Our Freedom

Well, the time is drawing closer and closer to election day... which is a big deal to many Americans and many are consumed with the news and details following this election. But I am not worried about the election. These, among other, worldly distractions continually bombard us, and as Christians we should recognise them as such and put them aside as we are told in scripture. My prayer is that we remember what should be central to our hearts, ears, and mouths, as well as remember what is truly central to our freedom, testifies of our freedom and is continually making us free- the true reality... JESUS! Any and every time the disciples or other followers tried to influence Jesus towards building an earthly kingdom, or endorsing or overturning the current one (the Roman Empire... I think) Jesus shut it down, made no room for it to grow. Instead, He came to proclaim that HE was the way, His Kingdom would reign- but not on our terms, not on our timing, nor would it accomplish our goals, but the Father's. May I just encourage you by saying that I am praying my own heart stays surrendered to God and that I abide in and learn more of His ways, as I pray for all of you (yeah- everybody) that we turn our eyes upon Jesus... not assuming we have the slightest clue as to what He may be up to- because let's be honest- we don't! And praise God for that! Everyone craves freedom, craves our own way, but we quickly realize that freedom has its price. In a human society (selfish society), chaos results if we consider just our own interests. Laws are necessary to guarantee freedom. This is also true with the laws of God. In Psalms it says, "So shall I keep Your law continually, forever and ever. And I will walk at liberty, for I seek Your precepts." And James calls God's law a "law of liberty," or freedom, when he says that "he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does" (James 1:25). He says this in the next chapter: "So speak and so do as those who will be judged by the law of liberty" (vs. 12). Jesus is our perfect example of freedom! He kept God's commands. True freedom cannot come apart from obeying God's commandments. Loving obedience to God's law is not salvation by works, but a sincere, heartfelt response to want to love, serve, and please (praise) the Lord. It's not a matter of what's convenient for you or what suits your interests, but of what pleases God! By the way... it is an irony that, as we gain freedom through Christ, we become His slaves... yep! 1 Corinthians 7:22: "For he(she) who is called in the Lord while a slave is the Lord's freedman. Likewise he who is called while free is Christ's slave." I don't know about you, but I would rather be a slave to Christ than to the rulers of this world, because there is no ruler who can bring true salvation- not a single man on earth that can bring true HOPE to Americans or any other nation for that matter. That man came, that man died, that man rose again...and THAT man - JESUS has my attention. Does He have yours?