RETREATING WITH GOD

The practice of rest is hard, but silently experiencing God’s presence is even harder. In our flurry of activities, input, noise and our interruptive devices, we’re up against an army of enemies. Rest and communion with God don’t come naturally. If Satan can keep us busy, he keeps us from God. We have to be intentional to win this war. Let's dig into that today in our audio devotional. KEY PASSAGE: I Kings 19:9-13 And the word of the Lord came to him: “What are you doing here, Elijah?” He replied, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.” The Lord said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.” Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave. RESOURCES: Download the 21-DAY FRESH FAITH EXPERIENCE 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]  

Isn’t it time to stop running on empty? No matter how hard it is to set aside time to rest, you must do it. Shut down your body, mind and emotions. Put them in neutral. Take a break. If you’re having difficulty giving yourself permission to rest, let me do that for you. You have my permission to rest. Jesus made time to rest. He would leave the demanding disciples and crowd to slip away to a lonely place. He needed rest from the pressures of the day. We'll rest together this week. KEY PASSAGE: Matthew 14:18-23 “Bring them here to me,” he said. And he directed the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children. Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. RESOURCES: Download the 21-DAY FRESH FAITH EXPERIENCE 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]  

There’s a good chance you’ll face someone or something that will interrupt your joy today. How you handle it will determine how you feel on the other side of that interruption. It will be a test of the depth of your walk with God. The key is to be prepared before the surprise hits. That's our focus on today's audio devotional. KEY PASSAGE: Psalm 1:1-3 Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers;but his delight is in the law [or instruction] of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers."   RESOURCES: Download the 21-DAY FRESH FAITH EXPERIENCE 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]  

Our lives are filled with stuff. So much stuff that storage units seem like the fastest growing business around. Three-car garages are popular, not because we have three cars, but because we need one slot to store all our stuff. In Psalm 4, the Psalmist is speaking about stuff. Material wealth. He looks around him at all his neighbors’ overflowing blessings. And his response? Contentment. Joy. In fact, more joy than his neighbors are experiencing with their fabulous blessings. Let's see how we can adopt that attitude in today's audio devotional. Key Passage:  “Be angry, and do not sin;ponder in your own hearts on your beds, and be silent. Offer right sacrifices,and put your trust in the Lord. There are many who say, ‘Who will show us some good?Lift up the light of your face upon us, O Lord!’ You have put more joy in my heartthan they have when their grain and wine abound. In peace I will both lie down and sleep;for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety” (Psalm 4:4-7 ESV). RESOURCES: Download the 21-DAY FRESH FAITH EXPERIENCE 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]  

Why do we try "joy substitutes" when we have full joy? Good question. We let joy “substitutes” crowd out our Savior. That’s why we go from one to another. They don’t satisfy for long. Jesus said, “that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.” When I hear him saying that to me, I picture joy as a seed waiting to grow. Jesus’ joy is inside me, but it only grows when nourished. Let's explore that today. Key Passage: “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full” (John 15:9-11). RESOURCES: Download the 21-DAY FRESH FAITH EXPERIENCE 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]  

“Guilty.” That’s what the judge pronounced at the end of the trial. When the word rang in Susan’s ears, she stood there in shock. She was convinced she would be cleared of the charges. Never in a million years did she think she’d be sent to prison. But that was about to become her new reality. Susan was sentenced to five years for her crime, soon to be separated from her husband and two young children. Her freedom was about to be snatched away. No friends, no luxuries, not even the chance to see her kids’ school programs. She wouldn’t enter her home for half a decade. Our story is much like Susan's. Find out why in today's audio devotional. KEY PASSAGE: 1 John 2:1-2 NIV My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world. RESOURCES: Download the 21-DAY FRESH FAITH EXPERIENCE 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]  

One of the greatest “light” statements in the Bible was announced by Jesus himself: "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life" (John 8:12 NIV). Jesus doesn’t shine the light. He is the light. Hang around him and you’ll have enough insight and clarity to take the next step, no matter what you’re facing. Today, we'll center in on Jesus the Light of the world. KEY PASSAGE: John 3:19-21 This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God. RESOURCES: Download the 21-DAY FRESH FAITH EXPERIENCE 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]  

