Recognizing Royalty

I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt so you would no longer be their slaves. I broke the yoke of slavery from your neck so you can walk with your heads held high.
Leviticus 26:13 NLT

But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law. God sent him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that he could adopt us as his very own children. And because we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, “Abba, Father.” Now you are no longer a slave but God’s own child. And since you are his child, God has made you his heir.
Galatians 4:4-7 NLT

Most of us have no idea what it feels like to be a slave. We may use the phrase "slaving away" but most of us have no true context. By the time the exodus occurred, the Israelites as a nation had been in slavery over 400 years. They truly worked like slaves and lived like slaves. They had the mindset of being slaves with no way out. Then God showed up.

God the Almighty. According to 1 Timothy 6:15 NKJV- "He who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords..." THAT God Who adopted us as His very own children. No longer slaves, but heirs according to Romans 8:17. Do we believe that? 

The King's child is a prince or princess. They might not be the firstborn, but they are still royalty. Do we recognize that? Have we allowed the Holy Spirit to renew a right spirit within us?

Prayer:

Father,

          Thank You for adopting us. Thank You for making us Your very own children. Thank You for freeing us from the slavery of sin. Cleanse our hearts and reset our minds to be who You've called us to be - Your loving children who recognize Your majesty and hasten to do Your bidding. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Something Different for May - Day 14 - Struggling with Sin

Well then, am I suggesting that the law of God is sinful? Of course not! In fact, it was the law that showed me my sin. I would never have known that coveting is wrong if the law had not said, “You must not covet.” But sin used this command to arouse all kinds of covetous desires within me! If there were no law, sin would not have that power. At one time I lived without understanding the law. But when I learned the command not to covet, for instance, the power of sin came to life, and I died. So I discovered that the law’s commands, which were supposed to bring life, brought spiritual death instead. Sin took advantage of those commands and deceived me; it used the commands to kill me. But still, the law itself is holy, and its commands are holy and right and good.

But how can that be? Did the law, which is good, cause my death? Of course not! Sin used what was good to bring about my condemnation to death. So we can see how terrible sin really is. It uses God’s good commands for its own evil purposes.

So the trouble is not with the law, for it is spiritual and good. The trouble is with me, for I am all too human, a slave to sin. I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do what I hate. But if I know that what I am doing is wrong, this shows that I agree that the law is good. So I am not the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it.

And I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. I want to do what is right, but I can’t. I want to do what is good, but I don’t. I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway. But if I do what I don’t want to do, I am not really the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it.

I have discovered this principle of life—that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. I love God’s law with all my heart. But there is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. So you see how it is: In my mind I really want to obey God’s law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin.

Romans 7:7-25 NLT

Prayer - Day 14

God, Your law teaches me what sin is. I see the good I want to do—yet I don’t do it. I see evil I don’t want to do—yet I keep doing it anyway. I feel wretched! Who will save me from myself? You, of course. Only, always You, who delivers me again, today, through Christ Jesus, my Lord. Amen.

Praying Through Romans    www.crosswalk.com

Friends Favorites - Slave Phrases

Even though I am a free man with no master, I have become a slave to all people to bring many to Christ.

1st Corinthians 9:19  NLT

We've talked about first-time obedience and how we expect it from those around us. However, we don't give God first-time obedience. We call Him Master, Savior, Redeemer, Father, and yet sometimes, we don't do even His most basic instructions.

I truly believe the Bible is the Divinely-inspired Word of God. I believe that every word was intentionally included. Every story, every parable - I DON'T believe that God put fillers in there - it's all there for a reason and a purpose... just like us. I may love parts of it more than other parts, I may even have parts I don't like at all, but that doesn't make them any less true.

I never realized how many times the slave phrases reference us - you and me - Believers and followers of Christ. Sons and daughters of the Most High God. Joint heirs with Jesus Christ. Slaves of God. Servants of Christ Jesus.

Okay, don't look at me in that tone of voice... the same man who instructed us to follow him as he followed Christ, also wrote this in Philippians 1:1, This letter is from Paul and Timothy, slaves of Christ Jesus. And in Titus 1:1, This letter is from Paul, a slave of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ. I have been sent to proclaim faith to those God has chosen and to teach them to know the truth that shows them how to live godly lives.

James wrote the same in James 1:1, This letter is from James, a slave of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ. As did Peter in 2nd Peter 1:1, This letter is from Simon Peter, a slave and apostle of Jesus Christ... And so did Jude in Jude 1:1, This letter is from Jude, a slave of Jesus Christ and a brother of James.

Slaves generally don't punch a time clock or get off at a certain time. However, I find myself trying to hoard my time at work - hating to be interrupted - and yet the nature of my job is to BE interrupted so I can help others. I only had an hour or so I could call my own...literal translation - an hour or so when it was all about ME and what I wanted to do without having to take anyone else into consideration. True definition - selfish. I really hate that. I don't want to be selfish - I don't like to even think of myself as being selfish, but the truth is I surely am... and that is definitely NOT being like Jesus who was totally selfLESS and humbled Himself unto death for me and for you.

