DO NOT USE YOUR FREEDOM WRONGLY

 

Galatians 5:1, 13-16

"So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don’t get tied up again in slavery to the law...13 For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love. 14 For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”[c] 15 But if you are always biting and devouring one another, watch out! Beware of destroying one another.

Paul lets us know that Jesus died so that we could be made free, free from the list of laws and regulations.  Not just to do whatever they wanted to do. They were discussing whether circumcision was still necessary to be a believer.  Circumcision profited them nothing after Jesus' death, burial, and resurrection.  To be circumcised would require them to keep the whole law.  Jesus died so that we could be free from the law and accept grace.  

Freedom means quality or state of being free; absence of necessity, coercion, or constraint in choice or action; the power or right to act, speak, or think as one wants without hindrance or restraint. Jesus came so that we can have the freedom of following Him and to live free from the weight of sin and the slavery to sin.  As we accept Him and follow Him, the Holy Spirit will lead and guide us.  We are to live holy and acceptable to Him but we are not under the law.  We are living with grace.  We have freedom to serve the Lord, not freedom to sin. Sin makes you a slave to Satan. 

We have liberty but Paul admonishes us not to use that liberty unwisely or an opportunity to the flesh.  He tells them that they are to love one another.  We do not want to think that we are made free to sin because that is not true.  We want to bring God glory by loving and serving one another.

We are to love one another as ourselves. In order to do that you have to have Jesus as your Savior, accept His love for you, and love yourself.  You cannot give love to others if you do not love yourself.  That does not mean to have an inflated opinion of yourself or be selfish.  It is a healthy love for yourself.  Caring for and taking care of yourself, then you can love others.    You can't give what you don't have. 

We must ask God to help us love Him, love ourselves, and love others.  If not, we won't be able to accomplish this commandment.  The Holy Spirit will help you with all of these things.  Without the help of the Lord, we will become bitter and critical of each other.  We will "bite and devour one another" as the Bible says.  We will talk about each other, be critical, not helpful, and not see the good in our sisters and brothers.  Paul tells us not to do these things because this is Jesus' command to us.  We are to love one another.  Bickering and talking about each other is not love. Causing confusion and division is not love.  Backbiting and lying on others is not love.  Let's not just say we love each other, but really love each other with actions.  

When problems arise, address them in love instead of gossiping.  When you feel critical, make a list of positive attributes of the individual.  Make a conscious effort to Philippian 4:8 your thoughts, "8 And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise."  Stop those thoughts and bring them captive to what Jesus has commanded us to do, love one another. 

Don't use your freedom to sin or to cause havoc in the Kingdom of God.  You have been made free to live for free from sin and to love one another.  Be blessed.  

 The Truth Shall Make You Free!

 

John 8: 31-36

31 Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. 32 And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” 33 They answered Him, “We are Abraham’s descendants, and have never been in bondage to anyone. How can You say, ‘You will be made free’?” 34 Jesus answered them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. 35 And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. 36 Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.

How important is it to you to know the truth?  So often today people can justify telling you anything but the truth.  They call lies all kinds of names to soften the fact that they are not being honest or telling the truth.  If you tell the truth, you do not have to worry about being able to recount your story.  It will always be the truth and you will not have to create more lies to cover up anything.  

Jesus is talking to Jews that believed in Him.  He is saying that if they abide (to remain stable or fixed in a state) in His Word, then they were indeed His disciples (followers, students).  They would know the truth and it would make them free.  Jesus is the truth that sets them (and us) free.  If we abide in His Word, we too will be His disciples, come to know Him, and be made free.  

Jesus is the source of truth and the perfect standard of what is right.  He alone can make us free from sin, the slavery to sin, and give us eternal life.  He doesn't make us free to go our own way but to follow Him and become all that He has created us to be.  

It is like making a cake.  We get all the ingredients and we put them together to make a cake.  Once the cake is made, we cannot get the individual ingredients back apart.  When we abide in His Word, we get to know Him and His truth and we cannot take that away.  What we do with the truth is up to us but He gives us truth to set us free from the lies that the enemy has sold us.  The lies about who and whose we are, what we can have, how much He loves us, what rights we have in Christ Jesus, that we are more than conquerors through Jesus Christ our Lord, etc.  All of the truth of God makes us free from the bondage of sin and the lies of the devil.  