Jesus my Savior. Jesus your Savior. We throw that word around casually. “Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” is a term we hear and use often, to the point that it becomes ho-hum. It has lost its significance.Without Jesus, we’d be separated from God forever. No connection. No relationship. Spiritual death. Eternity in darkness. In Satan’s kingdom and under his rule. Hell is very real and that would be our destiny. In today's audio devotional, we'll stop and take a fresh look at the significance of Jesus as our Savior. KEY PASSAGE:  Acts 4:10-12 Then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. Jesus is the stone you builders rejected, which has become the cornerstone. Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved. RESOURCES: Download the 21-DAY FRESH FAITH EXPERIENCE 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]  

I’m sure you’ve been on the receiving and giving ends of insincere offers for prayer. “I’ll pray for you” is the Christian thing to say. Actually, praying is the Christian thing to do. Jesus is praying for you. “Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us” (Romans 8:34 NIV). “Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them" (Hebrews 7:25 NIV). That should encourage the socks off you. It does for me. Let's center on this today in our audio devotional. KEY PASSAGE: Romans 8:31-39 What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long;we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”  No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, k neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. RESOURCES: Download the 21-DAY FRESH FAITH EXPERIENCE 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]  

We can go into prayer two ways. The first is with our needs in the spotlight. The second is with Jesus in the spotlight. There are times when we should lead with our needs, especially when they’re urgent or heavy on our heart. God wants us to come to him openly, for he is our Father. When your prayer life is Christ-centered, there will be a marked difference in how you come away from your encounters with God. Let's talk about that today. KEY PASSAGE:  Colossians 3:15-20 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. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross. RESOURCES: Download the 21-DAY FRESH FAITH EXPERIENCE 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]  

I’m so thankful that I don’t need to beg God when I come to him in prayer. Instead, I approach God this way: “Let us then approach God's throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need” (Hebrews 4:16 NIV). I need that refreshing perspective. Don’t you? In today's audio devotional, we'll consider five reasons you can approach God with confidence. KEY PASSAGE: Hebrews 4:14-16 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. RESOURCES: Download the 21-DAY FRESH FAITH EXPERIENCE 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. 

Our home has several crawl spaces that are accessible on the second floor. Small doors open to a secret world kids love to explore. As adults, we know these spaces as the attic. Our grandchildren are ready to crawl and walk through this secret world without reservation. In fact, one of our grandsons said, “Grandpa, you live in a castle!” As for me, I enter these spaces cautiously. For some reason, I don’t trust the plywood and massive joists to hold me up. I envision falling through to the floor below. My fear is unfounded, but real. All my grandchildren are less fearful that I am! They’ll play in the attic with no reservation at all while I’m afraid to go in. How’s that for being humbled? In my walk with God, I wish I had the faith of a five-year-old. Today, we'll explore how we can! KEY VERSE:  Revelation 1:8 (NIV) “I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, "who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty” RESOURCES: Download the 21-DAY FRESH FAITH EXPERIENCE 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. 

Have you ever wished you could have the faith of Paul? Moses? Noah? Or some other Bible great? It’s only natural to compare ourselves to someone else, even when it comes to our spiritual life. That someone may be one of your Christian friends. Or it could be a person you’ve never met but you’ve put on a pedestal. Let's take a different look at this in today's audio devotional. KEY PASSAGE: Hebrews 11:24-29 By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward. By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger; he persevered because he saw him who is invisible. By faith he kept the Passover and the application of blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn would not touch the firstborn of Israel. By faith the people passed through the Red Sea as on dry land; but when the Egyptians tried to do so, they were drowned. RESOURCES: Download the 21-DAY FRESH FAITH EXPERIENCE 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. 

