Saturday, March 18, 2017

Freedom!


Recently, Rick Warren had a devotional that identified four areas where people tend to have fears or hang-ups: Guilt, Worry, Bitterness, and Death.  Each of these leads to a place that keeps us from experiencing the abundant life Jesus promised and from knowing His freedom. Let’s explore how we can have the freedom God would have us know.

John 8:36
“So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed”

Things to think about:
Dictionary definition of each word:
·      Guilt – a feeling of responsibility or remorse for some offense, crime, or wrong
·      Worry – to torment oneself with or suffer from disturbing thoughts
·      Bitterness – intense antagonism or hostility
·      Death – the end of life

·      Which of these LEAST affects you?
o   Why did you pick this one?
o   Jesus said, “If you know the truth, the truth will set you free.”
o   Find at least one Bible verse that sheds the light of the truth on to this issue
o   What does this verse say to you?
·      Which of these MOST affects you?
o   Why did you pick this one?
o   Jesus said, “If you know the truth, the truth will set you free.”
o   Find at least one Bible verse that sheds the light of truth on to this issue
o   What does this verse say to you?
·      What about the other two?
o   What would you say to someone who struggles with this?
o   What Bible verse would you offer them to allay their feelings?
·      The foundation for freedom is truth
o   What keeps us FROM the truth?
§  lies from the past, the enemy, lack of attention to Bible study and prayer, temptation
o   What keeps us IN the truth?
§  God’s Word, prayer, the Holy Spirit, community of believers, staying out of temptaion’s way
o   Let’s commit to be like the man in Matthew 7:24-27 who built his house on the rock:
§  “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.  The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”


1 comment:

  1. What keeps us IN the truth and what keeps us FROM the truthare both formative: IN-FORMation. When we allow what keeps us IN the truth to FORM our inside then we are building on solid ground. When we allow what keeps us FROM the truth to FORM us then we are building on very shaky ground. What most affects me is bitterness and I must allow truth to wash it away.

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