We are set FREE!

So me and DR recently started attending a new church. We found out about it because the pastor-Brad- teaches DR's bible study on Friday mornings. He is very gifted and speaks straight from the Word so its been amazing. This is a huge answer to prayer because we have been asking God to place us in a church where we can be on board with the vision and both grow together and separately in our faith. Anyways, we have been moving through Galatians and let me tell you-this is EXACTLY what I have needed to hear. The book of Galatians was written to the church where people were turning back to their Jewish customs and practices in order to 'receive' salvation.  Time and time again Paul cries out to them basically saying "What the heck are you doing? You are so quickly turning away from the gospel that saves! The gospel that is grace and only grace! Do you wish to be enslaved all over again??" So that is totally para phrased but that is the gist of the whole book.

OK so last week I was really struggling with 'feeling' God and trusting that I was even his child.  Here is another benefit of being married- when you are seeking God together (no matter how broken your walk is) God in his grace often allows the other person to speak his truth directly to the one who is struggling. It's like the times I am really battling, DR is totally on fire and vice-versa. Anyways,  Sunday we looked at Galatians 4:8-11 "Formerly, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those who by nature are not gods.  But now that you know God—or rather are known by God—how is it that you are turning back to those weak and miserable forces? Do you wish to be enslaved by them all over again? You are observing special days and months and seasons and years! I fear for you, that somehow I have wasted my efforts on you."  

Brad's message was incredible and I could type pages about it but I am going to try to summarize it the best I can. He started by telling us that although we can NEVER be separated from the love of Christ, we can choose, in our own mind's, to be enslaved by our sin all over again. This is a tragedy because we ARE set free by Jesus Christ! I don't know how many times I have said, 'I can't help that I feel this way', or 'This is just something I will always struggle with' We need to STOP living like we are a victim to something that we are set free from!!! It doesn't matter how we 'feel'. We can choose to have faith in God's word and God's word tells us to 'consider ourselves dead to sin'. For some reason many times after receiving God's salvation by his grace, we continue searching for freedom when it is ALREADY OURS IN CHRIST! There is no more 'right' books to read, or prayers to pray! We have a choice and it really is that simple! It has never been about us and what we can bring to the table so I'm not sure why after we start walking with Christ that we think we have to muster up all of these good deeds and rituals in order to 'feel' God or to be truly used by Him.

If you are like me, this will wash over your soul like a glass of much needed water. I was shown again how powerful God is in giving me these words on Sunday, exactly when I needed them! I will leave you with this-take God at his word! He is good for it. Let this be an encouragement to all of us who have grown weary by 'trying to do the right thing' for we can stop striving in vain. We can REST in Jesus and allow his life to live through us. God bless you all!