Freedom is not Cheap
Do you remember how brown and dry everything was in Texas this time last year? Thank God for the end of the drought. Pray for people who have lost their homes and other problems caused by much rain. We can also empathize with and pray for the people in the west and other parts of the country who are having a drought this year.
Between thunderstorms on Wednesday night (July 4), Lisa and I went for a motorcycle ride. It was a beautiful night for riding and we found the perfect place to park and watch the fireworks display at the Bedford Boy's Ranch. I got a little emotional (real men cry) as I thought of the freedoms we have in our great country and the sacrifices that have been made for the past two hundred plus years to earn them and keep them. I am sure you have heard the phrase many times, "Freedom is not cheap." We are truly blessed and privileged to live here, and I can understand why so many people want to leave their countries of origin and come to the USA.
On the Tonight Show, Jay Leno does a piece called Jay Walking. He goes out on the street and asks Americans what seem to be simple questions. Many of the questions are American history related. Jay Walking is a TV fan favorite as people like to laugh at the mistakes of others. I am always surprised at how little, especially young Americans, know about the history of our great country.
I think it is easy to take our freedoms for granted when you really don't know anything about how we obtained them. When freedom seems free, and we are not grateful for, or even acknowledge its cost, freedom seems cheap. It is easy to disrespect something that is cheap. I believe that when you don't respect the cost of a gift, you don't respect the gift, and you don't respect the giver of the gift. So you burn flags, disrespect our leaders, disobey our laws, and do it in the name of freedom. Cheap freedom.
Although I don't believe it is done out of purposeful disrespect, I believe the majority of people who claim the gift and the freedom that comes from God's grace don't really understand or focus on the cost and live a cheap and not very deep form of Christianity. They live their lives believing they will be in heaven one day, but don't live their lives on earth as the Citizens of heaven they are. The gift of the Gospel or Good news of Jesus Christ is that we become children of the King and citizens of heaven.
When citizens of heaven live their lives on earth as children of the King, different than citizens of earth, people change.
As Christ-followers we know what real freedom costs. The apostle Paul wrote, "Sin is no longer your master, for you are no longer subject to the law, which enslaves you to sin. Instead, you are free by God's grace." Rom 6:14 NLT
The spiritual freedom from our sin is freedom in no matter what country we live or what situation in life with which we are faced. Paul writes to the Philippians that we are really citizens of Heaven. Our freedom and our citizenship came at a great cost. It was a free gift to us but it came at a great expense to God. He loves us that much.
God's unselfish love, given to the world by God's people, gives others an opportunity to acquire true freedom. The kind of freedom that is life-changing....
As Christian parents it is our job to teach about and live out the life of a Christian not controlled by sin to our children. Psychologists and sociologists say that what we learn in the first twelve years of our lives have the greatest impact on our future.
On Sunday mornings I am teaching through Paul's letter to the Philippians. The main theme of this letter is that if you live your life as a citizen of heaven you will have joy no matter what your circumstances. If we can draw close to God, study His Word and live it in faith, we can have EPIC Joy.
Join us this Sunday as we look at Philippians 1:27-30 and learn how to practice the disciplines of living a life of Joy.
This will be a great message for all and a great opportunity to invite that person you have been wanting to bring to church.
Between thunderstorms on Wednesday night (July 4), Lisa and I went for a motorcycle ride. It was a beautiful night for riding and we found the perfect place to park and watch the fireworks display at the Bedford Boy's Ranch. I got a little emotional (real men cry) as I thought of the freedoms we have in our great country and the sacrifices that have been made for the past two hundred plus years to earn them and keep them. I am sure you have heard the phrase many times, "Freedom is not cheap." We are truly blessed and privileged to live here, and I can understand why so many people want to leave their countries of origin and come to the USA.
On the Tonight Show, Jay Leno does a piece called Jay Walking. He goes out on the street and asks Americans what seem to be simple questions. Many of the questions are American history related. Jay Walking is a TV fan favorite as people like to laugh at the mistakes of others. I am always surprised at how little, especially young Americans, know about the history of our great country.
I think it is easy to take our freedoms for granted when you really don't know anything about how we obtained them. When freedom seems free, and we are not grateful for, or even acknowledge its cost, freedom seems cheap. It is easy to disrespect something that is cheap. I believe that when you don't respect the cost of a gift, you don't respect the gift, and you don't respect the giver of the gift. So you burn flags, disrespect our leaders, disobey our laws, and do it in the name of freedom. Cheap freedom.
Although I don't believe it is done out of purposeful disrespect, I believe the majority of people who claim the gift and the freedom that comes from God's grace don't really understand or focus on the cost and live a cheap and not very deep form of Christianity. They live their lives believing they will be in heaven one day, but don't live their lives on earth as the Citizens of heaven they are. The gift of the Gospel or Good news of Jesus Christ is that we become children of the King and citizens of heaven.
When citizens of heaven live their lives on earth as children of the King, different than citizens of earth, people change.
As Christ-followers we know what real freedom costs. The apostle Paul wrote, "Sin is no longer your master, for you are no longer subject to the law, which enslaves you to sin. Instead, you are free by God's grace." Rom 6:14 NLT
The spiritual freedom from our sin is freedom in no matter what country we live or what situation in life with which we are faced. Paul writes to the Philippians that we are really citizens of Heaven. Our freedom and our citizenship came at a great cost. It was a free gift to us but it came at a great expense to God. He loves us that much.
God's unselfish love, given to the world by God's people, gives others an opportunity to acquire true freedom. The kind of freedom that is life-changing....
As Christian parents it is our job to teach about and live out the life of a Christian not controlled by sin to our children. Psychologists and sociologists say that what we learn in the first twelve years of our lives have the greatest impact on our future.
On Sunday mornings I am teaching through Paul's letter to the Philippians. The main theme of this letter is that if you live your life as a citizen of heaven you will have joy no matter what your circumstances. If we can draw close to God, study His Word and live it in faith, we can have EPIC Joy.
Join us this Sunday as we look at Philippians 1:27-30 and learn how to practice the disciplines of living a life of Joy.
This will be a great message for all and a great opportunity to invite that person you have been wanting to bring to church.
posted by Royal | 12:09 PM
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