Free Indeed

 FREE INDEED

“If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.” - John 8:36

Here in America, we tend to take our freedom for granted. It is a shame to hear people gripe and complain about America when they are interviewed by a journalist. Some act as if they are treated inhumanely because society has refused to cater to their standard of entitlement. I really wished that most of these outspoken zealots would go overseas and live in oppressive Muslim countries for a few months. If they survived the experience, they would have a different perspective on freedom.

A prisoner understands, to some degree, the value of freedom. When he is released from custody, the outside world is so refreshing. There is no more separation from family. He is no longer restricted to a tiny room surrounded by bars. He is no longer under the supervision of armed guards. His life is no longer controlled by others. Once he is released, he can live a life of freedom.

You and I were once imprisoned in the cell of sin. We were forced to perform harsh labor for an evil taskmaster, the devil. Our options were very few. Our future was dark. We were on death row, facing a certain execution for crimes we were guilty of. Some would brag about being free … even though they were still in shackles. A few would convince themselves that they were enjoying life. Yet their execution, like ours, was imminent.

I will speak for myself. I tried to break out of the prison of sin often. Yet I would never make it out. The more I tried to flee, the tighter the shackles got. Like Moses, I learned that the pleasures of sin is just for a season. Family and friends couldn't free me from my situation. In fact, some of them were facing the same plight.

One day, Jesus came to my cell. He was the only One that had the authority to release me. He provided me with a pardon, full and free, signed with His own blood. My freedom cost Him everything. Freedom always has a cost. Freedom comes at the expense of someone else. Blood is the price for freedom.

Jesus provided me with a pardon. At that moment, my cell door open, my chains came off and I walked out a free man. I still walk in that freedom because Jesus pardoned me.

Jesus said, “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.” The Son of God is the only One who can make you free. I didn't earn my freedom. My works were the reason I was imprisoned to begin with. My works only made my situation worse. It was the work of Christ that made the difference. He is the only One that can set a captive free.

When a prisoner is released, he is typically given a new suit of clothes to wear. When Jesus sets people free, He robes them in righteousness.

His pardon freed me from execution. His pardon brought an immediate release from prison and the evil taskmaster. I am forever grateful for the pardon I received. I am always reminded that my pardon came at a cost, a tremendous cost. It cost Jesus His life. May I never take that for granted.

I am free today. I enjoy the fresh air. I appreciate each new day. I have a promising future. I experience life at its fullest. That is true freedom. Jesus has set me free and I am free indeed.

What about you? You may rejoice to hear of someone's freedom, but have you experienced such freedom yourself?

Sin is the reason you are in captivity. The heavy chains of sin will weigh you down. Sin deceives. Sin dominates. Sin destroys. If you are in the prison of sin, you are facing certain death for your crimes against heaven. The Bible says, “For the wages of sin is death ...” You are on death row. Don't be comforted because your friends and family are in similar cells. Their future is the same as yours.

The only way you can experience freedom is for Jesus to set you free. He is the only One that is smarter and stronger than the devil. He is the only One with the authority to pardon guilty convicts.

Sadly, many people reject Jesus and His pardon. They prefer to stay in their tiny cell, endure the shackles of sin and face execution. Yes, they are receiving the just reward for their deeds, but how foolish it is reject a free pardon and the promise of everlasting life.

Jesus may be stopping by your cell door today. Perhaps this little message is His way of speaking to you. As He offers freedom and eternal life, will you receive or reject it? I urge you to receive Jesus and His free gift of eternal life. By faith, receive His pardon today and experience true freedom.

“If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.”

The Truth Will Make You Free

THE TRUTH WILL MAKE YOU FREE

“And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” - John 8:32

Mankind cannot see the forest for the trees. We tend to wear rose-colored glasses, only seeing what we want to see. We can easily overlook glaring problems so we can concentrate on more pleasurable matters. We often see what we want to see rather than seeing everything objectively.

Such was the case with the Jews. Jesus said, “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” In response, the Jews replied, “We be Abraham's seed, and were never in bondage to any man.” Really? Never in bondage to any man? Didn't they remember their ancestral history? At one time the Israelites served the Egyptians in great bondage. Furthermore, at the time of Jesus, the Jews were under Roman rule. They were not experiencing freedom.

Yet Jesus was talking to them about something more than political freedom. Jesus went on to explain, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.” Sin deceives. Sin dominates. Sin destroys. Many are in bondage to sin. Jesus was referring to freedom from sin when He said, “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”

The spiritual warfare that has engulfed our society is being fought in the area of truth. Our enemy, the devil, is a liar. He hates the truth. He is fighting against the truth. He is deceiving many souls into thinking that truth does not exist. People are rejecting the very truth that could save them from destruction.

In the last year or so, we have seen the rise of artificial intelligence (AI). AI has existed for some time, but technology has improved drastically, making AI a major breakthrough in our lifetime. Like other forms of technology, it may serve a positive purpose at times, but also has a dark, destructive side.

Artificial intelligence is creating havoc on social media. Many of the images, videos and postings on Facebook and other social media platforms are the result of AI. They are deceiving. They appear very real. They tend to get a large following and produce a great deal of response. Most people see these images, videos and articles and believe every bit of it. But they are false.

We are bombarded by falsehood everywhere. Our society is being molded by false rhetoric. The problem is that this generation is believing the rhetoric they hear. Most Americans are easy candidates for deception because they never practice discernment.

