Matthew 14:22-24 – “Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, while He sent the multitudes away. 23 And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. Now when evening came, He was alone there. 24 But the boat was now in the middle of the sea, tossed by the waves, for the wind was contrary.”  NKJV

I hope this does not become “scatter shooting” but let me toss out a few things for consideration in examining The Speaking God.  Our text will serve as a catalyst for us to examine some real issues and hopefully us to see or understand something I believe is very important spiritually in today’s world.

If you noticed in verse 22 it said that Jesus made the disciples get in the boat and go ahead of Him.  I find the word “made” interesting and that caused several questions to arise in my mind.  Did Jesus actually force the disciples to get in the boat?  Was He in the boat? Regardless of the import of the word “made”, the disciples were so committed to the Lord that any direction He gave would have the same result as physically forcing them in the boat. 

Their hearts made or caused them to obey Him.  No, Jesus was not in the boat for He was sending them before Him.  Therefore, could I suggest that we consider that this suggests something interesting, and I walk softly into the unwrapping of this idea.  Before I present that thought fully I ask that we consider vv. 23-24.

That which the Holy Spirit impressed upon my heart and mind is how often we associate the presence of Jesus with settling or solving our circumstances.  In a very real sense, that is correct for His presence does bring Peace.  However, if you will note, Jesus was not in the boat on this particular occasion and there was a storm. 

I ask that you call to remembrance the situation where Jesus was asleep in the boat, there was a storm.  So, when He was in the boat (present) there was a storm and when He was absent there was a storm.  Could that make us realize that the coming of storms and adversity is not proportional to the presence of Jesus in the boat? 

I believe it is much deeper than that.  In our walk, there are times we have “heard the Lord” and we are taking actions consistent with what we heard. In those times, whether we realize His presence or not we must consistently apply what we have heard in life. 

Now, read Mark 6:45-51 and I believe it will be beneficial in this consideration.  The amazing thing, to me, is that Jesus was watching them struggle and resisted any temptation to become involved.  How can I say that?  That is what we see in verse 48, but then in the next verse, we find it was the 4th watch of the night that He came to them walking on the water. 

It is clear that there was a period of time that elapsed between their departure, the storm’s development, their situation worsening, and His arrival.  They were in the middle of the lake, in a dangerous storm, struggling at the oars trying to survive and getting nowhere.  It was Hard!  Have you ever been there?  Jesus could see them struggling. 

Some have challenged me and said, “Roy, their straining at the oars was unspiritual and a lack of faith.”  Seriously?  I believe there is a time when we must strain at the oars and exert all our energy in the work of the kingdom.  In every sovereign move of God, there is a time for labor!  I believe that unless we are so committed to His word and directive that we are willing to strain at the oars we will likely fail.  They had the directive of Jesus, “Get in the boat and go to the other side.”  That is not ambiguous and did not detail any possible struggles along the way. It was start, here and go there!

My question is, “Are we committed to the Word of the Lord to continue even if Jesus does not appear to be in the boat or hearing our cries for help?”  Another way of asking would be, “Is there any condition or situation that would cause us to abandon that directive from Him?”  We must be committed to His directive, “Get in the boat and go to the other side.”  That is what faith is really all about! 

Take a look at John 16:16-21 and then consider the plight of these disciples and us in life.  Three or four miles is a very long distance if you are rowing against a strong wind in rough water.  By the time they saw Jesus coming to them on the water they were already terrified.  They were so sure of death they thought it was a ghost or apparition.

I suggest that there are times, in our struggles, that God will show up and we will respond as they.  Here is an important point.  They were willing to take Him into the boat.  They did not give up.  They did not disobey.  They did not cease trying to obey His directive and once they let Him in the boat the Bible says in John 6:21, “…immediately the boat was at the land where they were going.”  I Like That! 

But why should they or we be placed in that position of struggling?  Why should we be sent out as lambs in the midst of wolves?  Why place us in a position where the heavens seem to be brass, and our prayers rise no higher than our heads?  I offer to you the idea that their hard work was not for naught.  If they were to “stop rowing” they would have capsized or gone backward. 

