Avsnitt
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We all have to come face to face with our humanity. When we’re hit with a surprise diagnosis or a pain that lingers, our mind should go right to God. Our dependence on him should deepen, our hope in him should spring fresh. Instead of fear, confidence in God can grow.
That looks good on paper, but it’s not easy to live out.
Paul was plagued by a secret illness or disease that theologians have been trying to figure out for centuries. It was so intense, Paul describes it this way, “I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me” (2 Corinthians 12:7 NIV).
Today, we'll see how Paul dealt with it, and how we can deal with our health issues, too.
KEY PASSAGE:
2 Corinthians 1:3-5 (ESV)
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too.
RESOURCES:
--> Take the Free PERSONAL SELF-ASSESSMENT. It only takes 3 minutes. Download it at www.retreatingwithgod.org.
Visit FRESH FAITH 24/7, a place where you can retreat with God and get to know him more deeply: www.freshfaith247.com.
Connect with Jon at [email protected]
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Here's the scene: You have to deal with a conflict, rift in a relationship or bringing a friend to accountability. And as difficult as it may be, avoiding these hard conversations usually causes more harm to the other person. If you come to them with the right spirit, you’re saving them pain in the future. Let’s look at one of the hardest conversations in the Bible and see how courage saved the day.
KEY PASSAGE:
Colossians 4:2-6
Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.
RESOURCES:
--> Take the Free PERSONAL SELF-ASSESSMENT. It only takes 3 minutes. Download it at www.retreatingwithgod.org.
Visit FRESH FAITH 24/7, a place where you can retreat with God and get to know him more deeply: www.freshfaith247.com.
Connect with Jon at [email protected]
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Saknas det avsnitt?
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My wife and I have been recipients of the generosity of hundreds of people over the years. Ministry and missions has been our work for all our adult lives, so we’ve had a team of personal and ministry supporters. We try to make it a point to thank every person who has contributed. We couldn’t serve without them.
But some people don’t want to be thanked. They remain anonymous.
The most dramatic anonymous gift arrived in the most unusual way. Hear the whole story in today's audio devotional.
KEY PASSAGE:
Matthew 6:1-4 (NIV)
“Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.
So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
RESOURCES:
--> Take the Free PERSONAL SELF-ASSESSMENT. It only takes 3 minutes. Download it at www.retreatingwithgod.org.
Visit FRESH FAITH 24/7, a place where you can retreat with God and get to know him more deeply: www.freshfaith247.com.
Connect with Jon at [email protected]
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My dad practiced “inside out” generosity. Inside out generosity is the kind that flows from the heart, not forced from the outside.
Inside out generosity looks for opportunities to give. It doesn’t withhold, but is open-handed. It blesses. Instead of squeezing out a tithe to God, inside out generosity pours out much more to the Lord. I find it interesting that my dad had so little growing up but gave away so much as an adult. I can only explain it by saying that he had a heart of generosity.
How can we have a heart of generosity. It flows from our relationship with God. Let's discuss that with God in today's audio devotional.
KEY PASSAGE:
Psalm 50:7-12 (NIV)
“Listen, my people, and I will speak;
I will testify against you, Israel:
I am God, your God.
I bring no charges against you concerning your sacrifices
or concerning your burnt offerings, which are ever before me.
I have no need of a bull from your stall
or of goats from your pens,
for every animal of the forest is mine,
and the cattle on a thousand hills.
I know every bird in the mountains,
and the insects in the fields are mine.
If I were hungry I would not tell you,
for the world is mine, and all that is in it.
RESOURCES:
--> Take the Free PERSONAL SELF-ASSESSMENT. It only takes 3 minutes. Download it at www.retreatingwithgod.org.
Visit FRESH FAITH 24/7, a place where you can retreat with God and get to know him more deeply: www.freshfaith247.com.
Connect with Jon at [email protected]
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How about having fun giving? Like when unexpected funds arrive. Or beyond that, how about always having fun giving? Paul tells us that God loves a cheerful giver. He defines this person as one doesn’t give “reluctantly or under compulsion” (2 Cor 9:7 NIV). Today, we'll explore six ways to have fun giving.