When the serpent tempted Eve, he did so by questioning God's Word. He had Eve questioning the truth. When Adam & Eve fell for the devil's lies, it brought sin and death upon mankind. Truth matters.

Why is substance abuse so common today? Why is immorality celebrated by our society? Why are marriages struggling so much? The answer is simple. Many are falling into the enemy's trap. Just like Eve, people are believing his lies.

Satan wants us to believe the lie that we are not accountable for our actions. He wants people to believe that there is no God to judge us. Satan lies to us, appealing to our desires. He offers much but only delivers heartache and tragedy. Many fall for the devil's promises, but never recover from the devastation that comes when they fall for his lies.

How can we recover from such an ordeal? How addicts find freedom? How can immoral people find purity? How can shackles of sin and shame be broken? Lies can only be defeated by the truth.

Jesus said, “And ye shall know the truth...” Jesus did not say, “And ye shall know about the truth.” Many people know about the truth. For those who believe the truth, they experience real change. It is not superficial knowledge of the truth that sets people free. It is the truth itself that sets them free.

Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” Jesus is the truth. The only way a person can experience personal, profound and permanent change is to have a genuine encounter with Jesus Christ. He sets captives free.

There are two popular lies that the people believe today. The first lie is that they are too good to be saved. The second lie is that they are too bad to be saved. Both are lies of the devil.

Do you know Him? Have you had a personal encounter with Jesus? Don't be deceived. Don't let the devil lie to you any longer. Come to Jesus right now. Trust in Him. Believe the promises of His Word. Receive Him by faith. When you come to know Him, you will never be the same.

“And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”

Happy Birthday, America!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, AMERICA!

“Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord; and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance.” - Psalm 33:12

As I post this, our nation is celebrating her 250^th birthday. For 250 years, our nation has been blessed by Almighty God. This is a time for celebration and thanksgiving. You and I are living in the greatest nation on earth. Yes, our nation faces significant problems. Throughout the decades, decisions have been made that God is not pleased with. Yet God, in His mercy, has spared our nation. He has chosen to bless us in spite of our mistakes and problems. However, we shouldn't take His grace and mercy for granted. Instead, let's render thanks to Him for His mercy and ask for His blessings on our nation.

Our forefathers made amazing decisions when they created our government. They wisely devised a plan for our government to be separated into three branches: the executive branch, the legislative branch and the judicial branch. Although each branch is separate from the other, they work together for the common good of our country. Take the legislative branch for a moment. Our forefathers came up with a brilliant plan to have states equally represented, yet have representation based on population. Thus we have the senate (each state with two senators) and the house of representatives (based on population). That was an intelligent idea that has worked for two and a half centuries.

The psalmist wrote, “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord; and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance.” Our forefathers signed the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. Even at that point, they realized that our nation could only thrive if she had the divine help of God. While many wish to remove God from our country, they really don't know what they are asking for. Do you really want God to remove His grace and mercy? Do you really think we can accomplish anything without the divine aid of God?

On our money, it is printed, “In God We Trust.” When we recite the pledge of allegiance to our flag, we say, “To the republic for which it stands, one nation under God...” In the early documents of our country, men continually mentioned the Lord and the need for His blessings. Soon after the 9-11 attacks, members of Congress stood on the capitol steps and sang, “God Bless America.” Our nation is founded upon Christian values. These need to be preserved at all cost, because without them, our nation will be destroyed quickly.

May this 250^th year of our nation be a year of spiritual refreshing. Let us pray for God to bring a spiritual awakening to our nation. Like the psalmist, let us pray, “God be merciful unto us and bless us, and cause his face to shine upon us.” While there are sharp disagreements about the political landscape of our country, our nation's woes are not primarily political issues. They are spiritual issues. It is wrong for people to expect political change to solve spiritual problems. The answer to our country's problems is found in Jesus Christ.

As we celebrate our nation's 250^th birthday, let me remind you that our freedom comes with a price. Our forefathers fought against the British in the Revolutionary War. Many died for our freedom during that conflict. Since then, many have bled and died to preserve our freedom.

One of the key components of our nation's foundation is the freedom of religion. Our forefathers saw the need for Christianity to continue, but they also knew that it was wrong for the government to dictate our worship. Worship is a matter of the heart, not legislation. Yet this freedom continues to be under attack. Instead of “freedom of religion,” many have falsely proclaimed the need for “freedom from religion.” Our right to worship publicly is under attack. Once this freedom is removed, they will attack our right to worship privately. This is not what our forefathers had in mind when they established our country.

Whether or not our nation continues to permit our worship, we have an obligation to serve our Lord. This is more important than our loyalty to the Constitution or the American flag. Many have tried to elevate national allegiance to equal or surpass our devotion to Jesus. Let us resist such a movement. I am proud to be an American. I love my country. Yet, I love Jesus more than my country. The first time I was born, I was born an American. My second birth was a spiritual birth. I was born again … to follow Jesus. One day, America will cease to be. Jesus will still be Lord forever and ever. His kingdom will have no end.

“Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord; and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance.” God has blessed America. There is no country like it on earth. Yet there is a place that is even better than America. I am a temporary citizen of America. But I have a permanent residency in a place called heaven. I am a citizen of heaven on temporary assignment here on earth. I enjoy my life here in America. But nothing compares to the life yet to come. Heaven will be far better than America has ever been. Until I move to heaven, I will continue to love my country, vote & seek God's blessings on our land.

Happy Birthday, America!