Sometimes we think we are in a “holding pattern” and just “holding our own” but we fail to grasp the truth that if we “stop rowing” the wind will take control and shipwreck us.  It was not for God’s information, but for their and our development.  It is to help us learn that “Christ in us” enables us to do all things in all situations.  Even when we do not feel His presence, He is with us!  Anyone can run with the weather and pattern their lives and actions according to how the winds of life are blowing.  Even when it would be easier to quit, we must continue.  Even when we see no way out, we must continue.  Even when all seems hopeless, we must continue.  Remember His promise, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” 

God bless you as you embark on today’s journey in Him!

Esther 4:13-14 – “And Mordecai told them to answer Esther: “Do not think in your heart that you will escape in the king’s palace any more than all the other Jews. 14 For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”  NKJV

The story of Esther, Mordecai, Haman, King Ahasuerus, and the Jews is a gripping one of evil, corruption, intercession, and willingness to accept one’s responsibility.  The plight of the Jews was dire, and while Esther had the favor of the King, she was placing her life on the line in answering the challenge of Mordecai to intercede for her people.  The question of Mordecai is gripping and multitudes of sermons have been preached using it as the catalyst to speak for dedication, commitment, and recognizing the call of God.  He said, “Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”

I have witnessed and experienced the detail with which God ordains events, orchestrates situations, and moves people into position for His purposes.  He had elevated Esther to the palace and given her favor with the king to save her people in their darkest hour.  God has divine appointments for us if we can recognize them and if we will walk in willing obedience to the nudging of the Holy Spirit.

You may view your life as meaningless or of lesser importance than some prominent figure spiritually or politically and that is a mistake.  You may never see your name in lights and multitudes may never know your name but that does not mean your place in the purposes of God is unimportant. 

I heard Evangelist James Robison, founder of LIFE Outreach International, tell his story and it is inspirational.  He was born in the charity ward of a Houston hospital, the product of a forced sexual encounter.  His 41-year-old mother originally sought to have an abortion, but the doctor would not comply.  She gave birth to this child, put an ad in the newspaper, and gave him up for adoption to Reverend and Mrs. H.D. Hale, pastors in Pasadena, Texas.  His mother reclaimed him as a teenager and he returned to her home in Austin, Texas, where they lived in extreme poverty.  His biological father came back into their lives and after some volatile times, James almost shot his father, an alcoholic and ill-tempered. 

He returned to his adoptive parents in Houston and Mrs. Hale led him to Christ during a revival service.  The ministry of James and Betty Robison has touched untold thousands if not millions around the world for God.  Who was that obscure doctor who refused to perform an abortion?  I do not know and few probably do but the reality is that his obedience to conscience and conviction allowed James to be born and he now is a powerful voice for God internationally.

Who knows if that next person you touch, in kindness, or through a word of witness, will become the next Billy Graham, Billy Sunday, D.L. Moody, W.J. Seymour, Charles Finney, or James Robison?  Who knows if that life you touch becomes a mighty person in the world of finance and through their prosperity impact the Kingdom of God mightily?  Who knows if that person you impact for God and good might become the next mighty statesman for American and the world? 

You are not insignificant for you were significant enough for Jesus to go to the Cross for you!  You could have been brought into the kingdom for such a time as this when you speak to that isolated and lonely soul who becomes a might person for God and good. But let’s take a giant step forward and declare that who can say you were not brought into the kingdom to be the next voice to the world or statesman to bring reconciliation to nations. 

Listen to the Holy Spirit and never consider your worth, value, and importance insignificant.  Who knows you might have come into the kingdom for this very time and purpose! 

God bless richly is my prayer!

Matthew 15:7-9 – “Hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying: 8 “These people draw near to Me with their mouth, and honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. 9 And in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.'”  NKJV

The Pharisees accosted Jesus over the issue of ceremonial washing of the hands before eating.  The Pharisees religiously adhered to the Mosaic Law and the addendums added to that law by the religious leaders.  They kept not only the Law but the fences that had been erected to keep people from getting close enough to the law to break it.  

They were following commandments of men not directives of God.  Jesus, as was his manner, did not let that slip but turned the tables on them pointing out the hypocrisy of following the commandments of men, in contrast to the Law of God.  He addressed numerous things and then quoted Isaiah, as is seen in our text which addressed the critical issue, the heart, and the mouth.

We have all seen situations where people proclaim something, but their lives negate their words.  It is one thing to proclaim or claim something and quite another to validate that proclamation through actions.  Remember Jesus said in Matthew 7:21-23 that not everyone who called Him Lord would enter heaven.  He identified the problem was their lives did not back up their proclamations. 

