Unshackled Moments ~ August 31 ~ Nothing But The Truth, So Help Me God

Truth is so obscure in these times, and falsehood so established, that, unless we love the truth, we cannot know it.

- Blaise Pascal

obscure - əbˈskyo͝or

adjective - 1. not discovered or known about; uncertain.

verb - 1. keep from being seen; conceal.

Last night as I came back into the house from my evening alone time I accidentally pulled the tie to keep the screen closed off the door. I set my computer and phone down in order to free my hands so that I could fix it. Then I put the computer away for the night and sat and talked with Leah a while before retiring for the evening. Right before I climbed into bed I remembered that I needed to charge my phone. It wasn't on the nightstand where it should have been. At first I thought that I had left it by my chair where I wrap up my evenings. I thought oh well, it'll be there in the morning, and I can charge it then. But I continued to have the nagging thought that I had picked it up and not left it. I remembered setting it down with the computer by the door. I went and looked. I had brought it back in with me but hadn't picked it up when I grabbed the computer.

If I had dismissed that nagging thought and gone on to bed, I would most likely been freaking out a little later this morning. When I finish writing this and go sit at my reading chair and get comfortable for the rest of my morning reading and meditation (the chair I sit in to write hurts my back if I am in it too long) I would have realized that my phone wasn't over there. Then I would have had trouble finding it because the truth and memory have something in common...they tend to drift toward obscurity, and the farther we stray from them, the longer we are separated from them, the harder they are to find.

Not everything that we think and not everything that we feel is true, and since how we think and feel is closely tied to what we believe, it stands to reason that not everything we believe is real either. And that is a scary proposition because sometimes all we have to go on and lean on is what we believe, is faith. If some of the things that I believe are not real and true, then how am I supposed to know what beliefs I can trust and what I can't? How do I know what is true? Conflicting cries of opinion, perspective and viewpoint create a murky swirl of truth, half-truths and full lies, all of which may feel and sound deep, clear and good at times.

So how can we know, and know that we know, and have faith without wavering if everything we believe may not actually be true? Well, that's the problem. Not that things may not be true. Did you catch the problem with the question? We suddenly went from not everything is true to everything might not be true. Because of this type of thinking we have become accepting of the idea that there is no truly true, no ultimate truth, no true for you and for me and for everybody at every time no matter what. There's my truth and your truth and the two don't necessarily have to agree and therefore we should be tolerant and acceptable of all truths. It seems logical. But it's wrong, and that is truth. The problem is that while we should indeed be accepting of all truth, not everything that is called truth is true.

There is indeed a constant known as truth, and just because we can not know it fully at this time, doesn't mean that it doesn't exist or that we can't know, know, know and know that we know some of it. There are theories in the field of physics, ideas based on truths, that have not yet been proven, that are not yet known. No one, not the best and brightest of the field can claim to know the answers. But the answers exist. There is a truth underlying the physical world, even when we don't know it. And even the questions and theories are based on and derived from the truths that we do actually know. Just because what we think about quantum theory may or may not be right or completely right doesn't mean that the laws of physics that allow us to build flying tubes of metal aren't true or might be wrong.

We do know in part. We understand in part. That means that there are truths that we don't know and understand yet. That doesn't mean that the part we do know may be wrong. I don't know how to get the answer to some math problems, but that doesn't take away from the truth that 0+1=1. The further we get from that base truth the more confusing and possibly wrong math becomes, but everything from what we see on the Internet to interplanetary probes can be run with a series of 0's and 1's because even a simple truth acted on is powerful. We somehow slip into the fallacy that because I can't qualify or prove every single thing that I believe I must be willing and open-minded enough to doubt all of it. And that's simply not true. There are things, truths, which are established. We build on them. Sometimes we go too far too fast and have to back up because we got away from the truth. But the core, the foundation remains true regardless of what I might misunderstand later.

We are promised that if we seek, we will find. But it doesn't say glance. It says seek.  Jeremiah and Deuteronomy both tell us we will find Him, when we seek Him with our whole heart. That doesn't mean that 100% devotion to seeking the truth will result in finding it while 99% will fail, being less than the whole. It is more that when something else, anything else comes first we won't find, but that when seeking comes first we will find. Think about it. If I lose my keys and claim to be looking for them, but what I'm really doing is watching a football game I am not nearly as likely to find them as I am if I turn off the TV and concentrate on finding my keys before doing anything else, even if part of me is wondering if Texas Tech is going to score.

Jesus says that He is the truth as well as the way and the life. We can trust His words the same way we can trust that 0+1=1 and 2+2=4, even if we don't understand every aspect and all the possibilities that can be built on that. If we seek Him before all else, we will find Him, and by definition will also find more and more truth that we can know that we know. And the good news is that if we get lost and confused along the way and the truth begins to feel obscured again, it's not just about us seeking Him, wholeheartedly or otherwise. He is seeking us. He came to seek out save the lost.

Unshackled Life Ministries is grateful for every person that reads the daily Unshackled Moments and or listens to the messages. I want to thank those who have clicked "like" on something that blessed or ministered to them. It is encouraging to know that God is using this ministry to help and bless others. Please remember that if God used something from this ministry to help, encourage or bless you, it could also bless someone else. Would you help get the devotions to more people by sharing the Moments and messages that you read or listen to? Hitting the share button instead of or in addition to the like button will help us reach more people with the good news of freedom and the encouragement to live an Unshackled Life. Thank you and God bless.

If you would like to have notifications of new Unshackled Moments and messages sent to you via email, send an email to dalynwoodard@mail.com requesting to be added to the list. You can also follow Dalyn Woodard (@Dalynsmsings) on Twitter or Unshackled Life Ministries on Facebook.

Unshackled Moments ~ August 30 ~ Redirecting The Power Of The Past

In yesterday's UM More Than Forgiveness we looked at the promise of  receiving more than forgiveness. We are cleansed of the scars and stain of our sins in order to be fully restored and prepared for service in the kingdom of God. But the reason we cling to the concept of progress not perfection is that like Paul we have not yet been made perfect, we will struggle with the carnal cursed mind and emotions and the habits and patterns of the flesh as long as we are in this body. We are being transformed from glory to glory, every day we can make progress by grace, we can become more and more like Jesus, sharing His nature, through the power of the Holy Spirit.

But no, we are not perfect. And at times, as foolish and stupid as we may see it, we may even have fleeting thoughts of returning to Egypt, of going back to the areas of bondage that Christ has set us free from. We may even stumble and turn back that direction if we get outside of God's will for our lives for too long. Knowing nothing will come out of going back to the pig pen of our prodigal days but misery, destruction and death, we may, at the very least, be tempted. But we can cling tot he promise that God has made a way of escape for every moment of temptation.

But being tempted to do something so outside God's will, so counterproductive and dangerous as putting the chains back on like they were a fashion accessory rather than bondage, makes it easier for us dread and fear our past. We know that the past can come back to bite us in behavior. And that is not the only way the past can hurt us. God forgives and no longer holds our past against us, as far as the East is from the West, is the distance between you and your former sin once He's done. Not only forgiving the past, we are cleansed, transformed and made new. Our spirit may still struggle due to being housed in this cursed body, but the new spirit within us is born of God, new, holy, righteous and spotless.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

- 2 Corinthians 5:17

Yes, we are not who we should be yet, we are not fully who we are going to be when we see Jesus face to face, but we are also not who we once were. We have been brought into the family and the service of God in order to bring Him glory and fulfill His purpose. But in order to lean on His grace and walk with Him, we have to remember that we are His and new creations. We have to let go of our Egypt. Our new spirit loves to worship and walk with God, but our old flesh hates it, because it means death to the self will. God forgives, but these days with almost everything we say and do available online even years after, society has a better memory than an elephant. Between  our old nature wanting to do it's old thing,  to die in a blaze of selfish glory rather than in submission to God, the enemy wanting to hinder our service to the Lord, society and the people who make it up, it is sometimes difficult to impossible to escape our past. It never seems to go away. It is brought up and used against us, and then that incident becomes a part of our past that is used against us. It doesn't matter if you remain silent, everything you say and do and even some things you don't will be used against you. At least that is what it can feel like.

So then what? What can we do when the past we thought was dead, passed away in the forgiveness and grace of God and the ancient history of life, crawls up from the dead, pursuing us at every turn in a effort to eat our brains? Old things have passed away, but the record remains. And it will. Thousands of years later, I know about King David's crimes against God and man. Thomas is still judged by his brothers and sisters in Christ for one moment of doubt more than for walking with God for years. Forgiveness doesn't erase the past, neither when we get it nor when we give it.

And if we are not careful, the past can hurt us as much today as it ever did, as we resent, re-feel, the mistakes, hurt, rejection, injury, guilt, and shame of what we have done and what has been done to us. It can get in the way of our trusting God. It can make it hard to believe and trust in the forgiveness we have been given, the freedom we have found and the progress that has been made. It can shake our world as the ground we thought was solid drops from under our feet when something from the past rises from the grave once more. Can't the past just stay dead?

One day, yes, it can. But on this side of eternity it's not going to happen. We are going to struggle with our old habits, with accusations and guilt over things we have done despite being forgiven of them and the judgements and consequences that result from having a past. We are going to fight the spirit of unforgiveness and bitterness as things we believed settled and forgiven by us begin to hurt once again as something triggers that memory and emotion of someone's past damage to us. So what do we do? How can we move on and stop having the past damage the present?

