Devotionals Archives

July 5, 2024July 10, 2024

False Freedom

²⁰For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. ²¹But what fruit were you getting at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. ²²But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life. ²³For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. ~ Romans 6:20-23

It is all about bearing fruit. Paul is saying that when you were a slave to sin, you could do whatever you wanted to do. But there was no fruit there, and the end of all of that freedom is death. The second death is the only thing that awaits those who are not in Christ, those who have never accepted Him as LORD and as Savior.

What is the Second Death, you ask? It is the Lake of Fire. It is hell, where the flames will burn forever, and there is torment and gnashing of teeth. It is a place you do not want to go.

Listen, you can spend all your life working for money, or you can spend all your money working for life. But in the end, what will it profit, or what will it benefit you if you gain the whole world but lose your soul?

There is absolutely nothing that you can offer Jesus on Judgment Day in exchange for your soul. No amount of money or abundance of things will suffice. Jesus is not interested in anything that you have.

The truth is you have nothing that was not given to you in the first place. Therefore, there is nothing that is worth your soul.

Everything belongs to the LORD. The earth and its fullness are the LORD’s. The cattle on a thousand hills are all the LORD’s.

So, tell me, O’ mere man, what do you have that was not given to you? Or what do you possess that makes you better than anyone else?

We must all give an account, and every knee shall bow in worship, and every tongue shall proclaim, to the glory of God, that Jesus Christ is LORD of all, and that He is master of everything.

There is none like Him
There is none besides Him
All is beneath Him
For He created all things
And all things are from Him and for Him

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Fear or Freedom

¹⁵For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” ~ Romans 8:15

Fear is running rampant throughout our society. There is fear of speaking up. There is fear of telling the truth about what is really going on. Some say it is because of the fear of suicidal tendencies if you do, or the fear of getting a visit from the FBI, or at the very least, you offend people.

I’ve seen the videos on the internet. I’ve heard the testimonies of those who lived it, and it is all for real.

But here is what Patrick Henry said:

Should I keep back my opinions at such a time through fear of giving offence, I should consider myself as guilty of treason toward my country and of an act of disloyalty toward the Majesty of heaven which I revere above all earthly kings.

His fear of God and love for the Savior was stronger than his fear of man.

It would seem that we are in the same boat, with warm handshakes and broad smiles and pats on the back, which deceives the brainwashed into overlooking the acts of war and the play for the subjugation of the American population.

As Patrick Henry said:

Suffer not your cells to be betrayed with a kiss.

Our Founding Fathers passed down a great heritage to us—an inheritance that was bought with the blood of many good men at the expense of their great wealth.

These men were all in, for freedom, for liberty, for independence from slavery. We should never take it so lightly or sell it so cheaply.

It cost much
It cost some everything

But what costs you nothing means nothing and will be sold very cheaply.

As we celebrate the 4^th of July, Independence Day, let us remember what was given to us. Let us remember men like Patrick Henry, who said, “Give me liberty, or give me death.”

He stood up and declared that the time had come; there was no turning back, and it was inevitable that independence was proclaimed.

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Beware Of The Flatteries

⁵A man who flatters his neighbor spreads a net for his feet. ~ Proverbs 29:5

Some people will say whatever they have to in order to get what they want. They’ll say things to stroke your ego, but those are just empty words. They’ll manipulate you, so you have to be on guard.

Do not fall for every word of flattery you receive. Be wise. Weigh their words. If it is flattery, it will feel good. It will fill you with pride, but it will not end well.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Beware Of The Flatteries.

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Faulty Flatteries

⁷All the high officials of the kingdom, the prefects and the satraps, the counselors and the governors are agreed that the king should establish an ordinance and enforce an injunction, that whoever makes petition to any god or man for thirty days, except to you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions. ~ Daniel 6:7

Well, they started off with a lie. They said ALL of the high officials of the kingdom, but Daniel was not a part of their scheme. But they insinuated that he was. And did you notice how they flattered the king?

They made it seem like it was all about the king. Like you’re doing such a great job, O king. You are so wise. We believe you’re the best thing since slice bread O king. And your wisdom is forever. We believe that for the next thirty days, no one should petition, pray, or seek the advice of anyone else, not even a god, no one, except for you.

