Tuesday, April 24, 2007
Truth Sets Me Free
The first part of my journey was filled with remorse. As a believer in the saving grace of our LORD Jesus Christ I was suppose to forgive.
I would look at the marvelous saving grace that was given to me and then I would look at what I was suppose to do. My journey was very sad, for a very long time.
Then I stopped spending so much time looking at me. I just began a walk of faith that said, someday, I would forgive. Slowly , oh so slowly , that forgiveness has and is being worked into my nature. Just like an old garment is discarded, I find myself uncomfortable unless I am willing to discard old habits, old ways of thinking. These are replaced with a new nature, slowly.
I enjoy the new nature of Christ Jesus being poured into me. This pouring seems to be a combination of Spirit and of Truth. It is with this that I can then worship the Father, of course, and do. It is this filling of Spirit and Truth that I realize is setting me free!
Free to worship Him, Free to live a life worth living, Free to share all that I have been given, I am being set Free as I receive His Truth and His Spirit.
The first Christians were put upon to forgive.
Brand new in their faith, as the event had just happened, the son of God rose again after dieing on the cross. They knew He was the One Who had been prophesied to come. They needed someone just exactly like Paul to encourage and exhort them to remain steadfast and let the LORD fight their battles for them. It was a new day and there was a need for new instruction. But who was sent ? Someone they would have to forgive.
Someone who had killed and put into prison people just like themselves who had done nothing wrong but believe that Jesus is the Son of God.
Maybe some had a hard time forgiving. Maybe some of their own family had been victims of the persecution that Paul as Saul had so much encouraged.
Killing, putting into prison hard things to forgive.
Today our lives are affected much like the early Christians.
People are killed !
Besides the obvious types of deaths we grieve, think about how many grieve for the unborn whose lives were snuffed out by abortion.
People are imprisoned !
Again I would like to point out the not so obvious as many are imprisoned by controlling parents and spouses. Not free to enjoy their lives as they ought. Many are free outwardly but inwardly hold themselves in emotional prisons.
People unable to forgive themselves or forgive others find the invitation to receive the Spirit of Truth unacceptable. They hear but their ears do not hear. Their minds tell them they are listening but they are not.
Others decide since they can not forgive , all the good news must not apply to them and so they are blinded and can not receive what truth they do have.
Walk in the Light as He is in the Light ! As I walk by faith , in the Truth that my righteousness is not earned (by forgiving or anything else) but a free gift , I am set free to walk in more and more light everyday. And sometimes it becomes evident that I will not be going back to those shadows any more ! Jesus is not in the darkness. He is in the Light !
I would look at the marvelous saving grace that was given to me and then I would look at what I was suppose to do. My journey was very sad, for a very long time.
Then I stopped spending so much time looking at me. I just began a walk of faith that said, someday, I would forgive. Slowly , oh so slowly , that forgiveness has and is being worked into my nature. Just like an old garment is discarded, I find myself uncomfortable unless I am willing to discard old habits, old ways of thinking. These are replaced with a new nature, slowly.
I enjoy the new nature of Christ Jesus being poured into me. This pouring seems to be a combination of Spirit and of Truth. It is with this that I can then worship the Father, of course, and do. It is this filling of Spirit and Truth that I realize is setting me free!
Free to worship Him, Free to live a life worth living, Free to share all that I have been given, I am being set Free as I receive His Truth and His Spirit.
The first Christians were put upon to forgive.
Brand new in their faith, as the event had just happened, the son of God rose again after dieing on the cross. They knew He was the One Who had been prophesied to come. They needed someone just exactly like Paul to encourage and exhort them to remain steadfast and let the LORD fight their battles for them. It was a new day and there was a need for new instruction. But who was sent ? Someone they would have to forgive.
Someone who had killed and put into prison people just like themselves who had done nothing wrong but believe that Jesus is the Son of God.
Maybe some had a hard time forgiving. Maybe some of their own family had been victims of the persecution that Paul as Saul had so much encouraged.
Killing, putting into prison hard things to forgive.
Today our lives are affected much like the early Christians.
People are killed !
Besides the obvious types of deaths we grieve, think about how many grieve for the unborn whose lives were snuffed out by abortion.
People are imprisoned !
Again I would like to point out the not so obvious as many are imprisoned by controlling parents and spouses. Not free to enjoy their lives as they ought. Many are free outwardly but inwardly hold themselves in emotional prisons.
People unable to forgive themselves or forgive others find the invitation to receive the Spirit of Truth unacceptable. They hear but their ears do not hear. Their minds tell them they are listening but they are not.
Others decide since they can not forgive , all the good news must not apply to them and so they are blinded and can not receive what truth they do have.
Walk in the Light as He is in the Light ! As I walk by faith , in the Truth that my righteousness is not earned (by forgiving or anything else) but a free gift , I am set free to walk in more and more light everyday. And sometimes it becomes evident that I will not be going back to those shadows any more ! Jesus is not in the darkness. He is in the Light !