Faith is our theme this week, and we all have a unique faith story. After an experience that would change my destiny, I walked through the front door and stood in our living room. An hour earlier, I had heard the Gospel for the first time at a tiny church in Upstate New York. Seated on the couch, my parents asked me how the meeting went. I blurted out, “I was born again!” You should have seen the puzzled looks on their faces.I hardly knew what it meant to be born again, but that’s how my journey of faith began nearly five decades ago as a high school junior. Let's explore our faith story today. KEY PASSAGE: John 3:5-8 Jesus answered, 'Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.  RESOURCES: Download the 21-DAY FRESH FAITH EXPERIENCE 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. 

There’s one battle in life where you want to claim victory. And that’s the battle against temptation. It’s a tough one to win, often impossible on your own. We’re faced with temptation every day. Some come and go like the fly I’m swatting right now as I write. Then there are other temptations that seem to plague us for years, maybe our entire lives. We have weak spots that are exploited by the enemy of our souls, or by our own “fleshly desires,” as the Bible describes them. No matter where temptation comes from, it pulls us in the wrong direction. Thank God for his encouraging guarantee. We'll center in on it today. KEY PASSAGE: 1 Corinthians 10:12-14 "So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall! No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it. Therefore, my dear friends, flee from idolatry"  RESOURCES: Download the 21-DAY FRESH FAITH EXPERIENCE 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. 

Jesus sent his Holy Spirit so he could reside in every believer. It’s beautiful. It’s amazing. Do you realize the implications of God living in you? Above all, it means that the loving Father, Lord of the Universe — Almighty God — has taken up residence in you. You’ve got power, strength, might. It’s God’s power. And it’s unlimited, because he is an unlimited God. This power was given to you to live for Christ and to bring glory to him. Today, we retreat into one of Paul's most inspiring statements -- and see how we can make it our own. We'll center on four words that jump out and drive home the truth of the Holy Spirit living in you. KEY PASSAGE: Galatians 2:20 "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me"  RESOURCES: Download the 21-DAY FRESH FAITH EXPERIENCE 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. 

Life rains down on us, and sometimes we just need to run for shelter. I felt that way in today's story that I share.  There are assuring words for you when life is raining down. Philippians 4 is our focus as we start the week and a new theme: Encouragement. Key Passage: "Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:4-7). RESOURCES: Download the 21-DAY FRESH FAITH EXPERIENCE 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. 

“Joseph was thirty years old when he entered the service of Pharaoh king of Egypt” (Genesis 41:46 NIV). This one line in Scripture describes a pinnacle for an extraordinarily courageous man of God. Let’s venture back more than a decade when Joseph’s brothers sold him into slavery. He was betrayed and deserted by his own family. What a lonely, frightening and hopeless situation. Yet, God had big plans for this young man, even when bound by the constraints of captivity. We can learn a lot from Joseph when it comes to compromising our relationship with God. We'll do that in today's audio devotional. KEY PASSAGE: Genesis 39:1-10 Now Joseph had been taken down to Egypt. Potiphar, an Egyptian who was one of Pharaoh’s officials, the captain of the guard, bought him from the Ishmaelites who had taken him there. The Lord was with Joseph so that he prospered, and he lived in the house of his Egyptian master. When his master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord gave him success in everything he did, Joseph found favor in his eyes and became his attendant. Potiphar put him in charge of his household, and he entrusted to his care everything he owned. From the time he put him in charge of his household and of all that he owned, the Lord blessed the household of the Egyptian because of Joseph. The blessing of the Lord was on everything Potiphar had, both in the house and in the field. So Potiphar left everything he had in Joseph’s care; with Joseph in charge, he did not concern himself with anything except the food he ate.Now Joseph was well-built and handsome, and after a while his master’s wife took notice of Joseph and said, “Come to bed with me!” But he refused. “With me in charge,” he told her, “my master does not concern himself with anything in the house; everything he owns he has entrusted to my care. No one is greater in this house than I am. My master has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?” And though she spoke to Joseph day after day, he refused to go to bed with her or even be with her. RESOURCES: Download the 21-DAY FRESH FAITH EXPERIENCE 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. 

