FREEDOM IN THE GLORY OF OUR LORD

If you find as I do that every day is an adventure with our GOD, then you understand what it means to be free!  This month we celebrated, on the 4th of July, our freedom in the United States, but what about the freedom in our souls?

There are many many circumstances of this earth that can hold us in chains… small or big problems can place us in a state of guilt, worry, or lying to ourselves in a big way.  Realizing however, that our GOD is bigger than anything we encounter on this earth is a beginning of our understanding of why CHRIST died to set us free.

If we realize that CHRIST loves in the same way our earthly fathers love, then we will understand that HIS true will for us is that we live in HIS unfailing love all our lives.

If you have been following the news as of late, you’ve probably seen the horrific fires we have had here in our beautiful state of Colorado.  Those of us who live here, love those gorgeous mountains.  When I look around, I see GOD’S hand in them.  I have been in touch with friends that live close to the fire as well, sending them my love and prayers.   

There was one picture in particular that caught my breath as I looked at  it, and it remains in my memory.  Someone entitled it “Pure Hell”.  Yes we do live in the “valley of the shadow of death” every day, and what goes on around us may seem like hell.  But with Christ, our hope and our salvation, no matter what life brings us, should be our focus.   I have listened to families on the news who have lost everything, with their homes burned down to the foundation, and they are still keeping their hope alive because of their faith.  

And so when life throws the tough stuff at us, GOD wants us to embrace it, not run from it, ignore it, or live in the past.  HIS will is that we face the present, with all our being, no matter how difficult it is.  HE wants us to live in absolute freedom from this world and all its captivity… to be free from all that burdens us.   As Christians, we really do have the key to the kingdom and we should all be living that way.  As some would think, all is not lost here… because there is a better place.   All is not ugly here… because there is a better place.  All does not come to an end here… because there is a better place! 

I pray when you read this that you will continue to pray for my state.  I know GOD is here, and GOD is good.  I have seen many neighbors helping neighbors, some opening their homes to those who have no home to go to.  There are many food drives and people going down to the Springs with car loads of supplies.  GOD is watching as we freely give to each other.

If we keep GOD close, and HE will come near to us, if we come near to HIM… then we should feel free to love, work, play and serve each other, as we bask in HIS grace for us.  All our pain and grief will be lifted when we place all our wordly burdens on HIM.  The enemy will be defeated and all will be glorious!  Let us live in that freedom… freedom from wordly and spiritual chains that burden us.

ONLY our CHRIST can set us FREE!  Let’s live with a free spirit for the rest of the days given to each of us on this earth.

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