Freedom.

       Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. For what the Law could not do, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, so that the requirement of The Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.
                                      Romans 8:1-4 NASB

     The Apostle Paul has just finished describing the battle that one faces apart from Christ. The battle to be free from sin, to do the things that one knows are right, instead of the things that one knows are evil. All the good intentions in the world are not enough to overcome the selfish desires that are rooted in the heart of an individual who is striving in the flesh to please God. Paul raises the cry of anguish and despair, "Who will deliver me from this body of  death (Romans 7:24)?" 
      Indeed everyone reading this can relate to a time when they were made aware of their sinful state, and desired to be free, to be accepted by God, but found that their efforts were like those of the individual described by Paul in this seventh Chapter of Romans.
      Many Christians have begun in the Spirit, only to try to be perfected in the flesh (Galatians 3:3). This is just as futile, as Jesus states "Apart from Me You can do nothing" (John 15:5).  They find that the willing is present in them, but the doing is quite another thing (Romans 7:18).
       He now turns to the answer. Victory from the bondage to sin is found in Jesus Christ (Romans 7:25). All of the struggle with the sin nature, all of the guilt, all of the condemnation can be overcome in Christ.
     There is no more condemnation for those who are in Christ (Romans 8:1). We are free from the condemnation of our conscience. We are freed from the law's pronouncement of GUILTY. We are set free from the penalty of spiritual death and eternal separation from God. And as we will see, we are freed from the power that sin holds over us.
     This verse is often quoted by individuals who are still living a lifestyle of sin. They are trying to feel good about themselves and still cling to their sinful habits. It is often used to silence well meaning Christians who are concerned about the souls of  fellow believers who have lapsed into sin. This however, is a refuge that will not stand on the day of Christ!
     This promise of no condemnation is for those who are in Christ. To be in Christ is quite a different thing from what many people believe it to be! It is also qualified by the statement " Those who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit (Romans 8:4). I like how this verse reads in the King James version. "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." Most of our modern translations do not translate it this way, but verse 4 still carries this idea.
     So what does it mean to be in Christ Jesus? It is a joining to Him by faith, a living faith that goes beyond head knowledge, to acting out our belief. It is a submission to His lordship of our lives. This is the surrender Jesus sets before all who would be His disciples (Matthew 10:37-39, Mark 8:34-35, Luke 14:33).
     To be found in Christ is to make Jesus your life (Colossians 3:3-4). It is not about us. Our lives are to revolve around Him. We are to make His kingdom and righteousness our highest priorities (Matthew 6:33). Paul was crucified with Christ (Galatians 2:20, 6:14). This was in a spiritual sense meaning he was dead to everything but the life of Christ in him.
     Those who are in Christ understand the concept of the vine and branches in John 15. They lean upon Him for the grace to overcome in every situation. They bear fruit because they are united to Him with a faith that obeys as well as depends upon Him for strength. They understand that the life sap flows as long as they stay connected, but to be severed through disobedience, or self reliance is fatal (John 15:4-6). It is as natural as the metaphor Jesus uses to describe this union with Himself.
     The one found in Christ will be like Him (1John 4:16-17). The one who abides in Christ will keep His commandments(1 John 5:3). The one who abides in Christ will walk as Jesus walked (1 John 2:6). This is a walk of love, a walk of obedience, and a walk of self sacrifice.
     The one found abiding in Christ will have the witness of the Spirit (1John 3:24, Romans 8:16). This inner witness of The Spirit bearing witness with our spirit, is sadly overlooked too often. Many individuals claim to be born again but are always filled with guilt and doubts. The witness of the Spirit is a vital biblical truth, an experience that is tangible. Those who have experienced it know it beyond a shadow of a doubt.
     There are many more things I could put down here, but these will suffice to make the point.
      The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death.
     The freedom to overcome sin is found when we are surrendered to Christ. When we have renounced sin and self, and put on Christ, then His power flows through us. God did for us what the law could never do. All the law could do was show us what God requires of us. It condemns us when we break it, but it cannot empower us to obey it. That is true of any law. It tells you what to do, but it does not enable you to do it. We may agree that it is good, we may obey some of it, or obey it some of the time, but as long as we are selfish individuals we will never give it the whole hearted obedience that is required of us.
     Christ came to earth as a man. While here he was tempted in every way we are, yet He never sinned (Hebrews 4:15). His obedience to the law was perfect, making Him the only possible sacrifice for sin.  He broke the power of sin by His death on the cross (Hebrews 2:14-15) making it possible for us to live free from its power (Romans 6:6-7). 
     In Christ we have everything we need for life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3-4). It is up to us to walk in the power available to us. We must make an irrevocable decision to die to sin, and to live for Christ in righteousness (Romans 6:11,19). We must walk by the Spirit (Galatians 5:16,25). This means that we diligently obey the promptings of the Holy Spirit as He directs us by the Word of God, and guides us through our conscience. We must always remember that all we need to follow Christ will be abundantly supplied.
     Why not trust Him today?

