Freedom

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Galatians 5:1

What do you think of when confronted with the word freedom? Do you thank God that you live in a free country: free to vote, to worship, to marry whomever you choose, to live where you want to live and work at your choice of job?  Yes we have many freedoms not afforded to people in other countries.

As I was reminded of this verse today I thought of  people that we come across all the time who are not really free.  Even though they know Jesus Christ, our freedom-giver, they are still bound in many ways.  The sad thing is that some of them even like their captivity.  It's their comfortable place, and to move out of their captivity poses a threat.  They don't know how they will handle it so they are not willing to take the risk.  Yes, they talk about it, they plan for it but they never quite do it. That's because Satan, the deceiver has told them that freedom will be difficult, short-lived, not attainable and any number of other lies with which he keeps them bound.

So what are some of those bondages? At the risk of making myself unpopular I need to be honest and, at the same time look at my own life to see if there are areas where I am not free.  I'm sure there are.  The bondage of emotional baggage is often at the root of things like wanting to control others, hoarding, obsessive compulsive disorders, eating disorders, chronic illness and weakness.  Emotional baggage results from many things. Abuse, (verbal, sexual or physical), trauma, unresolved grief, unresolved anger, bullying, unfair punishment, unforgiveness...... the list is endless but the torment doesn't have to be. Jesus came to set the captives free and that means any kind of captive.

A captive is one who is locked in. We can be locked into a mindset that is often rooted in believing a lie.  Somewhere deep in our psyche a lie has found its home in us, maybe even when we were a child, through the way we have been treated.  These lies give Satan an open door to build a structure in our thinking that can affect the way we do life forever. He builds a prison and keeps us locked into the lie. We wonder why we can't change our bad habits, attitudes, insecurities.  It's because we are a prisoner.  There is a lie we have believed that we need to uncover, reject and replace with God's truth.  Only then, when we begin to believe the truth can we make the journey into continuing and growing freedom that Christ died for us to receive.

Are you brave enough today to take an honest look inwards and ask Jesus to show you if there is any area of captivity in your life that is stopping you from walking in full freedom?  If so, spend time in His presence, ask him if there is anyone you need to forgive in order to gain your freedom.  It may be even be yourself.

Lord Jesus,  would you shine your light into my heart.  Show me any lie I have believed about myself or others.  Give me a revelation of your truth to replace the lie and help me walk in the freedom that you died for me to walk in.  Amen

Trust - 8

"Return to Me, and I will return to you,” says the Lord of hosts. Zechariah 1:3 

Our friends in the USA are celebrating their wedding anniversary this weekend and to do that they have returned to the city where they were married 45 years ago.  The picture above is one of their memories that she shared.  For a marriage to last this long and this well there has to be trust.

Every successful relationship has to be based on faithfulness and trust. Sometimes trust is broken because we are weak; but if we are truly sorry and repent, trust can, and should, be restored.  God himself sets the ultimate example for this in sending Jesus to die for our sins so that we could be forgiven and our  relationship with him could be restored. 

When we have known the goodness of our wonderful God and we walk away, we actually feel the separation.  Something is missing, the vibrancy, the reassurance if his love, the joy and peace that being in fellowship with him brings. Our spirit actually misses our God relationship, just like we would miss a spouse or a friend. 

The first step is in returning (repentance).  God promises that if his people return to him then he will return to them.  What brings anyone back to a relationship?  It is a deep love for that person. It is love that draws us back.  In the story of the prodigal son (Luke 15), we are given a beautiful example of how the father waits for the son to return.  He doesn't chase him, he just waits day after day, year after year until one day the son returns, repentant and willing now just to be his father's servant.  The father's arms are open and he throws a party, not for the new servant but for the restoration of his son.  That is what God does when we return to him, he is thrilled and overflows with love for us.  There is no judgment, just forgiveness and grace, grace, grace.

 

Often the problem in our returning is that we judge ourselves so we cannot fully embrace the forgiveness that is given.  It is vital that we forgive ourselves or we will become paralysed and not able to move on.  At best we will become stunted.  Trust and humility are involved in forgiving ourselves.  Trust in God's absolute faithfulness to us to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wrong doing (1 John 1:9); but  humility to accept that we are weak, flawed human flesh and do not deserve forgiveness.   If we don't forgive ourselves, then Jesus' death on the cross for our sin was for nothing. 

