God Promises Freedom..Craig Denison Ministries

 God Promises Freedom

Craig Denison Ministries

Weekly Overview:

There is only one constant in this ever-changing world, and that’s the character of our heavenly Father. The very earth itself is undergoing changes constantly. What seems the most immovable now will one day be done away with. But God is unchanging. God is unwavering. He’s completely faithful and committed to seeing through the promises he’s made you. As we look this week at the promises of God may you ground yourself in his unchanging love. May God’s character become your source and refuge—your constant and unshakable foundation.

Scripture:“For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.” Galatians 5:1

Devotional:

Freedom is an idea we spend most of our lives striving to experience. The bonds of slavery to the world in any fashion choke out our ability to thrive and enjoy life. We as a culture celebrate monumental events like the fall of the Berlin Wall and the global civil rights movement because we know freedom to be necessary for a life to be lived to its fullest. We fight for the freedom of those held in captivity. We advocate for those silenced by the bonds of slavery. And Scripture makes it clear that God is no different.

One of the most pervasive themes in Scripture is freedom. Its pages are filled with stories of God delivering his people from the bondage of slavery. Jesus himself freed Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego from the fiery furnace. God shut up the mouths of lions to free Daniel. And we see God deliver the entire nation of Israel from slavery under the Egyptians through an onslaught of plagues. The Bible is clear that God works constantly to deliver his children from the yoke of slavery.

The Bible contains stories of God’s deliverance from not only physical slavery but spiritual slavery as well. Romans 6:17-18 says, “Thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness.” And later Paul writes in Romans 8:1-4, “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.” And in Galatians 5:1, Paul writes, “For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.” Jesus in John 8:36 states, “If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”

Scripture is explicit that through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ we as believers have been set free from the bondage of sin. Sin is no longer our master. The bonds to sin that entangled you to the consequences of separation from God were sacrificially broken by the blood of your Savior. You see, in the death of Jesus, God made to you his promise of freedom. He’s promised that you no longer have to live life as a slave to sin. You now have available to you a life lived in the joy and power of righteousness.

God’s promised you his freedom, now all that’s required is for you to live in light of what God has already done for you. Cut off ties to your former life. As Paul wrote in Ephesians 4:22-24, “Put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.” Clothe yourself every day in the knowledge of who you are in Christ. Choose to live in freedom instead of sin. When you feel the tug back to your former ways, take a minute and ask the Spirit to guide you away from your former life. God’s promised you his freedom. He’s worked his miracle of freedom in you at salvation. You have been made new.Now live in response to God’s incredible work by pursuing a life lived in righteousness. Spend time in God’s presence allowing his truth and love to mold and shape you into the likeness of the very one who’s saved you.

Guided Prayer:         

1. Meditate on God’s promise of your freedom from sin.

“We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.” Romans 6:4

2. Now reflect on areas of your own life in which you need to experience God’s promise of freedom. Where do you feel chained to the world? What sin seems to plague you?

3. Renew your mind to the truth of what God’s word says about that area. Declare the freedom Christ paid for in your life. Spend some time really thinking about God’s power over your sin. Go to war with the enemy using God’s truth as your weapon.

“For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.” Galatians 5:1

“So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” John 8:36

“Thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness.” Romans 6:17-18

Follow the guidance of the Holy Spirit today as he directs you away from sin. The enemy is driven to draw you back into the sin that entangled you, but “he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world” (1 John 4:4). The victory is already yours. Jesus has won your freedom. The battle now is for your mind. Maintain victory over that area through the power of God’s word, and the sin that seemed to be habitual will no longer have a hold over you.

In Step With God..Dr. Charles Stanley

 In Step With God

Dr. Charles Stanley

Ephesians 4

People are saved when they trust Jesus Christ as Savior and choose to follow Him. Right then, most Christians realize that they will dwell with Him forever in heaven. But many don’t understand what they can expect for the remainder of their lives on earth.

One benefit that’s available immediately is a growing relationship with the Lord. The Father’s oneness with Jesus (John 10:30) illustrates the intimacy God wants to have with His children. He had this type of closeness in mind at creation—a relationship with man is an avenue for Him to express His love and for us to worship and understand our Maker.

Another advantage is that Christ-followers are promised clear guidance through God’s Holy Spirit. Decision making is a part of everyday life. It is impossible for a mere human to know every variable and nuance before choosing which path to take. But the Lord knows all things—past, present, and future. With godly wisdom available, it’s hard to understand why anyone would prefer to trust his own hunches.