    
    

Grace.

    The grace of God is truly liberating. We are undeserving of His grace, cannot earn His grace, and that is what makes grace, grace. It is by God's grace that we are saved (Ephesians 2:5,8). While in our sinful state, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8). There is nothing we can do to stand justified before God. It is because of God's love for us that He offers us salvation.
     There is another side of grace that is often overlooked. Salvation deals with freedom from sin as well as pardon. God offers us grace to overcome sin and to live a life that glorifies Him. Consider Paul's answer to those who would claim grace was a license to continue in a life of sin (Romans 6:1-2) and again (Romans 6:15). His answer is an emphatic no! Grace is not an excuse or license for sin!
     Consider Ephesians 2:8-9. Salvation is the gift of God received by faith. Now read Ephesians 2:10. We have been created to walk in good works. Apart from God's grace we would still be dead in sin!
     Finally we have the words of Paul to Titus. God's grace has appeared to all bringing salvation, but it also instructs us deny a sinful life and instead to live a life pleasing to God ( Titus 2:11-12).
     Grace is liberating! It liberates us from the bondage of guilt and struggle, but it also liberates us from the power of sin and sets us free to live the life that god has called us to.

Here in Your Presence with Lyrics New life Worship

I Will Cleanse You (+playlist)

God's Property.

     Christian, you are not your own. You no longer belong to yourself. You have been purchased by God, the price being the shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ (1Cor 6:19-20). You have given up the right to yourself in surrender to the Lordship of Jesus Christ.
     As bond slaves of Christ (1Cor 7:22) your life is no longer yours to do with as you please. As Temples of the Holy Spirit we must have pure hearts and clean hands (Psalm 24:3-4; 1 Cor 6:19). He will not dwell in an unclean vessel, a heart that is bent on sinful behavior.
     We have an obligation to live for Christ alone. Our lives are to be lived as a sacrifice, poured out on the altar of service to Christ our Redeemer and King (Romans 12:1). We have no right to do anything for ourselves, but ALL must be done for His glory (1Cor 10:31) and in His name (Col 3:17). This is our only reasonable response in view of what Christ has done for us. This is where we find our true freedom, our God ordained purpose, as we are swallowed up into the sweet will of God in Christ Jesus our Lord!

Raising Your Children in the Faith.

    We live in an age where there are no absolutes. Truth can be whatever you want it to be. Cults abound, preying on young naive individuals seeking acceptance by someone. God has been largely replaced by humanism. The Christian faith is seen as restrictive, and even mean spirited, and our kids are being taught to reject it.
     It is of the utmost importance that we diligently seek to raise our children in the fear and admonition of the Lord. If we don't do it who will? I see so many kids who have grown up in christian homes rebel as teens, and walk away from the faith.
     Moses commanded the nation of Israel to love God with all their heart, soul, mind and strength (Deut 6:4,5). In the verses following he emphasizes the importance of teaching our children (Deut 6:7-9). We are to talk about God and His ways at all times. We need to explain His laws, what they are, what they mean, and how to fulfill them. We as Christians need to see that they are firmly grounded in the faith. We must see that they understand the basic doctrines of the faith. We must teach them about sin and its consequences, about Christ and His death and resurrection. They need to understand that God has absolute standards. He hates sin, and has made a way to overcome it. They need to see that discipleship is costly, but also rewarding. They need to become praying individuals with unshakeable trust in Christ to meet every need. They need to learn of the Holy Spirit and the power He brings into their lives. the list goes on as it takes a lifetime of growing in the grace of God.
     The world will throw everything it has to offer in the path of our children. We cannot afford to lose them.

In the Power of the Spirit.

     And my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God.
                                         1 Corinthians 2:4-5 NASB


     For our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction...
                                           1 Thessalonians 1:5a NASB

     In this day of technology and unlimited resources we have much at our fingertips with which to reach the world for Christ. Sadly, in spite of all of our programs and efforts, we see so few individuals truly born again. The majority of those who make "decisions" for Christ, go on with their lives with no change.
     Compare this with the early church. They had no computers, no power points, no sound systems, no programs, little money or possessions, yet they set the world on fire for Christ. People got saved and were radically changed. Addictions were broken. demons cast out, idols were abandoned, and sin was put away for good.
     We have so much, and accomplish so little. They had so little and accomplished so much. Could it be that we need to be filled with the Holy Spirit as they were? I believe the answer is yes. God has not changed, we have. The method is the same: reliance on the power of God. It is the Holy Spirit who convicts with power. The new birth is accomplished through the power of the Spirit. The new life of holiness is worked out in the power of the Holy Spirit.
     We need to get back to the basics. We need to get back to doing things God's way. We need to be baptized, filled to overflowing, in and with the Holy Spirit.