FREEDOM

As far as daily devotions go, I have found the best one for me so far. It is written by Walter A. Henrichsen. The title is "THOUGHTS FROM THE DIARY OF A DESPARATE MAN."It can be ordered by sending him an Email to walter@leadershipfoundation.org, or by faxing him at 619-588-5870.

The following is plagerized from Walter. The text centers around 1Corinthians 9:19, "For since I am free from all I can make myself a slave to all, in order to gain even more people." NET Bible.

The Apostle Paul goes on to explain how he would do anything short of sin and violating his conscience to identify with the lost in order to win them to Christ. It's a valuable lesson for all of us, and particularly for men like me who are closet legalists. Avoiding temptation can restrict access to the lost. Don't throw caution to the wind as you venture out. Paul states a little later in the text that he subdues his own body, making it a slave so that after preaching to others he would not be disqualified.

After years of alcoholism, I was delivered from the addiction. Notice I didn't say disease. I have thought it best to not go into bars, primarily because of the alcohol available, but also because I didn't want to contribute to another man stumbling. Now however, I am able to go into a bar. This is an example of the freedom that Paul is referring to when he says he is "free from all." It is being allowed by God to proclaim Him in the places where many Christians simply don't go.

By making ourselves slaves to others our freedoms increase. Ya, I know, I had the freedom to go into any bar I wanted all those years that I wasn't saved. And I could stay all day if I wanted. But I wasn't free. I was a slave to my own appetites and desires. There is no freedom in being able to meet our own expectations, and fulfill our own hopes. This is actually slavery personified.

My encouragement today is to look for witnessing opportunities at times and in areas where your normal patterns of behavior would be interrupted. The hopeless and hurting are all around us. Maybe they are not aware of the hopelessness, but they are aware of the hurt.

Do something practical beyond common courtesy. Study the faces of those who are near you. Even if your are not interested, act like you are. Before long you will be.

God will honor your surrender. And He will also rearrange your time so that what may seem like time lost is actually time gained.