Provision is yet another blessing guaranteed for believers. There will be hard times, but God gives Christians everything necessary for following Him (Phil. 4:19). And His grace will always prove more than sufficient (2 Cor. 12:9).

How abundantly God gives to His children! One word of caution, though: these gifts are effective only when believers walk obediently with Him. Sin can stifle them.

The heavenly Father desires that all of His sons and daughters have these blessings; if you’re living in obedience before Him, they are available to you. Is anything getting in the way of your total submission to Him?

How to Trust God in Uncertain Seasons..Christine Perry

 How to Trust God in Uncertain Seasons

By Christine Perry

"My flesh and my heart fail; But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever." - Psalm 73:26, NKJV

Have you ever wondered if God has forgotten you? Have you been crying out to him, and all you hear is silence? Have you been desperate to know where He was leading and what He was doing?

Life can be hard. Life comes with seasons of uncertainty. Perhaps you are facing a season of unemployment, infertility, a health diagnosis, a broken relationship, the lack of a relationship, or the loss of someone you love. It can be a dark and scary place not to have answers on where your next meal will come from, what the doctor's report might say, if there will be a marriage or a family for you, or how you will move forward without your loved one.

In seasons of uncertainty, it can be hard to know what the Lord is doing or why He has allowed you to face what you're going through. You may be asking yourself, doesn't God see the tears I've cried? Hasn't He heard the prayers I've prayed? The answer is yes. God is always working, and He is always in control. However, God's thoughts are higher than our thoughts, and His ways are higher than our ways (Isaiah 55:8-9 NKJV).

If we understand God's ways, He wouldn't be God. But how can we find the courage to keep pressing ahead today? How can you endure this season when you feel your prayers are falling on deaf ears and the place you feel God has led you to resembles a desert?

The answer is this: Renew your mind with God’s promises and never, never give up! 

The Christian walk is like a marathon. There will be seasons in your walk, just like when you run a marathon, where you will feel like you've hit a wall. When I ran my first marathon halfway through, I hit a wall that I thought would have taken me out of the race. I had discomfort in my hip that wouldn’t cease. Suddenly, I began to doubt I would finish. I had to fight through the mental wall by telling my feet to take one step at a time. Eventually, I got to mile 17, where I had a friend who I could see cheering for me. Her presence and words of encouragement bolstered my resolve to keep running. 

In your walk with the Lord, you will hit spiritual walls. When you do, you have to hold tight to the promises of God — one promise and verse at a time — and if you have a Christian friend, ask them to pray for you. The enemy of our soul wants us to doubt that God even cares. He wants to make us feel completely alone and discouraged. He does everything in his power to tempt us to throw in the towel because he knows he has already lost and wants us to lose too. Regardless of our situation, God is still on the throne. He has the final say. His plans will not and cannot be thwarted (Job 42:1-2, NKJV). And even if we are faithless, He still remains faithful! (2 Timothy 2:13, NKJV). No situation we face in this life will ever be too hard for God. 

Intersecting Faith and Life:
It’s okay to go to God with all your tears, hurt, doubts, and frustration. Even David cried in Psalms 13, “How long, O Lord? Will You forget me forever? … having sorrow in my heart daily.” God not only handles our emotions, but He also sympathizes with us (Hebrews 4:14-16, NKJV). However, we also need to realize we are in a spiritual fight. In Matthew 4:1-11, before Jesus’ ministry officially started, Satan tempted Him in the desert. Jesus fought every single one of the enemy's tactics with the Word of God. Spend time with the Lord today, praying and holding on to His promises. Ask God to help you continue believing He is a good, kind, compassionate Father who wants your very best. Then continue holding on to the truth that God sees you, God hears you, God is for you, and nothing is impossible for God.  

“We need never shout across the spaces to an absent God. He is nearer than our own soul, closer than our most secret thoughts.” — A.W. Tozer, The Pursuit of God

Further Reading:

Remind yourself of these promises:

God sees.
“She gave this name to the LORD who spoke to her: “You are the God who sees me,” for she said, “I have now seen the One who sees me.” (Genesis 16:13, NKJV)

God hears.
“I cried to Him with my mouth, And He was extolled with my tongue. If I regard iniquity in my heart, The Lord will not hear. But certainly God has heard me; He has attended to the voice of my prayer. Blessed be God, Who has not turned away my prayer, Nor His mercy from me!” (Psalm 66:17-20, NKJV)

God is for you.
“What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31 NKJV)

Nothing is impossible for God.
“For with God nothing will be impossible." (Luke 1:37, NKJV)

A Prayer to Walk in Obedience..Emily Rose Massey

 A Prayer to Walk in Obedience

By Emily Rose Massey

“Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure” (Philippians 2:12-13, ESV). 

