Freedom & Liberty: Only through Jesus Christ

Luke 4:18-19

Amplified Bible (AMP)

¹⁸ The Spirit of the Lord [is] upon Me, because He has anointed Me [the Anointed One, the Messiah] to preach the good news (the Gospel) to the poor; He has sent Me to announce release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to send forth as delivered those who are oppressed [who are downtrodden, bruised, crushed, and broken down by calamity],

¹⁹ To proclaim the accepted and acceptable year of the Lord [the day ^[a]when salvation and the free favors of God profusely abound].

(Additional reference: Isaiah 61)

The message of this verse resonates throughout the entire Bible: Freedom & Liberty. After having celebrated Independence Day, I know that the only way we are truly free is through Jesus Christ. “What does it mean to be free?” some may ask, while others question, “What does it really feel like?” In my own words, freedom is simply resting in the finished work on the Cross.

Many have challenging situations or financial hardships in life, while others appear to have it all together born with a “silver spoon” in their mouths. Some battle domestic violence while others may have a home filled with love and nurturing. No matter what the environment, we all have our crosses to bear and for some of us it may be a little heavier than the next person, but we must remember that to whom much is given, much is required (reference Luke 12:48).

One of the most beautiful accounts of freedom I’ve heard about came from a passage in the book Tortured for Christ written by Richard Wurmbrand. His experiences of being tortured in prison because of his faith in Jesus Christ epitomize the meaning of beauty for ashes. Although his body was beaten and forced to endure all kinds of cruelty, his faith was strengthened. He looked to the Lord where his help came from. Wurmbrand had to keep his mind on the Lord even as others cursed and ridiculed him. The battlefield is in the mind and we must keep our minds stayed on God, that’s the only way we are guaranteed peace.

As I continue my walk with the Lord, I pray that I recognize more opportunities to share the love of Christ with others and to let them know that freedom is available to us all, we just have to accept it by accepting Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.  ~Romans 10:9-10

What time is it?

“To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace,” Ecclesiastes 3:1-8, KJV.

There is a season for everything, a time for certain things to occur in our lives. It is no mistake that we live in this era, a time where freedom is enjoyed, a time where signs aren’t marked coloreds and whites, a time where prayer is taken out of schools, a time where freedom of religion is confused with acceptance of other religions, a time where faith in God and Jesus Christ is merged with the tolerance of Muhammad and Buddha. What time is it?

Many messages are delivered saying that this is your time to prosper, your time to get that job, or your time to get married. But is it everybody’s time? If you never had a down season, how would you appreciate the up season? If you never experienced the death of a loved one, how would you ever learn how to let go or even understand what that means? If you never had anything removed from your path, how would you know how to avoid greater pitfalls when they arose? If you never experienced the pain of crying, how would you know the pure essence of laughing? If you never kept silent, how would you be able to listen to others? If bad relationships never ended, how could you move on to build a good one?

It is not always everybody’s time to experience everything. There is a process that takes place. Think about it, if your parents expected you to go out and support yourself at two years old, you could not do it. It does not mean that you won’t be able to one day; it’s just not your time…yet. Just as we learn how to speak, walk, and use the restroom by ourselves, we must be taught by God in our spiritual walk. We are here for a time, each at different points on this journey called life.

There is a reason why we are in existence today, right now. There is a reason why Grandma and Granddaddy lived when they did. Their purposes were their own, now what are ours? And when we discover what that is, what are we going to do with the knowledge? Having the information without application produces a fruitless effort. Having a Bible on the shelf or on your nightstand means nothing if you never open and read the contents. And when reading, it still means nothing if you don’t hear the voice of God. “So faith comes by hearing [what is told], and what is heard comes by the preaching [of the message that came from the lips] of Christ (the Messiah Himself),” Romans 10:17, AMP. What time is it?

Is it time to sit back and rest? It is for somebody. Is it time to start a business? It is for someone. Is it time to search and seek God? It is for everybody. The only thing that I know in which has no particular season. In seeking Him, we find what He will have for us to do.

Additional Reference: John 7:6-8 (Jesus even displayed the importance of timing, shouldn’t we?)