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Confession of Freedom in Christ

If you are In Christ, then you are free. You are free with an exclamation point. We need to be careful not to replace His exclamation point with a comma and add to what He did and Who He is for us. Don’t add requirements, rules, or yokes of bondage of human-works to the simple Gospel of Grace. It is by faith alone; grace alone, in Christ alone, … plus nothing!

John 8:36 “Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.”

The “Indeed” is Christ’s exclamation point. Don’t add a “… yea but …”

 

A Confession of Freedom

Jesus, You set me free and I live in Your Grace …

So that I can enjoy You, my God and Savior;

So that I can bathe in Your Love, in Your kindness towards me, and drink from Your fountain of Life;

So that I can walk with You and talk with You in both the Good times and in my struggles and heartaches;

So that my flesh nature will grow weaker and more dim in its influence and voice;

So that I can become the child & son who You created me to be;

And so that I may know You, My God and Savior.

 

I live free from the fear of Your rejection;

Free from the fear of disappointing You;

Free from worrying if I’m good enough, strong enough, righteous enough, or religious enough.

Because I am not and I can’t be, and Jesus Christ is for me.

 

I live free to love You without wondering how You love me;

free to be just me, and I don’t have to strive to be like anyone else – to be a ‘cookie-cutter’ Christian;

I can live free from what others think about me because I know What You think about me.

free from Who religious people try to make me to be, which is like them;

free from trying to keep a list of requirement to be loved by You.

 

I am free to serve my God not because I have to, but because I can and want to serve You;

I am free from all requirements to be saved, to be accepted, and to walk with my Jesus;

I am free from my past, and that includes yesterday. I can enjoy the Now with my Savior and Father;

I no longer live under a yoke and in religious shackles, but in the Ocean of Grace.

That is why I boast in nothing but the Cross.

I am free… TO LIVE!

A Conversation Between Prayerful and Prayerless

Many people wrestle with the question: “If God ordains and controls everything, then won’t His plans from of old come to pass whether we pray or not?”

This is a fun and clear explanation, via a conversation between Prayerful and Prayerless that will answer this question.

Click this LINK to go to the Blog or read below. Thanks, John Piper.

*****

Prayerless: I understand that you believe in the providence of God. Is that right?

Prayerful: Yes.

Prayerless: Does that mean you believe, like the Heidelberg Catechism says, that nothing comes about by chance but only by God’s design and plan?

Prayerful: Yes, I believe that’s what the Bible teaches.

Prayerless: Then why do you pray?

Prayerful: I don’t see the problem. Why shouldn’t we pray?

Prayerless: Well, if God ordains and controls everything, then what he plans from of old will come to pass, right?

Prayerful: Yes.

Prayerless: So it’s going to come to pass whether you pray or not, right.

Prayerful: That depends on whether God ordained for it to come to pass in answer to prayer. If God predestined that something happen in answer to prayer, it won’t happen without prayer.

Prayerless: Wait a minute, this is confusing. Are you saying that every answer to prayer is predestined or not?

Prayerful: Yes, it is. It’s predestined as an answer to prayer.

Prayerless: So if the prayer doesn’t happen, the answer doesn’t happen?

Prayerful: That’s right.

Prayerless: So the event is contingent on our praying for it to happen?

Prayerful: Yes. I take it that by contingent you mean prayer is a real reason that the event happens, and without the prayer the event would not happen.

Prayerless: Yes that’s what I mean. But how can an event be contingent on my prayer and still be eternally fixed and predestined by God?

Prayerful: Because your prayer is as fixed as the predestined answer.

Prayerless: Explain.

Prayerful: It’s not complicated. God providentially ordains all events. God never ordains an event without a cause. The cause is also an event. Therefore, the cause is also foreordained. So you cannot say that the event will happen if the cause doesn’t because God has ordained otherwise. The event will happen if the cause happens.

Prayerless: So what you are saying is that answers to prayer are always ordained as effects of prayer which is one of the causes, and that God predestined the answer only as an effect of the cause.

Prayerful: That’s right. And since both the cause and the effect are ordained together you can’t say that the effect will happen even if the cause doesn’t because God doesn’t ordain effects without causes.

Prayerless: Can you give some illustrations?

Prayerful: Sure. If God predestines that I die of a bullet wound, then I will not die if no bullet is fired. If God predestines that I be healed by surgery, then if there is no surgery, I will not be healed. If God predestines heat to fill my home by fire in the furnace, then if there is no fire, there will be no heat. Would you say, “Since God predestines that the sun be bright, it will be bright whether there is fire in the sun or not”?

