April 5 & 6, 2025 – What Chains Hold Us?

What Chains Hold Us?

April 5 & 6, 2025

KEY FROM GOD’S WORD:

Deuteronomy 24:22
And thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in the land of Egypt: therefore I command thee to do this thing.

 

THOUGHTS ON GOD’S WORD:

    In America, we too often take our freedom for granted. We wake up every morning and believe we are free. We are free to go where we want to go and do what we want to do, and as our parents told us when we were young, we could grow up to be anything we want to be. Freedom. What a wonderful liberty, which we treat so lightly. Men and women have died to gain and keep our freedom. Yet there are those who walk around us every day who truly are not free.

 

    The chains of drug addictions bind some. What may have seemed like such a small thing years ago now controls their life. Some are held captive by alcohol. Every day is another day to see how long they can go before they feel an uncontrollable need for that first drink. Others are enslaved by tobacco, pornography, gambling, etc. They say it is not a problem, but they cannot seem to live without it. The chains are whatever it may be that have more control of our lives than we do. Are we free?

 

    In our verse today, Jesus was reminding the Israelites that they too were bound at one time, and not to ever forget it. It is so easy to look at someone else who is bound and forget where we have come from. We too were bound by sin. Sin was taking us off to hell and we were content to go there. Until one day, someone shared with us the glorious truth of God’s Word. The Holy Spirit shined a light in our life and there and then, we saw our need for a Saviour. Only through Jesus can any of us ever be really set free. 

  

CARRYING THAT THOUGHT THROUGH THE DAY:

    As we see others struggling to be free in the sea of life, let’s not toss them an anchor of ridicule, pity, or shame. We once were, and maybe in another way, still are held by some things. We must reach out a hand to help them into the lifeboat of God’s love and mercy. We must remember where we came from and where Jesus found us. Once they get in the boat with us, maybe they can help us with our chains too.

 

Do you remember, or can you identify any chains in your life?

 

IF YOU ARE JOURNALING:

Ask yourself, what are MY THOUGHTS concerning this Passage, and today’s Devotion?

 

Do I find within this reading a CHALLENGE for my life?

 

What are one or two things I WILL DO today or this week to accept that CHALLENGE?

  

GOD TALKING TO ME:  April 5, 2025

THROUGH THE BIBLE ACCELERATED READING
^{(OT-1,/NT & PS-2,/Prov-Monthly)}
Deuteronomy 24-27 – Psalm 81-82
Proverbs 5 – James 3-5

 

THROUGH THE BIBLE OLD & NEW TESTAMENT DAILY
Joshua 10-11 – Luke 7:36-50

WHAT TO DO ON SUNDAY:

    There will not be a Daily Devotion sent out on Sundays. Instead, we encourage you to attend your church and listen intently to what God has prepared in the heart of your Pastor. Write down all the scriptures he uses in that message, then when you get home re-read those passages for today’s reading. God has given to your Pastor exactly what He desires for you on that day.  

GOD TALKING TO ME:  April 6, 2025

THROUGH THE BIBLE ACCELERATED READING
^{(OT-1,/NT & PS-2,/Prov-Monthly)}
NO READINGS ON SUNDAY

THROUGH THE BIBLE OLD & NEW TESTAMENT DAILY
NO READINGS ON SUNDAY