FINDING REAL FREEDOM

Can I pray for you in any way? 

Send any prayer requests to TheChristianWalkPrayers@gmail.com.

In Christ, Mark

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The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

“I am the Way and the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” John 14:6

“Whoever wants to be My disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow Me.”  Luke 9:23

“If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”  John 8:36

This ends today’s reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

It’s Independence Day here in the United States, a day when we celebrate our nation gaining its liberty and freedom as an independent nation 248 years ago.

But guess what?

Amidst all the picnics, cookouts, parades, and fireworks today lies a sobering truth.

We are not really free just because we live in America. The same can be said about any other nation who feels it has gained freedom of its own doing. This is because there is only one way to true freedom, a spiritual freedom that sets you free now and forever more, in this world and in the one yet to come, and that freedom comes through Jesus, who said the following:

“I am the Way and the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” John 14:6

“Whoever wants to be My disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow Me.”  Luke 9:23

“If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”  John 8:36

So how does this equate to the truth that we really aren’t free outside of Jesus?

Let me break it down for you.

First, Jesus is the only way to God the Father. Period.

We’re not going to Heaven unless we have believed in Him as our Savior, the One who died to pay the price for our sins.

Second, if we say we believe in Jesus as Savior, then we accept that our identity is now changed to “Christian” and that means we need to live like Christ in all that we do, committing to follow Him and His ways. Jesus said that He is the Way and the Truth and the Life and with that, He is the only one we are to model our lives after.

Third, in order for us to follow Jesus and His will and ways, we need to surrender ourselves, giving up our will and desires in order to follow His. Jesus said that any disciple of His must deny themselves and take up their cross daily. This means that He comes first even if it means we need to sacrifice something we want to do.

In other words, in order to find true freedom, a freedom that opens the gates of Heaven for us to enter and live forever one day, we first have to surrender our own freedom and do so willingly. Jesus made a life out of sacrificing for others to the point of willingly suffering and dying so we might live. And so in the end translation of His life, we see where He was defined by utter selfless sacrifice and as His disciples, we are required to be the same.  

So the question this Independence Day is simple:

Are you truly free today or are you out celebrating some counterfeit freedom that will not endure for all eternity?

If you’re not in Jesus, I pray that today will be the day that you find your real liberty, now and the eternal life yet to come through belief in Him as Savior.

For Jesus said:

“If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”  John 8:36

Amen.

In Christ,

Mark

PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it. Send any prayer requests to TheChristianWalkPrayers@gmail.com.