Galations 5:1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.
“Every human has four endowments- self awareness, conscience, independent will and creative imagination. These give us the ultimate human freedom; the power to choose, to respond, to change. ~ Stephen Covey
Independence Day is just around the corner. The Fourth of July commemorates the Continental Congress adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. Regarded as the birthday of the United States of America, the day is typically celebrated with parades, fireworks, ceremonies, barbecues and family gatherings. Our society loves freedom. Not just the freedom from but the freedom to.
We live in a free country where our civil rights and freedoms are protected by law. We are given enormous latitude to participate in a variety of different behaviors protected under the constitution. Civil liberties exist for good reasons, usually to protect those who cannot protect themselves. But our freedom in Christ goes much deeper than do our civil liberties as citizens of this nation. The believer’s freedom is different from the freedom of citizens living in a free, democratic society. A lot of what people call freedom isn’t really freedom at all. For the believer, liberation and freedom go hand in hand. Biblical freedom can never be divorced from the idea of liberation from bondage. A dictionary definition for the word freedom is, “exemption from the control of some other person or some arbitrary power.”
Without being set free from the Law we would be trapped in an endless and destructive cycle of religious performance as a means of proving our devotion and sincerity. We would be stuck trying to prove our worth to a God who already loves us and never experience the freedom we have to rest in his love and rejoice in his grace.
Today let us stand in the liberty where Christ has made us free:
• I am free from failure: "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Phil.4:13
• I am free from weakness, "for the Lord is the strength of my life." Ps.27:1
• I am free from doubt for "God hath given to every man the measure of faith." Rom. 12:3
• I am free from worry for I am...to cast all my cares upon Him." 1Pet.5:7
• I am free from bondage "for where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty." 2 Cor.3:17
• I am... free from fear for "God hath not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." 2Tim1:7
Unlike our society personal freedom to do whatever you like is not what Paul means when he says that Christ has set us free. But, it is easy in our society to forget this and live our Christian lives as if personal freedom to do what we like is the be all and end all. One part of freedom that is really attractive to me is not living my life tied to others expectations
Unlike our society personal freedom to do whatever you like is not what Paul means when he says that Christ has set us free. But, it is easy in our society to forget this and live our Christian lives as if personal freedom to do what we like is the be all and end all. One part of freedom that is really attractive to me is not living my life tied to others expectations. God Loves You and so do I……. Pastor Tammy
Posts
