Get In The Practice Of

So if the Son, Jesus Christ, sets you free, you will be free indeed.  John 8:36 NET

Freedom — everyone is obsessed with it. We hear it in the music we listen to, we see it in the action scene of a movie, and media sells us the idea of freedom to get us to buy way too many products. But do we truly know freedom?

When Jesus states, “You will know the truth and the truth will set you free,” what does that stir in your heart? Do we actually believe it? Do we live in this freedom?

Jesus Himself explained to Nicodemus that God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son so that whosoever believes on Him would not perish but have everlasting life.  Freedom.  Jesus was to be lifted up on the cross and His life-blood was to be shed for the sin of the world.  

So its not simply knowing about the historical facts of Christ's crucifixion that sets people free but rather our believing on the redeeming truth that Christ died for our sins, according to the Scripture, that He was buried and rose again according to the Scripture. It is knowing the truth as Jesus who is Truth that frees a person from bondage to sin - and when one is set free by grace through faith in Christ - one is truly free indeed.

When He was crucified, Jesus became the sacrificial lamb. Whoa. While we cannot possibly fathom the magnificence of such sacrifice, That fact should bring us to our knees in humble, raw, gratitude. 

What’s more, the freedom given by Jesus isn’t just for a select group of people, it is for ALL of humanity. It is for you, for me, our neighbour and those we don’t understand or even get along with.  

Salvation is for anyone who chooses to accept that Jesus Christ is the risen Saviour, believing that Jesus was crucified on the cross, and conquering death rose again three days later. 

Psalms 118:24 NET This is the day the LORD has brought about. We will be happy and rejoice in it.

These days filled with seemingly mundane tasks and these are the everyday moments where we meet with Jesus.  Seek His Face throughout this day that He has made. God has carefully prepared it for each of us—with tender attention to every detail. He wants us to rejoice and be glad in it.

Psalms 100:3 NET Acknowledge that the LORD is God! He made us and we belong to Him; we are His people, the sheep of His pasture. 

Search for signs of God’s loving Presence as we journey along this path of Life. Look for the little reminders He has strewn alongside our pathway—sometimes in surprising places—and thank our a Heavenly Father for each one. 

Psalms 16:11 NET You lead me in the path of life; I experience absolute joy in Your presence; You always give me sheer delight.

So really, summed up, our thankfulness will keep us close to Jesus and help us find Joy in the journey, not only the destination. 

Wow! Amazing grace! These words are spoken promises of God and can light up our life. Since Jesus Christ is always with us, the Joy of His Presence is continually accessible to anyone who seeks Him. We can open up to the Lord’s Presence through our trust in Him, our love for Him. 

Psalms 21:6 NET For You grant him lasting blessings; You give him great joy by allowing him into Your presence. 

Get in the practice of declaring “Jesus, You are my Joy.” He will shine upon you and within you as you rejoice in Him, our risen Savior.  

Hebrews 12:2 NET keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith. For the joy set out for Him, He endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken His seat at the right hand of the throne of God. 

For a moment lets think back, look at all He has done for us and all that He is to us! Let’s pivot our stance, eyes fixed on God, it will lift us up above our circumstances.

When we Become followers of Jesus, He empowers us to rise above the conditions in our life. He fills us with Holy Spirit, who has limitless power. 

John 14:3 NET And if I go and make ready a place for you, I will come again and take you to be with Me, so that where I am you may be too. 

Jesus promises that He will come back and take those, who believe in His life, death and resurrection, to be with Hm in heaven—that we may be where He is forever. Whenever the world is looking dark, we will brighten our perspective by focusing on Him. 

Philippians 4:4-6 NET Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I say, rejoice! Let everyone see your gentleness. The Lord is near! Do not be anxious about anything. Instead, in every situation, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, tell your requests to God.

Friends, He is our Strength. It is vital to keep our Joy alive, especially when we are in the throes of adversity. Whenever we are struggling with difficulties, we need to guard our thoughts and spoken words carefully. If we focus too much on all the things that are wrong, we will become increasingly discouraged—and our strength will be sapped. 

As soon as you realize what is happening, stop this hurtful process immediately. Holy Spirit is waiting, He offers us His peace offering “Turn to Me, asking Me to help you with all your struggles” 

2 Corinthians 1:3-4 NET Blessed is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles so that we may be able to comfort those experiencing any trouble with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

Take time to praise God: Speak or sing words of worship. We can turn to the Bible, read scriptures that help us rejoice in the Lord.

Remember that your problems are temporary but He is eternal—and so is our relationship with Jesus. As we find Joy in God, delighting in His unfailing Love for us, our strength will increase. This is the Joy of the Lord, which is yours and mine for all time and throughout eternity!

Holy Spirit, our joy filled, wisdom providing comfort—brings Joy to our weary souls. When anxiety is welling up within, come to the foot of the cross and pour out your heart. God is waiting, He is listening. Then sit quietly in His Presence while He comforts you, helping you see things from His perspective.  

Jesus reminds us of our heavenly destination, for we are indeed on our way to Glory! This is not our forever home.  Pray, allow our Heavenly Father to infuse His Joy and Peace into our hearts, minds, and souls.

When we are joy-filled in the Spirit the way we view the world around us changes. Even though we see much darkness, we can also see the Light of Jesus Presence continuing to shine. Moreover, the Joy in our soul gives us buoyancy, enabling us to rise above the countless problems in life.  

Once we have gained this perspective, we discover that we can comfort others in the midst of their troubles! What a blessing to our hungry hearts! That we can in turn shine His light over dry bones!  Hallelujah!