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Living Free: Free To Serve Others
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Living Free: Free To Serve Others

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 10 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-three with an important reminder that living free in Christ means that you, and those around you, have been set free to serve others.

Free To Serve Others

“You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love.”
Galatians 5:13 (NIV)

How is serving others related to serving God?  Is it possible to serve God without serving others?  Why?  Are there people you enjoy serving?  Are there people you would rather not serve?  What makes the difference?  Do you find more enjoyment in having to serve people or in serving them out of love?  Why?  What things keep you from wanting to serve someone?  How does gazing into God’s perfect law set you free to serve others?  Does the “one another” part in God’s instructions to serve make it easier or more difficult?  Why?

Many people have nothing against the idea of serving, as long as they are the one being served.  Just as God has set us free in order to serve Him, He also calls us to use that freedom to serve one another.  While this means we have the responsibility to serve others, the “one another” part also means there are times we have the privilege of being served.  God’s desire is that we not take the practice of serving for granted, but that we serve because we love.  As you pray, ask God to help you notice opportunities to serve.  Pray that you would be filled with His love, and a love for people, as you serve one another.

In prayer,

Tom  

Living Free: Free To Serve God
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Living Free: Free To Serve God

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 11 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-two with an important reminder that living free in Christ means that you, and those around you, have been set free to serve God.

Free To Serve God

“Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God.”
1 Peter 2:16 (NIV)

How willing are you to serve your family?  Your church?  Your God?  What things make you more willing?  Less willing?  Why?  Are there times when you want to serve in some capacity but don’t feel free to do so?  Why?  Are there things that you have the freedom to do that you shouldn’t do?  Why?  How would you live as a servant of God if you felt greater freedom to do so?  What changes do you need to make in order to experience a true freedom to serve God in the midst of where you currently are?

In a culture that tends to worship freedom more than we worship God, God desires that we use our freedom to live as His servant.  Many times I hear Christians talk about wishing they had the freedom to do specific tasks that sound big and noble.  We don’t seem to mind the idea of serving God if we can do so in a manner that people notice.  Yet God wants us to be free to serve Him regardless of where we are or how small the task may seem.  As you pray, ask God to help you examine how you use your freedom.  Pray that your freedom in Christ would be used to live as a servant of the Lord.

In prayer,

Tom  

Living Free: Free To Receive Grace
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Living Free: Free To Receive Grace

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 12 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-one with an important reminder that living free in Christ means that you, and those around you, have been set free to receive God’s grace.

Free To Receive Grace

“To the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.”
Ephesians 1:6 (NIV)

How do you feel about receiving gifts that are unexpected and undeserved?  Are you one that feels you have to earn everything you receive?  Why?  Does a loving relationship with a person make you more willing to accept something from them that you know you don’t deserve?  Why?  Is it possible to have unhealthy expectations of what should be given to you?  How does that differ from grace?  How does your perception of received grace influence your willingness to extend grace to the people around you?

Scripture teaches that God has chosen us before the creation of the world to be His through a relationship with Jesus.  His love calls us to Himself in a way that sets us free to receive His grace.  When we abide in God’s love we are free to receive His grace, knowing that He has no hidden agenda behind His gift.  When we fully experience the grace of God, we are equipped to share His grace with others.  As you pray, ask God to remove any guilt that would keep you from fully receiving His grace.  Pray that you would live fully in Jesus each day as you experience a grace that you can share with others.

In prayer,

Tom  

Living Free: Free From Punishment
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Living Free: Free From Punishment

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 13 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 with an important reminder that living free in Christ means that you, and those around you, have been set free from punishment.

Free From Punishment

“Be sure of this: The wicked will not go unpunished, but those who are righteous will go free.”
Proverbs 11:21 (NIV)

What is the difference between discipline and punishment?  Do you enjoy either of them when they happen?  Why?  What makes one more acceptable to you than the other?  If it is not you they’re applied to, which one do you generally want applied to others?  Why?  Are there times you know you deserve to be punished?  How does it feel if you receive discipline in those times instead of what you deserve?  How does God’s Word help you to live a life that can be free from punishment?

Most, if not all, of us have experienced punishment at some time in our life — often well-deserved.  But as Christians, we can live with the confidence that the punishment for our sin has already been laid upon God’s Son so that we can be free from its bondage.  Yes, God disciplines His children — those that He loves — but we have been set free from the punishment that we deserve.  As you pray, ask God to free you from the fear of punishment that sin can bring.  Pray that you would not fear God’s discipline, but grow from it.  Pray that you would live free, not only from punishment, but from the felt need to punish others.

In prayer,

Tom  

Living Free: Free To Praise God
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Living Free: Free To Praise God

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 14 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 nineteen with an important reminder that living free in Christ means that you, and those around you, have been set free to praise God.

