Sunday, October 20, 2019

How to be free!


Ephesians 2:10 (NLT)
10 For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.




A masterpiece is the artist's  greatest work.  




Galatians 5:1 (NLT)
So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don’t get tied up again in slavery to the law.




Religion is about self effort.   




2 Corinthians (NLT)
17 For the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.




We don't fight for freedom, but from it.  



Freedom and Lordship is always connected.   



Like a fish is free from death within a fish bowl.  We are free within God's boundaries.   



We don't pay for our freedom, but Jesus paid for it.  




Freedom is not living within our own boundaries, but through the boundaries laid out in God's Word, the Bible.    



When we put boundaries between us and God.  That's called a stronghold.  




2 Corinthians 10:3-5 (NLT)
We are human, but we don’t wage war as humans do. 
We use God’s mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments. 
We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God. We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ.




Freedom is living within God's boundaries.  His boundaries do not restrict us, but release us.  




1 Corinthians 6:12  (NLT)
12 You say, “I am allowed to do anything”—but not everything is good for you. And even though “I am allowed to do anything,” I must not become a slave to anything.




We must be P.U.R.  


Freedom Filters. 


Ask...


1.  Is it pleasing to God?



John 8:31-32 NLT)
31 Jesus said to the people who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. 32 And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”






2.  Does it uphold my convictions?   






Romans 14:23 (NLT)
23 But if you have doubts about whether or not you should eat something, you are sinning if you go ahead and do it. For you are not following your convictions. If you do anything you believe is not right, you are sinning.






3.  Does it represent God's love?






1 Corinthians 9:19 (NLT)
19 Even though I am a free man with no master, I have become a slave to all people to bring many to Christ.




John 8:36  (NLT)
36 So if the Son (Jesus) sets you free, you are truly free.



Romans 10:8-10 (NLT)
In fact, it says,
“The message is very close at hand;
    it is on your lips and in your heart.”
And that message is the very message about faith that we preach: 
If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 
10 For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved.





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