“It
is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let
yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.” Galatians 5:1 (NIV)
Bill and Gloria Gaither wrote a song “I’m Free”. The song starts out “So long, I searched for
life’s meaning. Enslaved by the world and my greed. Then the door of my prison was open by
love. For the ransom was paid. I was free.”
It continues with “I’m free from the fear of
tomorrow. I’m free from the guilt of my
past! I’ve traded my shackles for a glorious song. I am free. Praise the Lord,
free at last!” If that wasn’t enough
there is more. “I am free from the guilt
that I carried. From the dull empty life, I’m set free. For when I met Jesus,
He made me complete, He forgot the foolish child I used to be.”
I start with this.
We all need to realize first that we have been set free. Do we get that? Do we understand that? I hope so because when we realize that we are
free from the guilt of our past and the fear of our future, it is liberating.
Knowing and understanding that we have been set free
is just the first step. As we walk
through life, each day, it is easy to forget that we are free. We get yoked to anxiety, or the negativity,
or whatever it is that keeps us slaved.
Whatever is burdening us, becomes our yoke of slavery.
Often, that yoke of slavery pops up when we think that
we are all right with God. How did that
happen? I am right with God, and yet, I
have such anxiety over what the future holds, or I feel guilty for what I have
done in the past.
Yes, there are days where I don’t “feel” that freedom.
Yet, that does not negate the fact that we are free. We are the ones that give away our
freedom. Freedom through Christ is
ours. God doesn’t take that away.
Each moment of each day is a choice that we make. Sometimes it is a conscious decision, and
sometimes it is an unconscious habit that to bound ourselves in the slavery of
whatever it is that is holding us captive.
It must be intentional, and all we have to do is take that Freedom.
Freedom is ours.
It has been paid for already.
There is no need to live in captivity.
Jesus’ death paid for our Freedom.
Do you get that? God paid your
ransom. YOU. ARE. FREE.
“God
put His love on the line for us by offering his Son in sacrificial death while
we of no use whatever to Him.” Romans
5:8 (MSG)
God loves us so much that He gave His only Son to die
for each of us so that we are free from sin.
That love of God is so powerful that it set us free. It is our decision to accept that Freedom.
This month, my prayer is that each one of us be
intentional. If the heavy yoke of
slavery weighs us down, remember that Christ has set us free. We are free, and the yoke is not ours to
carry. Christ already paid the price to
set us free, and that is just the beginning of the journey I pray for each of
us.
The rest of the journey is that once we realize that
we have been set free, we need to shout it out.
Shout it out for all to hear. That is what I am compelled to do. I want to share that God has set me free. I
want to shout it out by starting a revival about the freedom found in God and
His Love.
Revival:
Strength of Something
There is a story of a group of college students who
visited Epworth Rectory in England. This
is where John Wesley, a leader in the revival movement, spent time. The students were all gathered in John
Wesley’s bedroom getting a history lesson on the location.
It was pointed out that beside that bed where John
Wesley slept are two worn impressions on the carpet. These were caused by John’s hours and hours
of prayer. How many hours of prayers it
must have been to cause the worn impressions on the carpet?
The story continues that John Wesley would prayer for
a revival to start. The group of
students moved on. As the students were
getting back on the bus to head back to Wheaton College, the professor noticed
that one person was missing.
Going back upstairs he found the student kneeling in
the same spot where John Wesley prayer, and with his face on the bed. “Oh Lord, do it again! Do it again!” Dr. Orr
placed his hand on the should of the student praying and said gently, “Come on
Billy, we must be going.” Billy Graham
stood to his feet.
God had set Billy Graham free, and he wanted that
revival again to happen through him. It
did. Billy Graham had to be open to
God’s work in his life. Through Pastor
Graham, God touched a multitude of people.
God wants a revival to go start. My prayer is that a revival starts, and it
begins in me. I pray that I open my
heart and let God work through me. It is
a daily, hourly, moment by moment decision. I pray that I stay the course.
O
Lord, let the revival begin, and let it begin in me!
I have been
set free. My God has freed me from my
past, and the fear of my future. My
present and my future are in Him. I was
in the desert for so long, dying of thirst.
All I needed to do was reach out. The water of Living Water was there
all the time.
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| Photo by Priscilla Du Preez on Unsplash |
Let’s see
how different our life will be and see what we will do! Today, join me in this covenant that God has
offered us. How about it?
Will you
join me praying that a revival starts in each of us? I hope so.
God wants that for each of us.
You are God’s child, and He wants to start the revival in you. All you need
to do is be open to it. Open your heart,
and shout you are FREE.
Poppa God,
Do it again
Lord! Do it again! Let the revival
begin, and let it start with me. Thank
you for the freedom that we have in You.
I pray that each person who reads this understand and realizes that they
are free in You. I pray that a revival
begins, and may it begin with me. May
the revival of Your love spread. May the
knowledge and realization that we are FREE in you, spread.
In Jesus Name AMEN!
- Laura Maxson
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