Showing posts with label freedom in Christ. Show all posts
Showing posts with label freedom in Christ. Show all posts
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
Shake The Chains Off
Whom the Son has set free is free indeed (John 8:36). God is calling His people to live in freedom. Jesus died and rose again for us to live in this freedom (1 John 4:9-10). As we go through life the enemy has a job to do and that is to strap us down with worry, doubt and disbelief. We have a job to do also and that is to counteract his traps and destroy his work. We must stand on The Word of God and believe we are truly free. We don’t have to sit down and take the torment of the enemy. The enemy’s job is to entangle our thoughts with negativity and keep us bound with hurt and pain. The Lord is our healer and we are free to receive healing from Him anytime (Exodus 15:16). We must shake off the chains; lift our hands up in freedom and worship The Lord (2 Corinthians 3:17).
This is the hour to take a stand and believe God. This is the hour for the church to rise up and show the world we are living and we have much life in Christ. Break away from the chains of religion. Don’t you know man can hold you hostage with tradition?
Shake that chain off! You are FREE! Allow God to teach you how to pray, worship, and fast. Allow God to show you how to live. Come out of the cave and live. Come out of depression and live. Come out of hurt and pain and live. Come out of lost hope and live. It is your time to live. It is you time to forgive and live. Leave forgiveness and bitterness alone and live. Live to the fullness!
God gave you a cup, now allow Him to fill it up, that it may run over (Psalm 23:5), and LIVE! It is your time CHURCH! This is our hour! God is doing great and awesome things. Come out of your comfort and live. Stop being afraid of the unknown and live. It is your time to rise up. It’s time to live in joy and peace. He came so that you may live and live life abundantly (John 10:10). So what are you waiting for? Pick up your cross and let’s go LIVE! God bless and Shalom.
SCripture of the Day: “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” - John 10:10
Monday, July 23, 2012
Set Me Free!
What is freedom in Christ? I’ve really been crying out for this lately. You see, this annoying whisper--and quite nasty I might add--has been constantly slipping judgmental and accusing thoughts into my ear that just won’t seem to quit. Who wouldn’t want freedom from that nasty voice, huh? I’ve been doing everything from speaking the truth to the lie over and over again, “I’m the righteousness of God in Jesus Christ” to “casting” this voice of condemnation away as best as I could. But no matter how hard I tried to get rid of it, the worse it seemed to get! Hmmm, ok what’s going on here? After a while, this constant junk flooding my thoughts started to get me down as you probably can imagine.
What is a girl (or guy) to do at this point? Unfortunately, I started doing the wrong thing: subtly and slightly believing these inner judgmental and accusatory thoughts about myself. I knew intellectually I was free from this condemnation, but the heaviness on my shoulders of absorbing these accusations into my subconscious was telling me otherwise.
Wow. Don’t know what I was thinking at the time, but God in His graciousness always saves the day and this time He did once again. God replaced the inner turmoil in my spirit with these sweet words, “My son’s death on the cross cost WAY too much for you not to make use of it right now. His death was too costly for you to “throw it away” by holding onto these accusations against yourself.”
I realized not accepting the depth of His forgiveness in EVERYTHING is like buying a brand new Lamborghini (and for the ladies a pair of new Louboutins) only to leave the car in the garage (or stuffing the shoes in the closet) without ever being used. What a waste! Those gifts were way too expensive and valuable to just leave around without ever being accessed. Of course, Christ’s grace is incomparable to any materialistic object, but I’m sure you get the gist of what I’m saying.
You see, freedom in Christ doesn’t just mean freedom from sin or sickness, but also absolute freedom from all accusations or condemnations people may hurl at you. And get this, EVEN IF you really did do something wrong you were accused of, God see’s it and says, “Yep, she sure did do something wrong, but I’m not going to hold it against her. I knew long ago she’d do this, but I also knew long ago she would accept my Son as savior and receive His covering to forgive her “crime”--and also at the same time, set her free of it.”
And not to say there’s not going to be feelings of remorse for mistakes we may make, and that’s a normal reaction, but for it to remain there to such a degree that it grows into a monster never letting you go? Well that’s just flat out bondage and if you’re like most people, you probably don’t want it there. And good news, Jesus doesn’t either! Throw out the monster-bondages of condemnation and accusation. Freedom in Jesus is yours forever, in all things, in all worries, in all sin, and in all condemnation against yourself. Blessings!
Scripture of the Day: “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death.”—Romans 1: 1,2
M. Suzanne Shunk loves Jesus and is the author of the book, “Trials To Treasures.” She also writes for an online magazine, “Eloquent Woman.” She graduated from Abilene Christian University and currently lives in Los Angeles. For more info on her book and other things: http://www.TrialsToTreasures.com…Sunday, July 8, 2012
Freedom in Christ
An important key to letting go of the past and reaching your full potential is putting yourself in an environment where the seed of your dreams can grow. I know people who are extremely talented. They have incredible potential. But they insist on hanging around the wrong sorts of people.
If you are close friends with people who are lazy and undisciplined, people who don’t have great dreams, people who are negative and critical, they will rub off on you. Moreover, that environment in which you place yourself will prevent you from rising any higher. You cannot hang out with negative people and expect to live a positive life. If all your friends are depressed and defeated and have given up on their dreams, make some changes. Let’s be honest: You’re probably not going to pull them up; more likely, if you continue to spend too much time in their presence, they will pull you down.
Certainly, you love your friends; you can pray for them and try to encourage them to make positive changes in their lives, but sometimes the best thing you can do is break away from negative people and put yourself in a healthy positive, faith-filled environment. This is extremely critical, because it doesn’t matter how great the potential in the seed, if you don’t put it in good soil, it will not take root and grow.
I’ve had people tell me, “Joel, I don’t know why I’m drawn to abusive people. I get out of one bad relationship and into another one that’s twice as bad. I know it’s not good for me. But I just can’t leave. I’d feel guilty.”
I usually answer, “No, you have a responsibility to keep yourself healthy and whole. God has entrusted you with His talents, with His dreams. And it may be painful, but the best thing you can do is get away from somebody who is a constant drag on your spirit. Don’t allow somebody to treat you that way. You are extremely valuable. You are made in the image of Almighty God.”
“Joel, if I take a stand and set some boundaries, that person may leave, may walk away.” In truth, that would be the best thing that could ever happen. I heard somebody say there’s something called “the gift of good-bye.” That means when somebody who is pulling you down chooses to leave, you may not realize it, but that person just did you a great favor. Don’t look back; instead keep looking forward. Get ready for the new thing God wants to do in your life.
This devotional was taken from Joel Osteen’s book, “Daily Readings from Become a Better You”.
Scripture Of The Day: “Oh the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand around with sinners, or join in with mockers.” – Psalm 1: 1 (NLT)
If you are close friends with people who are lazy and undisciplined, people who don’t have great dreams, people who are negative and critical, they will rub off on you. Moreover, that environment in which you place yourself will prevent you from rising any higher. You cannot hang out with negative people and expect to live a positive life. If all your friends are depressed and defeated and have given up on their dreams, make some changes. Let’s be honest: You’re probably not going to pull them up; more likely, if you continue to spend too much time in their presence, they will pull you down.
Certainly, you love your friends; you can pray for them and try to encourage them to make positive changes in their lives, but sometimes the best thing you can do is break away from negative people and put yourself in a healthy positive, faith-filled environment. This is extremely critical, because it doesn’t matter how great the potential in the seed, if you don’t put it in good soil, it will not take root and grow.
I’ve had people tell me, “Joel, I don’t know why I’m drawn to abusive people. I get out of one bad relationship and into another one that’s twice as bad. I know it’s not good for me. But I just can’t leave. I’d feel guilty.”
I usually answer, “No, you have a responsibility to keep yourself healthy and whole. God has entrusted you with His talents, with His dreams. And it may be painful, but the best thing you can do is get away from somebody who is a constant drag on your spirit. Don’t allow somebody to treat you that way. You are extremely valuable. You are made in the image of Almighty God.”
“Joel, if I take a stand and set some boundaries, that person may leave, may walk away.” In truth, that would be the best thing that could ever happen. I heard somebody say there’s something called “the gift of good-bye.” That means when somebody who is pulling you down chooses to leave, you may not realize it, but that person just did you a great favor. Don’t look back; instead keep looking forward. Get ready for the new thing God wants to do in your life.
This devotional was taken from Joel Osteen’s book, “Daily Readings from Become a Better You”.
Scripture Of The Day: “Oh the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand around with sinners, or join in with mockers.” – Psalm 1: 1 (NLT)
Tuesday, July 3, 2012
Free to be Slaves of God
The road to heaven is narrow, as Christ said, while the way to destruction is wide (Matthew 7:13).
