ARE WE THERE YET?

What a relief, Lord, to come to the realization that I'm already dead.

There is nothing that can hurt me,

move me,

or shake me loose from my destiny

which is eternity with You.

I'm already there...mostly.

I know...

I'm still breathing;

I'm still enjoying good health;

I could have many years left here in this life.

I'm planning on that.

But in the deepest part of my existence

there is a reality that I'm learning to depend on.

I already died.

I'm covered with Your blood, Lord,

and as I stay close to You and remain under Your covering,

nothing that the world and Satan throw at me

can penetrate or do any real harm.

I'm free!

Yes, My child, you are free!  Life holds no real threat of disaster for you, for there is nothing you will face that is greater than death.  As My child you were in Me when I was crucified and, therefore, you died with Me.  You were also in Me when I rose from the dead, and you stand now in a place of new life as a new creation.

  Your feet are still tethered here to the earth, and as your earthly body ages, you feel the weight of decline approaching.  The real you, however, the inner you, is renewed and growing lighter.  You can look forward to a life that far surpasses anything you can hope or imagine.

You are already in possession of that life and can walk in it day by day, moment by moment, as you abide in Me.  Do not look at the things which are temporary and visible only to the earthly eye.  I give you eyes of faith to see the things that are eternal and beyond the limits of human sight.  You may walk with courage and strength even as your walk slows over time, for I am preparing you to take your place in eternity with Me.  At that time, all that is weak and mortal will be put aside, and everything will be LIFE!

Walk now in freedom, standing firm, living no longer for yourself or as a captive of sin and fear.  Live joyously as you use this freedom to love and serve Me and all those around you.  Let My death do its work in your heart and depend on the accomplished work of My cross.  Then lift your eyes to My empty tomb and see your present place seated with Me in My resurrected life and filled with My Spirit.  Rejoice and live well.  I have created you for nothing less.

Galatians 2:20; 2 Corinthians 5:17; 2 Corinthians 4:16-5:9; Ephesians 3:20-21;

Galatians 5:1,13; Romans 6:1-14; Romans 7:6

Freedom

It's Memorial Day, a day when we are all reminded of how expensive our freedom is.  It has cost the lives of millions of men and women over the centuries, and it continues to be costly today.

In terms of our salvation we know that freedom for us meant Christ's death on the cross...the ultimate price paid by the sinless Son of God.  There is another level of freedom we are meant to enjoy as God's beloved children.  We should be living lives that are free from the entangling grip of sin tripping us up in our daily lives.  We know how we should live, so we redouble our efforts and try harder.  We hopefully come to learn that our own efforts are worthless and we need to depend on Christ's life in us to live as we should. 

There is an example in the history of Israel of this kind of daily challenge to trust the Lord.  As the people were being led to their new promised land they were fully aware of the promises that God had set before them of a land of freedom and provision far greater than they had ever known.  Yet as soon as they experienced hardships of needing water and craving familiar foods, they're first reaction was to say, "Why did you bring us out of Egypt?"  They actually preferred to return to lives of slavery and bondage rather than adapt to changes in their appetites and comforts.

Are we so different?  We like what we like, and we want what we want.    We proclaim that we will follow Christ as He leads us into freedom, but when we are made uncomfortable we have a real decision to make.  It requires a strong faith that God's way is higher than ours and true surrender of our own agendas to follow Christ into all He has purchased for us.  We will only be able to lay ourselves aside moment by moment if we remember how great His love for us really is.