KEY PASSAGE:
1Corinthians 9:6-12 (NIV)
Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. As it is written:
“They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor;
their righteousness endures forever.”
Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.
This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of the Lord’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God.
RESOURCES:
--> Take the Free PERSONAL SELF-ASSESSMENT. It only takes 3 minutes. Download it at www.retreatingwithgod.org.
Visit FRESH FAITH 24/7, a place where you can retreat with God and get to know him more deeply: www.freshfaith247.com.
Connect with Jon at [email protected]
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Here’s an exercise to try when impatience creeps into your life.
Take a look at the trigger that’s setting you off.
A child disobeys.You’re waiting for someone.You can’t figure out how to make something work.Whatever it might be at the time, call it out and lay it on the table. Then stop for a minute and give it a score from 1-10, depending on how critical the trigger is. In the big picture, is your trigger a 3 or is it a life-threatening, scoring 9 or 10?
Today, we'll learn more about triggers and patience.
KEY PASSAGE:
James 3:3-6 (NIV)
When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.
RESOURCES:
--> Take the Free PERSONAL SELF-ASSESSMENT. It only takes 3 minutes. Download it at www.retreatingwithgod.org.
Visit FRESH FAITH 24/7, a place where you can retreat with God and get to know him more deeply: www.freshfaith247.com.
Connect with Jon at [email protected]
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How in the world can we be a patient parent? Seems like a contradiction. Those two words don’t exist together.
Hats off to those moms and dads who have this quality mastered. What’s your secret? Tell the rest of us!
My wife was one of those patient parents. Now she’s a patient grandparent.
Her patience showed up often when he gently explained things to the kids. While I would bark, “Stop it!” she took the time to share the why with the what. Spending an extra minute, she taught them, speaking to them as individuals, rather than giving orders.
Today, we learn how to be patient parents on our audio devotional.
KEY PASSAGE:
2 Corinthians 4: 16-18 (NIV)
Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
RESOURCES:
--> Take the Free PERSONAL SELF-ASSESSMENT. It only takes 3 minutes. Download it at www.retreatingwithgod.org.
Visit FRESH FAITH 24/7, a place where you can retreat with God and get to know him more deeply: www.freshfaith247.com.
Connect with Jon at [email protected]
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We fail most at patience with the ones we love. Our spouses pay a price for our impatience when they experience it over and over again. We let our guard down and don’t extend grace.
Think about the grace God extends to you every day. It started with the cross and hasn’t stopped since. When you get ahead of the Lord, does he stop loving you? Does he hammer you? Does he humiliate you? No! His love endures.
Let's explore how we can extend patient grace in our audio devotional today.
KEY PASSAGE:
1 Corinthians 13:4-8
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
Love never fails.
RESOURCES:
--> Take the Free PERSONAL SELF-ASSESSMENT. It only takes 3 minutes. Download it at www.retreatingwithgod.org.
Visit FRESH FAITH 24/7, a place where you can retreat with God and get to know him more deeply: www.freshfaith247.com.
Connect with Jon at [email protected]
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Have you ever wanted something so bad that it hurt? You went to the extent of pleading with God for a new car, the dream job, a boyfriend or girlfriend, your child’s award, your sister coming to Christ, financial support for a mission trip… you add to the list.
Whether it’s spiritual or material, we can get pretty worked up about the thing we have our sights set on. A life of peace has been replaced by a life in pieces.
Then there are those situations you want to escape from. A horrible work environment, bad home life, constant financial distress, a church that you can’t stand anymore… again, you fill in the blank.
This where you can experience God's supernatural peace. Let's see how in today's audio devotional.
KEY PASSAGE:
Proverbs 16:1-3, 9 ESV
The plans of the heart belong to man,
but the answer of the tongue is from the Lord.
All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes,
but the Lord weighs the spirit.
Commit your work to the Lord,
and your plans will be established.
