Walking in Freedom

by Julie

“So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed” John8:36

Think of what your life would look like without anything holding you back. Picture yourself without fear or worry. Visualize yourself without sickness or pain. Imagine what  it would be like without all of the what if questions and guilt from past sins or mistakes.

Can you consider the most free you have ever felt? Now multiply that by a thousand. This is the freedom that is available to us in Jesus! God is inviting all of us into that freedom.

When we fix our eyes on Him and desire His presence above everything else,  that’s what we get. He shows up and where the Spirit of the Lord is there is freedom! He is so ready to break off those chains we have become so comfortable with. When the chains come off  we become free to live the lives we were created to live.

Galatians 5:1 says, “For Freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.” I once heard this verse translated in two words. Stay free. It sounds so simple but it is so profound. Jesus is the reason for our freedom but we have a responsibility to maintain it. The work has already been done and the veil has already been torn.  Stand firm in the freedom that has been given you. Declare your freedom and protect it by staying in intimacy with Him! We are citizens of Heaven–a place where freedom cannot be stolen!

As we experience this freedom, we are able to walk in our true identities as sons and daughters of God. Freedom allows us to enter into our destiny and purpose.  Part of our destiny as believers is to give what we have received! As carriers of the Kingdom, we carry freedom.

Let’s take a look at the people in our lives that seem to be lacking freedom. It could be your co-workers, close friends, a family member, or even the cashier at the grocery store. Align yourself with God’s heart for these people and share the freedom you have been given. Speak freedom into the atmosphere and be confident in what the Lord is doing. It is our privilege to partner with God and bring His freedom to the world. We get to be a part of the celebration that happens in Heaven when a child of God is set free.

To learn more about Julie or read her blog please click on our Contributor’s page or visit her at: http://julieozbun.wordpress.com.

Baggage: Packing for the “Just in Case” Moments

by dawn aldrich

“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.”  -Galatians 5:1

It amazes me how little my husband needs to pack for a trip. Whether it’s a week or just a weekend, he fits everything into a carry-on. I, however, need the largest suitcase, an overnight bag AND a large tote bag!

You see, I pack for the “just in case” moments. Maybe you can relate? I pack that pretty dress “just in case” we visit a fancy restaurant, (which also requires packing an extra pair of shoes, a clutch, matching jewelry and perfume). I pack a long pair of pants for a summer trip down south “just in case” the weather turns cold, (has the south ever known a July day less than 85 degrees?). Oh, and I pack an empty tote bag for all those ”gotta haves” I find along the way.  So, you can imagine how heavy my baggage is on our return trip.

Emotional baggage can weigh us down, too.  It comes from living in a broken world, from circumstances that wound us physically, emotionally or both. We might pack things like fear, anxiety, unworthiness, and unforgiveness - for those “just in case” moments. We tuck fear in our bags because it keeps danger at bay, anxiety to keep us on high alert,  unworthiness to ensure low-risk, and unforgiveness to keep our relationships in check by reinforcing the walls built around our heart.

Gone unpacked, all this emotional baggage  eventually immobilizes us, enslaves us and holds us captive. But we are meant for more. Jesus came to set us  free so that we might know freedom.

He has sent me (Jesus) to comfort the brokenhearted
    and to proclaim that captives will be released
    and prisoners will be freed. He has sent me to tell those who mourn
    that the time of the Lord’s favor has come. Isaiah 61: 1b-2a (NLT)

Freedom is ours if we want it. All Jesus asks is permission to sort through our dirty laundry. It’s scary at first. Who enjoys showing off their stained rags?  This sorting process may seem unpleasant, even painful, at first, but Jesus is always gracious and compassionate, never condemning, only loving. And, as He unpacks our bags, sorts through our dirty rags,  he trades our old for His new. He takes our fear and gives us confidence, replaces anxiety with his perfect peace,and unworthiness with Kingdom significance.

Have you over packed for all those “just in case” moments, too? Are you tired of carrying all that heavy baggage, living in bondage to it? Jesus is ready to take it off your hands and give you a whole new wardrobe, if you let him.

