Freedom

This morning is a particularly beautiful morning.  The sun is shining and there is a lovely breeze moving the air. I have opened the windows and let it all come in.  Maybe, just maybe, the air-conditioning days are coming to an end. The fresh air is revitalizing!

In Galatians 5:1 we are encouraged (and what encouragement it is!) to:

5 Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. Galatians 5:1

We are invited into wholesome liberty by Jesus Christ. It is through him that we have obtain the third part of our nature, the spirit of God. We are born with a body and a soul and God has provided this third dimension if we so choose accept it. It is a refreshing gentle wind that  can enliven, inspire and comfort us in any situation that arises. It is true freedom that is not burdened with ritual law or enslaving 'anything goes' mindset.

Bondage is oppressive, it weighs down our heart and darkens our vision.  God wants us to freely avail of all of his blessings:

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: Ephesians 1:3

The reason  the word 'places' is in italics in the King James Version is that it has been added by translators for flow in translation.  'Heavenly' is not referring to a geographical place on earth. It is referring to a place above the physical earth and, in this context, more specifically, God's spiritual realm.

Despite the fact that we cannot see a physical spiritual realm, we can see the effects of it in our hearts.  It like the wind. We cannot see the wind but we can see its action by the movement of things around us. Recognizing and utilizing our spiritual nature produces fruit in our lives:

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering(having a long fuse), gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
Galatians 5:22-23

These are all great things! Nobody is against having love, joy and peace emanating from our innermost being! This list is a list of fruit. Fruit is a product of growth. Peace, goodness and gentleness cannot be fabricated.  Spiritual righteousness comes from the heart.

9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. Romans 10:9-10

If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk(keep step) in the Spirit. Galatians 5:25

God is Good

Did God say in 1 John 4:19 that he loves us because we first loved him?  No! We love him because he first loved us. 'God so loved that he gave'. God is the giver of all givers. Every human being that has ever lived has been loved by God! (John 3:16). That is grace. Every human being also has had the free-will choice to love him back.  God is all good, there is no darkness in him at all. He is not the cause of all misfortune and problems in the world. That is the devil's work.

The adversary has assumed authority over people in this world (since Genesis 3) and he is the author of misery and pain. Adam and Eve opened the door for him to usurp authority from God.  God never cursed Adam and Eve over this, he just explained what would come as a result of listening and heeding to the wrong spirit. Things became more difficult because the devil was given a place in their world. God was not to blame for any of the consequences that resulted from having the devil take over.

The devil is not some horned red guy with a pitch fork. He is a fallen spirit being. His doctrines and influences are carried by words and thoughts. Sometimes he deceives with what sounds like lovely words at times; things that hit right to the heart of an unsuspecting victim. Deception is part of his programming. We should be vigilant in relying on our spiritual radar from God to discriminate between what is light and darkness. This is especially true when we come across the many memes and quotes on the internet that are virally moving through the various platforms of social media at top speed. I have to admit, I sometimes get taken in by some seemingly inspiring wisdom only later to honestly think about it to find it really wasn't godly.

At other times the devil pushes events of fear and chaos that are blatantly visible as his work.  Fear is coupled with chaos to cast to deflect blame. Blame is a top tier tool of the adversary. All the evil and dark things that have happened throughout history are not done by God. It may seem to look like that when one reads the Old Testament, but God does not steal, kill or destroy. The Old Testament believers didn't fully get who the devil was.  In John 10:10 in the New Testament God sent his son to reveal the adversary. The devil is openly visible in the New Testament and his actions are on a list of seven things (Rms 1:13,11;25, I Cor 10:1,12:1, 2 Cor 1:8,2:11, I Thess 14:13) in the word that God does not want us to be ignorant about.

The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. John 10:10

For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. I John 3:

God wants us to life a great life. He helps us navigate this world through the good and the bad. Everyday we are confronted with both. Somethings we may have to step through, step around or jump over, but He has given us plenty of resources for that in His Word through holy spirit and Jesus Christ.  God is a gracious God. His grace has been available to all.  We love him because of that and however imperfect we are, we have the joy of knowing he loves us. We can lovingly respond by heeding his Word and being thankful for all he has done for our lives. It is pure joy to use all the resources he has given us to really walk in his grace.