Many take the wide road to their own peril, knowing all the while that they are breaking the ordinances of God and deserving His wrath for doing so (Romans 1:32). Some haven't joined the narrow road because they haven't yet heard the gospel of Christ. Others are just stubborn, choosing to pursue an agenda that is free from the control of God. They choose to live out an illusion of freedom, thinking they would rather be able to sin as they want to than have to succumb to the ordinances of God. They have been fooled into thinking that they have true freedom, for they are prisoners of the law of sin and death in their members (Romans 8:2).
Rather than deal with the guilt of their sin before a righteous God, they would rather enjoy sin as much as they can until they have to meet God and be forced to bow their knees to Him (Philippians 2:10).
The appeal to be able to live as we want to with no accountability and no remorse is highly attractive to the flesh and the sinful nature. Satan told Eve that God was keeping something good back from her by instituting a rule about the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. He convinced her that she was a slave of an unfair God Who withheld pleasure from her. She came to believe that true freedom could be found in exercising her free will against the will of God.
Adam and Eve found out the hard way that the freedom that they thought they would gain by eating of the tree was actually a curse that would lead to division, death, destruction, harm, suffering, and a loss of pleasure. When we sin, we will experience the pleasures of sin for a while, but we must understand that its pleasures are passing (Hebrews 11:25).
The curious thing about sin is that it must be indulged more and more deeply in order for it to continue to bring the same level of pleasure. Sin's exploits must grow grander and grander until it eventually consumes us. Its wage is death and the lake of fire. Thus, sin provides us no advantage for the life to come, only misery, pain and horror. Its pleasure is most certainly bound to this life on earth, and even this pleasure is nothing compared to the joy of the Lord.
Satan's way is always a way of bondage. It is thievery because God's pleasures are far better, more fulfilling, and longer lasting than the devil's concoctions could ever be. There will be an eternal bondage in hell for those who remain under the control of sin, Satan and self. True freedom can only be found when we are freed from our sinful ways, propensities and natures.
Only the Spirit of God can give us rebirth and regeneration that will enable us to finally be who God has created us to be. True freedom is found in submission to the truth, which alone sets us free (John 8:32).
Romans 6:17-18 says, "But thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were committed, and having been freed from sin, you became slaves of righteousness." There are two options for living. The first is to obey sin, and the second is to obey God. Either way we are slaves, though one way leads to the freedom, life, and joy that we have always wanted.
Many people don't want to enter into a relationship with Christ that will require them to follow after His commands. They want to know that their sin is forgiven, but they don't want to truly submit to the will of God for their lives. Yet Christ calls us to surrender to Him as Savior and Lord (Romans 10:9-10). In that sense, we become His slaves willingly. He doesn't force anyone to live for Him.
He simply tells us that His way brings life, fullness of joy, and pleasures forevermore (Psalm 16:11). We must choose to honor Him as our Master if we want Him to honor us in the life to come.
So many think that they have freedom because they have chosen not to become slaves of God. Following Christ might be hard. It might cost us family or friends, but it is well worth it in light of eternity. We can enjoy the pleasures of sin for a lifetime in theory, but we would be much better off forfeiting the passing pleasures of sin in exchange for joy and pleasure forever in Christ. We can't even fathom the riches of the life to come.
Let us remember that God's ways are not cruel, unfair or stealing something from us. James 1:25 says, "But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in what he does."
The fact is that we can't live apart from the eternal law of God and still experience the blessing of God. Freedom is only found within the bounds of sinless living. When we submit to our Lord, we remain free from the grasp of sin. When we disobey our Master, we enslave ourselves. The hope for the believer, however, is that God forgives us immediately when we confess our sins to Him and return to living according to His will and ways.
2 Corinthians 3:17 says, "Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty." If we want true freedom and the promise of true pleasures that will endure forever, we have but one choice. We must submit to the will of God and allow the Spirit of God to lead us into all truth. When we give up what we think this world could give us in exchange for what only Christ can give, we will find true pleasure and freedom.
Scripture Of The Day: "But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an
effectual doer, this man will be blessed in what he does." - James 1:25 (NASB)
Monday, July 2, 2012
Untangle Yourself
Have you ever been in a relationship and something happened that resulted in you causing the other party hurt and pain? You apologize, and though they are hurting, they say that they accept your apology. You all try to move on from that place of pain, but then every time you turn around they are reminding you about “the time you hurt them.”
Or perhaps they just act differently towards you because their mouth said they forgave you, but their heart just hadn’t grabbed hold of the forgiveness yet. So you find yourself in this constant battle to prove that you are really sorry.
Fortunately for us, we serve a forgiving and gracious God who really means it when He forgives us. He isn’t keeping score, and He won’t keep throwing your past sin back in your face. Even when we don’t deserve His forgiveness, He forgives us. So you can rest assured that when you finally come to the place of true repentance and tell God that you are sorry about what every sin you find yourself constantly repeating, He will really forgive you.
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. John 1:9
The problem typically arises in that we don’t take the time to forgive ourselves, part of which comes from not believing that we are really forgiven. God isn’t condemning us, but we continue to put ourselves in a state of condemnation which gives the enemy leverage in our lives.
Although God doesn’t throw our past up in our face, the devil will. Every chance he gets, he will remind us of our past sins and try to convince us that we are worthless, dirty, and full of sin. We have to remember that his assignment is to steal, kill and destroy. He wants to steal your joy, kill your spirit, and destroy your self-worth. The longer you walk around tripping on yourself because of your past sins and not accepting the redemption that you have in God, the longer you expose yourself to his attacks.
So ask yourself, what are some of the things that the devil keeps bringing to the forefront of my mind, which keeps me in bondage, although God has already forgiven me? What names do I continue to incorrectly answer to? Liar? Fornicator? Cheater? Drug addict? Overeater?
However, it’s important to note that many times, it’s not even the devil throwing things in our face - it’s us. We beat ourselves up by dwelling on the past. We become our own worst enemy, constantly reminding ourselves of who we once were. We remain in bondage to our sins simply because we can’t forgive ourselves.
God forgave us and set us free, yet we can’t walk in that freedom. By not forgiving ourselves, we become like a prisoner being released from jail, but who doesn’t move from his jail cell because he keeps rehearsing his crime in his head. The jail cell door is wide open, and he has been issued his release papers, but he just stays there stuck because he can’t forgive himself.
Sounds silly, right? But we do it to ourselves all the time. Forgiveness means to pardon, to spare someone of the burden of their offense. So when God has forgiven you, you no longer have to walk around carrying the burden or weight of your sin. Jesus took our sins upon Himself when he died on the cross, which made it possible for God to forgive us. We try to look at God’s forgiveness the way humans forgive, but God’s ability to forgive is much greater than ours.
As far as the east is from the west, so far has He (God) removed our transgressions from us. Psalm 103:12
Hello my friend - that means infinite forgiveness. When God says, “Son or daughter, I forgive you”, it’s a done deal.
No one can take that forgiveness away from you, so accept God’s forgiveness and then forgive yourself. LET IT GO.
You can’t change the past, but you can keep the past from dictating your future. Until you are able to fully embrace God’s forgiveness and forgive yourself, you won’t be able to walk in total victory.
Scripture of the Day: "As far as the east is from the west, so far has He (God) removed our transgressions from us." - Psalm 103:12
Sunday, July 1, 2012
The Truth that Sets Free
There is something powerful about the word truth, which is the real state of things. It can be one of positivity or negativity, and times will and do come in our lives through experiences where we are faced with the truth of a situation or circumstance. It is not always going to be what we may like to see, hear, or what we think it should not be. Or it may be what we would like to see, want to hear, or think it should be
Truth is honesty, a reality, a fact, and an actuality. As believers, there is one truth that we definitely have in our lives and that is Jesus Christ! Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6, NIV). He is the truth and if we know his word and continually obey it, then we are truly his disciples, we will know the truth and we are set free! Jesus said to the people who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you keep obeying my teachings. And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:31-32, NLT).
Are you being faced with the truth of a situation or circumstance on today? The truth of the matter may not be what you have wanted or thought it should be, or it may have been the other way around. For you, it may be a gain or you may look at it as a loss. Either way, remember that if you endure and continue to stand in the word of the Lord and remain obedient to the word of the Lord, you will always know the truth; it will prove that you are a disciple, and you will remain set free in him!
Scripture of the Day: "Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” - John 14:6
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Salad Bar Spirituality
Whenever people reject the authentic, they're open to anything and everything. Today's spirituality is generic. I call it a "salad bar" spirituality. The attitude is, "I'll have a small order of Christianity--I like that "judge not" part and the Golden Rule, but cut out all the rest--add a little Hinduism and some Buddhism, maybe some New-Age spices..." If you have that kind of mentality, a lot of people will arise to serve it up.
But does everyone who claims to speak for God actually speak for God? No! In Matthew 7:15, we're warned to beware of false prophets. When you decide to go through the narrow gate, you'll find some hanging out by the gate who want to widen it. They don't agree that there's only one way to get to the Kingdom, through that narrow gate. Who are they? They're fake sheep. They look like sheep, but inwardly, Jesus said, they're wolves.
