Our chains are gone, yet we are burdened

I love the song amazing grace, it gives me such encouragement and freedom when I listen to it. But there are times in our life and sometimes we make it a lifestyle to hold on to our pain, our sin, our past and not live in the freedom which we where given.

There was a church I visited that had the most depressing youth group I have ever seen, they where all saved as far as I knew but they where so held down by guilt and/or old ways of life that they showed no sign of freedom, and if anything they looked more burdened by the word! Their chains had been removed from their necks, arms, and legs, the gate had been open, but they stood there inside the gate!

We get a warning and order in Galatians 5:1 "stand fast therefore in the liberty where with Christ hath made us free, and not be entangled again with the yoke of bondage." One of the meanings of entangled is "Involve (someone) in difficulties or complicated circumstances." I feel so many times that the devil "Involves" us in these circumstances in order to bring us to a point of bondage again. We like to call them life problems but they pull at us and take up our time so that we are off balance and not standing in our liberty of freedom. We say "I want a breakthrough" and then focus on the next problem when God moves through the first one. And what happens is we get depressed again because of our situation and lose sight that we are truly freed. Doing that only gives the devil a foothold in your life!

But have hope, our chains truly are gone, we really can step outside those gates. Dont allow the things that are happening around you to define your liberty, be free and walk in that. The focus must always be on christ and the knowing that his grace is what washes over us, so be blessed that your guilt and your past is taken care of. Amen

Addictions~the way out (RUN)

One of the hardest things to look for when dealing with addictions is the way out, in 1 Corinthians 10:13 (NIV) it says that "...But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.” I believe the Lord doesn’t josh us by getting our hopes up that there is a way out, just to see us stumble trying to find it. Honestly when dealing with my addictions the first thing I am doing is not looking for the way out but trying to reason with myself as to why I can slip up. It’s a battle between my flesh and my spirit says Galatians 5:17 (NIV) "17For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want." and the battle ground of my addictions is the body. So how does one see the way out? With God of course, that’s no easy answer to swallow and get done, but the first part of 1Cor. 10:13 says "13No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful" the hard truth is that what your going through, other men have been through and they have stumbled in this but there are men who have overcome! I can not simply say that you are in with only those that have stumbled and not the later, because that leaves out the whole focus of the verse "...AND GOD IS FAITHFUL", the only ones that can overcome the evils in their life are those who RUN (!!!!!) to God. No matter what the addiction you can and should run to God with it.

How does that look in your life? is it pressing into the word, praying, listening to a uplifting cd? or are you standing in sin?

I beg you! Remember: God is faithful, He loved you while you still where in sin, and he is not a small god, all things can be done through Him, so run to Him.