If we are painstaking about this phase of our development, we will be amazed before we are half way through. We are going to know a new freedom and a new happiness. We will not regret the past, nor wish to shut the door on it. We will comprehend the word serenity, and we will know peace. No matter how far down the scale we have gone, we will see how our experience can benefit others. That feeling of uselessness and self-pity will disappear.

That's a recovery promise. It's not a scripture promise, but I have found it to be true in my life, and I have found it to be based on God's truth, making it something we can count on. When we surrender  our will to God's and give Him control of our lives, amazing things begin to happen in our lives as we walk with Him. That's truth. We are going to know freedom and joy that can't be explained or altered by circumstance and situation. But what about the past? The word of our testimony becomes part of our assets. Paul never escaped who he had been and the Christians he had persecuted and killed  before walking with Christ by changing his name. Nor did he try to. He brought it up as much, if not more, than his detractors.  Because who he used to be, what he had been forgiven of, verses who he became and how he lived after meeting Jesus did more to show the love and power and faithfulness of God than all his religious perfection ever did or could. And he used what God had done in his life, through overcoming the past and his guilt, to help others. He found peace that passed understanding rather than shame when he looked at who he had been. He knew God was using him, he had a purpose in the will of God and self, pity or any other aspect, was sacrificed on the altar of service and worship to God as he made his life a living sacrifice.

Our past doesn't have to be hindrance, nor does it have to be an effective weapon to be used against us. But before we can let go of regret, before we can use our past to help others and to triumph over the enemy of God, we must heal. We have to come to that place where the past is no longer killing us and getting in the way of our relationship with God. Oh, it may get used against us still, but the frequency becomes less and less and it's power becomes harmless. There are ways that we can heal and embrace our story. Our past is part of the greatest tool we have to serve God with. What we were like, what did and how we reacted to what others did to us, what happened when we found a solution to the misery and chaos of life trying to survive what it was like, and what that lead to, what it's like now. That is what gives God glory and shows others that there is a way out. That's how we give away what we have been given and lead others from Egypt instead of returning ourselves.

So how to get there? First, remember, remind yourself of what God says about you. You are forgiven You have been cleansed. He will and has been vengeance on your behalf. A horrible price is demanded for every pain, hurt and act of destruction against you. Nothing has slipped by His care or attention without the damage done to you being avenged. Justice will be satisfied. God sees us as He sees Jesus, righteous. And those who accept His work for them and are adopted by God, are clean before their Lord, forever. Those who reject relationship with God, will pay an eternal price for their sin. But every sin, every debt caused by every hurt will be paid in full, either by the blood of Jesus poured out on the cross or in eternal torment. Forgiveness from us does not negate justice. Justice will be served. The price of sin is death, and it will be paid in full. If you are His, your past no longer has power over you because the debt was paid by Christ. If you are not His, He is calling saying that He died for you as well. You can be forgiven and have the weight of debt and guilt removed forever.

Use the reminders as positives rather than negatives. The world and the enemy love to remind us what what we have done wrong and what has been done to us. The damage, inflicted by and upon us, is a favorite distraction from the love of God in our lives. But when those reminders come up, we can cling to the grace of God to use the reminder to remember the rest of the story, the truth. Despite what  I've done and the damage to me, God has accepted me and loves me. There is nothing, NOTHING, that can separate us from the love of God. God  has promised to heal and restore me fully, and He has already begun the work that He will finish. What lays behind me I can let go of and walk by grace toward a glorious future where I will perfectly and uniquely reflect an aspect of the glory of God with my life, but at the same time all that crap that once served no purpose but to sow destruction can be used to defeat the enemy and pull people closer to God so that they can find relationship, restoration and healing as well.

We need to meditate, to chew on and ingest, the Word of God and His truths so that when the half truths and lies come against us, our reaction is to counter them with the truth quickly before they damage us or cause us to fear and doubt.

We need to forgive as we have been forgiven. No debt owed us will go unpaid. We don't need to seek vengeance. We can forgive because the debt is or will be paid. No one will escape justice just because we don't demand payment. Either what is owed us was paid by Jesus, just as all we owe God and others was paid by Jesus, or they will pay a price much higher and much more costly than we could ever collect when their debt is called by God anyway. So what is our tiny bit of torture to them when they are either forgiven by God or paying that price? If I am at my maximum place of torment, nothing else that happens can make it worse, and if I can not be tormented because I have the power of the peace of God protecting me, then nothing can take that away. So we are only making ourselves miserable and hurting ourselves when we refuse to forgive. We are not adding to punishment. We are not keeping anyone from getting away with anything. We are only hindering the grace in our life as we refuse the fruit of love to have its way in our heart.

It can be a struggle to hold onto the freedom we have been given. But we are free, we have been forgiven, He will move on our behalf and demand full payment for everything anyone ever has done or will do to hurt us (including what we do to ourselves), He can and has made us knew, and can use what has happened to His glory and for our good, every single bit of it. Today let us remind ourselves of that and walk in that truth. The past may never totally disappear, but the power can be God's for our benefit and pleasure instead of the enemy's to hurt us. God said it. That settles it. Will we believe it?

Unshackled Life Ministries is grateful for every person that reads the daily Unshackled Moments and or listens to the messages. I want to thank those who have clicked "like" on something that blessed or ministered to them. It is encouraging to know that God is using this ministry to help and bless others. Please remember that if God used something from this ministry to help, encourage or bless you, it could also bless someone else. Would you help get the devotions to more people by sharing the Moments and messages that you read or listen to? Hitting the share button instead of or in addition to the like button will help us reach more people with the good news of freedom and the encouragement to live an Unshackled Life. Thank you and God bless.

If you would like to have notifications of new Unshackled Moments and messages sent to you via email, send an email to dalynwoodard@mail.com requesting to be added to the list. You can also follow Dalyn Woodard (@Dalynsmsings) on Twitter or Unshackled Life Ministries on Facebook.

Unshackled Moments ~ August 29 ~ More Than Forgiven

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

- I John 1:9

Are you familiar with the above verse Dear Reader? If so, did you read it just now or did you skim it? Did you really see what it says, especially the last seven words? The reason I ask is that when I recall the verse I have a tendency to leave those last seven words off. Most people who quote it leave the end off as well. We like to remember that if we confess our sins He is faithful to forgive us. And that is indeed wonderful. If that is all the verse promised it would be worth rejoicing about. But that's not where the period is.

Those last seven words are an amazing bonus beyond simple forgiveness, and we, you and I both, Dear Reader, would do well to remember them. We are promised not only to be forgiven but to be cleansed of all unrighteousness. There are a couple of different aspects of what this means for us, and they are a blessing above and beyond simple forgiveness.

Lets first take a look at forgiveness as healing. Hypothetically, what if we contracted chicken pocks? They are horrible. This is one of the worst cases ever known, covering almost every inch of skin, including inside the ears and between the toes, and they itch so badly that we're about to scratch all our skin off in an attempt to find relief. We pray and ask for healing, and the symptoms stop. The itching fades away, and the sores dry and begin to disappear. We are no longer sick. But there are still signs of the illness. We still have scabs from where we've been scratching, there are scars from some of the earlier sores, and even some of the last signs haven't left yet. We're well, no longer sick, symptomatic or infectious, but we are not whole. To be restored and made whole would include the healing we received but also mean the scars and the scabs and the sores are gone. There would be no sign that we ever had chicken pocks at all.

This verse is promising this kind of thing. To be forgiven is wonderful, we no longer owe the spiritual debt that we have incurred. God sets our bill aside. But to include being cleansed means that our life is restored to such a point that the stain and scars of what we have been forgiven of are gone as well. It is the transformation of our past from the mark of Cain that shows the world our sin, and the curse that came as a result, into the Word of Our Testimony that is a mighty weapon of spiritual warfare when used in conjunction with the Blood of the Lamb.

There is another, even bigger implication found here. In the times when the worship of God was done at and through the temple and the priests, every thing had to be right before it could be used. Not only the priests themselves, but even the bowls and candlesticks and every utensil had to be cleansed before they could be used in the service of God. To be forgiven means that we no longer face eternal judgment for failing to be holy as He is holy, but to be cleansed means that in addition to forgiving us, Jesus makes us ready, qualified and able to be a part of His service, an integral piece of worship, a reflection of His glory and part of what makes it possible for the lost and broken to come into the presence of God. We help the restorative work of Christ as one of His servants, after being cleansed and prepared for service.

Today, let us hold onto that truth, that we are more than just forgiven, we have been cleansed by the Blood of Christ. Everything that is and was less than right with God, unrighteous, has been washed away. We are now pure and clean before our Lord and set aside to be of use and service to and for Him in the work of reflecting His glory and drawing others to Him so that they might find restoration and relationship as well. The scabs and scars of our sin are being removed and cleansed, and by the time we stand before Him face to face there will be no trace, no reminder, no evidence that we ever fell sort of His glory and righteousness.

Unshackled Life Ministries is grateful for every person that reads the daily Unshackled Moments and or listens to the messages. I want to thank those who have clicked "like" on something that blessed or ministered to them. It is encouraging to know that God is using this ministry to help and bless others. Please remember that if God used something from this ministry to help, encourage or bless you, it could also bless someone else. Would you help get the devotions to more people by sharing the Moments and messages that you read or listen to? Hitting the share button instead of or in addition to the like button will help us reach more people with the good news of freedom and the encouragement to live an Unshackled Life. Thank you and God bless.