You’re simply the best! Better than all the rest!

And with these words, they stroked King Darius’ ego. When flattering lips begin to stroke your ego, beware, it is not your best interest they are seeking, but their own.

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No Bounds

⁶Then these high officials and satraps came by agreement to the king and said to him, “O King Darius, live forever! ⁷All the high officials of the kingdom, the prefects and the satraps, the counselors and the governors are agreed that the king should establish an ordinance and enforce an injunction, that whoever makes petition to any god or man for thirty days, except to you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions. ⁸Now, O king, establish the injunction and sign the document, so that it cannot be changed, according to the law of the Medes and the Persians, which cannot be revoked.” ⁹Therefore King Darius signed the document and injunction. ~ Daniel 6:6-9

The Scriptures said that it pleased King Darius to set over the whole kingdom, 120 satraps. A satrap was a governor of a province or a ruler. So, the kingdom was probably divided into 120 provinces, and each province had a governor, or some high-ranking official called a satrap over each one.

Then the king was pleased to set three top officials over the 120 satraps Daniel 6:1-2. Everything was working out just fine until envy set in. You see, Daniel began to distinguish himself from the others by his work ethic and his honesty. So, the king was further pleased to set Daniel over them all.

That’s when they had enough of Mr. Goody Two Shoes, and that green-eyed giant of envy raised his nasty head. And they began to plot. They tried to find some kind of dirt on Daniel, anything, anything at all. But try as they may, they could not find anything because Daniel was an honest, hardworking, squeaky-clean man. Righteous in all of his ways.

They came to the conclusion that they would never find anything illegal against him. So, they would have to invent something. But that is nothing new; it still happens today.

Envy is a terrible slave master. It will make you do some despicable things, not excluding lying with the intent to cause murder, as these men did.

It knows no bounds. It knows no limits. It has no friends. It has no loyalty. Envy is a cunning emotion, and these men were caught in its vice grip.

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Don’t Avoid The Truth

¹ Now Jehoshaphat had riches and honor in abundance, and he made an alliance with Ahab through marriage. ² Then after some years, he went down to visit Ahab in Samaria. Ahab slaughtered many sheep, goats, and cattle for him and for the people who were with him, and he persuaded him to attack Ramoth-gilead, ³ for Israel’s King Ahab asked Judah’s King Jehoshaphat, “Will you go with me to Ramoth-gilead?” He replied to him, “I am as you are, my people as your people; we will be with you in the battle.” ⁴ But Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, “First, please ask what the Lord’s will is.” ⁵ So the king of Israel gathered the prophets, four hundred men, and asked them, “Should we go to Ramoth-gilead for war or should I refrain?” They replied, “March up, and God will hand it over to the king.” ⁶ But Jehoshaphat asked, “Isn’t there a prophet of the Lord here anymore? Let’s ask him.” ⁷ The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “There is still one man who can inquire of the Lord, but I hate him because he never prophesies good about me, but only disaster. He is Micaiah son of Imlah.” “The king shouldn’t say that,” Jehoshaphat replied. ⁸ So the king of Israel called an officer and said, “Hurry and get Micaiah son of Imlah!” ~ 2 Chronicles 18:1-8^CSB

They were going to Ramoth-Gilead, but King Jehoshaphat wanted to first inquire of the LORD. King Ahab, on the other hand, only wanted favorable words, not necessarily truthful words. King Ahab wanted a yes man, whereas King Jehoshaphat wanted to hear from the LORD.

Today is no different. We don’t want the Truth; we want our ears tickled. We want our sin justified instead of hearing from God. So, we avoid the Truth because it offends us. We avoid the Truth because it goes against our lives. We avoid the Truth instead of seeking it. This causes us to fall into a deep spiritual sleep that keeps us far away from God.

The Truth may offend us or make us uncomfortable, but it’s the only thing that can set us free.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Don’t Avoid The Truth.

