You were Called to be Free

"You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love." (Galatians 5:13)

God serves us as a shepherd. He does this because he loves us. In loving us, he has redeemed us from our slavery to sin. We are now free. As redeemed and called people, we still have a choice: use the freedom from sin to indulge ourselves, or serve others. God serves us. He wants us to serve others. Only then will we be experiencing the fullness that God has for us.

--Charlie

Saved through His Life

For if, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! (Romans 5:10)

This is good news for all of us.

Consider the following:

1. God’s work
2. Our response
3. Our assurance

The time sequence is quite clear here. We were born God’s enemies. We cannot help it, but we’re still responsible for the state we’re in. Prior to any interest we had in God (or even before any of us were born), God secured our reconciliation with him through the death of Jesus. Our belief affirms it. It does not secure it—that already happened. Our belief is a response to God’s work, not the means of it.

Any who have experienced God’s salvation know that, at some point—in a way you can’t explain, God got hold of you and you responded by belief, repentance, and following a new way of life. Those are all responses, not the means of salvation. This should encourage all of us. We were never part of the solution. And we are not now, either. It is God’s perfect work on the cross that saved us and continues to save us. We have nothing to add. Nothing can improve on it. Be assured that this work is already done, and Jesus wants you to rest in it.

--Charlie

On Tuesday, I remember that God is my Judge

And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: 'The words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God’s creation.

'I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see. Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.' (Revelation 3:14-22)

To this church, Jesus has nothing good to say. They are the most reprehensible of all the churches. Why? Because of wanton sin like some of the others? Because of idolatry? Or doctrinal error? No. Because they simply aren’t too committed to anything. Jesus even says it would be better if they were cold to the gospel. They are affluent, satisfied with their wealth, and think they are OK. Jesus says they are naked, poor, blind and pitiable. They sound like a good many churches today.

Are they hopeless? No. Jesus reminds them that he reproves and disciplines those he loves. He is giving them an opportunity to repent. But it will not be comfortable. It starts with using gold refined by fire. That may mean they have to embrace hard trials and service in order to see how self-reliant they have been—to get into situations where only Jesus is the answer. He’s knocking and waiting. But not forever.

How does this apply to you? Are you going through trials? If so, be thankful—they are signs of Jesus’ love so that you don’t become lukewarm. Are you like this church? Look for opportunities for Jesus to shake you up and awaken you to your need for him alone.

--Charlie

On Monday, I remember that God is my King and I am his ambassador.

^22(A) To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak.^(B) I have become all things to all people, that^(C) by all means I might save some.” (1 Corinthians 9:22)

1. God calls us to be his ambassadors in this world.

2. Our calling may require that we do or be whatever it takes to reach out to other people.

3. The point of our reaching out is that they might be saved like we have been.

God calls us. When we really understand that, we will see major shifts happening in our lives. As C.S. Lewis put it in Mere Christianity, we might see the changes happening as in a house getting some work done on it. Next thing we know, a whole room is getting demolished, then another. Then the house is getting rebuilt and is becoming quite a palace compared to what was there before.

What does becoming all things to all people mean? In Paul’s case, it meant a radical departure from his former way of life. The departure was up to God, not Paul. So, too, with us. God is calling. And he is waiting for our cooperation with the call. Follow—become his ambassadors in the circumstances where you find yourself right now. For the purpose that some might be saved by his gospel.

--Charlie

On Friday, I remember that God is my Father.

“¹⁷Therefore, if anyone is^(A) in Christ, he is^(B) a new creation.^[a](C) The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” (2 Corinthians 5:17)

This may seem to be an odd verse regarding God as Father. Here’s the connection:

1. God begins by making us new in Christ

2. God continues by purging us

3. God ends with our perfection

One way or another, all sinners need a rebirth. That’s how we become “in Christ”, a new creation. Some of us vividly know when and how that happened. Others do not, but certainly know that they call Christ their Lord and it doesn’t really matter how or when that happened. Meanwhile, we all remain sinners. God has work to do in us. But as our Father, he is doing his work with great care and love. We all have our old self lingering. We want things from God. We don’t want God to even be part of some areas of our life. We worry, fret, get depressed, discouraged—all because our lives are hard and often fail our desires and wants. God knows all of this. But his vision for us is perfect contentment. That love that Paul describes in 1 Corinthians 13. He wants us to be content with just him, and not his blessings. So, as a loving Father with this vision for us in mind, he may withhold blessings from us. They may be getting in the way. As long as you always stand beside a toddler holding him up, he’ll not try to walk on his own. As long as the blessings are there, we may not learn to love our Father for who he is.

Consider basking in the love of your Father in heaven today—regardless of your circumstances.

--Charlie

On Thursday, I remember that God is my Shepherd and Provider.

“1(A) He went away from there and came to(B) his hometown, and his disciples followed him. 2And(C) on the Sabbath he began to teach in the synagogue, and(D) many who heard him were astonished, saying, "Where did this man get these things? What is the wisdom given to him? How are such mighty works done by his hands? 3(E) Is not this(F) the carpenter, the son of Mary and(G) brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?" And(H) they took offense at him. 4And Jesus said to them, (I) "A prophet is not without honor, except in his hometown and among his relatives and in his own household." 5And(J) he could do no mighty work there, except that(K) he laid his hands on a few sick people and healed them. 6And(L) he marveled because of their unbelief.” (Mark 6:1-6)

“…And he could do no mighty work there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and healed them. And he marveled because of their unbelief.”