If you would like to have notifications of new Unshackled Moments and messages sent to you via email, send an email to dalynwoodard@mail.com requesting to be added to the list. You can also follow Dalyn Woodard (@Dalynsmsings) on Twitter or Unshackled Life Ministries on Facebook.

Unshackled Moments ~ August 28 ~ Holding Onto Progress

August 26 is historically a difficult day for me, as are the days near it. This year wasn't too bad, but the dull ache still rose up to greet me whenever it could, and so in some ways this weekend was rough. But Leah and I had safe travels and the opportunity to spend time with family. That was wonderful. I felt so blessed to be able to take Leah and be with her as she visited with some of her siblings. It was the first time the three of them were together at the same time in years, and I am grateful for it.  It was a wonderful and amazingly blessed weekend.

Life is like that more often than not. It's never totally perfect and wonderful.  Pleasure often has a hint of pain seasoning it. Sweet and sour mix together on a regular and daily basis. It is part of the spiritual journey to learn to accept the pain without bitterness and while continuing to give God praise and glory and to rejoice in the pleasure without selfishly chasing after it. Gratitude helps us to keep our eyes open for those things we can praise and thank Him for. And one of the areas of gratitude that give us hope is found in the idea of progress rather than perfection. We see the areas of bondage progressively falling away,  we see our shortcomings being removed day by day as we are changed and transformed day by day from glory to glory.

Especially in the early days of freedom and recovery we cling to t he concept of progress as we see with how far we have come, how much better our life is, how much less we are doing those things that once had full control over us and rejoice, rather than kicking ourselves and feeling like failures because we didn't instantly become perfect in every way upon surrendering to God.  This concept is an element of grace, and it is a beautiful and wonderful treasure, a gift from God.

So, naturally, the enemy would like to take it away from us and twist it into a weapon to use against us. I rejoice Friday and throughout the weekend with how much amazing and miraculous progress had been made in an area that was a heartbreak about five years ago. I had gratitude and joy over this situation. But then something happened that didn't even really involve me, and when I saw it, it altered my perception of things. I realized that not as much progress had been made as I had at first believed.

The truth is that progress, great progress, has indeed occurred. But not as much as it first appeared. My initial reaction to the realization was discouragement. I had been overly hopeful. I had fooled myself. I hadn't been seeing the truth of things. There wasn't as much progress as I had rejoice over, so all the progress should be negated or at least downplayed to barely there and nothing to shout about. That's how I felt, at first. That's a common reaction when we look for progress, find it and then see a shortcoming, failure or problem in that area that reduces the progress we thought we had attained.

It's a lie. We need to hang onto the truth. I thought I found $100 on the ground, but when I looked more closely I saw it was a $10.  I don't throw a fit. I don't cry over it or decide I shouldn't be grateful for the $10. I certainly don't throw it away because it's not as much as I thought it was. It's $10 I didn't earn and didn't have before that I do have now. It's $10 closer to the $100 I need. It's progress worth praising over, even at only 10% of what I at first thought.

Don't throw away hope, gratitude or the gift of freedom we have been given when progress is revealed to be less than we originally thought. It's not failure. It doesn't make the progress we have been given worthless. Cling to the joy we have over what we have been given and do not allow disappointment to cause to throw our freedom away and put ourselves back in the chains that have been removed.



Unshackled Life Ministries is grateful for every person that reads the daily Unshackled Moments and or listens to the messages. I want to thank those who have clicked "like" on something that blessed or ministered to them. It is encouraging to know that God is using this ministry to help and bless others. Please remember that if God used something from this ministry to help, encourage or bless you, it could also bless someone else. Would you help get the devotions to more people by sharing the Moments and messages that you read or listen to? Hitting the share button instead of or in addition to the like button will help us reach more people with the good news of freedom and the encouragement to live an Unshackled Life. Thank you and God bless.

If you would like to have notifications of new Unshackled Moments and messages sent to you via email, send an email to dalynwoodard@mail.com requesting to be added to the list. You can also follow Dalyn Woodard (@Dalynsmsings) on Twitter or Unshackled Life Ministries on Facebook.

Unshackled Moments ~ August 27 ~ Not A God Of Second Chances

If we stumble and fall, God is there and quick to pick us up, faithful to forgive. He runs to us when we turn to Him, like the father who ran to the returning prodigal. He restores our souls and gives us peace, even though we don't deserve peace. His love covers a multitude of sins, and nothing we have done or can do will separate us from that love.

These are all wonderful truths that remind us that we should never give up asking for the grace to walk in God's way and will, no matter how many times we have fallen down. And because these are indeed true, we sometimes call God a God of second chances, even if it takes a thousand second chances. But this idea, as nice and hopeful as it seems, is one of those just false enough statements to hinder us and distract us from the truth. The truth is that God is not a God of second chances.

Forgiveness is not a second chance. First of all, before forgiveness, there is not a one of us that ever had any chance of living a life of perfect love and holiness. None of us are or ever were righteous. Therefore, since there was in reality and truth no first chance there can be no second, third or any other number of chance. No matter how many times we get the slate cleaned, we're going to dirty again without grace, and therefore there is no point in giving any of us a chance to try to do it right again.

God is not a God of second chances, because He isn't a God of chance. He is a God of intent, purpose and power. It is He who can do what none of us can ever do, and it is His great love for us that caused Him to do what only He can do on our behalf. What's the big deal? Think I'm quibbling? Nitpicking? Making a big deal out of nothing? I'm not. Here's why I  can say that with confidence.

The only Step we must get 100% right off the bat is Step One.  I can't. My life is out of my control, always has been and always will be. I am powerless over my selfishness and cursed carnality. I am powerless over the things that I have tried to fill my God-shaped hole with. I can't live right, do right, make myself well, control myself. I can't walk with God. I can't be holy and perfect as He is holy and perfect. My righteousness is as a filthy rag. I can't clean myself or restore myself. There's a lot of hopelessness and defeat in Step One, and that needs to stay that way. In myself and of myself there is no hope.

Hope doesn't show up until Step 2, when my eyes are opened to the One who is able, the One who made a way, to the One who poured out His life for me and makes His grace freely available. He can. All of those things I realized I can't, and more, He  can. In Step 3 I let Him. I surrendered my life and my will to His care and control.  Now I have become His to do with what He wills. And one thing that He has promised to do, that He has proclaimed to will for all who say yes to His call to come, is make us perfect and holy and righteous like Jesus. He who began the work of transformation and restoration in our lives is faithful and able to complete it. He will do what He said He will do in our life.

He's not taking a chance on us. He's making us His. When we allow ourselves to think that forgiveness and grace are God taking a chance on us, Him giving us a chance, we are putting the result back on ourselves, on our effort and performance. We need to make the most of the chances we have been given is the implication. No. We need to stay surrendered. We need to try really hard to walk with God. No. We need to give up and rely on Him because no matter how hard we try we will fail. See it's not about me making the most of anything or trying hard. It's not about you doing those things either. It's about us letting Him do what He is going to do. He didn't take a chance on us. He set His purpose in motion and will fulfill His sovereign will in our life. We can make it hard by getting in the way or we can make it smooth and easy through surrender, but we can't make it happen or stop it once it's begun.  It's all on Him, and He left nothing to chance.

It's important to remember that. It's not by our might or power or will or anything other than the Spirit and grace of the living God that makes it possible for us to walk with Him and do His will. We need to rid ourselves of the half truths that sound good but distract from the whole truth, because if we forget He's the one doing the work and start trying to do it ourselves, we're going to open the door to destruction, failure and misery once again.



Unshackled Life Ministries is grateful for every person that reads the daily Unshackled Moments and or listens to the messages. I want to thank those who have clicked "like" on something that blessed or ministered to them. It is encouraging to know that God is using this ministry to help and bless others. Please remember that if God used something from this ministry to help, encourage or bless you, it could also bless someone else. Would you help get the devotions to more people by sharing the Moments and messages that you read or listen to? Hitting the share button instead of or in addition to the like button will help us reach more people with the good news of freedom and the encouragement to live an Unshackled Life. Thank you and God bless.

If you would like to have notifications of new Unshackled Moments and messages sent to you via email, send an email to dalynwoodard@mail.com requesting to be added to the list. You can also follow Dalyn Woodard (@Dalynsmsings) on Twitter or Unshackled Life Ministries on Facebook.

Unshackled Moment ~ August 26 ~ Requiem For A Dream

King David is one of the men in the Bible I most admire and look to an example. After all, I  was named after a man who was named after him. David was a nobody, small town boy, who worked hard but was at the bottom of the family pecking order. When his father was told to resent his sons to Samuel, his old man discounted him from the start and didn't bother to tell Samuel about him or call David in from the fields. Yet this boy rose above all expectations, became a hero of the people and then became king. But that's not why I admire him.

I admire him because he was a writer who was honest enough for us to see his humanity. He didn't pretend to be fine when he wasn't. He didn't wear a mask of self righteousness and claim innocence when guilt covered him. He poured out his  heart to God, and he allowed us to see it. Some of the most beautiful words of praise and hope came from his quill, and his poetry makes the Psalms a wonderful read. But David is also the first recorded blues man, and I love the blues. A large portion of Psalms are songs of lament. David had hurt, discouragement, disappointment and fear, and he refused to hide them or pretend they weren't real or an issue.

