Are You Free?

Hi Everyone,

A friend of mine from my sending church gave me a little analogy that she had been thinking about. It really isn't original to her or me because I have heard very similar words in the past, but needless to say, since I don{t know who the original thought came from, I asked her permission to share it and embellish the idea in my own words----and she said it was OK. So thanks Nancy! :)

Are you free??

When we are born we are born into sin--trapped in it and unable to be free from it--sort of like a bird that is trapped in a cage without knowing there is a door for the way out. Like birds we are stuck--in the cage of sin and there is nothing we can do in and of ourselves to open the door to be freed from the consequences of it.

But when Jesus came, He died taking all of our sin upon Himself--He took the punishment that we deserve to have paid. Not only that----but He arose from the grave provng that He is God. He purchased our freedom so that sin does not have to have power over us--and so that we can be free to enjoy a real living relationship with God--which is more satisfying than anything else on this earth.

God has given us a gift that we could never earn by "trying to do the right things" or "being good enough" or "doing good works." None of these things will pardon our sin, and no one else can give us the forgiveness of our sins but Jesus Christ alone. The only thing we can do and all we have to do is TRUST in what Christ has done for us and the moment that we trust Christ it is like the cage door is opened--and we are freed from the power of sin and death.

Are you free? Many of you may say "Yes! Of course--I have trusted Christ!"

But sometimes, even we still choose to live in the cage even though we have trusted Christ. It is again sort of like my birdie Amarillo--He has the whole room available for his enjoyment---the door of his cage is open--but he would much rather "stay in the cage" where it seems safer---when he could be enjoying so much more.

If you have never trusted Christ God longs for you to give Him your trust--our God and Savior is worth trusting in completely. And if you have trusted Chriat, don´t miss out on the riches of joy and all that God has for you by "staying in the cage" and not enjoying the freedom that you have been given in Christ!

Are you enjoying your freedom in Christ today?