Ever been handcuffed? Hopefully, not "for real," but "for fun!" My trickster son, with his love for magic tricks, had a favorite one--to handcuff Mom, "lock her up" with a key....and then watch her fuss and fume to get "unchained!" I was ready to lock HIM up by the time he would decide to release me!
Ahhh...blessed freedom, not just from a trick set of handcuffs, but when, "for real," prisoners of war, captured and kept locked up, for sometimes years on end, are finally released and set free. We can only imagine what it must be like--for we've never experienced the bondage of being such a prisoner, right?
Wrong! Millions of people live in a locked-up mode--captive to their past, their present, and hopelessly, to their future. Is there no hope? Indeed there is! For whatever the bondage, Christ came to set the captive free--for all time and eternity too! On this Fourth of July, you can know the freedom that only Christ can give--freedom from the handcuffs of life that bind you--doubt, guilt, fear, anxiety, anger, sin, unforgiveness, unbelief--whatever has YOU "locked up" in tight knots inside--where no one but the Lord sees!
Let the Great Emancipator free you this day--the freedom He won on Calvary and at the empty tomb is a freedom for all time--your past, your present and your future. Believe it and have a freedom-filled Fourth of July WHEREVER on Planet Earth you live! And--if you're a veteran, and it's NOT the Fourth of July, but November 11,the flag still waves - we honor you on this day too--thank you for risking your lives to keep us free!
Scripture: "If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. (John 8:36 KJV)."
Prayer: "Lord, I'm in a prison of my own making, locked up and paralyzed by the past, the present, and fear of the future. Set me free this day from everything that binds me, that I might praise Your Name, In Jesus' Name. Amen."
--Copyright 2010 by Peggie C. Bohanon, Springfield, MO 65803. All rights reserved.
--Find more devotionals by Peggie at The Devotional Buffet.
+ + + + + + + + + + + + +
Now featuring: Faith, Freedom and the Flag! - a July 4 celebration!
+ + + + + + + + + + + + +
Today's news and weather
Reuters - Top US, Political, International News . . . The Weather Channel
Today's Bible reading and Christian news
Bible reading from Biblica . . . ChristianPost.com
+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
Diggin' into archived devotionals by Peggie
Next to Impossible!?!
...and a daily byte of chocolate!
+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
Today's humor and inspiration
"Short, Sweet and to the Point"
"Words Women Use--and What They Mean!" and "High Value Target"
See TNT archives for lots more!
+ + + + + +
A Fourth Funny
One year, Johnny's family was having the "extended family" 4th of July cookout at their home. One of the special treats that year was the lighting of the fireworks (Roman candles, bottle rockets, missile batteries, etc.) they had bought out of state (they're illegal in their state, of course!)
Just before they were to arrive, a cousin calls, saying their neighbor's plans had just fallen through, and could they bring them along to the picnic - they even had extra food to bring. "Sure, the more the merrier!"
Upon arrival and meeting of their cousin's neighbor, it is discovered that he's a police officer. The father turns as innocently as he can to Johnny, and whispers to him to grab the paper bag of fireworks sitting in the kitchen and hide them somewhere quickly. Johnny disappears, and the father changes the topic to food for the day. This family had brought some chicken to grill, so the father tells them the gas grill is all set to use out back - just turn on the gas and push the ignition button with the lid still closed.
They head out to the back as Johnny comes back in through the front door. The father hurries to him and says "Whew, that was close! That man's a police officer, and he almost saw the fireworks. Did you hide them real well?"
"Oh, yeah, nobody will ever think to look in the grill!"
--Reprinted from Mikey's Funnies.
+ + + + + +
Today's quote:
"To forgive is to set the prisoner free, and then discover the prisoner was you."
Have a great day serving the Lord!
++++++++++++++++++++++++++
--Archived sources:
The Devotional Buffet
Tickles 'n Truth archives
The Virtual Chocolate Shop
--Quote credits: Mikey's Funnies and/or Walking with Jesus Ministries .
--Copyright 2010 by Peggie C. Bohanon, Springfield, MO. All rights reserved.
--A weekday feature at Peggie's Place, "the most fun Christian home on the Web!
--Get this devo by email - or follow this blog on Facebook!