Even under the umbrella of Christianity, the lines of truth are getting fuzzier. Some years ago, the World Council of Churches sponsored a symposium of 25 theologians who came up with a document that included this statement: "We find ourselves recognizing a need to move beyond a theology which confines salvation to the explicit personal commitment to Jesus Christ." That is helping pave the way for the compromise of truth.
You don't have to look for the wolves; they'll come to you. And they'll be beautifully disguised. They'll seem sincere and good, and they'll seem to love. But don't be swayed by someone's charm or education, or even by signs. Lift up the fleece and see the wolf underneath.
Here are some good tests for finding the wolves.
Their character: When the Holy Spirit comes into a person He starts changing that person, and it will be evident. Look for the fruit of the Spirit, found in Galatians 5: love, joy, peace, longsuffering, etc. These will be lacking in those who are false.
Their creed: That means what they say about God. The creed of false prophets is that there is no narrow gate, that there are many ways to God. They'll deny the essentials of the historic Christian church, and they'll attack the person and work of Christ. You should follow the example of the Bereans in Acts 17:11. The Bereans didn't accept even Paul's word, but they "searched the scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so." Doctrine matters!
Their converts: Watch the effect of the teaching that is being disseminated in the lives of those who are receiving it. It's not always readily apparent, but it will eventually erode their spiritual walk.
So stay in the Word, listen with discernment, don't be fooled by sheep costumes, and stay away from that spiritual salad bar!
Scripture Of The Day: "If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit." - Galatians 5:25 (NKJV)
Saturday, August 6, 2011
Free To Be Slaves Of God
The road to heaven is narrow, as Christ said, while the way to destruction is wide (Matthew 7:13).
Many take the wide road to their own peril, knowing all the while that they are breaking the ordinances of God and deserving His wrath for doing so (Romans 1:32). Some haven't joined the narrow road because they haven't yet heard the gospel of Christ. Others are just stubborn, choosing to pursue an agenda that is free from the control of God. They choose to live out an illusion of freedom, thinking they would rather be able to sin as they want to than have to succumb to the ordinances of God. They have been fooled into thinking that they have true freedom, for they are prisoners of the law of sin and death in their members (Romans 8:2).
Rather than deal with the guilt of their sin before a righteous God, they would rather enjoy sin as much as they can until they have to meet God and be forced to bow their knees to Him (Philippians 2:10).
The appeal to be able to live as we want to with no accountability and no remorse is highly attractive to the flesh and the sinful nature. Satan told Eve that God was keeping something good back from her by instituting a rule about the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. He convinced her that she was a slave of an unfair God Who withheld pleasure from her. She came to believe that true freedom could be found in exercising her free will against the will of God.
Adam and Eve found out the hard way that the freedom that they thought they would gain by eating of the tree was actually a curse that would lead to division, death, destruction, harm, suffering, and a loss of pleasure. When we sin, we will experience the pleasures of sin for a while, but we must understand that its pleasures are passing (Hebrews 11:25).
The curious thing about sin is that it must be indulged more and more deeply in order for it to continue to bring the same level of pleasure. Sin's exploits must grow grander and grander until it eventually consumes us. Its wage is death and the lake of fire. Thus, sin provides us no advantage for the life to come, only misery, pain and horror. Its pleasure is most certainly bound to this life on earth, and even this pleasure is nothing compared to the joy of the Lord.
Satan's way is always a way of bondage. It is thievery because God's pleasures are far better, more fulfilling, and longer lasting than the devil's concoctions could ever be. There will be an eternal bondage in hell for those who remain under the control of sin, Satan and self. True freedom can only be found when we are freed from our sinful ways, propensities and natures.
Only the Spirit of God can give us rebirth and regeneration that will enable us to finally be who God has created us to be. True freedom is found in submission to the truth, which alone sets us free (John 8:32).
Romans 6:17-18 says, "But thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were committed, and having been freed from sin, you became slaves of righteousness." There are two options for living. The first is to obey sin, and the second is to obey God. Either way we are slaves, though one way leads to the freedom, life, and joy that we have always wanted.
Many people don't want to enter into a relationship with Christ that will require them to follow after His commands. They want to know that their sin is forgiven, but they don't want to truly submit to the will of God for their lives. Yet Christ calls us to surrender to Him as Savior and Lord (Romans 10:9-10). In that sense, we become His slaves willingly. He doesn't force anyone to live for Him.
He simply tells us that His way brings life, fullness of joy, and pleasures forevermore (Psalm 16:11). We must choose to honor Him as our Master if we want Him to honor us in the life to come.
So many think that they have freedom because they have chosen not to become slaves of God. Following Christ might be hard. It might cost us family or friends, but it is well worth it in light of eternity. We can enjoy the pleasures of sin for a lifetime in theory, but we would be much better off forfeiting the passing pleasures of sin in exchange for joy and pleasure forever in Christ. We can't even fathom the riches of the life to come.
Let us remember that God's ways are not cruel, unfair or stealing something from us. James 1:25 says, "But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in what he does."
The fact is that we can't live apart from the eternal law of God and still experience the blessing of God. Freedom is only found within the bounds of sinless living. When we submit to our Lord, we remain free from the grasp of sin. When we disobey our Master, we enslave ourselves. The hope for the believer, however, is that God forgives us immediately when we confess our sins to Him and return to living according to His will and ways.
2 Corinthians 3:17 says, "Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty." If we want true freedom and the promise of true pleasures that will endure forever, we have but one choice. We must submit to the will of God and allow the Spirit of God to lead us into all truth. When we give up what we think this world could give us in exchange for what only Christ can give, we will find true pleasure and freedom.
Scripture Of The Day: "But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in what he does." - James 1:25 (NASB)
Many take the wide road to their own peril, knowing all the while that they are breaking the ordinances of God and deserving His wrath for doing so (Romans 1:32). Some haven't joined the narrow road because they haven't yet heard the gospel of Christ. Others are just stubborn, choosing to pursue an agenda that is free from the control of God. They choose to live out an illusion of freedom, thinking they would rather be able to sin as they want to than have to succumb to the ordinances of God. They have been fooled into thinking that they have true freedom, for they are prisoners of the law of sin and death in their members (Romans 8:2).
Rather than deal with the guilt of their sin before a righteous God, they would rather enjoy sin as much as they can until they have to meet God and be forced to bow their knees to Him (Philippians 2:10).
The appeal to be able to live as we want to with no accountability and no remorse is highly attractive to the flesh and the sinful nature. Satan told Eve that God was keeping something good back from her by instituting a rule about the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. He convinced her that she was a slave of an unfair God Who withheld pleasure from her. She came to believe that true freedom could be found in exercising her free will against the will of God.
Adam and Eve found out the hard way that the freedom that they thought they would gain by eating of the tree was actually a curse that would lead to division, death, destruction, harm, suffering, and a loss of pleasure. When we sin, we will experience the pleasures of sin for a while, but we must understand that its pleasures are passing (Hebrews 11:25).
The curious thing about sin is that it must be indulged more and more deeply in order for it to continue to bring the same level of pleasure. Sin's exploits must grow grander and grander until it eventually consumes us. Its wage is death and the lake of fire. Thus, sin provides us no advantage for the life to come, only misery, pain and horror. Its pleasure is most certainly bound to this life on earth, and even this pleasure is nothing compared to the joy of the Lord.
Satan's way is always a way of bondage. It is thievery because God's pleasures are far better, more fulfilling, and longer lasting than the devil's concoctions could ever be. There will be an eternal bondage in hell for those who remain under the control of sin, Satan and self. True freedom can only be found when we are freed from our sinful ways, propensities and natures.
Only the Spirit of God can give us rebirth and regeneration that will enable us to finally be who God has created us to be. True freedom is found in submission to the truth, which alone sets us free (John 8:32).
Romans 6:17-18 says, "But thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were committed, and having been freed from sin, you became slaves of righteousness." There are two options for living. The first is to obey sin, and the second is to obey God. Either way we are slaves, though one way leads to the freedom, life, and joy that we have always wanted.
Many people don't want to enter into a relationship with Christ that will require them to follow after His commands. They want to know that their sin is forgiven, but they don't want to truly submit to the will of God for their lives. Yet Christ calls us to surrender to Him as Savior and Lord (Romans 10:9-10). In that sense, we become His slaves willingly. He doesn't force anyone to live for Him.
He simply tells us that His way brings life, fullness of joy, and pleasures forevermore (Psalm 16:11). We must choose to honor Him as our Master if we want Him to honor us in the life to come.
So many think that they have freedom because they have chosen not to become slaves of God. Following Christ might be hard. It might cost us family or friends, but it is well worth it in light of eternity. We can enjoy the pleasures of sin for a lifetime in theory, but we would be much better off forfeiting the passing pleasures of sin in exchange for joy and pleasure forever in Christ. We can't even fathom the riches of the life to come.
Let us remember that God's ways are not cruel, unfair or stealing something from us. James 1:25 says, "But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in what he does."
