Living Free - December 20, 2016

"And if you call upon Him as [your] Father Who judges each one impartially according to what he does, [then] you should conduct yourselves with true reverence throughout the time of your temporary residence [on the earth, whether long or short]." - 1 Peter 1:7 AMP

Thoughts for Today

Yesterday you were encouraged to examine the hand-me-downs you are preparing for your children. But how about you? What kind of hand-me-downs did you receive from your parents? If they were negative ones, remember that there is hope for sons and daughters who have been handed down dysfunction and pain. For the next few days, we will be looking at reasons for that hope.

First, God is fair. Our Father "judges each man's work impartially." Children reared by an abusive or neglectful father often have an incorrect view of God, thinking He is like their earthly father. The good news is our Heavenly Father is perfect and fair. However, God's impartiality does not take away our personal responsibility. Although we may be influenced by genetic inheritance and social surroundings, this does not negate our personal responsibility to Him. He calls us to conduct ourselves with true reverence to Him. We can choose to use our past as an excuse for wrong choices--or we can choose to allow our Heavenly Father's love to influence us to make right choices.

Consider this … 

When people choose futile behaviors, they can be led into enslavement. Paul asked, "Don’t you realize that you become the slave of whatever you choose to obey? You can be a slave to sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God, which leads to righteous living" (Romans 6:16 NLT).

Remember that even if your earthly father failed you in some way, your Heavenly Father is perfect - and fair. He loves you. And as a loving Father, he calls you to choose Him, to choose to follow Him and His ways. No matter what your past, He will help you do just that.

Prayer

Father, help me to see You as you really are--not as my earthly father was. Thank you for loving me and being fair. Help me to make right choices--choices that are pleasing to You. In Jesus' name …

These thoughts were drawn from …The Ten Commandments: Applying the Foundations of Living to My Personal Life by Jimmy Ray Lee, D.Min. Knowing that there are absolutes that define moral conduct and ethical decisions is essential for believers surrounded by relativistic values. This guide helps us understand God's boundaries. It shows how the Ten Commandments apply today. It also discusses the biblical laws on which the legal codes of every civilized society are based. This guide is written in a way that helps people see the Ten Commandments in light of today's problems. Note: This curriculum was written especially for small groups, and we encourage people to use it that way. However, it can also be used effectively as a personal study for individuals or couples.