21 Nov, 2008


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3,300 Prisoners To Be Freed Early
SOFIA (Reuters) - Bulgaria plans to free thousands of minor offenders in an attempt to relieve its overcrowded jails and ease the work of the legal system, the government said Thursday.

Under a draft law approved by the Socialist-led government, about 3,300 inmates with light sentences or nearing the end of their terms will be released, the cabinet said in a statement.

Criminals serving time for murder or assault will stay in jail. The amnesty also aims at marking the 130th anniversary of the Justice Ministry in 2009 and is in line with prepared amendments to the penal code, the statement said.

(Reporting by Tsvetelia Ilieva, editing by Mark Trevelyan)

Set Free!!

Jesus Came To Set The Captives Free

Luke 4:16-21

16 And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. And as was his custom, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and he stood up to read. 17 And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written,

18 "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives
and recovering of sight to the blind,
to set at liberty those who are oppressed,
19 to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."

20 And he rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. 21 And he began to say to them, "Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing." (ESV)

What does today's God's Story scripture teach us about being set free?


When Jesus read scripture in the synagogue that day, he declared that the scripture from Isaiah was fulfilled! He was (and is) the Messiah who had come to set the captives free.

What does that mean? It means we are free! I am free! You are free! Your friends and family who are following Jesus are free! And that same freedom is available to anyone who would call on the name of Jesus to set them free!

Free from what? Free from the wages of sin, which is death (Romans 6:23). Free to live the abundant life that Jesus came to bring (John 10:10).

How can we connect today's God's Story scripture to our lives?

  • Thank God today for setting the captives free by sacrificing His Son, Jesus.
  • Thank God today for setting your friends and family who are following Jesus free.
  • Thank God today for setting you free.

How can we connect today's story, God's Story, and our story to others?

  • Listen closely to your friends who aren't following Jesus. Listen for how they may be captive to sin.
  • Ask a friend for their permission to talk about how you have been set free from a life of sin.
  • Offer to pray with a friend that they might experience the freedom that Jesus offers.
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The Daily Bide is brought to you by a team of writers from Youth for Christ/USA. The writers all have various years of experience in youth ministry but share a common bond in serving Jesus and discovering what it means to abide deeply everyday and to connect God's Story with those around them. A number of the Daily Bide writers have also written portions of our 3Story® resources. You can check out our resources at the 3Story.org website or connect with our writers at 3story@yfc.net. If you have a question or a story you would like to share, please reference the Daily Bide date in your email.

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