The fact is that we can't live apart from the eternal law of God and still experience the blessing of God. Freedom is only found within the bounds of sinless living. When we submit to our Lord, we remain free from the grasp of sin. When we disobey our Master, we enslave ourselves. The hope for the believer, however, is that God forgives us immediately when we confess our sins to Him and return to living according to His will and ways.
2 Corinthians 3:17 says, "Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty." If we want true freedom and the promise of true pleasures that will endure forever, we have but one choice. We must submit to the will of God and allow the Spirit of God to lead us into all truth. When we give up what we think this world could give us in exchange for what only Christ can give, we will find true pleasure and freedom.
Scripture Of The Day: "But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in what he does." - James 1:25 (NASB)
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Who Is Your Master?
No man or woman is absolutely free. Romans 6:16 says we are the slaves of the one whom we obey—slaves of either sin or obedience to the Lord. Because every human is born with a fallen nature, being the master of our own lives is the same as being enslaved to sin.
Our heavenly Father’s prescription for this unhealthy situation is submission to Him. But we may reason this way: If I give the Lord control, then I lose it—and that’s scary. God could lead me somewhere I don’t want to go.
When fear seeps into your heart, stop and consider the Lord’s character and motive: He is holy and sinless; He has infinite wisdom, perfect knowledge, and an eternal perspective; He loves you and has the power to work all things for your good (Rom. 8:28). Now compare your credentials to His. Who do you think would make a better master of your life?
If the Lord is to have full authority, all rival rulers must be dethroned. The Spirit will not fill believers who tolerate sin in their lives. The grace of God covers the guilt of our transgressions, but it cannot be used to excuse continued disobedience (Rom. 6:1). We grieve the Spirit by saying yes to sin (Eph. 4:30) and stifle Him by saying no to God (1 Thess. 5:19).
Do not be discouraged by the magnitude of this call to submission. We can’t attain sinless perfection on earth, but with each step of obedience, sin’s hold will lessen. Press on—you’ll soon begin to live in the freedom of enslavement to the most amazing Master you’ve ever known.
Scripture Of The Day: "Do not quench (suppress or subdue) the [Holy] Spirit;" - 1 Thessalonians 5:19 (AMP)
Saturday, July 30, 2011
Free To Be A Slave
By Skip Heitzig
In America at this time of year we talk a lot about freedom, and that's only appropriate. The French writer Alexis de Toqueville once called America "the most enlightened and free nation of the earth." The Bible also talks about freedom. It says, "Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed" (John 8:36). We've been set free!
But what have we been set free from? And more importantly, what have we been set free for? The first question, probably most of us could answer. We've been set free from the bondage to sin. We've been set free from guilt and from punishment.
The second question is one not a lot of Christians ask. But here's the answer: We have been set free in order to become slaves of God. We've been set free from one master to become indentured to another Master. Did you know that? We're to be slaves of righteousness and slaves of God. (See Romans 6:18.)
Every person is a slave to something…or someone. If you haven't given your life to Jesus Christ, you might be saying "I'm nobody's slave!" but I disagree. "Don't you realize that whatever you choose to obey becomes your master? You can choose sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God and receive his approval" (Romans 6:16, NLT). You may be a slave to yourself--your own habits, your own lustful desires. And there's no freedom or peace in that.
In biblical times, if somebody couldn't pay off their debts, they might become an indentured slave. They would work to pay off their debts, and in the seventh year the master had to release them. But some who really loved their masters went on working for them voluntarily. So there were two types of slaves: those who served out of compulsion, because they had to, and those who served out of loyalty, because they wanted to. Paul often used this picture, calling himself a "slave" or "bondservant" of Jesus Christ (see Romans 1:1, Philippians 1:1, Titus 1:1).
And the message of the Bible is the more you become His slave, the more freedom you experience. The more you become slaves to other things, people, etc., the less freedom you have.
The Cross of Christ can set any prisoner free, and once that happens, you become free to be His slave. That's what salvation is all about; it's turning from sin to God. God takes good care of His servants. And you'll discover that being His slave is the greatest possible freedom you can have in this life.
Some years ago, Bob Dylan wrote a song called "Gotta Serve Somebody," which contained these words: "You're gonna have to serve somebody. Well, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord, but you're gonna have to serve somebody."
Or as the Bible says, "But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life" (Romans 6:22). "Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom" (2 Corinthians 3:17).
Scripture Of The Day: "Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom." - 2 Corinthians 3:17 (NIV)
Don’t Let The Chaos Scare You
By Tanya S. Martin-James
Have you ever set out to clean a closet or your garage and as you really get into it, you look around and things look worse than they did before you started?Or have you ever began a DIY (do it yourself) project and halfway through it doesn’t look like the end result will be anything you expected?
The “process” can look and be very chaotic at times--sometimes to the point that you begin to doubt if you're even proceeding correctly. You begin to ask yourself all kinds of questions like, “What did I get myself into?” Or “What in the world was I thinking?”
You might make declarations like, “I can’t do this anymore!” Or, “I should have left well enough alone.”
When things look and feel chaotic it’s easy to be discouraged or disheartened, but there is hope in that chaos. A pastor in Florida shared this with his congregation: “CHANGE looks like CHAOS until it is COMPLETED.”
We are constantly asking God to change something or fix something in our lives, but we want everything to happen instantly. When things start shifting we get anxious and nervous and start crying out for help or even asking God to stop the process before it’s done.
We must understand that the process may get uncomfortable, may even get messy, but we have to keep our focus on the end result. More importantly, we have to continue to have faith that if God brought us to it, then He will bring us through it.
Relax and find freedom in the fact that there is nothing too big for God. No matter what “it” looks like through your natural eyes, God is still God and even in the midst of the chaos, He will complete the work that He has started within you.
So the next time you want to give up while change is taking place around you, remember how good that closet or garage looked once you sorted through all the mess and chaos. Remember how that DIY project turned out when you finally put the finishing touches on it.
Be encouraged and continue to move forward regardless of the chaos that may surround you, and remember: “Change looks like chaos until it’s completed!”
Scripture Of The Day: "Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ" - Philippians 1:6 (NKJV)
Fuel For Life
By Pastor Olu Brown
In a society that values freedom, it is amazing to know how many of our fellow citizens live in bondage. I am not talking about the bondage most of you think about as it relates to jail cells, handcuffs and security personnel. I am referring to the lower security bondage that is uneasily detected but equally, if not more, confining than most traditional jail cells.My heart goes out to those who have suffered a misstep along the way and never fully recovered. Maybe it was growing up with an absent parent, poverty, divorce or the painful loss of a loved one. When the event happened it rocked their world and for some reason or another they never fully recovered. The event happened but they are still in bondage. Though they may not be in physical bondage, they find themselves in emotional, spiritual and/or mental bondage.
I can recall so many days in my own personal life when I found myself deep within the emotional cells of fear and anxiety. I looked free, I talked free, shopped free and even pretended to worship free. Deep down I was still in solitary confinement. I unfairly convicted and sentenced myself to hard labor. It was only until I found the power of Christ and the hope of John 8:36 that I was reminded of the wonderful hope in Christ and being "free indeed!"
This hope I now have in Christ is my fuel for life and the power to refuse the open invitation of my jail cell. Each new day, I am reminded of my freedom to live, love and hope through Christ.
Today is your day and Christ has freed you. I know it is tempting to stay in your prison, but I dare you to receive your release agreement through the power of Christ and walk away a free person!
Scripture Of The Day: "So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed." - John 8:36 (NIV)
Sunday, August 1, 2010
Power in the Name!
By Dr. Frederick K.C. Price
God has given Jesus the name that is above every name. Now "highly exalted" denotes an exaltation to the highest position-an elevation above all others. The context conveys humiliation that results in honor. Jesus' obedience to death is followed by a super exalted position of honor and glory-and that's a pattern that we should follow.
Philippians 2:9 tells us: "Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name..."
You know a lot of times people do good deeds but it's not out of their heart, it's because they want to be seen; it's because they want to be exalted. They want people to put them on a pedestal because of what they do and how much they have. But Jesus is our greatest example of humility; that if we humble ourselves, God Himself will exalt us. It says, "Therefore God has highly exalted Him..." God exalted Jesus and gave Him the name which is above every name. There is power in the name of Jesus.
Let's read Acts 3:1-16:
Now Peter and John went up together to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour. And a certain man lame from his mother's womb [Now we know that this man's condition was not of God.] was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms from those who entered the temple; who, seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, asked for alms.
And fixing his eyes on him, with John, Peter said, "Look at us." So he gave them his attention, expecting to receive something from them. Then Peter said, "Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk." And he took him by the right hand and lifted him up [keep in mind that this is a lame man], and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength.
So he, leaping up, stood and walked and entered the temple with them; walking, leaping, and praising God. And all the people saw him walking and praising God. Then they knew that it was he who sat begging alms at the Beautiful Gate of the temple; and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.