The heart of man plans his way,
but the Lord establishes his steps.RESOURCES:
--> Take the Free PERSONAL SELF-ASSESSMENT. It only takes 3 minutes. Download it at www.retreatingwithgod.org.
Visit FRESH FAITH 24/7, a place where you can retreat with God and get to know him more deeply: www.freshfaith247.com.
Connect with Jon at [email protected]
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Fear has a way of playing with our emotions. It can rattle us, paralyze us.
Fear has a way of amplifying small, negative thoughts that creep into our minds. We even project things that aren’t likely to happen. Most of our fears never come true.
In the Old Testament, God sent 12 spies into the land of Canaan, which he was going to give Israel. He stated it so clearly to Moses, “Send men to spy out the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the people of Israe.” (Numbers 13:1 ESV).
The spies went in and saw the land flowing the milk and honey, truly God’s wonderful gift. But they observed that the people living there were strong and lived in fortified cities. Out of fear, they reported back, “The land, through which we have gone to spy it out, is a land that devours its inhabitants, and all the people that we saw in it are of great height” (Numbers 13:32 ESV).
We'll examine that story today in our audio devotional.
KEY PASSAGE:
1 John 4:15-18 (NIV)
If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God. And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.
God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear.
RESOURCES:
--> Take the Free PERSONAL SELF-ASSESSMENT. It only takes 3 minutes. Download it at www.retreatingwithgod.org.
Visit FRESH FAITH 24/7, a place where you can retreat with God and get to know him more deeply: www.freshfaith247.com.
Connect with Jon at [email protected]
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We’re all familiar with the parable of the prodigal son. This was the rebellious kid who decided he had enough of his father and marched off with his share of the inheritance. I’m not sure if his mother was still living, but I can imagine the hurt she felt with her son leaving.
After a season of prodigal living (prodigal means “wasteful”), the son was out of money, out of bounds, out of friends and certainly out of his mind.
That's where the story really gets interesting. Today, we'll discuss what this story has to do with inner peace. We'll uncover something that can kill our peace--from within.
KEY PASSAGE:
1 Peter 2: 1-2 (NIV)
Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.
RESOURCES:
--> Take the Free PERSONAL SELF-ASSESSMENT. It only takes 3 minutes. Download it at www.retreatingwithgod.org.
Visit FRESH FAITH 24/7, a place where you can retreat with God and get to know him more deeply: www.freshfaith247.com.
Connect with Jon at [email protected]
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Why do we find it so hard to surrender to God? An inner conflict rages. A debate echoes in our mind. Intellectually, we know that surrendering to the Lord is the right choice. But our will defies that clear thought. We hold on tightly to the steering wheel of our life.
I think there are several reasons why we fight surrendering to the Lord. We'll explore three of them.
KEY PASSAGE:
Colossians 1:15-17 ESV
The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.
RESOURCES:
--> Take the Free PERSONAL SELF-ASSESSMENT. It only takes 3 minutes. Download it at www.retreatingwithgod.org.
Visit FRESH FAITH 24/7, a place where you can retreat with God and get to know him more deeply: www.freshfaith247.com.
Connect with Jon at [email protected]
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Why fight God?
That’s what we’re doing when we don’t surrender to him.
There’s a saying that “What I do is for God is my gift to him.” Baloney. That’s humanism. Self-effort glorified. You’re putting yourself at the center instead of God being there.
Now that you’re shaken up, let me put it in perspective. When we give our all for the Lord, we better do it with the right heart. Otherwise, it’s rubbish to God. Jesus said, “For apart from me you can do nothing.”
Today, we'll explore the reward of surrender.
KEY PASSAGE:
Galatians 5:16-17 (NIV)
So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want.
RESOURCES:
--> Take the Free PERSONAL SELF-ASSESSMENT. It only takes 3 minutes. Download it at www.retreatingwithgod.org.
Visit FRESH FAITH 24/7, a place where you can retreat with God and get to know him more deeply: www.freshfaith247.com.
Connect with Jon at [email protected]
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Isn’t it great when you’re hated and persecuted?
Of course not, but surrendering to Jesus might lead to that. There’s a price to pay when we live a life of surrender to our Lord.
