At seventy-eight years of age, Jack shows no signs of slowing; only growing. His chipper attitude paints the world with vibrant colors, even in his blackest moments. While he may be known as the golden oldie around his neighborhood, he stays true to his spiritually appointed color –green.  “They will still bear fruit in old age; they will stay fresh and green” (Psalm 92:14).

Like a tender, green twig sprouting from a Golden Oak tree, Jack bends with the winds of life, confident that his roots are firmly established in God’s promises. His faith continues to blossom like a flower, drawing others to the beauty of Christ.

While society may encourage seniors to step back, take the lead from God’s Word: bear fruit in old age. Be that mighty oak, blossoming in your faith, for the one who is planted in the house of the Lord will surely flourish (Psalm 92:13).

With a crown of gray hair resembling the many rings of an aged tree, we too can produce secondary branches. Motivate a generation of family and friends with your living legacy.

Whether you are home bound, bed bound or able to get up and around, continue to be spiritually active. Get involved in a ministry that will encourage others and nourish your soul.

Make those golden years even brighter – make them fresh and green.

“Lord, in Your eyes, there’s no such thing as retirement. Here is my heart, my hands and my feet. Use them until I draw my last breathe. Thank you that I am valued no matter my age or stage in life.”

Question: Whether you are a senior citizen or are a “lady in waiting,” share how you are staying fresh and green.

About the Author Charlene Friesen

Daily audio podcast: A second daily devotional, He Did It Just for You, today on the Men’s Devotional Blog

They slept in chains, endured floggings, were chased by mobs, suffered ridicule and cursing, were fastened in stocks, berated by the courts and survived shipwrecks. Some were martyred by stoning, beheading or crucifixion.

And what was the response?  Prison chains were used to accompany songs of praise, court hearings became times of teaching, floggings did not squelch the hunger to serve Christ and martyrs praised God with their dying breath.

Fear must have threatened to overwhelm, yet these followers of Christ chose to press forward.  Preaching and praising, they found joy in unimaginable circumstances. It seems almost inhuman. Perhaps it is, for the supernatural, perfect love of Christ can seep into every human thought and reaction, transforming gut wrenching fear into unexplainable tranquility.

Perfect love casts out fear (I John 4:18) and is made whole when we reflect on God’s abundant promises.

•    Promise of His presence: The one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world (I John 4:4).

•    Promise of His peace: His death and resurrection not only assures victory over sin, but also reassure us of Christ’s undying love and commitment (John 15:13).

•    Promise of His prayers: Christ lives to intercede for us (Hebrews 7:25).

•    Promises of His protection: While He may not remove us from stressful situations; He will give us His divine protection (John 17:15).

We have nothing to fear! We have a God who offers His presence, peace, prayers and protection. And that’s just for starters. Open your Bible and continue your search for God’s promises. Underline them. Believe them. Experience them.

~Thank you, Lord that Your perfect love casts out fear. What a promise! Help me to live today in that love. Amen.

Questions: What circumstance is making you numb with fear? What Godly promise has soothed your soul?

About the Author: http://talk.thelife.com/experience/devotionalforwomen/authors/charlene-friesen/

They slept in chains, endured floggings, were chased by mobs, suffered ridicule and cursing, were fastened in stocks, berated by the courts and survived shipwrecks. Some were martyred by stoning, beheading or crucifixion.

And what was the response?  Prison chains were used to accompany songs of praise, court hearings became times of teaching, floggings did not squelch the hunger to serve Christ and martyrs praised God with their dying breath.

Fear must have threatened to overwhelm, yet these followers of Christ chose to press forward.  Preaching and praising, they found joy in unimaginable circumstances. It seems almost inhuman. Perhaps it is, for the supernatural, perfect love of Christ can seep into every human thought and reaction, transforming gut wrenching fear into unexplainable tranquility.

Perfect love casts out fear (I John 4:18) and is made whole when we reflect on God’s abundant promises.

•    Promise of His presence: The one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world (I John 4:4).

•    Promise of His peace: His death and resurrection not only assures victory over sin, but also reassure us of Christ’s undying love and commitment (John 15:13).

•    Promise of His prayers: Christ lives to intercede for us (Hebrews 7:25).

•    Promises of His protection: While He may not remove us from stressful situations; He will give us His divine protection (John 17:15).