Lord Jesus, give us the courage to face our dirty rags and the strength to give them to you. Mend our broken hearts and release us from bondage and heaviness so that we might know the freedom you so willingly offer. Amen.

(Emotional baggage should never be trivialized. If you find yourself immobilized by emotional baggage please seek a professional, Christian counselor to guide you through the healing process).

To read more of Dawn’s posts visit her at Dawn’s New Day http://blog.DawnAldrich.com

Shed your cloak

by dunnerj

Please welcome our newest contributor, Rob Dunne:

When I lived in New York, I saw beggars everywhere.  Offering help wasn’t the issue, but rather discerning the legitimate beggars from the scammers.  In Jesus’ day, beggars wore special garments, beggar’s cloaks, to identify their needs.

In Mark 10, Jesus is leaving Jericho with his disciples.  Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, hears that He is passing by and cries out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”  Jesus calls for him.  Bartimaeus throws aside his cloak, appears before Jesus and receives healing.  After receiving his sight, Bartimaeus immediately follows Jesus.  He is no longer blind or a beggar.  Rather, our merciful God has re-written his identity.

Throughout the course of our lives, we get stuck with labels that fashion our identity.  Negative labels are easy to spot; stupid, ugly, fat, slow, weak and unlovable.  Positive labels are also troublesome as they may become idols or a source of personal pride.  Neither of these attributes belongs in the Kingdom of God.

For Bartimaeus, shedding his old identity was simply a matter of tossing his garment aside.  In my own journey with Christ, shedding my old identity is difficult.  The devil cleverly reminds me of who I was before Jesus called me.

This is why daily fellowship with the Lord is vital.  When we stay focused on Him, He speaks truth into our lives.  Romans 12:2 reminds us, “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind”.  We are not citizens of this world.  We sit together with Christ in the heavenly realm where true love generously flows into our hearts.  Daily, God reminds us that we are precious, unique, wonderful, beloved, beautiful, desirable and wanted.  When we live in His truth, transformation occurs and our minds become new.

Do you struggle with the lies spoken over you?  If so, I encourage you to shed your beggars cloak and follow the Master.  Allow Jesus, the lover of your soul, to speak words of love over you every day.

To learn more about Rob please visit our Contributors page.

Paul’s Thorn Actually Was Overcome

by mmckinniss

Paul’s “thorn in the flesh” has often been used by Christians in various circles as evidence that God does not always desire to heal. However, 2 Corinthians 12 points to just the opposite claim: God always desires to overcome weakness.

The chapter opens with Paul bragging about how tight he is with God, how super spiritual he is because of his far-out visions of the third heaven (whatever that is).  Then he starts to bring himself back down to earth in verse 7:

So to keep me from being too elated by the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given to me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from being too elated.  Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me.  But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”  Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. (2 Cor 12:7-9)

This text is often cited by those who don’t believe it’s always God’s desire to heal physical illness as proof positive (or negative).  But several things strike me:

1. It isn’t perfectly clear that Paul is talking about a physical malady.  I’m not sure anyone believes Paul is referring to a literal thorn protruding from his skin, just above the pelvis.  It could have been a figure of speech, as it is today, of just about any bothersome situation.
2. Paul is clear that his trouble comes from Satan, the accuser.  This, along with the personal weakness talk, makes me think it’s more likely a spirit come to incessantly remind Paul of his deficiencies, like maybe he’s not such a good speaker (1 Cor 1:17).
3. Whatever the actual thorn, Paul seems certain its source is not the Lord.
4. Paul’s response is also worth noting.  His reaction is to pray for its removal.  It is not until the Lord specifically tells him that it’s there to stay that Paul relents in his prayers.  Paul assumes the proper stance is to petition for its removal unless he hears otherwise.  He does not assume the thorn is there to stay unless God instructs him to pray against it, but the other way round.
5. Most importantly, is that God does actually overcome whatever this thorn is.  The Lord’s power is only made perfect when He actually acts in power.  This is partly why I like thinking this was a deficiency in Paul’s gift-set.  Despite being discouraged by the constant reminder that he’s not an eloquent speaker (I’m postulating), Paul consistently finds that the Lord shows up to impact his audience every time.

