LIBERTY! BE FREE...

Creativeswap.com/Marian Trinidad

Hello Everybody. Somebody. Anybody!

Today is TERRIFIC Tuesday, another day that the Lord has made... REJOICE, REJOICE and be glad in it!

Our blog topic, BE FREE was inspired by my conversation with a friend and dear sister in the Lord.

Before I get into the blog, I want to send a message to my dear sister Patrice... You are the inspiration for today's blog. I thought about our conversation on yesterday and the Lord gave me BE FREE... I love you my sister and it's alright already! You have a beautiful heart, much like my own... From me to you my sister, love God with your whole heart, and the love you so freely extend to others, give freely to yourself. Look at Psalms 139:14 whenever you get down on yourself... "I will praise Thee, for I am FEARFULLY and WONDERFULLY made: marvelous are thy works; and my soul knoweth right well . Let Go my sister... and Let God!

The opposite of FREEDOM is BONDAGE.

bond⋅age. The state of being bound by or subjected to some external power or control.T he state or practice of being restrained, as by being tied up, chained, or put in handcuffs.

free⋅dom. The state of being free or at liberty rather than in confinement or under physical restraint; exemption from external control, interference, regulation.

The bible defines liberty in John 8: 36: "If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed." often quoted as "Whom the Son set free is free indeed."

The only perfect person that exists is God (in all 3 persons), and His perfect will is what He desires for our lives. We are sin creatures, "born in sin and shaped in iniquity." ~Psalms 51:5. God's ingenious plan and ultimate sacrifice was the shed blood of His Son, Jesus Christ - a plan orchestrated by God to save us, deliver, us and redeem us.

Why then do we enslave ourselves or allow others to enslave us?

Often times we carry the burden of guilt and shame of past mistakes, decisions, and behaviors, beating ourselves up, and hindering ourselves from operating in our purpose. The enemy thrives off of our own need to condemn ourselves, robbing ourselves of the joy that belongs to the Lord, stealing our praise that belongs only to God.

As far as other folks... if everyone worked on picking their own locks, they'd be too busy to worry about yours. So don't trip.

We have to get to a place in God where we can praise Him in spite of our condition, praise Him in spite of our circumstance, in spite of our flaws and imperfections. He already knows about it. The bible states in Romans 8:28 that "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose." All things: good, bad or indifferent...

I think about the people in the bible who God selected to serve. He got the best from the worst of them... Purpose through pain!

God is a faithful, loving and forgiving God. The problem is that we often times can't forgive ourselves. We sit in handcuffs, shackled and bound. We even allow others to detain, confine and restrain us while holding the key to our very own freedom within arms reach. No matter what the offense, your "get out of jail FREE card" is in the hands of the Lord...

We all are works in progress, always returning to the potter's wheel to be reshaped and remolded. I have a way of saying meaningful things in a joking manner, but I find that people remember what makes their hearts happy. I often say, Lord thank you for the potters wheel... I know there are times that I just need to jump back on it, sit on it, kneel on it or stretch out on it, because I know you are not done with me yet.

Instead of selecting a jail cell or a shiny pair of handcuffs to put yourself in, think about how far God has brought you. Think about what He's already delivered you from. Think about the fact that you are STILL here, and that God is still perfecting a work in you. It's a process... don't fool yourself. We didn't become who we are overnight, and we won't become what God wants us to be overnight!

To pull a verse from the song written and composed by the late James Cleveland:

Please be patient with me,
God is not through with me yet.
Please be patient with me,
God is not through with me yet.
When God gets through with me,
when God gets through with me,
I shall come forth,
I shall come forth like pure gold.
If you should see me and I'm not walking right,
and if you should hear me and I'm not talking right;
please remember what God has done for me,
when He gets through with me,
I'll be what He wants me to be.

Christ gave His life for my liberty! BE FREE!

Yours in freedom,
~Deneen
A Woman Assigned!

For additional reading (for women)
I found a great book entitled
The Fight for Freedom
by Eunice Frazier, Dave Gamboa
read the online synopsis