Sentence Tuesday

We can't stop people from judging us, 

but we can live a life that won't instigate it. -Elaine Millar

[photo credit]

Lyrical Friday - Liberty

-

I care very little if I am judged by you or by any human court; 
indeed, I do not even judge myself. 1 Corinthians 4:3 
If the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed. John 8:36 
There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,  
who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit. Romans 8:1 
Even if we feel guilty, God is greater than our feelings, and he knows everything. 1 John 3:20 (nlt) 
For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all  things. 1 John 3:20 (nkjv) 

-

Liberty defined: "Freedom from external or foreign rule; independence. Freedom from control, interference, obligation, restriction,hampering conditions, etc.; power or right of doing, thinking,speaking, etc., according to choice. Freedom from captivity, confinement, or physical restraint." There is one thing that I know to be true after reading the definition of liberty, and that is that liberty is what the Lord desires for us. Jesus died so that we could be set free from the grip of Hell and sin. He yearns to set us free from our death sentence, the accusations of Satan, the disapproval of people, and the judgments towards ourselves. In His death, He took upon Himself our faults, our failures, our chains, our bondage our penalty. He didn't remain there. Death could not restrain Him for He is mightier than death. In His resurrection we have liberty from all that enslaves us. 

-

If we have been set free, why are so many Christians still living as though they are still confined, condemned, chained and bound? I believe we have been captives for so long, that our very identity has been lost and forgotten. When Jesus died and resurrected He did so to save our souls but also to redeem our identity. You are not junk. You are not a mistake. You are not the remains of your past. You are not your faults and failures. You are not a byproduct of society or upbringing. You are not the abuse you experienced. You are not damaged. You are not a lost case. You are not who you say you are. You are not what the world says you are. You are who God created you to be. You have been made with purpose. You are known by God from before the foundations of the earth. Your days have been fashioned before you. You are a child of God. You have a Father who loves you. You are the apple of His eye. You will be made whole because you have already been made new. You have been set free by the love of God, the life of Jesus and the work of the Holy Spirit. This is your identity. You no longer have to live as a prisoner, condemned and guilt stricken, but set free (even from your own judgement) by His Spirit. I pray that as you listen to and meditate on the lyrics of Liberty by Shane and Shane, that a new work would happen in your heart and mind. He rewrote your name (identity) and unshackled your shame (free to live). Allow Him to open your eyes to these truths. Go on, sing. 

-

Liberty, Shane and Shane (with Phil Wickham)

-
The Lord is the Spirit 
Where the Spirit of the Lord is, now 
There is liberty 
And the Spirit lives inside of me 
Where the Spirit of the Lord is, now 
There is liberty, there is liberty, 
There is liberty 
-
For freedom You set me free 
And yes, I am free indeed 
You rewrote my name 
And shackled my shame 
You opened my eyes to see 
I am free 
-
When the spirit of the world 
Comes to kill me and enslave me I will say 
There is liberty 
For the chains of sin that once entangled me 
Have been broken, now I'm singing 'cause I'm free 
There is liberty, there is liberty, 
There is liberty 
-
The storm rolled in 
It was dark in the land 
As the Son of Man 
Was crucified 
You don't take His life 
He laid it down 
He paid the price 
And shed His blood 
-
It is done! 
The veil is torn 
He has won 
And I am free 
And I am free 
And I am free 
I am free 

Flames from James

Don’t speak evil against each other, dear brothers and sisters. 
-
If you criticize and judge each other, then you are criticizing and judging God’s law. But your job is to obey the law, not to judge whether it applies to you. God alone, who gave the law, is the Judge. He alone has the power to save or to destroy. 

-
So what right do you have to judge your neighbor? James 4:11-12