David hid in the dark caves and asked God how long his life would suck. He would remind God that he was only trying to do what he was called to do and all this opposition and hardship made it quite difficult. And then somehow as he journaled, wrote his songs, poured out his heart and soul and pain to the God who pulled him from the sheep to the throne, he always wrote his way back to a place of praise for the God he found he still trusted. He committed sexual sin that according to the law he should have died for, and then he committed murder to cover it up. Broken and repentant, he would later accept full responsibility and seek God for forgiveness and the strength to continue on serving despite his past. And it is for these reasons, a heart quick to praise and slow to doubt even in the face of fear and misery, a contrite and repentant spirit that accepted the truth of his sin without shifting blame and yet believed in the mercy and forgiveness of God to cover that sin, that David was called a man after God's own heart. That's why I admire him. That's the way I want to be like him. I don't want to be a king. I want to be a man who can be called a man after God's own heart, despite the very serious crimes and mistakes of my past.

This morning I flipped over to the Book of I Chronicles and read the last recorded words of this screw up, poet king. Here an old man, who had done what he was called to do, addressed the people and let his dream die without bitterness or resentment. Sometimes dreams die. Sometimes they die hard. Sometimes we kill them. Sometimes life strangles and starves them to death. Sometimes God chooses to do  something else in and with our life and our dreams become a part of the self that goes onto the altar when we give all of us, the good and the bad and the dream, to Him to do with what He wills, even if what He wills is to crush it for His glory. Sometimes dreams die slowly, and with every one of the sometimes comes the truth that when a dream dies a piece of us dies with it. It hurts. It is a loss that can be hard to take and it can be a struggle to go from that place of mourning and ashes to praising the God who either allowed the dream to die or even killed it Himself.

King David had the heart of a true worshiper. He loved God, and he loved to praise and worship God. His worship writing and career didn't begin with his rise from the fields, but while he was alone in those fields, writing songs of praise and watching over the sheep. He failed miserably at times, but he tried to live a life of worship and obedience to God.  He did what God called him to do in the most Godly way possible, and God used him to save the chosen nation of Israel from the Philistines. He became a warrior king because that's where God called him to serve, but his heart was the heart of a poet worshiper. His dream was to build a beautiful and permanent temple to replace the transient tent and give God a glorious place for the people to worship Him in. He gathered all the materials and made the plans. This temple would be one of the great wonders of the world. This would be the ultimate architectural poem of praise for the glory of God, and it was all he wanted to do before he died. This was the dream in the heart of the man known as a man after God's own heart. It was a good dream. And God said no.

God didn't just say no, he said that because David had done what God required of him, he had disqualified himself. You did what I told you to do and are therefore the wrong person to have this dream. That's what God told him. Are you waiting for me to say, just kidding, and show how obeying God and living a life of service to the calling on his life didn't cost David that dream? It's not going to happen.

Then King David rose to his feet and said, “Hear me, my brethren and my people: I had it in my heart to build a house of rest for the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and for the footstool of our God, and had made preparations to build it. But God said to me, ‘You shall not build a house for My name, because you have been a man of war and have shed blood.’

- I Chronicles 28:3-4

See? I wasn't kidding. God called David to be king and to defend Israel from her enemies. David said whatever You want me to do, O Lord, I will do, with Your help. He stood before Goliath with a sling and started down the warrior road that caused the worshiper in him to be less what he was known for, despite it being his truest self. Then the dream of that worshiper died because the warrior obeyed. How hard that must have been.  I look to this example, because this is one where God said no, when God took David's dream, after he had made the plans and preparations and got the provisions, after he had gotten so close, and said no. That has to be the most difficult kind of dream to see die. That to me is a harder dream to let go of with a right spirit than one where we know it's our fault.

I have dreams that died because of my choices and actions while I was living outside God's will as a slave to my addictions. I killed more than one passion and dream. And none of those hurt or are as difficult a weight to bear for me as one dream where God said no. But no dream is easily dismissed with a joyful heart of praise, no matter whose fault it is that it failed to come true. So I look to David and try to follow his steps in this dance from pain to praise. Turning the page to I Chronicles 29 David's prayer of response to God killing the desire of his heart is recorded. You can read it in 1 Chronicles 29:10-20. It's a great example for all of us who have had a dream or dreams die, for whatever reason.

David's response to the dying dream was to pray. He opened to the prayer with praise, acknowledging God's greatness and sovereignty. When we give ourselves completely to him and make our lives a living sacrifice we give up our right to resent not getting what we want. David gave thanks to God for being called to serve Him, for being a chosen people, even though there really wasn't anything special about the Israelites or David. They were small and ordinary, except God chose them and used them for His glory. David gave thanks for that, even though it was that very calling that caused his disqualification to have the dream. David recognized that the worst day in service to His Creator and for God's glory was better than the fulfillment of any personal dream.

Then he gave it all to God again. Here Lord is the provision I made for my dream, it's Yours. I give you all of me, the good and the bad and all of my dreams and plans and provisions to do with what You will, even though I know what You will is different than what I was wanting. It is Jesus saying is there another way? OK, Your will not mine be done, Daddy. It is the place of picking up our cross and following Him that we must get to before the bitterness of dying dreams can fade. David then turned his prayer toward the people. He prayed for others, and got out of self. He prayed for the people that God called him to serve and then for the one who  would get to have his dream. That's right. David prayed for Solomon, the son who would inherit David's dream. Instead of resenting the one who had what he could not have, David prayed a blessing over the man who would take his place and have what he God denied him. Finally, after praising God and giving everything to Him once more, and then praying for others, letting go of self, David called for those who could hear him, those under his realm, those within his sphere of influence to follow his lead and bless, praise and worship the God who is worthy to be praised.

Praising God from the graveside of your greatest dream is a difficult thing to do at times,  but it is the path to recovering from such a heavy loss. Mourn. But never take your eyes off the one who can turn our mourning into dancing, who can bring beauty from ashes of burnt up dreams and joy from sorrow. Give God the right to say no, not just to our will but our dreams, and despite how it may feel, we will see God do more with our life than what we would have had if all our dreams came true. Our life can be more satisfying, more fulfilling, more worth living with every dream we ever had dying a slow and painful death in sacrifice to God's plans, than it could ever be outside His will, even if every dream came true. That doesn't mean it may not still hurt, that the hole in our heart isn't real. But that pain is not the end. The Holy Spirit is called the Comforter. Let Him be the Comfort you need for the pain of dreams that don't come true.



Unshackled Life Ministries is grateful for every person that reads the daily Unshackled Moments and or listens to the messages. I want to thank those who have clicked "like" on something that blessed or ministered to them. It is encouraging to know that God is using this ministry to help and bless others. Please remember that if God used something from this ministry to help, encourage or bless you, it could also bless someone else. Would you help get the devotions to more people by sharing the Moments and messages that you read or listen to? Hitting the share button instead of or in addition to the like button will help us reach more people with the good news of freedom and the encouragement to live an Unshackled Life. Thank you and God bless.

If you would like to have notifications of new Unshackled Moments and messages sent to you via email, send an email to dalynwoodard@mail.com requesting to be added to the list. You can also follow Dalyn Woodard (@Dalynsmsings) on Twitter or Unshackled Life Ministries on Facebook.

Unshackled Moments ~ August 25 ~ Sowing Seeds

Having had a spiritual awakening as a result of this course of action, we tried to carry this message to others, and to practice these principles in all our affairs.

- Step 12 (Original wording)

This morning as I went to access my daily readings, which I do on computer, a news clip distracted me. A Pennsylvania man surrounded by reporters tried to express how he felt about being exonerated and set free after 25 years in prison. I can't blame him for being excited and wanting to show his joy to the world. When you've been absolved of wrongdoing and fault and released from a prison, it's natural to want to tell the world. When you find yourself free from shame and blame and the chains that bound you to behavior and misery that made life hell, there is something within that needs to tell somebody. And the world is full of captive, hurting people that desire to hear the solution and see the map that leads to freedom and a life worth living.

We're not all called to preach, but if you have been set free and become a child of God, justified - absolved and exonerated - by the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross, you have also been commanded to let the world see the light of His love, the glory of His power and the solution found in a life surrendered to His will.  The spiritual life is one of action, and part of that action is giving away what we have found. Step 12 tells us to share what we have with others. Jesus said go into the world and tell all of creation He lives and came to give life.

So whether it's sharing one on one with only a few and only when approached or writing a daily blog and preaching or everything in between and beyond, declaring the good news of freedom is something we are to do. But that is all of the process we are responsible for. We sow the seeds we were commanded to sow. Some of us scatter seed broad and wide. Some of us may place one seed carefully in one particular heart. But we need to remember that it is the Living Water and the power of the Spirit responsible for the seed's growth and not ours. We can't make the heart ground fertile and receptive. We can't make the seed take root and push tendrils toward the Son. It is not our job nor within our power. Share the solution but don't be discouraged when the seed doesn't grow. Neither take credit when it bears much fruit. The planting of the seed may be done by the sower, but the growth is due to the ground and the Creator.