Don't allow yourself to become paralysed and powerless in the kingdom of God.  Trust in his forgiveness and love, forgive yourself, drop the shame at the foot of the cross where it belongs, then get up and do your part in his work.  You are precious and your gifts are needed.  You have experienced his love in your weakness, you have a testimony. For Jesus' sake, move on.  It's not about you, it's all about Him and His great mercy. 

Prayer:  Loving Father, if there is anything that is paralysing me; if there is anything I have not truly forgiven myself for, would you please show me and help me to fully receive your forgiveness so that I may know your peace and restoration and be fruitful in your Kingdom. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen

Trust - 7

The godly may trip seven times but they will get up again.  Proverbs 24:16

One of the most difficult things for a person who is performance oriented to deal with is failure. Often this is because of how we were raised.  If you were raised in a household where failure incurred a parent's wrath, then it is likely you have an issue with failure.  It was one of the happiest days of my life when I learned to laugh at my mistakes and realised that we all make them and we don't get it right all the time.

Growing up my sister used to say, "You think you are perfect."  In a way she was right because as I look back I can see that I thought I had to be perfect or I wasn't acceptable.  Perfection is a harsh and unreasonable taskmaster.  I am glad that I have learned that it is okay to fail sometimes so long as I get up again.  Failure can be as simple as forgetting to do something we promised to do, speaking an unkind word in haste, having a day when our emotions pull us away from God's love and kindness and take us down Pitiful Path.  It is good to get over our performance problem before we go too far down the geriatric road where we face the reality of not being able to do all that we used to do.  It is not a failure to get old, but if we value ourselves only by what we can accomplish in a day we will fall in a hole.

How we handle failure can show us the true measure of our character.  The Bible says that we may fall often but we will get up.  Well that's good news!  We can do that because the Lord will offer us a helping if we allow him, and he will lift us up. Psalm 145:14 says "The Lord helps the fallen and lifts those bent beneath their loads." In times past I have looked at that hand and said, "Thank you Lord that you forgive me but I think I need to stay down here in the dirt a bit longer and beat up on myself. I haven't served my full punishment yet."  Sound ridiculous? Yes it is but some of us do that.

Jesus holds out his hand to lift us up because he is not surprised that we fail. He knows that we are dust, he doesn't discard us because He already paid the price, took the punishment for our sin.  To refuse his helping hand is to say that what he did is not complete and you know that's not true!  By refusing to forgive ourselves we fall into Pride Pothole!  That is something we want to avoid with everything  in us. Pride causes us to pretend everything is all right when we are falling apart inside.  Pride causes us to think that our sin is so unforgivable that we have to beat ourselves up.

So what is the answer?  It is to reach up and like a little child, look into Papa God's eyes and receive His help.  That is trust, childlike trust in a loving Father.  That's what pleases the Father's heart.  If you don't believe me go read the parable of the prodigal son again.

Prayer:  Papa God, thank you that you will always lift me up when I fall or fail.  Help me to receive your help and forgiveness and not feel that I have to perform for your approval, because your word tells me that you loved me and died for me even before I knew you, and your love for me never changes.  Amen

Trust - 6

And I’ll sit back and say to myself, “My friend, you have enough stored away for years to come. Now take it easy! Eat, drink, and be merry!”’  Luke 12:19

For people approaching retirement age, (and for Australia that is a huge percentage of the population,) the temptation is to look at your superannuation or savings and think it won't be enough. And it may not be.  It was however, not like that for the man in the parable Jesus told in Luke chapter 12.  He had an abundance of wealth to see him through.  But that night was to be his last. Death knocked at his door. Jesus told this parable to show how foolish it is to put our trust in money rather than making sure we are ready to face our maker. This man thought he had it made.  Just build some bigger barns to store his wealth and live off that for the rest of his life. But life, for him, was done.

The apostle Paul was grateful when he wrote to the Philippians to thank them for sending him money.  He said, "I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want"(Phil 4:12).  Paul didn't have a credit card to rely on, only the Lord and the generosity of His people.  But that meant he probably wasn't in debt either! 