Now as the lame man who was healed held on to Peter and John, all the people ran together to them in the porch which is called Solomon's, greatly amazed. So when Peter saw it, he responded to the people: "Men of Israel, why do you marvel at this? Or why look so intently at us, as though by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk? "The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified His Servant Jesus, whom you delivered up and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let Him go.
"But you denied the Holy One and the Just, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, and killed the Prince of life, whom God raised from the dead, of which we are witnesses. And His name [Jesus], through faith in His name [Jesus], has made this man strong, whom you see and know. Yes, the faith which comes through Him has given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.
If you have accepted Jesus Christ as your personal Savior and Lord, you are now a Christian and you have a right to use the name of Jesus. There must be some power in the name because Romans 10:13 says, "All who call on the name will be saved." The only way to get saved is by His name. If you confess with your mouth that Jesus Christ is Lord and God has raised Him from the dead and believe in your heart, you will be saved. There is power in the name.
Not by the name of Fred Price, not by the name of Benny Hinn, thank God for the men of God who are obedient to the Holy Spirit, but is not by their names. Listen, there are so many religions and belief systems on this earth, yet, it's interesting that God didn't say, by the name of Mohammed. He did not say by the name of Buddha or Confucius. God said by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth whom you crucified and God raised from the dead by Him, this man stands here before you whole.
There is power in the name of Jesus!
Scripture Of The Day: "Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name," - Philippians 2:9 (NIV)
Dr. Frederick K.C. Price is the founder and pastor of Crenshaw Christian Center West in Los Angeles and CCC East in Manhattan. To obtain more information about his ministry, please call (800) 927-3436 or visit http://www.faithdome.org.
God has given Jesus the name that is above every name. Now "highly exalted" denotes an exaltation to the highest position-an elevation above all others. The context conveys humiliation that results in honor. Jesus' obedience to death is followed by a super exalted position of honor and glory-and that's a pattern that we should follow.
Philippians 2:9 tells us: "Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name..."
You know a lot of times people do good deeds but it's not out of their heart, it's because they want to be seen; it's because they want to be exalted. They want people to put them on a pedestal because of what they do and how much they have. But Jesus is our greatest example of humility; that if we humble ourselves, God Himself will exalt us. It says, "Therefore God has highly exalted Him..." God exalted Jesus and gave Him the name which is above every name. There is power in the name of Jesus.
Let's read Acts 3:1-16:
Now Peter and John went up together to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour. And a certain man lame from his mother's womb [Now we know that this man's condition was not of God.] was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms from those who entered the temple; who, seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, asked for alms.
And fixing his eyes on him, with John, Peter said, "Look at us." So he gave them his attention, expecting to receive something from them. Then Peter said, "Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk." And he took him by the right hand and lifted him up [keep in mind that this is a lame man], and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength.
So he, leaping up, stood and walked and entered the temple with them; walking, leaping, and praising God. And all the people saw him walking and praising God. Then they knew that it was he who sat begging alms at the Beautiful Gate of the temple; and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.
Now as the lame man who was healed held on to Peter and John, all the people ran together to them in the porch which is called Solomon's, greatly amazed. So when Peter saw it, he responded to the people: "Men of Israel, why do you marvel at this? Or why look so intently at us, as though by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk? "The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified His Servant Jesus, whom you delivered up and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let Him go.
"But you denied the Holy One and the Just, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, and killed the Prince of life, whom God raised from the dead, of which we are witnesses. And His name [Jesus], through faith in His name [Jesus], has made this man strong, whom you see and know. Yes, the faith which comes through Him has given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.
If you have accepted Jesus Christ as your personal Savior and Lord, you are now a Christian and you have a right to use the name of Jesus. There must be some power in the name because Romans 10:13 says, "All who call on the name will be saved." The only way to get saved is by His name. If you confess with your mouth that Jesus Christ is Lord and God has raised Him from the dead and believe in your heart, you will be saved. There is power in the name.
Not by the name of Fred Price, not by the name of Benny Hinn, thank God for the men of God who are obedient to the Holy Spirit, but is not by their names. Listen, there are so many religions and belief systems on this earth, yet, it's interesting that God didn't say, by the name of Mohammed. He did not say by the name of Buddha or Confucius. God said by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth whom you crucified and God raised from the dead by Him, this man stands here before you whole.
There is power in the name of Jesus!
Scripture Of The Day: "Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name," - Philippians 2:9 (NIV)
Dr. Frederick K.C. Price is the founder and pastor of Crenshaw Christian Center West in Los Angeles and CCC East in Manhattan. To obtain more information about his ministry, please call (800) 927-3436 or visit http://www.faithdome.org.
Friday, July 30, 2010
Freedom from the Treadmill of Religion
By Dr. Jack Graham
Not long ago, I went to my doctor's office for my annual physical, and they put me up on a treadmill for a stress test. When they first started the machine, I was walking at a nice, easy pace and I felt pretty good about my performance. In fact, I was thinking, "This is easy! No problem here!"
But pretty soon, I heard that small rumbling sound of the treadmill incline beginning to rise. And then I heard it again. And again. And again! After a few minutes, I was starting to sweat! And about 15 minutes later, I didn't think the test was so easy any more.
By the time I finished (or gave up!), I was huffing and puffing...my legs felt like jelly...and I could barely stand up! I had nothing left. As I have thought about that treadmill, I realized the sad truth that many people today find themselves on a religious treadmill...trying to perform in order to please God. Perhaps that's even where you find yourself today.
Many people jump on the religious treadmill at a young age and think, "Hey, this is easy, I can keep the commandments of God. I can live this Christian life in my own power, on my own terms, no problem." Then life gets a little harder, the incline gets steeper, and the stress starts to rise. And people finally come to that place where they realize that no matter how spiritually fit they are, they can't continue on. And they give up.
Today I want to focus your attention on that spiritual place of exhaustion...that place at the end of your rope where you realize that no amount of religious "treadmilling" can get you closer to heaven or to God. Because it is at this place that God wants to speak to you-and to encourage you.
The Bible tells us in Romans 5:1, "Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ...." As believers in Christ, you and I have been justified by Him. "Justified" means that when you accept Christ, Jesus takes your sin, your guilt, and your judgment, and He gives you His righteousness. You stand secure in the righteousness of Jesus Christ. It is not by works!
This justification through faith in Christ results in three positive benefits for you and me. Three results that can, and should, make all the difference in your life:
1. Serenity. The peace that Paul is talking about in Romans 5:1 is so much more than peace of mind or positive thinking. It is eternal peace with God. As a believer in Christ, you-who were once an enemy of God-are now at peace with Him.
2. Stability. Romans 5:2 goes on to say, "...through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand...." You and I stand in the grace of God, my friend. We stand in His shoes! That means nothing we can do can make us lose our salvation...and that is true stability!
3. Security. The last part of Romans 5:2 says, "...and rejoice in hope of the glory of God." We have confident assurance of heaven because the "hope of the glory of God" means you and I will one day be in His presence!
So you see, because of our justification through Christ, we have serenity with God that takes care of our past...we have stability with God that takes care of our present...and we have security in God that takes care of our future. What a promise!
No amount of religious works will get you to that place with the Lord. It is by faith...trusting in Christ and Christ alone. That means the religious treadmill has no place in the life of a believer! I hope this truth is a blessing to you today...and that it helps you break free from the chains of that religious treadmill to a life of freedom and hope in Christ!
Scripture Of The Day: "Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ..." - Romans 5:1 (NIV)
Dr. Jack Graham is the pastor of Prestonwood Baptist Church, one of the nation’s largest, most dynamic congregations. The author of numerous books, Dr. Graham is the founder of PowerPoint® Ministries, a radio and television broadcast ministry. For more information about Dr. Graham, log onto http://www.powerpoint.org. …
Not long ago, I went to my doctor's office for my annual physical, and they put me up on a treadmill for a stress test. When they first started the machine, I was walking at a nice, easy pace and I felt pretty good about my performance. In fact, I was thinking, "This is easy! No problem here!"
But pretty soon, I heard that small rumbling sound of the treadmill incline beginning to rise. And then I heard it again. And again. And again! After a few minutes, I was starting to sweat! And about 15 minutes later, I didn't think the test was so easy any more.
By the time I finished (or gave up!), I was huffing and puffing...my legs felt like jelly...and I could barely stand up! I had nothing left. As I have thought about that treadmill, I realized the sad truth that many people today find themselves on a religious treadmill...trying to perform in order to please God. Perhaps that's even where you find yourself today.
Many people jump on the religious treadmill at a young age and think, "Hey, this is easy, I can keep the commandments of God. I can live this Christian life in my own power, on my own terms, no problem." Then life gets a little harder, the incline gets steeper, and the stress starts to rise. And people finally come to that place where they realize that no matter how spiritually fit they are, they can't continue on. And they give up.