In 1 John 2:9 we are warned that one can say they are a Christian but if their heart is filled with hate their lives and condition of heart negate their declaration.  In James 1:26 we are told that if any person considers themselves to be religious but are unable to control their tongue they are living in deception.  Titus 1:16 informs us that it is possible to claim to know God but live in such a manner as to deny Him.  That is what Jesus was speaking of where people make a claim, but their words are negated by their lives.  Following the Commandments of Men produces a false sense of righteousness because it allows one to “keep a list” and compare ourselves with others and have a false sense of security and righteousness.

Later in Jesus’ dealing with the Pharisees and teaching those following Him, said in verse 10, “…Hear and understand: Not what goes into the mouth defiles a man; but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man.”  Couple that with His declaration in Matthew 12:34, “Brood of vipers!  How can you being evil, speak good things?  For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.”  Then in the next verse, He said, “A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things.”  Words are important, but they must be Heart Words and Life Words not merely lip service.

We can go through the motions and make all the proclamations we desire, but if it is not from the heart and directed by the Spirit of God it will be nothing more than tinkling symbols and sounding brass or as we would say in East Texas, “rain on a tin barn.”  Noise and nothing more!  I have no desire to pretend anything in life and especially not in matters of faith.  I want to be genuine, having a genuine relationship with the LORD, and manifest Him to the world in my words, my walk, and my warfare.  Jesus said in John 4 that God’s desire and demand is for men and women to worship Him “in spirit and truth.” 

The Pharisees were challenged by the LORD, on more than one occasion, for their “teaching the commandments of men and their placing demands on people that they themselves were not willing to do.”  Jesus called the doctrine and philosophy of the Pharisees as “leaven” and identified that it would permeate good doctrine and pollute or pervert it making it other than the directive of God.

We need to guard against following the commandments of men and strive to find the Heart and Precepts of God in all things and at all times.  Purity of heart will reject corruption and the very appearance of evil. Purity of heart will place no burdens on men that God has not place.  Purity of heart will exhibit love and longsuffering demonstrating patience and forgiveness.  We should all be careful as to what we say and seeking to ensure that our words match our lives.

God bless you as you go through this day in Jesus!

Psalm 62:9-10 – “Surely men of low degree are a vapor, Men of high degree are a lie; If they are weighed on the scales, They are altogether lighter than vapor. 10 Do not trust in oppression, Nor vainly hope in robbery; If riches increase, Do not set your heart on them.”  NKJV

In our present political climate in America, I hear a lot about which candidate will lead us forth into better days and this scripture has been coming to mind each time.  I am very involved in politics and sounding the alarm about the condition of our nation and the world, however, I am 100% convinced that if we focus on the political, we will miss the mark.  No man or woman is going to provide that which we need other than by the guidance of the Spirit of God. 

I laughed the other day when I read this passage.  I read it wrongly and the thought in my mind was that men were giving God the vapors.  Although that may be accurate on many fronts but is not what this scripture says.  Rather, the Psalmist was warning us that whether men of low or high socioeconomic status were nothing more than a vapor and could not be relied on.  He was also warning us that shrewd business dealings or political wrangling would amount to less than nothing and produce no long-term benefit.  In the previous verses, the Psalmist called for everyone to Trust God at all times and continually pour their hearts out to Him. 

In verses 11-12, the Psalmist identifies the true source of Power and Mercy.  Our hope is in God and if we trust the arm of flesh in any manner, we will find ourselves trusting vanishing vapors.  If you recall when James was warning against boasting about our human plans, he said in James 4:14, “…you do not know what will happen tomorrow.  For what is your life?  It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.”  Also, the parable Jesus gave regarding the rich man who had an abundance and vocalized his elaborate plans for expansion.  Jesus said in Luke 12:20, “…Fool!  This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?”  He followed that up by reminding us of the True Source of our supply – GOD!

Tragically we, too often, tend to trust our abilities, our financial plans, or our political allegiances and alliances.  If we depend on what we can do, we will fail but if we turn our hearts to God and what He can do we will find the pathway to victory opening wide.  So, we must keep our focus rightly aligned and always remember that whether men of high or low status are not our solution or hope.  God is our only true source.

God bless you and may He lead you forth into His victory in this hour. 

Proverbs 26:11 – “Like a dog that returns to his vomit is a fool who repeats his foolishness.”

