Called To Live In Freedom, Free To Live In Truth

For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love.

—Galatians 5:13 (NLT)

Heavenly Father,

Thank You for calling me to live in the freedom that I have been given by the sacrifice of Your Son, Jesus, for my sin.

Help me never forget that the freedom that was purchased with the blood of Christ was not freedom to sin, but freedom from sin’s power to control my life.

Help me to understand that there is no freedom in the concept of freedom to sin.  It is a lie that Satan would have us believe that actually enslaves us to himself, to others, and to our own sinful nature—and it makes us a willing partner in his plans to kill, steal and destroy.

Therefore, help me glorify You, and the work of Christ in me, by exercising my freedom to do what is right in loving service to others—both to my brothers and sisters in Christ and to those who are lost and enslaved by their sin.

Thank You for calling me to live in the freedom that I have been given by the sacrifice of Your Son, Jesus, for my sin.

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

The Great Honor That Is Mine

Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart.

—Colossians 4:2 (NLT)

Gracious God,

Thank You for the great privilege to be able to come before You in prayer.

I never want to take for granted the great honor that is mine, as I come to You to pray—not as a subject of the King, but as a beloved child of the King.

Let me forever be awestruck by the free gift of salvation that was purchased for me by the sacrifice of Your only begotten Son—which opened up the way for me to boldly approach Your throne and be welcomed into Your Presence.

Because of that honor, I want to take seriously the time that I spend in prayer and not allow the distractions of this life—or the weariness of my mind and body—to dilute my focus on You.

I always want to approach You with a heart that is running over with gratitude—at having been saved from sin and filled with Your everlasting love, mercy and grace.

Thank You for the great privilege to be able to come before You in prayer.

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Far Beyond Words

Now thanks be to God for His Gift, [precious] beyond telling [His indescribable, inexpressible, free Gift]!

—2 Corinthians 9:15 (AMP)

Giver of All Things Good,

Thank You that the living out of my experience of receiving the gift of Your Son, Jesus, into my heart, goes far beyond what my words can tell—and is the only way I can even begin to understand the indescribable, inexpressible, preciousness of Your free Gift to me!

There is so much that You have given to us, and yet nothing compares to the gift of Your Son—given freely to anyone who will receive Him.

For through accepting Him into our hearts we are able to experience the wonder and joy of having You work in us—to form us more fully into the people You have called us to be—and through us—to accomplish Your great plans and purposes for us and for the world.

With Christ in our hearts, we have that warm assurance that we are never alone and always have available to us—in Him—everything that we need, for every situation we face.

As we put our faith in You, and live our lives for You, You open up opportunities for us to experience Your faithfulness and love to a depth too wonderful for words—impossible for us to fully tell.

Thank You that the living out of my experience of receiving Your gift of Your Son, Jesus, into my heart, goes far beyond what my words can tell—and is the only way I can even begin to understand the indescribable, inexpressible, preciousness of Your free Gift to me!

In the name of Jesus, Amen.