We have nothing to fear! We have a God who offers His presence, peace, prayers and protection. And that’s just for starters. Open your Bible and continue your search for God’s promises. Underline them. Believe them. Experience them.

~Thank you, Lord that Your perfect love casts out fear. What a promise! Help me to live today in that love. Amen.

Questions: What circumstance is making you numb with fear? What Godly promise has soothed your soul?

About the Author: http://talk.thelife.com/experience/devotionalforwomen/authors/charlene-friesen/

**Think of a situation that is overwhelming you. How does seeing yourself as firmly attached to Christ, being nourished constantly by Him, help you face that situation? http://mag.thelife.com/study/galatiansonlinestudy.html

Listen to this devotional read aloud online

They slept in chains, endured floggings, were chased by mobs, suffered ridicule and cursing, were fastened in stocks, berated by the courts and survived shipwrecks. Some were martyred by stoning, beheading or crucifixion.

And what was the response? Prison chains were used to accompany songs of praise, court hearings became times of teaching, floggings did not squelch the hunger to serve Christ and martyrs praised God with their dying breath.

Fear must have threatened to overwhelm, yet these followers of Christ chose to press forward. Preaching and praising, they found joy in unimaginable circumstances. It seems almost inhuman. Perhaps it is, for the supernatural, perfect love of Christ can seep into every human thought and reaction, transforming gut wrenching fear into unexplainable tranquility.

Perfect love casts out fear (I John 4:18) and is made whole when we reflect on God’s abundant promises.

• Promise of His presence: The one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world (I John 4:4).

• Promise of His peace: His death and resurrection not only assures victory over sin, but also reassure us of Christ’s undying love and commitment (John 15:13).

• Promise of His prayers: Christ lives to intercede for us (Hebrews 7:25).

• Promises of His protection: While He may not remove us from stressful situations; He will give us His divine protection (John 17:15).

We have nothing to fear! We have a God who offers His presence, peace, prayers and protection. And that’s just for starters. Open your Bible and continue your search for God’s promises. Underline them. Believe them. Experience them.

~Thank you, Lord that Your perfect love casts out fear. What a promise! Help me to live today in that love. Amen.

Permanent devotional link

Questions: What circumstance is making you numb with fear? What Godly promise has soothed your soul?

About the Author:  Charlene Friesen

**Think of a situation that is overwhelming you. How does seeing yourself as firmly attached to Christ, being nourished constantly by Him, help you face that situation? http://mag.thelife.com/study/galatiansonlinestudy.html

Listen to this devotional read aloud online

They slept in chains, endured floggings, were chased by mobs, suffered ridicule and cursing, were fastened in stocks, berated by the courts and survived shipwrecks. Some were martyred by stoning, beheading or crucifixion.

And what was the response? Prison chains were used to accompany songs of praise, court hearings became times of teaching, floggings did not squelch the hunger to serve Christ and martyrs praised God with their dying breath.

Fear must have threatened to overwhelm, yet these followers of Christ chose to press forward. Preaching and praising, they found joy in unimaginable circumstances. It seems almost inhuman. Perhaps it is, for the supernatural, perfect love of Christ can seep into every human thought and reaction, transforming gut wrenching fear into unexplainable tranquility.

Perfect love casts out fear (I John 4:18) and is made whole when we reflect on God’s abundant promises.

• Promise of His presence: The one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world (I John 4:4).

• Promise of His peace: His death and resurrection not only assures victory over sin, but also reassure us of Christ’s undying love and commitment (John 15:13).

• Promise of His prayers: Christ lives to intercede for us (Hebrews 7:25).

• Promises of His protection: While He may not remove us from stressful situations; He will give us His divine protection (John 17:15).

We have nothing to fear! We have a God who offers His presence, peace, prayers and protection. And that’s just for starters. Open your Bible and continue your search for God’s promises. Underline them. Believe them. Experience them.

~Thank you, Lord that Your perfect love casts out fear. What a promise! Help me to live today in that love. Amen.

Permanent devotional link

Questions: What circumstance is making you numb with fear? What Godly promise has soothed your soul?

About the Author: Charlene Friesen

They slept in chains, endured floggings, were chased by mobs, suffered ridicule and cursing, were fastened in stocks, berated by the courts and survived shipwrecks. Some were martyred by stoning, beheading or crucifixion.

