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Come to these threads as you are; leave with what you have discovered.

Absolutely no flaming! These daily threads are intended to be devotional in nature. If a particular day's offering says nothing to you, please just go on and wait for the next day. Consider these threads a DMZ of sorts, a place where a perpetual truce is in effect and a place where all other arguments and disagreements from other times and places are left behind.

I can attest from personal experience that reading from Chambers daily will almost certainly change - not one's faith - but one's perspective of his/her own faith, and open up new vistas in your spiritual life. If - when - this happens to a reader of these threads, and they choose to share what has happened within them - we are treading on hallowed ground. Be respectful.

- Religion Moderator

Lord,
help me to discover
where my true treasure is,
not in my strong right hand,
not in the quickness of my mind,
the smoothness of my words,
the riches in my pocket,
the network of my friends,
the things I surround myself with,
not in anything
of I
or mine
or thing
or place.

You, O Lord,
are the true treasure,
the God who heals me,
who transforms me,
who draws me near
undeservedly.

Let me know
You,
who are my true strength,
you who are my true love,
you who holds me in the palm of his hand,
now and forever.

Let me be the tool in your hand,
to do your work,
when and as you wish it,
a lantern filled with your light
to shine your message forth,
let me be a little storehouse
of your love
to share with those whose lives I touch,
and Lord,
help me to always realize
you are the source,
and I the vessel,
you are the treasure,
and I the tool,
this day
and always,
Amen.

Never ask another person’s advice about anything God makes you decide before Him. If you ask advice, you will almost always side with Satan. ". . . I did not immediately confer with flesh and blood . . ." ( Galatians 1:16 ).

This would appear to be easy, but I don't think it is. One of the things I find hardest to do is to remain silent in prayer. I'm always rushing to conclusions, and then when that creates confusion, I look to find validation for my conclusions.

I really like these devotionals. As is most always the case, the Scripture references led me to different websites devoted to it, and I found the following by Rev. Stedman at Blue Letter Bible that really resonated.

Galatians comes to grips with the question of what real Christian life is like. The answer can be characterized by one word, "liberty." The Christian is called to liberty in Jesus Christ. The cry of this epistle is that Christians might discover the liberty of the sons of God in accordance with all that God has planned for man in the way of freedom and enjoyment. Its aim is freedom of our human spirits to the utmost extent, restrained only as necessary for us to exist in harmony with the design of God. Therefore, this letter has been called the "Bill of Rights of the Christian Life," or the "Magna Carta of Christian Liberty," the "Emancipation Proclamation" from all forms of legalism and bondage in the Christian experience.

I've been toggling back and forth between Acts and Galatians since yesterday because The History of Christianity by Paul Johnson led me there. When you've not been habituated to explore or rely on Scripture, once you do, the Vistas are incredible, and how I love St. Paul!