Posts Tagged ‘freedom’

Free!

Monday, September 26th, 2011

I wish you could have heard the women sing at this weekend’s retreat: “I am free to run, I am free to dance, I am free to live for you, I am free!” Their voices, filled with enthusiasm, nearly lifted the roof. And their actions tickled me from the inside out.

Someone in the front row could not contain her joy. She grabbed her neighbor’s hand and together they stepped away from their chairs. They cruised the room in step to the music, their arms reaching toward heaven. A couple dozen others followed their example. Celebration filled the air. It’s been a long time since I’ve sensed such joy-filled, uninhibited freedom within a group of believers, and boy, oh boy, was it refreshing!

As believers, we have every reason to sing and dance. After all, Christ purchased our freedom when He died and rose again. Because of His great love for us, we are no longer slaves to sin and its destructive forces. We are free. Free. It doesn’t get much better than that!

Christ said, “I will say to the prisoners, ‘Come out in freedom,’ and to those in darkness, ‘Come into the light’” (Isaiah 49:9). He’s all about our freedom. Do you feel trapped today by worry? Despair? Unforgiveness? Disappointment? A besetting sin? If so, move your focus from your circumstances and inadequacies to the One who’s beckoning you to better things. “Come out in freedom,” He says. “Leave your chains behind.”

Christ’s invitation to “come out” kinda reminds me of His words to Lazarus – “Come out from the grave!” I can see it now—the once-dead man now singing, “I am free to run, I am free to dance, I am free to live for you, I am free!” Imagine the vigor and enthusiasm in his voice!

We should be as grateful. We who were once dead in our sins are now free indeed. Let’s stay that way. Let’s not let worry, despair, unforgiveness, disappointments, and besetting sins capture and control us any longer.

We are free! That’s worth celebrating! Do you agree?

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Want Freedom?

Friday, June 10th, 2011

My first brush with Psalm 119 came when I attended Pioneer Girls club ‘way back in elementary school. The theme verse was “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path” (v. 105). We recited it every week, and it’s remained in my memory bank ever since.

Psalm 119 has become a favorite chapter to me in recent years. It contains many stand-alone nuggets of truth. One of them is ”I will walk in freedom, for I have devoted myself to your commandments” (v. 45). It’s short but mighty. Think about it for a moment:

When we devote ourselves to God’s command to forgive those who offend us, then we walk in freedom from anger and bitterness.

When we devote ourselves to God’s command to speak words of life rather than gossip, then we walk in freedom knowing our words can’t come back to bite us.

When we devote ourselves to God’s command to maintain sexual purity, then we walk in freedom from the emotional and physical consequences of promiscuity.

Sounds so simple, doesn’t it? Our role is to devote ourselves to God’s commands. In turn, He gives us inner freedom.

This chapter is chock full of similar nuggets. I’ll share a few more next week. In the meantime, what’s your favorite verse from Psalm 119?

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Doing Life According to Our Own Ideas

Friday, April 15th, 2011

Speaking at women’s retreats gives me many opportunities to hear heart-breaking stories. Some gals tell me about being abandoned by their husbands. Some admit, with great remorse, to having an affair or choosing to abort their child. Some have suffered physical or sexual abuse. There’s no end to the list of hurts they suffer.

Sometimes these hurts stem from someone else’s issue. Sometimes they’re the direct result of decisions they’ve made. Sadly, some women blame God for their pain rather than taking responsibility for it. Their circumstances cave in, and then they wonder why.

God’s word tells us that we have a choice about how to do life. We can either play by His rules (designed to protect us), or we can make up our own. Trouble is, apart from God’s input, our thoughts about how to do life often get us into trouble. Psalm 81:11,12 says, “My people wouldn’t listen. Israel did not want me around. So I let them follow their own stubborn desires, living according to their own ideas.”

Let’s face it—we humans aren’t so smart sometimes. We think we know what’s best for us, but in reality we don’t. Here are some examples:

  • We feel attracted toward someone other than our husband, and we end up in an affair thinking it will satisfy our emotional needs. Bad idea.
  • We think we need a bigger house or a nicer car when in reality, smaller or older will suffice. Uncontrolled or unwise spending usually results in financial bondage. Bad move.
  • We think we’re too busy to spend time in God’s word on a regular basis. That means we rely on our own strength and wisdom rather than His. Bad idea.

God gives us the freedom to choose how we want to live. We can either follow our own ideas as the Israelites did and pay the consequences, or we can do life His way. Personally, I believe His way is much, much smarter. It’s also filled with blessings.

“Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it with good things,” He says. “I would feed you with the finest wheat. I would satisfy you with wild honey from the rock” (Psalm 81:10,16). Which would we rather do–experience God’s presence and blessings for following His ways, or suffer for following ours? The choice is up to us. Let’s be smart about it.

“God, forgive us for thinking our ideas are better than Yours. Grant us humility to embrace Your ways as right and good. Make us wise as we travel this journey between here and heaven. In Jesus’ name, amen.”

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My Forgetfulness…and God’s Faithfulness

Monday, December 21st, 2009

Forgive me for not blogging on Friday. I could say it was because H1N1 flattened me, or that aliens abducted me, or that my computer crashed…but I’d be lying. Nothing so dramatic or traumatic happened. Believe it or not, I simply forgot.