Think of your loved ones who have not yet received Christ as their Savior or who are making bad decisions - ones that will pull them away from Christ. If you knew today was their last day on earth, or that Jesus was coming back tonight to take His bride, would you wanna watch that movie again - the one you've seen 6 times already - or would you pray for all you are worth?  When we get tired, as we do and we will, we only need to go to our Master... In Matthew 11, Jesus said, Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.

Slaves don't generally get a day off. Work for the night is coming...

Prayer:

Father,
            Remove everything that keeps us from fulfilling Your purpose and plan in our lives. Help us to better see our place and part in Your scheme of things. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

* Let the Redeemed of the Lord Say So

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good!
    His faithful love endures forever. 
Has the Lord redeemed you? Then speak out!
    Tell others he has redeemed you from your enemies. For he has gathered the exiles from many lands, from east and west, from north and south.
Psalm 107:1-3 NLT

Redeemed. It's defined as 'being bought back, to regain possession of, a ransom'. It was often used in reference to a slave. Nowadays, not too many people view themselves as slaves, so perhaps it's challenging to get a clear picture of being redeemed. Have you ever thought about it? What does it mean to you - to be redeemed?   

Those who are enslaved have no control over their lives, especially not over the bad things in their lives... and frequently, not over the good, either. Slaves cannot get away from the state they're in. If they try to escape, they are severely beaten, sometimes to death. But their freedom can be purchased, bought with a price.

Do you know what we've been redeemed from? Think back... We were slaves to our sin. That's right. Christ's body on the Cross was the purchase price for our freedom - our redemption - from the power that sin had in our lives. We could not do it through the law. We could not do it in and of ourselves. God tells us in His Word,  I swept away your rebellions like a cloud, and your sins like fog. Return to me, because I have redeemed you.

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever.  Has the Lord redeemed you? King James then reads, Let the redeemed of the Lord say so!

Prayer:

Father,

       Oftentimes, we gloss over the heart and depth of the meaning in Your Word. Take us to the meat of it where we may feast and be strengthened to encourage others. Illuminate Your Word, O God! Let us see clearly to be able to passionately proclaim that we are the redeemed of the Lord. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

* Slave Phrases

Even though I am a free man with no master, I have become a slave to all people to bring many to Christ.

1st Corinthians 9:19  NLT

We've talked about first-time obedience and how we expect it from those around us. However, we don't give God first-time obedience. We call Him Master, Savior, Redeemer, Father, and yet sometimes, we don't do even His most basic instructions.

I truly believe the Bible is the Divinely-inspired Word of God. I believe that every word was intentionally included. Every story, every parable - I DON'T believe that God put fillers in there - it's all there for a reason and a purpose... just like us. I may love parts of it more than other parts, I may even have parts I don't like at all, but that doesn't make them any less true.

I never realized how many times the slave phrases reference us - you and me - Believers and followers of Christ. Sons and daughters of the Most High God. Joint heirs with Jesus Christ. Slaves of God. Servants of Christ Jesus.

Okay, don't look at me in that tone of voice... the same man who instructed us to follow him as he followed Christ, also wrote this in Philippians 1:1, This letter is from Paul and Timothy, slaves of Christ Jesus. And in Titus 1:1, This letter is from Paul, a slave of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ. I have been sent to proclaim faith to those God has chosen and to teach them to know the truth that shows them how to live godly lives.

James wrote the same in James 1:1, This letter is from James, a slave of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ. As did Peter in 2nd Peter 1:1, This letter is from Simon Peter, a slave and apostle of Jesus Christ... And so did Jude in Jude 1:1, This letter is from Jude, a slave of Jesus Christ and a brother of James.

Slaves generally don't punch a time clock or get off at a certain time. However, I find myself trying to hoard my time at work - hating to be interrupted - and yet the nature of my job is to BE interrupted so I can help others. I only had an hour or so I could call my own...literal translation - an hour or so when it was all about ME and what I wanted to do without having to take anyone else into consideration. True definition - selfish. I really hate that. I don't want to be selfish - I don't like to even think of myself as being selfish, but the truth is I surely am... and that is definitely NOT being like Jesus who was totally selfLESS and humbled Himself unto death for me and for you.

When did I start thinking that I could take time off because I am tired of not doing what I want? Think of your loved ones who have not received Christ as their Savior or who are making bad decisions - ones that will pull them away from Christ. If you knew today was their last day on earth, or that Jesus was coming back tonight to take His bride, would you wanna watch that movie again - the one you've seen 6 times already or would you pray for all you are worth?  When we get tired, as we do and we will, we only need to go to our Master... In Matthew 11, Jesus said, Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.

Slaves don't generally get a day off. Work for the night is coming...

Prayer:

Father,

           Remove everything that keeps us from fulfilling Your purpose and plan in our lives. Help us to better see our place and part in Your scheme of things. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen