Freedom.  It seems everyone wants to be free yet we often struggle to even admit when we are not.  When Jesus stated that holding to His teachings would lead people to know the truth that would set them free, the religious leaders bristled at even the hint that they had ever been slaves to anyone or anything.  Over the next 24 days I will be sharing the daily devotions from the book, “Living Free”, that I wrote several years ago to help you discover a life of freedom found through a consistent gazing into, and practice of, the perfect law of God’s Word.

Here is day nine with an important reminder that living free in Christ means that you, and those around you, can live free to follow God’s commands.

Free To Follow God’s Commands

“I run in the path of your commands, for you have set my heart free.”
Psalm 119:32 (NIV)

What is your first reaction to hearing the word command?  How do you feel about being told what you have to do?  Are there times when it is easier to follow the commands of someone than at other times?  Why?  What role does love have in your willingness to follow commands?  Do you tend to view rules as keeping you from doing things or as setting you free to do everything within their boundaries?  What’s the difference?  Would seeing God’s love within His commands help you to live free to follow them?

Most of us don’t like to be told what to do.  We tend to resent commands, especially if we can’t see how they benefit us.  We often even think of God’s laws as being a bunch of “Thou shalt nots” rather than being boundaries that set us free to obey.  When we gaze into God’s perfect law, we find that it is His love for us that sets us free to obey His commands with a willing heart.  As you pray, ask God to fill you with the presence and knowledge of His love.  Pray that you would find joy and freedom in following His commands.  Pray that your love for Him would make obedience a joy.

In prayer,

Tom  

Freedom.  It seems everyone wants to be free yet we often struggle to even admit when we are not.  When Jesus stated that holding to His teachings would lead people to know the truth that would set them free, the religious leaders bristled at even the hint that they had ever been slaves to anyone or anything.  Over the next 26 days I will be sharing the daily devotions from the book, “Living Free”, that I wrote several years ago to help you discover a life of freedom found through a consistent gazing into, and practice of, the perfect law of God’s Word.

Here is day seven with an important reminder that living free in Christ means that you, and those around you, can live free from the power of your enemies.

Free From Enemies

“He is the God who avenges me, who puts the nations under me, who sets me free from my enemies. You exalted me above my foes; from violent men you rescued me.”
2 Samuel 22:48-49 (NIV)

Who are your enemies?  What makes them enemies?  Is it possible to live free from enemies even when they still exist?  How?  How does understanding the teaching of God’s Word about our real enemy help you deal with people who act like your enemy?  Does the way you treat enemies say more about you, or them?  What does God’s Word say about how we ought to treat enemies?  How would doing that help you to live free from their influence and/or control?

It seems impossible to go through life without making enemies, or at least encountering people who act like they are your enemy.  When we learn by gazing into God’s Word that we need to love our enemies, we are able to find ourselves free from their influence.  Being able to see the real enemy for who he is, helps us treat the people who act like enemies the way God wants us to.  As you pray, ask God to help you understand how to live free from enemies as you love them as God desires.  Pray that you would see beyond the actions of people to recognize who the real enemy is.  Pray for the peace to feast at God’s table in the presence of your enemies.

In prayer,

Tom  

Freedom.  It seems everyone wants to be free yet we often struggle to even admit when we are not.  When Jesus stated that holding to His teachings would lead people to know the truth that would set them free, the religious leaders bristled at even the hint that they had ever been slaves to anyone or anything.  Over the next 27 days I will be sharing the daily devotions from the book, “Living Free”, that I wrote several years ago to help you discover a life of freedom found through a consistent gazing into, and practice of, the perfect law of God’s Word.

Here is day six with an important reminder that living free in Christ means that you, and those around you, can live free from the captivity of sin.

Free From Captivity

“I, the LORD, have called you in righteousness; I will take hold of your hand. I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people and a light for the Gentiles, to open eyes that are blind, to free captives from prison and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness.“
Isaiah 42:6-7 (NIV)

“O LORD, truly I am your servant; I am your servant, the son of your maidservant; you have freed me from my chains. I will sacrifice a thank offering to you and call on the name of the LORD.”
Psalm 116:16-17 (NIV)

Have you ever been trapped in a place or situation and then been set free?  How did it feel to be captive?  How did it feel to be set free?  Is it possible there are things you are captive to that you don’t even realize?  Is it possible to live free even when you are confined for some reason?  How?  How does gazing into the perfect law of God set you free from the captivity of sin?  What does being free from the captivity of sin mean to you?  Does it mean you will never sin again, or something else?  Why?

Unlike a physical prison, sin’s captivity doesn’t always confine us to a specific place but it does make us captive to a way of life that keeps us apart from God.  God’s perfect law sets us free from the power of sin and death through the blood of Jesus.  Even if we should find our self confined for some reason, through Jesus we can still live free from the captivity of sin.  As you pray, ask God to help you live free from the things which try to take your heart, mind, and soul captive.  Pray that you would not re-enter that captivity once Christ has set you free.

In prayer,

Tom  

Freedom.  It seems everyone wants to be free yet we often struggle to even admit when we are not.  When Jesus stated that holding to His teachings would lead people to know the truth that would set them free, the religious leaders bristled at even the hint that they had ever been slaves to anyone or anything.  Over the next 28 days I will be sharing the daily devotions from the book, “Living Free”, that I wrote several years ago to help you discover a life of freedom found through a consistent gazing into, and practice of, the perfect law of God’s Word.

Here is day five with an important reminder that living free in Christ means that you, and those around you, can live free from the weight of your burdens.

Free From Burdens

“He says, “I removed the burden from their shoulders; their hands were set free from the basket. In your distress you called and I rescued you, I answered you out of a thundercloud; I tested you at the waters of Meribah.“
Psalm 81:6-7 (NIV)

What are some things that tend to weigh you down to the point of becoming burdens physically, emotionally, and/or spiritually?  How often do you find the burdens in one area of your life intruding into other areas that you thought were burden-free?  Do you ever find yourself carrying burdens and concerns that you wouldn’t need to?  How often do you gaze into God’s perfect law looking for freedom from the burdens you carry?

Burdens can be sneaky things.  Many times we don’t realize the true weight of the burdens we carry until they are gone . . . or until we collapse under them.  Other times we become resigned to carrying our burdens as if nothing could ever lift them from us.  Many times in my life, the burdens I have carried the longest have been burdens that I have kept even after knowing God has offered to carry them for me.  Gazing into God’s perfect law does give freedom, but only if we are willing to cast our burdens upon Him.  As you pray, ask God to give you freedom from the burdens that you carry.  Pray that you would know God’s laws to be a means of freedom and not burdensome.

In prayer,

Tom