Mary Crisp Jameson - copyright material







Friday, July 4, 2014

Independence Day

     We celebrate our independence, a day in history that established freedom for America, on July Fourth.  It was not won without a battle but was a cause worth fighting. 
     Today, we have a greater cause.  We were given another freedom much earlier when Jesus cried out on the cross, “It is finished!”  At that point in time, we were given a choice to be liberated and the freedom to break the chains that hold us in bondage. 
     It is never too late to break the chains, the opposing forces in our lives, which   keep us tied down.  Addictions of any kind can be broken “one day at a time” or even “one minute at a time”.  Is it time to fight the battle and win the freedom and peace that “surpasses all understanding?” 
     As I was thinking of winning the battle to gain the freedom and blessings of the Lord, I remembered the parable of the talents, whereby, 3 men were given different proportions of talents. One simply hid his and did nothing with it while the other two invested wisely.   The master was displeased with the one who did not use the talents but to the others said, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.” 
     I believe God wants to bless us.  He wants us to be healthy, carry joy and peace within our hearts, and He wants to bless us with financial success. 
    Not only do we have to stand up and win the battle for our Christian beliefs, but we must win the battle of the world that tries to control our thoughts, actions, and words which, in turn allows us to receive God's blessings.  Any addiction that seeks to control, keep us depressed, and reduces the joy of our spirit keeps us in chains.  But how do we invest our lives?  Maybe we need to take a few moments to THINK and PRAY before we take action.   Maybe we need to STOP and ASK, "Do I need this? What will it do for me?  How will I feel later?  Will it help or hurt someone else?  Is this what God wants in my life? Is this good for me? How will these words affect someone else?  How will these words affect me later?  How will this food or drink make me feel, and what will it do to my body?"
     We have a cause worthy of fighting.  We have a promise of peace, a falling away of the chains in life that bind us to bondage.  If we have the courage to make changes, we can have victory and celebrate our own Independence Day knowing we have invested and been faithful over a few things.  It would be good to hear, "Well done!"

    

    

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