Dear Ones,
Hope you have a wonderful day and live in freedom. The snow is all gone and seems like spring again and the trees are budding outside my window. We are getting excited and making preparations to go to North Carolina for Easter. We leave early Monday morning.
Devotions from Judy’s heart
When I hear the word freedom, my heart resonates as I have been reading more about freedom from our ego for the sake of others. Today most people are obsessed with self and what will make them happy but that is not a life of freedom for it is losing our life for His sake that we find life that is truly free. Jesus said in Mark 8:34-35, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it.” And what if we gained the world but forfeited our soul, how tragic that would be.

How do we lose our lives for the sake of others and become free from our selfishness to serve them? Our focus must be on Jesus and live in the present moment by faith and not worry or fear. When we know the Lord, we have the gift of the Holy Spirit within us and our part is to respond to His leading in our life. That takes surrender and I have to admit that many times I fail in responding to His lead and go my own way. Afterwards I feel sorrow and ask forgiveness and pray that I will continually die to self and respond to the Spirit’s leading.

As we live more and more in the Spirit, there will be evidence of fruit of unselfishness in our lives like love and joy and peace and patience and gentleness. We don’t have to get our own way but instead put everything in God’s hands. I often pray when I tell the Lord I would like something specific to happen but then follow with, “But Lord if that isn’t your will that is fine too.”  I find that if it is postponed, I later experience even more joy. Let us get free of the obstacles of our own ego and go God’s way in God’s timing and experience true freedom.

Challenge for today: When you lack peace and freedom, ask the Lord to show you if you are pushing your will and not letting the Holy Spirit lead you.
Blessings on your day and prayers and love, Judy