Freedom Is Not For Free!

History has certainly proven to us that freedom is not for free. As we celebrated Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day on Monday of this week, I was reminded of this fact.

Our founders mutually pledged to each other their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor to establish a nation with liberty as one of its ideals. They knew their declaration of independence from the tyranny they suffered under Great Britain would cost them dearly. Many early settlers of the United States lost their lives and fortunes in the fight for our nation’s freedom!

Jesus Christ died an excruciating death on a cross to set His followers free from the bondage of sin and its consequences of eternal death. Galatians 5:1 says, “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.” Our freedom from sin and eternal death cost Christ His life!

Our nation’s finest who serve in our military risk their lives daily to preserve the freedom we enjoy. Many of them pay the ultimate price by being killed on the field of battle. They are a source of inspiration and a reminder to us all that freedom is not free!

Martin Luther King, Jr. (January 15, 1929 – April 4, 1968) was an American clergyman, activist, and prominent leader in the African American civil rights movement.[1] He is best known for being an iconic figure in the advancement of civil rights in the United States and around the world, using nonviolent methods. In 1964, King became the youngest person to receive the Nobel Peace Prize for his work to end racial segregation and racial discrimination through civil disobedience and other nonviolent means. By the time of his death in 1968, he had refocused his efforts on ending poverty and stopping the Vietnam War. King was assassinated on April 4, 1968, in Memphis, Tennessee. The fight for freedom also cost Dr. King his life!

As we commemorate Dr. King on this day, I would like to leave us with ten of my favorite quotes by this great civil rights leader. They are:

1. “A genuine leader is not a searcher for consensus but a molder of consensus.”

2. “An individual has not started living until he can rise above the narrow confines of his individualistic concerns to the broader concerns of all humanity.”

3. “At the center of non-violence stands the principle of love.”

4. “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”

5. “Every man must decide whether he will walk in the light of creative altruism or in the darkness of destructive selfishness.”

6. “Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase.”

7. “Freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed.”

8. “He who passively accepts evil is as much involved in it as he who helps to perpetrate it. He who accepts evil without protesting against it is really cooperating with it.”

9. “History will have to record that the greatest tragedy of this period of social transition was not the strident clamor of the bad people, but the appalling silence of the good people.”

10. “Human progress is neither automatic nor inevitable... Every step toward the goal of justice requires sacrifice, suffering, and struggle; the tireless exertions and passionate concern of dedicated individuals.”

Thank you Dr. King and all who have fought in this fight for freedom! You remind us that freedom is not for free! I pray that your example and sacrifice would compel us to serve others with the freedom we are so fortunate to experience.

You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. Apostle Paul in Galatians 5:13

A Great Harvest Comes From A Good Heart!

As we begin a New Year, it is important that we set aside some time to examine the condition of our heart. The last thing a true disciple of Jesus wants to do is allow their heart to become tainted in any way. 2 Corinthians 13:5-6 says, “5 Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you—unless, of course, you fail the test? 6 And I trust that you will discover that we have not failed the test.”

There are many opportunities, and circumstances we face, throughout the course of year where our hearts can get negative things sown into them. When this happens, we end up possessing hardened hearts, weak hearts or distracted hearts. The condition of our heart is directly related to what kind of walk we will have with our Lord.

One of the keys to making sure we don’t “fail the test” is protecting our heart from all the opposition that arises as we serve the Lord. That is why Proverbs 4:23 says: “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.”

In the Parable of the Sower, Jesus teaches that we have a higher probability of possessing a heart that does not yield a harvest for the Lord, than possessing a heart that does produce a harvest. Three out of four soils mentioned in this parable do not allow the seed to do the work for which it was sown. There is only one type of soil by which the seed can produce a harvest. Let’s take a look!

1. The Path

When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This is the seed sown along the path. Matthew 13:19

A path is where people travel, and therefore, gets trampled down and becomes hard and crusty. Many people’s hearts have been trampled down by the circumstances of life, or hardened by the consequences of sin. When the seed falls on the path, it cannot take root, so it gets stolen by the passing birds (enemy). Do you feel your faith is constantly being snatched away from you? Are you afraid to surrender your life to Jesus as your Lord? If so, then the path could represent the condition of your heart.

2. The Rocky Places

The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. 21 But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. Matthew 13:20

Many people want the benefits of the Christian faith without the commitments and responsibilities. These people want to receive God’s forgiveness, but don’t want to tell others because it might bring persecution to them. Sooner or later someone is going to stand in opposition to your faith. The problem is trouble will come. Perhaps you will lose a friendship with someone close to you, or be tagged with a derogatory label. When people receive the word with joy, but don’t allow it to take root, they will not persevere during tough times. When this happens, the person withers away because they didn’t really allow Jesus to be the Lord of their lives.

3. The Thorns

The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful. Matthew 13:22

The worries of this life can include: our responsibilities, our jobs, our relationships, our finances, our health, etc. When stewarded properly, all these things we participate in should bring glory to God. When obligations become more important to us than serving God, His word will get choked out. The deceitfulness of wealth is putting trust in something other than the Lord to be our provider and protector. When money is not stewarded properly, it deceives people into thinking it will bring peace and contentment. Instead, wealth accumulated with wrong motives leads to more greed and problems. The desire for other things is what consumes the affections of our heart. We make time for and invest in things we truly desire. For example, watching television all the time and never praying or reading the Bible could be a desire that has choked out God’s influence in our life. The problem is not with the activity, but that we do it to the exclusion of serving our Lord.

The Good Soil

But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. Matthew 13:23

The Lord Jesus Christ expects us to grow in His grace and knowledge. We should not remain immature in our faith. We must accept individual responsibility for our walk with Christ. As we obey God’s Word, we receive more of his grace and learn more about His purpose for our life. When we live as an ambassador for Christ and do the work of His Kingdom, we will produce a harvest that pleases the Lord.

We are not to compare our harvest with that of others. God has given every individual person different and unique gifts. Instead, we should be obedient to His will, and allow Him to bring the harvest no matter what type of increase it produces.

Now that we have begun a new year, take some extra time to do an honest examination of the condition of your heart. Remember to “hold on to the good” of 2010 and release the bad. Nothing is more important than possessing a pure heart for the Lord.

Who may ascend the mountain of the LORD? Who may stand in his holy place? 4 The one who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not trust in an idol or swear by a false god. 5 They will receive blessing from the LORD and vindication from God their Savior. Psalm 24:3-5