Free to Serve

 
Moses said to the people,
Remember this day
in which you went out from Egypt,
from the house of slavery;
for by a powerful hand
the LORD brought you out from this place.
And nothing leavened shall be eaten.’ 
Exodus 13:3
 
When the Lord brought the people out of Egypt, out of their slavery, one of the first things he did was to command Moses to sanctify to the LORD the firstborn of every womb, both man and beast. He then told Moses to remind the people of the Passover and to command them to keep it.
 
Why was God so quick to grab the attention of the people?
Oh precious one, the answer to that is- because He knows us.
 
These people had been in bondage for 400 years. These people had never known freedom. What God knew was that too much freedom too fast can destroy. What we also have to understand is that God did not just set these people free, He “redeemed” them.
 
This word redeem in the Hebrew is ga’al. It means to purchase, to ransom, to buy back. God did not just set them free to run wild and live life in their own way. He redeemed them from their slavery to Pharaoh so that they could freely serve Him. The people no longer belonged to Pharaoh, but they did, however, still belong to someone. They now belonged to God.
 
This is true in our salvation as well. In 1 Corinthians 6:20 the Word declares, “For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.” If you are a born again believer, a Christ follower, then you’re freedom came with a price.
 
In 1 Peter 1:18 we read that we were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold but with the precious blood of Christ. In the Greek the word redeemed is lutroo and it means to ransom. It comes from the word lutron which means to loosen with a redemption price. Just as the children of Israel were redeemed by God so are we. Just as the children of Israel were not set free to run wild and live to themselves, neither are we.
 
Do you not know that when you present yourselves to someone as slaves for obedience,
you are slaves of the one whom you obey,
either of sin resulting in death,
or of obedience resulting in righteousness?
But thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin,
you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were committed,
and having been freed from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.
I am speaking in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh.
For just as you presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness,
resulting in further lawlessness,
so now present your members as slaves to righteousness,
resulting in sanctification.
For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness.
Therefore what benefit were you deriving from the things of which you are now ashamed?
For the outcome of those things is death.
But now having been freed from sin and enslaved to God,
you derive your benefit, resulting in sanctification,
and the outcome, eternal life. 
Romans 6:16-22
 
Oh precious one, yes, in Christ you were set free, and “if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.” (John 8:36) You are freed from sin’s penalty and freed from sin’s power and you now have the hope of one day being freed from sin’s presence. The serpent of old no longer can hold fear of death over your head. You are no longer a slave to sin.
 
However, this does not mean that you are now without a master.
 
Romans 10:9 declares “that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” A prerequisite to salvation is confessing Jesus as Lord. The word Lord in the Greek is kurios and it means supreme in authority, controller, master.
 
As it says in the above passage of Romans 6:16-22, you were freed from sin but you became slaves of righteousness. You were freed from sin but enslaved to God. You are not without a master. You were not set free to live life your own way, you were set free to freely serve your Creator God.
 
God instituted the Passover and commanded the children of Israel to observe it for at least two reasons:
one– so that they would never forget how He had redeemed them from Pharaoh and how He had brought them out of Egypt,
and
two– so that He might point them to the final Passover lamb, Jesus the One and Only Christ.
 
Even in our salvation through Christ, God has instituted a memorial and commanded us to keep it. Before Jesus went to the cross He instituted what we call the Lord’s Supper, or Communion. He commanded us to do this in remembrance of Him (Luke 22:19). We are to observe it in a worthy manner, for through it we proclaim the death of our Lord Jesus Christ until He returns again (1 Corinthians 11:23-32).    
 
 
Oh Father,
 
You are my Master. I rejoice that I am enslaved to You. I confess Jesus as my Lord, as the supreme authority in my life. What greater joy is there than to have a King who loves me so? I once was a slave to sin, my master was cruel, and he hated me. He sought only to destroy me through temptation and lies, but You my Jesus love me. How easy it is to surrender to You. I am able to serve You with gratitude. I willingly have become Your slave because I love You and I desire to please You with this life that You saved.
 
My Jesus, it is in Your name I pray,
Amen   
 

Musical Memories

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Day Four:
This is the last day of the “obvious” trash take out.

This one might be the hardest for some.
Are you ready?
Today turn off the tunes.
For the next thirty days listen only to Christian worship music. Listen only to music that glorifies God and sings of your love to Him and His to you.

Here’s the simple fact… music makes memories.

