TOPIC: DONT REMAIN IN BONDAGE
MEMORISE:
Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.
Galatians 5:1
READ: Matthew 11:28-30
28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
MESSAGE
Years ago, a young man heard me preach on the importance of surrendering all to God, then came to me saying, "Daddy, I have surrendered all to God now." I smiled and responded, "Praise God! This means that we would be able to borrow your car because we want to go somewhere tomorrow for an assignment, and we had been wondering how we would transport ourselves." He replied, "Ha! Tomorrow is Monday and I must go to work." I said, "| know. We just want to borrow your car for one day." He then said, "Ha!" I smiled and said, "My son, we don't need your car. I just wanted you to know that you have not surrendered everything to God as you claimed."
Sometimes, what keeps people in bondage is their attachment to material things. If Jesus sets a fellow free from Satan and the bondage of sin, and the fellow still clings to the things of the world, he or she will remain in bondage even though Jesus has 'unlocked his or her cell’. Galatians 5:1 urges you to stand fast in the freedom Jesus has given you so that you will not become entangled again with the yoke of bondage. To receive freedom, all you have to do is come to Jesus, but remaining free is a huge responsibility that requires you to stand fast in your liberty.
In today's Bible reading, Jesus encouraged everyone who is experiencing bondage to bring their burdens to Him so He can give them rest. It is important to understand that God doesn't force liberty on people. This means that you must be willing to receive His freedom and stay in it. Anyone who loves the things of this world has chosen to remain in the devil's captivity because the love of the Father will not be in the fellow. Such a person cannot walk in liberty and cannot abide with God forever (1 John 2:15-17).
Beloved, there is no benefit at all from associating with the devil. The riches that the devil promises those who serve him keeps them in bondage and actually robs them of their soul, which is far more valuable than all the wealth in the world (Mark 8:36-37). You must be willing to let go of anything that keeps you in chains and cry out to God for deliverance. If you are currently experiencing bondage in any part of your life, I pray that the Lord will deliver you by His mighty power, in Jesus' name.
KEY POINT
Those who love the things of the world cannot walk in God's liberty.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Job 9-12
AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A ADEBOYE
HYMN 23: All to Jesus I surrender
1 All to Jesus I surrender,
All to Him I freely give;
I will ever love and trust Him,
In His presence daily live.
Chorus:
I surrender all, I surrender all;
All to Thee, my blessed Savior,
I surrender all.
2 All to Jesus I surrender,
Humbly at His feet I bow,
Worldly pleasures all forsaken;
Take me, Jesus, take me now.
3 All to Jesus I surrender,
Make me, Savior, wholly Thine;
Let me feel Thy Holy Spirit,
Truly know that Thou art mine.
4 All to Jesus I surrender,
Lord, I give myself to Thee;
Fill me with Thy love and power,
Let Thy blessing fall on me.
5 All to Jesus I surrender,
Now I feel the sacred flame.
Oh, the joy of full salvation!
Glory, glory to His name!
Comments
Post a Comment