Freedom in Christ-ALONE!
Isaiah 43:1, “But now, thus says the LORD, your Creator, O Jacob, And He who formed you, O Israel, “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name ; you are Mine! 2 “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they will not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched, Nor will the flame burn you. 3 “For I am the LORD your God, The Holy One of Israel, your Savior ; I have given Egypt as your ransom, Cush and Seba in your place. 4 “Since you are precious in My sight, Since you are honored and I love you, I will give other men in your place and other peoples in exchange for your life. 5 “Do not fear, for I am with you; I will bring your offspring from the east, And gather you from the west. 6 “I will say to the north, ‘Give them up!’ And to the south, ‘Do not hold them back.’ Bring My sons from afar And My daughters from the ends of the earth, 7 Everyone who is called by My name, And whom I have created for My glory, Whom I have formed, even whom I have made.”
As children of God we have been created in the image of God’s Son, Jesus Christ! Israel has not and will not be replaced by the Jesus Christ, however; when the Hebrew nation refused the offer of God that came through Jesus Christ salvation became available to all men! This was not God’s plan B that only became available to us because of the hard-hearts of the Israeli people, but it was His plan from the creation! Jesus speaks about the marvelous plan of God in Mark 12:1-11.
The way that we all, Jews and Gentiles alike, can be reconciled to God is through the blood of Jesus Christ. However, the reconciliation that is offered by God includes more than the gift of Salvation.
Allow me to transform into a TV Pitchman for a minute, so I can tell you that this FREE GIFT is all-inclusive. Not only do you receive the salvation through Jesus Christ when you accept the FREE GIFT of God, but you also these wonderful extras! Eternal security, freedom from harm and last but not least freedom from fear!!!! All of this can be yours for the Shockingly low price of $000.(Sorry, I got carried away!) But you get the idea, the offer of God includes more than Salvation. While that is more than we deserve; God is overjoyed to give overabundance to His children.
In John 10:27-30 Jesus says that no one will be able to “snatch” “His Sheep” out of His hand because He and God are greater than all, and in John 6:39,”This is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all that He has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day.” Jesus reaffirms the fact that salvation is given once for eternity; there are many other Scriptures in the Bible that affirm Salvation through Jesus Christ will not and cannot be taken away!
God also offers to His children freedom from harm. Obviously, we all know Christians who have suffered in great pain. Yesterday, I was talking to an old friend of mine whose Godly, Christian mother died from a brain tumor. As we were talking he said something that was profound, yet very simple. “We don’t understand why God allows some things to happen.” That is the truth, even though it’s hard for some people to swallow. As inquisitive human beings we desire to understand everything, but no matter there are things that God allows which are totally beyond our comprehension. Isaiah 55:9 “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways And My thoughts than your thoughts.” The ways of God are far greater than we can fully understand. That is hard for some people to grasp, but when the point of confusion comes we must trust that God who loves us knows the plan, and in the end He will deliver us from troubles!
1 Peter 5:6, “Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, 7 casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.” The idea of humbling ourselves to God is synonymous with submitting to God and His plan for our lives Submission to anyone is a hard concept for human beings to swallow, but when we submit to God He promises to free us from the worries of this world, even when we don’t/can’t see where we are headed or the outcome. He has promised to do good for us! “Jeremiah 29:11 ‘For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.”
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Father God, I thank You for loving me so much that You sent Jesus to die for my salvation, and that through my belief in Him I can receive ALL of the freedoms that You have offered.
In Jesus’ name, Amen
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Yes, You Can Ministry 