I blew it big-time. And it took me two days to see God’s purposes in it. Let me set the table for you . . . literally. My wife and I were having a pleasant lunch with friends we hadn’t seen in years. Great conversation, delicious Mexican food, excellent service. Did I mention excellent service? More than excellent is what our waiter must have thought after we left. I gallantly took the check (with an elbow from my wife) and treated our six guests. In the parking lot afterwards, everyone was all smiles as we wished each other “Sayonara!” The shock came several days later. Listen today and I'll share the rest of the story in our audio devotional. KEY PASSAGE: Romans 8:29-34 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. RESOURCES: Download the 21-DAY FRESH FAITH EXPERIENCE 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. 

COURAGE... our theme this week as we start the Retreating with God podcast. We can learn a lot from Daniel: Daniel had a target on his back. He was challenged by a group of jealous cohorts for worshiping the God of Israel. These cunning colleagues wanted to trap Daniel, so they had a new law created stating that only the king could be worshiped. Daniel courageously worshiped God no matter what the cost, boldly pushing back against the world. It nearly cost him his life. Let's explore more in today's audio devotional. KEY PASSAGE: Daniel 6:10-23 Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before. Then these men went as a group and found Daniel praying and asking God for help. So they went to the king and spoke to him about his royal decree: “Did you not publish a decree that during the next thirty days anyone who prays to any god or human being except to you, Your Majesty, would be thrown into the lions’ den?” The king answered, “The decree stands—in accordance with the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be repealed.” Then they said to the king, “Daniel, who is one of the exiles from Judah, pays no attention to you, Your Majesty, or to the decree you put in writing. He still prays three times a day.” When the king heard this, he was greatly distressed; he was determined to rescue Daniel and made every effort until sundown to save him. Then the men went as a group to King Darius and said to him, “Remember, Your Majesty, that according to the law of the Medes and Persians no decree or edict that the king issues can be changed.” So the king gave the order, and they brought Daniel and threw him into the lions’ den. The king said to Daniel, “May your God, whom you serve continually, rescue you!” A stone was brought and placed over the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his own signet ring and with the rings of his nobles, so that Daniel’s situation might not be changed. Then the king returned to his palace and spent the night without eating and without any entertainment being brought to him. And he could not sleep. At the first light of dawn, the king got up and hurried to the lions’ den. When he came near the den, he called to Daniel in an anguished voice, “Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to rescue you from the lions?” Daniel answered, “May the king live forever! My God sent his angel, and he shut the mouths of the lions. They have not hurt me, because I was found innocent in his sight. Nor have I ever done any wrong before you, Your Majesty.” The king was overjoyed and gave orders to lift Daniel out of the den. And when Daniel was lifted from the den, no wound was found on him, because he had trusted in his God. RESOURCES: Download the 21 Day Fresh Faith Experience at www.retreatingwithgod.org.   Visit FRESH FAITH 24/7, a place where you can retreat with God and get to know him more deeply.  

Something remarkable happened just before Jesus breathed his last breath saying these words, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit” (Luke 23:46 ESV). The passage tells us that the curtain of the temple was torn in two. One simple sentence, yet it was a dividing line in human history. Let's discover what it means to us today in our audio devotional. KEY PASSAGE: Psalm 139:1-12 (NIV)—a wonderful passage about God’s presence with us. You have searched me, Lord, and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you, Lord, know it completely. You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain. Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,” even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to 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]  

The Word of God is nourishment for our soul. God’s Holy Spirit takes this book and miraculously gives us his insights, his strength and his life. It’s not just literature, but as we studied recently on Retreating with God, “The word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12 ESV) Something special happens when we internalize God’s Word. Let's discover that in our time together today. KEY PASSAGE: 2 Timothy 3:14-17 (NIV) But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. 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]  