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Judge Their Fruit First

³ The king of Israel had said to his servants, “Don’t you know that Ramoth-gilead is ours, but we’re doing nothing to take it from the king of Aram?” ⁴ So he asked Jehoshaphat, “Will you go with me to fight Ramoth-gilead?” Jehoshaphat replied to the king of Israel, “I am as you are, my people as your people, my horses as your horses.” ⁵ But Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, “First, please ask what the Lord’s will is.” ⁶ So the king of Israel gathered the prophets, about four hundred men, and asked them, “Should I go against Ramoth-gilead for war or should I refrain?” They replied, “March up, and the Lord will hand it over to the king.” ⁷ But Jehoshaphat asked, “Isn’t there a prophet of the Lord here anymore? Let’s ask him.” ⁸ The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “There is still one man who can inquire of the Lord, but I hate him because he never prophesies good about me, but only disaster. He is Micaiah son of Imlah.” “The king shouldn’t say that!” Jehoshaphat replied. ~ 1 Kings 22:3-8^CSB

These men were prophets, but they couldn’t inquire of the LORD. At that time, there was only one prophet dwelling in the land who could. Some may have the gift of prophecy, but they aren’t dwelling in the Spirit of God, so they don’t hear from God. These men weren’t called false prophets but prophets.

There will always come people who claim to be prophets yet have no fruit. They’ll say things that sound good but aren’t rooted in Christ. Therefore, you have to be on guard to judge the fruit. What good does it do us if the word is favorable but not from God?

Therefore, cling to the Holy Spirit that He might awaken your spirit man within you so that you might see who are true prophets of God. So, you might differentiate between good words and the right words.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Judge Their Fruit.

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Repent To The LORD

¹⁶ When David looked up and saw the angel of the Lord standing between earth and heaven, with his drawn sword in his hand stretched out over Jerusalem, David and the elders, covered in sackcloth, fell facedown. ¹⁷ David said to God, “Wasn’t I the one who gave the order to count the people? I am the one who has sinned and acted very wickedly. But these sheep, what have they done? Lord my God, please let your hand be against me and against my father’s family, but don’t let the plague be against your people.” ~ 1 Chronicles 21:16-17^CSB

King David had brought the wrath of God on the nation of Israel because of his sin. Satan incited King David to number the people of Israel. This sinful action brought the punishment of the LORD.

Even though the LORD brought His wrath, when David repented and prayed to the LORD for mercy, God heard him. God will always have mercy on a repentive heart. Why? Because his desire is that none perish but all come to acceptance.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Repent To The LORD.

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Praise In No

¹ When David had settled into his palace, he said to the prophet Nathan, “Look! I am living in a cedar house while the ark of the Lord’s covenant is under tent curtains.” ² So Nathan told David, “Do all that is on your mind, for God is with you.” ³ But that night the word of God came to Nathan: ⁴ “Go to David my servant and say, ‘This is what the Lord says: You are not the one to build me a house to dwell in. ⁵ From the time I brought Israel out of Egypt until today I have not dwelt in a house; instead, I have moved from one tent site to another, and from one tabernacle location to another. ⁶ In all my journeys throughout Israel, have I ever spoken a word to even one of the judges of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd my people, asking: Why haven’t you built me a house of cedar? ’ ⁷ “So now this is what you are to say to my servant David: ‘This is what the Lord of Armies says: I took you from the pasture, from tending the flock, to be ruler over my people Israel. ⁸ I have been with you wherever you have gone, and I have destroyed all your enemies before you. I will make a name for you like that of the greatest on the earth. ⁹ I will designate a place for my people Israel and plant them, so that they may live there and not be disturbed again. Evildoers will not continue to oppress them as they have done ¹⁰ ever since the day I ordered judges to be over my people Israel. I will also subdue all your enemies. “‘Furthermore, I declare to you that the Lord himself will build a house for you. ¹¹ When your time comes to be with your ancestors, I will raise up after you your descendant, who is one of your own sons, and I will establish his kingdom. ¹² He is the one who will build a house for me, and I will establish his throne forever. ¹³ I will be his father, and he will be my son. I will not remove my faithful love from him as I removed it from the one who was before you. ¹⁴ I will appoint him over my house and my kingdom forever, and his throne will be established forever.’” ¹⁵ Nathan reported all these words and this entire vision to David. ¹⁶ Then King David went in, sat in the Lord’s presence, and said, Who am I, Lord God, and what is my house that you have brought me this far? ¹⁷ This was a little thing to you, God, for you have spoken about your servant’s house in the distant future. You regard me as a man of distinction, Lord God. ¹⁸ What more can David say to you for honoring your servant? You know your servant. ¹⁹ Lord, you have done this whole great thing, making known all these great promises for the sake of your servant and according to your will. ²⁰ Lord, there is no one like you, and there is no God besides you, as all we have heard confirms. ²¹ And who is like your people Israel? God, you came to one nation on earth to redeem a people for yourself, to make a name for yourself through great and awesome works by driving out nations before your people you redeemed from Egypt. ²² You made your people Israel your own people forever, and you, Lord, have become their God. ²³ Now, Lord, let the word that you have spoken concerning your servant and his house be confirmed forever, and do as you have promised. ²⁴ Let your name be confirmed and magnified forever in the saying, “The Lord of Armies, the God of Israel, is God over Israel.” May the house of your servant David be established before you. ²⁵ Since you, my God, have revealed to your servant that you will build him a house, your servant has found courage to pray in your presence. ²⁶ Lord, you indeed are God, and you have promised this good thing to your servant. ²⁷ So now, you have been pleased to bless your servant’s house that it may continue before you forever. For you, Lord, have blessed it, and it is blessed forever. ~ 1 Chronicles 17:1-27 ^CSB

