--Thanks to my wonderful daughter Elizabeth for another great post!
True freedom, the
best freedom, comes from God Almighty. And in John chapter 8 we
learn the great key to being made free.
John 8:30-32
“And
as he spake these words, many believed on him. Then said Jesus to
those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are
ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth
shall make you free.”
So, what is it
that sets us free? Truth.
And if it is the
truth that sets us free then what is it that has the ability to hold
us in slavery? Lies.
Truth sets us
free, but lies hold us in bondage.
Not lies that we
tell to others—but lies that we believe about God, about situations
we find ourselves in, and the lies we believe about ourselves.
These lies are
things that directly conflict with the truth God lays out in His
Word.
Just like the Jews
in this record, we have also believed on Jesus Christ. In order to be
set free we must know the truth. We must also do what Christ
instructs and continue in his Word.
Proverbs 3:5-6
“Trust
in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own
understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct
thy paths.”
We are told in
God’s Word to trust in the Lord with all our hearts, not leaning on
our own understanding of the situations we find ourselves in. When we
acknowledge him in all our ways, he will direct our paths.
When we fail to do
this, when we fail to acknowledge God in all of our ways and choose
to forsake his understanding of situations in favor of our own we can
become distracted and lose sight of the truth that can set us
free—especially when we find ourselves in what appear to be the
most troubling of circumstances.
Psalm 73
“Truly
God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean heart.
But as for me, my
feet were almost gone; my steps had well nigh slipped.
For I was envious
at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
For there are no
bands in their death: but their strength is firm.
They are not in
trouble as other men; neither are they plagued like other men.
Therefore pride
compasseth them about as a chain; violence covereth them as a
garment.
Their eyes stand
out with fatness: they have more than heart could wish.
They are corrupt,
and speak wickedly concerning oppression: they speak loftily.
They set their
mouth against the heavens, and their tongue walketh through the
earth.
Therefore his
people return hither: and waters of a full cup are wrung out to them.
And they say, How
doth God know? and is there knowledge in the most High?
Behold, these are
the ungodly, who prosper in the world; they increase in riches.
Verily I have
cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency.
For all the day
long have I been plagued, and chastened every morning.”
We see in verse
one that the psalmist knows God is good to Israel, to those who are
of a clean heart. And yet in verse two we learn that his feet were
almost gone and his steps almost slip. Why? Because he is envious of
the wicked and all he can focus on is their prosperity. His focus on
the wicked’s prosperity causes him to question what good it has
been for him to follow God, cleansing his heart and washing his
hands, if all day long the wicked prosper while he is plagued.
vs. 15
“I
say, I will speak thus; behold, I should offend against the
generation of thy children.
When I thought to
know this, it was too painful for me;
Until I went into
the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end.
Surely thou didst
set them in slippery places: thou castedst them down into
destruction. How are they brought into desolation, as in a moment!
they are utterly consumed with terrors.
As a dream when
one awaketh; so, O Lord, when thou awakest, thou shalt despise their
image.
The situation is
too painful for the psalmist to understand UNTIL – he goes into the
sanctuary of God, until he returns to God’s understanding of his
current situation.
vs. 21
“Thus
my heart was grieved, and I was pricked in my reins.
So foolish was I,
and ignorant: I was as a beast before thee.”
The psalmist
realizes he has been a fool in being ignorant of the knowledge of
God. But has his ignorance changed God? Has his ignorance caused God
to turn away? No.
vs. 23
“Nevertheless
I am continually with thee: thou hast holden me by my right hand.
Thou shalt guide
me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory.
Whom have I in
heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside
thee.
My flesh and my
heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion
for ever.
For, lo, they that
are far from thee shall perish: thou hast destroyed all them that go
a whoring from thee.
But it is good for
me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord God, that I
may declare all thy works.”
We too can have
our hearts and our flesh fail. Sometimes we too lose sight of what
God’s Word says about us or about situations we find ourselves in,
but this never changes God. What His Word declares about us does not
change. His promises toward us do not change.
Romans 8:38-39
“For
I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor
principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
Nor height, nor
depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the
love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Nothing can
separate us from the love of God.
If we do find that
we have let our thoughts stray away from God’s Word, we can return
our thoughts to what God says is true.
Romans 12:2
“And
be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing
of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable,
and perfect, will of God.”
We can be
transformed by renewing our minds and our thoughts back to the things
of God’s Word. It is how we will prove what is that good, and
acceptable, and perfect, will of God for our lives.
Phil 4:8
“Finally,
brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest,
whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever
things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be
any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”
Think for a moment
with me about what thoughts go through your head. What are your
thoughts about? What do you choose to think about every single day?
What do you choose to think about yourself? What do you choose to
think about situations you find yourself in?
Here are a few
things that God thinks about you:
- Romans 5:8 “But God commendeth [shows and clearly proves] his love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”
God loves you. So
much in fact that while you were yet a sinner Christ died for you.
- Colossians 2:10 “And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power.”
You are complete
in Christ. You lack nothing.
- 2 Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”
You are a new
creature. The old things are totally gone.
These things are
all true about you now. These are all ways God sees you now.
Here are a few
things that God’s Word says about God:
- Hebrews 13:5-6 “Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.”
God will never
leave us nor forsake us. He is our helper today. Now.
- Psalm 34:18 “The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.”
- Psalm 145:17-19 “The Lord is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works. The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth. He will fulfill the desire of them that fear him: he also will hear their cry, and will save them.”
- Mark 10:27 “And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible.”
These
things are all true about our God today. In
all times and in all areas of our lives, we must turn our eyes to
God. We must turn our eyes to God and His Word when times get rough
and when our lives seem rotten.
Psalm
42:5 “ Why
art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me?
hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his
countenance.”
We must put our
hope in God. We must remember what God has put in His Word about us,
about himself, about the situations we find ourselves in, and about
the world that exists around us.
II Cor. 10:3
“For
though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:”
There
is a spiritual battle that rages around us and that we will always be
a part of. Though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the
flesh. 1 Peter 5:8 tells us
to be sober and vigilant “because your adversary the devil, as a
roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.”
But that is no
reason to be afraid.
John 10:10 “The
thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am
come that they might have life, and that they might have it more
abundantly.”
The
devil roams about attempting to steal and kill and destroy. But Jesus
Christ came so that we might have more than abundant life. By his
death and resurrection we have the gift of Holy Spirit, giving us
victory in every battle.
II Corinthians
10:4 & 5
“(For
the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to
the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and
every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God,
and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of
Christ;”
God’s Word tells
us that we are to cast down imaginations and every high thing that
exalts itself against the knowledge of God. We are to bring into
captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. We are to work to
bring our thoughts into alignment with what God’s Word says.
As we grow in our
knowledge of God’s Word, we can come to recognize those things
which conflict with God’s Word and then choose to instead to
believe the TRUTH. Believing the truth about what God’s Word says
about you and I is what can set us free. This is what can ALWAYS give
us hope.
Ephesians 4: 21-24
“If
so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the
truth is in Jesus: That ye put off concerning the former conversation
the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And
be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new
man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.”
What ever it is
that might be holding you back from every truth of God’s Word, put
it off. Put off the lies. Put off the distractions. Turn your eyes
away from your troubles and back onto the Word of God. Put off the
old man and walk in the victory of the new.