Unshackled Life Ministries is grateful for every person that reads the daily Unshackled Moments and or listens to the messages. I want to thank those who have clicked "like" on something that blessed or ministered to them. It is encouraging to know that God is using this ministry to help and bless others. Please remember that if God used something from this ministry to help, encourage or bless you, it could also bless someone else. Would you help get the devotions to more people by sharing the Moments and messages that you read or listen to? Hitting the share button instead of or in addition to the like button will help us reach more people with the good news of freedom and the encouragement to live an Unshackled Life. Thank you and God bless.

If you would like to have notifications of new Unshackled Moments and messages sent to you via email, send an email to dalynwoodard@mail.com requesting to be added to the list. You can also follow Dalyn Woodard (@Dalynsmsings) on Twitter or Unshackled Life Ministries on Facebook.

Marks Of A Life In The Will Of God

Dalyn Woodard completes the study of Romans 15. Paul's personal revelations of his plans to the church in Rome are used to show an underlying truth and answer some questions about God's will. What is the will of God? What does a life lived in the will of God and in the service to God's purpose and calling on us look like? The message, "Marks Of A Life In The Will Of God " is about 55 minutes long and was recorded at Nacogdoches Christian Fellowship on Wednesday, August 24, 2016. It's our prayer that you are blessed and ministered to as you listen. May God bless and keep you.

Unshackled Life Ministries is grateful for every person that reads the daily Unshackled Moments and or listens to the messages. I want to thank those who have clicked "like" on something that blessed or ministered to them. It is encouraging to know that God is using this ministry to help and bless others. Please remember that if God used something from this ministry to help, encourage or bless you, it could also bless someone else. Would you help get the devotions to more people by sharing the Moments and messages that you read or listen to? Hitting the share button instead of or in addition to the like button will help us reach more people with the good news of freedom and the encouragement to live an Unshackled Life. Thank you and God bless.

If you would like to have notifications of new Unshackled Moments and messages sent to you via email, send an email to dalynwoodard@mail.com requesting to be added to the list. You can also follow Dalyn Woodard (@Dalynsmsings) on Twitter or Unshackled Life Ministries on Facebook.

Unshackled Moments August 24 ~ What Is God's Will

It is clear in scripture that the key to a life worth living and a close relationship with our Creator is to surrender our will to His. We must die to self will and follow Him in love and obedience. That basic spiritual truth is at the heart of the 12 steps to freedom. First we have to see that living by our will isn't cutting it and won't cut it. Then ,that there is God who has the power to transform our life and do what we can't. Then in Step 3, we turn our will and life over to the care of that God. If we surrender our will, our actions must logically therefore be guided and controlled by another's will, the will of the one caring for us, the will of God.

The majority of the rest of the steps are simply directions on how to put that surrender of will into action. First, in Step 4, we take a look at life and see where our will got us, which is reinforcement to remind us not to take our will back from God as we journey down the road, and we also look to see what has been and is blocking a deeper relationship with Him and our freedom. Then comes confession in Five, an act of obedience we may not at the time understand but that helps because it is the first real test of not doing what we want, keeping our secret sins secret, and instead doing His will. Then as we submit to His will, we see those things that are in the way of relationship and allow Him to change us, remove them, control our actions and reactions so that those things are hindered and replaced by the actions He wants. In eight and nine we make things right, we become the peacemakers we are called to be, reconciling with those who have something against us before giving our offering. Step 10 is simply a continuation of the above, and 12 is putting this into practice in every area of life, rather than just the area of captivity, and sharing the solution to help set other captives free.

I skipped Step 11, because it is the step where the idea of the will of God becomes the blatantly central theme once again for the first time since Step 3. We seek to improve our conscious contact with God through prayer and mediation, asking only for His will for us and the power to carry that out. The concept of the will of God comes up quite often in the rooms of recovery and in messages from pulpits. But what is it? How do we know if we're in it? Does asking only for His will mean that I can't ask Him for the job that I want or the healing I desire?

I have often heard that nothing happens outside the will of God. In one sense this is very true, within a certain framework, and in two other ways this is only sometimes true. The will of God is not one thing, but three, or rather there are three types of things that are all called God's will.

The first and most far reaching is the sovereign will of God. He is Lord or lords, King off Kings, Creator and ruler of all. He has a plan to destroy evil forever and put an end to the conflict between Holy and unholy, to restore His creation and establish relationship with as many as will come and say yes in response to His call. Nothing happens outside the sovereign will of God in the sense that no matter what happens, God can and will incorporate it into the flow of the big picture to ultimately bring about the triumph of good over evil, of love over hate, and righteousness over unrighteousness. Nothing can stop that from happening. It means that He will use the tragedy of the earthquake in Italy to draw people to Him and somehow this shaking destruction is one step closer to a day when there will be no more quakes, no more disasters, suffering or sorrow. It does not mean that God decided this morning would be a good day to split the earth and ruin some lives. Some events are the result of people refusing to surrender their will, some a result of the simple truth that sin brought death, not just to people but to the very earth, and as long as the curse still rules on this floating rock we will have thorns and disasters.

But I can not use the sovereign will of God as an excuse for the natural, logical, effect of the choices and causes I have responsibility for. If I relapse and damage my family and ministry and then crawl back into recovery like the Prodigal stinking of pig slop, I can say that God will use that rebellion and failing for His glory and for my good and that, at some point, it will somehow eventually be a part of His great victory and sovereign will. But that doesn't mean in the least that it was His will that I relapse or that I was in His will when I was back on the streets running and gunning. I can't absolve myself by blaming God's will for my relapse, because in that case, plenty happens outside His will.

The second type of God's will is where we begin to see a breakdown, a discrepancy, between what God wills and what happens. This is God's moral will, or God's will for our morality. It is God's will that we are motivated by, guided by and live in the action of love, love for Him and love for each other. That we will do nothing outside of love. In fact, He  said that if we just do that, we don't have to worry about rules because it would be impossible to sin while living completely like in perfect love. The problem is that we can't and don't do that. That's why we need the power of grace. We don't always choose love. We are indeed selfish and self centered, which causes us to make choices that lead to consequences that damage us and others. We bring pain and sorrow and death with every single selfish choice we make. Sometimes we may not know what God's will for us personally is, but we know that whatever it is, it includes the call to walk and live in love. We can at least know that we are to sacrifice self in favor of love and not do anything that would hurt our relationship with Him or hurt or prevent any one else's relationship with Him. If we know nothing more than that, we can, by grace, make a good start of living within His will by pursuing the practice of love at all times and in all things.

This brings us to the  third type of the will of God, His personal will for us. This is pretty much a never occurring practice outside of God's grace. Things happen in each and every one of our lives each and every day that are outside of this and conflict with this aspect of God's will. This is the aspect of God's will that we are seeking in Step 11. We are to improve our conscious contact with God by seeking the knowledge and understanding of His personal plan for His life, submitting to that plan and asking for the grace (power) to carry it out. Remember that if we don't know that personal plan right away we can lean on His grace to be as faithful in Will Aspect #2, walking in love, until and during such time as He begins to reveal it to us. Also, God wants us to show ourselves faithful in the first and little things before He gives us more and bigger. So if He has only given a tiny piece of the puzzle, don't wait, use the grace He has also given to begin fulfilling that piece as faithfully and completely as possible. Sometimes we can't even see one step ahead, but if we will obediently raise our foot when He tells us to, He will always give us direction on where to set it down. If we wait for Him to tell us where we'll be down the road before we lift our foot to walk in obedience, we may never know. It is a rare, rather than common, thing for God to lay out His whole plan for us in front of our eyes. That may seem like it makes obedience more difficult, but I don't think so. I think we should be grateful, because I believe it's much easier to step out in faith rather than being overwhelmed by the big picture of His plans. What would be impossible in my mind today may very well be easily within my acceptance and grace level a year from now. Sometimes it's better not to know in advance.

Don't be discouraged if you don't have the next step or if it doesn't feel like God has even said to lift the foot yet. Remember that Noah was about 500 years old when God called Him to build the ark, but that revelation of God's personal will for Noah never would have come if Noah hadn't been faithful and obedient in either Will Aspect #2 or what little parts of Will Aspect #3 he had. God wants us to know His plans for us, and He will tell them to us, but not necessarily as quickly or as completely as we would want Him to.

When it comes to direction, there is nothing we need to know other than God's will for us, but that doesn't mean we can't ask for our dreams. We must be OK with a no or maybe later answer, but He wants us to ask. And as for asking for our needs to be met, we are instructed to do that. It is His will for us to obey, so when we ask for the daily needs, the healing and restoration, and the rest that go with that, we are within His will when we ask, so tell Daddy what you need. He loves and cares for you.

Trust in the God that cares for you, because He is trustworthy and loves you. Rely on the truth of His word in your very core so that His truth is the foundation upon which every action and reaction is made, rather than on the basis of your own instincts and understanding. In everything you do, put His way, will and glory first, and He will show you where each step must go in order to take you to and complete His personal plan for your life and bring you to perfection in person and relationship with Him while bringing Himself glory and drawing others to Himself. - My paraphrase of Proverbs 3:5-6



Unshackled Life Ministries is grateful for every person that reads the daily Unshackled Moments and or listens to the messages. I want to thank those who have clicked "like" on something that blessed or ministered to them. It is encouraging to know that God is using this ministry to help and bless others. Please remember that if God used something from this ministry to help, encourage or bless you, it could also bless someone else. Would you help get the devotions to more people by sharing the Moments and messages that you read or listen to? Hitting the share button instead of or in addition to the like button will help us reach more people with the good news of freedom and the encouragement to live an Unshackled Life. Thank you and God bless.