I see three points in this last statement:

1. Jesus is willing to provide.

2. We are not always willing to believe.

3. He will not necessarily break through stubborn unbelief.

Jesus is our shepherd and provider. In his lifetime, he demonstrated that time after time. But here, he encountered cynical unbelief. And because of that, he was *unable* to do much. His provisions for our lives always depend upon our faith. He chooses to provide only when we honor him and believe that he can. Our faith is often weak. We are sometimes distraught, terrified, despondent, or nearly at the end of our rope. He can break through any of that and provide at just the right moment. But outright rejection and cynicism—that seems to be something here that Jesus won’t abide.

Consider today that Jesus is a marvelous provider of any and every need you have. Guard against the cynicism and mockery that hardened these people and kept Jesus from showing his mercy towards them.

---Charlie

On Monday, I remember that God is my King and I am his ambassador.

12 I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and(S) hunger, abundance and(T) need. 13I can do all things(U) through him who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:12-13)

This struck me as an important ingredient in being a good and effective ambassador of God’s Kingdom: contentment. How can we be good ambassadors of our saving, loving God if we are worried about our income or preoccupied by our wealth? These are great problems, and Paul has shown us here that it’s important to not get distracted by them. God (our Shepherd, Father, Redeemer, Creator, eternal) is also our King. We can go through the day being preoccupied by his business without worry over how we will pay the rent. Or being so satisfied with our income that we lose urgency for his work. Contentment in all things is the foundation of effective discipleship.

--Charlie

On Thursday, I remember that God is my Shepherd.

1O God, save me by your(C) name,
and vindicate me by your might.
2O God,(D) hear my prayer;
give ear to the words of my mouth.

3(E) For(F) strangers[b] have risen against me;
ruthless men(G) seek my life; they do not set God before themselves. Selah

4 Behold,(H) God is my helper;
the Lord is the upholder of my life.
5 He will return the evil to my enemies;
in your(I) faithfulness(J) put an end to them.
6 With a freewill offering I will sacrifice to you;
I will give thanks to your name, O LORD,(K) for it is good.
7 For he has delivered me from every trouble,
and my eye has(L) looked in triumph on my enemies.” (Psalm 54)

1. In the middle of trouble, I can expect God to hear my call for help.

2. Before I see the answer, I can settle myself and be assured that God always helps me.

3. I can begin to thank God in anticipation of the help he will provide.

This is not how I normally act in the middle of trouble. I panic. I worry. I doubt. But here I see someone who is certainly troubled by something. But they are confident that God will help. They remember the pattern of God’s help in the past. And they already begin planning their thanksgiving to God for the help he will provide.

How many of us are in the middle of some trouble right now? Do you see God as the reliable helper he always is? Can you counter your emotions and fear with knowledge of this bigger-than-life God who will help?

Be comforted by this shepherding God we have on our side today.

--Charlie

On Tuesdays, I remember that God is my Judge.

12"And to the angel of the church in Pergamum write: 'The words of him who has(A) the sharp two-edged sword.

13"'I know where you dwell,(B) where Satan’s throne is. Yet you hold fast my name, and you did not(C) deny my faith[a] even in the days of Antipas(D) my faithful witness, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells. 14But I have a few things against you: you have some there who hold the teaching of(E) Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, so that they might(F) eat food sacrificed to idols and(G) practice sexual immorality. 15So also you have some who hold the teaching of(H) the Nicolaitans. 16Therefore repent. If not,(I) I will come to you soon and(J) war against them with(K) the sword of my mouth. 17(L) He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.(M) To the one who conquers I will give some of(N) the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, with(O) a new name written on the stone that no one knows except the one who receives it.'” (Revelation 2:12-17)

I am going through the judgments Jesus makes on the seven churches in Revelation. In this passage, I see a few things:

1. Some churches may live amongst considerable evil and temptation.

2. Some among us may be seduced by appealing aspects of evil.

3. We are to resist that evil and recognize the power of Satan behind it. If we fall, we must repent.

In Center city, we are surrounded by evil. We have temptations all around us. If we are not careful, we can easily be tempted to turn our affections from Jesus and each other. We can become cynical, disengaged, or wholly committed to pursuits that replace Jesus in our hearts and minds. The warning here is to be careful and resist. Jesus has a great reward for us, both now, and in the future.

-- Charlie

On Wednesday, I remember that God is my Redeemer.

16(R) Come and hear, all you who fear God,
and I will tell what he has done for my soul.
17I cried to him with my mouth,
and high praise was on[a] my tongue.[b]
18If I had(S) cherished iniquity in my heart,
(T) the Lord would not have listened.
19But truly(U) God has listened;
he has attended to the voice of my prayer.
20Blessed be God,
because he has not rejected my prayer
or removed his steadfast love from me!” (Psalm 66: 16-20)

1. I should want to tell other believers the good things God has done for my soul.

2. If I confess my sin to him, he will listen.

3. I can have confidence that God will not turn from me or stop loving me.

God hates sin and will not listen to any who hold on to it. But he always listens to those who are repenting from their sin. He hears our prayers, however weak our faith may seem. He never turns away from us. He is our redeemer.

--Charlie