Freedom from Works

Freedom From Works

Galatians 5:1-13 says:

            It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm,      then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by          a yoke of slavery. Mark my words! I, Paul, tell you            that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will         be of no value to you at all. Again I declare to every          man who lets himself be circumcised that he is            obligated to obey the whole law. . . . You, my brothers,     were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to   indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in       love.

In Galatians 5:1-13, Paul is telling us that the freedom we have been awarded is not that which mortal man can give nor recognize. It is a supernatural freedom that has been given by Christ to allow us to live for His glory. Once we step out of the God given freedom of Christ and into man-made freedom, we actually give up our freedom. It requires that we fight for the freedom that we surmise that we should have. However, the truth is, God has given us a freedom through His Son that cannot be taken away. It is a freedom that we do not have to fight for. It is a freedom that is eternal if we allow Christ to do the fighting for us.

            In the news a few years ago, atheists took out a billboard ad to combat the Christmas season, in which they do not believe in anyway. Why would they bother if they did not recognize that there truly is another power beside themselves? Ironically, the slogan on the side of the bus said, “Good without God.” Is one not expressing the fact that there truly is God if one can choose to be good without Him?

            The previously stated ad paradoxically is actually saying, “There is ‘a God’ but you can be good without Him.” In other words they are contradicting the very belief in which they are trying to purport. Psalm 53:1 says, “The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God’.” The slogan they have placed on buses proves their foolishness.

            Romans 1:18-20 says:

            The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven   against all the godlessness and wickedness of             men     who suppress the truth by their        wickedness, since what may be known about God             is             plain to them, because God has made it plain to     them. For since the     creation of the world God’s             invisible qualities—His eternal power and divine   nature—have been clearly seen, being understood             from what has been made, so that men are             without           excuse.

The slogan of the atheist proves that they know there is God. Truthfully, they are their own god; they refuse to recognize God as their sole provider. It gives them a false sense of freedom. It is a freedom that can only be exercised in this life. Ironically enough, in their denial of Christ they are serving the god of this age, Satan. God has allowed them to have freedom of choice to choose the bondage of the evil one over freedom of the Gospel.

1 Peter 2:16 says, “Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God.” Christians are feared throughout the world because of the freedom they are awarded in Jesus Christ. The freedom given to them by Christ makes it impossible for Christians to be controlled.

A person who has been born again offers hope to those who are in bondage to the “god of this age” who is in every other religion other than Christianity.  Christ sets the sinner free and he or she is free from the bondage of the works of other religions.

Other religions believe that one must do good works to be saved; it is by works of “righteousness” that they believe they will enter into heaven. However, the Bible tells us it is not by works of righteousness that one will be saved. It is by the grace of the gift of God through His Son Jesus Christ one will be saved. There are no works that will make the unworthy sinner worthy to enter into the presence of a holy God.

God Uses Ordinary People

God Uses Ordinary People

Paul, James and Peter were ordinary people, just like us. God will use us if we will let Him. If we don’t, He will use the next person who has the faith to know that He is the same yesterday, today, and forever! If we will recognize the power that God has given us we will be able to build our relationships, live in unity, encourage one another, exude the fruit of the Spirit and spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ to a lost and dying world in power and great glory.

When we take the focus off of us and place it on Christ, we will be able to do a great and mighty work. We will walk in victory and the abundant life as outlined in John 10:10; Jesus said, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”

What about the Jews?

            Elijah was one of the most powerful Prophets of the Bible. Nevertheless, he was a man just like us. What was the power of Elijah? The power of God! God made His power available to Elijah and to James: why not us?

Mark Kelly writes in SBC Life:

            The motivation and power for evangelism arises out         of spiritual awakening,’ said Paige [Patterson], who is             completing His second term as SBC president. ‘I keep        going back to Acts 1:8, which says, you will receive       power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you. And             when we have been stirred by God’s Spirit, we reach          out to the lost and God draws people to Himself.

