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Listen to this devotional: |
Listen while you read: "He Leadeth Me: O Blessed Thought"1 (Lyrics) |
Your friend is murdered. You are the one who ends up in prison. Everything seems hopeless. At the last minute, someone invites you to follow him. You find yourself outside the prison walls. You rush to tell your friends.
This is a mini-script version of Acts 12:1-19.
Acts 12:7,10 – Suddenly, there was a bright light in the cell, and an angel of the Lord stood before Peter. The angel struck him on the side to awaken him and said, "Quick! Get up!" And the chains fell off his wrists. They passed the first and second guard posts and came to the iron gate leading to the city, and this opened for them all by itself. So they passed through and started walking down the street, and then the angel suddenly left him. (NLT)
This is what happened to Peter, but it is also a picture of the experience of those of us who have experienced new life in Christ. Before we came to know Jesus, our lives were a mess. When we thought we couldn't stand it another second, Jesus came into our lives and led us to freedom. We were changed almost beyond belief.
Look back. Remember what you were before Christ came into your life. Hard to believe, isn't it!
It wasn't so long ago that without Christ in our lives, we ourselves were stupid and stubborn, dupes of sin, ordered every which way by our glands, going around with a chip on our shoulder, hated, and hating back. But when God, our kind and loving Saviour God, stepped in, He saved us from all that. It was all His doing; we had nothing to do with it. He gave us a good bath, and we came out of it new people, washed inside and out by the Holy Spirit. Our Saviour Jesus poured out new life so generously. God's gift has restored our relationship with Him and given us back our lives. And there's more life to come — an eternity of life! You can count on this.
Titus 3:3-7 – Once we, too, were foolish and disobedient. We were misled and became slaves to many lusts and pleasures. Our lives were full of evil and envy, and we hated each other. But — "When God our Savior revealed his kindness and love, he saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit. He generously poured out the Spirit upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior. Because of his grace he declared us righteous and gave us confidence that we will inherit eternal life." (NLT)
Isn't this a message worth sharing with anyone who will listen?
Prayer: Lord, thank You for the changes that You make in the lives of those who put their trust in Jesus! Amen.
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Sunday, December 3, 2023 – IIn the Middle East — We have been walking with a brother, R, from a closed country, who has recently returned with his wife, H. and their older children. We had never met his wife before, but she had shown interest in faith as her husband often shares with her his new beliefs. Praise the Lord, my wife led H to Christ upon her arrival. Please pray for her growth and for them as a couple, that they will have the courage and wisdom to share with their children.
Prayer: "Update December 03, 2023: Please continue to pray for her to put her trust in the Lord and to live..." 
Amen.
Thank you, Brenda.
What a wonderful reminder Brenda.
Thank you Rosy for this most important reminder.
Another great message Brenda. Enjoy this beautiful day!
Dear Brenda,
That’s a very big AMEN SISTER!
Thank you Brenda.
May you enjoy the long weekend ahead.
Thanks, Brenda. That is one refreshing devotional!
Please keep writing.
Thank you for sharing your very positive Devotional today — all I can say to what you wrote is a loud Amen!! Please continue to write.
Have a Happy Canada Day on Tuesday.
God bless!
Right on. So much of this described the kind of life I was living. I could re-word this scripture and call it “A Portrait of Me”.
Thank you Brenda for reminding me of the muddy pit He brought me out of. Now I must watch that I don’t slip at a point and fall back into it.
Dear Brenda:
Thank you for the description of Christ’s transforming power in our lives.
God knew what my life would be like so he “saved” me at 5. Hard to believe a 5 year old can understand enough, but I did.
Without my faith, I would never have made it to adulthood let alone to become a great-grandma. HE has been my constant throughout life.
Blessings.
Yes thank God for the changes and those he used.