Freedom Devotional

Verse James 4:8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you... Message Many people are looking for God, but when they find Him or are close to meeting Him, they turn away; their decisions are usually based on preconceptions of who He is. People want to worship a supreme being or a god who can offer them all their needs in this life: power, peace and everything they lack. People want a god they can have a relationship with. We all yearn for a Godly Father because, at one point in time or another we felt like spiritual orphans being battered by the cares of life, which took advantage of us because we were all alone. Spiritual orphans jump from temple to temple, church to church or any other place of worship in search of something or someone real. They are looking for God, and He is right around them, waiting for them to draw close to Him: to understand why He sent His Son Jesus, so that they can receive everything in Him. Amen

Peter said in 1 Peter 5:8 (NLT), " Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour ." The question is, how does he plan on devouring us. It's simple, he would do everything he can to make us angry.Why? Because as we are told in Ephesians 4:26-27, our anger can give the devil a foothold.  "Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy." Be on the look out for little things that will make you angry today. Anger can be ignited when that person you "love" doesn't love you back and worse of all, treats you like a nobody. Anger can be ignited when someone treats you like or calls you a loser. Anger can be ignited when the people you love do not support your dreams. Anger can be ignited in many ways. But at the end of the day, all the devil wants to do is to have a foothold in our lives so that he can lead us to do things we would regret later in life. We make the wo...

Verse John 14:6 6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. Message The big question everyone or some people are asking is, "Why is He (Jesus) the only way?" or "Why isn't so-and-so the way?" They want to know why there aren't many ways to God and what makes Jesus so special; and there is one simple answer: SIN. If whoever we think is the way to the Father or some paradise or heaven, can take away our sins; If who or whatever it is can make us new people, and can give us the power to stop doing the things we do not want to do, then we can all take who or whatever it is to be the way.  As long as you are still struggling or battling with past sins and sin itself or himself, then you either haven't found the way or you have been deceived into going back to your old ways. He is the way, the only way to God. He is righteous and He gives us His righteousness when we accept His offer of sal...

Verses Ephesians 2:8-9 8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast. Keywords : Grace, Faith  Message How do we receive His grace? God gives His (gift of) grace to us when we humble ourselves (James 4:6-10, 1 Peter 5:5-6) . We can't receive His grace when we act proud, that is, by thinking we can save ourselves. How do we increase our faith or where does faith come from? Faith comes by hearing the word of God. (Romans 10:17) What are we saved from? We are saved from the bondage of sin; which consequently leads to eternal condemnation or damnation.  Putting all together: Salvation can't be bought or worked for, it is a gift from God; and like every gift we can choose to keep it (His gift), reject it, receive it or receive it and dump it—like many have without knowing.  Further reading: James 4:8-10 8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your h...

Verses Luke 11:3-4 3 Give us day by day our daily bread. 4 And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil. Message The verses above don't say deliver ME from evil, or lead ME not into temptation, or forgive MY sins only, or give ME day by day my daily bread—I believe you get the point. The Lords prayer or prayer in general isn't selfish. It isn't all about you, or it isn't ME based. When we pray we are supposed to factor in the needs and requests of fellow believers and non-believers alike; in the words of Paul under the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, "I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men [not yourself only or for some people you love] (1 Timothy 2:1)". Amen