If you would like to have notifications of new Unshackled Moments and messages sent to you via email, send an email to dalynwoodard@mail.com requesting to be added to the list. You can also follow Dalyn Woodard (@Dalynsmsings) on Twitter or Unshackled Life Ministries on Facebook.

Unshackle Moments ~ August 23 ~ #ICantBeUrFriendBecause

I got up this morning, kissed my wife, petted the psycho puppy Selina and walked over to the coffee pot to get this morning's Elixir Of Waketitude, before promptly knocking a glass off the counter, breaking it. After cleaning up the glass, I poured the entire pot of cold coffee I made last night into an old blender jar that Leah gave me. That's how I drink it. I noticed that today is Internaut Day, and yes, I think it's cool. No, I won't. Look it up. I'm a junkie and a drunk who has been clean and sober for over six years and tries to give away the solution I've found through a spiritual journey that begins with 12 steps.

I firmly believe that if a person has no higher power or uses a doorknob for a higher power but begins the journey seeking truth and never stops seeking and pushing for deeper understanding they will eventually find the answer is the Way, the Truth and the Life of God made flesh in the person of Jesus, who promised us that if we seek we will find. If it sounds like I'm preaching rather than sharing my experience, strength and hope, Jesus is the strength and hope that gave purpose to my experience, and I am a preacher. He is alive, and I am alive because of Him.

When I finish writing this I will take my laptop next door to the trailer that is used for storage, have a seat in my recliner, finish my morning readings and daily routine while smoking a custom blend of tobacco from one of my favorite briar pipes. Then I will start on the housework, because in addition to ministry, I am a househusband so that I can contribute to the family serenity, needs and functionality while my wife works outside the home because my felony record makes it difficult to find employment. I am happy to help around the house, and am grateful that I am able to help my wife while having the flexibility to do what God has called me to do. And without even getting into the eclectic shuffle of music I have playing during all of this, I have covered my day before noon and a little of who I am and what I believe.....and I have probably given each and every person reading this at least one reason not to like me, maybe more. I might have even run off some.

And that's just this morning. If you knew everything about my past, my present, my thoughts, my feelings, my hopes and my dreams there would be plenty of things that would make you think, no I can't be friends with someone like that. And I'm sure that the same is true if I knew those things to that depth of  you Dear Reader. For that matter, when I think of turning on all the lights on myself and honestly looking in the mirror I can't even be friends with me. Self-reflection is so much scarier than any fun house mirror ever made. There is not a singles person on the planet that doesn't have something about them that someone won't dislike or disagree with. And it doesn't take much if we're looking for an excuse to not like someone, to keep them at a distance or cut them out of our life...or the flip side of that coin to feel like no one would like or accept you if you didn't pretend to be someone you're not, if you put down your mask, to feel like you are unlikable.

#ICantBeUrFriendBecause you're a fan of any other Big 12 Football team than the Texas Tech Red Raiders. Wreck 'Em Tech!!

Okay, that's tongue in cheek. I am a Red Raider, but some of my good friends are Longhorn fans, and I enjoyed the time watching football with my father-in-law as much when the Aggies were still in the Big 12 as much as I do now. But I have truly seen fights that ruined flimsy friendships over sports teams and rivalries. It's crazy, right?

I searched #ICantBeUrFriendBecause in Twitter, and here a a few of the first ten I saw.

#ICantBeUrFriendBecause It's GIF. JIF IS A peanut butter and jraphics are not a thing.

#ICantBeUrFriendBecause I don't speak parseltongue.🚫🐍

#ICantBeUrFriendBecause I don't have time for foolishness & you or anyone wasting my PRECIOUS time #itiswhatitis

#ICantBeUrFriendBecause you write things like UR instead of your

#ICantBeUrFriendBecause...... It's Always Too Late. [Above a meme which reads - The Trick Is Not To Let People Know How Weird You Are Until It's Too Late For Them To Back Out.]

#ICantBeUrFriendBecause ...actually I can please be my friend I don't like being alone

Some of the things I saw are amusing. Some are sad. Some are stupid and ridiculous, but there is truth in the tag. There are far too many reasons to not be someone's friend to be anyone's friend....if that's what we look for. And three of the reasons (not even close to inclusive) for looking for those is the understanding that if we are friends with and associate with the wrong sort we will find ourselves on the reject list as well and the understanding that if we don't separate from the incompatible quickly we run the risk of being hurt when it inevitably goes wrong, and let us not forget, if we are honest, we all know there are reasons we wouldn't be friends with ourselves, so why should we trust anyone to be a good friend to us?

There is a saying in recovery, look for the similarities rather than the differences. So you're a Longhorn fan? That means you like Big 12 College Football too! As easy as it is to find reasons to cut people out of your life and keep them away, there are similarities that can help bridge the gap and foster connection and friendship. Now, I'm not saying that there aren't people who have done damage that need to be avoided, people who refuse to respect boundaries to the point where one must forgive but deny friendship, even contact and communication at times. That happens, but for most people there are similarities that can help us connect, that can enable us to set aside our fears and labels and be of service, that make it possible for them to do the same to and for us. If nothing else is easily seen, then I can assure you there are always at least one similarity between any two people.

#ICanBeURfriend because you are loved and valued by God. Sometimes, most times, if we are spiritually fit, that is enough. It was enough for Jesus, and we are called to follow His example and do what He did, after all. The motivation is to love, to serve and to bless. As someone who has found a spiritual solution that brings freedom and provides a life worth living, I am responsible whenever anyone reaches out for help and searches for a solution to the bondage that chains them to misery and destruction to reach back and share the solution in and with love. And if I need help, I have learned to remove the barriers between me and the people God may choose to help me.

Jesus doesn't vet us. He calls us friend. He ate with the respectable religious leaders. He spoke the same truth in the same way to the Roman ruler of the land as to the outcast at the well. He hung out with lepers, losers or outcasts. All could come if they chose to respond with yes to His call to come. All who chose to say no were sadly let go. He didn't let what anyone might think of Him helping and loving anyone lessen His compassion for anyone. Status, position, and personality had nothing to do with the love of Christ for us. You can come to God and find a faithful friend and an every present help in times of need. And you can learn to be a friend and help others find what you have found, even among those who are as different as well, a perfect and Holy God and you.



Unshackled Life Ministries is grateful for every person that reads the daily Unshackled Moments and or listens to the messages. I want to thank those who have clicked "like" on something that blessed or ministered to them. It is encouraging to know that God is using this ministry to help and bless others. Please remember that if God used something from this ministry to help, encourage or bless you, it could also bless someone else. Would you help get the devotions to more people by sharing the Moments and messages that you read or listen to? Hitting the share button instead of or in addition to the like button will help us reach more people with the good news of freedom and the encouragement to live an Unshackled Life. Thank you and God bless.

If you would like to have notifications of new Unshackled Moments and messages sent to you via email, send an email to dalynwoodard@mail.com requesting to be added to the list. You can also follow Dalyn Woodard (@Dalynsmsings) on Twitter or Unshackled Life Ministries on Facebook.

Unshackled Moments ~ August 22 ~ Illegitimate Debt

In high school I joined the FFA, Future Farmers of America, despite knowing that I had no desire to be a farmer. I did it so that I could show the heifer that I caught in a calf scramble the year before and because my dad had been in the FFA when he was in high school. The public and extemporaneous speaking and debate competitions that I represented my chapter in taught me how to present my thoughts and arguments to an audience in a way that could be understood and heard. It helped prepare me for the ministry that I have now, and for that I am grateful. I enjoyed some things about FFA, despite not being country enough to fit in or be accepted much. Some things I  didn't care for much at all.

One of my biggest regrets during my high school tenure and one of the few amends I have left and would like to make if God ever gives me the opportunity came on a trip to the FFA National Convention. I didn't actually commit the crime, but I was at least complicit and guilty by association. I feel more like a cowardly accomplice than a witness. I have always been ashamed of the moment I let someone else suffer because of my desire to be accepted. I knew when I decided to go on the trip that I would be the outsider of the trip, but it could still be fun, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity with things to do away from the guys from my school. But then one other guy, more rejected than I was, signed up. This poor boy was country. Everything about him should have made him just another good old boy high school ag student who fit in with that crowd. But he didn't. He didn't have enough money. He didn't have the social skills. He was broke and awkward, and worse, he looked and acted both.

We were on the trip with one chaperone. Nine high school boys and one teacher is recipe for disaster. It was also a recipe for a tough trip for the oddest man out who would end up sharing a hotel room with the chaperone while the rest of us eight split up between two rooms chaperone free. While I am sure my mother would have felt better had I spent the week with the teacher, I was grateful not to. I prided myself on being a person who accepted the unaccepted, who befriended the friendless and ran with the outcasts, but not that week. Several states from home and not wanting to be kicked out of the group who accepted me as the lesser of the two undesirables, I stood on the edges of the group and silently watched this fellow misfit be bullied and belittled during the times when the group was forced to include him at all. The rest of the time we stayed as far from him and the chaperone as possible. It was horrible. I knew how he felt. We could have made friends, bonded, been outcasts together if I'd chosen him over the group. But I chose the company of people I didn't particularly like, who didn't like me, instead.

