Last weekend our nation celebrated her 249th birthday, with parades and events designed to recognize and honor the liberty we enjoy in the greatest nation in the world, the good ol性视界传媒 USA.
Galatians 5:1 性视界传媒 性视界传媒淚t is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of bondage.性视界传媒
Our Creator is always waiting and willing to bring us back into right standing with Him. Jesus said in Matthew chapter 18 that He leaves the 99 to find the lost one and brings them back into the fold.
Revelation 3:15-16 NKJV: 性视界传媒淚 know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth.性视界传媒
I know that many reading this either knew my dad, Jim Greene, or knew of him. One of the most amazing and unique things that I can remember about my dad was how well he was known just simply by his voice. We could not go anywhere it seemed where he didn性视界传媒檛 know someone or wasn性视界传媒檛 recognized, mostly by his voice.
Matthew 7:26-27 性视界传媒淎nd every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.性视界传媒
Proverbs 1: 8-9 性视界传媒淢y son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother: For they shall be an ornament of grace unto thy head, and chains about thy neck.性视界传媒
Unfortunately in our culture, the idea of 性视界传媒渂elieving性视界传媒 or having 性视界传媒渇aith性视界传媒 lacks definition.聽聽For many having 性视界传媒渇aith性视界传媒 is some mystical sense of confidence that what is desired will come to pass if "my faith is strong enough." 聽The biblical concept of faith is one of 性视界传媒渢rust性视界传媒 or 性视界传媒渄ependence.性视界传媒澛犅燤erely acknowledging that something is true is the first step (intellectual accent), but it must be followed by depending on that truth (volitional trust).聽聽
As we approach that time of year again, a song that I remember hearing growing up continues to echo in my mind. The song is 性视界传媒淩emember Your Chains性视界传媒 by Steven Curtis Chapman. This song has absolutely nothing to do with graduation, but as it has played over and over in my head I realize that it can be applied to each of our lives as we look to turn the pages to a new chapter in our lives.
Repentance, reconciliation and renewal are three important elements in the Christian life. God性视界传媒檚 kindness draws us to Him, leading us to repent. Through repentance we become reconciled to God by the atoning blood of Jesus Christ. Once we are reconciled, the Holy Spirit works in us to renew our minds by the process of sanctification.