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“Jesus replied, ‘…So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.’” (John 8:34a, 36)

“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” (2 Corinthians 3:17).

How do you feel about the word “surrender”? It’s not a popular word in our culture. We are afraid that if we surrender we’ll be oppressed. Maybe a person in authority has abused us and colored our concept of surrender.

I have a friend who spent three years in a Japanese prison camp. He witnessed cruel beatings and insults on a daily basis.  Even now, many years later, he is afraid to give himself to God. He thinks he’ll lose his freedom.

But the opposite is true. When we give ourselves to God, we gain freedom.

When we surrender and Christ takes over, He sets us free from the sins that harm us and hurt others. When we truly grasp his love for us, we can let go of the fears that keep us bound. When we fill our minds with His truths, we’re set free from negative thought patterns that drag us down.

Walking in God’s way of surrender, we live in harmony with how we were created. We reach our highest potential.  We become more fulfilled and content. I’ve discovered that the more I surrender to Jesus, the more truly alive I am.

Sometimes I ask myself, “Why wouldn’t I want to surrender to Someone who is bigger and wiser than I am? Somebody who loves me, knows me, and always wants the best for my loved ones and me?”

Lord Jesus, I surrender myself to you to do your will and your works today. Take my mind – I want to think your thoughts. Take my eyes – I want to see each person as you see them. Take my heart – I want to love you more fervently and others more selflessly. Amen.

Questions: How about you? Are you ready to surrender yourself and your loved ones to God?

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Peace – it’s elusive sometimes, isn’t it?

Are you dealing with any of these issues? Maybe your circumstances concern the loss of a loved one, divorce, separation, depression, addictions, or any number of other things. Have you maintained peace in your suffering?  When we allow the cares and anxieties of life to overwhelm us and we make no time to sit at the feet of our most beloved Lord for intimate conversations, we relegate Him to a waiting room. And our peace crumbles.

But what is peace?

Peace is the tranquil state of a soul, the calm rest in the Lord that brings harmony to the depths of an agonizing heart in the midst of a fiery trial. When chaos invades my world, do I still claim His peace and praise Him? And when the enemy swirls his darkness around me and attempts to discourage or frighten me, do I still trust the Lord? Yes, I do!

Paul said, “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything; tell God your needs, and don’t forget to thank Him for His answers. If you do this, you will experience God’s peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will keep your thoughts and your hearts quiet and at rest as you trust in Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 4:6-7 TLB)

Trust begets peace. Total reliance on the Lord carries us through the worst of life’s flames. Isaiah wrote of God’s promise of peace, “You will keep the mind that is dependent on You in perfect peace, for it is trusting in You.” (Isaiah 26:3, Holman Christian Standard Bible)

Are you struggling to retain your heart’s peace? The Bible says God is Jehovah-shalom, the Lord our peace, and Jesus is Immanuel, God with us, always. Therefore, that shalom-peace is always with us.  When you persevere in trusting Him, the Lord will “give you His peace no matter what happens.” (2 Thess. 3:16 TLB)

Where is the peace?

That gift of peace is within us, for Christ “Himself is our peace.” (Eph. 2:14 NKJV) Just as He told His disciples, Jesus tells us, “I am leaving you with a gift – peace of mind and heart! And the peace I give isn’t fragile like the peace the world gives. So don’t be troubled or afraid.” (John 14:27 TLB)

Scripture tells us that “God has called us to live in peace” (1 Cor. 7:15b NIV), to “let the peace of God rule in your hearts” (Col. 3:15 NKJV), and that “to be spiritually minded is life and peace.” (Rom. 8:6 NKJV)

Are you living in peace? Or are there things rolling around in your head and heart making an uproar? Are you sitting at the Lord’s feet or have you put Him on a waiting list?

My prayer for you is this: “I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in Him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.” (Rom. 15:13 NLT)

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What is weighing you down today? Can we pray for you?

“In [this] freedom Christ has made us free [and completely liberated us]; stand fast then, and do not be hampered and held ensnared and submit again to a yoke of slavery [which you have once put off].” (Galatians 5:1, Amplified Bible)

Aunt Ellie was known for her efforts to renovate the lives of most of the people she came in contact with, especially her nieces and nephews. In my case, she was determined to make me into the perfect child she would never have. Each of her visits would include advice stronger than any given by Ann Landers: “Curl your hair.” “Polish your shoes.” “Tuck in your blouse.” And the one I remember most: “Stand up straight!”

While Aunt Ellie’s words had a negative effect on me (and all other recipients of her “advice”), there is spiritual truth to be gained from that last one. How many Christians live their lives with figuratively bent backs, often caused by unnecessarily carrying loads of regret, shame or guilt? The physical body may be ramrod straight, but looking more deeply into their souls, one sees little of the joy and freedom promised by Christ.