There is power in the Gospel of Christ to change lives. I have heard it said that only a wicked and perverse people need a sign. Is there any more wicked times than we see today? The Greek and Roman debauchery had nothing on what we see in western civilization today. 1 Corinthians 14:22 says that tongues are a sign for unbelievers. Why then would they have stopped? Do we have no unbelievers today? 1 Corinthians 1:22-24 is used as an argument that there are no more miraculous gifts today.

1 Corinthians 1:22 – 24 says:

            Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for           wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling        block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those        whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ             the power of God and the wisdom of God.

The argument, at least in part, is since the Jews have rejected Christ as a nation, signs are no longer needed. Nevertheless, God still cares for the Jews and it is not His will that any should perish but all have eternal life (2 Peter 3:9). That would include the individual Jew. Would that not predicate the need for signs to continue if only to convince the chosen people of God?

What About the Jews?

            This might be a good time to talk about the Jews as a nation. It has been said by some ministers that I talk with who have been around many Jewish communities that the Jews are some of the most godless people on the earth. Living in America, I find it hard to believe that anyone could be more godless than Americans. Nevertheless, God has still made a promise to the nation of Israel. The promise is that he will watch over them through the ages.

            I believe there has been confusion even among pastors that God’s promise to the Jews is no longer valid. However, this cannot be. Even though recently the Jews have embraced the LGBT community as a viable tourist entity, the promise is still valid. How can I say such a thing?

            God does not embrace the sin of Israel. Yes, it is true that Israel needs Jesus. Furthermore, it cannot be said that Israel simply gets a pass and will inherit eternal life. NO! It is only through faith in Christ one can be saved. However, the promise of God cannot be revoked. Genesis 12:1-3 says that whoever blesses Israel will be blessed and whoever curses it will be cursed. Genesis 17:7 calls God’s promise to Abraham an everlasting covenant. Therefore, it should not be so easily dismissed because of the wickedness of Israel.

            God’s does not base His grace on the wickedness of the people. If He did, He would not have sent Jesus to die for us. No, He bases His promises on his grace. The nation of Israel will only be saved through repentance. Still, the promise of God to protect Israel is still valid. I submit the evidence is in the fact that Israel has withstood overwhelming odds for centuries and prevailed.

Faith Without Works is Dead

Faith Without Works is Dead

While listening to a talk show the other day a caller called in to speak to the host. He identified himself an evangelist. The talk show host issued a question to his listening audience. The question basically was, “Where is the outrage by the Christians for recent decisions made by the Obama administration against the Christian church.” The caller’s answer to the question is that Christians are doing something. They are going into their prayer closets to pray. They are enacting the power of God over the current situation to allow God to handle it. As I pondered the caller’s answer I realize the problem we have today with the Christian church.

First, most Christians are not going into their prayer closets to pray. It would be my guess that most “Christians” do not even pray for meals, let alone pray in a “prayer closet.” Jesus spent hours in prayer. He devoted himself to speaking with the Father daily. He went to secluded spots to be alone with God. However, Jesus did not retreat to pray. Jesus advanced to pray so that he might advance the Gospel to the world.

This brings us to the second problem of the American church. Americans retreat to prayer and they never reappear to advance on the enemy. The worst words of the American church when asked to help in a given situation are, “Let me pray about that.” Ninety-nine percent of the time that means, “No, I don’t want to help, but I can’t think of any other way to avoid the question.” The Church uses prayer as an excuse for no action. 

When Jesus cast the spirit out of the boy with convulsions he said believers should pray, but that was followed by the action of getting out of the prayer closet and going out to where the enemy was to pray for the boy (Mark 9:14-32). Peter and John devoted themselves to prayer (Acts 2:42), but then they left their prayer time to go where the enemy was and pray for the lame man at the Temple gate and preach the Gospel. 

Colossians 4:2- 4 says, “Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should.” Being watchful requires an action. Being watchful requires one to get off of one’s knees and get up on the wall. When the watchman sees danger he is not to run back to the prayer position, he is to shout, “THE ENEMY IS COMING, THE ENEMY IS COMING!”