            How many times have you said or heard someone say, “I’m trying to quit…”?  That may be applied to a myriad of things in life, and we have all said, thought, or heard that declaration.  I understand the difficulty a person has stopping a habit or practice long formed and how painful the withdrawals can be. 

I know a man that has said for at least 40 years, “I’m trying to quit smoking.”  He has never succeeded but he is still trying and one day another friend said, “Quit trying to quit and quit!”  I have heard people say regarding gossip, “I’m trying to quit.”  There are those who are trying to quit eating too many sweets, being couch potatoes, being critical, being negative, or a host of other things they are trying to quit. 

Clovis G. Chappell said, “It is better to make a thousand failures than to be too cowardly to ever undertake anything.”  That is true and I have learned that failure is not the opposite of success, it is, in a very real way, part of it.  A failure can be turned into a triumph and gain if we learn from our mistakes and realize that in many things in life, We Cannot but He Can! 

The Psalmist made an incredible statement in Psalm 119:71, “It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I may learn Your statutes.”  That is foreign to the mentality and philosophy of some in the world and the church that affliction or difficulty can be good.  Not good in being an affliction but good in what it produces or the result in our lives as we Learn.  In a sense that is embodied in Romans 8:28. As we learn that All Things are working together for good and rather than looking at each event in life look to the finished product, the goal, the plan, and purpose of God and rejoice in All Things and at All Times!

Back to our topic of trying to quit and quitting.  James 4:7 did not say, “Ask me to resist the devil and he will flee from you.”  It says, “…submit to God.  Resist the devil and he will flee from you.”  The next verse says, “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.”  That is, you taking action not just praying for something to happen. 

When I hear, “I’m trying to quit” I have two thoughts and/or emotions occur almost simultaneously in my head.  First, I have a sense of empathy and compassion for the plight they are enduring from that bondage whatever it might be.  Second, I think, “You are conditioning yourself for failure by trying to…”  If I make my objective to try to, I am not focusing on the objective of doing or achieving that objective and failure is likely if not assured.  There comes a time when we need to resist and once, we do I believe God will come to our aid and strengthen us. 

James 3 speaks of the tongue and putting a bridle on it so we can control it.  Proverbs 18:21 speaks of “life and death” being in the power of the tongue.  We read in the Bible about blessings and cursing not being able to come from the same stream and I contend that setting our goal to “try to” is becoming that of which James 1:8 calls, “double-minded.”

My encouragement is, quitting whatever you deem necessary to quit is possible and can be a realized reality if we will “Quit trying to quit and quit.”  What I am saying is, Let God Come In and Help! It is through Him that All Things are Possible. My prayer for each one is that the LORD will grant us the grace to develop the courage, make the commitment, and persevere until victory becomes a reality in whatever we are trying to quit that is hindering us.

God bless you as you go through this day!

John 8:36 – “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed!”  TLV

            Today, I would like for us to consider another danger of False Freedom and hopefully equip you to live with more victory than you have experienced thus far in life.

False Freedom Is Dangerous Because of Where it Leads…

Where does it lead?  It leads to bondage!  2 Peter 2:19 – “They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves of depravity—for “people are slaves to whatever has mastered them.”  Simply, they are entangled and overcome.  In verse 20 we read, “If they have escaped the corruption of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and are again entangled in it and are overcome, they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning.”  One translation declares they want to make merchandise of you!

I do not believe that any Christian will face the judgment of damnation.  Notice I said, Christian and that implies walking with the LORD and obeying Him. Our pardon has been purchased and declared at the Cross through the Blood of Jesus.  We read in Romans 8:1 – No Condemnation!  Yet, I am fully aware that a Christian may and will face times of severe discipline and chastening in their lives.  God chastens those He loves and disciplines us for our good.  Our experience of Life and True Freedom is the desire of God!  It was a motivation for Jesus to go to the Cross and Die for us.  It is the revealed purpose of God’s Word.  We have the promise of the presence of the Spirit of God to enable us to become what God has desired and desires – – FREEDOM!

Each person is born with tremendous potential.  When we are born-again, through faith in Jesus, we have God’s spiritual gifts added to our natural talents and abilities.  Now God surrounds us with opportunity.  We are free to become all that God wants us to become.  We are Free to fulfill our potential to the Glory of God.  We are made or created in His Image.  He designed us to be Free!

