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Freedom!

Thoughts of Freedom… I grew up “Free”. Freedom has always been a part of my life. Like other things, I grew accustomed to being free. It’s easy, at least to me. I am now a missionary in a “Free country”. I can freely preach, teach, and share the Gospel of Jesus Christ without thoughts of harassment.

Last night as we shared in a preaching service where over 80 heard the message, never once did I think about being arrested, persecuted, or harmed in any way. Freedom is a tremendous blessing that brings great responsibility. Freedom allows me to make my own way in life, it allows me to make my own mistakes and win my own battles; thus the conflict with Christianity. I as a Christian am, in reality, a slave of Jesus Christ. Paul summed it up in Galatians 1:10 For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.

Pleasing self or pleasing Christ, the fight for freedom starts and ends here. My freedom comes as I submit myself in slavery to Christ. Paradox? Yes. Reality? Again yes! Try teaching this concept to a new believer! It is not easy. Jesus realized this, after His hard sayings in John 6 when the multitudes abandoned Him. He turned to the twelve and said “…Will ye also go away? Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life” (6.67-68). With that statement Peter and the disciples abandoned their freedom, but became truly free.

Our people are slaves to various background difficulties, vices, habits. Working to help them realize true freedom in Christ is a great challenge, but one for which God is equipping us. Pray as we continue the Freedom Fight.

Happy Independence Day 2005 From all of us here in Sorocaba!

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