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Published September 21, 2018

Something Else Entirely

“Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God.” 1 Peter 2:16

When you think of “freedom,” what do you think of? Emancipation from slavery? Getting out of jail? Leaving work? Moving out of the house? Freedom is associated with all of those thoughts and more.

Today, many tend to associate freedom to mean “free to do as I please.” This concept applies to all of the categories mentioned above. A slave becomes free from his master’s commands. An ex-con can now do things without being guarded all the time. An employee is now free to relax outside of work. A young adult can abide by his or her own wishes instead of his or her parents’ wishes.

The Bible mentions the word “free” or “freedom” many times throughout the New Testament. But the Bible associates freedom with something else entirely.

Being free in Christ means a different kind of freedom. It is the freedom from being enslaved to sin.

Nonbelievers don’t have the means to be freed from their habitual sins apart from Christ. They hopelessly continue to fight and struggle without any resolution.

We have been redeemed! We are freed from the vicious sin cycle that ensnares nonbelievers. Although we may struggle in this life, our struggle is not in vain. We have eternal freedom.

We don’t have to worry about sin entangling us to the point where we cannot be delivered. We don’t have to live in hopelessness. Yes, we will still sin, but sin doesn’t have us beat. We can conquer whatever sin comes our way through Christ.

Dear Lord, please give me the ability to conquer sin in my life. Give me the strength that I need, which will give me the hope of victory. Amen.

Think about an area in life that may be enslaving you. Have a problem with lying incessantly? Negative attitude? Harsh words? Whatever it may be, honestly ask Christ to help you defeat these sins so you can be free.

By Ashlea Massie

Used by Permission www.thelife.com/dailydevotions

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Does God See the Pain I’m Facing?

Published August 6, 2018

Does God See the Pain I’m Facing?

“And they say, ‘The LORD does not see; the God of Jacob does not perceive….’ He who planted the ear, does he not hear? He who formed the eye, does he not see? … For the LORD will not forsake his people; he will not abandon his heritage.” Psalm 94:7, 9, 14

Are you praying for the salvation of a loved one? That new job you so desperately want?
A spouse? Children? Do you feel as if your prayers go unanswered, seemingly to fall on deaf ears — possibly for years on end?

The psalmist noticed this was a common feeling among his people. Many of those around him truly believed God paid no attention to their oppressive situation. They were obviously in distress, but God wasn’t intervening to fix their circumstances. It seemed like He was oblivious to their pain and suffering.

The psalmist reminded them of a basic truth: how could the Creator forget what He created? God wasn’t blind to their pain or their situation. God did hear. He would save them, in time. Further in Psalm 94 he pointed out to the Israelites all the times God had personally delivered him out of dire situations. The psalmist’s testimony revealed that since God was able to save him from painful circumstances, the Lord would surely deliver His people from unjust situations.

This is a reminder for us too.

God may not deliver you from your situation in the way that you want, but He certainly hears your pleas. He will give you the strength to either endure your current situation, find joy in an unexpectedly different outcome, or eventually grant your desired outcome. Rest in God’s promise that He hears and saves!

Lord God, help me to believe that you truly do hear and care. Give me the hope that you will act in the best timing possible, and faith in knowing that, in the meantime, you will walk with me through this pain. Amen.

Thought — Is there perhaps an alternative to your desired outcome that could surprise you into realizing it’s better than your wildest dreams? Go to God to ask for guidance, pleading for contentment in the waiting.

By Ashlea Massie

Used by Permission
https://thelife.com/devotionals

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God-Given Ability

Published July 17, 2018

God-Given Ability

“And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” Philippians 1:6

When I first began track in high school, I remember how daunting running seemed. I hoped to compete in sprints. I felt that was much easier than running longer distances, because I ran out of breath each time I attempted it.

To my shock, the coach told me she wanted me to compete in the longer distances, hoping I’d say yes to running the 2400-meter. She’d observed me long enough to recognize that I had endurance, something many others on my team did not. I couldn’t believe her though because I was sure I wouldn’t be able to run a mile. Although I initially disbelieved my coach’s faith in my abilities, I found out that I was able to run a mile without quitting. She was right!

The Christian life is a lot like that as well. We worry that the journey to where we need to be will become long and difficult. It feels like we won’t make it. It’s easier just to give in and not push ourselves. But God has given us all the gift of endurance through His Spirit that indwells us — something we often forget we have so we end up not using it.

Since God has graciously granted us endurance, we do have the ability to complete our race on earth. We may struggle to get there, but we shouldn’t ever quit. As Paul states later in his letter to the church in Philippi, we have the strength to continue on in Christ: “I can do all this through him who gives me strength” (Philippians 4:13).

Dear Father in Heaven, we have everything we need in Christ. It’s up to us to use it! Help us to believe that what you are calling us to do is achievable, and that you will give us the endurance to accomplish it as long as we trust in you. Train us up Lord in your ways. Amen.