In John Bunyan’s book, Pilgrim’s Progress, we meet the central character named Christian, bowed low with a heavy burden on his back. He is pointed toward the cross of Christ but the way ahead is long and fraught with obstacles. That is our journey, too.  How much easier it would be if we could simply believe that—at the cross—every burden we carry is laid at the Savior’s feet?

Jesus Himself said, “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” (Matthew 11:28-29, The Message)

Stand up straight, Christian!

Questions: What is weighing you down today? How can you set it down?

“For you have been called to live in freedom – not freedom to satisfy your sinful nature, but freedom to serve one another in love.” Galatians 5:13

What will you use your freedom for?It’s an important question, since one of the greatest things about being born again is the freedom that comes from the Spirit of God. “And wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, he gives freedom.” (2 Corinthians 3:17)

In Christ we have been set free from the power and the penalty of sin, free from trying to earn God’s favor, free from the insatiable need to please ourselves, and free to know the truth. Even though we may not be aware of all these freedoms, they are nonetheless true and available to each of us by faith.

But the question Paul addressed in Galatians is what we use this freedom for. He suggests that we use this freedom to lovingly serve each other.

Notice the things we have been set free from, they all revolve around the self. Think about it. Most of us have spent the better part of our lives getting all the attention. Even the guilt, self-pity, and regret we love to wallow in are all about us. Imagine freeing up the thinking time we put into self-indulgence – feeling guilty, judging others to feel better by comparison, and figuring out how to please our selfish desires – and imagine spending that time on someone else.

First you will need to remind yourself of your freedom in Christ because forgetting that is what gets us stuck in the first place. Then use that freed-up time to identify with what someone else is going through and plan how you can serve him or her.

If being free to serve sounds like an oxymoron, it’s only because we have all become so used to being in bondage we can’t imagine being free. But free to serve is what we were meant to be. It’s how we become useful to God.

Next time you catch yourself absorbed in you-know-who, stop and think about what you can do for someone around you. Remember your freedom in Christ and spend it on others. Think about what their needs might be – ask them, if you don’t know – and serve them in love. It’s time for someone else to get our attention for a change.

Question: How can you share heart for the Lord through through serving your community?

Please open your Bible and read Psalm 131.

My older sister, Lori Hensley, a very serious prayer warrior, once taught me to meditate on Psalm 131 to help me move toward God’s peace that passes all understanding:

We keep our hearts humble. This doesn’t mean we have a low opinion of ourselves. A humble heart means we know our position in Christ, and so we stop being responsible for the things of which we were never responsible. This frees us to live like God intended and allows us to make uncluttered choices that will move us closer to God.

We show the maturity of a weaned child. The nursing child demands attention now, but the weaned child trusts and is content to wait. We quietly center ourselves on God, peacefully, without agitation and anxiety, and trust God is actively supporting us.

We hope in the Lord with confident expectation. Truth says God will answer our prayers; he will respond to our needs; he will pave the path before us now and forever (Psalm 18:36).

Question: What does it mean to have a “humble heart”?

“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)

This week, as we remember the fallen soldiers who have given their lives for our freedom, we can’t help but also remember the great sacrifice that bought the freedom of our souls!

“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)

Jesus Christ willing gave His life to purchase freedom for you and me; freedom from the darkness that draws us into behaviors, habits and life style choices that enslave us and take us far from the plan of grace and goodness that He holds for each of us. The death and resurrection of Jesus Christ is the most important event that planet Earth has ever seen. Have you experienced the freedom for your soul that His sacrifice bought?

“For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures.” (1 Cor. 15:3 & 4)

I’m sure God knew how easy it would be for us to forget this great sacrifice as we hurry through our busy days. He actually provides a regular reminder for us. He calls us to take part in Communion and with good reason. It helps us remember.

“Do this in remembrance of me. For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.” (1 Corinthians 11: 26)

In the business of “doing life” we often forget just what is actually proclaimed by Jesus’ death and His resurrection. It can so easily slip to the background of life and we can find ourselves living in dryness of soul, with divided hearts and sometimes with powerless, defeated lives that become burdened by the things that can enslave our souls.

Jesus knows us better than we know ourselves. That’s why He calls us to regularly remember Him; to keep proclaiming, in our individual lives, the truth of what His death on the cross means to us each day. Proclaim it out loud, right now:

• I proclaim I am forgiven (Thank you Lord! You alone know how I need You.)
• I proclaim I am loved (Thank you Lord that Your love is unconditional!)
• I proclaim I am cleansed (Thank you Lord that my past is now behind me!)
• I proclaim that by His grace I have all that I need (Thank you Lord for your undeserved grace and mercy to help me in my time of need!)

