Coffee With The Lord

Freedom!  No longer in bondage!

The good news is, we don’t have to live in bondage to self and sin any longer!  We can live a life of moral and spiritual freedom.

The world’s lie is that doing the things the Bible forbids is freedom… Surprise! Surprise!! Surprise!!!  That just isn’t so… instead it leads to bondage, guilt, and regrets.  More than that, it leads to death!

Christ offers freedom… moral and spiritual freedom.  Serving the Lord is freedom!!  One day after another moving out of bondage and into the adventure of freedom in Christ!  I read about it this morning in the Bible…

“Shall we go on sinning because we are not under law but under grace? Absolutely not!  Do you not know that if you present yourselves as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey, either of sin resulting in death, or obedience resulting in righteousness? … Having been freed from sin, you became enslaved to righteousness… Just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness leading to sanctification… Now, freed from sin and enslaved to God, you have your benefit leading to sanctification, and the end is eternal life!  For the payoff of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord!!” (from Romans 6:15–23 NET Bible)

I’m determined to escape the “payoff” of sin!  Instead, I want to explore every aspect and dimension of “freedom in Christ” available to me!  Don’t you?  Living in freedom!!

This “coffee with the Lord” comment is for anyone who struggles with persistent, recurring sin in their life…  A number of years ago I read this passage when I was struggling with a recurring sin in my life and it gave me great encouragement and led to victory.  I believe it will be a blessing to you… I urge you to appropriate what it talks about and live out the reality of your baptism!

“Well then, shall we keep on sinning so that God can keep on showing us more and more kindness and forgiveness?  Of course not! Should we keep on sinning when we don’t have to? For sin’s power over us was broken when we became Christians and were baptized to become a part of Jesus Christ; through His death the power of your sinful nature was shattered.  Your old sin-loving nature was buried with Him by baptism when He died; and when God the Father, with glorious power, brought Him back to life again, you were given His wonderful new life to enjoy!

“You have become a part of Him, and so you died with Him, so to speak, when He died; and now you share His new life and shall rise as He did. Your old evil desires were nailed to the cross with Him; that part of you that loves to sin was crushed and fatally wounded, so that your sin-loving body is no longer under sin’s control, no longer needs to be a slave to sin; for when you are deadened to sin you are freed from all its allure and its power over you.  And since your old sin-loving nature “died” with Christ, we know that you will share His new life.  Christ rose from the dead and will never die again. Death no longer has any power over him.  He died once for all to end sin’s power, but now He lives forever in unbroken fellowship with God.  So look upon your old sin nature as dead and unresponsive to sin, and instead be alive to God, alert to Him, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

“Do not let sin control your puny body any longer; do not give in to its sinful desires. Do not let any part of your bodies become tools of wickedness, to be used for sinning; but give yourselves completely to God-every part of you – for you are back from death and you want to be tools in the hands of God, to be used for His good purposes.  Sin need never again be your master … you are free under God’s favor and mercy!”

Romans 6. 1-14 from the “old” Living Bible paraphrase – the TLB

Praise the Lord!!!

Ever make a purchase or decide on a course of action and discover just how wonderful that purchase was or how wise the decision was that you had made? 

This morning in my Bible reading during “coffee with the Lord” I had that feeling as I read Romans 5.1-11 (you really ought to read it yourself)!  The passage addresses the benefits and blessings that come to those who are “justified by faith” (i.e. those who are “made right with God by putting their trust in Christ to forgive them and bring God’s approval upon their life regardless of their sinful past). 

Now, I’ve done that … I acknowledged my sin to God, asked His forgiveness, and put my trust in Christ to save me, restore me, transform me and make me “right with God”!  Best decision I ever made!!  And this morning as I read Romans 5.1-11 I was “blown away by what I got in the deal!” 

Let me enumerate for you what the Bible says I got in the deal (and keep in mind this is not an exhaustive list!)…

1. Peace with God (remembering that once I was alienated/estranged from Him through my sin)!
2. Access into His grace (His favor, His blessing, His bounty, and provision)!
3. The hope of one day experiencing His glorious presence in Heaven!
4. The ability to “glory” in whatever I suffer (because I know that even suffering will produce good things in my life).
5. The daily experience and awareness of God’s incredible love through the work of the Holy Spirit in my life.
6. Rescued – delivered – “saved” from “the wrath of God”
7. Reconciled to God (i.e. a “friend” of God) – though the death of Jesus Christ and “saved” through His life (i.e. His resurrection)

The passage concludes by saying… “Not only this, but we also BOAST in God through our Lord Jesus Christ!”  Now I’m boasting!  Putting my trust in Christ to save me and make me right with God was a GOOD decision!!  “What-a-deal!!”  In another place the Bible says if you’re going to boast you ought to “boast in the Lord!” (1 Corinthians 1.31) Well that’s what I am doing!!