Today I want to focus your attention on that spiritual place of exhaustion...that place at the end of your rope where you realize that no amount of religious "treadmilling" can get you closer to heaven or to God. Because it is at this place that God wants to speak to you-and to encourage you.
The Bible tells us in Romans 5:1, "Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ...." As believers in Christ, you and I have been justified by Him. "Justified" means that when you accept Christ, Jesus takes your sin, your guilt, and your judgment, and He gives you His righteousness. You stand secure in the righteousness of Jesus Christ. It is not by works!
This justification through faith in Christ results in three positive benefits for you and me. Three results that can, and should, make all the difference in your life:
1. Serenity. The peace that Paul is talking about in Romans 5:1 is so much more than peace of mind or positive thinking. It is eternal peace with God. As a believer in Christ, you-who were once an enemy of God-are now at peace with Him.
2. Stability. Romans 5:2 goes on to say, "...through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand...." You and I stand in the grace of God, my friend. We stand in His shoes! That means nothing we can do can make us lose our salvation...and that is true stability!
3. Security. The last part of Romans 5:2 says, "...and rejoice in hope of the glory of God." We have confident assurance of heaven because the "hope of the glory of God" means you and I will one day be in His presence!
So you see, because of our justification through Christ, we have serenity with God that takes care of our past...we have stability with God that takes care of our present...and we have security in God that takes care of our future. What a promise!
No amount of religious works will get you to that place with the Lord. It is by faith...trusting in Christ and Christ alone. That means the religious treadmill has no place in the life of a believer! I hope this truth is a blessing to you today...and that it helps you break free from the chains of that religious treadmill to a life of freedom and hope in Christ!
Scripture Of The Day: "Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ..." - Romans 5:1 (NIV)
Dr. Jack Graham is the pastor of Prestonwood Baptist Church, one of the nation’s largest, most dynamic congregations. The author of numerous books, Dr. Graham is the founder of PowerPoint® Ministries, a radio and television broadcast ministry. For more information about Dr. Graham, log onto http://www.powerpoint.org. …
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Let Liberty Decide
By Darwin Hobbs
As believers, we all have to make a number of conscious decisions; decisions concerning our jobs, families, marriages, God, and concerning our life in general. And although the decisions we are faced with are often at times difficult for us to make, there is something we all can find joy in. Something very few of us believe we even have at our disposal: Liberty.
Believe it or not, we as believers have been granted liberty in the spirit of God to make choices that will effect change in not only our lives, but in the world we live in.
According to Webster's dictionary, the definition of liberty (or freedom) is the "right and power to act, believe, or express oneself in a manner of one's own choosing." Within this definition, we discover that we have rights, power, and yes, we have choices.
As Christians, all the power and rights we have ever needed were transferred to us over 2000 years ago at the cross. The redemption plan literally bought us back from the curse of the law of sin and death, meaning we now have kingdom citizen rights and power.
So what does this mean for you and me today?
This simply means that we have the ability to act, believe, and express ourselves in ways that bring Glory to the Father. However, although we are free and liberated by the blood of Christ, we still must make good choices. I Corinthians 10:23 states that "all things are lawful, but not all things are profitable (or expedient)."
While we reserve the right and power to make our own decisions, within this scripture lies an awesome opportunity to impact the earth with godly decisions. Throughout the course of today or throughout this week, I encourage you to try to become more aware and conscious about the type of decisions that face you.
I know it's tough, but I dare you to make decisions that don't include any self gain or self promotion for yourself this week. Instead, ask yourself...
What would it be like to consider another person over myself?
What would it be like to resist the temptation to gossip and backbite?
What would it be like to become a person of my word for just seven days straight?
It is time for us all to realize that we are not only free and liberated "by" the spirit and sacrifice of Christ, but we also now have the ability to experience liberty "in" Christ every day of our lives. It is time we all took a self-examination of our lives and discover whether we are making decisions that represent a heart that is truly free in Christ...
...or are we simply just making decisions?
Scripture Of The Day: "All things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful; all things are lawful for me,but not all things edify." - 1 Corinthians 10:23v (NKJV)
An accomplished gospel artist and worship leader, Darwin Hobbs, is extremely passionate about aligning the hearts of people with the heart of God. With several albums to his credit, Darwin has just released his first live recording album entitled Champion. You can follow Darwin on Twitter at http://twitter
As believers, we all have to make a number of conscious decisions; decisions concerning our jobs, families, marriages, God, and concerning our life in general. And although the decisions we are faced with are often at times difficult for us to make, there is something we all can find joy in. Something very few of us believe we even have at our disposal: Liberty.
Believe it or not, we as believers have been granted liberty in the spirit of God to make choices that will effect change in not only our lives, but in the world we live in.
According to Webster's dictionary, the definition of liberty (or freedom) is the "right and power to act, believe, or express oneself in a manner of one's own choosing." Within this definition, we discover that we have rights, power, and yes, we have choices.
As Christians, all the power and rights we have ever needed were transferred to us over 2000 years ago at the cross. The redemption plan literally bought us back from the curse of the law of sin and death, meaning we now have kingdom citizen rights and power.
So what does this mean for you and me today?
This simply means that we have the ability to act, believe, and express ourselves in ways that bring Glory to the Father. However, although we are free and liberated by the blood of Christ, we still must make good choices. I Corinthians 10:23 states that "all things are lawful, but not all things are profitable (or expedient)."
While we reserve the right and power to make our own decisions, within this scripture lies an awesome opportunity to impact the earth with godly decisions. Throughout the course of today or throughout this week, I encourage you to try to become more aware and conscious about the type of decisions that face you.
I know it's tough, but I dare you to make decisions that don't include any self gain or self promotion for yourself this week. Instead, ask yourself...
What would it be like to consider another person over myself?
What would it be like to resist the temptation to gossip and backbite?
What would it be like to become a person of my word for just seven days straight?
It is time for us all to realize that we are not only free and liberated "by" the spirit and sacrifice of Christ, but we also now have the ability to experience liberty "in" Christ every day of our lives. It is time we all took a self-examination of our lives and discover whether we are making decisions that represent a heart that is truly free in Christ...
...or are we simply just making decisions?
Scripture Of The Day: "All things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful; all things are lawful for me,but not all things edify." - 1 Corinthians 10:23v (NKJV)
An accomplished gospel artist and worship leader, Darwin Hobbs, is extremely passionate about aligning the hearts of people with the heart of God. With several albums to his credit, Darwin has just released his first live recording album entitled Champion. You can follow Darwin on Twitter at http://twitter
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
God’s Still In Charge
By Bishop E. Earl Jenkins
This country we call 'home,' exists only by God's permission and power. "He made from one man every nation...having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation" (Acts 17:26 NAS). In the final analysis summit conferences don't shape the geography of countries, God does.
"Are You not ruler over all...of the nations?" - 2 Chronicles 20:6 NAS
Leaders don't determine the future of countries, God determines the hearts of leaders. "The king's heart is like a stream of water directed by the Lord; he guides it wherever he pleases" (Pr 21:1 NLT). The stubborn will of the most powerful politician can be directed by God as easily as a farmer reroutes a shallow canal on his farm.
Remember the account of Cyrus, King of Persia? When God wanted the Jews to return to Jerusalem He simply prodded him to make an "official announcement" (Ezr 1:1 TM). God not only set the Israelites free from 400 years of slavery in Egypt, He caused their captors to equip them with supplies. "[They will] load you down with gifts...so...you will [not leave] empty-handed" (Ex 3:21 TLB). That would be like post-civil war plantation owners signing their cotton fields over to the slaves.
If we enjoy a great economy, personal freedom and a high tide of justice, we don't limit our thanks to politicians. No, we thank God: "He makes nations great, and destroys them; he enlarges nations, and disperses them" (Job 12:23 NIV). Tally this up. God sets national boundaries. He determines leaders. He dispenses blessings. And we are the privileged recipients of each and every one of His blessings. Can we afford to forget this? Only at a terrible risk!
Scripture Of The Day: "Are You not ruler over all...of the nations?" - 2 Chronicles 20:6 NAS
Bishop Edward Earl Jenkins is the senior pastor and founder of the True Servant Worship & Praise Church located in Trenton, New Jersey. For over twenty years, Bishop Jenkins’ unique method of preaching and teaching has opened doors to allow him to touch the hearts of many lives near and far. For more information, visit him at http://www.eejministries.org…
This country we call 'home,' exists only by God's permission and power. "He made from one man every nation...having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation" (Acts 17:26 NAS). In the final analysis summit conferences don't shape the geography of countries, God does.
"Are You not ruler over all...of the nations?" - 2 Chronicles 20:6 NAS
Leaders don't determine the future of countries, God determines the hearts of leaders. "The king's heart is like a stream of water directed by the Lord; he guides it wherever he pleases" (Pr 21:1 NLT). The stubborn will of the most powerful politician can be directed by God as easily as a farmer reroutes a shallow canal on his farm.
