Freedom to Live in the Here and Now

Freedom to live in the Here and Now…

If I look at my past apart from the love and grace of Jesus Christ, I am condemned… I am free from all of the guilt, shame and condemnation because of the cross of Jesus Christ…. I am clean and holy, not because of anything that I have done or can do…. The cross of Christ has made me clean and forgiven as I stand before Almighty God…. I have faith in the cross of Christ to give me freedom from condemnation… If I ever feel guilty for any sin I know it is not from God…. I am also clean and holy because Holy God moved into my being and He makes me holy because of His presence…… God has given me His righteousness… God the Holy Spirit lives in me and makes me free from my past….. Christ lives in me and He loves me….. That Holy God that lives in me and loves me, loves you….. I am free to love you…..

If I look at my future apart from the love and grace of Jesus Christ…. Well, sorry I can’t see my future without Jesus Christ… But, if I could, it would be really bleak….. I am free from worrying about my future…. I will spend eternity with my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ…. Not only will spend eternity with Him, I get to spend every moment from here to eternity with the God who loves me…..

I get to spend the here and now with God the Holy Spirit in charge of my next moment…. One of the things that I have learned just recently is that I don’t need to protect myself from what is going to happen later… Let me explain…. I know that my pain is going to get really bad after I exercise or do something strenuous….. God has taught that I don’t need to worry about that…. I can go ahead and do what I can and let the future take care of itself….. I ride my bike for about an hour or so… There is some pain but it is easier than walking…. After I am through riding the pain gets really bad…. But If I don’t worry about the future pain I can go ahead and have fun riding….. It is okay that I have to take a while recovering from the pain….. I understand that I am going hurt anyway…. So it in not much different….

That is a small thing but it has helped me in many different aspects of ministry…. I don’t have to stop doing whatever I am doing….. If I am teaching or just spending time with someone I can keep going and rest later…. There is nothing in me that can stop Jesus Christ from accomplishing His will and His purpose in and through me….

John 8:36 So if the Son sets you free, you are truly free.

Galatians 5:1 So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don’t get tied up again in slavery to the law.

Galatians 5:16-26 16 So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. 17 The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions. 18 But when you are directed by the Spirit, you are not under obligation to the law of Moses.
19 When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, 21 envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.
22 But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!
24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. 25 Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives. 26 Let us not become conceited, or provoke one another, or be jealous of one another.

Philippians 4:4-13 Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice! 5 Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon. *
6 Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. 7 Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.
8 And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. 9 Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you.
Paul’s Thanks for Their Gifts
10 How I praise the Lord that you are concerned about me again. I know you have always been concerned for me, but you didn’t have the chance to help me. 11 Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. 12 I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. 13 For I can do everything through Christ,* who gives me strength.