Freedom

Happy Sunday!

Stevie Wonder wrote, "You know it doesn't make much sense;  There ought to be a law against; Anyone who takes offense; At a day in your celebration".  Of course these are the lyrics to "Happy Birthday", a song written to celebrate the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.   These words however can apply to so many other occasions.  Tuesday marks the celebration of Independence Day in the USA.  We celebrate the nation's freedom from the British Empire.  Each year we are reminded of the history of one nation being formed and breaking free from the rule or dominion of another.  As Christians, we should regularly recall and celebrate what we have been freed from.   Galatians 5:1 says, "We have freedom now, because Christ made us free. So stand strong in that freedom. Don’t go back into slavery again."(Easy-to-Read Version).  

We have been freed from FEAR.  2 Timothy 1:7 says, "The Spirit God gave us does not make us afraid. His Spirit is a source of power and love and self-control."(Easy-to-Read Version).  

We have been freed from a life of SIN.  Romans 6:18 says, "The beauty of your new situation is this: now that you are free from sin, you are free to serve a different master, God’s redeeming justice."(Voice).

We have been freed from BONDAGE.  Romans 8:15 says, "And so we should not be like cringing, fearful slaves, but we should behave like God’s very own children, adopted into the bosom of his family, and calling to him, “Father, Father.”(Living Bible).

We have been freed from SICKNESS.  1 Peter 2:24 says, "He personally bore our sins in his own body on the cross, so that we might be dead to sin and be alive to all that is good. It was the suffering that he bore which HAS healed you."(Phillips).  

We have been freed from POVERTY.  2 Corinthians 8:9 says, "For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be RICH."(KJV). 

For many years my children and I celebrated Independence Day with my Uncle Lee Green Sr. and my Aunt Lois Green.  Uncle Lee would always remind me that many African-Americans in the southern states did not celebrate July 4th.  Instead they put more emphasis on June 19th or Juneteenth.  Perhaps, you already know about Juneteenth but if not the simple definition is...slavery ended in the USA, but many slaves did not find out they were free for two and a half years.  Satan our enemy does the same thing to us.  As long as we are ignorant of the benefits of our freedom in Christ, we will continue to live as slaves.   Don't be that person!  Get into the Bible and learn about all the benefits available to you!

Love and prayers, Cynthia