Remember the account of Cyrus, King of Persia? When God wanted the Jews to return to Jerusalem He simply prodded him to make an "official announcement" (Ezr 1:1 TM). God not only set the Israelites free from 400 years of slavery in Egypt, He caused their captors to equip them with supplies. "[They will] load you down with gifts...so...you will [not leave] empty-handed" (Ex 3:21 TLB). That would be like post-civil war plantation owners signing their cotton fields over to the slaves.
If we enjoy a great economy, personal freedom and a high tide of justice, we don't limit our thanks to politicians. No, we thank God: "He makes nations great, and destroys them; he enlarges nations, and disperses them" (Job 12:23 NIV). Tally this up. God sets national boundaries. He determines leaders. He dispenses blessings. And we are the privileged recipients of each and every one of His blessings. Can we afford to forget this? Only at a terrible risk!
Scripture Of The Day: "Are You not ruler over all...of the nations?" - 2 Chronicles 20:6 NAS
Bishop Edward Earl Jenkins is the senior pastor and founder of the True Servant Worship & Praise Church located in Trenton, New Jersey. For over twenty years, Bishop Jenkins’ unique method of preaching and teaching has opened doors to allow him to touch the hearts of many lives near and far. For more information, visit him at http://www.eejministries.org…
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Freedom Isn’t Free
By Milan Ford
About a year or so ago, I had the opportunity to hear Ravi Zacharias, a renown Christian apologist, speak at an event located right outside of Atlanta, Georgia. The purpose of the event was to discuss the power and influence today’s media has on popular culture. During his 30-40 minute presentation, he made this one incredible statement; one that will remain with me for quite a while:
“…without TRUTH, education is moved to the skeptical, spirituality is moved to the mystical, and art is moved to the sensual.”
Now more than ever before, we are living in an age where matters of faith and morality differ from person to person. What has long been considered true is now (in the eyes of many) debatable, while those things that we have always believed to be false or in contrast to our faith, are now being adopted and accepted as cultural norms.
This reversal of truth unfortunately exists within today’s Body of Christ as well.
As a result of our individual and collective life pursuits (money, relationships, position, etc.), many of us at times have thrown aside the principles of our faith to pursue a sense of FREEDOM that is completely void of His truth. For some odd reason, we have bought into the lie that the freedoms we want to experience in Christ as believers, can come about without certain rules and boundaries.
We have created a generation of believers who now have a longing for the mystical to occur in their life, rather than embracing the truths behind sowing and reaping. We want to gain, but refuse any pain associated with it. We want to earn, but refuse to learn what is necessary to do so.
As believers, we really have this FREEDOM thing all messed up.
Isn’t it interesting that the very first time the word “free” is mentioned in the Bible, God follows it up with a boundary for that freedom to occur:
Then the LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it. And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, “Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die. – Genesis 2:15-17.
Here we see God from the very beginning, providing mankind with instructions on how he can flourish FREELY within the garden He provided, along with the BOUNDARIES he needed to observe in order to live and succeed. While the Bible is full of these kinds of examples, we can learn even more about how God wants us to properly balance our freedoms as believers by looking at His creation.
Take a river for example.
A river is a body of water that is in constant movement, capable of sustaining life because of a flow of fresh water. Isn't it ironic that free flowing rivers are typically surrounding by a variety of boundaries. Whether they consist of rocks or dry land, these boundaries help keep the water focused and flowing productively. However, whenever a river exists without any boundaries, it is no longer a river.
It becomes a swamp.
Today, if you are confused or at times find yourself upset with God because your life has begun to look like a swampland, rather than a river of living water, remember this one undeniable TRUTH:
God will never answer prayers that would enable us to live more independently of Him.
The freedom God provides us as believers to walk in is in fact not free at all. It requires boundaries.
May we all commit to establishing some today.
Scripture Of The Day: "I will walk about in freedom, for I have sought out your precepts." - Psalm 119:45 (NIV)
Milan Ford has been a leader (and survivor) of ministry within the local church for most of his life. The author of the brand new book, 83 Things I Wish The Black Church Would Stop Doing, you can find Milan rambling and writing at http://www.thepewview.com.…
About a year or so ago, I had the opportunity to hear Ravi Zacharias, a renown Christian apologist, speak at an event located right outside of Atlanta, Georgia. The purpose of the event was to discuss the power and influence today’s media has on popular culture. During his 30-40 minute presentation, he made this one incredible statement; one that will remain with me for quite a while:
“…without TRUTH, education is moved to the skeptical, spirituality is moved to the mystical, and art is moved to the sensual.”
Now more than ever before, we are living in an age where matters of faith and morality differ from person to person. What has long been considered true is now (in the eyes of many) debatable, while those things that we have always believed to be false or in contrast to our faith, are now being adopted and accepted as cultural norms.
This reversal of truth unfortunately exists within today’s Body of Christ as well.
As a result of our individual and collective life pursuits (money, relationships, position, etc.), many of us at times have thrown aside the principles of our faith to pursue a sense of FREEDOM that is completely void of His truth. For some odd reason, we have bought into the lie that the freedoms we want to experience in Christ as believers, can come about without certain rules and boundaries.
We have created a generation of believers who now have a longing for the mystical to occur in their life, rather than embracing the truths behind sowing and reaping. We want to gain, but refuse any pain associated with it. We want to earn, but refuse to learn what is necessary to do so.
As believers, we really have this FREEDOM thing all messed up.
Isn’t it interesting that the very first time the word “free” is mentioned in the Bible, God follows it up with a boundary for that freedom to occur:
Then the LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it. And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, “Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die. – Genesis 2:15-17.
Here we see God from the very beginning, providing mankind with instructions on how he can flourish FREELY within the garden He provided, along with the BOUNDARIES he needed to observe in order to live and succeed. While the Bible is full of these kinds of examples, we can learn even more about how God wants us to properly balance our freedoms as believers by looking at His creation.
Take a river for example.
A river is a body of water that is in constant movement, capable of sustaining life because of a flow of fresh water. Isn't it ironic that free flowing rivers are typically surrounding by a variety of boundaries. Whether they consist of rocks or dry land, these boundaries help keep the water focused and flowing productively. However, whenever a river exists without any boundaries, it is no longer a river.
It becomes a swamp.
Today, if you are confused or at times find yourself upset with God because your life has begun to look like a swampland, rather than a river of living water, remember this one undeniable TRUTH:
God will never answer prayers that would enable us to live more independently of Him.
The freedom God provides us as believers to walk in is in fact not free at all. It requires boundaries.
May we all commit to establishing some today.
Scripture Of The Day: "I will walk about in freedom, for I have sought out your precepts." - Psalm 119:45 (NIV)
Milan Ford has been a leader (and survivor) of ministry within the local church for most of his life. The author of the brand new book, 83 Things I Wish The Black Church Would Stop Doing, you can find Milan rambling and writing at http://www.thepewview.com.…
Monday, July 26, 2010
Freedom From Bondage Is Your Choice!
By Dr. Betty Price
Many Christians wait on the Lord to drop the answer to their prayers out of the sky, and when it doesn't happen, they say God has forgotten them. But that is not the case. For the truth about God's love for us, we have to look at our choices.
God gave us free will. It is our choice to follow God's commandments, and when we do, we prosper and live under God's protection. Proverbs 10:22 tells us that, The blessings of the Lord makes one rich, and He adds no sorrow with it. On the other hand, it is our own choice to follow Satan, who tempts us with evil, then rewards us by killing, stealing and destroying us.
How do we choose to follow the commandments of the Lord? We must first accept Christ as Savior and Lord. Then, we are Christians. That is when the spirit man in us becomes a new creature. Second Corinthians 5:17 tells us: "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new."
Even though our spirit man has become a new creature in Christ Jesus, it is only the correct choices of our soul that keep us from sinning and displeasing God. When Paul speaks of all things having become new, he is talking about the spirit man, not the natural man or the physical body. This lets us that we have to allow the spirit of God and the Word of God to rule our bodies because our bodies are not redeemed and cannot be trusted.
The flesh is ruled by the soul-our intellect, our mind. The flesh will do anything we allow it to do because it has not been changed. There can be outward changes in physical habits when we accept Christ as Lord-people do stop drinking, cursing, smoking, chasing women or men, and lying-but only the inner man takes on the nature of Christ by being born again.
The true man is the spirit man, the one who takes on Christ's nature when we accept Jesus as Savior and Lord. We have to use our free will to accept Him and have the righteousness of Christ operate in our lives.
The soul man is our mind, will, emotions and intellect. Satan tries to tempt us by suggesting to our mind to yield to our carnal man, which has not been changed. Our soul man stands between our spirit man and our carnal man, and whichever man is stronger that is the one we yield to. That is why the Word tells us in Romans 12:2 to renew our minds with the Word of God, then we will yield to the spirit and not to the flesh.
Renewing our minds come by hearing the Word of God, practicing the Word of God, memorizing the Word of God and speaking the Word of God. Understanding the makeup of man may better help us understand the part man's will plays in freeing him from Satan's bondage.