Prayerless: No.

Prayerful: I agree. Why not?

Prayerless: Because the brightness of the sun comes from the fire.

Prayerful: Right. That’s the way I think about the answers to prayer. They are the brightness, and prayer is the fire. God has established the universe so that in larger measure it runs by prayer, the same way he has established brightness so that in larger measure it happens by fire. Doesn’t that make sense?

Prayerless: I think it does.

Prayerful: Then let’s stop thinking up problems and go with what the Scriptures say. Ask and you will receive. You have not because you ask not.

The Faithlife Study Bible FREE – grab it now

I’m a long time, BIG fan and user of Logos bible software. I can’t praise this software or the company enough, really. I’ll go into Logos bible software another day. Today, it’s about a product that Logos has created: an electronic study bible.  But it ain’t no oth’r study bible. This study bible gives a truck load of commentary and other resources to help you learn, understand, and experience the truths of Scripture. Rather than writing my own ABOUT IT page, here are some videos that show and tell.

If you’re still not sure, this 52 second video is pretty convincing.

There are many testimonials about this resource, but I’ve plugged in this new one from Logos, Inc., which was just posted today. It features John Micah Sumrall, the lead singer from Kutlass.

After years of working with youth, John noticed something. Young people aren’t getting into the Word. For people who struggle to get into the Word, John has a suggestion.

Right now Logos is giving away 2,500,000 copies of this study bible. Right now! Interested? CLICK HERE

Obviously I strongly recommend this resource. Don’t wait, get it.

I’m done here.

Supporting Our Persecuted Brethren – Part 3

“Sympathy is no substitute for action.” – David Livingstone, Missionary/Explorer

The last two posts introduced you to two ministries that support our brethren who are persecuted for the sake of the Gospel. I am familiar with both of them and encourage you to get to know them as well. I’ve included links below to their websites.

Here is one more:  http://www.frontlinemissions.info/

These ministries are not involved in politics or advancing denominationalism. The Gospel is their underlying drive and to help those who are persecuted for trusting in it, living it, and proclaiming it.

www.persecution.com;

www.opendoorsusa.org

Here are a couple of things that we can do:

  • Pray for these ministries. Pray what? For wisdom, discernment, access to the persecuted ones, courage, boldness, and support from the rest of the Body of Christ.
  • If you’re looking for a way to help remember to pray for your brethren, I keep something in my Bible. I have a couple different prayer items that I use like abookmarker.
    • Download this global map from Frontline Missions. Keep it in your Bible and follow the monthly prayer list. Each day is for a different country that is high risk for Christians.
    • I also have a monthly brochure from Opendoorsusa.org that gives specific situations and people to pray for each day of the month.
    • You can also get a daily prayer request sent to your email or mobile device from Voice of the Martyr. There are all kinds of ways to stay connected and support those who are on the front lines and who live in danger every day for their faith.
  • Consider supporting at least one of them, or a similar ministry, financially. I like that these ministries have different ways to financially support the work. Something new with Voice of the Martyr is “Adopt a Front-Line Worker.” Check it out.
  • Find out if they are holding an event in your area and go.
  • Subscribe to the ministries’ newsletters and publications.

A couple of recommended books—fiction and non-fiction:

There are other ministries that support our persecuted brethren. Check them out and give your support in whatever way you can.  Just don’t forget about your brethren.

Our Persecuted Brethren – Part II

Last week I introduced you to a favorite ministry of mine that helps our persecuted brethren. Today I want to introduce you to another ministry in the same vein, same vision, similar purpose and passion. Open Doors

“By noon on July 19th, all Christians were expected to be out of Mosul, Iraq, having been given the ultimatum by the Islamic extremist group ISIS to leave, pay a huge fine or be killed. Before this ultimatum was given, very few Christians remained in Mosul.”

You have probably heard about that story, right? Have you heard about this one: “50 Killed in Nigerian Church Attacks.” Click and read more.

Who is Open Doors?

“Open Doors works in the world’s most oppressive countries, strengthening Christians to stand strong in the face of persecution and equipping them to shine Christ’s light in these dark places.”

Something to do in front of your computer, without reading:

  • Here’s a video from Open Doors to help you get your mind … and heart … around this subject:   Open Doors Video
  • Here’s a Challenge from Open Doors (Very well done, and it won’t hurt or cost you any money, I promise):  Video Challenge
  • Here is their blog to help connect and learn more:  BLOG

Please begin praying for the persecuted.