Our chains can be broken because sin will enslave you.  It will control you, dominate you, cause you to fear, dictate your actions, close your eyes to the truth, and cause you to live beneath the privileges that Jesus died to give you.  It keeps you from becoming the person God created you to be.  Jesus came to break the chains of sin off of your life. 

My brothers and sisters, Jesus is the truth and as you come to know Him, you will be set free!! This month of August is the month of freedom!  Be blessed. 

 May the Lord of Peace Himself Give You Peace

2 Thess. 3: 14-16

14 Take special note of anyone who does not obey our instruction in this letter. Do not associate with them, in order that they may feel ashamed. 15 Yet do not regard them as an enemy, but warn them as you would a fellow believer.
16 Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you.

Paul is talking to the people in the Thessalonian church. He was warning them against being idle.  The Life Application Bible says that "Some people in the Thessalonian church were falsely teaching that because Christ would return any day, people should set aside their responsibilities, quit work, do no future planning, and just wait for the Lord.  But their lack of activity only led them into sin. They became a burden to the church which was supporting them, they wasted time that could have been used for helping other, and became "busybodies". (3:11)" The people decided that it was more spiritual to stop working and wait on the Lord.

Paul admonishes them to be responsible and get back to work. They needed to be ready for the return of Jesus Christ but they also need to live a life of faith in Jesus and daily practice that would please the Lord. Being a burden to the church was not the way they should live.  He reminded them that when he was with them, he commanded, "If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat." (I Thess. 3:10) Paul worked day and night so that he would not be a burden to the church.  

He wanted the church to not keep company with those that didn't work.  Why? Because not working gives one so much idle time, which could lead to sin.  The Bible say in Proverbs 16:27, "27 Idle hands are the devil’s workshop; idle lips are his mouthpiece."  Paul cautions the church from being used by the enemy in rumors, hearsay, and gossip.  He also counsels them not to support those that are idle and not working.  Not those who could not work, but those that were choosing not to work. He doesn't want them to treat them as an enemy, but as a brother. They needed to use tough love. 

He closes his letter asking the Lord of peace, Himself, to give them peace.  He wanted the Lord to give them peace in every way.  Not only in their lives but in how they walked together.  I don't know about you but I want peace in every way.  Peace in my home, my mind, my career, family, ministry, and every way. Not the worldly peace because they can take that back. I want the peace that according to Philippians 4,"and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."  

So let us not be idle, work while it is day.  Be responsible and live according to God's Word and will for your life.  I pray for you that as you do so that "the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you."

 Amen. 

He Will Keep You in Perfect Peace

Isaiah 26:3-4

³You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.
⁴ Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the Lord himself, is the Rock eternal.

Isaiah 26 is a psalm of trust, praise, and meditation.  God is revealing the future of Judah.  The first verse starts with “In that day this song will be sung in the land of Judah:” (NIV) Judah would one day open its gates to all who love the Lord. He also tells us that if you keep your mind steadfast on the Lord, He will give you “perfect” peace as you trust in Him.  Have you ever wondered what “perfect” peace is?

Webster defines perfect as:  (a.) Brought to consummation or completeness; completed; not defective nor redundant; having all the properties or qualities requisite to its nature and kind; without flaw, fault, or blemish; without error; mature; whole; pure; sound; right; correct. There is not anything missing. In the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, perfect - (shalem, tamim):"Perfect" in the Old Testament is the translation of shalem, "finished," "whole," "complete," of persons, e.g. a "perfect heart," i.e. wholly or completely devoted to Yahweh; tamim, "complete," "perfect," "sound or unblemished," is also used of persons and of God, His way, and law.

Peace is defined as 1. (n.) A state of quiet or tranquility; freedom from disturbance or agitation; calm; repose.  In the Old Testament (International Standard Bible Encyclopedia), peace is pes (shalom; eirene): Is a condition of freedom from disturbance, whether outwardly, as of a nation from war or enemies, or inwardly, within the soul. The Hebrew word is shalom (both adjective and substantive), meaning, primarily, "soundness," "health," but coming also to signify "prosperity," well-being in general, all good in relation to both man and God.

