Freedom

Lisa and Gambling

Addiction is a powerful bondage that binds us to the sins of the world. It is an evil spirit that is sent by Satan into our lives to deceive us and destroy our lives ever so slowly. It is like a long, long line that he has hooked us with and is ever so slowly reeling us closer and closer. When you get close enough he has you in his grasp forever. All the fun that you thought you were having along the way is over and you live a life of hell.

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Our Motivation for Freedom

Americans are, if nothing else, individualists. It’s difficult for us to understand the concept of “corporate” or “group” because our country was founded on the idea of the individual going forth and conquering to achieve his goals. Other cultures are not so individualistically minded, but work together over long periods for the corporate good. But ultimately every sinner (meaning every human being) struggles with the idea of stepping back and allowing someone else to achieve, to have, to succeed.

Father God deals with us both corporately and individually; Christ died for us both corporately (the elect) and individually (the sinner). And the Spirit is concerned with how we interact, individuals, with each other, the group.

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Freedom From Bondage

Today is the day we celebrate our nation’s freedom yet there are so many people who are still in bondage. They are in bondage to schedules, deadlines, television, sports, alcohol, drugs, sex, profanity, and all the other things that come before Jesus and keep them from serving Him and spending time with Him as He has commanded us to do. He has told us that we should have no other gods before Him. However all too often we allow things that will one day mean nothing come before Him and our service to Him.

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The Runner’s Bible Devotional

In the early A.A. days, the days of the Alcoholics Anonymous Christian Fellowship that Bill W. and Dr. Bob founded in June of 1935, morning quiet time, the use of daily devotionals, and looking to God for guidance were required. These were the Christian A.A. days. Basic solutions to the problems of A.A. members were drawn from the Bible. And morning quiet time—Bible study, prayer, seeking God’s guidance, discussion, and the use of devotionals—was the tool used to get in touch with God, thank Him, ask Him, and believe Him.

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I Confess My Sins. Why Don’t They Go Away?

It seems like I am always confessing my sins and yet they never go away. What am I doing wrong?

This is a really loaded question, especially since we are not perfect individuals and we are all sinners. We will always have sin in our life and we will sin. But this certainly doesn’t mean that some of us are not good people. It means that we don’t understand the logistics of sin and how it all works in our life.

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What is Jesus Asking You to Quit?

What do you think Jesus wants you to do?

I’m not thinking of specific choices like whether to have pizza or turkey for lunch (I don’t think He cares). But in terms of overall life choices and directions, what do you think He wants? There are probably a lot of answers to that question, but I’m thinking of one right now that I’ll bet nobody else mentioned.

I think He wants me to quit. (It’s okay if you’re surprised.)

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30

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The Gospel – Key To Change

by Tim Keller

The Greek term “gospel” (ev-angelion) distinguished the Christian message from that of other religions. An ‘ev-angel’ was news of a great historical event, such as a victory in war or the ascension of a new king, that changed the listeners’ condition and required a response from the listener.So the gospel is news of what God has done to reach us.It is not advice about what we must do to reach God. What is this news? God has entered the world in Jesus Christ to achieve a salvation that we could not achieve for ourselves which now:

1) converts and transforms individuals, forming them into a new humanity, and eventually

2) will renew the whole world and all creation.

This is the ‘good news’—the gospel. And it is good news in three important ways.

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Why won’t my parents let me grow up and have more freedom?

Why won’t my parents let me grow up and have more freedom?

Growing up is very difficult—for both you and your parents. They remember a little bundle of joy that they held and nurtured as a baby and now they see a budding adult. These days, children face things and know about things that their parents would never have imagined at the same age. The teenagers of today look older, act older and want to be older than their counterparts did just 20 years ago. It is the desire of all Christian parents that their children know Christ at an early age and then walk with Him for the rest of their lives. They are called by God to work towards that end.

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