38: 50 Days Freed

Jesus taught where are treasure is so is our hearts. We often hear the word idols and think we do not have any statues that we worship so we are okay in that area. But if we value something over our relationship with God then we put that thing physical or not above God, making it an idol. Anything we put in this position will hold us back from experiencing what God has for us. Until we remove it and give it to God we will not be free to do what Jesus has called us to do. We will be ineffective in sharing the message of freedom he called us to proclaim.

 

 

“Then some of the leaders of Israel visited me, and while they were sitting with me, this message came to me from the LORD: “Son of man, these leaders have set up idols in their hearts. They have embraced things that will make them fall into sin. Why should I listen to their requests?”

Ezekiel 14:1-3 NLT

 

“The Spirit of the LORD is upon me, for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the oppressed will be set free, and that the time of the LORD’s favour has come.”

Luke 4:18-19 NLT

 

A while back my pastor spoke on Jesus reading the words of Isaiah in the synagogue. He likened it to a return/exchange counter where Jesus is waiting to accept your returns and give you something better in return.

 

We all have areas of our lives that are burnt and have created ashes in our lives. These ashes though not hot anymore keep showing up and keeping us dirty and if not wiped away completely will never go away. Jesus wants to exchange those ashes for beauty.

 

Some of us like above in Ezekiel have set idols in our hearts. These idols can hinder our lives even if they seem to be important in our lives. Jesus wants to take those idols out of our cupboards and exchange them for something so much better. Some are hidden others are proudly displayed, these idols are even harder to remove than the hidden ones as they have become normalized in our lives. We have arguments to why they are there and ‘valid’ reasons for keeping them right where they are.

 

Most of us are shackled with something, something binding us that is holding us down. Unforgiveness, debt, divorce, alcohol, sexual abuse, porn, and so much more. If we would only drag ourselves to the exchange table, humbly look at Jesus and ask him to take them from us, he would without hesitation. Then we need to believe he did take them. He will then give us more then we can imagine in return. We must come to Jesus to be freed from the things that work to hold us back from truly experiencing a relationship with him.

 

Whatever you have in your life that needs to be exchanged take it to him. Jesus is there. He will not judge you. He has heard every excuse before and there is nothing new that will shock him. He is there to take your burdens.

 

Dear Jesus, we sometimes try to take our life and adjust it our way to make it work. We try to tweak this and that, but we need to just exchange it with Jesus. Take our broken life, our shackles and our idols, exchanging them for something greater. I do not want to be satisfied with mediocre. I thank you, Jesus, that there is no expiry date on exchanges with you. Bring us freedom from the idols that are holding us back from the blessings you have promised us. May we be effective in sharing your love with those around us guiding them to freedom. Amen

 

14: 50 Days Freed

For us to be freed in our relationship with Jesus we have to decide to toss aside the things that work to hold us back. This is hard because we love those things. Maybe you have amassed a collection of something and the very nature of your collection is ungodly. Tarot cards, ouiji boards and the like are ties to the enemy and to hold on to them is not productive to your freedom. Your porn collection is unhealthy and does not promote a life that glorifies the creator. Maybe your collection of horror or adult comedy movies, whatever it is if we truly want to walk in freedom we must cut these things that tempt us to sin out or as written to the Galatian people, nailing those things to the cross.

 

“Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there.”

Galatians 5:24 NLT

“Save yourself like a gazelle escaping from a hunter, like a bird fleeing from a net.”

Proverbs 6:5 NLT

Sin, when we allow it to affect us, will get us every time, like a hunter in the wild they will always pick apart those who are weak. We are called as believers to set aside our old way, the things that have kept us down and nail them to the cross. This isn’t always easy as we love those things. They comfort us, make us ‘feel’ safe, but the ultimately are holding us back from the promises God has for us.

Many believe that if they get rid of those things they will lose their identity. This, of course, is not the truth. God has promised that He will replace them with much greater desires. What promises does God have for us?

“But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

There is no law against these things!”

Galatians 5:22-23 NLT

 

What an awesome list of things that we can produce in our lives if we give our hearts to him.

What can hold us back, and make us susceptible to the hunter looking to prey on the weak?

“When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness,

wild parties, and other sins like these.”

Galatians 5:19-21

If any of these when reading make you feel uneasy or question yourself, spend some time with God working with the Holy Spirit to exchange these things with the promises he has.

We are called to be sons and daughters of God. He loves us and will give you what you need and will give you good things. Trust him, he knows what is best for your life. If you are a Christian but you feel like your still in bondage this maybe what is weighing you down. God does not desire you to live like this, He can help you break free.

Father, thank you for loving me. I know you have my life in your hands and I want to live all my days with you. If I am doing things that cause me to sin, I pray you will help me in turning my life around. If there are sinful things in my life, or home that do not bring glory to you, show me so I can nail them to the cross, removing them from my life. No because of rules, but because they are unhealthy and dragging me down. I want to be an example of our love for others because I know they matter to you, so they should matter to me. Amen.