Free To Praise God

“Set me free from my prison, that I may praise your name. Then the righteous will gather about me because of your goodness to me.”
Psalm 142:7 (NIV)

How readily do you praise people for who they are and what they accomplish?  What makes you feel more free to do that?  Are there times when it feels like you are holding back on your praise of God?  Why?  How difficult is it to praise someone when you feel guilty about your relationship with them?  How does being set free through forgiveness help you to praise?  Are there times when the prison of specific sins makes it difficult for you to praise God?  How does an accurate look into God’s Word free you to praise Him?

Praise can be a fickle thing in the lives of many people.  Too often we limit our praise-giving based on how we feel rather than on the “praise worthiness” of who we ought to praise.  We even limit our praise because we don’t feel worthy to offer it.  When God sets us free from the prison of sin, we should experience the freedom of offering praise where praise is due.  As you pray, ask God to fill you with praise as you contemplate the freedom He has brought into your life.  Pray that you would share the freedom you have in Christ as you share praise with others.  Pray that you would know the goodness of God.

In prayer,

Tom  

Living Free: Free By a New Covenant
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Living Free: Free By a New Covenant

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 16 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 seventeen with an important reminder that living free in Christ means that you, and those around you, have been set free by a new covenant.

Free By a New Covenant

“For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance — now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant.”
Hebrews 9:15 (NIV)

Have you ever signed an agreement that seemed like a great idea at the time, but later felt like it had trapped you into something you couldn’t get out of?  How does living under such an agreement make you feel?  What would it feel like for the other party to “buy out” what you could not pay and rewrite the contract in your favor?  How would being released from the burden free you to live under the new agreement?  How would living with freedom help you accept the terms of the new agreement.

The covenant of the law was written to provide a framework of living a holy life which is acceptable to God.  The Bible teaches that the law was useful as a teacher to help us see we could never make it to heaven on our own.  In Jesus, the penalty we owed under the covenant of the law was paid so that we can be set free to live under a new covenant.  As you pray, ask God to fill you with an appreciation for the price He paid to free you from the penalty of the law.  Pray that you would use your freedom to live with joy under the new covenant that has been written with the blood of Jesus.

In prayer,

Tom  

Living Free: Free To Live In Holiness
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Living Free: Free To Live In Holiness

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 17 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 sixteen with an important reminder that living free in Christ means that you, and those around you, can live free in holiness.

Free To Live In Holiness

“But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life.”
Romans 6:22 (NIV)

What comes to mind when you think of someone being holy?  Is holiness something that you consider attainable in your own life?  Why?  What specific things need to take place in your life for you to be holy?  Who can do those things in your life?  Is there a part of holiness that is up to you in addition to the work God does in your life?  How does a daily reminder that you’ve been set free from sin help you to pursue holiness?  Why is holiness such a necessary and noble pursuit?

Holiness has to do with belonging to God or being set apart for God’s exclusive use.  When God gave instructions regarding the tabernacle, and eventually the temple, part of those instructions involved purifying both things and people so that they would be holy — set apart for God’s exclusive and special use.  Our holiness is only possible as we are purified through the blood of Jesus, but that holiness is maintained as we daily surrender to living a life exclusive to God.  As you pray, ask God to purify you from all unrighteousness.  Pray for a heart that seeks purity in all you do.  Pray that you would be free to live exclusively for God.

In prayer,

Tom  

Living Free: Free To Live By the Spirit
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Living Free: Free To Live By the Spirit

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 18 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 fifteen with an important reminder that living free in Christ means that you, and those around you, can live free to lend justly.

Free To Lend Justly

“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.”
2 Corinthians 3:17-18 (NIV)

Who do you listen to?  Why?  How well to you take instruction from others?  Would they say your answer is accurate?  How aware are you of God’s presence in your life?  Do you live like God’s Spirit is a daily partner, an occasional visitor, or an uninvolved stranger in your daily routines?  Are you comfortable talking about the presence of God’s Spirit in your life?  How does gazing into God’s perfect law set you free to live by the Spirit?  Does living by the Spirit mean God’s Word is unimportant?  Why not?

Jesus taught that God is spirit and true worshipers will worship Him in spirit and in truth.  Unfortunately, there are times when people try to dissect God and try to choose either spirit or truth and actually end up with nothing of substance.  We are told to test the spirits because not every spirit is from God.  It is when we know God through His Word that we can be free to live by the Spirit because we have learned what the Spirit sounds like.  As you pray, ask God to help you know Him in both spirit and in truth.  Pray that you would live by the Spirit as you examine the nature of God through His Word.  Pray that your freedom would exemplify God’s presence.

In prayer,

Tom