righteousness not only free you from the wicked, but frees you from the acts of wickedness?

Our first thoughts in regard to living free from the wicked often turns to freedom from the evil deeds of others.  God does give us freedom from the eternal results of their actions even if we face the temporary consequences of what they do.  But the truth is, God also frees us from our own wickedness and the penalty we deserve because of it.  In both aspects, we are free through the righteousness of God and not as the result of any form of goodness we may have.  As you pray, ask God to help you know freedom from all wickedness.  Pray that you would live free because of His righteousness in you.

In prayer,

Tom  

Living Free: Free By The Truth
by

Living Free: Free By The Truth

Freedom.  It seems everyone wants to be free yet we often struggle to even admit when we are not.  When Jesus stated that holding to His teachings would lead people to know the truth that would set them free, the religious leaders bristled at even the hint that they had ever been slaves to anyone or anything.  Over the next 3 days I will be sharing the daily devotions from the book, “Living Free”, that I wrote several years ago to help you discover a life of freedom found through a consistent gazing into, and practice of, the perfect law of God’s Word.

Here is day thirty with an important reminder that living free in Christ means that you, and those around you, can live free because of truth.

Free By The Truth

“To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, ‘If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.’”
John 8:31-32 (NIV)

What is your view of truth?  How much value do you place on it?  Why?  Have you ever been caught up in a lie told by someone else?  In a lie of your own?  What had the power to set you free from those lies?  What are some lies that the enemy tries to get you to believe about yourself?  Has he ever lied to you about your value, your beauty, your being loved?  Why are there times his lies are so believable?  How does a careful look and understanding of God’s Word free you from the lies which seek to destroy you?

In a culture that often views truth as relative; God continues to pronounce Himself as absolute truth.  Satan has become very good at making lies believable and it seems that the world is always doing its part to make us believe the lies.  Just as the only thing that will ever overcome darkness is light, the only thing that will ever set us free from the lies of the enemy is truth.  As you pray, ask God to help you see through the lies of this world so that you would know truth.  Pray that you would know the Truth that is Jesus and be set free by Him.  Pray that your freedom would help you walk in truth each day.

In prayer,

Tom  

Living Free: Free From Traps
by

Living Free: Free From Traps

Freedom.  It seems everyone wants to be free yet we often struggle to even admit when we are not.  When Jesus stated that holding to His teachings would lead people to know the truth that would set them free, the religious leaders bristled at even the hint that they had ever been slaves to anyone or anything.  Over the next 4 days I will be sharing the daily devotions from the book, “Living Free”, that I wrote several years ago to help you discover a life of freedom found through a consistent gazing into, and practice of, the perfect law of God’s Word.

Here is day twenty-nine with an important reminder that living free in Christ means that you, and those around you, can live free from the traps of the enemy.

Free From Traps

“Since you are my rock and my fortress, for the sake of your name lead and guide me.  Free me from the trap that is set for me, for you are my refuge.”
Psalm 31:3-4 (NIV)

Have you ever been caught in a situation that you later realized was a trap that had been set for you?  How did you feel?  How comforting would it be to know you have a ready refuge to help you avoid traps?  After being caught in a trap or two, how useful would it be to have someone with a wider view show you where the traps are and what they look like?  Would you listen?  Would you live with greater confidence if you believed God had the power, and desire, to free you from all traps set for you as well as all traps you fall into?

The nature of traps can lead us to feelings of embarrassment when we fall into them.  Satan then likes to use that embarrassment to keep us from admitting we fell and turning to the One who can free us from the trap.  By gazing intently into God’s perfect law, we can often avoid many of the traps the enemy sets for us, but we can also find refuge and help when we are caught in one of those traps.  As you pray, ask God to set you free from any traps that you currently find yourself in.  Pray that you would look to God and His Word to guide you away from traps that the enemy has set for you.

In prayer,

Tom  

Living Free: Free To Stand Firm
by

Living Free: Free To Stand Firm

Freedom.  It seems everyone wants to be free yet we often struggle to even admit when we are not.  When Jesus stated that holding to His teachings would lead people to know the truth that would set them free, the religious leaders bristled at even the hint that they had ever been slaves to anyone or anything.  Over the next 5 days I will be sharing the daily devotions from the book, “Living Free”, that I wrote several years ago to help you discover a life of freedom found through a consistent gazing into, and practice of, the perfect law of God’s Word.

Here is day twenty-eight with an important reminder that living free in Christ means that you, and those around you, can stand firm in your freedom.

Free To Stand Firm

“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.”
Galatians 5:1 (NIV)

Do you have difficulty in sticking with a thought, belief, or action?  Why?  Would your closest friends agree with your answer?  When you begin something new, why is it often tempting to go back to what was familiar?  How much influence does fear of failing at what is ahead have on our decisions to return to something that wasn’t good?  What role does confidence have in being able to stick with something even through difficulty?  Would assurance of success simply by completing, help you stay with something no matter what?  Why?

I am a creature of habit and generally prefer the familiar over trying anything new.  For me, it can be difficult to stay with something new long enough to see if it will work out.  When it comes to our faith, Christ has set us free with the assurance that it will work out to our benefit if we stand firm and remain in Him.  Knowing that we have indeed been set free by Christ should equip us to stand firm in our faith.  As you pray, ask God to free you from the sin of the past so that you can stand firm in your faith.  Pray that you would help share freedom with others who need to stand firm.

In prayer,

Tom  

Living Free: Free To Be Impartial
by

Living Free: Free To Be Impartial

Freedom.  It seems everyone wants to be free yet we often struggle to even admit when we are not.  When Jesus stated that holding to His teachings would lead people to know the truth that would set them free, the religious leaders bristled at even the hint that they had ever been slaves to anyone or anything.  Over the next 6 days I will be sharing the daily devotions from the book, “Living Free”, that I wrote several years ago to help you discover a life of freedom found through a consistent gazing into, and practice of, the perfect law of God’s Word.

Here is day twenty-seven with an important reminder that living free in Christ means that you, and those around you, have been set free to be impartial.

Free To Be Impartial

“If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself,’ you are doing right. But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers. For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.  For he who said, ‘Do not commit adultery,’ also said, ‘Do not murder.’ If you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker. Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment!”
James 2:8-13 (NIV)

Have you ever been a “teacher’s pet” in any of your schooling?  If not, did teachers you have had ever have individuals that everyone else felt were the “teacher’s pet”?  How did that make you feel?  How difficult is it to avoid favoritism?  Why?  Do you speak the same way to everyone?  Should you?  Why?  How does the uniqueness of each person influence what impartiality looks like in our interaction with them?  How does gazing into God’s Word help equip you to treat everyone with respect without showing partiality?

While most people would say they are opposed to favoritism when it is shown to someone else, we’re not so quick to condemn it when we are being treated better than another.  When the Bible speaks of favoritism, it is talking about treating people differently based on a variety of outward appearances, rather than treating them honestly based on the character of their heart.  God’s freedom helps us to see each other as equals at the foot of the cross, and because of Jesus, equals at the gates of heaven.  As you pray, ask God to help you live without partiality towards those who walk this journey of life with you.

In prayer,

Tom