*Note: I have shared this post in July of 2015 and July
of 2016, prior to the United State’s celebration of July 4. This year, I have done a bit of revising.
“Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath
set us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.” (Galatians 5:1 KJV)
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| From http://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/Inspirational-Images/large/Galatians_5-1.jpg |
On Tuesday we (those of us in the United States of America)
will be celebrating our freedom, won at a great cost from Great Britain. On July 4, 1776, many brave men (and women)
in an act of defiance stood up against the world power of that day, declaring
their independence. This was an act of
war. Many individuals and families paid
a very steep price; because of this, we have the freedoms and independence we
now enjoy. May we never take our
freedoms and independence for granted!
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| Personal Photo |
For those of us who are Christians, we are in a war too; a
spiritual war, fighting against a spiritual enemy—Satan—who wants our
soul. We do not fight alone. We fight along side our brothers and sisters
in Christ. However, our best and most
important help comes from our Savior, Jesus and the empowerment of the Holy
Spirit.
Have you ever considered that our freedom—freedom from sin
and death—eternal separation from a holy God was also won at a great cost? By dying and arising from the dead, Jesus set
us free from bondage to sin, death, and the grave—we are liberated! This freedom is fully paid for by Christ
Jesus—He asks for our heart in return.
Being set free by Christ sends us on an amazing journey—a
journey that is unique to each person.
This journey takes us places we never thought we would go; we will
likely do things we never thought we could or would do (for me that is preaching
in the form of filling in for pastors who are away and teaching Sunday school). We will meet many people who will teach us,
bless us, and challenge us. And yes, our
hearts will break at times for many reasons.
To read more about freedom in Christ please read my previous
posts: Salvation, A New Creation, and Counting the Cost.
Much like the colonists, who were subjects of Great Britain,
we are in bondage to sin, until we see our sin for what it is and that we
cannot save or free ourselves from the chains of sin. It is when we acknowledge the work of Jesus
Christ and invite Him into our heart that we are set free.
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| Image from Pixabay |
We are free in Christ—this freedom is not freedom to do as we please; it is freedom from the burden of
sin and the burden of the Old Testament laws, rules, and regulations (but not
the Ten Commandments). It is freedom to
love (agape)
others and to serve others.
Spend some time in the coming days, reflecting on your
freedom in Christ.
What does it mean to you, personally, to be free in Christ?
What have you been set free from by Jesus?
During Sunday morning worship one of the songs we sang was This is Amazing Grace. While singing I realized how appropriate its
message is when considering our freedom in Christ.
Please join with me in prayer:
Dear God of Love, thank You for setting us free. We recognize all that You have done for
us. Thank You for the gift of living in
America and for those who have stood up for what is right, so that we can live
in freedom. It is in Jesus and Jesus
alone that we are saved and set free; thank You Jesus for Your amazing gift of
salvation. Teach us to walk and live in
the freedom that we have in Jesus, the One who set us free from Satan’s
grasp. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
From My Heart to Yours,
Kim
Happy 4th
of July to my readers in the United States of America!
Oh Kim! This is so good! Yes! We thank the Lord for our forefathers who fought for our freedoms here in America. What a wonderful gift that was to us...one that I pray we will never lose! But our freedom from sin and death through Jesus Christ is an even great gift...one that I do not take lightly...and I praise God for the gift of His Son, Who has set us free through His death...and has given us eternal life through His resurrection from the dead! We are free indeed, when we accept this marvelous FREE gift of salvation! May this special independence weekend bring joy and freedom to you and many! God bless you Kim...and God bless America!! Let Freedom Ring!!
ReplyDeletePam, thank you so much for your kind comments. We do have so much to celebrate--the freedoms we have in this land;the greatest freedom is the freedom we have in Jesus Christ! Yes, God Bless America! Let Freedom Ring!
DeleteGod bless you, Pam!
Amen, Kim! In Jesus, we find true freedom, liberated once and for all from the chains of sin and death.
ReplyDeleteMay we remember all those who have died giving their lives so that our freedoms in this country remain steadfast and strong.
Love and blessings!
Thank you, Martha! Our freedom in Christ is truly amazing--and it's a freedom that can't be snatched from us. And yes, may we always remember those who gave their lives so that we could have the freedoms we enjoy today.
DeleteLove and blessings!
Kim the message of your blog reminds me of two things:
ReplyDelete1. This quote from Viktor Frankl: "Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms—to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way."
2. The famous painting of Jesus standing at the door, knocking, and the latch is on the inside.
Thanks!
Chip, our mutual friend Martha alerted me to your comment. Thank you for stopping by, reading, and commenting. I like your Viktor Frankl quote--he makes a good point. And yes, the famous painting of Jesus that you mentioned is quite fitting. To God be the glory and thanks for our freedoms.
DeleteBlessings!