Bondage and Liberty

Today's post is brought to you by Pastor Nick Willke. 

Chapter 13

“We are, however, continually tempted to forget that it is not what we do that is the vital matter but rather what we are. In Christ Jesus neither legal observances avail anything, nor the omission of legal observances, ‘but a new creature.’ God is a great deal more concerned about our really being ‘new creatures’ than about anything else. He knows that if we are right as to our inward being, we shall certainly do right as to our outward actions. We may, in fact, sometimes even do right without being right at all. But it is very evident that no doing of this kind has any vitality in it, nor is of any real account. The essential thing, therefore, is character; and doing is valuable only as it is an indication of being.” 

This is a powerful excerpt from our author here. To know who we are versus identifying with what we do is crucial in living a victorious walk with Christ. The book gives a great breakdown of law versus gospel. Galatians 3:24 is the heart of this idea. We are no longer bound by the law but by faith in Jesus Christ. The sooner we can comprehend and let this sink into our minds and hearts, the sooner we can begin to experience victory and progress in our maturity with Christ. 

“Sometimes I think that the whole secret of the Christian life that I have been trying to describe is revealed in the child relationship. Nothing more is needed than just to believe that God is as good a Father as the best ideal earthly father, and that the relationship of a Christian to Him is just the same as that of a child to its parent in this world. Children do not need to carry about in their own pockets the money for their support. If the father has plenty, that satisfies them, and is a great deal better than if it were in the child's own possession, since in that case it might get lost. In the same way it is not necessary for Christians to have all their spiritual possessions in their own keeping. It is far better that their riches should be stored up for them in Christ, and that when they want anything they should receive it direct from His hands. 'But of Him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption' (1 Corinthians 1:30). Apart from Him, we have nothing.” 

I can’t overstate this verse from 1 Corinthians enough, truly apart from Christ, we have nothing. All of our works are because of Him, and our lives are the vessels in which God chooses to work. He doesn’t have to use us; He chooses to out of His mercy and grace. All that is to say this, we have to believe that what God does for us is the best and all we need, this is the life of liberty. We do not have to strive but can soak in the presence of the Father as He guides, directs, and loves us. 

Thoughts and Questions for Interaction 

• How do you experience the freedom and liberty of Christ in your life? 

• Do you see yourself serving God as a response of obedience or a response of indebtedness? Which response is an expression of freedom and which is bondage?

• How can you daily experience freedom with God as a good Father in your life as His child?

Is God in Everything?

Today's entry was written by Karen Spurling. 

In this chapter, Hannah Whitall’s claim is simple but yet profound. Her answer to the question “Is God in everything?” is 

“Yes. To the children of God, everything comes directly from their Father’s hand, no matter who or what may have been the apparent agents. There are no second causes for them.” 

If we as believers desire to have a happy life, marked by peace and contentment, then we must recognize that God is present in every situation in our lives and nothing happens to us outside of His will. Whiteall cited an abundance of Scripture to demonstrate that creator God is in control of every sparrow, every king, every situation and certainly the lives of His children.

She also spent time addressing the mindset of “second causes” where trials and difficulties enter our lives because of other people. Whitall’s take on this matter is that even though second causes originates from man, even the sin of man, they are still under God’s control and 

“not one of them can touch us except with His knowledge and His permission.” 

Joseph’s life, as pointed out by Whitall was a perfect illustration of this truth. God used the evil actions of his brothers ultimately for Joseph’s good. This truth should bring us comfort to know that our lives are always in God’s hands. He can use all things for our good, even when those things may have originated from an evil source. So great is God’s power and His love and care for us.

Adopting the mindset and heartset that my life is totally in God’s hands and He is involved in the minutia of my life have practical implications. It can enable us to “live in the present moment” free from the worries of tomorrow. It helps us to be grateful for the presence of others in our lives, no matter how difficult they are, because we know that God is using those people to make us more like Him. Also when difficulties come into our lives, we can experience joy knowing that God is having His way in our lives and as a good Father He is working things out for our good. Isn’t it good to know when we surrender ourselves to His will we will always be on the winning side because His will is ultimately what will be accomplished. 