And what was the response? Prison chains were used to accompany songs of praise, court hearings became times of teaching, floggings did not squelch the hunger to serve Christ and martyrs praised God with their dying breath.

Fear must have threatened to overwhelm, yet these followers of Christ chose to press forward. Preaching and praising, they found joy in unimaginable circumstances. It seems almost inhuman. Perhaps it is, for the supernatural, perfect love of Christ can seep into every human thought and reaction, transforming gut wrenching fear into unexplainable tranquility.

Perfect love casts out fear (1 John 4:18) and is made whole when we reflect on God’s abundant promises.

Promise of His presence: The one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world (1 John 4:4).

Promise of His peace: His death and resurrection not only assures victory over sin, but also reassure us of Christ’s undying love and commitment (John 15:13).

Promise of His prayers: Christ lives to intercede for us (Hebrews 7:25).

Promises of His protection: While He may not remove us from stressful situations; He will give us His divine protection (John 17:15).

We have nothing to fear! We have a God who offers His presence, peace, prayers and protection. And that’s just for starters. Open your Bible and continue your search for God’s promises. Underline them. Believe them. Experience them.

Thank you, Lord that Your perfect love casts out fear. What a promise! Help me to live today in that love. Amen.

Questions: What circumstance is making you numb with fear? What Godly promise has soothed your soul?

About the Author: Charlene Friesen

“The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful. But the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it. He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown” (Matthew 13:22-23).

Back in the day when I had rhythm, our music class swung and swayed to such Folk tunes as This Land is Your Land. This toe tapping, timeless song, penned by Woody Guthrie, refers to waving fields of wheat, an endless skyway and a glorious sun. Healthy soil, complimented by cheery weather, encouraged a crop of golden wheat to stretch to the sky.

Woody’s right, “this land is made for you and me”. God made this land for you and me to relish. This land is also made for you and me to impact for God’s glory. If we want to declare Jesus Christ on this earth, the ground of our hearts must be fertile, like good soil.

Look at the patch of grass in your yard or on your property. Think of that parcel of land as your heart. What is the condition of your “heartland?” Is your heart full of thorns and thistles or does it produce a healthy crop that is blessed by God?

Fertile soil is tilled and enriched with nutrients, encouraging a healthy crop. Those with a healthy heartland allow God to break up the unplowed soil of the heart with His discipline.  This type of heartland drinks in God’s truth and sprout seeds of righteousness.

Or perhaps your land is overgrown with thorns and thistles.  Worries, anxiety, fear, financial uncertainty or anger choke God’s truth, rendering your heartland barren.

Do you want your heartland to be bountiful? Give God permission to cultivate your hardened, anxious heart, melting away like wax those thorny, unyielding roots. Now you’re ready to receive God’s seeds of truth. Drink in His word and watch your heartland flourish.

This land is made for you and me. What a gift! Give back tenfold by allowing God to cultivate your heartland.

Lord, I’m tired of living a fruitless life. Take those stubborn, thorny patches of my heartland and cultivate them with Your discipline and truth. Prepare me for a season of bounty.

Questions: What areas of your heartland need God’s cultivating?

About Charlene Friesen

Daily audio podcast: A second daily devotional, God Says It; I Believe It; That Settles It, today on the Men’s Devotional Blog

The old hymn “Amazing Grace” assures, “I once was lost but now am found…”

It makes me think of  Enoch’s lost and found experience recorded in Genesis 5:24: “Enoch walked with God; then he was no more, because God took him away.”

A prophet, Enoch spoke God’s truth to an evil and corrupt society. Side by side Enoch and his Savior strode, Enoch listening, nodding in obedience, then bravely proclaiming God’s insight to those who were jaded and disillusioned by sin.

Then, suddenly, Enoch was no more; his journey on earth was completed. God was so pleased with Enoch that it was time to continue their walk down the golden streets of heaven.

How is your walk with God? Do you walk side by side with Him or do you run ahead impatiently, deciding when and where God’s truth applies? Maybe you linger, dragging your heels, because speaking God’s truth has been challenged with sandpaper-like disapproval.

Walk abreast with Christ, hunger for His character, and strive to be His voice of truth.
Get lost in God’s amazing grace and like Enoch, find yourself commended as one who pleased God.

