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Are You Free?

Are You Free? Loving God, Part XXIV

One topic that I think never gets old and something that I think should be taught more frequently is our freedom in Christ and how we are no longer under the law. Yes, we are free indeed!

Let’s review the old covenant:

Deuteronomy 30: 15 “Now listen! Today I am giving you a choice between life and death, between prosperity and disaster. 16 For I command you this day to love the Lord your God and to keep his commands, decrees, and regulations by walking in his ways. If you do this, you will live and multiply, and the Lord your God will bless you and the land you are about to enter and occupy.

This clearly says that if we love God, keep His commands, decrees, and regulations by walking in His ways, then we are choosing life if we obey Him. Just like the gospel message, the Israelites were given a choice and it was a matter of life and death, spiritually.

Why did Jesus come to earth?

Matthew 5: 17 “Don’t misunderstand why I have come. I did not come to abolish the law of Moses or the writings of the prophets. No, I came to accomplish their purpose.

This says that Jesus came to accomplish the purpose of the law, other translations say “fulfill the law”. We just read that if we are able to follow the law then we will have life. Which means that if Jesus accomplishes the purpose of the law, or fulfills it, then we no longer need the law.

So did He do what He said He came to do?

John 19: 30 When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

Absolutely! The work has been done. That’s why we are saved by grace and not by works.

Now let’s read this…

Matthew 22: 36 “Teacher, which is the most important commandment in the law of Moses?”
37 Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.”

Read verse 40 once more

It is quite liberating to know that we are no longer under the law. These two commandments cover all of them. Verse 37 blows me away (which I’m still trying to figure out). Let me be clear: Our salvation is not based on our efforts to follow these two commandments. We’ll always fall short.

To grow spiritually, however, I believe it is wise to live by these commandments. We should use them as our prime directives so that we can’t go wrong.

All I can say is that the more you seek God and get to know Him, the greater your desire to please Him will become.

Let’s close with this:

Titus 3:  4 But—“When God our Savior revealed his kindness and love, 5 he saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit.

Do you walk in His freedom?

“Dear Lord, I want to know you more. Your ways are so foreign to me. I easily lose focus on you and the work you completed here on earth. Thank you, Jesus, for paying the ultimate price by dying on the cross for my sins. Please help me to continue learning as I meditate on your Word. In Jesus’ name, amen.”

Photo by Enoch Hsiao on Unsplash



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Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Are You Seeking Him? Loving God, part II

Seeking the Lord is not just for Sundays

Last week we discussed what God desires more than anything else and that is to love Him and to love others…

Matthew 22: 36“Teacher, which is the most important commandment in the law of Moses?” 37 Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.”

The problem I’ve always had with this is how do you love someone that is invisible? Someone that you cannot see, interact with, or “hang out” with, right?

I mean, naturally speaking, the idea of knowing someone that is invisible, much less loving them, seems a little weird or just downright wacko. Just ask any atheist. 🙂 

Since I was little I believed that Jesus came to earth to pay the price for our sins and was resurrected. So for me at least I think there was a disconnect. Although I believed in the Gospel message, I did not know how to relate to God in any way. This explains why I did not know how to love Him.

Start seeking the Lord today!

All this changed when I started to seek Him. I made a serious effort, a commitment, if you will, to not only start reading the Bible regularly but to get to know Him. Remember Hosea 6:6 and that Jesus referred to it twice?

Hosea 6: 6 I want you to show love, not offer sacrifices. I want you to know me more than I want burnt offerings.

What God has shown me is that getting to know Him is the key to loving Him. Which is why I think the concept of seeking God is found all throughout the Old and New Testaments:

2 Chron. 15: …The Lord will stay with you as long as you stay with him! Whenever you seek him, you will find him. 

1 Chronicles 16: 11 Search for the Lord and for his strength; continually seek him.

This verse shows that seeking God is not something that you finish and check off, but one that is perpetual. 

1 Chronicles 22: 19 Now seek the Lord your God with all your heart and soul. 

1 Chronicles 28: 9 “And Solomon, my son, learn to know the God of your ancestors intimately. Worship and serve him with your whole heart and a willing mind. For the Lord sees every heart and knows every plan and thought. If you seek him, you will find him. But if you forsake him, he will reject you forever.

Psalm 14: 2 The Lord looks down from heaven on the entire human race; he looks to see if anyone is truly wise, if anyone seeks God.

Speaking of atheists:

Psalm 10: 4 The wicked are too proud to seek God.They seem to think that God is dead.

And now for the New Testament

Matt. 7: 7 “Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find.

And here’s my favorite:

Matthew 6: 33 Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.

In summary, I believe that seeking God leads to knowing God (as promised) and knowing God leads to loving God, and this is just the beginning.

I’ll conclude with this verse:

John 17: 3 And this is the way to have eternal life—to know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the one you sent to earth.

Will you seek Him?



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Have you seen my testimony?

If you desire a closer walk with Jesus, just want more fellowship or "Bible Time" come join us at TheBibleTeam.com. We have weekly calls where our sole focus is spending time in God's Word.
Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.