Freedom is Not Free

I would like to wish all readers a fun, safe Fourth of July. With that said, I also want to remind you that freedom is not free. The soldiers from many generations past and today have paid the ultimate price so that we may be free in America. As an American I am proud of our history, our country, and our President.

More importantly though, I am free as a Christian. Christ paid the ultimate price that I may be free from sin. He made himself a servant and took the wrath of God to set me free, words cannot describe the thankfulness and love that I have for my Savior.

Living in America is a blessing -- having a future residence in heaven is more of a blessing. It is easy in this great country to become complacent and lazy in our relationship with God. What should drive us to the Lord in thankfulness, often seperates us from the Lord as we fill our lives with distractions. We are easily seduced by the trappings of this world, we are not to have a convenient faith. We are not to have a faith that we call upon only in times of trouble, we are to have a livng, active, vibrant faith. We need to pick up our cross daily, that is the only way we can be a true living testimony - does your life represent that hope that is in you? Are you prepared to give a testimony of the hope that is in you? Do you have a current testimony of the things that God is doing in your life, or is the extent of your testimony your conversion experience?

I pray you would consider these questions and remember why we are set free by Christ.

Dead to Sin, Alive to God
Romans 6:1-11

6:1 What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? 3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.

5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. 6 We know that our old self [1] was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. 7 For one who has died has been set free [2] from sin. 8 Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9 We know that Christ being raised from the dead will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. 10 For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. 11 So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.

If you do not truly know Jesus Christ as your Savior click here.