“Now therefore, write this song for yourselves,
and teach it to the sons of Israel; put it on their lips,
so that this song may be a witness for Me against the sons of Israel. 
For when I bring them into the land flowing with milk and honey,
which I swore to their fathers,
and they have eaten and are satisfied and become prosperous,
then they will turn to other gods and serve them,
and spurn Me and break My covenant. 
Then it shall come about,
when many evils and troubles have come upon them,
that this song will testify before them as a witness
(for it shall not be forgotten from the lips of their descendants);
for I know their intent which they are developing today,
before I have brought them into the land which I swore.” 
So Moses wrote this song the same day,
and taught it to the sons of Israel. 
Deuteronomy 31:19-22

 

Music is easily memorized.
God tells us that the song will not be forgotten from the lips and it is a witness that will testify… What songs are on your lips and what testimony do they bring?

Not only is music easily memorized, but it also is also mood invoking. There is a reason that more people change churches because of the music rather than because of the Biblical teaching or even the relationships built. Music moves us.

Music moves us from the locker room to the game. We put on fast beat and pumped up music to get the team fired up as they head out to the court or field to play the game.

Music moves us in the church as we begin the service with music to get everyone “in the spirit

And yes, music moves us to the bedroom.

Music is used to make memories that move us immediately to that place where we heard that song. That’s why so much time and effort goes into the songs that we will choose to have at our weddings. We will begin picking out the songs and filing them in our memory bank when just little girls…

Music is used to intoxicate and it works, It can reach a place in our souls that mere words alone sometimes cannot.

Shannon Ethridge writes, “I don’t listen to secular. I have a lot of sexual memories that are attached to particular songs from my past. When I am out in public, I occasionally hear a song that sends me back to a particular place, time, or relationship evoking memories I’d rather forget. Funny how music has the power to do that.”

I don’t listen to secular music either… 
When I was wholly surrendered to my Jesus and I sat in my car or turned on the radio in the house I heard the lyrics I had been singing for really the first time.
I couldn’t sing them anymore.
I also realized that the music stirred things in me that I was trying to learn how to put to death as I walked in the Spirit and not my flesh. If I was to have victory, this music had to go.
I also, like Shannon, hated the memories that I had attached to many of these songs.

I chose to turn these off and make new memories with my Christ.
When I say I don’t listen to secular music, it’s not that I am trying to be “holier than thou” it’s just I had rather remember a moment with my God and be stirred by His Spirit rather than my flesh.

When I hear “Alabaster Box” by CeCe Winans I remember the grace that God poured out on me.
When I hear “What Are You Waiting For” by Natalie Grant, I immediately go to 2006 in Poland and I remember to pray for those I had an opportunity to share that experience with.
When I hear “Revelation Song” by Kari Jobe, I immediately go to our church’s Judgment Seat production and I remember to pray for those who have came through it and been in it.
When I hear “Majesty” by Delirious I go to Big Stuf camps and I remember the moment that my God had me on my face before Him in an awesome time of worship and thanksgiving and I also remember to pray for those that were there that year and I remember to pray for Ryan Wade, because he has played that song many times at church.
When I hear “Praise You in This Storm” by Casting Crowns I remember my dear friend Brenda Folette and how God used this song to carry her through a hard time.
When I hear “Held” by Natalie Grant I remember my dear sweet Grace Henry and her strength and beauty as she battled cancer in faith and now stands victorious with her Savior.
When I hear “Hosanna” by Hillsong United I remember to pray for Melanie Dickerson because I have heard her sing it so beautifully and in a true spirit of worship.
When I hear the hymn “Tis So Sweet To Trust in Jesus” and “Made to Love You” by Toby Mac I remember the night my husband and I renewed our vows and I pray for our marriage and for him.

I can go on and on with the musical memories… and these are the memories I want to make and these are the memories I want to remember.

Yes, I have a couple of select secular songs that I hang on to… because they hold memories for me and my husband… I walked down the wedding isle with him the first time to “Don’t Want To Miss A Thing” by Aerosmith and then there are tons of songs that bring to memory our dates and kisses…

…but for the next thirty days, let’s focus on our God and our relationship with Him.

Ladies for the next thirty days… flood your minds with memories of grace and mercy. If you don’t have those memories, let’s make some this next thirty days. This next thirty days let the song that will not be forgotten from your lips be one of delight to your God and let it be a witness that testifies of His love.

When you have the choice, choose to listen to Christian praise and worship music. Spend this next thirty days being wooed by the Lover of your soul.