Happy 4th! A Call to Freedom

"For you were called to be free, brothers; only do not use this freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but serve one another through love" (Galatians 5:13, HCSB). 

What makes you feel free? In America, today is a day many take to reflect on the sacrifice our forefathers made years ago. Today, there are military and other people who work to protect our country and to help unite it. Our independence day brings hope and gratefulness to this country we are blessed to be a part of.

As believers in Christ, we have been given freedom in this life in Him, as we know that we are forever a part of God's family because of His free grace. We were once caught up in sin and suffered being apart from our Maker. Christ came to die for us, though, to set us free from living life apart from Him in darkness. His selfless love shines and caused Him to die on the cross in our place. He has the power to forgive us. He offers freedom, hope and renewal in this new life in a reconciled relationship with Him.

Kelli Martin

Let's "serve one another in love" out of awe of who God is. He has shown us how to love. Instead of getting caught up in a web of selfish desires, let's look for ways we can love others today and this weekend. We may get to share where we find light and where we have learned love.

Let's pray:

• Thanks - for God's grace
• For help - to practice selfless love 
• For open eyes - to see times to share how we find freedom because of Christ's sacrifice

"No one has greater love than this, that someone would lay down his life for his friends" (John 15:13, HCSB).

"We love because He first loved us" (1 John 4:19).

Happy fourth!

We ask God to remove strongholds

"For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ" (2 Corinthians 10:3-5, New American Standard Bible).

War, weapons, power, destruction, fortresses, captivity - what sort of war is going on? At this point in Scripture, people were arguing with Christians about whether Christ is the Messiah, the One promised to come to earth to restore God's reign. Christ, indeed, came to save the world from being separated from God through their sin, while satan wishes people to feel trapped in sin and away from the Lord.

Paul tells the Corinthians that these thoughts that questioned Christ and God did not need to be countered by the way the world wages war. Instead, He encouraged Christians to trust in God's power. God wishes to fight for His people, to win them to Him. As believers wanting others to come to have a relationship with God, we trust in God's power because we believe it is the strongest. The power of the Holy Spirit is far greater than the power of the devil that seeks to put barriers between God's creations knowing and trusting in their Creator.

Is there someone on your mind who does not have a relationship with God? Let's pray for God to remove any strongholds that block them from having faith in our Lord and Savior. We hope they will trust in God, our God who renews minds and teaches truth.

Above study based on the workbook HeartCall: Women Sharing God's Heart (Jaye Martin, 1999)
Photo from http://my-god-is.com/

RESCUED!

RESCUED FROM DARKNESS!!

"...for He has RESCUED from the domain of DARKNESS and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins..."! Colossians 1:13-14

"But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for His possession, so that you may proclaim the praises of the One who called you OUT of DARKNESS into His marvelous LIGHT."! 1 Peter 2:9

The miners are ALIVE, RESCUED FROM the trap of DARKNESS, a confined pit called a mine, and raised into the marvelous LIGHT of FREEDOM!! Waiting for them are many people that have prayed continuously, worked tirelessly, and waited patiently for this day of RESCUE!

As we all watch the news reports we see many emotions that accompany the PRAISES of those that are being brought OUT of DARKNESS and into marvelous LIGHT!

As believers, when someone is RESCUED from darkness, the pit of sin, and into The Marvelous LIGHT of JESUS a TRUE MIRACLE takes place! For the first time some is capable of truly experiencing real LOVE, JOY, PEACE, PATIENCE, KINDNESS, GOODNESS, FAITHFULNESS, GENTLENESS, & SELF-CONTROL = THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT & LIFE IN JESUS CHRIST!!! (Gal.5:22)

A New Heart/New Life in Christ is contagious!! As we witness someone being RESCUED from Darkness hopefully we relive our moment of RESCUE~FREEDOM & HOPE, we shed tears of joy while watching others being RESCUED, and most of all we think about and are burdened for others that still need to be RESCUED from DARKNESS...NEVER GIVE UP ON THOSE THAT STILL NEED TO BE RESCUED & SAVED!!!!!!

What can we do as His "...chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for His possession, so that you may proclaim the praises of the ONE who called you OUT of DARKNESS into His marvelous LIGHT" 1 Peter 2:9? LET'S GO SHARE JESUS & WHAT WE HAVE PERSONALLY WITNESSED (our story and the story of others) with PEOPLE THAT NEED THE LORD = EVANGELISM = GIFTED2GO!!

YOU ARE THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD!!!! WE HAVE THE JOY & PRIVILEGE OF SHARING JESUS TODAY!!!!

Jesus said, "I have come into the world as a LIGHT, so that no one who BELIEVES in Me should stay in DARKNESS."!! John 12:46

"free to dance"

"Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom." -2 Corinthians 3:17

As this man was helping me the other day, he said that he did not think he could work in the church. He had learned that I was going to seminary. He explained that he was not consistently a good person - that, at heart, he was a sinner. I tried to explain that I am, wihtout a doubt, a sinner as well. I just have to keep on coming back to Christ and asking for repentance.

It is true that we are all sinners, and that we cannot live a good life following Christ on our own. In Ephesians, Paul reveals how he feels about himself as he says, "I am less than the least of all God's people" (Ephesians 3:8a). However, he presents to us something to celebrate, noting in Ephesians 3:12, "In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence." By having faith in Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit within ourselves, God can use us, no matter how sinful we may feel.

Lord, please help me to remember how mysterious yet unconditional your love is. Please help us to be able to explain to others how faith in you alone can bring us to a better life with you.

One of my favorite songs is, "Free," by Ginny Owens, and the passage below reminds me of it. If you want to read the lyrics, they can be found at http://www.christianlyricsonline.com/artists/ginny-owens/free.html.

"And we have such trust through Christ toward God, not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God, who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life." -2 Corinthians 3:4-6

Picture from http://www.costumecapers.com.au/images/danceshoes.jpg