The physical man is made up of our senses-seeing, hearing, touching, tasting and smelling. Our goal must be to have the physical man come in line with the spirit man, which means we have to submit our ways to the ways of God. The soul makes the choices and tells the body what to do-rightly or wrongly. That is why we must constantly renew our minds so that the soul makes the right choices, being able to say, "No, I will not steal, kill, fornicate, commit adultery. My body is the temple of the living God. I cannot sleep with that woman's husband. I will not load my plate with that pie because my body does not need it. Sexual intimacy must wait for marriage."
The body only comes in line with the Word of God when the soul has been trained to obey the teachings of Christ through the spirit man.
So what must we do to bring ourselves in line with God's Word? We must recognize that Satan constantly brings temptation, because he is waging war to keep us in bondage. To break that bondage, we have to see ourselves as God sees us according to His Word. God sees us as the righteousness of Christ. He views us as more than conquerors. That means that through Him we have conquered disease, poverty, fear, strife and all the evil that Satan tries to bring against us.
Once we see ourselves according to God's Word, Satan can no longer whip us, or defeat us. But even when we are speaking the Word, we have to keep our eyes on the flesh. Paul had to discipline his body, and he was always speaking God's Word. He writes in 1 Corinthians 9:27: But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.
Discipline takes time and effort. It is an every-hour, every-minute, every-second job to ward off the temptations of the evil one. However, the great rewards of doing so is truly freedom unspeakable and full of glory!
Scripture Of The Day: "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 (NKJV)
Dr. Betty R. Price, the wife of Dr. Frederick K.C. Price’s ministry, is a highly sought-after public speaker and role model for women. She is the author of the recently released book entitled, Warning To Ministers, Their Wives, and Their Mistresses. For more information, visit http://www.faithdome.org/warningtoministers.…
Many Christians wait on the Lord to drop the answer to their prayers out of the sky, and when it doesn't happen, they say God has forgotten them. But that is not the case. For the truth about God's love for us, we have to look at our choices.
God gave us free will. It is our choice to follow God's commandments, and when we do, we prosper and live under God's protection. Proverbs 10:22 tells us that, The blessings of the Lord makes one rich, and He adds no sorrow with it. On the other hand, it is our own choice to follow Satan, who tempts us with evil, then rewards us by killing, stealing and destroying us.
How do we choose to follow the commandments of the Lord? We must first accept Christ as Savior and Lord. Then, we are Christians. That is when the spirit man in us becomes a new creature. Second Corinthians 5:17 tells us: "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new."
Even though our spirit man has become a new creature in Christ Jesus, it is only the correct choices of our soul that keep us from sinning and displeasing God. When Paul speaks of all things having become new, he is talking about the spirit man, not the natural man or the physical body. This lets us that we have to allow the spirit of God and the Word of God to rule our bodies because our bodies are not redeemed and cannot be trusted.
The flesh is ruled by the soul-our intellect, our mind. The flesh will do anything we allow it to do because it has not been changed. There can be outward changes in physical habits when we accept Christ as Lord-people do stop drinking, cursing, smoking, chasing women or men, and lying-but only the inner man takes on the nature of Christ by being born again.
The true man is the spirit man, the one who takes on Christ's nature when we accept Jesus as Savior and Lord. We have to use our free will to accept Him and have the righteousness of Christ operate in our lives.
The soul man is our mind, will, emotions and intellect. Satan tries to tempt us by suggesting to our mind to yield to our carnal man, which has not been changed. Our soul man stands between our spirit man and our carnal man, and whichever man is stronger that is the one we yield to. That is why the Word tells us in Romans 12:2 to renew our minds with the Word of God, then we will yield to the spirit and not to the flesh.
Renewing our minds come by hearing the Word of God, practicing the Word of God, memorizing the Word of God and speaking the Word of God. Understanding the makeup of man may better help us understand the part man's will plays in freeing him from Satan's bondage.
The physical man is made up of our senses-seeing, hearing, touching, tasting and smelling. Our goal must be to have the physical man come in line with the spirit man, which means we have to submit our ways to the ways of God. The soul makes the choices and tells the body what to do-rightly or wrongly. That is why we must constantly renew our minds so that the soul makes the right choices, being able to say, "No, I will not steal, kill, fornicate, commit adultery. My body is the temple of the living God. I cannot sleep with that woman's husband. I will not load my plate with that pie because my body does not need it. Sexual intimacy must wait for marriage."
The body only comes in line with the Word of God when the soul has been trained to obey the teachings of Christ through the spirit man.
So what must we do to bring ourselves in line with God's Word? We must recognize that Satan constantly brings temptation, because he is waging war to keep us in bondage. To break that bondage, we have to see ourselves as God sees us according to His Word. God sees us as the righteousness of Christ. He views us as more than conquerors. That means that through Him we have conquered disease, poverty, fear, strife and all the evil that Satan tries to bring against us.
Once we see ourselves according to God's Word, Satan can no longer whip us, or defeat us. But even when we are speaking the Word, we have to keep our eyes on the flesh. Paul had to discipline his body, and he was always speaking God's Word. He writes in 1 Corinthians 9:27: But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.
Discipline takes time and effort. It is an every-hour, every-minute, every-second job to ward off the temptations of the evil one. However, the great rewards of doing so is truly freedom unspeakable and full of glory!
Scripture Of The Day: "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 (NKJV)
Dr. Betty R. Price, the wife of Dr. Frederick K.C. Price’s ministry, is a highly sought-after public speaker and role model for women. She is the author of the recently released book entitled, Warning To Ministers, Their Wives, and Their Mistresses. For more information, visit http://www.faithdome.org/warningtoministers.…
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Freedom In Christ
By Pastor Olu Brown
In a society that values freedom, it is amazing to know how many of our fellow citizens live in bondage. I am not talking about the bondage most of you think about as it relates to jail cells, handcuffs and security personnel. I am referring to the lower security bondage that is uneasily detected but equally, if not more, confining than most traditional jail cells.
My heart goes out to those who have suffered a misstep along the way and never fully recovered. Maybe it was growing up with an absent parent, poverty, divorce or the painful loss of a loved one. When the event happened it rocked their world and for some reason or another they never fully recovered. The event happened but they are still in bondage. Though they may not be in physical bondage, they find themselves in emotional, spiritual and/or mental bondage.
I can recall so many days in my own personal life when I found myself deep within the emotional cells of fear and anxiety. I looked free, I talked free, shopped free and even pretended to worship free. Deep down I was still in solitary confinement. I unfairly convicted and sentenced myself to hard labor. It was only until I found the power of Christ and the hope of John 8:36 that I was reminded of the wonderful hope in Christ and being “free indeed!"
This hope I now have in Christ is my fuel for life and the power to refuse the open invitation of my jail cell. Each new day, I am reminded of my freedom to live, love and hope through Christ.
Today is your day and Christ has freed you. I know it is tempting to stay in your prison, but I dare you to receive your release agreement through the power of Christ and walk away a free person!
Scripture Of The Day: “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” - John 8:36v (NIV)
The lead pastor of Impact Church, located in downtown Atlanta, Georgia, Pastor Olu Brown has helped grow Impact into one of the fastest growing new church starts in America. For more information about Pastor Brown, log onto http://www.impactdcd.org or by following him on Twitter at http://twitter.com/olub.
In a society that values freedom, it is amazing to know how many of our fellow citizens live in bondage. I am not talking about the bondage most of you think about as it relates to jail cells, handcuffs and security personnel. I am referring to the lower security bondage that is uneasily detected but equally, if not more, confining than most traditional jail cells.
My heart goes out to those who have suffered a misstep along the way and never fully recovered. Maybe it was growing up with an absent parent, poverty, divorce or the painful loss of a loved one. When the event happened it rocked their world and for some reason or another they never fully recovered. The event happened but they are still in bondage. Though they may not be in physical bondage, they find themselves in emotional, spiritual and/or mental bondage.
I can recall so many days in my own personal life when I found myself deep within the emotional cells of fear and anxiety. I looked free, I talked free, shopped free and even pretended to worship free. Deep down I was still in solitary confinement. I unfairly convicted and sentenced myself to hard labor. It was only until I found the power of Christ and the hope of John 8:36 that I was reminded of the wonderful hope in Christ and being “free indeed!"
This hope I now have in Christ is my fuel for life and the power to refuse the open invitation of my jail cell. Each new day, I am reminded of my freedom to live, love and hope through Christ.
Today is your day and Christ has freed you. I know it is tempting to stay in your prison, but I dare you to receive your release agreement through the power of Christ and walk away a free person!
Scripture Of The Day: “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” - John 8:36v (NIV)
The lead pastor of Impact Church, located in downtown Atlanta, Georgia, Pastor Olu Brown has helped grow Impact into one of the fastest growing new church starts in America. For more information about Pastor Brown, log onto http://www.impactdcd.org or by following him on Twitter at http://twitter.com/olub.
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