“So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed."
John 8:36 (NIV) The world defines freedom as a life without any restraint. It’s an attitude that says, “I can do anything I want to do and say anything I want to say, without anybody telling me what to do.” With that kind of mindset, everybody else may get burned by you, but you get to do it your own way. That’s the world’s kind of freedom—you get your freedom, but only by being totally selfish. But the Bible says the only way to true freedom is through Jesus: “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed” (John 8:36 NIV). God sent Jesus to proclaim and deliver freedom from the sin that keeps you trapped in a cycle of anger, envy, greed, sexual immorality, broken relationships, unforgiveness, and selfishness. With true freedom, you’re set free from fear, guilt, worry, bitterness, and death. You’re free to quit pretending, because you’re free to be yourself. How do you get rid of fear and find real freedom in Jesus? By letting God love you! The Apostle John teaches this: “There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear” (1 John 4:18 NIV). When you realize how much God loves you, you’ll begin to live and rest in that love. And when you live in God’s love, you’re free—free to see life from his point of view and live the way he meant you to live. You learn that freedom isn’t something you demand or earn; it’s a gift from God. In fact, living in God’s love is an act of worship. When you agree that God is loving, caring, and generous and begin to trust in that love, you worship him. As 1 John 4:16 says, “We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love” (NLT).
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“[Jesus] looked up at Zacchaeus and called him by name! ‘Zacchaeus!’ he said."
Luke 19:5 (TLB) For all of Zacchaeus’ life, he’d been ridiculed and rejected, first for his appearance and then for his sinful life. It’s what he’d come to expect from everyone—until Jesus changed everything. Zacchaeus was a tax collector, a Jew working for Rome. He gathered more taxes from the Jewish people than Rome required so he could get rich off of the excess. Zacchaeus was taking advantage of his own people! But here’s what happened when Zacchaeus met Jesus: “[Jesus] looked upat Zacchaeus and called him by name! ‘Zacchaeus!’ he said” (Luke 19:5 TLB). Jesus not only looked at Zacchaeus. Jesus also showed that he knew him by calling Zacchaeus by name. Imagine the shock Zacchaeus must have felt! How did Jesus know his name? The name Zacchaeus means “pure one.” But that’s the last way most people probably would have described Zacchaeus. He was a corrupt government official; he was anything but pure. But when Jesus called Zacchaeus by name, it was as if he was saying, “Hey, pure one, I’m coming to your house today.” Jesus was affirming what he knew Zacchaeus could be, not what Zacchaeus was on the surface. God does the same for you. He not only knows where you are; he knows who you are. He knows what you’re going through, why you’re going through it, and how you feel about it. He knows you better than you know yourself. He cares about you personally. You may be afraid to get close to Jesus because you think he’s going to scold you for all the things you’ve done wrong. But Jesus wants to affirm you for who he’s created you to be. He wants to let you know how much he loves you. The Bible says, “Can a mother forget her nursing child? Can she feel no love for the child she has borne? But even if that were possible, I would not forget you! See, I have written your name on the palms of my hands” (Isaiah 49:15-16 NLT). When Jesus stretched out his arms and the soldiers put nails through his hands, your name was already engraved there. When you get to heaven, there will be no scars on anyone except Jesus. He’s going to have those scars for eternity to remind you of how much he loves you. Through those scars, it’s as if he says, “Do you think I could forget you? Not a chance! This is how much you matter to me.” “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment.”
Matthew 22:37-38 (NIV) God wants to be at the very center of your life. He doesn’t want to be on the edge of your life, and he doesn’t want to be just a segment of your life. The God of the universe—the God who made you and loves you—wants to be the hub of your heart and the axis of your existence. Here’s another way to look at it: God wants to have a love relationship with you. The Bible says, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment” (Matthew 22:37-38 NIV). The truth is, you’re going to center your life around something. You may center it around your career, your family, or your hobbies. You may center it around making money or being popular. But putting anything besides God at the center of your life is an idol. Exodus 20:3-4 says, “You must not have any other god but me. You must not make for yourself an idol of any kind or an image of anything in the heavens or on the earth or in the sea” (NLT). How do you know when something has taken center stage in your life instead of God? It’s simple. When God’s not at the center of your life, you start to worry and stress out; you get fearful. These are the warning lights that God is no longer the nucleus of your heart. In contrast, how can you tell when your life is centered on God? You’re at peace. You stop worrying. The Bible says, “A sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life” (Philippians 4:7 The Message). Ask yourself this: “What’s going to be the center of my life for the rest of my life?” It’s the most important thing you will ever have to decide. “I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.”
Philippians 4:13 (NLT) Did you know that you are fully capable of becoming exactly who God made you to be? You are not incompetent. You are not a nobody. God says you are fully capable. In fact, every believer in Christ is a priest: “You are royal priests . . . As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light” (1 Peter 2:9 NLT). What are you supposed to do as a priest? God says, “I am sending you . . . to open their eyes, so they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God. Then they will receive forgiveness for their sins and be given a place among God’s people, who are set apart by faith in me” (Acts 26:17-18 NLT). The PEACE Plan was created for every believer around the world to serve in the following ways: Promote reconciliation and plant churches, Equip ethical leaders where there’s corruption, Assist the poor where there’s poverty, Care for the sick where there’s disease and illness, and Educate the next generation where there’s illiteracy. Because Christ lives in you, you are fully capable of doing these things. Your capability is not based on your own human power. Philippians 4:13 says, “I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength” (NLT). And 2 Corinthians 3:5 says, “Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God” (NIV). But many people live with a gnawing sense of insecurity. They don’t feel capable. Why do people feel this way? One reason is that they’re still believing negative things people said to them years ago. But those things weren’t true then—and they aren’t true now. Here’s what is true about you: You have God’s Spirit inside you, you’re a priest, and you can do everything through Christ’s strength. In him, you are fully capable. “Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are?”
Matthew 6:26 (NLT) You are extremely valuable to God. He even said in Isaiah 43:4, “You are precious in my eyes, and honored, and I love you” (ESV). Why are you so valuable to him? One, you are valuable because God is your Father, and you are his child. The Bible says, “Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are?” (Matthew 6:26 NLT). Two, you are valuable because Jesus gave his life for you. The Bible says, “You have been bought and paid for by Christ, so you belong to him” (1 Corinthians 7:23 TLB). The fact that you belong to God adds incredible value to your life. When you go to an auction, things that once belonged to famous people often cost much more. It could be an ordinary jar, instrument, or a pair of shoes. But if it was owned by a famous musician, athlete, or president, the value goes up. Would a rock star’s guitar be worth more than someone else's guitars? Of course! You see, common things can have great value, depending on who the owner is. But value doesn’t depend only on who owns something; it also depends on what somebody’s willing to pay for it. There's a story about a girl who was kidnapped. She was the daughter of a very wealthy and influential king. This king put the word out: “Any price will be paid for her return. She’s the king’s daughter.” You are the King’s daughter or son. You are God’s child. The greatest ransom ever paid was paid for you by Jesus Christ. Jesus came to Earth and suffered for you. God exchanged his own Son for your salvation—for your freedom. Christ gave his life so that you could have eternal life. If you want to know how valued you are, just look at the cross. The cross proves your value. If someone has ever told you you’re worthless, they’re dead wrong. You are not worthless. You are priceless. And you are infinitely valuable to God in Christ. “It’s smart to be patient.”
Proverbs 14:29 (CEV) Your life has an ebb and flow. Sometimes God wants you to move quickly, but sometimes he wants you to slow down. As Proverbs 14:29 says, “It’s smart to be patient” (CEV). Here are times when God wants you to slow down. First, you should always move slowly when you don’t have all the facts. Our culture worships impulsiveness and spontaneity. It tells you that spur-of-the-moment, “gut” decisions are the right ones. You’ve probably heard repeatedly that you should “follow your heart.” But the Bible says, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” (Jeremiah 17:9 KJV). Feelings often lead you in the wrong direction. So you need to rely on truth outside of yourself. The Bible is clear about that: “What a shame—yes, how stupid!—to decide before knowing the facts!” (Proverbs 18:13 TLB). So when you don’t yet have all the facts, slow down. Don’t rely on your gut, your heart, or your feelings. Take the time to look for objective truth outside of yourself. Second, move slowly when you’re hurt, angry, or depressed. When you’re upset, you tend to react and retaliate rather than acting wisely. James 1:19 says, “Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry” (NIV). Do you see the rhythm in that verse? It says quick, slow, slow. If you’re quick to listen and slow to speak, you’ll automatically be slow to become angry. But if you’re slow to listen and quick to speak, you’ll be quick to become angry. Proverbs 15:18 tells you what to do instead: “Losing your temper causes a lot of trouble, but staying calm settles arguments” (CEV). Proverbs 15:28 says it this way: “The heart of the godly thinks carefully before speaking” (NLT). In other words, godly people put their minds in gear before their mouths. Sometimes you’re going to feel angry, hurt, or depressed. That’s just part of life. But the next time that happens, slow down. Proverbs 14:29 says, “Patience leads to abundant understanding, but impatience leads to stupid mistakes” (CEB). Don’t make quick decisions that you’re going to regret. And the same is true when you don’t have all the facts. Instead of just “following your heart,” take the time to slow down and make a careful decision. Remember: It’s smart to be patient. “Without delay I hurry to obey your commands.”
