Tag: abundant life

Freedom!

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me,
Because He has anointed Me
To preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives
And recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed; Luke 4:18 (NKJV)

Although there are many rousing scenes in the movie Braveheart, the one that causes my heart to feel like it’s going to burst out of my chest is when Mel Gibson’s character, William Wallace, defiantly and gloriously shouts out with his dying breath “FREEDOM!”

To be human is to long for liberty. Ah yes, sweet freedom. It’s such a fundamental need that one of the founding fathers of the United States, Patrick Henry, famously and passionately proclaimed “Give me liberty or give me death!” Indeed, his impassioned plea resonated so strongly and deeply with his compatriots that it became their battle and rallying cry during the American Revolution.

Let us make no mistake, my friends, the desire for liberty is deeply embedded in the human heart. So much so we chase all manner of false things in our efforts to obtain it. In doing so we run down bottomless rabbit holes more times than we can count only to realize later that our misguided attempts at securing our emancipation was fleeting and temporary at best. In short, we attempt to assuage our deepest longings with the shallowest of answers leaving us discontented and unfulfilled. To say we are left undone by our mournfully unsuccessful efforts is an understatement.

O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?  Romans 7:24 (NKJV)

Is there no escape from this suffocating prison of our soul’s woeful discontent? Where shall we look for the true liberty our hearts so desperately seek?

Mercifully, Paul doesn’t leave us hanging by answering this fundamental question lodged deep in every heart in the very next verse.

I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord! Romans 7:25a (NKJV)

My friends, true, lasting Liberty is found where it intersects Sunrise. The life everlasting and abundance that we so desperately search for is found in Jesus who lived a sinless life, died on the cross in our place, was buried, and then raised to life eternal on the third day.

But to you who fear My name The Sun of Righteousness shall arise
With healing in His wings;
And you shall go out
And grow fat like stall-fed calves. Malachi 4:2 (NKJV)

Be assured that as the sun rises each morning so do the Son’s healing mercies and boundless grace!

22 Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not.
23 They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.24 “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul,
“Therefore I hope in Him!” Lamentations 3:22-24 (NKJV)

Where, or rather, in whom have you placed your hope?

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. John 14:6 (NKJV)

The Son has risen and in doing so given rise to liberty. Have you embraced the freedom Jesus offers to all who believe? I pray you have!

Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. 2 Corinthians 3:17 (NKJV)

Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed. John 8:36 (NKJV)

1!1!1

Christ is Risen by Phil Wickham

Praying “A, B, C’s”

“Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.” Philippians 4:8 (NKJV)

Sometimes enlightenment comes gushing out of the most remarkably unexpected sources.  Like a freely flowing artesian water well, the life-giving refreshment offered by such an epiphany awakens and revitalizes our once stagnant consciousness.

Recently I was caught entirely off-guard by a revelation in the form of a prayer adorably delivered by my not quite three-year-old granddaughter.  When it came time to say the blessing, she eagerly volunteered and said, as best I recall:  “A…B…C…D…H…K…M…T…amen!”

Yes, of course, as you might imagine, all the adults chuckled to themselves with knowing winks in that surprising moment upon hearing her recount the alphabet as best she knew how.  How can you not be enchanted by a toddler’s delightfully offbeat prayer efforts? 

However, as cute as such a child’s prayer is, we’re often quick to dismiss them as having very little significance given the source.  After all, there are no prominent spiritual ingredients or ideas embodied in reciting the “A, B, C’s,” so why give it another minute of thought? 

All I can say to that is, “Thank you, Lord, for prompting me to have second thoughts!”

As I later reflected on it, I realized that my granddaughter’s unlikely prayer unveiled a slumbering truth.  Simply put, she was excited to share the excellent and acceptable instruction she had been receiving.  In doing so, she honored the Lord by demonstrating she was positively improving her mind just as God intends for His children to do.

“And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.”  Colossians 3:17 (NKJV)

My granddaughter’s notably unorthodox prayer is a gentle reminder that our waking moments are continuous prayers.  As such, throughout the day, we have the ongoing opportunity to honor and glorify Him by doing things His way, as found in the plans and instructions given to us through the Bible.  Our very lives are walking prayers.

 “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord.  Walk as children of light  (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), finding out what is acceptable to the Lord.” Ephesians 5:8-10 (NKJV)

“Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer.” Psalm 19: 14 (NKJV)

“I am convinced that, if we protect our minds by dwelling on the right things, it brings God glory. It also protects us from unnecessarily allowing ourselves to be tempted. The Bible is clear on what we ought to think.”  Victor Nunez

“But the path of the just is like the shining sun, that shines ever brighter unto the perfect day.”  Proverbs 4:18 (NKJV)

When we consistently pursue the acceptable “A, B, C’s” in our Father’s sight, He is pleased, and His heart smiles with joy.  When we do this, we choose Him and the extraordinary life He envisions for us.

“The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”  John 10:10 (NKJV)

Friend, I’m confident my granddaughter’s lifestyle prayer brought a smile to our Lord’s heart.  May each of our “A, B, C prayer” choices we have to make throughout the day equally please Him, and abundantly so!

 “His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your Lord.’” Matthew 25:23 (NKJV)

1!1!1!

Fernando Ortega, “Let the Words of My Mouth (Psalm 19:14, Philippians 4:8)” from the album, “The Shadow of Your Wings: Hymns and Sacred Songs.”