Thoughts and Questions for Interaction 

• How can our faith be derailed if we see the circumstances of our life being from man rather than God?

• Why is it important for you to believe “everything comes directly from the Father’s hands?

• Consider a situation you may be experiencing right now, how does it affect you to know that God is actively engaged in your circumstances?

The Empty Tomb Before Sunday

“Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!”... Now Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb.” John 20:1–2, 11

By and large we approach the empty tomb of Sunday morning with a rush to celebrate because of the benefits we have in a living Savior. However, prior to the sun breaking through the darkness of Sun- day morning, Mary’s grief continued and even increased because of the empty tomb. Today we live with the knowledge the tomb is empty, but the light of Sunday morning has not yet fully been real- ized. In John 16:20–21, Jesus taught us we would experience temporary sadness prior to permanent joy. Before we rush to celebrate Resurrection Sunday, is there a lesson from the empty tomb that we could consider prior to the next day’s sun rise?

Scripture teaches us our life will be a journey of sadness and gladness cradled in the certain hope of a beautiful future that sustains our joy. Our ultimate hope enables us to say along with Paul that we, “Rejoice in the Lord always. [We] will say it again: [We] Rejoice! ... The Lord is near” (Philippians 4:4–5). The empty tomb is proof for us our Savior is alive, and He is near presently; never leaving us. He is also imminently near, returning at any moment. However, in this fallen world we do experience pain that bring tears, mourning, and grief. The hope we have during those times of sadness motivates us to intentionally move toward Him and the picture He has given us of our future. It is in those move- ments that our sadness can be transformed into gladness.

Before the next morning sun rises, take time to grieve and look to the Lord for His help in prayer. Maybe you have a family member or close friend who has yet to put their faith in Christ; their lost- ness brings you sadness. Perhaps the condition of the world so full of division locally, nationally, and globally is causing your heart to ache. Or maybe your heart like mine is heavy for those we personal- ly know who are suffering from sickness and disease. All of these sad situations are only the way they are because the tomb is empty, and the King has yet to return in His full glory which will bend every knee and replace our temporary suffering with His eternal joy.

Today before the sun breaks forth on Sunday, join me in lamenting these temporary circumstances. Join me in moving toward Him in prayer as we ask for His salvation, peace, and healing that comes today and more fully in the beautiful future that awaits.

Prayer: Father God, Lord Jesus, indwelling Spirit break my heart for what breaks yours. As I cry out to you in joyful sadness, directt my thoughts towards the requests that are in line with your perfect will. Holy Spirit, bring to mind the empty tomb sadness so that I can minister to those in trouble before I celebrate the empty tomb gladness. I want to experience every bit of you today. Guide me. In your Son’s name—Jesus—Amen!

Difficulties Concerning Failure

Chapter 11 

Chapter eleven begins with a statement similar to what I was teaching in this past Sunday’s message (“It Is Finished” April 10, 2022).” You may remember me saying, “I’m going to get a little ‘nerdy’ on you this morning.” I then explained the present perfect tense of the verb used in the sixth statement of Christ from the cross. This verb tense communicates action having taken place in the past, being resolved in the present. Jesus crushing Satan’s head was an action beginning in the past (Genesis 3:20) and completed on the cross. Christian’s who place their faith in Christ’s finished work on the cross theoretically are empowered to live life sinlessly. 

This is what Hannah Whitall Smith was referencing when she wrote in the opening paragraph,

“The very title of this chapter may perhaps startle some. ‘Failures?’ they will say. ‘We thought there were no failures in this life of faith!’ To this I would answer that there ought not to be, and need not be; but, as a fact, there sometimes are, and we must deal with facts and not with theories.” 

