Posts with the tag “freedom”

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” - Hebrews 12:1    There is a story of a bald eagle that was gracefully soaring over the northwestern pacific in search of food one day. In the middle of its flight, the eagle happened upo...  Read More

“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.” Galatians 5:1 Perfectionism is a very rigid view of life that assumes that one’s worth and acceptance is contingent upon doing everything perfectly with no flaws; however, it’s this pursuit of flawlessness that leads us on a fast track towards unhappiness and depression because perfection is an illusion—an impossibility. Spiritual perfectionism will have us believing that we can earn God’s grace and favor by the things that we do. Yes, it is important to seek to live a Spirit-filled life. But we must recognize that we will fall short of God’s glory at some point. So, there is no need to throw in the towel and give up on our walk with God. Think about it from the view of a parent. As a parent, you have nurtured your child and you have tried your best to instill great values in that child. However, there will be times when your child makes mistakes. Does this change your love for your child? No. There may be consequences for those actions; however, your child will still be yours regardless; and you still have a high expectation of them to do great things. Sure, you might mess up from time to time. But this does not mean you have to revert back to your old habits. Acknowledge you have messed up, accept God’s forgiveness, and keep pressing on! Do you find this to be a struggle for you? Maybe you continue to go back to your old ways because you feel as though you cannot live a “perfect” spiritual life. Don’t let perfectionism keep you from claiming the freedom God has already given you. Let that bondage go.   Read More

“Jesus replied, ‘Very true I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. So if the son sets you free, you will be free indeed.’” – John 8:36 The abundant life for which Jesus came and died was predicated upon a desire to set us free. John the evangelist conveyed the Lord’s sentiments when he said, “So if the Son ...  Read More

“It is for freedom that Christ as set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.” – Galatians 5:1 The apostle Paul knew a lot about what it was like to be in prison. During his second missionary journey, he was arrested and imprisoned in Philippi. He was set free by an earthquake that freed him and Silas. After his third missionary journey, he was ...  Read More

“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. ” - Isaiah 41:10    Over the last few days we have covered why we miss signs when it comes to getting in (or out) of relationships, and the reasons we often ignore or dismiss these signs. As we conclude this conversation, let's discuss one o...  Read More

“And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your father in heaven may forgive you your sins.” - Mark 11:25   When you carry unforgiveness, you are saying that the past is more important than the present. You are saying that the person you refuse to forgive is more important to you than yourself. You are also saying that the prison of the old trauma is mo...  Read More