Your Freedom, Christ's Gift

"It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened by a yoke of slavery." Galatians 5:1 NIV Freedom, it's a wonderful word and a great concept but are you living in freedom? Are you walking in the inheritance that Jesus died to give you? Have you claimed your birthright after accepting Jesus as Your Lord and Saviour? If so, congratulations and praise Jesus for your freedom. If not, why? Paul wrote the book of Galatians to the church as a handbook for Christian freedom. His desire was to share the freedom we have the right to claim as children of Christ. This first verse in chapter 5 is exciting to me, but also demonstrates that although we can live in freedom, we can quickly revert to the ways of the "old man" and find ourselves back in bondage that Jesus died to set us free from. So how do we walk in freedom: we seek Jesus to be Lord of our lives. We must submit to His will and seek the power of the Holy Spirit to fill us with His wisdom and power. Freedom in Christ does not mean we can do whatever we want. It means we now have within us the power and strength to follow Jesus and do His will. Living in the fullness of Christ is the most freeing, fulfilling life you will ever have, with the mountain tops and valley lows! Dear reader, I encourage you to take some time to prayerfully read Galatians. As you read, ask the Holy Spirit to open your eyes and reveal the truths that God has there for you. Seek Him with your whole heart to break the bonds that keep you from walking in the freedom you have inherited as a child of the King. Trust in Jesus. I am praying for you. Natalie

Verdict: NOT GUILTY

"Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering. And so He condemned sin in sinful man, in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit." Romans 8:1-4 NIV

How much would a prisoner living on death row desire for the warden to come and declare him not guilty? This is how we all live apart from Jesus Christ. We are separated from God bound to live a life without hope for eternity. There is a heaven and a hell and anyone who does not choose Jesus to lead their life and dwell within them is as condemned as a prisoner on death row. For those who think they have time to wait...you may want to think again. NO choice is a choice. You either choose Jesus or not. Choosing Jesus means that God grants you pardon from your life of sin and brings you into the life that Jesus died to give you. Like verse 1 in the Scripture above says, "There is NO condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus" (emphasis mine). Jesus died to break the power of sin and death over His people and has accomplished it. He has done it.

The only thing left to do is to accept it. Are you willing to accept the grace and forgiveness that God has provided through the work Jesus did on the cross as He died, in the grave as He broke the bonds of death and arose, and in the resurrection as He ascended to be seated at the right hand of the Father to intercede on our behalf? Are you willing to cry out to Jesus so He may claim you as His own and declare you NOT GUILTY before God the Father? He will be coming back one day for His children. Is your name in the Book of Life (Revelation 3:5)? Does He know that you belong to Him? Be assured and comforted that if anyone calls on the name of the Lord, he (or she) will be saved (Acts 4:12). There is hope because we have a Savior who has paid the price for our redemption (John 19:30). Won't you call out to Him today?