River of Life Blog
  • Pastor Todd Weston's Blog

RLA Pastor's blog

Free Indeed

7/3/2017

 
Picture
Raynald III, a fourteenth century duke in what is now Belgium, was terribly obese.  Captured in a revolt by his younger brother, he was imprisoned in a room that was built around him.  It was a strange prison for it had no bars on the windows; not even a locked door.  But the door had been built smaller than normal.  Because of his size, Raynald could not squeeze through the door to freedom.​

Still, there was a way.  All he had to do was go on a diet.  His brother even promised to restore to Raynald his title and wealth as soon as he was able to leave the room.  But it just so happened that his brother knew Raynald’s weakness — food!  

So each day trays of rich, delicious, fattening foods were delivered to Raynald’s prison,  compliments of his brother.  And each day Raynald ate everything on those trays.  Instead of growing thinner, Raynald grew fatter than ever.  His was a prison not of bars and locks, but of his own appetite.

This week we celebrate Independence Day.  But the sad truth is that while we live in the home of the free, many people in these United States of America are not free at all.  Like Raynald III, they are prisoners, but not with bars and locks.  Other things have imprisoned them, and they need to be set free.

Ironically, many people living in prison today fail to see it as such.  John 8 records the conversation between Jesus and a group of people who didn’t know they were in bondage.  They denied the very idea.  They argued vehemently that they were free.  Jesus simply pointed that not only were they members of a conquered nation living under Roman dominance, but they were personally slaves of sin to boot.  “Everyone who sins is a slave of sin” (John 8:34).

Prisons of sin abound today, but so do other kinds of prisons.  Many wake up each morning in a prison of painful circumstances from which there seems no chance of escape.  Others live each day incarcerated in a prison of fear.  The different types of prisons are too numerous to name here.  The good news for all is that Jesus Christ holds the key that unlocks prison doors and sets the captives free!

“Therefore is the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed” (John 8:36).

I am thankful for the freedoms I enjoy as a citizen of this great nation.  I am infinitely more thankful for the freedoms that are mine as a Christian.  The one is temporal.  The other is eternal.  In our celebration of Independence Day, let’s remember to celebrate this great fact — in Christ we are free indeed.

Pastor Todd Weston

Comments are closed.

    Pastor Todd

    Lead Pastor
    River of Life
    Assembly of God

    Archives

    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011

    Categories

    All
    1 Timothy 4:12
    9/11
    Accountability
    Bible
    Bitterness
    Blessing
    Blessings
    Cheerful Heart
    Choices
    Christmas
    Church
    Church Ministry Center
    Comfort
    Commitment
    Compromise
    Confidence
    Connection
    Courage
    Courageous
    Creativity
    Criticism
    Daniel
    David
    Deceitfulness
    Direction
    Discernment
    Drifting
    Economy
    Elections
    Endurance
    Esther
    Faith
    Father
    Fear
    Fellowship
    Finances
    Forgiveness
    Generosity
    Gifts
    Gospel
    Grace
    Great Commission
    Greatness
    Haiti
    Heaven
    Hebrews 12:14
    Heroes
    Holiness
    Home
    Hope
    Israel
    Joseph
    Light
    Mary
    Media
    Mercy
    Miracles
    Missions
    Moms
    Mothers Day
    Motivation
    Natural Gifts
    New Year
    Obstacles
    Options
    Outreach
    Overcome
    Peace
    Perspective
    Planning
    Power
    Priorities
    Race
    Rapture
    Read
    Renew
    Rla Connect
    Running
    Servant
    Sin
    Sing
    Spiritual Gifts
    Success
    Time
    Tithe
    Trials
    Truth
    Unity
    Variety
    Vision
    Voting
    Wedding
    Willing Heart
    Word
    Youth

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.