To have perfect peace must mean that you have complete, whole, calm freedom from disturbance; tranquility.  It does not mean that there will not be turmoil or conflict in the world. No!  Isaiah was telling us that if we fix our minds (thoughts) on God and His unfailing love for us, we can have complete peace even in a time of troubles.  The trouble may be on the outside (situations) but it doesn’t have to be on the inside. 

The Life Application Bible (you know it’s one of my favorites) states that “as we focus our mind on God and His Word, we become steady and stable.  Supported by God’s unchanging love and mighty power, we are not shaken by the surrounding chaos.” 

Do you want peace?  I don’t know about you but the older I get, the more I seek peace.  If we keep our minds and thoughts on God and trust in Him, we can have just that – God’s perfect peace. Be blessed.

 My Peace I Leave with You

John 14:27

26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you. 
27 Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

Jesus is talking to His disciples and telling them the way to eternal life.  He tells them that He is going to go to the Father but is sending them a Comforter which is the Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit is going to teach them all things and remind them of what He said to them. The Holy Spirit would help them remember what He taught them while He was with them.

Comforter is one that provides consolation.  The biblical definition of comforter is one who goes alongside.  He would come alongside to teach and remind them of spiritual things. This would cause them to have deep and lasting peace.  Jesus was assuring them that the work of the Holy Spirit in their lives would bring peace and confident assurance in any circumstance. Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to lead and guide them (us) into all truth.  

Peace does not mean an absence of conflict.  The peace that Christ gives is not as the world gives.  His peace is deep, lasting, abiding, and can be experienced in any circumstance. The Life Application Bible says that "Sin, fear, uncertainty, doubt, and numerous other forces are at war within us.  The peace of God moves into our hearts and lives to restrain these hostile forces and offer comfort in place of conflict. Jesus says he will give us that peace if we are willing to accept it from Him."  We must be willing to accept His peace as we allow Him to move into our hearts and lives. 

Do you ever have times of stress, uncertainty, conflict, or discord?  Then you need to allow the Holy Spirit to fill your life with the peace that only comes from God.  The Holy Spirit can teach you all things as you study God's Word and submit to His leadership.  You must be a willing and yielded vessel. 

There is peace for you and me as we allow the Lord to give us His peace.  Be blessed. 

    I Need the Peace of God

Philippians 4:6-7 (NLT)

"6 Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. 7 Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus."

This scripture means a great deal to me.  I know that I am in a relationship with the Almighty God and there is nothing that He can't do but at times I must forget.  I allow the cares of this life to cause me to worry and stress. I know, I shouldn't (and I repent) but I am just being honest.  I cry out to God when the cares of life hurt and  become a weight almost too much to bear.  I know that He loves me and is hearing my every call.  He assures me that He is with me and He is working it out.  He is working me through the process of becoming more like Him. I'm just not always in agreement on how it has to happen.

I'm glad the Apostle Paul leaves the message, not to worry (or be anxious) about anything. That means that no matter what it is, I can take it to the Lord in prayer.  He listens, He hears, and He answers. It may not always be the answer I want at the moment but I don't have to worry. I can take it to the Lord in prayer. I can tell Him what I need (or think I need) and thank Him because I know that He hears me and will work it out for my good.  I am careful to ask His will in spite of what I may want.  I can trust that His will is so much better for me than mine. I can thank God for all that He has done and know assuredly just as He has taken care of me in the past, He will continue to do so.  Why? Because He is a covenant keeping God and He promised that He would. 

Only after I talk to my Father and cast my cares can I have His peace.  Sometimes, I may come into His presence and not know what to say.  Just being in His presence makes it all better.  Ps. 16:11 says, "You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of your presence and the pleasures of living with you forever." If I come to the Lord in prayer (which is just conversation), He will hear me and give me His peace.  

I remember the hymn, What A Friend We Have in Jesus, it says "Oh what peace we often forfeit, Oh what needless pain we bear.  All because we do not carry, everything to God in prayer." If we take our cares and problems to God, He will bear them for us and give us the strength to make it through all of our valleys.  Ps. 29:11 gives me courage, "The Lord will give [unyielding and impenetrable] strength to His people; The Lord will bless His people with peace."  God will not only bless you with strength that cannot be penetrated and stopped, but He will bless you with His peace.  His peace is beyond our understanding. In the midst of the trouble, you will find peace.