There’s no question each of us has our own “thorns,” areas of our lives that are less than ideal, parts of our histories we’d sooner forget, things we’re called to do that we know we simply can’t do.  Paul’s point is simple and it’s perfectly in line with every favorite Bible story: God does overcome every deficiency, even yours.

He Loved Him

by dawn aldrich

“Jesus looked at him and loved him.” Mark 10:21 I love watching children play, communicate, manipulate their world. Everything is so basic, so simple. Their only concerns are food, warmth, and sleep. But, if you only feed them, keep them warm and dry and simply sit them in a corner they’ll complain. Why? Because they still need affection. Feeling loved is a basic need. Jesus understood this. In Mark 10:17-31 a rich young man asks Jesus: “What must I do to inherit eternal life?”(v17). Jesus reminds him of the commandments and the young man boasts his adherence to them all. And I love this next part. Before Jesus rebuked his religiosity, his greed, his love for things: “Jesus looked at him AND LOVED HIM”  (v 21). Wow! Jesus addressed the heart issue, this man’s need to know he was loved, before he gave him the hard truth: “One thing you lack. Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” It’s the same with our children, isn’t it? Before we rebuke their behavior or their heart issues, don’t they look at us as if to say, “Do you love me?” Do our children cry when being corrected because they don’t want to be wrong or because they think they’ve fallen out of our good graces and our love? A little of both, I think. But, from my experience, children can accept their need for change as long as they’re assured we love them regardless of their faults. How true that is for us and our adult relationships. We all fail at righteousness. No one is perfect. We’re always in need of change. We all need accountability for wrong behavior especially if we claim to follow Christ. But, how fast are we to speak without pausing, looking our brother or sister in the eye and LOVING THEM? How many times do we speak discouragement or rejection to one another before we stop and love one another as Jesus loved this man? Did Jesus’ love for this man stop him from pointing out the problem with his faith? No. The truth must always be brought into the light, but Jesus’ love for this man was forefront in his mind before he delivered words of truth. As to changing our behavior? That’s not up to man to try to accomplish in himself or in his brother. Verse 27 Jesus says, “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.” Is Jesus saying we shouldn’t strive to change or we don’t need to change? No. He’s saying it’s a heart issue. It’s impossible to change any sinful behavior within our own power. It’s more about how much we let God’s love and Holy Spirit work in our hearts and lives.

Understanding your God given callings

by mandyade

“For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.” Psalm 139:13

William Wilberforce, the great abolitionist, struggled with his calling. He had the passion and the heart of a preacher but he also burned to see slavery abolished. He didn’t know if God was calling him to preach or to pursue a career as a lawyer.

God had to equip this man with the heart of a fiery preacher and all of the conviction and passion that goes with that in order for him to stand before men and demons to abolish slavery.

Wilberforce couldn’t always understand this fire that God had put inside of him and how he should direct it. The seemingly obvious answer would be for him to be a preacher, but this ‘heart of fire’ placed in his DNA was to equip him for his call to abolish slavery. A trusted friend offered this advice:  pursue his passion as a lawyer and an abolitionist. William went on to be a mighty tool in God’s hand to fulfill God’s call and help abolish slavery in England.

We often struggle over knowing exactly to what God has called us. God knows you and your assignment more than you do. When God knit you together in your mother’s womb, He created a unique set of callings for your life. Psalm 139 speaks of God to this.

God places our callings in our DNA like seed. Every person God creates has unique assignment seeds placed in their lives before they are born. Many will never know they are there. These seed callings lie dormant until they are accessed by our faith.

One of Jesus’ disciples, Peter, nearly threw his calling away telling Jesus to depart from Him when he realized how insignificant he was in comparison to the powerful call of God on his life. Jesus responded by prophesying over Peter, telling him that he was called to catch men (Luke 5:7-9).