In Christ, we have freedom from the guilt of sin.  Freedom from the punishment for sin.  Freedom from the Judgment of sin.  Freedom to walk in Christ and in the Spirit.  Freedom to overcome.  Freedom to become all that God desires us to be.  Freedom to develop our full potential and become manifestations of Jesus in this present world. 

The better we know and the more we become acquainted with our LORD, the more we grow to love Him and trust Him.  The more we love Him, the more we desire to please Him. The more we trust Him the more secure we are in our relationship with Him, with who we are, and with others.  We do not have to be able to see it all, we only have to see Him and believe that He can. When that happens, FEAR is gone!

Jesus said in John 8:51 – “If a man keeps My sayings, He shall never see death.”  We need to move from laying again the basic foundation for our faith.  We need to move from the kind of relationships that are filled with fear, worrying about every action, fearful that we will fail and displease God.  We need to move beyond the fear that He will reject us. We need to move into a relationship that is filled with Love and Trust. We need to honestly walk in all the light that we have.  Jesus said in John 8:36 – “If the Son, therefore, shall make you free, you shall be free indeed.”

My word of encouragement is BE FREE!  Jesus has never failed, will never fail, and will never forsake us. 

God bless you as you enjoy this day in Him!

John 8:36 – “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed!”  TLV

Last time we discussed the first warning regarding False Freedom.  It is dangerous because of where it comes from, its source.  Today I want to move into the next warning and hopefully, it will provide you ammunition to war against the heresies of the False Teachers and enjoy deliverance from that bondage and help others get free and stay free.

FALSE FREEDOM IS DANGEROUS BECAUSE OF WHAT IT OFFERS. 

False Freedom offers Freedom without Responsibility or Accountability.  That is incredibly dangerous and destructive.  Anything that affords freedom without adding to self-control and commitment to God leads into bondage and is destructive.  With every privilege and liberty, there is added responsibility and accountability. 

The Prodigal Son is a prime example.  He wanted freedom but not the responsibility or the requirement of stewardship.  There can be no true freedom without responsibility and accountability.  Some have called it ‘unearned freedom’.  In Jesus, we do not earn our freedom.  In the Garden of Eden, the devil offered Adam and Eve freedom without accountability or responsibility.  Why should, you listen to God? Has God said?  God is trying to keep something good from you.  He suggested that they should exercise their freedom aside from God.  He suggested that they could get away with it.  [Genesis 3:1, 4-5].  Always beware of the offer of freedom without accountability and responsibility.

It offers Freedom without Reckoning.  This is the suggestion that there will be no judgment.  Some claim to be Christians who insist there is no hell, no judgment because God is Love and would never allow anyone to endure eternal hell or judgment.   I have people tell me, “After all, we live by grace, don’t we?  We are saved by grace, and we are not under the law.  Therefore, we can live any way we please without restrictions or accountability.”

I feel compelled to remind everyone of the words of Romans 6:1-2 – “What shall we say then?  Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?  God forbid.”  Genuine Freedom is not having to worry about judgment because we have a relationship with God, and He has and is dealing with our want to.  He is transforming us!

It also offers Freedom without Repercussions.  False Grace leads to False Freedom, and that demands a day of reckoning.  Freedom without responsibility and accountability is a delusion.  The Bible informs us that it is appointed to humans that we will all die and then stand before God giving an account of our lives. 

The idea of No Consequences is foreign to the Holiness of God and the Love of God.  That violates every law and precept of nature and God.  There are repercussions when we violate or ignore natural laws, such as gravity.  Likewise, there are repercussions when we violate spiritual laws.  Romans 6:23 informs us that “The wages of sin is death.”  Ezekiel 18:4 declares, “The soul that sins, it shall die.” 

I shudder to think of anyone who deliberately, repeatedly, and willingly practices a lifestyle of sin and rebellion against God and His precepts.  In my mind, and God is the judge, they are demonstrating that they have never experienced the New Birth.  Jesus offers genuine freedom!

False Freedom offers Freedom without Recession.  The idea that this world and people are getting better all the time is fallacious and delusional. It demands we ignore reality.  A life of sin does not get better, it makes life worse in virtually every respect.  The guilt continues and increases, the pain never subsides, and the suffering is prevalent.

Believers experience difficulties in life but we have the constant assurance that Jesus not only loves us but completely understands us and our situation.  Life, in Jesus, can and does get better and better, if we completely surrender our lives to Him. 

I want to deal with the reality that False Freedom is Dangerous because of where it leads in the next session.  Until then, allow the Freedom that is in Christ to flood your hearts and the Peace that is His envelope you giving you perfect Shalom.

God bless you!

John 8:36 – “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed!”  TLV

Last time we identified that False Teachers target immature believers or new Christians.  We mentioned that there are three specific reasons this freedom is dangerous and destructive.

False Freedom is Dangerous Because of Where it Comes From…

False Freedom comes from false teachers having been birthed in the pit of hell.  Wherever you find the true you also find the false.  Where you find the genuine you find the counterfeit.  False teachers are not a 21^st-century phenomenon.  They have been around throughout the ages.  They simply become more sophisticated in their methods and message.

False teachers claim to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ.  They claim to have a new revelation in Scripture or insist that the Bible is not a valid guide for our faith and practice.  They claim to believe that the Bible is the word of God, but often suggest that their interpretation supersedes the old thought and theological conclusions.  They often twist the Scripture making it conform with their doctrine rather than forming their doctrine on the Word of God.  Their message and method result in spiritual bondage, deception, and delusion.

Peter was clear in his declaration and description.  In verse 1, he identified that they secretly introduce destructive heresies and work in an underhanded fashion.  They never, like Paul, check with other mature believers and ministers to verify their doctrines.  In verse 10, he reveals that the false teachers despise authority.  They are Proud!  They project the idea that they are the only ones with The TRUTH and that becomes incredibly dangerous and divisive.  In verse 3, Peter tells us they used Feigned Words.  The Greek word translated feigned is “Plastos” the word from which we get the English word Plastic.

What are Plastic words?  They are words that can be twisted and shaped to mean anything.  The false teachers use our vocabulary but not our dictionary.  When we talk about freedom, salvation, or sin, we use the biblical definition.  The false teachers do not define them in the same way or with the same meaning.  They use plastic words.

Notice in verse 3, they exploit or make merchandise of the hearer.  They are out for what is in it for them.  That may be money, fame, notoriety, or control.  In verses 14 and 18 we discover that they entice people.  The underlying motive in their actions and organizations is monetary, political, or control.  It is Power and Dollars!

They promote their lies to make merchandise of young immature Christians.  In verse 17, Peter compared them to springs without water and mists driven by a storm.  They are wells without water and clouds that produce no rain.  In verse 13, Peter calls them blots, blemishes, or spots in our love feasts.  They pretend to be godly but use religion as a means of making money, amassing power, and gaining control.  They are Religious Racketeers!  They offer lofty ideals that are nothing more than tinkling cymbals and rain on a tin roof.

The Warning is Clear.  We are to beware of false freedom because of where it originates.  It comes from false teachers who despise the authority of the Word of God.  They defile and deceive immature followers.  They lead back into depravity.  Jesus taught that the Holy Spirit would teach – Truth, Call Attention to Jesus the Messiah, and Validate the Scriptures.  Anything other than that is to be distrusted and avoided.

I want to pick up on warning number two in the next session, but until then I pray you will experience the Holy Spirit developing your ability to discern the truth.

God bless you as you enjoy this wonderful day in Jesus!

John 8:36 – “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed!”  TLV

Christian Freedom can be identified as: “A Life Controlled by Truth and Motivated by Love.”  It is the result of a growing and developing a relationship with Jesus Christ, who is Truth, with the Word of God, and with the Holy Spirit of God, who is the Spirit of Truth.  This is a most wonderful position to be in.  It is a life of tremendous liberty and carries the absence of guilt and condemnation.  It is a perfect relationship enabling us to have continued growth and development.

Even though this wonderful freedom is available in Jesus, there is also false freedom that must be avoided.  This false freedom exists, and, unfortunately, some believers are entrapped by its delusion and deception.  This false freedom does not come from heaven but from the pits of hell.  Those who practice this illusional freedom are not free but are in bondage of the worst kind.  They live a life that is dominated and controlled by lies and motivated by covetousness and lust.  This is the exact opposite of the freedom that Jesus brings.

Before we can delve into the needed examination of this subject, we need to be reminded of some truths that are foundational for understanding True and False Freedom.  God’s Purpose for Man is Freedom!  God’s Method for Freedom is Truth!  God’s Revelation of Truth is Jesus Christ!  We have addressed these in the past and will again in the near future.