By Ashlea Massie
Used by Permission

https://thelife.com/devotionals

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There’s Hope for Us Too

Published July 14, 2018

There’s Hope for Us Too

“By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise.” Hebrews 11:9

Do you ever stop to think about your sin? Maybe you feel overwhelmed, tired of the daily struggle against sin. Perhaps you wonder why God continues to guide you, to love you, to keep you in the faith. If anyone had reason to wonder that, it would have been Jacob.

Jacob wasn’t the most righteous man on earth. He definitely wasn’t mentioned as righteous like Job was. He wasn’t taken up to heaven like Enoch. Jacob deceived his father to get what he wanted. He had children with four women. His family was a mess as well. In fact, Jacob didn’t have a spiritual awakening until later in his life.

Jacob was a train wreck, and yet what do we see in Hebrews? He’s in the hall of faith. He received the same promise Abraham and Isaac received: part temporal and part eternal. Jacob received the promise his descendants would be a great nation and the eternal gift they would be children of God.

God doesn’t give up on His children, even when they fall short. Just look at Jacob. God continued to guide him, bless him, and even allowed Jacob to die with all of his children near him, including his long lost son, Joseph. We need not constantly worry about all of our shortcomings and how we miss the mark. Instead, we should focus on becoming righteous, with the help of the Holy Spirit, by having faith that God will continue to carry us, come what may.

Dear Lord, thank you for saving us despite our inadequacy and failures. Please give me the grace to fight sin in light of your love. Amen.

Read Hebrews 11

By Ashlea Massie
Used by Permission

https://thelife.com/devotionals

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Dying to Hear

Published April 23, 2018

Dying to Hear

“Do you not say, ‘There are yet four months, then comes the harvest’? Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest. Already the one who reaps is receiving wages and gathering fruit for eternal life, so that sower and reaper may rejoice together.” John 4:35-36

How would you feel if a loved one was dying, and the only person on earth who could save them was the doctor in the emergency room — but this specific doctor chose to not do it? Instead, he let your loved one die. You would be furious, wouldn’t you?

Jesus’s words are a constant reminder to us, as believers, that there are many struggling people in the world who are literally dying to hear the Gospel — but there’s no one willing to tell them. They are lost and on their way to hell. We have the ability to give them the good news that could save their lives, but do we chose to tell them? Or do we go about our own agenda instead?

We can choose to be the people at the end of the passage who obey Christ’s command and share the good news, impacting others for Christ and leading them into the kingdom.

Both you and I can share the joy of salvation with someone else, but only when we remember God’s call is for us to die to our fears and selfish ambitions and witness to those around us. Their eternal end doesn’t have to be miserable if we muster up the courage to share the Gospel. It can be rewarding for us, and for them, so that both are rejoicing, just as the passage states.

So what are you waiting for? Go out there and share! There are people who need saving and are dying to hear it.

Dear Lord, please grant me the courage to fulfill your calling for me, pushing aside fear to help the lost. Provide people my way who are ripe and ready to receive your Word, and let me not neglect them. Amen.

By Ashlea Massie
Used by Permission

http://www.gospelmag.com/authors/ashlea-massie

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Hope for the Bone Dry

Published July 22, 2017

Hope for the Bone Dry

“And the Lord will guide you continually and satisfy your desire in scorched places and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.”
Isaiah 58:11

Have you ever been in a season of spiritual dissatisfaction? Maybe you’ve been stuck in a ritual of reading the Word and praying on a daily basis but not experiencing peace and joy. Isaiah addresses one reason “spiritual” habits may still leave us feeling bone dry.

He gives us the key to unlocking true satisfaction. He tells the Israelites to pray and fast, like a good child of God would do. This seems similar to what Christians try to practice, but the one mistake the Israelites made held them back from receiving fulfillment in God ? their hypocrisy. The Israelites did all of these things without really meaning any of it. It became a ritual, and not only that, they decided to rebel against God’s commands and cover up their wickedness by performing these good deeds.

Isaiah reminded them that God wanted their whole-hearted worship. The Israelites’ actions were repetitive with no real effort put into them. Their worship was just tradition. And that led them into sin instead of helping to keep them from it.

This concept directly applies to us today. God doesn’t just want a part of us ? He wants all of us! Half-hearted service will not meet our spiritual needs. The beauty of giving our entire efforts to God brings Isaiah’s words to life in our lives. It’s a true promise. When we make the effort to read, pray, and spend each available minute dwelling on God, we can experience not only what is told in Isaiah 58:11, but also the joy that can only come from intimately knowing God.

Dear Lord, please give me the abundance of joy and satisfaction that can only come through you as I seek you on a daily basis. Amen.

By Ashlea Massie
Used by Permission