50: 50 Days Freed

For 50 Days we have been talking about being freed. This freedom that the world is seeking is not breaking free from the creator like so many movies talk about. Think Planet of the Apes, any AI Robot movies and maybe the Island of Dr Moreau. The creation rising up and freeing itself from the creator. But in those case what ultimately happens is in those rising up life ends up worse off than before. In the garden right at the beginning man in his selfishness wanted to become like the creator. This separated them from God. This put mankind on a road of the bondage of sin and destruction they had no awareness of at the time. In the Garden, they were free, free to walk and talk with the creator. Why then did God wait thousands of years to send a viable freedom strategy into the world? The world wasn’t ready to accept his offer of freedom.

 

For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

John 3:17

 

When Jesus died a sinless life, free of that bondage, on the cross he bridges the gap that was created in the garden. He made a way to once again walk and talk with God. The sin that held us back he wiped clean making us new again. Still many refuse to accept this free gift and live in ignorance to their sinful life preferring to walk in bondage. They have a confused version of who God is, a deity who holds the strings and they want to be free of those. These strings they see are not of the creator but of the enemy who wants to keep them away from cutting the strings that holds them back from a life of freedom.

 

God sent Jesus to free the world. Do not believe the lie that you can decide to choose this on your deathbed as you are dying from cancer or old age. Death sneaks up on many and the fortunate few that can make deathbed confessions is slim. Just like you would be refused to buy insurance for a dead man, once your life has ceased the choice made before your last breath is sealed.  I don’t make this statement to sound like I understand it all, I know that we must make a choice to follow Jesus sooner than later. How many random acts of violence and terrorism do we see in the world? How many freak accidents that kill multitudes of people are in the news, crashes, natural disasters and more. To wait one more second is a wait too long. Freedom is available to you right now. A decision of not now or maybe later is a choice to not choose freedom.

 

If today you are living in the bondage of sin I urge you don’t wait another minute. Jesus came to set you free from the sin that separates you from the Creator who wants to have a relationship with you. Jesus loves you so much that he died for you so that you may live in freedom. What are you waiting for?

 

Father, thank you for sending your son Jesus to die on the cross for me. I pray that anyone who needs to experience freedom will ask Him to forgive them of their sin. I pray that they will repent and do a 180 in their lives. Guide them to other believers who speak the truth and can encourage them in their new relationship with you. Let them tell others as talking about it makes it real and encourages them. I thank you, God, that you are using these messages to change the hearts of anyone reading it.   Amen.

 

Thank you for joining me on this 50 Day journey. I will be starting my next journey for 50 Days real soon. We will be exploring a phenomenon that I like to call the 3:16 movement. We see signs of 3:16 and instinctively we think of John 3:16. But did you know there are 48 other 3:16 in the Bible. So in the next 50 Days we will explore what the Bible says in all 3:16 and work to see who they can impact our lives. See you soon for 50 Days of 3:16

48: 50 Days Freed

All too often we think of freedom as something we must earn to have. Slaves had to have in many cases have someone fight for their right to be free and even in others, wars and battles were fought to make them free. An innocent man who is wrongly convicted requires someone on the outside fighting for them. We can then understand why mankind has this notion that the freedom that Jesus offers must be earned. Battles must be fought and wrongs made right before freedom can be achieved. Jesus defeated sin and death on the cross so we could experience freedom, there is nothing else we can do, he offers freedom for any who would just ask for it.

 

“Fear of the LORD is a life-giving fountain; it offers escape from the snares of death.” Proverbs 14:27 NLT

 

Living without Jesus is an eternal death certificate. There is no other way to escape this sentence then through Jesus. Sure, many people will say there is, but in reality, they are snake oil salesmen who just want to make a quick buck and are in the same situation as their customers. When we add strings to salvation we risk tripping ourselves up and falling flat on our own strength. Anyone who tells you that you need Jesus PLUS_________ is selling you a phoney faith. As the song reminds us ‘Christ is enough for me.’

We need to provide our families, friends, co-workers and strangers with the free gift of life. A way to remove the eternal death sentence that everyone has. A lot of people think it is just too good to be true. That Jesus has strings attached. Well, it will cost you everything that is attached to that death sentence. But the exchange for life is more valuable, they need to see in you what the love of Jesus produces. Love joy peace. Some say that they will have to change who they are as a person, Jesus made you the way you are for a reason, your personality and traits are what makes you who you are. To think that God wants to change that is absurd, he uses each individual talents and traits to reach the world. If we were all the same, it wouldn’t speak well of the creative God we serve.

If you claim to follow Jesus but are bitter, mean and cranky all the time, gossiping, not being trustworthy, do you think that is the life they want to be living? Of course not. They are watching you. Are you displaying Jesus? We need to daily represent the love that is growing inside us, given to us with the forgiveness we received through salvation. If we want to share the mission of freedom to those around us we need to start acting like we are freed. How we react to situations might need to change, forgiveness, mercy and love should flow freely from us. We need to be Jesus.

 

Father, we need to love others like you love them. Help us to be more like you. Let out old ways that may discourage others from following you be set aside and replaced. We need to be instrumental in helping others come to know you. Daily. Let our lives reflect your life-giving fountain. Use me to show others the freedom in you. Amen