Not Free From...

Things that we are not free from:
Our emotions
Our circumstances
Our suffering
Moral code of the New Testament

 Emotions:  We are made in the image of God and He had emotions (anger, compassion, He wept, He loves, etc…)  So emotions are not bad, but they need to be put under the Lordship of Jesus Christ and come behind the truth of God’s Word.  When we choose to walk by truth and not our emotions, then we are truly taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ (2 Corinthians 10:3-6)  When we feel depressed, angry, hurt, forsaken, grumpy, etc…, but choose to give praise to God and pour out our hearts to Him and to glorify His name in thanksgiving, then the emotions will flee and we will find ourselves happy, content, and having great joy.

Our circumstances/our suffering:  Jesus never promised to take away our circumstances.  He said instead that in this life we will have troubles and tribulation, but that He has overcome this world. (John 16:33) We live in Satan’s world.  He has authority here for a short time.  It is limited, temporary authority, but for now, we live in his garbage pit, and when you live in a garbage pit, you will get garbage on you!  Jesus reached down into the garbage pit and called you to live above your circumstances.  That means realizing that this is temporary, but God’s relationship with you is eternal.  Sometimes, just because of His great love for us, God will change the circumstances through the faithful prayer of His children.  But sometimes, He chooses not to.  That is His right; He is sovereign.  But He will be with us through anything and everything if we call upon Him, trust in Him, rest in Him.

 Moral code of the New Testament:  We are to be holy because God, our Father, is holy.  We are not saved through our works, but we are to follow the moral code of the New Testament, Jesus’ commandments, after we are saved.  This is our operations manual.  By following it, we declare that we are God’s and that God knows what is best for us.  This can be tough because the world has a different code, a different morality.  God’s commandments lead us further into truth and life and prepares us for the life to come in heaven.  It keeps us able to have a relationship with God.  He knows that we are but dust (Psalm103:14) and has provided a way through confession to be brought back into His fellowship when we mess up.  But to think that we can accept Jesus and not His commandments is a fallacy!  We were sanctified at the cross and we are to continue to be sanctified through good works.  Don’t for an instant think that you have a free “ Get to heaven card” just for believing the facts about Jesus.  It has to be a heart change.  One that displays good worls and obedience.