This had me feeling shame the whole trip, which of course I tried to push away with distraction, pleasure and chemicals, but one moment it became far worse. Mr. Mills, the chaperone, somehow coerced the student who had brought his boom box into letting Outcast hold it and play one of the cassettes while we rode in the van on the way home. The player ate the tape and the deck refused to open. The owner of the box convinced Outcast that he was responsible and that the boom box would have to be replaced. This young man accepted responsibility for damaging the box and agreed to compensate the owner. Even though he'd only eaten that cheapest meals possible each day because he didn't have enough to bring spending money, he bought the boom box owner a Swatch watch to cover the cost of replacing the box. He went hungry the rest of the trip because he was out of money afterward.

But I knew the boom box was fine. I also knew that I could get the deck open and get the tape out. I could probably fix the tape, but the player was fine. I stepped up right before the Swatch was purchased to tell the boom box owner, but I told him off to the side where no one could hear. I should have told Outcast or everyone. But I stood by and let this poor kid get conned and ripped off and go hungry. Then, as if that wasn't evil enough, when we got back in the van and resumed the trip home, I fixed the player. It took about two minutes. I should have at least waited until the trip was over so that perhaps Outcast wouldn't have known he'd been taken advantage of. But no, when the owner asked me to fix it, I did, both the tape and the player, and Owner laughed as we continued on playing the very tape that had been eaten on the player that supposedly had been damaged and he deserved compensation for. I still remember the look in Outcast's eyes as he realized what had happened; the hurt and anguish made me want to crawl in a hole. I had caused someone else to feel what made me want to die. I still hate it happened.

I should have told him he wasn't responsible and that even if he had been that there wasn't really any damage. I should have told him he owed nothing. That paying for a Swatch watch wasn't going to make him accepted and that it wasn't necessary. He was hurt and miserable and hungry, bereft of resources, because he tried to pay a debt that was illegitimate. And we are often in the same position. No, I haven't jumped tracks.

As children of God, we are the outcasts of the world and enemies of the Enemy of God. He hates and despises us. But for some reason, there is still a part in most, if not all of us, that wants to be comfortable in and accepted by the world and by God. We want to fit in both places. So when we are told that we belong with the world and not with God because of our past, we bite and swallow the lie hook, line and sinker. We try to make up for what we've done, we try to earn God's acceptance and approval through good works and living right We try to pay our debts. But here's the thing. God already forgave and accepted us. Our debts are more than we could ever pay if we had to, because we were spiritually and morally bankrupt. Jesus paid our debt, and therefore there is nothing to repay. We are making ourselves miserable trying to pay a bill that has already been paid, and the enemy is laughing at us as he watches us try to earn what we already have, the love and acceptance and forgiveness of God.

No matter how we might feel or what we have been or done in the past, we are not outcasts to God. If we have accepted the gift of grace and the justification of Jesus for us, we are God's children, not rejected but accepted. We do not have to listen to the lies of an enemy who hates us. The debt has been paid. If we have opportunity to accept our part and provide compensation to the people we have legitimately harmed we should, to make it right with them, to show them that the change we declare is true and to show the restorative love of God in action. But don't buy into the lie that our actions determine our forgiveness and acceptance from God. He loves you and me. He died in our place. He paid every eternal debt of sin we have or will ever owe. All He asks of us in return is surrender and for us to accept that He is enough. We need to stop trying to pay on debts that are illegitimate because they have already been paid.



Unshackled Life Ministries is grateful for every person that reads the daily Unshackled Moments and or listens to the messages. I want to thank those who have clicked "like" on something that blessed or ministered to them. It is encouraging to know that God is using this ministry to help and bless others. Please remember that if God used something from this ministry to help, encourage or bless you, it could also bless someone else. Would you help get the devotions to more people by sharing the Moments and messages that you read or listen to? Hitting the share button instead of or in addition to the like button will help us reach more people with the good news of freedom and the encouragement to live an Unshackled Life. Thank you and God bless.

If you would like to have notifications of new Unshackled Moments and messages sent to you via email, send an email to dalynwoodard@mail.com requesting to be added to the list. You can also follow Dalyn Woodard (@Dalynsmsings) on Twitter or Unshackled Life Ministries on Facebook.

Unshackled Moments ~ August 21 ~ Automatic Logout

My email address is dalynwoodard@minister.com.  I have this email for two reasons. The first reason is that  it is free, and the second is that I was able to choose minister.com from a list of options rather than being limited to the "hostname".com like I am with Yahoo and Google. I set it up when I became licensed to preach. For the most past I like the service and the function of mail.com, the site that I got the email from. It's easy to navigate. I can set up multiple accounts for various purposes and have them all sent to the one email but divided into separate folders. It doesn't stack replies and conversations in weird ways that make it hard to find emails I need like Google does. The app works great, and there's plenty of storage space.

But there's one thing that I hate about mail.com, and that's the automatic log out. If my browser tab with my email is left open for too long without being used, the internet service is interrupted or the computer goes to sleep, the site logs me out. It's frustrating. It's bad enough this happens. I never log out of Google; it's the best thing about them after the free part. But they don't just log me out and load up the log in page.  My email window doesn't change or close, leaving it up for all to see and a floating box appears to inform me "You have been logged out for security reasons." Beneath that is a button that when clicked is supposed to navigate the user to the log in, except that it doesn't work. So, I have  to type in the addy or use a bookmark to get to the log in page.

Here's why this frustrates me. First, it's  a hassle that the other email companies don't make me go through. I don't use a company or public computer for my email. The only person with access to my computer is Leah, and she has all of my passwords anyway. If she wants to access and read my emails, she's welcome to. So, it's not a security issue for me. Secondly, they know it's not a security issue, and they are lying about their reasons. The premium service allows the user to stay logged in. How is it a security issue with the fee account but not a security issue if I'm paying of for the service? The log in page has the links that they want clicked on, news and such. They want to increase their traffic through these links, and getting the user back at that page is the only reliable way to do that. If it never logged me out, I'd never go to that page again.  So don't lie and say it's about keeping my account safe. There's a page saying to remember to log out for this reason in between loging in and the inbox whenever the automatic logout has kinked in. Finally, what frustrates me about this is how much this frustrates me.

I know it's what they do and why. I know they aren't going to change it. I know I'm not going to pay to prevent having it happen. It's just doesn't take that much time and effort to log back in. So I really need to let it go, and most times I do. But sometimes it just bugs me beyond reason, as in I know that my reaction is neither reasonable, logical or spiritual the right response.

This morning was one of those times, and I came to the realization that at least in this case the cause was my not being where I needed to be spiritually. I have a headache. I didn't sleep well, and the new puppy is crying because I won't let her out to play. All of these are distracting me from my reading and prayer time. I loaded my email in order to access the daily link to Biblegateway that allows me to choose a reading plan and translation to do my daily Bible reading online. I wanted to start with the Bible this morning, and the email mess slowed my progress. Frustration hit. Then I hard that voice that sounds like me but has far too much understanding and wisdom to be me say you're being foolish. Letting something you know is going to happen every morning upset you is not showing wisdom. The fact is that the problem is not their policy but that you have allowed yourself to be automatically logged out of conscious contact with God.

Oh wow. What a wake up call to my condition and position that was. It's true. That's what had happened, and it happens far too often. I know that I am not the only one that it happens to, and it doesn't have to happen. Ideally it's not supposed to happen. But it does. Our old nature, our flesh, uses any chance and every excuse to log us out of our spiritual account and take us to the place where we have to set ourselves to seek the awareness of the presence of God, to make the choice to log in or get distracted by another link. It's not about security, and the reason is hidden in lies.

It's because of what's happening. It's someone else's fault. God logged us out, kicked us out of His presence, or just isn't with us and doesn't want to be. If we live better, do better, pay more this won't happen. All lies, and not close to all the possible lies about the automatic logout.  The truth is that paying more or earning won't help, and it doesn't matter what we're going through we have access to Daddy because we are His children. The truth is that there is a way to keep the automatic logout from activating, or at least keep it from happening as often.

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

- 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Pray without ceasing. The same thing that works with mail.com works spiritually. If I am actively using the account, I don't get logged out. Now, I can't do this, in either case. But by grace I can come closer to doing it spiritually. If I stay focused on Him and my awareness of who He is, His will for me and His presence, if I am going through my day attentive to the possibility that He wants to speak to me and listening for His message, that is an attitude of prayer that is active and helps prevent the automatic logout my flesh wishes to engage. The grace and love of God gives us free access to the presence of God, but if we don't keep our attention on Him, taking our heart and life to Him and listening and looking for Him in our day, our flesh, which by the way hates that we left it to die, will try to break our connection with our Creator and distract us away to something outside of where we need to be.

