Live Free!

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Did Jesus say . . .  

“I died so you could be miserable?"

"I gave up everything for you to live in fear?"  

 "I went to the cross so you might be chained to your sin?”

How ludicrous! 

And yet, don’t we often live trapped in fear, broken and enslaved? How worthless this priceless gift becomes when we choose to live as slaves!  

Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave of sin.  A slave is not a permanent member of the family, but a son is part of the family forever.  So if the Son sets you free, you are truly free.”  John 8.34-36 (NLT)

Jesus died to set us free! 

He rose from the grave to set us free! 

He lives to set us free!

A friend of our family was a hoarder.  She had lived that way so long, her house was bursting at the seams with all the stuff she had collected over the years.  Knowing she was in trouble, she reached out to my mom for help.  After hours upon hours of work, with a select number of friends who were willing to volunteer their time, they sorted, purged and cleaned her home.  

When our friend returned, she flew into a rage and demanded that everything be put back right where it had been!

 How similar this story is to our own journey with God. . .  

 We call on Him to rescue us from our depravity.  

 He pulls us from the pit of our own making, removes ours chains and washes us clean.  

Then we turn right around and wallow in the filth and wrap back up in the shackles of our shame and guilt. 

 Why?

Because it’s familiar. . .   

Because it’s what we’ve always known . . .  

Because we feel naked without it . . .  

The TRUTH is we aren’t naked and we aren't imprisoned!  

So release the chains of your guilt.  Embrace the freedom.  You've been forgiven.

It's time to forgive yourself and LIVE FREE!