Trusting in our bank balance can limit our lives in so many ways.  We may feel called by God to some special task but if all we can see is the lack of money in our bank to follow through with it we may never be obedient.  Did you know that God will provide all your needs according to his riches in Christ Jesus and that if he calls you to a task He surely plans to provide the necessary finance for you to do it.  If you had what was needed up front you wouldn't have to trust God and thereby have the joy of seeing him provide.

In the same way retirement is a step of faith.  Not one of us knows what tomorrow will bring and we should never trust in our savings to carry us through this life in our closing days.  We've seen plenty of global financial crises in the past few decades so we should know better than to trust in our money.  Rather, let us be open to God's leading in our last years.  Our 'use by date' is not passed until we move to heaven.  God has a task for each day, whether big or small and we do it because we are to live for His glory.  Trusting God in our finances will enable us to be free to do His will and bring him glory in the tasks he calls us to.

Prayer:  My God, my provider, help me to trust you rather than my bank balance.  You are faithful always and will never let me down.  Amen
 

Trust - 5

We are all infected and impure with sin. When we display our righteous deeds, they are nothing but filthy rags. Isaiah 64:6

When a Pharisee hosted Jesus to dinner he got more than he expected (Luke 11:37-38). We don't know if the man actually voiced his thoughts, it just says that 'he marvelled' that Jesus sat down to dinner without doing the ceremonial hand washing that was so important to the Pharisees.  Jesus heard him anyway and launched into a stream of 'woes' against the Pharisees hypocritical, religious ways.  At first glance it may seem to us that this was rather rude of Jesus to do this in his host's home and certainly he placed himself at risk of being out out on the street before dinner!

However, there was something more important than food to Jesus.  It was that this man know the truth that would set him free (John 8:32).  The truth that Jesus needed to convey to him and his religious friends was... 'trusting in your religious rituals will do you no good and win you no prizes with God'.  They were trusting in their own outward piety and good works, but God looks at our heart (1 Samuel 16:7).  They were concerned about cleaning up their outside, but their hearts looked putrid to God.  If they didn't change their ways they would incur God's judgment.  Jesus didn't want them to miss out on the blessing of God's favour.

God's approval will never be given on the basis of our good works no matter how good they are.  We can never be good enough for God which is why he sent His son Jesus Christ to be the perfect, sinless sacrifice for our sins.  Jesus had God's approval as the 'spotless lamb of God' and he died so that we might obtain the forgiveness that would qualify us for God's favour and eternal life.

It is such a temptation to try and perform our way into heaven but it will never do. We can never be good enough. It will just discourage us as we continually disappoint ourselves by our failures.  Trusting in Jesus as the one who died for our sins and has clothed us with his righteousness will release us from works and free us to walk in the joy of our salvation.

Even if we have been Christians for a long time, it is still good to have an honest look at ourselves to make sure that we are not going through religious ritual thinking that it will impress God.  He is only impressed by Jesus!

Prayer:  Loving God, thank you for providing a way for me to be acceptable in your sight which does not depend upon my good works.  Help me to remember always that trusting in Jesus' death on the cross for me is the only 'ticket' into heaven.  Amen

Trust - 4

But Moses protested to God, "Who am I to appear before Pharaoh....?"  God answered, "I will be with you." 
 Exodus 3:11-12

Can you recall a time when you were asked to take on a task and your immediate response was, "Oh no, I could never do that!"?   Perhaps it was something in the workforce and you didn't have a choice so you did it afraid.  Perhaps it was a position in Christian ministry in your church or on a committee or Board; perhaps it was something you felt God wanted you to do but you really didn't want to do it at all.

There is a man whose story I was reading again recently who was in just such a position, except that this man had very real cause for concern when God spoke to him.  It was a pretty scary time in the history of the early church and Christians were dispersing from Jerusalem for fear of threats to their lives or at least imprisonment which may end in the arena with hungry lions.  One Saul of Tarsus was a scholar and zealous for his Jewish faith.  He knew the scriptures and knew them well.  He knew that the Christians were wrong and he was out to get rid of them.  He would put an end to this "Jesus nonsense" once and for all.  So, armed with letters permitting him to arrest any 'people of the Way' he could find and bring them back to Jerusalem for trial, he set out on his mission.

Nearing Damascus he was blinded by a great light, fell to the ground, heard a voice and asked a question, "Who are you Lord?"  Yes, Saul had an encounter with Jesus Christ and his life was changed forever.    It is the man who was sent to him that caught my attention.  His name was Ananais and the Lord appeared to him in a vision and told him that he should go the house of  Judas and there he would find Saul of Tarsus who was blind.  Ananais' mission was to pray that Saul's sight would be restored.  Now that was a scary mission. " Really Lord?  Don't you know that he's come to kill us all?"  But the Lord told Ananais that he had chosen Saul to carry His name to the Gentiles and in doing so he would suffer much for his message.  This was a huge trust challenge for Ananais.

I thought about Ananais and what he was called to do was; what if he had refused to do it?  Well, no doubt God would have found someone who was willing.  But what if this was to be Ananais' main mission in his whole life and he had missed it through fear and disobedience?  We don't hear of Ananais again but his trust-filled obedience set in motion a whole new part of God's plan to reach mankind.  His one act of obedience opened Saul's eyes to a whole new way of thinking and living.  Now that was radical, but he could have missed his place in history if he had not been obedient.

Is there something God has asked you to do and so far you have resisted?  Perhaps you ought to think again, because if God asked you to do it, then he has also provided the ability and resources for you to accomplish it.  Perhaps your act of obedience will open to you a whole new way of living and ministering or maybe your praying for someone will open the way for their greatness in God's kingdom.  Perhaps this opportunity is what you were created for.  Don't brush it off.  If you are scared, then "do it afraid", as Joyce Meyer says, but do it anyway.

Prayer:  Father, please give me courage to obey you when I feel inadequate so that I allow you to accomplish through me, what you have created me to do.  Amen

Trust - 3

Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Proverbs 3:5

This week I have been looking into the difference between the words 'believe', 'trust' and 'faith'.  In checking them out in Strong's Bible Concordance I find them to be quite similar which is not very surprising, but I thought it worth the exercise.  Believe is to support, confirm, be faithful and uphold.  Trust is to have confidence in, trust in, be bold, be secure. Faith means firmness, fidelity, steadfastness and steadiness.

I thought this picture illustrates quite well the belief, trust and faith of the people who live in these 'island homes' and use this walkway which connects them to the mainland.  To me the bridge/path looks uneven and not particularly safe yet I am sure these people use the path confidently on a regular basis.  They probably don't even think about whether or not it will hold them because they are familiar with it and have gone this way so many times.  If I were to go for a visit, (perish the thought), I know that I would want a walking stick for extra balance and I know that I would have to watch my feet every step of the way, because my confidence in the safety of the path would not be strong.

When Joshua was given the incredible responsibility of leading the Israelites into the promised land God spoke these words to him, "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the LORD your God [is] with you wherever you go." Joshua 1:9.
Even though Joshua had spent much time alone with God in the tabernacle and much time in the presence of Moses where miracle after miracle had kept the people alive in the wilderness, God still had to encourage Joshua with these words to build his faith.

There come times in our lives when God requires us to step out on new and unfamiliar paths that will stretch our confidence and even our willingness to trust Him.  Those are the times we need to go back to His promises and support our faith with the faithfulness and truth of His Word.  The Word is the foundation for our belief, faith and trust in Him who is always faithful.  It is our 'walking stick' if you like which aids us greatly in our times of walking in unfamiliar territory.

I have written this before but it is a good illustration from my own experience.  In 1976 when we were preparing to go to Papua New Guinea I asked God to confirm our plans through a specific word to me.  Three times, over a number of weeks, I came across this scripture in different ways (one time it was even on a picture in a house I had not visited before); "If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there your hand will lead me, your right hand will hold me." Psalm 139:10.  And He did!

Prayer:  Faithful God, help me to realize that there will be times when I feel you are asking me to go out on shaky ground.  But help me to draw near to you and trust you to bring me safely through.  Amen