Summer has arrived and students are enjoying their summer break. They are free to run wild the next 2 to 3 months doing whatever they want. Okay, maybe not completely; most people view the summer as a time to take it easy.
They can be carefree with no rules or struggles. People take advantage of the longer days to let go and enjoy everything, we gotta live.
Workforce production declines during the summer. It’s a Catch-22, we work to live or live to work. I’m an outdoor person and I’m outside year-round enjoying God’s creation.
The warmer months are my favorite time of year, although I hate the humid air in the South, I enjoy the warmth of the sun on my skin and you can't stop me from hitting the highway. Doesn’t our faith say nothing is impossible (Philippians 4:13?) Lord, You are for me, don’t let me fall.
I hate to let you down, we are not free to do whatever we want; we can’t go on sinning, there are 2 sides of the game (Gal. 5:13.)
John talks about how the Pharisees treated God’s people, Jesus pointed out the Pharisees did the works of their father, not God (John 8:39;) being God’s people doesn’t mean we have the freedom to do whatever we want because our identity makes us a lil’ holy.
FREEDOM?
Freedom is the power or right to act, speak or think without restraint. It’s why the puritans left England. Then there was another Catch-22, rules and laws were needed to keep order, even freedom needs boundaries. Problem is some people get carried away with rules.
That is what happened with the Pharisees before Jesus arrived and proved they were frauds. They created 613 laws, 365 negative commands and about 250 positive laws.
While their intention was good, it eventually became an unbearable yoke the Pharisees themselves couldn’t bear (Matthew 23:3-4.) Below are some of my favorites from the Mishnah regarding the Sabbath:
• Adding fresh water to a vase of cut flowers (sowing–any activity that causes or furthers plant growth.)
• Cutting hair or nails (shearing sheep-removing outer covering of a human or animal.)
• Rubbing soap to make lather, applying face cream, polishing shoes, using scouring powder for utensils or other surfaces (scraping-smoothing the surface of any material by grinding, rubbing, or polishing.)
The latter two make me laugh because they negate the southern tradition where I live of looking godly, which Jesus also spoke against (Matthew 23:26.) When faith becomes a tradition, it is religion at its worst; there’s no need to walk it out.
In the community I live in, it’s a sin if you’re not at church every time the door is open, if you don’t wear the right clothes to church or if you watch any networks other than Fox and the Hallmark Channel.
The Bible speaks against the traditions of men (Matthew 15:9, Colossians 2:8.) The irony is Jesus and God’s law frees us, our traditions and religion are like chains holding us back. None of us are worthy no matter how much holy water we drink.
SHACKLES?
No wonder the world is against the church. The hypocrisy is obvious (Ephesians 2:1-7.) Religious people set the bar too high for the lost and lower it for church members. Regardless, you can’t do what you want (Romans 7:15,) focus your ways on the kingdom of heaven.
When the church teaches it’s okay for Christians to love the same junk the world does—it keeps the church in bondage to this world—all the while making it impossible for the lost to enter the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 23:13.)
I believe Christians aren’t better than the world, just better off when it ends; we are living for the other side, this world is broken. That’s why all creation longs for Christ’s return (Romans 8:22-24.) It’s why I just want to run away home, where I’ll be free at last!
They can be carefree with no rules or struggles. People take advantage of the longer days to let go and enjoy everything, we gotta live.
Workforce production declines during the summer. It’s a Catch-22, we work to live or live to work. I’m an outdoor person and I’m outside year-round enjoying God’s creation.
The warmer months are my favorite time of year, although I hate the humid air in the South, I enjoy the warmth of the sun on my skin and you can't stop me from hitting the highway. Doesn’t our faith say nothing is impossible (Philippians 4:13?) Lord, You are for me, don’t let me fall.
I hate to let you down, we are not free to do whatever we want; we can’t go on sinning, there are 2 sides of the game (Gal. 5:13.)
John talks about how the Pharisees treated God’s people, Jesus pointed out the Pharisees did the works of their father, not God (John 8:39;) being God’s people doesn’t mean we have the freedom to do whatever we want because our identity makes us a lil’ holy.
FREEDOM?
Freedom is the power or right to act, speak or think without restraint. It’s why the puritans left England. Then there was another Catch-22, rules and laws were needed to keep order, even freedom needs boundaries. Problem is some people get carried away with rules.
That is what happened with the Pharisees before Jesus arrived and proved they were frauds. They created 613 laws, 365 negative commands and about 250 positive laws.
While their intention was good, it eventually became an unbearable yoke the Pharisees themselves couldn’t bear (Matthew 23:3-4.) Below are some of my favorites from the Mishnah regarding the Sabbath:
• Adding fresh water to a vase of cut flowers (sowing–any activity that causes or furthers plant growth.)
• Cutting hair or nails (shearing sheep-removing outer covering of a human or animal.)
• Rubbing soap to make lather, applying face cream, polishing shoes, using scouring powder for utensils or other surfaces (scraping-smoothing the surface of any material by grinding, rubbing, or polishing.)
The latter two make me laugh because they negate the southern tradition where I live of looking godly, which Jesus also spoke against (Matthew 23:26.) When faith becomes a tradition, it is religion at its worst; there’s no need to walk it out.
In the community I live in, it’s a sin if you’re not at church every time the door is open, if you don’t wear the right clothes to church or if you watch any networks other than Fox and the Hallmark Channel.
The Bible speaks against the traditions of men (Matthew 15:9, Colossians 2:8.) The irony is Jesus and God’s law frees us, our traditions and religion are like chains holding us back. None of us are worthy no matter how much holy water we drink.
SHACKLES?
No wonder the world is against the church. The hypocrisy is obvious (Ephesians 2:1-7.) Religious people set the bar too high for the lost and lower it for church members. Regardless, you can’t do what you want (Romans 7:15,) focus your ways on the kingdom of heaven.
When the church teaches it’s okay for Christians to love the same junk the world does—it keeps the church in bondage to this world—all the while making it impossible for the lost to enter the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 23:13.)
I believe Christians aren’t better than the world, just better off when it ends; we are living for the other side, this world is broken. That’s why all creation longs for Christ’s return (Romans 8:22-24.) It’s why I just want to run away home, where I’ll be free at last!