Tag: life

Enjoying Freedom

by Ms. Rita's Minute

John 8:36

“So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.“

Freedom is a wonderful way to live. According to Galatians 5:13, it’s a true mark of God’s calling: “You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love.”

We must remember freedom is not something God frowns upon, but actually provides. He has graciously given us a will to choose who and what we hold dear. He has provided what he deems best while allowing us the choice of what we think best. He won’t bully us to change, but will often send sound Bible teaching and commands, with different inspirations and considerations into our lives to lead us toward his way.

Those of us who believe Jesus to be the Son of God and Lord over our lives, trust His way to be best for our lives. He has provided in the Bible how to accept and live for him as well as how to treat all people: sinners and saints, enemies and friends. He has shown us the way of love and will work with us, as we allow, to be successful in this endeavor.

Jesus has provided ways to help us turn from sin which is destructive to our lives and the righteousness he died to give us. He has shown us how to walk by the Spirit, which is initially foreign to man, and not by our human instincts and worldly desires. He has also made a way for us to live an abundant life here on earth, as it is in heaven.

I thank and praise God for Galatians 5:1, “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.” Hence, we’re done with slavery if we truly want to be. We can trust that if Jesus makes us “free,” we are free indeed. The word free in John 8:36 means to set at liberty: from the dominion of sin. This is a wonderful thing.

By God’s grace, we don’t have to be enslaved to sin anymore. We have the freedom to choose to sin, but clearly, we don’t have to give in to it. Instead, we choose life given with his gift of righteousness. According to 1 Corinthians 10:13, “…God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.”

Again, he has provided freedom of choice in decision-making. Hence, in our relationships, we should never try to make anyone do anything they don’t want to do. God doesn’t. Yet he wants us to act of our own volition in choosing what he’s revealed to be best for us. I’ve found throughout life he’s committed to steering his believers in the right direction, even when at times we think another way is best. I’ve found him to be truly gentle and humble in heart as stated in Matthew 11:29. His “yoke” on us, brings rest, not turmoil.

Therefore, in our freedom, I’ve concluded that gentleness and humility are key in our relating to others regarding their choices of living. In showing the love of Christ, we must be respectful in how we treat others even when we don’t agree with how they live or they don’t agree with how we live. Nevertheless, we don’t compromise what we hold to be a life of true liberty. We follow confidently, supportively, assertively, and kindly the path God has created for us.

Following Christ wholeheartedly and avoiding excessive carnality will require distancing ourselves from influences that are destructive to our path which clearly is the wisdom of God. However, we never stop showing love for human life, as Christ has taught and demonstrated. At the same time, we refuse to reject the Bible’s teachings regarding to whom we yoke or bind ourselves in agreement. Over a believer’s lifetime, God will be clear in showing each of us those relationships best for our lives.

As for me, I want to live free and stay free in the convictions God has given for my life. I can’t let any person, place, or thing stop that process. We only get one life, and I’ve lived a large portion of mine and want God’s life for me to continue strong. I sometimes think I know better when he might prefer something else, but I don’t feel that way for long. I believe I healthily fear God and if not, he has proven faithful to show me. In all of this, I actually feel freedom. It’s when I am being disobedient and know it, that I feel terribly bothered. For this, I am thankful, too. It signifies God is still working in me.

Throughout my life, as he strips away everything that might hinder the freedom he’s provided, eventually my soul feels increasingly lighter of the worries of this world. Those things that meant so much don’t mean much to me anymore. Yet at the same time, he reveals the beauty and wonder of a new life so unimaginable, that it causes an increasing joy in my heart I can’t explain. With it, peace comes along with a conscience free of worry. The heaviness of sin is no longer desired, and when I err, God corrects and continues to sanctify me. For that, I would not trade anything.

So let’s continue to walk in the freedom God has provided each of us. Don’t risk losing it for anything or anyone. Let’s stay free of the bondage that can weigh us down and keep us from living in God’s peace and abundant life and study what God’s freedom truly is and how to experience it. Whether we are wealthy, poor, or in-between; married or unmarried; healthy or unhealthy; happy or sad; wherever we currently find ourselves, let’s be confident in the fact that if we are sincere followers of Christ, we are free!

Let’s embrace all the blessings God has for us. Let’s not allow anything to keep us from enjoying the freedom Jesus so dearly paid for. Let’s hold fast to my favorite scripture, John 10:10: “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” Not to mention: 2 Corinthians 3:17: “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.”

Treasuring Our Lives in Christ

by Ms. Rita's Minute

Romans 9:25-26

“As he says in Hosea: “I will call them ‘my people’ who are not my people, and I will call her ‘my loved one’ who is not my loved one,” and, “In the very place where it was said to them, ‘You are not my people,’ there they will be called ‘children of the living God.’”

On this lovely serene evening of the last day of 2024, I’m remembering the amazing Bible truth in the book of Romans that love fulfills the law. I pray that in the coming new year, I will allow the Holy Spirit to love through me in all the creative ways He chooses, doing no wrong to a neighbor. Now I don’t seek to nullify or abolish the law. However, I am justified by my faith in Jesus Christ as are all who place their faith in Him.

The Father provided Jesus as the sacrifice of atonement for our sins, and our faith in Jesus is now credited as righteousness. When we were ungodly and powerless, Christ died for us. Even while we were enemies, God reconciled us to himself, so that now we have been truly justified by the blood of Jesus Christ. Presently, the life we are living, we live in Christ who gave himself for us.

We don’t go on intentionally sinning so that we can gain more grace. We died to sin when we were baptized into Christ, being baptized into his death, our old selves being crucified. Hence, we’re no longer slaves to sin but can count ourselves as dead to it, but alive to God in Christ Jesus.

Now that we’ve been set free from sin, the benefit we gain leads to holiness with the result of eternal life. Though sin’s wages are death, God’s gift is eternal life in our Lord, Christ Jesus.

The life we’re living in him, we live by God’s Holy Spirit, having our minds set on what He desires. However, our minds governed by carnal or fleshly things is death, but by God’s Spirit is life and peace.

When we are carnal in behavior, we don’t submit to God’s law, nor do we please him. But because His Spirit lives in us, He gives us life because of His righteousness, though our bodies are subject to death because of sin. Nevertheless, the one who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to our bodies because he lives in us.

I thank God that he’s now adopted us as his children. We are now heirs of God–joint heirs with Christ. That’s if we share in his sufferings that we might share in his glory. It will all be worth it and can’t compare to the glory that will be revealed in us.

Moreover, I’m excited and cherish that in all things, we are now more than conquerors through Jesus who loved us and gave himself for us. I’m appreciative and confident that nothing will separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus and rethinking our lives in Him fills me with great joy as one year closes and the next one begins.