Subject: A Thought of the Week (FREEDOM - JESUS PAID IT ALL) from Brother Michael - 11/11/13
November 18, 2013
Brother,
I hope and pray all is well with you and your family.
“He gave his life to purchase freedom for everyone.” - 1 Timothy 2:6 NLT)
On this day we will take time to honor our Veterans and families who served or is currently serving in the Armed Services for our freedom. Freedom is a privilege that we as Americans have enjoyed for many years. We also realize that the price was extremely high to obtain and continue to protect it. Many paid the ultimate sacrifice or carried the battle scars and did it proudly.
Our great country is a symbol of freedom around the world and an inspiration for other nations. The protection of our freedom is worth the sacrifice it takes to guarantee it for future generations. John F. Kennedy once stated, "As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.”
All of us are slaves of something. Maybe it’s our peers. Maybe it’s our lusts. Maybe it’s money. The Bible says in 2 Peter 2:19, “You are a slave to whatever controls you” (NL. Based on this definition alone, all of us are slaves to something.
We don’t have to let anything enslave us, though. The Bible says Jesus bought our freedom: “He gave his life to purchase freedom for everyone” (1 Timothy 2:6a NLT). The Greek word for redemption actually refers to slaves who were purchased in a marketplace. In a spiritual sense, all of us were slaves to sin until Jesus purchased us out of the slave market and set us free from sin’s bondage.
Let me give you a picture of what Jesus’ death on the cross did to purchase our freedom. Imagine you’re in a busy marketplace with a lot of commerce going on. In the center of the marketplace, you’re in the middle of an auction, where you are being bid on. As each successive bid is shouted out, you look in the eyes of those who are bidding on you and try to size them up. Are they kind or cruel? Just as the auction is winding down, a stranger from the crowd stands up and offers a bid a thousand times higher than anyone else’s bid. There is no way anyone could ever match or beat that bid. As the auctioneer hastily accepts it, you look into that stranger’s eyes and realize he isn’t bidding on you to use you, like a slave. He’s buying you in order to set you free.
That’s just what Jesus did for us. He paid the price to set us free. The price for our freedom was so high we could never pay it. But he paid it for us.
Even if as a follower of Jesus, we may not be living in that freedom. We may be cleverly allowing ourselves to be controlled by our desires, our relationships, our schedule, or our fears. Galatians 5:1 says, “Freedom is what we have — Christ has set us free! Stand, then, as free people, and do not allow yourselves to become slaves again.”
So on Veterans Day we salute those in uniform, remember those who paid the ultimate price, and pray for the safety of those still in combat. This is a time to reflect on all who have put their lives on the line so we can enjoy this great freedom. So let us also remember all the families who sacrificed much for our freedom.
So many people spend their lives seeking significance and freedom on manmade dead-end passes. The price for our freedom has already been paid. We’ve been bought. Are we living in that freedom?
Let pray, Father God, we come to You with a thankful, yet remorseful heart. We confess, Lord, that we have let worship of others’ and our own expectations drive us, scattering our energy and focus. Also, our desire to “look good” in the eyes of others is draining our energy. Help us, Lord, to focus on You. We know that this is the only way to achieve true freedom. Help us focus on serving the one and only Master, You. Help us, Father, to develop discipline in our life, taking our thoughts captive, so we can master the mental game that goes on inside of us and be victorious in this spiritual war for our soul. We pray that today and every day we will let You direct our next step. Then we will be free to enjoy You and look forward to what You have prepared for us this day. These things we ask boldly, through the love and work of Christ Jesus for us – AMEN.
Have a great and BLESSED week.
Remember I am here for you in thought, prayer and action – 24x7.
STAY STRONG!
Love-Your Brother and Friend in Christ,
Michael
(484)431-9336 (Home & Cell)
(484)595-9744 (Work
PS. I was with most of you at a PK event several years back and heard the following song. I thought you would enjoy again or for the first time:
