Tuesday, January 3, 2023
Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is freedom. When you think of freedom what picture comes to mind? I got up really early one morning because God kept waking me up by singing. “Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is Freedom.” So many people are anything but free. Many, of course, are not free because of where they live, but many are just not free because they don’t have God in their lives.
As I began my devotions there it was again, Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is freedom!!! 2 Corinthians 3:17. It just popped off the page. “ok, God” I am up for a reason and you have brought this to mind for a reason. Why? As I began thinking about this, I thought about what most people, especially in America, might think of when they think of freedom. The Liberty Bell, the Statue of Liberty, the Declaration of Independence!!! But nothing compares even a little to the freedom we have in Jesus Christ, our Lord, and Savior.
All the other things we think are symbols of freedom are surely good, but the Holy Spirit gives freedom from the power of sin in our life. That is freedom. We don’t have to carry around the guilt of sin and keep sinning. The Holy Spirit will help us each day to make it through that day and the ability to have freedom in our life. That is freedom…real freedom!
The veil in the temple was ripped from the top to the bottom and not from the bottom up. We can now go directly to God. We have that freedom. All of us who understand about this being ripped from top to botto can see and we can reflect the glory of the Lord in our life. The Lord…makes us more and more like Him as we go through life when He is our Lord and Savior. God transforms us the closer we get to Him.
The veil for believers was torn so we could go into the presence of God and talk to Him without someone doing it for us. He opened up communication with us and it is a wonderful thing.
We are free, yet slaves to Christ. I’ll take that one. Doing His will is freedom. What could or can ever compare to the freedom we have in Jesus?
To all who don’t know Jesus personally that curtain is still there. Oh, it can come down, but if Jesus is not your Lord, then your freedom in Him is not being utilized. To those who don’t really know Jesus personally they can not comprehend the truth of God’s word.
Today, I ask each of you to think about those you know who have not asked Jesus into their life. Pray for them. You might be the only one praying for their salvation. They might not listen to you if you were to tell them, but God can draw them to Him…especially when we pray for the salvation of others. Lift them up before God so that not of them is lost and that they also will find the freedom and strength in the Lord.
Rabbit holes now:
- I am going to add a couple of notes here that really don’t go with today’s lesson, but are still very important. A while back I visited a church where a well-known preacher had come to town. I don’t need to mention names here and that is not why I am going to say something. God will deal with this person. There are many hucksters who preach for personal profit…big homes, planes, boats, trips, millions in the bank, and to those getting their ears tickled with things that make them feel good…they trust these people and are making them rich. Any preacher who Jesus is not number one in their life, where they are not following the Lord and doing what the Lord says…is not a man of God. We can’t preach and teach anyone or anything other than the truth of God’s word and never what we want to teach by our opinion. God does not change. He does not today accept sin as being okay if He had claimed it was sin prior. He doesn’t change because of culture or race either. Sin is sin. A pastor/teacher that is getting rich in what he is telling people…beware and verify each and every word they say. God does not deny any preacher a good wage but many preachers out there give the good ones a bad name and it is about greed and money to them. They also think they are the most important person in the church and they don’t like people to question them about anything. Question them! To any who preach anything other than what God says….beware.
- You can tell by their smell. Ever smell a beautiful flower? Did it smell good or bad to you? Not all beautiful flowers smell good. During Paul’s day, Roman officers who won a war carried incense (flower smells) as they led a parade of soldiers, prisoners, and priests. To the prisoners, it stunk because it meant that they would either die or become slaves. The good news of Jesus smells good to Christians, but to the unbelievers, it stinks. Knowledge of Christ is like a sweet perfume. Our lives are a Christ-like fragrance rising up to God, but the fragrance is perceived differently by those that are perishing. They were in dread of that smell because they knew what it meant to them. Do you smell like Jesus does, or do smell as a prisoner does? You can be free in Jesus. Ask Jesus to save you.
Now, may the God of all creation bless you, keep you, provide for your needs, heal your body, and give you His peace no matter what you might be facing in life.
God bless you