He promised, “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first.” (John 15:18 NIV)
Why is that? Why would we be hated if we’re practicing a loving, serving, generous, sacrificial lifestyle? Let's explore that in today's audio devotional.
KEY PASSAGE:
John 15:18-21
If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the one who sent me.
RESOURCES:
--> Take the Free PERSONAL SELF-ASSESSMENT. It only takes 3 minutes. Download it at www.retreatingwithgod.org.
Visit FRESH FAITH 24/7, a place where you can retreat with God and get to know him more deeply: www.freshfaith247.com.
Connect with Jon at [email protected]
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Sometimes, I’m so weary that I can’t walk without nearly fainting. What would it look like to run tirelessly and soar effortlessly?
I come back to the practice of rest. We’ve learned this week that rest isn’t only physical, but it’s also spiritual. It’s not only about pausing, but it’s about praying. It’s not always quiet isolation, but it’s connection with God. As you wait on the Lord, spiritual rest will lead to physical rest. Today, in our audio devotional, we learn how to turn trudging into soaring.
KEY PASSAGE:
Isaiah 40:28-31 (ESV)
Have you not known? Have you not heard?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He does not faint or grow weary;
his understanding is unsearchable.
He gives power to the faint,
and to him who has no might he increases strength.
Even youths shall faint and be weary,
and young men shall fall exhausted;
but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength;
they shall mount up with wings like eagles;
they shall run and not be weary;
they shall walk and not faint.RESOURCES:
--> Take the Free PERSONAL SELF-ASSESSMENT. It only takes 3 minutes. Download it at www.retreatingwithgod.org.
Visit FRESH FAITH 24/7, a place where you can retreat with God and get to know him more deeply: www.freshfaith247.com.
Connect with Jon at [email protected]
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God created us to need rest. We can deny ourselves for only so long and then collapse in a heap.
So often and in many areas, we feel that we are indispensable. We convince ourselves that we alone have the talent and strength to get the job done, whether it’s at work, with the kids, serving God, in our marriage or most any area of our life. Our hard work in an unbalanced life has its roots in something very basic. We'll explore that today in our audio devotional.
KEY PASSAGE:
Psalm 37:5-7
Commit your way to the Lord;
trust in him and he will do this:
He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn,
your vindication like the noonday sun.
Be still before the Lord
and wait patiently for him;
RESOURCES:
--> Take the Free PERSONAL SELF-ASSESSMENT. It only takes 3 minutes. Download it at www.retreatingwithgod.org.
Visit FRESH FAITH 24/7, a place where you can retreat with God and get to know him more deeply: www.freshfaith247.com.
Connect with Jon at [email protected]
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Settling into a time of restful prayer isn’t the first thing you think about doing. Instead, turning on the TV, doing some gaming, checking social media, reading a book or finding a deal on Amazon might be the diversion of choice. Today, we'll go through an easy process you can engage in to find rest for your soul.
KEY PASSAGE:
Psalm 29:1-9 (NIV)
Ascribe to the Lord, you heavenly beings,
ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name;
worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness.
The voice of the Lord is over the waters;
the God of glory thunders,
the Lord thunders over the mighty waters.
The voice of the Lord is powerful;
the voice of the Lord is majestic.
The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars;
the Lord breaks in pieces the cedars of Lebanon.
He makes Lebanon leap like a calf,
Sirion like a young wild ox.
The voice of the Lord strikes
with flashes of lightning.
The voice of the Lord shakes the desert;
the Lord shakes the Desert of Kadesh.
The voice of the Lord twists the oaks
and strips the forests bare.
And in his temple all cry, “Glory!”
