If everyone understood what it means there would be such a desire nothing else would really matter until it was secured. The Bible is our source for TRUTH because Jesus said it through those who penned it. It is His Written Word. Fail to grasp this and you will never experience eternal life and the freedoms that come with it. Jesus came to set an enslaved people free. We can see in the scriptures the freeing of the Israelites by Moses when the Lord sent him to do it.
One of the greatest motion picture films of all times was The Ten Commandments. You may remember Charlton Heston in the role. He would approach Pharaoh and say with much authority, “SET MY PEOPLE FREE“. Today all those not yet born again are as enslaved as Israel’s descendents. Jesus said all those who sin are slaves to it. You can argue with me if you like but aren’t those using drugs enslaved? How about those caught up in pornography? There are crime rings that are devoted to stealing everything they can get their hands upon. Even the local burglar ring is ready for their next “heist”.
Those who read this message may think it doesn’t apply to them, but we should remember some other words by Jesus like, “those who lust after a woman are as guilty as if they committed the act.” Or, those who judge others are sinning, for judgment belongs to the Lord. He said judge according to how you want to be judged. How does He know if I’m doing that? I’ll let you in on a little secret, angels are watching and recording our sins for JUDGMENT DAY. Do you know all the things you thought were secret will be revealed before the whole world? If you didn’t you do now. So, what should you do? Go to the Cross and see Jesus paying for them. As He was dying on it the sins of the whole world were heaped upon Him. Mine and yours were there bringing such shame and suffering.
God the Father was overwhelmed by the stench and turned away. Jesus knew it and cried out, “My God, My God why have you forsaken Me?” At His cry the Father gazed back upon His Only Begotten whom He had sent to die for us. You might say, “Why would He do such a thing?” There is only one reason, God loves you and me and everyone else too. He sent Jesus to rescue us from a lifestyle of sinning, to set us FREE. We are no longer under the bondage of sin when we give up the sinful life. This comes by repentance or telling God how we feel about our past and our desire to go the other way.
In my case, tears were flowing like a spring. I had so much to repent for, I was “bad”. When I asked Him to forgive me and He did. He gave me HIS SPIRIT as proof. When I asked Jesus to come into my life I experienced a release that I can still remember 39 years later. It was as if a heavy weight left my back. When the Lord came in me I experienced a JOY that has never left. Some tell me they haven’t experienced anything like it. I can’t argue with another man’s experiences for that’s between him and the Lord, but I’m truly grateful for mine. I’d came from a liturgical background where I was taught how to say all the right things but my life hadn’t changed, but it sure did on May 23rd in 1971.
After becoming “born again” God revealed part of His plan for my life through dreams. After one vivid dream I began serving Him at the county jail where He sent me to “set the captives free.“ One day as I walked in the woods hunting He told me, “Tell them I want to set them free but unless I I set them free in their hearts they will continue to be behind the iron bars.“
What He said is true, for those who refuse to surrender to the Lord continue to be slaves to crime and the iron bars of jails and prisons. One man who listened paid for his crimes and then came out to study in a Bible College in Pensacola. He invited me to his graduation where God launched him into a full time prison ministry. Reconciled Ministries have been ongoing for a very long time now. Jim Britnell has been extremely effective, somewhat like a modern day Moses.
We must be set free to become God’s servants which will continue forever. Do you want to know true freedom? It comes when we confess Jesus as our Lord and discipline our lives to obey Him, like we learn in John 3:36.
And he who believes in (has faith in, clings to, relies on) the Son has (now possesses) eternal life. But whoever disobeys (is unbelieving toward, refuses to trust in, disregards, is not subject to) the Son will never see (experience) life, but [instead] the wrath of God abides on him. [God's displeasure remains on him; His indignation hangs over him continually.] Amplified Bible
Is this what you want? It’s free but only at the cost of Jesus’ death for us.
In His Service,
Capt. Ben Marler
captben61@gmail.com captben61.blogspot com
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