Since Satan was defeated by Christ on the cross, sin should have no effect on those who place their faith in Jesus as Savior. The apostle Peter explains this beautiful biblical truth when he writes, 

“His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness” (2nd Peter 1:3, NIV). 

And the apostle Paul sheds light on the unfortunate fact that there is a battle raging against this beautiful truth when he writes, 

“If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us” (1st John 1:8). 

Friend—brother and sister in Christ—in my opinion this chapter is the most vital chapter to this point in the book for those looking for “success” measured by “happiness” in the Christian life. If you have or are struggling with doubt, discouragement or depression causing your spiritual life to come to a standstill, take the time to read and prayerfully consider this chapter. As the author points out, our temptation when faced with these spiritual obstacles is always to “lie down and be discouraged,” whereas God’s command to us is always get up and be sanctified! (Joshua 7:13). 

Get together with a Christian friend and talk about the potential we have been given in Christ. 

Thoughts and Questions for Interaction 

• Make a list of all the Old Testament Israelite characters you can think of who did not finish well because of sin. And then make a list of all the post resurrection New Testament followers of Christ who did not finish well because of sin. Why, do you believe, there are way more OT characters than NT characters that come to mind? 

• Pastor J has frequently said that conviction is the gentle voice of God encouraging you to do what is best for you. How does his advice to embrace conviction fit in with this chapter and the book’s theme of a Christian’s Happy Life? 

• Karen Spurling has often said that embracing conviction means turning away from unrighteousness towards righteousness. Every time we turn away from something we need to replace it with something we turn towards? What could the following people have turned towards to experience victory rather than defeat? 

Cain (Genesis 4:1–12)    

King Saul (1st Samuel 15) 

Samson (Judges 16) 

Rehoboam (1st Kings 12:1–17) 

Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5:1–11) 

• What would you counsel fellow believers struggling with the following sins to replace them with? 

Selfishness 

Materialism 

Sexual Immorality 

Bitterness 

Discontent 

Anger 

Laziness 

• Is there anything that is holding you back from finishing well today?

Difficulties Concerning Temptation

Today's edition was written by Pastor Nick Willke. Thank you brother! 

Chapter 10

“First of all, people seem to expect that after the soul has entered into rest in the Lord, temptations will cease. They think that the promised deliverance is to be not only from yielding to temptation, but even also from being tempted.”  

“Next, they make the mistake of looking upon temptation as sin, and of blaming themselves for suggestions of evil, even while they abhor them. This brings them into condemnation and discouragement. Discouragement, if continued in, always ends at last in actual sin. Sin makes an easy prey of a discouraged soul, so that we fall often from the very fear of having fallen.” 

Temptation is not sin, but like our author points out, it can easily discourage our souls when we are tempted. This discouragement can easily entangle us and lead to sin. I think to rephrase what the author is saying would sound like, “it is easy to think that when we become a Christian that our faith is going to be easy and our struggles will magically disappear.” When we put our faith and trust in Jesus, our life is on the trajectory of transformation. However, that does not mean that the world we live in changes—it will still be full of sin and temptation. The advantage we do experience in Christ is the proper tools and equipment to deal and live in a fallen world. 

Along with temptation can come discouragement. This, as our author points out, is how temptation can develop into sin. But one way we can combat this is with confidence that comes from the Spirit of God. That is why the Lord said so often to Joshua, "Be strong and of a good courage;" "Be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed;" "Only be thou strong and very courageous" (Joshua 1:9). And it is also the reason He says to us, "Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid" (John 14:27). We can have confidence in who God is, and who He is transforming and empowering us to be. It is important to recognize the difference between temptation and sin because we can then commit ourselves to the Lord for this victory. 

Thoughts and Questions for Interaction

• What are temptations that you face? 

• Is it possible that God is allowing these temptations to enter your life to grow your faith and trust in Him? If so, how so?

• What is stopping you from experience victory over temptation?

• Do you have others in your life with whom you share and battle these temptations?