Do you believe it? The very same power that raised Jesus Christ from the dead is the same power that will be at work in your life as you believe and proclaim these truths.

Welcome His forgiveness and love.
Welcome His freedom.
Welcome the celebration at the Communion table.

Have your heart refreshed with forgiveness and wholeness as you remember the great sacrifice Jesus made for your freedom.

Father God,
Amaze my heart today with the truth of these proclamations. Thank you for the hope that Your death and resurrection revives in my heart! Fill me with Your Spirit and let Your resurrection power flow in new ways in my life. Help me to remember the power, through You, that is mine every day. Help me to grow into all You have planned for me to be and to do.
In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

 Question: How can you proclaim Jesus’ death and His resurrection today?

This week, as we remember the fallen soldiers who have given their lives for our freedom, we can’t help but also remember the great sacrifice that bought the freedom of our souls!

“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

Jesus Christ willing gave His life to purchase freedom for you and me; freedom from the darkness that draws us into behaviors, habits and life style choices that enslave us and take us far from the plan of grace and goodness that He holds for each of us.

The death and resurrection of Jesus Christ is the most important event that planet Earth has ever seen. Have you experienced the freedom for your soul that His sacrifice bought?

“For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures…” 1 Cor. 15:3 & 4

I’m sure God knew how easy it would be for us to forget this great sacrifice as we hurry through our busy days. He actually provides a regular reminder for us. He calls us to take part in Communion and with good reason. It helps us remember.

“Do this in remembrance of me. For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.” 1 Corinthians 11: 26

In the business of “doing life” we often forget just what is actually proclaimed by Jesus’ death and His resurrection. It can so easily slip to the background of life and we can find ourselves living in dryness of soul, with divided hearts and sometimes with powerless, defeated lives that become burdened by the things that can enslave our souls.

Jesus knows us better than we know ourselves. That’s why He calls us to regularly remember Him; to keep proclaiming, in our individual lives, the truth of what His death on the cross means to us each day. Proclaim it out loud…right now…

• · I proclaim I am forgiven (Thank you Lord! You alone know how I need You.)
• · I proclaim I am loved (Thank you Lord that Your love is unconditional!)
• · I proclaim I am cleansed (Thank you Lord that my past is now behind me!)
• · I proclaim that by His grace I have all that I need (Thank you Lord for your undeserved grace and mercy to help me in my time of need!)

Do you believe it? The very same power that raised Jesus Christ from the dead is the same power that will be at work in your life as you believe and proclaim these truths.
Welcome His forgiveness and love.
Welcome His freedom.
Welcome the celebration at the Communion table.
Have your heart refreshed with forgiveness and wholeness as you remember the great sacrifice Jesus made for your freedom.

Father God,
Amaze my heart today with the truth of these proclamations. Thank you for the hope that Your death and resurrection revives in my heart! Fill me with Your Spirit and let Your resurrection power flow in new ways in my life. Help me to remember the power, through You, that is mine every day. Help me to grow into all You have planned for me to be and to do.
In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

“Only be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen nor let them slip from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them.” (Deuteronomy 4:9)

This week I walked into a restaurant and came face to face with a wall of white hearts, each bearing a name of a soldier recently lost in the battle for freedom. Today is a special day of remembering those heroes and heroines who have courageously stood, and have bravely fallen, in order to keep freedom alive for those who come behind them. To each we are eternally grateful!

Today there are many who share a painful memory of a loved one gone in this brave fight for freedom. For some it is a faded photograph from years ago. For others, it is an empty chair at the dinner table tonight. We must remember! We dare not forget! Freedom is precious! The freedom to speak, to pray, to write, the freedom to vote, the freedom of religion, the freedom of expression are just some of the freedoms for which precious blood was spilt.

Today, let us pause and remember. Let us pause and give thanks for those brave ones who have brought us this far. Let us pause and determine to hold these freedoms high and dear and to defend them now as they have been defended in the past.

The ancient call to God’s people, the Israelites, to remember the path the Lord had led them on in their journey to freedom is a call that is well worth repeating today. It’s found in the historical record of their journey in Deuteronomy 4:9:

“Only be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen nor let them slip from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them.”

Father God, 
Today I pause to say “thank you” for the freedoms I enjoy; freedoms that were gained at great cost and freedoms that I do not want to take for granted. Comfort those hearts today that ache with the void of a loved one lost in this great battle. Please grant wisdom to the leaders who carry on the high cause of freedom.  Fill our hearts with Your great love and may we each do our part to bring peace today, right where we are, as we celebrate the freedoms we enjoy.  We pray this in the name of Jesus, amen.

Question: How do you and your family remember those who have fought to bring you freedom? Let’s today remember Christ, who made the ultimate sacrifice for our eternal freedom.