The Price of Freedom
There is a price for freedom! And Jesus paid that price for us! Jesus came to set the captive free, and it was the people struggling to accept Jesus based on what they knew already, and they rejected Him. Some people would rather be a slave than to be set free, they may not admit it, but it is true. We see people today that are running to socialism and communism because they don’t understand the price of freedom!
When a Harvard Business School professor talks with a student who was a Marxist economist, he is surprised as to what stood out to this student. “I had no idea how critical religion is to the functioning of democracy. The reason why democracy works is not because the government was designed to oversee what everybody does, but rather, democracy works, because most people, most of the time, voluntarily choose to obey the law.” Only a few short decades ago, people who did not identify themselves as Christians had a fear of God. Today, people who proclaim to be Christians do not live their lives as if there is a fear of God. Considering his student’s response, the Harvard professor asks himself, “As religion loses its influence over the lives of Americans, what will happen to our democracy?” He also points out, “If you take away religion, you can’t hire enough police.”
Without God and a fear of Him, democracy does not work! When God calls you, He is calling you out into the world to lead others to know Jesus. So many people would rather be institutionalized and stay in the confinement of their religious cell, while many are dying outside the walls. It is a difficult transition to walk outside these so-called walls and begin walking in alignment with the Commandments of God, going into all the world and making disciples. When we see one man’s transition from a life lived in the confinement of a cell, and into the freedoms of life, we can see how devastating this reality can be for some.
How many people are today killing themselves, rather than face the realities of their freedom? How many Christians would rather continue their life of sin rather than follow the Lord in the Great Commission? “95% of Christians will not win one person to the Lord.” Somehow Christians spend their entire life doing something other than what they are called to do. We must break outside of the institutionalized religion and become a doer of the Word! One way to learn to be a doer of the Word is to become a disciple of Jesus. You can start your discipleship journey today on Emmaus Road. We want to hear from you and what you think about today’s message. You can write to us at [email protected]. Greg and Steve shared in this segment.
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#WisdomMoments Consider the Ant
It is important that we get wisdom which in turn will help us to be successful! In this wisdom moment, we learn the importance of hard work.
“Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise! It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest. How long will you lie there, you sluggard? When will you get up from your sleep? A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest— and poverty will come on you like a thief and scarcity like an armed man.” Proverbs 6:6-11
It is amazing how much can be lost or gained in a generation. When you look at our current generation, you can see how many have lost a good work ethic looking for the easy way out. There is nothing wrong with working hard! Our work is one of the ways we can glorify God, and our work is not wasted when we do it unto His glory. We don’t want to be known as a sluggard because being idle and lazy is a dangerous place.
It is amazing how God asked us to look at the ant. We can get much wisdom from observing God’s creation! We must take time to look around us to see what we can learn from creation. The ant does what it is supposed to do without someone telling it what to do! We can be at a place like an ant, once we know our job where we can be self-managing, full of integrity, and get our job done. We are meant to add value to society not to sit around and do nothing.
As we work hard and earn our money, we must look to the future like the ant and be prepared for the seasons that are coming so that we are not surprised by the things to come, and because we are prepared we will be taken care of! Poverty will come on you if you do not jump into what God has called you to do! Let us take this wisdom to heart and work hard and glorify God through our work. We want to hear from you; you can write to us at [email protected]. Pat and John shared in this segment.
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