Peter didn’t recognize the powerful call on his life because he was so aware of his past failings. Like Peter, our limitations chain us down because we often don’t realize the callings encoded on our genetics. We must believe God and His call on our life are bigger than us.

Wilberforce and Peter didn’t always understand their great callings but, as they recklessly followed their God and their passions (even though they were unusual for the day), they were led by God’s unseen hand to fulfill the unique call over their lives.

As you follow the Author of your faith and the passion He has put inside you, you will live your call!

www.mandyadendorff.com

The Goal Is Shalom

by mmckinniss

As a product of the West in the late 20^th century, I don’t like talking about sin in the way that traditional evangelical churches like to talk about sin.  I bristled when in a seminary evangelism class it was seen as imperative to make one aware of her sin before she could be saved.  Like holding a drowning swimmer under water before throwing a life-preserver, we had to be sure to pound her with her own shortcomings before we could offer any help.

I was excited, then, when I came across this fresh interpretation of “sin” over at Storied Theology.  Does it make sense to conceive of sin, primarily, as those actions which do not contribute to rebuilding or potentially strip the world of shalom (that is, the fullness of life and peace and wholeness)?  I don’t think that this detracts from the more common understanding, that sinful actions are those that miss the mark of God’s will, whatever that may be in a particular instance.  But instead of having to rack your brain attempting to decipher God’s will (the bane of every Christian college student), you simply can ask, Does this action forward the Lord’s plan to restore peace?

Immediately upon seeing this new thought, I began thinking backwards.  Paul, in 2 Corinthians 5:18-19, calls his own work the “ministry of reconciliation.”  In other words, Paul was announcing and implementing a new peace agreement.  He thought himself to be informing the world of the Christ’s work in reconstructing a state of shalom between the Creator and humanity (not to mention among all creation  itself).

Indeed, Paul, as well as other biblical authors, foresaw an end in which all of creation, including the natural world, would rejoice in the finished work of the Messiah.  Romans 8:20-22 describes a natural order that has been in a frustrated state since the initial shalom-breaking committed by Adam.  Isaiah, long before Paul, anticipated a similar restoration of creation (55:12-13).  And Revelation depicts a new creation that supplants all disorder (1:1ff; in biblical terms, a world without a sea is a world without chaos).

An all-encompassing peace was shattered.  This same pervasive peace is being reestablished in Christ.  The question for me is, then, How can I get behind that?

Choosing Joy

by Julie

I woke up before my alarm went off and clearly heard God tell me to read Psalm 118:24. I was a bit annoyed that he woke me before the alarm, so I tried to tell God that I had a few more minutes to sleep and would happily read that verse after my alarm went off. He persisted, so I reached for my Bible instead.

“This is the day that the LORD has made let us rejoice and be glad in it.” How funny! God gave a scripture about rejoicing to my cranky, morning self. I just love His sense of humor. I instantly snapped out of cranky and into joyful and expectant for what the day would bring. What an encouraging start to the day.  Having joy made everything so pleasant, so fresh, and so new. That was a big light bulb moment.

Later, when some unexpected and difficult news came my way, I couldn’t help but smile through the tears. It was still the day that the Lord had made and those circumstances didn’t change that fact. I knew in that moment I was given the strategy to approach the situation ahead of time. You see, we not only have the option, but the privilege to respond in joy. How freeing. In 1 Thessalonians 5 we read that part of God’s will for us in Christ Jesus is to rejoice always.

I learned a few things that day: first, when God is telling us something, it’s best to just be obedient and listen. He has so many good things He wants to tell us. Second, when God speaks to us sometimes it’s to bring light to dark places. Joy was the light I needed in that particular season of my life. Finally, I learned how to approach each day and how to respond to any given situation. We should be waking up joyful because it is the day that the LORD has made. No matter the circumstance, we can find our joy in the Lord! In fact, in the New Living Translation of scripture James 1:2 tells us that even our troubles are opportunities for great joy.