We don't have to succumb to the automatic logout, but sometimes we do. We can't perfectly walk in the fullness of the grace available. So, when the logout occurs and we find ourselves staring at the old home page, with its news and adds and distractions from the truth and love we were needing to access, it's not a time to get frustrated, nor a time to believe the lies about why it happened and fall for the idea that we aren't wanted and loved by Daddy, or a time to try to do better, pray better, walk better etc.. It's most definitely not time to check out any of the links. Simply log back in by grace,

username - ChildoftheLivingGod
password - BloodofJesusfreelypouredoutforme



Unshackled Life Ministries is grateful for every person that reads the daily Unshackled Moments and or listens to the messages. I want to thank those who have clicked "like" on something that blessed or ministered to them. It is encouraging to know that God is using this ministry to help and bless others. Please remember that if God used something from this ministry to help, encourage or bless you, it could also bless someone else. Would you help get the devotions to more people by sharing the Moments and messages that you read or listen to? Hitting the share button instead of or in addition to the like button will help us reach more people with the good news of freedom and the encouragement to live an Unshackled Life. Thank you and God bless.

If you would like to have notifications of new Unshackled Moments and messages sent to you via email, send an email to dalynwoodard@mail.com requesting to be added to the list. You can also follow Dalyn Woodard (@Dalynsmsings) on Twitter or Unshackled Life Ministries on Facebook.

Unshackled Moments ~ August 20 ~ Friend In Need

When something really matters, when we are in deep and desperate need of help, the natural tendency is to make our case with those whom we wish to receive help from.

This is what is going on...can't you see that unless something is done...

This is why I deserve help....

Remember when I did such and such for you? You owe me.....

There are a lot of different ways to try to elicit aid. Some work better than others, depending on the situation and cause and people involved. But none of these tactics are how we are to take our needs, cares and concerns to God. It may feel natural to do so, after all, we are going into a spiritual throne room to make our petition to the King, and not just any king but THE KING of kings. Don't we need to justify bending His ear and taking up His time with our petty problems? Don't we need to show Him that we've earned the attention, loved well enough to get some aid as reward, been a good servant or promise to be a better servant in the future? Don't we need to make it clear that we understand that the situation could always be worse, and there are people worse off but we feel it's still important enough to deserve His attention because......Um, no. That's not how we go before the King. We don't have to work Him or bargain with Him or manipulate Him or earn His help or.....

Jesus is the demonstration of the heart of the Father in the flesh. The Father. Daddy. We belong to Him. We have become His children. Yes, He is King, and for those who are not His, no bargaining or manipulation or performance or virtue will be enough. The only thing that moves the King is a cry for mercy and a desire to become His. To those He always responds with acceptance. But we are no longer in that group that doesn't belong to Him and needs to become His. We are His children. We are princes and princesses of the Lord of lords, and we don't have to follow some courtly protocols and bow and scrape our way from the gates to before His throne. We can run in and climb in His lap. The King is also Daddy, and He loves us.

The life of Jesus showed the better way to approach and ask for help. Three siblings, two girls and a guy, all had relationship with Jesus. They were friends, followers, disciples. They had hosted His ministry, fed Him, visited with Him. They were not strangers who would ever stand at the edge of the crowd crying out Jesus, Son of David, Have mercy on me. No, they weren't strangers, subjects or outsiders. Lazarus,  that was the guy's name (his story can be found in John 11), got sick, as in he was dying sick. So his sisters, Martha and Mary, sent word to Jesus trying to get help from the only One who had the power to help them in their time of desperation. So what case did they make to the Lord? How did they show that Lazarus should be helped and was worthy of the time and attention of the Master?

Therefore the sisters sent to Him, saying, “Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick.”

- John 11:3

No balance sheet, no business plan showing how well Lazarus could be of future use to the ministry, no see how many times we've fed and housed you?, no any of that. Just Jesus, we know You love Him, and he needs Your help. They expected help because they knew the love was there. And they received help, not the way or the when they wanted, but they got what they needed in a way that brought glory to God.

John called himself the disciple that Jesus loved. Some have tried to say that means John was the favorite disciple. I won't say that, but I will say that John felt like a favorite, he felt special to Jesus. I have a feeling some of the others felt the same way. It's not a bad thing. It's an important thing. In fact our spiritual life and relationship hinges on that understanding. I am special to Jesus. I am a friend of God. I am the man whom Jesus loves. And that means I matter to Him. What I am going through, what I am facing, what I am afraid of all matter. It means He cares about me, and I don't have to manipulate or coerce His help. I only need to ask and He will be quick to help, because He is a best friend closer than a brother, and He is a brother, and because He loves me.

And that's the most awesome thing in the world and something so important for me to remember when I start feeling my issues aren't important enough, or I'm not worthy enough to go to the King. And the amazing thing for you is that you are just as special and important to Him. You are one of His favorites. You are the disciple that Jesus loves. Take you trivia and your Titanic to Him. He wants you to remember you are no longer only a servant. You are His friend, and He loves you.



Unshackled Life Ministries is grateful for every person that reads the daily Unshackled Moments and or listens to the messages. I want to thank those who have clicked "like" on something that blessed or ministered to them. It is encouraging to know that God is using this ministry to help and bless others. Please remember that if God used something from this ministry to help, encourage or bless you, it could also bless someone else. Would you help get the devotions to more people by sharing the Moments and messages that you read or listen to? Hitting the share button instead of or in addition to the like button will help us reach more people with the good news of freedom and the encouragement to live an Unshackled Life. Thank you and God bless.

If you would like to have notifications of new Unshackled Moments and messages sent to you via email, send an email to dalynwoodard@mail.com requesting to be added to the list. You can also follow Dalyn Woodard (@Dalynsmsings) on Twitter or Unshackled Life Ministries on Facebook.

Unshackled Moments ~ August 19 ~ Sunrise

This morning I rose before the sun and started my morning devotions early. I couldn't sleep anyway, so I decided to make use of the time instead of laying in bed upset that I wasn't snoozing. The first of my readings this morning included Psalm 51, and the sixth verse struck me as a must share. I copied it and switched tabs on my browser to access Twitter.

While tweeting the verse I noticed the topics trending included #WorldPhotoDay. World Photo Day is an international event on August 19th that celebrates the passion for photography by inspiring thousands of photographers across the planet to share a single photo with a simple purpose: to share their world with the world. (Paraphrased from the World Photo Day website) It worked. I immediately felt inspired to shot an image today that showed my little area of the planet and gave glory to the Master Artist who created it. The darkness of the early morning hour made me realize that I could easily get to a good spot about a mile down the road to take a sunrise photo, since it was about a half hour before the sun would come up.

I tweeted Just realized today is #WorldPhotoDay, maybe me waking up so flipping early was God's gift of a beautiful sunrise shot?, and then got ready to go. The moment I stepped outside the house I knew it wasn't happening. There was more than enough light to see by five minutes before sunrise, and the landscape around me felt muted and grey as the overcast day blocked any hope of seeing the sun. I felt disappointed and let down but went to take a photo anyway. Just because I couldn't get a sunrise shot didn't mean that I couldn't participate.

As I write this though I feel so grateful the morning went the way it did. If the sky had been clear and beautifully colored at sunrise I would have been thankful to God and excited, but I would have missed a blessing. I drove down the road and got in position to take the image I had envisioned, minus the sunrise, of course. A couple of minutes after official sunrise the scene before me began to change. The grass went from grayish  blue and blah to green with yellow highlights. The blacktop road became more interesting to my eye. Though some grey remained, the blues in the sky became richer. I couldn't see the sun but I could most certainly see its effects. I had been completely wrong. I was taking a sunrise photograph.

The sun rose this morning. The overcast skies didn't change that. The sun rose, and the light from the sun still illuminated my view of the earth. The light seemed greatly hindered. I couldn't point to the spot in the sky where the sun would be, other than the general direction of East. There wasn't any hint of the silhouette in the sky. But the truth was that the light wasn't greatly hindered just because I couldn't see its source. I didn't need an extra light source. I didn't struggle to see, and the landscape was easily visible rather than formlessly dim. I didn't need a flash for the photo. The sun came up and illuminated the world as it does daily.

I realized as I snapped off a few frames that life feels this way sometimes. The day is dreary, and I become discouraged wishing God would show up, wishing He would rise into my day and make it better. But the clouds of my problems blocking my view don't change the fact and truth that He is present any more than the clouds in my sky this morning meant the sun didn't rise. If rather than becoming depressed that I can't see and have the Sonrise that I want, the obvious overwhelming beauty and awe of the presence of God, I instead open my eyes to my surroundings I will be more than able to see the hand of God on my life, changing the hues, saturating the grey with color, making life worth living and brighter even though the landscape of life remains overcast.

Sometimes God's presence isn't obvious. But there are signs He is there if we look, and there is a different but beautiful display of His glory in the overcast. The colors may be fewer, the light a little less bright, but the presence is powerful, even when we can not see the source. Today, don't let the situations of life make you believe God isn't with you. He is there, behind the clouds, illuminating your life and way.



Unshackled Life Ministries is grateful for every person that reads the daily Unshackled Moments and or listens to the messages. I want to thank those who have clicked "like" on something that blessed or ministered to them. It is encouraging to know that God is using this ministry to help and bless others. Please remember that if God used something from this ministry to help, encourage or bless you, it could also bless someone else. Would you help get the devotions to more people by sharing the Moments and messages that you read or listen to? Hitting the share button instead of or in addition to the like button will help us reach more people with the good news of freedom and the encouragement to live an Unshackled Life. Thank you and God bless.

If you would like to have notifications of new Unshackled Moments and messages sent to you via email, send an email to dalynwoodard@mail.com requesting to be added to the list. You can also follow Dalyn Woodard (@Dalynsmsings) on Twitter or Unshackled Life Ministries on Facebook.