Prayer requires action! The action is to advance to the prayer room and then advance to the where the enemy is. The battle is won by action. For too long the Christians of America have been content to watch the battle rather than to fight it.

Please do not misunderstand this message. I believe in an all-powerful God who will fight for me. Nevertheless, it has never been God’s mode of operation for believers to cower in prayer while he does all of the work. Noah had to build the ark, Moses had to go to Egypt, Joshua had to take the troops to Jericho, Peter had to preach in hostile territory, Paul had to go to Rome and Jesus had to carry the cross. After all of the praying, there was an action that was done for the freedom of the Gospel to be preached. 

James 2:17 says, “Faith without works is dead.” If you have no works, you have no faith. If you have faith you will work. You are not saved by your work, but if you are saved you will work. That includes advancing to the prayer room and continuing from prayer to the battlefield.

Freedom Comes From Within

What Is Your Work Schedule?

           

            Have you ever left someone after a conversation with a saying, “Don’t work too hard”? This is bad advice. Laziness brings poverty. Proverbs 10:4 says, “Lazy hands make a man poor, but diligent hands bring wealth.” Many people say something like, “I wish I was Donald Trump” or “Bill Gates sure is lucky!” But the truth is they were willing to work harder than the average person to gain their wealth.

            Proverbs 12:27 says, “The lazy man does not roast his game, but the diligent man prizes his possessions.” If you look at the poor’s houses, many have junk everywhere. But they have very little of value. On the other hand, the rich have many possessions in some semblance of order with much value. The rich realize that if they do not take care of the possessions they will have to replace them and use money that could have otherwise been used elsewhere. That is one way wealth is created.

            Proverbs 26:15 says, “The sluggard buries his hand in the dish; he is too lazy to bring it back to his mouth.” This glutton has sat around on the couch all day and fallen asleep with his hand in the chip bowl.

            Ecclesiastes 10:18 says, “If a man is lazy, the rafters sag; if his hands are idle, the house leaks.” Again, not maintaining what you have leads to the destruction and loss of property.

            Heard enough to get the point? Giving advice to “not work hard” only leads to laziness and poverty. Perhaps you are thinking, “Rick, it is only a saying.” That is true, but words are what change lives. The “sayings” you use can affect people in a negative or positive way. Why not leave someone with, “Make a lot of money” or “Work now so you can take off later”?

            Words cannot be taken back! If they are said enough times people begin to believe them. How do you talk to your children? Do you uplift them or tear them down. Do you assure them they can be whatever they want to be or tell them they are no good?

            Words lead to a good or bad work ethic for those around you. I used to work for a boss who reminded me every day I could be fired. One day I told him, “No I can’t, because I quit!” The work environment most want to work in is a positive influence on their lives.

            Those who work at a place that encourages relationships and positive motivation see less turn over than other workplaces. Upon exit interviews recently it has been discovered that the main reason for people leaving one job for another was not money. It was that they felt like they didn’t matter. The job did not promote a positive influence in their lives.

            Your attitude affects your performance as well as those around you. If you don’t like what you are doing, get another job that will make you happy. If that is not an option then get happy in the job that you have. Happiness is a state of mind. You can be happy in your current circumstance if you choose to.

            Try this exercise for one week. If you don’t like it you can always go back to being miserable. Wake up in the morning and say out loud, “I love my job and today is an awesome day.” While you are at work smile and tell everyone how good it is to see them. After one week see if your outlook has not changed. The next week will be even better and soon you will truly love your job. You have actually talked your mind into believing it to be reality.

            Work is something that has to be done. Even the pauper has to get out of bed eventually. Why not make something of yourself in the process.

            You are victorious! You are an achiever! Everything you work at is a success! It is God’s plan for you to prosper in your work. So prosper! Stop allowing others to dictate how you will live your life. If they want to fail, let ‘em! You however, will succeed. Strangely enough, many of those who might have been failures will change their life around as well by watching your life. Positive influence or negative influence, that is up to you.