My husband and I have always tried our best to instill good manners and a high expectation of obedience from our sons. “I obey right away” is a common phrase we hear in our home. Children should obey their parents because it is the right thing to do as it pleases the Lord, just as Colossians 3:20 and Ephesians 6:1 tells us.   Sometimes as adults, we seem to think we are off the hook of the “I obey right away” mentality. But as a child of God this expectation is still in place throughout our whole lives. Obedience can often seem like a chore or a burden, but it is truly the mark of a mature Christian. 

Your growth in Christ relies greatly on your commitments to think, worship and work rightly. God wants us to learn how to obey Him, but we must remember that obedience is the fruit of salvation, not the root of salvation. Our good works will never earn right standing before God; Apart from our faith in the finished work of Christ, our righteous deeds will always fall short of God’s holiness (Isaiah 64:6). But just because we will fall short of God’s holiness does not mean that He hasn’t called us to be holy just as He is holy. But how does that work? 

This process of continuing to grow in Christ and walk in obedience is called sanctification; It is the Christian’s growth in grace to become more Christ-like day by day. Since God has deposited in us salvation, we must cooperate with God to work it out to bring it into fullness and completion with sustained effort and diligence by the power of the Holy Spirit. 

The Apostle Paul shares with the Philippian church that it isn’t enough to proclaim your salvation, but as believers, we should see it worked out in our life, bearing fruit for all to see:

“Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure” (Philippians 2:12-13, ESV).

God gives us His grace and His Spirit, so we do not have to walk out this calling alone or powerless. Even though we are partnering with God in our sanctification, ultimately, He is the one who is doing the work in us- transforming our old ways and conforming us to look more like Christ. Your attitude towards God is essential in growth and godliness. We must understand that He is sovereign and in control, not us. It’s out of a heart of love for Him that we serve Him. It’s not about “pulling yourself up by your bootstraps,” but your good works flow from a heart of worship unto the Lord. We do not tremble because we will lose our salvation (John 10:29).

Your dependence upon the Lord, which is not passive but an active cooperation between you and God, empowers your obedience and develops your sanctification all for God’s glory. God desires relationship with you and is pleased with your obedience because you are His child and because you care to walk in His ways. We do not have to see obedience as a chore or burden; The Lord can help us see it as a delight as we lean upon His grace and Spirit to see our salvation bear lasting fruit for His glory.

Let’s pray:

Father God,
I must admit that I struggle to obey You immediately. I know that delayed obedience is still disobedience. Just as You command children to obey their parents, You command Your children to obey You. I long to work out my salvation with fear and trembling in You because the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. I want to make wise decisions that honor and please You above all. I need Your grace and Spirit to empower me to obey, so I rest in You and trust You are working in my regenerated heart. Please give me a hunger for Your Word so that my mind can be renewed to be able to say no to the world and the flesh and yes to You. Thank You for finishing the work You have begun in me.
In Jesus’ name, amen.

God's Plan for the Resurrection..Dr. Charles Stanley

 God's Plan for the Resurrection

Dr. Charles Stanley

John 16:16-20

"A little while, and you will no longer see Me." Jesus repeated these words to His disciples several times. But He could tell by the blank stares on their faces that they did not understand what He had said.   

At one point, He even overheard them debating what He meant by "You will not see me" (John 16:19). These men had been with the Lord for three years. They had laughed with Him, cried with Him, eaten with Him, and were willing to die with Him, or so they thought.   

They had just entered the city of Jerusalem. And instead of being met by an angry legion of guards and protestors, they were met by palm-waving supporters shouting: "Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord." Yet as soon as they had settled into the upper room, Jesus broached the subject of His forthcoming death. Immediately, the mood of His followers went from one of celebration to shock and sorrow.   

Often in difficult times, we cannot see beyond that moment. The resurrection was a few days away, but they could not fathom its wondrous coming.   

God always provides the encouragement we need to stay the course, and Jesus did this for His disciples when He told them, "Your sorrow will be turned to joy" (v. 20). This also is God's message of hope and love for us today. Blessed be the name of the Lord!