This month, the theme is peace.  May you find peace as you draw near to the Savior, Jesus Christ.  If you have not accepted Him as your Lord and Savior, you are missing a blessing.  He truly is our Peace.  Accept Him today.  

Prayer of Salvation:

Lord, I admit I am a sinner. I need and want Your forgiveness. I accept Your death as the penalty for my sin, and recognize that Your mercy and grace is a gift You offer to me because of Your great love, not based on anything I have done. Cleanse me and make me Your child. By faith I receive You into my heart as the Son of God and as Savior and Lord of my life. From now on, help me live for You, with You in control.
In Your precious name, Amen

Restore a Double Portion

Isaiah 61:7

Instead of shame and dishonor, you will enjoy a double share of honor.

You will possess a double portion of prosperity in your land, and everlasting joy will be yours.

The book of Isaiah was written by the prophet Isaiah to call the nation of Judah back to God and to tell of God’s salvation through Jesus, the Messiah.  The Life Application Bible says that “the “office” of prophet was instituted in the Days of Samuel, the last of the judges. Prophets stood with the priests as God’s special representatives. The prophet’s role was to speak for God, confronting the people and their leaders with God’s commands and promises.  Because of this confrontational stance and the continuing tendency of people to disobey God, true prophets usually were not very popular.  But though their message often went unheeded, they faithfully and forcefully proclaimed the truth.”

Isaiah was considered one of the greatest prophets.  He became unpopular because his messages were so difficult for the people to hear.  He was warning them of their pending judgement if they did not turn from their lives of sin.  God was going to bring judgement and punishment for their sins. Chapters 1-39 calls Judah and Israel to repent from their sins. They had a form of godliness, but were corrupt in their hearts.   The 27 chapters (40-66) in the second half of the book generally brings a message of forgiveness, comfort, and hope. Isaiah describes the coming Messiah as a suffering servant and a sovereign Lord.

God was sending a Savior, to save His people. He promised them comfort, deliverance, and restoration in His coming kingdom. This is the same passage of scripture that Jesus quotes in the New Testament and proclaims that He had come to fulfill.  Under the new covenant, all believers could be priest of the Lord, read God’s Word, seek to understand it, confess their sins directly to God, be forgiven, and minister to others. 

Jesus came to set free all that were (are) bound by sin, lies, fear, torment, guilt, depression, oppression, sickness, disease, etc.  Jesus was anointed to bring God’s Word, John 1:1-2 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ² He was in the beginning with God.”  He was the Word.  He came to preach to the poor, brokenhearted, captives of sin, bound, wounded.  It was the year of salvation, the Savior was here.  He came to set them free, free from the pain and penalty of sin.  He came to take their shame, guilt, and dishonor and give them double honor. What is the significance of double honor?

Double honor means “instead of the reproach and humiliation which you have been called to experience. You shall have double - A double inheritance or reward” (Barnes’ Notes on the Bible) Pulpit Commentary says, “Verse 7. - For your shame ye shall have double. Instead of the shame and confusion of face which were the portion of Israel during the Captivity (see Isaiah 51:7, 23; Isaiah 54:4; Daniel 9:7, 8, etc.), they should after their restoration to Palestine "have double" their former glory and double their former territory. An increase of territory had been already prophesied (Isaiah 49:18-21) - an increase which, however, was not so much an extension of the bounds of Palestine as a spread of the Church over the whole earth (comp. Zechariah 9:12).”

They were about to not only be restored (healed, repaired, and returned to a previous state of being) but they were going to get a double inheritance and reward.  They were going to experience increase.  God wants us to know that we can always return to Him when we make mistakes or walk away.  Sometimes our lives or actions bring shame or trouble but God is willing and able to restore us.  We just have to repent and seek God and He is able to restore double for all the shame, embarrassment, and turmoil.  Trust God and come home.  Let Him restore and reward you.  Living with Him on your side is definitely increase!!