Are You Free?

Today's Reading: "For thou art an holy people unto the Lord thy God: the Lord thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth. The Lord did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people: But because the Lord loved you, and because he would keep the oath which he had sworn unto your fathers, hath the Lord brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you out of the house of bondmen, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt. Know therefore that the Lord thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations;..." Deuteronomy 7:6-9

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

Ever wonder why so many strong, beautiful, intelligent, wealthy, and powerful people reject God and His Son, Jesus the Christ? Well, here's the answer: They don't know, nor will they acknowledge that they are in bondage--mere slaves!

For this reason, God most often chooses the insignificant things of this world--the lowly, the humble, the abased, the broken, the needy. Are these souls any more "righteous" than those who are exalted in this world? No! Oh, but, these souls know the depth of their need. They know they are in bondage to sin and worldly desires. More, they know their heart, mind soul and strength hungers and thirsts after the Living God and His righteousness. A righteousness that can only be found in God's Son, Jesus Christ!

Who seeks after brokenness? No sane person ever would! Praise God that He allows brokenness in our lives (just as He did in allowing Israel to live in bondage to Egypt for 400 long, weary years) because it is in our brokenness and resulting heart cries that God moves to set us free. Why in our brokenness? So that in and through all things our God would be glorified!

Being chosen--called out, gifted with God's salvation and right standing with God, being set free from sin's terrible bondage are all acts of an Almighty God! In this wonderous way, no man, or woman can boast! It is all God!

Truthfully? The exalted in this world cannot accept this concept because they want so desperately for it to be all about them! Sorrowfully, this only leads to their ultimate destruction.

Beloved, if you find yourself feeling small, insignificant--rejoice! You are closer to God and His truth than you realize.
Today's Reading: ""For thou art an holy people unto the Lord thy God: the Lord thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth. The Lord did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people: But because the Lord loved you, and because he would keep the oath which he had sworn unto your fathers, hath the Lord brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you out of the house of bondmen, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt. Know therefore that the Lord thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations;..." Deuteronomy 7:6-9

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

Ever wonder why so many strong, intelligent, wealthy, and powerful people reject God and His Son, Jesus the Christ? Well, here's the answer: They don't know, nor will they acknowledge that they are in bondage--mere slaves!

For this reason, God most often chooses the insignificant things of this world--the lowly, the humble, the abased, the broken, the needy. Are these souls any more "righteous" than those who are exalted in this world? No! Oh, but, these souls know the depth of their need. They know they are in bondage to sin and worldly desires. More, they know their heart, mind soul and strength hungers and thirsts after the Living God and His righteousness which can only be found in Christ Jesus!

Who seeks after brokenness? No sane person ever would! Praise God that He allows brokenness into our lives (just as He did for 400 years for the Israelites in Egypt) because it is in our brokenness and resulting heart cries that God moves to set us free.

Why in our brokenness? So that in all and through all things our God will be glorified! Being chosen, gifted with God's salvation and right standing with God, being set free from sin's terrible bondage are all acts of an Almighty God! This way, no man, or woman can boast! It is all about God! Truthfully? The exalted in this world cannot accept this concept because they want so desperately for it to be all about them! Sorrowfully, this is will lead to the ultimate destruction.

If you find yourself feeling small, insignificant--rejoice! You are closer to God and His truth than you realize.



I Thirst!

Today's Reading: "I thirst." (John 19:28b)

Jesus Christ being fully God and fully man, thirst!

Death by crucifixion was designed to inflict the most horrendous and brutal punishment upon the physical body. Its torturous design had to also have a spiritual impact upon the human soul, though I'm not sure the Romans had this in mind when the devised such a diabolical punishment. By its very nature crucifixion was humiliating--the judged lying naked, bared before all the peoples. Its intent was to bring shame and it did so in the most graphic of ways! For this reason crucifixion was reserved for the vilest of criminals. I'm sure crucifixion was a great crime deterrent! Wondrously, our God and Savior suffered the shame of that terrible death sentence.

Hanging on that cross and enduring such agony--not to mention being the heat of the day, I have no doubt that Jesus did physically thirst, but for the past few days (following Resurrection Day), I have been reflecting on the passage of scripture found in the Beatitudes (Matthew 5:6, " Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled." We know that no man (or woman) has any righteousness of their own. We are all sinful by our very nature. God's desire has always been that we would always thirst after righteousness. Righteousness that can only be found in Him! He is the Source!

On Good Friday as Jesus hung on that cross, He physically and spiritually became our sin (2 Corinthians 5:21). Sin brings physical death, but it also brings spiritual death! When that occurred--for whatever period of time--God turned His back on His own Son because scripture tells us that God cannot look upon evil (Habakkuk 1:13)! Imagine! Jesus, the sinless One, evil? Never, ever had Jesus been separated from the Father. He, the Father and the Holy Spirit experienced the most joy-filled communion. One that our souls long after--thirst for!

Indeed, Jesus did physically thirst! But, more, Christ thirst spiritually. His heart, mind, soul and strength thirst after the Living God and did not find Him.

Praise God! We do not have to endure that awful separation from our God! Oh, we should all humbly bow our heads and give thanks for what Christ willing endured for each and everyone of us. By His sacrificial act of taking on and becoming our sin; we now have the great privilege and joy of taking on His righteousness! Glory! More, we have been given the honor of being fully welcomed as sons and daughters into that wonderful and glorious communion with the Holy Trinity--the Great Three-in-One! Glory to God in the Highest!

Oh, He has risen! He has risen, indeed!