I praise God that we have his written Word. To have access to the very mind of God is quite remarkable. He is the Lord of the universe and yet he chooses to speak to mankind. We call the Bible his Holy Word, and we should treat it that way. What would it look like if you hid from the world for a day, or a weekend, and spent the time with God? My daughter-in-law did that. She called it a spiritual retreat. It came after a stressful, demanding several-month season. Imagine having your Bible with you, a notebook, pen and nothing else. The purpose is to rest with God. No agenda. No lofty goals. No activity. No people! Most of all, no devices! Ahhhh, you can probably feel the refreshment already. More on that in today's audio devotional. KEY PASSAGE: Jeremiah 17:7-8 NIV “But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.” 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]    

Life happens and our joy is sucked right out of us. We’re blindsided by getting fired, losing a good friend, receiving a call from our child’s principal’s office, or . . . you fill in the blank.  You might be in that place right now. I hope today's audio devotional can lift you up. KEY PASSAGE: Hebrews 4:12-16 (NIV) For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account. Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. 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]  

The resurrection is the most joyful event in history. Think about the contrast felt by Jesus’ followers. He was crucified on Friday. The hopes that they had for their king to rule were dashed. They were banking on an earthly rule and being rescued from the oppression of Rome. Now their king was dead. Their expectations died with him. The disciples scattered. Their faith vanished in a day. They didn’t want to be caught as one of Jesus’ followers. Three years of their lives were wasted following a dream. The foolish eleven shamefully faced going back to their jobs. Then came Easter. Let's enter the scene together in today's audio devotional. KEY PASSAGE: Matthew 28:1-10, 16-20 (NIV) After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. 4The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men. 5The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. 6He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. 7Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.” So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.” Then, we go to The Great Commission Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” 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]  

The journey in the here and now is full of trials and hardships. We can choose to let the hardships capture our senses. Or we can let our minds flash forward to the eternal victory we will experience – thanks to Jesus. Today, we'll dwell on Scriptural truths that will turn your heart from doubt and discouragement to joy. KEY PASSAGE: Revelation 19:1-9 (NIV) After this I heard what sounded like the roar of a great multitude in heaven shouting: “Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God, for true and just are his judgments. He has condemned the great prostitute who corrupted the earth by her adulteries. He has avenged on her the blood of his servants.” And again they shouted: “Hallelujah! The smoke from her goes up for ever and ever.” The twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God, who was seated on the throne. And they cried: “Amen, Hallelujah!” Then a voice came from the throne, saying: “Praise our God, all you his servants, you who fear him, both great and small!” Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting: “Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear.” (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of God’s holy people.) Then the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!” And he added, “These are the true words of 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]  

John 15:1-8 holds the secret to living the Christian life. It’s a simple concept that I return to often. These verses are a great reminder of how Jesus intended for us to relate to him. The passage starts out, “I am the true vine” (John 15:1 ESV). I find these words assuring. Jesus’ statement sets the scene. He shows me the source of life. He’s not just any vine. He’s the true vine. Today, we'll see what other gems are in this passage. KEY PASSAGE: John 15:1-8 (NIV) I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. 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]  

We are challenged to compromise our walk with God every day. That’s what spiritual warfare is all about. It’s not the major compromises that do us in. We can usually resist the urge to steal, kill or hurl insults. But how about the subtle compromises? We share a prayer request about someone but it’s really gossip; bend the truth but refuse to call it a lie; and justify our anger towards a family member to avoid apologizing.  Jesus dealt with the heart when it came to transgressions. He didn’t let people off the hook. Today, we'll look at what he said. KEY PASSAGE: John 14:1-7 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.” Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really know me, you will know my Father as well.  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]  

Rocks are mentioned throughout the Bible, often symbolizing strength, protection and stability. David expressed it this way, “. . .  my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield” (2 Samuel 22:3 ESV). He says later in that chapter, “The Lord lives, and blessed be my rock, and exalted be my God, the rock of my salvation” (verse 47). Jesus is here for you in this world. Are you facing fears, anxiety, uncertainty, instability, the unknown? My friend, your rock is Jesus and he is your shield. He is your stronghold. He is your rescuer. Today's audio devotional is a confidence-builder! KEY PASSAGES: “The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold” (Psalm 18:2 ESV). “You are my Father, my God, and the Rock of my salvation” (Psalm 89:26 ESV. “Incline your ear to me; rescue me speedily! Be a rock of refuge for me, a strong fortress to save me!” (Psalm 31:2 ESV). 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]  