David desired to build a house for the LORD to dwell in. He didn’t feel right that he had a house to dwell in, but the LORD only had a tent. So, King David inquired of Nathan, the Prophet, to see if the LORD was with him for this project. Nathan, without inquiring of the LORD, told David to not only build it but that the LORD was with him. When Nathan returned home that night, the LORD came to him and told him to tell David that he wasn’t to build the LORD a home.

David got the idea, checked it with the prophet, got the prophet’s approval, and then was told no. It would have been easy for David to become upset and discouraged. He could have easily become angry and aggressive. Instead, David praised the LORD.

David understood the LORD has good plans for His people. Even though David had a plan himself, he knew that God’s plan was better. That God’s plan was best. So he didn’t just accept God’s plan; David rejoiced in God’s plan. He praised the LORD.

We all have plans and desires for our lives, and so does the LORD. Sometimes, our plans are good, but they aren’t right for us. They’re a good thought but the wrong outcome. Therefore, we must rejoice and praise, even when God says no. Why? Because there is nothing greater than the plan God has for your life. Therefore, cling to the plan of God regardless of your own. Praise Him, for His plans are good and just.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Praise In No.

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Keep Genuine

¹ Some time later, King Nahash of the Ammonites died, and his son became king in his place. ² Then David said, “I’ll show kindness to Hanun son of Nahash, because his father showed kindness to me.” So David sent messengers to console him concerning his father. However, when David’s emissaries arrived in the land of the Ammonites to console him, ³ the Ammonite leaders said to Hanun, “Just because David has sent men with condolences for you, do you really believe he’s showing respect for your father? Instead, haven’t his emissaries come in order to scout out, overthrow, and spy on the land?” ⁴ So Hanun took David’s emissaries, shaved them, cut their clothes in half at the hips, and sent them away. ~ 1 Chronicles 19:1-4^CSB

David’s friend had passed, and his son had taken his place. So David sent his condolences to his friend’s son, but his advisors told him that they were spying out the land. He didn’t consider that David and his father were friends. He didn’t consider David’s integrity or loyalty. He only heard the lies of those close to him.

Today is no different. The Devil will try to make you out to be a villain regardless of how genuine you are. The Devil will try to twist your genuine actions in the eyes of the corrupted. See, when the LORD isn’t our foundation, we are corrupted and unable to see the Truth. So, the Devil can easily corrupt the innocent in the eyes of the already corrupted.

So, when your genuine actions or statements are met with aggression or defensiveness, don’t be discouraged. That is just the Devil trying to get to you. Though he may corrupt your actions in the eyes of the corrupted, he can’t corrupt your actions in the eyes of the LORD.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Keep Genuine.

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