Lord, as I lose myself in Your grace, may I find myself hungering to be more like You. Help me to walk steadfastly in Your truth, influencing others for Your glory. I am overjoyed that You want to delight in me!

Response: Tell us about your journey with God. Share your lessons of mercy, hope and adventures that keep your hungering for God.

About this Author: Charlene Friesen

Daily audio podcast: A second daily devotional, A Tough Command, today on the Men’s Devotional Blog

I am a mother, a wife and a daughter. At times I am a counselor, a listening ear, or a cheerleader. Most importantly, however, I am a prayer warrior who chooses to battle on her knees.

Praying on bended knee is an act of stillness, of submission and trust, for no amount of running interference, offering advice or encouragement will orchestrate the ideal situation.

My son, I was there when you wrestled with polynomials. Shaking your fists in the air, vowing never to take a math related job, I suppressed a smile. Good luck, for math is all encompassing.

My son, I wasn’t there the moment you cracked the code of math. But I was there for future “aha” moments that boosted your confidence.

Mom, I was there when you struggled with the emotional effects of cancer, succumbing to depression and quarreling with the one who stood by your side for forty-two years.

Mom, I wasn’t there when you and dad finally agreed to work as a team, but I was there to witness the respect, trust and love that was forty-two years in the making.

My cherished husband, I was there when your faith seemed to lose its edge. The zealousness diminished somewhat and the hunger seemed to abate. My heart ached as you wandered this journey alone, restless.  I could not fill that void.

My cherished husband, I wasn’t there the day you met the “iron man.” This new friend, a man with solid Christian values, was divinely appointed to cross your path. He is not only an encourager, but has also been encouraged by you. Your friendship is the essence of “iron sharpens iron.”

My youngest son, I was there when you confided of fair weather friends and endured the taunting of those so-called friends because they didn’t have the courage to stand on their own two feet.

My youngest son, I wasn’t there the day you found a reliable, encouraging group of friends at school. But I was there to hear the tales of school fun and camaraderie.

I have trusted God for my salvation; surely I can also trust Him with my prayers for my family in their individual struggles of faith and relationships. I love them enough to let go and give them to God.

I will not always be there. But God will be.

Heavenly Father, You have called us to encourage one another and offer Godly advice. Yet may we also remember that You alone are the source and the solution. May we love enough to let go, thereby inviting You wholeheartedly to have Your Sovereign way.

Question: What or whom do you need to let go and give to God?

About the Author Charlene Friesen

When I hear the word “portion” I immediately think of food – steaming, mountainous heaps of food. Tons of turkey, masses of mashed potatoes and cavernous servings of gravy all balanced precariously upon our forks, then eased into our yawning mouths with ease.

For some, Christmas is the season to overindulge. Portion control goes out the window, whether it’s an abundance of food, an excess of parties, the rush of year-end at work or an overdose on our credit card. Throw in an overextension on our emotions and we’ve got it all wrapped up in a package that’s sure to burst.

Where is the balance? How do we practice portion control, not only at Christmas, but also year round?

“…God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever” (Psalm73:26 NIV).

Portion control is achievable when God is given the largest piece of our time. The more time we spend with God, craving His truth, and desiring what He desires, the more balance we will have in our lives.

Add a generous helping of trust and obedience and we’ll almost never spread ourselves too thin. We will now have the ability to spiritually discern and prioritize circumstances as they unfold.

Let the scales tip and indulge in your relationship with Christ. The ensuing bond and inevitable blessing will be immeasurably more than we could ever ask or imagine. Jesus gives and Jesus takes away, yet it’s never too much or not enough.  His portion is the only one that is sure to satisfy.

Lord,
Your word promises me that “God’s divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness…” (II Peter 1:3) . When I am overworked, stressed, or can hardly bear the pang of emptiness, may I remember that You are everything I need. Your divine power has given me everything I need. There are times when friends, family, co -workers and life will fall short, but You are everything. I take Your portion and fill myself up today. Thank you Lord. I pray this in Your name, amen.

Questions: Are you struggling with feelings of emptiness? What could be the first step you can take in order to take away the empty feeling?

About the Author Charlene Friesen

Daily audio podcast: A second daily devotional, The Meek Were Kneeling, today on the Men’s Devotional Blog