The Sadness of Sin and the Freedom of Letting Go – Purity 1458
Purity 1458 09/23/2024 Purity 1458 Audio Podcast
Purity 1458 on YouTube:
Good morning,
Well, It’s Monday, and while I have to admit that the balloon festival provided the thrills of seeing the skies filled with colorful and creatively decorated balloons, any sense of inspiration or “freedom” that may have been experienced from partaking of the experience would be short-lived as the spectacle of the balloons displays was over in a matter of a couple of hours or so and it was compromised by the realization of the lack of freedom you had at the event as you were confined to the unshaded confines of an airport runway, the vendor displays offered nothing more than your typical county fair, perhaps with slightly inflated prices, and a significant portion of the multitudes gathered for the event seemed to be in obvious bondage to the world, flesh, of the devil. Cue The Doors’ “People are Strange” and imagine people afflicted with obesity, drug addiction, and sexual immorality and you’ll get the idea. Oh and add scores of naughty, spoiled, crying, or barely controlled children because “It’s fun for the whole family!”, if you want to know what to expect: a county fair for balloons.
Don’t get me wrong the balloons were cool to see and I even suppose that seeing it in person is an experience that you may want to add to your bucket list. I’m glad my wife suggested it, but now that it is done, I don’t necessarily have to do it again.
Unfortunately, walking in the Spirit makes you highly sensitive to the spiritual forces of darkness and the darkness of other people’s sins and bondage. When I go to a mass gathering like the balloon festival or a county fair, I am not angry or disgusted by the depths of depravity that are so commonplace and celebrated in our modern society as I am saddened or creeped out by it. When I see people in bondage to their sins and enamored with the entertainment of the world, I remember how I was blind and lost and come into touch with the truth that the vast majority of people in the world don’t know the truth about God, desperately need Jesus, and seem to be far from hope. When I see people in bondage, I thank God for setting me free but it makes me sad that so many are lost and will reject God and undoubtedly suffer greatly for doing so.
So I pray for the lost and petition the Lord with prayer to help them to follow Jesus and find their freedom. Likewise even among professing Christians, the bondage to sin and darkness can be great and so I pray for all of us who have found Jesus to continue to follow Him to discover the new abundant life of freedom that He has for us in all the areas of His life.
Recently, I have realized that I haven’t made progress with a couple of my battles – food addiction and obsessively purchasing media for myself – like I wanted to but have been moved by the Holy Spirit to repent and to start a “cultural revolution” of sorts with how I operate in those areas. I feel the conviction to press in and make a change and right now I believe that letting go and letting God in these areas has the potential to make a major breakthrough in these areas and so I begin this work week with the enthusiasm of knowing I am headed in the right direction and the Lord is with me.
Freedom of Letting Go
Today’s InTouch with Dr. Charles Staley devotional speaks about the freedom that comes from letting go and I am sharing it on the blog today to encourage all of us to trust God to help us to find new freedom in our lives.
“Our heavenly Father is interested in every detail of our life. If we want Him to work in a particular area—relationships, finances, vocation, habits, or something else—we must be willing to let go and give whatever He asks of us.
We may think we have no attachments that come between us and the Lord, but He knows our heart. Ask Him to guide you and help you come to a place of being able to say, “Lord, if that’s what You desire, I commit it to You. You have the right to claim it at any time, so it’s Yours right now.”
It’s difficult to be completely obedient if we’re holding on to something too tightly. The Lord wants us to be attached exclusively to Him. You may have multitudes of things that God has blessed you with, but the moment any of it has a hold on you, His work in your life will be blocked. But when you open your hands, gripping nothing, the Holy Spirit’s power can flow unimpeded through you. Then you will be able to experience freedom.
Is there anything you feel you could never give up? Seriously consider whether it holds you captive (Romans 6:19-23). Release that relationship, possession, or situation to the Lord right now so He can give you the freedom you’ve been craving.” – Charles Stanley
Amen.