Psalm 119:60 (GNT) Sometimes God’s Spirit tells you to move slowly. Other times you should move quickly. Today we’re going to talk about two times when you should move quickly. First, you should move quickly when God tells you to do something. The Bible is filled with instructions for life. The Bible calls them commands, and God wants you to obey them. Parents often give their children instructions. If the child replies, “I’ll think about it,” then the child is disobeying. The same is true for God and you. When God tells you to do something, he expects you to obey quickly. In Mark 1:17, Jesus says to two fishermen, “Come, follow me” (NIV). He was asking them to walk away from their careers. It was a big deal. Their response? “At once they left their nets and followed him” (Mark 1:18 NIV). When God asks you to do something, he wants you to do it immediately. Psalm 119:60 says, “Without delay I hurry to obey your commands” (GNT). When it comes to obedience, hurry is a good thing. Second, move quickly when God’s Spirit reminds you that you need to ask for or offer forgiveness. Holding on to guilt or resentment is like drinking poison. It can eat you alive. Jesus says it like this in Matthew 5:23-24: “If you enter your place of worship and, about to make an offering, you suddenly remember a grudge a friend has against you, abandon your offering, leave immediately, go to this friend and make things right. Then and only then, come back and work things out with God” (The Message). Not even your worship of God is reason enough to delay forgiving or asking for forgiveness. If something isn’t right between you and another person, the time to make it right is now. When God tells you to do something or when you need to be reconciled with someone, don’t delay—it’s the time to move quickly. “There is a right time and a right way to do everything, but we know so little!”
Ecclesiastes 8:6 (GNT) In many aspects of your life—from business decisions to your closest relationships—timing can make all the difference. And, as a follower of Christ, its critical for you to stay tuned in to God’s timing. Every great accomplishment involves timing. A successful football catch requires incredible timing between quarterback and receiver. In business, good timing in the market—particularly decisions about hiring and expanding—can mean everything. If you sing, you know how important it is to keep time with the other musicians. In the book called The Purpose Driven Church, in the first chapter, leadership is compared to surfing. No surfer says, “Let’s go make some waves today.” Surfers can’t create waves in the ocean. Only God can do that. Surfers wait for the waves that God creates. That means surfers spend a lot of time waiting. Sometimes they might see a wave and let it go, knowing it’s not the right time. Then the surfer sees just the right wave, starts paddling faster and faster, catches the wave, rides the wave, and gets off the wave without wiping out. Surfing looks easy, but it requires a lot of skill. The same is true in life. You have to develop the skill of timing. The Bible says in Ecclesiastes 8:6, “There is a right time and a right way to do everything, but we know so little!” (GNT). There’s a rhythm to life. Learning to do the right thing at the right time takes skill. Christians often call that skill “walking in the Spirit.” The more you grow as a follower of Christ, the better you get at walking in the Spirit. Sometimes God’s Spirit leads you to run fast. Sometimes he leads you to walk slowly. You can live life trying to make your own waves. Or you can learn to see and catch the waves God is making all around you. “Some of these people have missed the most important thing in life—they don’t know God.”
1 Timothy 6:21 (TLB) The key to a friendship with God is deciding whose friendship you want most. You don’t have time for everybody to be your best friend. You’ve got to decide who you want most to be your best friend. The Bible says in 1 Timothy 6:21, “Some of these people have missed the most important thing in life—they don’t know God” (TLB). They know all the baseball scores. They know the stock market quotes. They know the top 10 songs. They know who’s in and who’s out in every soap opera. But they don’t know God. They’ve missed the most important thing in life! If you’re not a friend of God, it means you care about something else more. James 4:4 says, “You should know that loving the world is the same as hating God. Anyone who wants to be a friend of the world becomes God’s enemy” (NCV). When James writes “loving the world,” he means loving the value system of the world. God wants you to love people, but that doesn’t mean you have to love the world’s value system. It’s so easy to get caught up in the distractions of life. And when you love the world’s value system, there’s not much room to love people. Instead, you love materialism. You love pleasure. You love popularity. You love prestige. You love passion, possessions, and position. But God loves people. And he wants you to love them too. One way to show your love of others is by taking an interest in their interests. In other words, what is important to you becomes important to me (always within the context of biblical truth). That’s how you show your love of God too. If you’re going to be a friend of God, then you’ve got to care about what he cares about and stop caring about the things he doesn’t care about. God doesn’t care about your image. He’s not interested in your status. He’s interested in your character—not how you look but who you are. Are you ready to take a practical step toward friendship with God? Choose to value what he values. “Everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ.”
Philippians 3:8 (NLT) You’re never going to become a friend of God in your spare time. To become his friend, you have to make knowing him your number one priority. Paul says it like this: “Everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ” (Philippians 3:8 NLT). Are you doing that? Are you seeking God with all your heart every day? Remember: You are as close to God as you choose to be. You’re going to become a friend of God only when you decide you want to become a friend of God. If you feel far from God, guess who moved? You did. You can’t blame anyone else. You can’t blame your spouse, your parents, or your kids. It’s you who didn’t make him the number one priority of your life. Knowing and loving God is humanity’s greatest privilege. And being known and being loved by God is our greatest pleasure. You can tell what’s important to people by what they brag about. If their kids are most important, they brag about their kids. If their job is the most important thing in their life, they brag about their job. If travel and having experiences is most important, that’s what they talk about. If partying or buying new clothes is what you talk about most, guess what you value most? You brag about what you value most. God says in Jeremiah 9:23-24, “The wise should not boast of their wisdom, nor the strong of their strength, nor the rich of their wealth. If any want to boast, they should boast that they know and understand me” (GNT). Knowing God is what matters most—it’s what life is all about. The God of the universe loves you and wants to have a relationship with you. And getting close to him will give you peace and perspective. That’s good news! |
AuthorTaken from Daily Hope by Rick Warren. Categories
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