Search me, God, and know my heart; test"); document.writeln("me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and"); document.writeln("lead me in the way everlasting.1
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There is nothing quite like the feeling"); document.writeln("of freedom\'€”The kind that comes when you have completed a task or project. Like"); document.writeln("the feeling of having a clean home and yard, when you can sit back and relax"); document.writeln("because nothing is pressing to be done. Or the feeling of having a weight"); document.writeln("lifted from your shoulders; the kind that comes when you have confessed a fault"); document.writeln("or overcome a worry or fear.
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But that feeling of complete freedom is"); document.writeln("hard to reach when we insist on letting the little things weigh us down. Little"); document.writeln("piles here and there begin to clutter our paths. Many little worries turn into"); document.writeln("big anxieties that threaten to choke us. The most important thing to achieve"); document.writeln("freedom, according to the Word of God, is to guard the state of our hearts"); document.writeln("(Prov. 4:23). What we allow in will eventually flow out. Since God is most"); document.writeln("concerned with the wholeness of our hearts, His desire is that we get rid of"); document.writeln("the things that hinder us from finding freedom.
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Just like you would physically care for"); document.writeln("and maintain your home, yard, or garden, take a spiritual walk through the"); document.writeln("pathways of your heart; find the areas that are overdue for some maintenance."); document.writeln("Ask the Holy Spirit to lead you to those areas that you have neglected for so"); document.writeln("long. Maybe the closets of your heart need de-cluttering; feelings of sadness"); document.writeln("and doubt that keep us from hearing the voice of the Lord need to be removed."); document.writeln("Maybe the weeds of fear and pain are choking out the roses in our garden,"); document.writeln("keeping us from really knowing God\'€™s will for us. The little things have turned"); document.writeln("into big things and are keeping us bound instead of being able to live a free"); document.writeln("and fruitful life. Freedom can be yours if you take the time today to clean out"); document.writeln("your heart and allow God to fill it with His love, joy and peace that each of"); document.writeln("us desires most.
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Suggested prayer: Dear Lord, forgive me,"); document.writeln("for I have allowed my heart to become cluttered with worries and doubts. I have"); document.writeln("let them keep me from really knowing you. Create in me a clean heart, free from"); document.writeln("anything that would keep me from you. In the name of Jesus I pray, Amen.
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1. "); document.writeln("Psalm 139:23-24 (NIV)."); document.writeln("
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Today\'€™s Encounter was written by:"); document.writeln("Veronica B.
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This and other devotionals by Richard (Dick) Innes can be read online.
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