What happened? I think the explanation is an easy one. It’s a combo between failing to write down my to-do list on Friday and getting caught in the rush of this busy season. From early-morning business conference calls to delivering Christmas hampers to having our small group’s Christmas dinner get-together, the day buzzed by in a blur and my blog simply didn’t happen. Oh well…maybe your day was busy, too, and you didn’t even miss it! If you did, however, accept my apology. I’m grateful for your understanding.

And now, for today’s thought….

Sometimes we walk through circumstances that leave us wondering whether God is still with us or has left us high and dry. Perhaps the Israelites felt the same way when they were building bricks for the Egyptians, or when they faced the Red Sea knowing the enemies were closing in behind them, or when they wandered through the wilderness for four decades. Nothing was further from the truth, however, for God was with them every step along their journey. How do we know for sure?

Read Psalm 136:11 – “He brought Israel out of Egypt.” And verse 13 – “Give thanks to him who parted the Red Sea.” And verse 16 – “Give thanks to him who led his people through the wilderness.” In each of these three difficult scenarios, God was with His people. And the same holds true today.

Just as He led the Israelites out of their captive state, so He leads us from those things that imprison us – addictions, unforgiveness, misplaced priorities unhealthy desires — and brings us to a place of freedom.

Just as He led His people through the Red Sea, so He leads us through seemingly impossible circumstances – financial setbacks or the need for finances for such things as ministry trips, marriage breakups, painful relationships with extended family members, and surviving the loss of a loved one.

Just as He led His people through the wilderness for 40 years, so He leads us through our wilderness wanderings – times when life just doesn’t make sense, periods when we doubt His sovereignty or faithfulness, and seasons when we can’t seem to discern His will for a specific matter.

No matter where we are spiritually and emotionally – in Egypt, facing the Red Sea, or wandering in the desert – we are not alone. God leads us along. And as the theme of Psalm 136 says, “His faithful love endures forever.”

Do you have that assurance? How has God led you from captivity, through a Red Sea experience, or through a wilderness wandering?

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Rest versus Religious Tradition

Monday, November 2nd, 2009
Iwona (pronounced ee-vo-nah) is a Polish friend who lives in Krakow, Poland. She just emailed to say she’d spent yesterday afternoon passing out Bibles and tracts at a cemetery gate. That might sound a little odd if you’re not familiar with Eastern European religious tradition, so I’ll explain.

In Poland, Catholics celebrate All Saint’s Day by cleaning the graves of their dead loved ones and hiring priests to pray for those already deceased. Merchants sell their wares – silk floral arrangements, glass-enclosed candles (to burn on the graves ‘round-the-clock), and food – on the streets outside the cemeteries. Merchants outside the cemetery gateIt’s quite the show, and it’s expensive for those who can barely afford to pay their rent and grocery bill, but the people believe it must be done to ensure a place in heaven for their loved ones.

As a young woman, Iwona placed her saving faith in Jesus Christ. Doing so meant turning her back on her Catholic upbringing and its traditions. It incurred the wrath of her family. The cost, in her opinion, was worth it. Why? Because she understood that salvation is not earned by obeying religious traditions or doing good works, but it’s the free gift of God to those who believe that Jesus paid the death penalty once for all who place their saving faith in Him.

Today, Iwona is an evangelist extraordinaire. She shares the Good News of salvation with anyone who will listen because she has discovered forgiveness and freedom in Christ, and she longs for her countrymen to know the same. No longer working to earn her salvation, she testifies to the spiritual rest of God referred to in Hebrews 4:10 – ‘For all who enter into God’s rest will find rest from their labors, just as God rested after creating the world.”

How about you? Have you entered God’s rest by placing your saving faith in Jesus Christ? Have you received His free gift of eternal life? Or are you laboring in religious tradition, trying to guarantee a place in heaven? If the latter, my prayer is that you’ll soon understand that salvation cannot be earned, and that you’ll enter God’s rest.

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Recipe for Freedom

Friday, June 5th, 2009

Several playgrounds are located in the city park near our home. On sunny days they resemble human anthills. It’s interesting to watch these little people as they explore life. Some tots, depending on their personalities, are content to let their parents or caregivers hold their hands as they walk from toy to toy. Others resist, tugging and protesting until they manage to jerk free and run away. Some listen and obey when the caregivers tell them to stop; others don’t.

What happens? They may dash toward a swingset without realizing the possibility of being knocked by a swing already in motion, or they might dart towards the sidewalk, into the path of an oncoming bicyclist or rollerblader. They want to experience freedom, so they disregard their caregivers’ counsel and pay painful consequences.

These little people remind me of big people…

“Hold My hand,” says the heavenly Father.

“But I want to go a different direction,” we argue.

“Trust Me,” He says.

“But I don’t want to go where You’re leading!” We tug and protest until we manage to yank loose of the Father’s hand. Then we run where we please, thinking we’re experiencing freedom at its finest. That approach to life seldom works.

True freedom is found in obedience to God and His Word. We experience it when we trust His care and plan for our lives, recognizing that He knows best. “Make me walk along the path of your commands, for that is where my happiness is found…I will walk in freedom, for I have devoted myself to your commandments” says Psalm 119:35, 45.

Want freedom? The recipe’s guaranteed – tuck your hand into the Father’s and stay close to His side.

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