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Have You Transferred Ownership?

22 May

contractPaul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God…
Romans 1:1

Paul uses some interesting language in this verse.  He calls himself a servant of Jesus Christ – literally a slave.  It’s interesting, because on various occasions Paul made a point of proving his freedom.

Once he was arrested and he asked the guard why he was being denied his right to a trial as a Roman citizen.  The guard explained that he, personally, had to buy his freedom.  Paul, on the other hand, said that he was born a free Roman citizen.

At that time, if you were born a slave, you were expected to be a slave forever – there was no escaping it.  Under Roman law, a slave could find out his “sale price” from his master.  Then, if he saved enough money, he could pay the buying price to and have the ownership transferred to one of the many Roman gods.  Then, as a slave to that god, could serve as a free man.

I believe this was in the back of Paul’s mind as he penned these words.  We are all born under slavery to sin.  That was our unfortunate lot for the rest of our lives.

Jesus Christ paid the “slave price” for us.  Now, just as Paul did, we need to transfer the ownership of our lives over to God.  As God’s slaves we can now serve as free citizens of the kingdom of Heaven.

We have to live under this knowledge if we are to have a fulfilling life in Christ.  We don’t own our lives.

Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.  And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death– even death on a cross!
Philippians 2:5-8

Christ, Himself, set the standard of living that we need to follow.  He said that He came to live a life of service.  That should be our attitude as well.

The Apostle Peter understood this truth.

Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God.
1 Peter 2:16

In the first verse above, Paul said that as a slave, he was called to be sent forth as an apostle.  Once we’ve transferred the ownership of our lives to God, our callings will open up to us.  We are now free to serve Him to the best of our ability.

Paul finished off the verse by saying that he was set apart to the Good News.  That literally means that we are set off by a boundary.  The Good News is our field of service.

This is the attitude that will push you to great things in the body of Christ.

Question: Have you transferred the ownership rights of your life to the Lord?

© Nick Zaccardi 2013

 
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Posted by on May 22, 2013 in Encouragement, The Gospel

 

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Independence Day – Thank God for Freedom

04 Jul

I love the Fourth of July.  It’s one of my favorite holidays.  Picnics with family, outdoor fun, not to mention fireworks at night.  Even more than that, I thank God for a nation where I’m granted the freedom to do all these things without fear.

Galatians 5:13
You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love.

We are called to be free.  Freedom is something that God wants for all humanity.  Unfortunately, what most people consider freedom is not the real thing.  Society thinks that freedom is the ability to do what I want, whenever I want.  Their opinion is that freedom means that I can feel good all of the time.

That’s a very selfish definition.  Freedom is not all about me.  Our founding fathers gave selflessly in the cause for freedom.  It was definitely not about their personal good, but the betterment of all that drove them to resist the most powerful nation on earth at that time.  Many lost their lives to win this precious gift for us.

There are still those in the armed forces and public safety positions that lay their lives on the line each day, so that we can continue to live free.  Freedom is more of a responsibility than a pleasure.  I have to put as much into it as I receive from it.

That is what Paul was trying to tell us in the verse above.  Freedom is not all about indulging my every desire, but the ability to serve one another unhindered.  We need to listen to his exhortation.  As believers, we have not only been blessed with our spiritual freedom in Christ, but our physical freedom in the USA.

Let’s live out that freedom responsibly.  Not in the granting of our every desire, but in seeking the blessing of all through a life of service.  Live free.  Be a blessing to all  those around you.  And thank God for the freedom we share.

 
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Posted by on July 4, 2012 in Daily Thoughts

 

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The Guidance of God

20 May

Exodus 13:20-22
After leaving Succoth they camped at Etham on the edge of the desert.  By day the LORD went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night.  Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its place in front of the people.

God was everything that Israel needed in the desert.  By day He was a pillar of cloud to shield them from the desert sun.  By night He was a pillar of blazing fire to warm them in the cold night air.  But even more than that – night or day – they could see God clearly and follow the path He was marking out for them.

God will go before us in our lives as well, if we let Him.  Our job is to look for the signs of His guidance.  He wants to make the path clear before us.  Even when we go through dark times – when it seems that we can’t go on, He will make a way for us to come through victoriously.

As drivers, many of us put our complete trust in the GPS receiver on our dashboards.  We will turn any direction it tells us to go.  If only we would follow God’s Word the same way, we would have a life that was truly worth living.

Turn your path over to God today.  Let Him be your daily guide.  Enter into the freedom that comes from knowing that the road ahead has already been mapped out.  Commit yourself to following after the only true Guide of our souls.

 
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Posted by on May 20, 2012 in Daily Thoughts

 

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A Shout from the Mountaintop

03 May

Isaiah 42:10-11
Sing to the LORD a new song, his praise from the ends of the earth, you who go down to the sea, and all that is in it, you islands, and all who live in them.  Let the desert and its towns raise their voices; let the settlements where Kedar lives rejoice. Let the people of Sela sing for joy; let them shout from the mountaintops.

Being on a mountaintop always gives me an exhilarating feeling.  It is hard thing to describe all the sensations that accompany it.  I cannot fully express them to someone who has never seen the clouds blowing by beneath their feet, or felt the wind whipping over the peak, or stood in awe to see the breathtaking landscape spread out before them.  Just being there evokes such a feeling on the inside that I want to burst out in praise to my God.

Sometimes, when I am alone on a peak, I will sing or pray out loud to the Lord.  At those times, the presence of the Spirit of God is undeniable.  I challenge you to look for those opportunities.  We must seek out the times when God makes His presence especially real to us.

Maybe you have never heard yourself pray, praise God, or sing out loud before.  Don’t let timidity stop you from experiencing a breakthrough in your Christian walk.  Try it out the next time you find yourself alone in God’s presence, even if it feels a little uncomfortable at first.  You will find that there is an awesome revelation of God when you praise Him audibly.  Experience it for yourself.  See the joy and freedom that fills your heart as you open up in His amazing presence.

If this has helped you, write me a comment about what you experienced.

 
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Posted by on May 3, 2012 in Daily Thoughts

 

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Freedom and Confidence

17 Feb

Ephesians 3:12
In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.

Christ bought for us the ability to stand clean before our God.  There is now no more guilt, no more condemnation, and no more fear.

When starting a new project or activity, if you know that you are prepared, there is a sense of freedom and confidence.  No matter how difficult the task is that you have chosen, there is no fear, only excitement and anticipation.

That’s how it is with the Lord.  He has provided us with all that we need to approach the throne of a holy God.  Equipped with that knowledge, we can put forth the faith that draws us near to His matchless presence.  As His Spirit moves upon ours, we can be free from the worry of shame, humiliation, or judgment.

Spend time with the Lord today.  Approach the throne of grace with the confidence that comes from knowing that your sins are forgiven and that you are a new creation in Christ Jesus.  Find in His presence the freedom and confidence that God promises to His children.  Then take what you receive and live it out in the world around you.

 
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Posted by on February 17, 2012 in Daily Thoughts

 

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