Walking

Written by cycleguy on July 2nd, 2015

Crawling…Stumbling…Walking…Running. Part and parcel of life. I’m using this video Sunday to introduce the message.

Maturity is a process…in life…in our walk with Christ. Just as no one comes out of the womb running, or even walking for that matter, no one should be expected to be a mature follower of Jesus right out of the blocks. When I was a young pastor I would see older, more mature men and think, “Man, will I ever be that mature?” (I’m still asking it because I’m sure some still wonder). 🙂

“Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation.” I Peter 2:2

“For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.” [Gal.5:13] Two things stand out to me. One, freedom is at the heart of the gospel message and godly living. Second, we are not to use our freedom to serve the flesh.

This is a sensitive thing, you know? My freedom = my rights. Really? Not according to what Paul says. My walk of faith affects others.

Christian freedom is not freedom to exploit others. Instead, we are to serve others.

Christian freedom is also not freedom to disregard the needs of others.

Some serious truths which need talked about by all of us. These are just some thoughts from this Sunday’s sermon from Galatians 5: 13-18. Thanks for your prayers.

HAVE A HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY!! REMEMBER WHY WE CELEBRATE IT.

 

9 Comments so far ↓

  1. Jeff says:

    At it’s origin it meant freedom and independence for white people in the colonies. Unfortunately Christians and non Christians have struggled with (and still struggle with) the idea of not exploiting others or disregarding the needs of others. I’m not sure the American Negro or American Indian thinks of the 4th with quite the same feeling as white people do.

    Your ideas sound great Bill.

    That hasn’t been the history of Christians in America though. It has been said that if the Southern churches had not been so adamant about God’s approval of slavery there may not have been a Civil War. And there remains today Christian loudmouths like Franklin Graham that are quick to point out which people and which religions we need to hate. (While we say we are loving them of course)

  2. Daniel says:

    I will be praying for you this morning in my devotional time. Hope your weekend is super swell.

  3. Praying for you, Bill, and hope you have a wonderful celebration of Independence Day! Oh, and I loved the video, too. 🙂
    Blessings!

  4. floyd says:

    Great video. Her walking by herself at the end is touching.

    Great sermon on this weekend when we celebrate our freedom. How we take for granted the ones that paid with their lives to provide our freedom as designed by our sovereign Father.

    Praying for you, Bill.

    If you haven’t heard, swing by Rick’s Dawson’s site; Planned Peasanthood.

  5. David Rupert says:

    Isn’t it funny in this country we hold so dearly to our ‘rights.’. We celebrate them with fireworks and floats and defend them in battle and war. We go courts to protect them and the public sphere to expand them. But we are never promised such rights in the bible. We are promised eternal gain and earthly suffering. “If they hated me they will hate you also”. So I celebrate my freedom in Christ and am thankful for whatever measure of freedom I experience here on earth.

  6. Praying for you Bill.

  7. Sharon says:

    Our pastor is doing a series on Galatians, too. The whole concept of freedom as it pertains to Christianity is complex. But, as in most things, we humans seem to get it all backwards. When we are *free* to “do our own thing” we are really entrapped in slavery to sin. And when Christ sets us free, we are not then hemmed in by a set of arbitrary rules and regulations. We are free indeed to live like we were created – in unity with our Creator, and free to become more and more like Him.

    GOD BLESS!

  8. Betty Draper says:

    Praying Bill for your message and the ears that will hear it. I am with David, I love my country and the freedom we have here. As much as I love the people in the countries we served in, i would not not want to make those countries my home. Not because they are not beautiful, any country has it’s own beauty. But, no matter how bad some things are in America, it’s still stands for freedom. But like David, I chose to celebrate my freedom in Christ. Others can take my rights away but not my soul. Good post brother.

  9. Ceil says:

    Hi Bill! Hope you and yours had a lovely 4th celebration. How blessed we are to be free, and it comes with responsibility too. God help me to use my freedom to choose Him and His path always.
    Blessings!
    Ceil