Saturday April 30, 2011

Read John 8:23-32

The TRUTH WILL SET YOU FREE. This verse has been greatly misused and abused by believers and non believers. Indeed, the American CIA office (which makes no claim to be Christian) has these words tiled on the floor in the foyer!

Contextually speaking we need to realise that the words were spoken by Christ to His disciples. In vs 31 Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples....” Notice the conditional ‘if’ in that verse. We are truly a disciple if we hold to Jesus’ teaching. Holding to Jesus’ teaching means agreeing with His teaching, believing it and somewhat more importantly, obeying it. We can never be a true disciple of Jesus if we constantly walk in wilful disobedience.  While we all sin and fall, wilful disobedience is a different matter altogether.

As we grow in our faith and mature in our walk with the Lord, He shows us more areas of our life that needs to be conformed to His will and His Word. what a blessing to know that Jesus will not leave us alone but will walk with us and work within us as we journey homeward. Some times that journey may be difficult and fraught with aches and pains. But be assured. God disciplines those He loves. He chastises everyone He accepts as a son.

As we journey with Jesus as a genuine disciple the truth will set us free. The truth will break the bondage and chains of sin. The truth will break the habitual sins that no program can break. The truth will set us free to love the Lord our God with our entire heart and soul and mind and strength.

Prayer:-

V  Pray that you will be set free to be a true and genuine disciple of Christ Jesus. Pray that you will see sin minimised in your life .Pray this for others in your congregation. Pray that God will bring healing and wholeness to those in the congregation who are suffering.

V Pray for the work of Straight Talk. Pray that Jim and Faye would be blessed in this ministry by seeing more students come to the Lord for salvation. Pray that God would continue to use them powerfully.

V Tomorrow you will gather for corporate worship. Pray that God would be among you powerfully and that He would do great things among you. Ask the Lord to bless the service, to draw people closer to Himself and to send forth His Word with power. Pray that the Word will achieve the Lord’s desired work and bring much  change into people’s lives.