It is or should be the objective and goal of every believer to live in this Freedom which is afforded through a personal relationship with Jesus.  It is experiencing the Freedom to be all God would have us be.  It is the Freedom to live without condemnation and guilt over past sins and shortcomings.  It is Freedom from man-made traditions which have no foundation in the Word of God.  It is the Freedom to accept our responsibility in this world and demonstrate and manifest Christlikeness in our every day activities. 

The False Freedom of which I speak is detailed in 2 Peter 2.  In verses 1-3 we read, “But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you. They will secretly bring in destructive heresies. They will even deny the Master who bought them—bringing swift destruction upon themselves. ² Many will follow their immoral ways, and as a result, the way of the truth will be maligned. ³ In their greed they will exploit you with false words. Their judgment from long ago is not idle, and their destruction does not slumber.”

            It is beneficial that we consider the words of verses 17-22, “These people are springs without water and mists driven by a storm. The gloom of utter darkness has been reserved for them. ¹⁸ For by mouthing grandiosities that amount to nothing, they entice in sensual fleshly passions those who are barely escaping from those who live in error. ¹⁹ They promise them freedom while they themselves are slaves of corruption—for a person is a slave to whatever has overcome him. ²⁰ For if—after escaping the world’s pollutions through the knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Yeshua the Messiah—they again become entangled in these things and are overcome, the end for them has become worse than the beginning. ²¹ For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than after learning about it, to turn back from the holy commandment passed on to them. ²² What has happened to them confirms the truth of the proverb, “A dog returns to its vomit,” and “A scrubbed pig heads right back into the mud.”

I desire to guard against being negative in my exhortation.  I want to prevent a fatalistic attitude outlook from arising.  But I need to note some specifics.  Obviously, the picture painted thus far in the words of 2 Peter 2 is not a pretty one.  Yet, it contains things vital to be considered and some specific warnings to be observed.

FALSE TEACHERS TARGET IMMATURE CHRISTIANS.

In verse 18 – “For by mouthing grandiosities that amount to nothing, they entice in sensual fleshly passions those who are barely escaping from those who live in error.”  The KJV states it as, “For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error.” 

The primary target of False Teachers is New Believers.  They seek to lead them into false freedom that becomes bondage and a means of control.  There are some specific reasons why this false freedom is dangerous for the believer. 

We will deal with that in the next devotional.

God bless you as you pursue the Freedom that is in Christ Jesus and come to know and obey the truth and thereby enjoy God’s True Freedom!

1 Corinthians 13:1-8 – “If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing.  4 Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, 5 does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, 6 does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.  8 Love never fails…” NASB

The most important thing in our Christian Life is LOVE!  Love for God and love toward our fellow man.  We may be the most eloquent of speakers, have the greatest insight, and manifest incredible gifts but without love, the Bible tells us we are nothing more than NOISE!  Some of the things Paul lists as having without having love seem almost impossible to me but I conclude that while he may not have been speaking literally but metaphorically, I will accept the idea that one might manifest these things and not have love.  In that case, that individual would be quite the show but nothing more than “rain on a tin barn.”  All foam and no beer, as a friend mine likes to say. 

I know some people who are incredibly generous and truly orators but in private I know them to be lacking greatly in the arena of Love both for God and man.  Paul tells us in verses four-eight something about LOVE!  It is patient, kind, not jealous, does not brag, is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly, is not self-centered, not provoked, does not harbor grudges, or rejoice in unrighteousness. 

Love seeks truth, bears burdens, believes in people and God, has hope, and endurance.  Then he tells us the most powerful thing of all – – LOVE NEVER FAILS!  I hear people talk about “falling in love” like love was a mud puddle.  Love is not something you “fall into” but something you make the choice and grow into.  I love my fellow man, not because I fell in love with them but because I love God, and loving God I make the choice to love my fellow man.

If you discover that you are deficient in any gift you once operated in or in an area of spirituality you believe you should have more proficiency in, check your Love Quotient!  How is your heart in that regard?  Turn to the LORD and ask Him to send forth the Love of God so that it is spread abroad in your heart and as it spreads “in” your heart it will “flow out of “ your heart into your life and touch others.

May God be with you as you go through this day!