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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

THE NEW DEVOTIONAL BOOK IS AVAILABLE ONLINE AT AMAZON
“KEYWORDS IN GOD’S WORD”
E-Book, Paperback, & Hardcover.
Please leave a review online at Amazon if you read these devotions.

BOOK AVAILABLE ONLINE AT AMAZON.COM

Living A Focused Life

April 4, 2025

KEY FROM GOD’S WORD:

James 1:8
A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.

THOUGHTS ON GOD’S WORD:

    Have you ever found yourself with more than you could possibly do? It just seemed to sneak up on you, and then, wham! You are overwhelmed. Now what? You have trouble trying to decide what to tackle first. Everything seems just as important as the rest of it. My dad would say, “You have got too much on your plate at one time.” When this happens, you feel as if you are being pulled in all different directions. Well trust me on this, you simply cannot go two different directions at the same time. It is just not physically possible. Yet this is how many people live their lives. Running to a fro and not knowing which way to turn next.

    The Bible says, “a double minded man is unstable in all his ways.” A person who is trying to live two lives, that of a Christian and that of a worldly sinner, is unsure of both. You most often find these people unsure of their salvation. Wondering if they were saved or not. In addition, many times they are just as unsure of their eternal destination when life ends. Such a terrible mixed-up way to live a life, especially when you do not have to live this way.

    The Bible is such a clear understandable book. A person who is bogged down with trivial questioning about such things as who Cain’s wife may have been is not really looking for salvation. They would much rather argue about what God’s Word says than let the truth of His love help them. Once they realize they are heading for hell without Christ… they will no longer care who Cain’s wife was as long as they know they are going to heaven when they die. Then, when they get to heaven, they can just ask God about old Cain.      

CARRYING THAT THOUGHT THROUGH THE DAY:

    Ask God to help you keep your heart and mind focused on His Son Jesus. If we keep Him in view, the rest of life will fall into place.

What can you do today to keep your focus on the Lord?

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 4, 2025

THROUGH THE BIBLE ACCELERATED READING
^{(OT-1, NT & PS-2, Prov-Monthly)}
Deuteronomy 22, 23 – Psalm 80
Proverbs 4 – James 1, 2

THROUGH THE BIBLE OLD & NEW TESTAMENT DAILY
Joshua 7-9 – Luke 7:1-35

THE NEW DEVOTIONAL BOOK
“KEYWORDS IN GOD’S WORD”
IS AVAILABLE ONLINE AT AMAZON
E-Book, Paperback, & Hardcover.
Please leave a review online at Amazon if you read these devotions.

BOOK AVAILABLE ONLINE AT AMAZON.COM

Everybody Wants To Go To Heaven
April 3, 2025

KEY FROM GOD’S WORD:

Proverbs 3:1-2
My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments: For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee.

THOUGHTS ON GOD’S WORD:

    “Everybody wants to go to heaven, but nobody wants to die.” That was to be a line written in a chorus sung years ago. However, the sentiment seems to be the truth for most people today. There is a story of a Sunday School teacher who asked a student, “Do you want to go to heaven?” The student said, “Yes.” She said, “Go stand over there.” Then she asked another, “Do you want to go to heaven?” They also said, “Yes.” She instructed them also to stand over by the other class members. Then she asked a third student the same question, but the student said, “NO.” The teacher, amazed said, “You mean to tell me that when you die you don’t want to go to heaven?” The young lad replied, “Oh yes, when I die I do, I thought you were getting a group together to go right now.”

    Everybody wants to go to heaven. I have never spoken to anybody about someone who just passed away and heard him or her say, “I sure hope they went to Hell.” Why? Because nobody, I do not care what they say when they are alive, nobody really ever wants to go to hell. Everybody wants to go to heaven. At the same time, we all want to find the fountain of youth. This way we can live here forever.

    Well, I personally cannot promise you length of days and quality of life. However, in today’s verse, I believe the Word of God gives us an example of how God does exactly that. It says we need to stay in His Word and obey the precepts in it, and then God says he will lengthen our days and make them as enjoyable as earthly possible.

CARRYING THAT THOUGHT THROUGH THE DAY:

     How can this be? Well, can you imagine any better way to spend your life, than in obedience to the one who holds the days of your life in the palm of His hand? What a peace of mind. What a joy-filled life in communion with the creator and sustainer of life. If anyone can promise you more days, it is He who holds our days in His hands. 

Can you think of another way
to have a real JOY-FILLED 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 3, 2025

THROUGH THE BIBLE ACCELERATED READING
^{(OT-1, NT & PS-2, Prov-Monthly)}
Deuteronomy 20, 21 – Psalm 79
Proverbs 3 – Acts 14

THROUGH THE BIBLE OLD & NEW TESTAMENT DAILY
Joshua 4-6 – Luke 6:20-49

THE NEW DEVOTIONAL BOOK
“KEYWORDS IN GOD’S WORD”
IS AVAILABLE ONLINE AT AMAZON
E-Book, Paperback, & Hardcover.
Please leave a review online at Amazon if you read these devotions.