This message from Stanley strikes at the heart of what freedom is all about – surrender.
I go by M.T. Because I experienced freedom in letting go of all the things that held me in bondage. I emptied (MT’d) myself to be filled with the Holy Spirit in order to do His will and to finally let go of the things I was a slave to.
When we decide to follow the Lord the Holy Spirit leads us into all truth – exposing the things we should let go of. When we refuse, we quench the spirit. When we give it to God, we can be free.
As we continue walking with God, this process continues.
There is more to give to God and more freedom available to us all when we do.
Let The Holy Spirit show you the way to your next victory and tear down the walls to your next breakthrough.
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For those who want more evidence for Christianity than my simple encouragements provide, I offer apologist, Frank Turek’s website, https://crossexamined.org/ .
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Today’s Bible verse comes to us from “The Quick Scripture Reference for Counseling” By John G. Kruis.
( While Bible verses on various topics of Counseling can be found with a quick Google search, we encourage you to purchase this resource to support the late author’s work. (https://www.amazon.com/Quick-Scripture-Reference-Counseling-Kruis-ebook/dp/B00CIUJZT2?ref_=ast_author_dp )
This morning’s meditation verse comes from the section on the Forgiveness of Sins (God’s Forgiveness).
Acts 4:12 (ESV)
12 And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”
Today’s verse is the first of two passages of scripture that falls under the thirty-second point of our counseling reference guide resource’s section on the Forgiveness of Sins (God’s Forgiveness).
32. Jesus is the only one through whom one can be saved and enjoy the forgiveness of sins.
Today’s Bible verse reminds us of our power source – the one and only true Higher Power by which we can be forgiven, saved, and changed.
There is no other name by which we can be saved. It is in Christ alone, that I ever found the peace of forgiveness and the joy of life transformation. Unlike the self help efforts that can have a measure of success to make changes in the terra firma, Jesus gives us a new and eternal life. He takes away our guilt and shame through the forgiveness of our sins and gives us the Holy Spirit to lead us into more truth and holiness.
So if you don’t know Jesus, say a prayer to have God reveal the truth to you and if you see how He is unlike anyone else and how His life has impacted the entire world -because He is the Son of God and God the Son, put your faith in Him as Lord and Savior and experience for yourself the forgiveness and new life that comes from Him alone.
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As always, I invite all to go to mt4christ.com where I always share insights from prominent Christian theologians and counselors to assist my brothers and sisters in Christ with their walk.
Today we continue sharing from “According to Your Word: Morning and Evening Through the New Testament” By Stephen F. Olford – A Collection of Devotional Journals: 1940-1941.
As always, I share this information for educational purposes and encourage you all to purchase Olford’s books for your own private study and to support his work. This resource is available online for less than $10 at many sites.
MORNING READING: HEBREWS 13
“The Lord is my helper; I will not fear.” – Hebrews 13:6
What an encouraging verse this is! Solomon says, “The fear of man brings a snare” (Prov. 29:25). How true this is! Bondage to men because of fear is one of the greatest snares in a Christian’s life. But this need not be if the heart is in the experience of this verse: “The Lord is my helper, I will not fear. What can man do to me?” (Heb. 13:6).
O, that I may enter into the practical experience of this verse; that I may be delivered from the fear of man. It would almost seem that Timothy suffered from the same things, for Paul writes to him, “Stir up the gift of God… . For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord” (2 Tim. 1:6-8).
The Lord is my Helper.[1]
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“The views, opinions, and commentary of this publication are those of the author, M.T. Clark, only, and do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of any of the photographers, artists, ministries, or other authors of the other works that may be included in this publication, and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of any entities the author may represent.”
Encouragement for the Path of Christian Discipleship
[1] Stephen Olford and Heather Olford, According to Your Word: Morning and Evening Through the New Testament, A Collection of Devotional Journals 1940-1941 (Nashville, TN: B&H Books, 2008).
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