My prayer is that  joy would be a major part of our lives. I pray we would  know and experience the joy that comes from being in relationship with such a wonderful Father. Even if the day doesn’t turn out like we planned, we get to choose joy. The truth is He is still good and we get to experience each day with Him-the source of all of our joy.

His joy is contagious and a sure sign of His work in our lives. Let’s live in a way that those around us would experience the joy of the Lord and choose it for themselves.

Words

by dawn aldrich

For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks. Matthew 12:34

Words. I love words. I love creating a picture with words. I love writing and speaking words as much as a painter loves her color palate or a photographer loves the images created through his lens. Words have power over our lives like nothing else I know because we all use them. Words evoke reactions and emotions from the author/speaker as well as the reader/receiver. They encourage, love, give life and freedom as quickly as they discourage, hate, kill and enslave.

We cannot control the words that come at us but we can control what words come out of us. How? It’s a matter of the heart.

For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks. The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and the evil man brings things out of the evil stored up in him (Matthew 12: 34-35).

Whatever our heart holds cannot be contained or hidden, but will spill out of our mouths. Try as we may to contain ourselves, in the heat of the moment, we speak what we really think. Our words, cultivated by the soil of our hearts, reveal the truth of everything we believe.

We’ve all said regrettable words. You know, those times when you heard something horrible coming out of your mouth and cringed, reached out, wished you could stuff the words back into your mouth before they reached the  listener’s ears.

Jesus warns us about careless words in the next two verses:

But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgement for every careless word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned (Matthew 12: 36-37).

That’s powerful!

Jesus was addressing the Pharisees here, whose carefully crafted words attempted to entrap Jesus in a snare of trick questions. Jesus was warning them that they would be judged by their words because words reveal their true character. So too, with our words.

If we fill our hearts with the goodness flowing from a relationship with Christ, who is the ultimate lover of our souls, then our words will naturally be good, life-giving, a reflection of Him.

Oh Lord, may the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be from you. Take every thought, every word, every motive behind every word captive by your Holy Spirit, today.

“Was That Really You, God?”

by mandyade

“The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.”   1Corinthians 10:13 (NLT).

Have you ever doubted the callings or dreams you thought God had given you? God tells us in His word that all temptation or doubt is common to man.  We all go through similar struggles and doubts. It is common to doubt the dreams and callings we once believed God had placed over our lives.

John the Baptist had a powerful calling on his life: to prepare the hearts of people to receive Jesus. His calling was clear even before he was conceived, yet in the darkest hour of his life this great man of God began to doubt. He doubted the calling he was once so sure of , his whole life’s work, and whether his words were from God or simply his own mind.

In John’s time of turmoil he sent word to Jesus asking if He was the Messiah or if maybe he, John, had been mistaken. John knew without a doubt who Jesus was, but when he was going through a tough time he began to doubt everything he once was willing to die for. He even doubted his ability to hear God and the times in his life when God had spoken to him.

Have you ever felt like this? Have you doubted your years of sowing into a dream that once was God inspired? Maybe you’ve even doubted your ability to hear God.

John had all these doubts. When Jesus heard John’s question He didn’t condemn him. Instead, he told John that He, Jesus was fulfilling the very scripture that he knew John had based his life on. A simple ‘yes’ would have still left John in doubt but only God knew the words that spoke deeply into John’s heart and prepared him for what was ahead.

The Bible tells us that with all temptation God provides a way of escape for us. In John’s hour of temptation the escape route’s name was JESUS. John sent word to Jesus who was able to deliver him in an instant.

Jesus is still our way to escape all doubt, confusion and temptation. When you are in a place of doubt, not even the kindest words from man will be able to quiet your heart. But one word from God will– you need a word from heaven. Send word to Jesus in confidence like John did. Know that Jesus doesn’t condemn you, but is on your side and wants to speak to you. Posture yourself to seek Him and be ready to receive an answer from heaven. You have the ability to hear from God and He will speak to you, simply ask and believe. He is faithful.

www.mandyadendorff.com