Spontaneous prayer. We all need it. Our relationship with God can’t be put in a box. When the Lord wants to meet with us, we should respond. It’s an invitation for a rich time of fellowship with him. Do you need to break away from your prayer rituals and be more spontaneous? Today's audio devotional will help you do that. KEY PASSAGE: Ephesians 6:18 (NIV) And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. 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]  

Most of us don’t have to go far from our home to see the poor. We’re confronted with poverty at freeway offramps, street corners and sidewalks. Something inside says we should care. At the same time, we’re uncomfortable, so we don’t do anything. Day after day, we face this tension. The poor are more than those we see locally on the street corners. Sections of entire cities are home to the impoverished. If we think globally, then our minds picture dirt roads, makeshift homes, undernourished children and villages that have so little. The Bible commands us to help the poor and needy. Especially the orphans and widows. Today, we'll see how we can be prayer warriors these people, and how it will change our lives. KEY PASSAGE: I John 3:16-18 (NIV) This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth. 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]  

God tells us to “be holy, because I am holy” (I Peter 1:16 NIV). What a tall order. Sure, we want to be holy, but it seems totally out of reach. The Bible promises this: “For those he foreknew, he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son” (Romans 8:29 ESV). Do you realize the significance of this promise? You know Jesus as your Savior, right? You will be like Jesus, who was 100% holy. It’s your destiny. But getting from here to there is the issue. Today, in our audi9o devotional, we will see how prayer plays a key role. KEY PASSAGE:  Romans 8:28-32 (NIV) And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who i have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified. What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? 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]  

If we know it’s futile, why do we keep worrying? I have a hunch, but I’ll get to that in a minute. It’s been a problem since the fall of man. It was important enough for Jesus to address it in his day: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothes” (Luke 12:22-23 NIV). I’d say that’s straightforward. Jesus addresses our short sightedness. He sees the big picture, beyond our daily needs. That’s a hint for how to deal with worry. We'll dig into it more today. KEY PASSAGE: Luke 12:22-26, 29-31 (NIV) Then Jesus said to his disciples: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life? Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest? And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well. 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]  

Who was the biggest failure in the New Testament? A person that comes to mind is Peter. This man was an enthusiastic follower of Jesus. He pretty much stated he’d go to the ends of the earth for his Lord. However, he failed Jesus in his hour of greatest need. As the Savior was going through the suffering leading up to the crucifixion, Peter was asked three times if he was an ally of Jesus. Each time, he denied even knowing him. Peter was a terrible friend that night. He failed Jesus. How do you feel when you fail Jesus? Depending on how severe the offense, you probably experience a range of emotions. Today, we'll explore how to climb out of the hole. KEY PASSAGE: Galatians 2:20-21 (NIV) I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing! 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]  

A lot has been said about faith and works over the centuries as they relate to the Christian life.  We know that we are saved through faith – “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith —  and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9 NIV) Yet, works do have a part in our relationship with God – “So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.” (James 2:17 ESV) Let's explore this further in our audio devotional. KEY PASSAGE: Matthew 5:13-16 (NIV) You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. 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]    

I’ve never heard the phrase “courageous parenting,” but it’s certainly a quality moms and dads need for their overwhelming roles. Looking through Scripture, even kings had varied results raising their kids. Today, we'll look at three, followed by three parenting principles and one key verse. KEY VERSE: Colossians 3:21 Fathers, do not embitter your children, or they will become discouraged. (NIV) Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged. (ESV) 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]    

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]  

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]    

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]  

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]  

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]  

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]  

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]  

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]  

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]  

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]  

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]  

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]  

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]  

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]