RESOURCES:
Other Psalms to pray through:
Psalm 8: The majesty of God.Psalm 18: God’s rescue, faithfulness, rock and shield.Psalm 23: The Lord is my shepherd.Psalm 29: The glory, strength and splendor of God.Psalm 33: God sees all from his throne in heaven.Psalm 47: God our King.Psalm 66: God hears us.Psalm 89: The wonderful faithfulness of God.Psalm 95: Let us kneel before the God our maker.Psalm 96: Sing to the Lord.Psalm 103: Bless the Lord, O my soul!Psalm 118: God’s loving devotion towards us.Psalm 136: God’s love endures forever.Psalm 148: God’s name alone is exalted.Psalm 150: Let everything that has breath praise the Lord!--> Take the Free PERSONAL SELF-ASSESSMENT. It only takes 3 minutes. Download it at www.retreatingwithgod.org.
Visit FRESH FAITH 24/7, a place where you can retreat with God and get to know him more deeply: www.freshfaith247.com.
Connect with Jon at [email protected]
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I’m a wimp when I’m sick. I complain and I want to be left alone. My wife, on the other hand, never complains. Even during her cancer treatment, she never once complained. She had good reason to, but always remained positive. Even on the hardest days during chemo, and its side-effects, she remained steady.
How in the world can we be a joyful Christian when pain and sickness crush us? I'll share three helpful ways in today's audio devotional. Then we'll try something together at the end.
KEY PASSAGE:
Psalm 148 (NIV)
Praise the Lord.
Praise the Lord from the heavens;
praise him in the heights above.
Praise him, all his angels;
praise him, all his heavenly hosts.
Praise him, sun and moon;
praise him, all you shining stars.
Praise him, you highest heavens
and you waters above the skies.
Let them praise the name of the Lord,
for at his command they were created,
and he established them for ever and ever—
he issued a decree that will never pass away.
Praise the Lord from the earth,
you great sea creatures and all ocean depths,
lightning and hail, snow and clouds,
stormy winds that do his bidding,
you mountains and all hills,
fruit trees and all cedars,
wild animals and all cattle,
small creatures and flying birds,
kings of the earth and all nations,
you princes and all rulers on earth,
young men and women,
old men and children.
Let them praise the name of the Lord,
for his name alone is exalted;
his splendor is above the earth and the heavens.
And he has raised up for his people a horn,
the praise of all his faithful servants,
of Israel, the people close to his heart.
RESOURCES:
Take the Free PERSONAL SELF-ASSESSMENT. It only takes 3 minutes. Download it at www.retreatingwithgod.org.
Visit FRESH FAITH 24/7, a place where you can retreat with God and get to know him more deeply: www.freshfaith247.com.
Connect with Jon at [email protected]
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How can we keep our attitude about money "in check" (no pun intended) so it doesn't control our emotions, or even our lives? Today, we'll turn the tables to see how money can actually feed our joy. And it may not be the way you expect. Listen closely to our audio devotional.
KEY PASSAGE:
2 Corinthians 8:1-7 (NIV)
And now, brothers and sisters, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. In the midst of a very severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the Lord’s people. And they exceeded our expectations: They gave themselves first of all to the Lord, and then by the will of God also to us. So we urged Titus, just as he had earlier made a beginning, to bring also to completion this act of grace on your part. But since you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in the love we have kindled in you—see that you also excel in this grace of giving.
RESOURCES:
Take the Free PERSONAL SELF-ASSESSMENT. It only takes 3 minutes. Download it at www.retreatingwithgod.org.
Visit FRESH FAITH 24/7, a place where you can retreat with God and get to know him more deeply: www.freshfaith247.com.
Connect with Jon at [email protected]
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There aren’t too many things more powerful than money that will affect a person’s joy.
Too much of it can make us miserable. Too little of it can make us depressed. Losing money, like in the stock market, can make us panic. A misbalanced bank account ledger can make us anxious.
Today, in our audio devotional, I'll share a unique idea that changed the lives of several of us who ran out of cash -- every month.
KEY PASSAGE:
Philippians 4:10-13 (NIV)
I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.
RESOURCES:
Take the Free PERSONAL SELF-ASSESSMENT. It only takes 3 minutes. Download it at www.retreatingwithgod.org.
Visit FRESH FAITH 24/7, a place where you can retreat with God and get to know him more deeply: www.freshfaith247.com.
Connect with Jon at [email protected]
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