Something I read that was too good not to post..

I read this on a pretty amazing lady's blog...thought that since I haven't had much time of my own to post, I would just leave it here on my wall for others to be encouraged by it. If you are not a believer in Jesus, I pray that you will start to understand where my help comes from so that this will be an encouragement to you, too.

What is freedom?

What does it mean for me to be free?

Everyone wants freedom… Freedom of speech, religious freedom, etc. Everyone has their own definition of freedom. Many people’s definition of freedom is no different from the definition of anarchy, “The absenece of rules, government, authority” or “A utopian society” Our definition of freedom becomes, “Freedom from…”, which is really no freedom at all. We don’t realize that we our leading ourselves back into slavery.

Several years ago, I lived a life that did not please God. I thought I was living in freedom because I did not have any rules to abide by. But really I’ve never felt more enslaved in my entire life. A life of partying will make you a slave. Although you may be surrounded by people, you still feel all alone.

My choices lead me into slavery.

Many times we define ourseleves and our identities by external materials of pleasures. We think, “If I could just have this, then I could truly be happy” or “If I didn’t have this person in my life to restrain me from what I want, then I could be free” Our desire to be free has made us into slaves.

What is freedom?

To be free is to be what God has created me to be.

If our attempt to find freedom has led us into slavery, then perhaps the lifestyle we are pursuing is not what God has created for us.

We are created to know, love, worship, and follow Jesus.

Before we can truly be free, we must realize where we were and what we were like before Christ.

“And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.”

-Ephesians 2:1-3

Without Christ, we are dead.

But by His grace, we have been redeemed. What has He done for us? EVERYTHING. He died a torturous death, so that we could have life. In Him, I am absolutely renewed and I am a new creation.

So since we have been given this freedom in Christ, why do we still live like we’re in bondage?

Without Him I would still be enslaved and my life would be meaningless. I am so thankful that the Lord has renwewed me. He has forgiven my past and allowed me to have a bright future.