Bound Until Freed

Bound Until Freed

Genesis 3: ¹⁶ To the woman He said:

“I will greatly multiply your sorrow and your conception;
In pain you shall bring forth children;
Your desire shall be for your husband,
And he shall rule over you.”

 

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What a mess Satan caused. GOD had created a place and people and said “it is very good!” Satan, wanting to be GOD, was thrown from heaven to earth. He tempted the woman by lying and questioning GOD. Unfortunately, she fell for it. She was comparable in intelligence to Adam, and could have said “No” to Satan. But her curiosity got the best of her.

 

My Observations:

• GOD introduced sorrow into the woman’s life.
• GOD introduced pain in childbirth.
• GOD introduced inequity, inequality and bondage.

 

From the time of the garden to the raising of JESUS, inequality ruled the world, and still does to this very day. This is a curse that causes many battles over hierarchy. The fight for who should rule would be one that could not be solved by humans, only GOD. Satan and Adam were standing there during this curse.

 

GOD sees HIS child, not a man or a woman when HE looks at us. HE expects men and women to bow down to JESUS to restore equality. But the curse goes deeper that inequality. Pain and anguish was introduced in childbirth. Not only physically, but pain caused by tyrants who desired power and would execute children to remain in power. Conflict was introduced with only one way out, namely JESUS.

 

Challenge

• Why does GOD mention the curse of the woman to Moses?
• Have you ever questioned GOD about the inequality that exists in the world over gender, race or age?
• Will you become part of the equality solution by placing your hope in JESUS today?

Remove Barriers

Remove Barriers

1 Corinthians 8: ⁹ Be careful, however, not to let your freedom of action make those who are weak in the faith fall into sin. ¹⁰ Suppose a person whose conscience is weak in this matter sees you, who have so-called “knowledge,” eating in the temple of an idol; will not this encourage him to eat food offered to idols? ¹¹ And so this weak person, your brother for whom Christ died, will perish because of your “knowledge”! ¹² And in this way you will be sinning against Christ by sinning against other Christians and wounding their weak conscience. ¹³ So then, if food makes a believer sin, I will never eat meat again, so as not to make a believer fall into sin.

 

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“Put on your best” were the words of someone, I think. We were all dressed in suits and dresses, giving our “best” every Sunday at church. The SPIRIT of the LORD moved me to go out into the neighborhood and invite people. “No thanks, I don’t have anything to wear” was the barrier presented to me.

 

• There have been many things I did that were a barrier to someone.
• There have been many things I did that may have caused someone to stumble.
• There have been many things I did that seemed harmless to me, but were harmful to others.

 

“Be careful” was Paul’s warning. He was addressing a question about food offered to idols. He replied with a statement that idols have no power. But he warns everyone who believes to be careful not to make a believer fall into sin. If there is a person who is “weaker in faith”, be careful with liberties.

 

• GOD wants me to use discernment around people who are just starting to know CHRIST.
• GOD wants me to drop my assumptions that everyone is at the same maturity level.
• GOD wants me to keep my liberties to myself if they will cause a person to fall into sin.

 

“It’s all good” is not all good to everyone. I mean, when I am speaking to someone, my relaxed attitude towards something may cause a person to doubt a truth I may have spoken about JESUS. This truth may cause that person to sin. Now I have caused a sin against CHRIST.

 

GOD wants me to be willing to make adjustments to the way I do things so I will be inviting rather than offensive. This only goes so far. The message of JESUS is quite offensive and HE does not want me to stop speaking about HIM. But I can stop wearing suits, eating certain things and going to buildings on certain days “temporarily” while I am with a person who I may offend. I am glad GOD’s grace is sufficient.

 

• Are you being offensive and are unaware?
• Do you follow customs versus being led by the SPIRIT?
• Will you examine your habits and see if the good ones have become a barrier to GOD and ask HIM to remove it immediately today?

Should I celebrate when my enemies fall?

2 Samuel 1: ²³ Saul and Jonathan—
    in life they were loved and admired,
    and in death they were not parted.
They were swifter than eagles,
    they were stronger than lions.

²⁴ “Daughters of Israel,
    weep for Saul,
who clothed you in scarlet and finery,
    who adorned your garments with ornaments of gold.

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It was a very snide conversation that I remember vividly. A woman tried to take over our system by selling hers to individual franchisees. She had convinced a group that they would lose money if they went with the corporate system instead of hers. I rallied the senior executives and we put a plan together to squelch the fire of miscommunication.

The plan worked and we were able to deploy the corporate system without flaw. I rejoiced because she was pretty smug in her approach. A thought popped in my head to call her and ask her how she felt now that she lost!

• In the past I felt great when others fell.
• In the past I rejoiced when the rich and powerful got what was coming to them.
• In the past I made enemies and rejoiced taking them down.

Saul wanted to kill David with all of his heart. The LORD departed Saul and he had a rage of jealousy that left him focused on a futile vendetta. When the word came to David that Saul and Jonathan died, he wept bitterly. He wept for his enemy.

• GOD truly wants me to desire that everyone gets to know HIS SON.
• GOD wants me to desire the best for everyone in my prayers, actions and discussions.
• GOD wants me to desire grace, mercy and love for everyone including those who intentionally have harmed me in the past.

Quite honestly, it is difficult to climb up to the place where I can really desire something better for my enemies. BUT GOD says HE will reward me when I pray for them to succeed in getting to know HIS SON. Each time I do this, I actually have won the battle and the war.

• Do you have someone who is acting like your enemy right now?
• Do you sneer and scoff at a leader or someone in power?
• Can you stop feeling sorry for yourself and ask GOD to forgive you and that person?
• Won’t you pray about “that” person hoping they will know CHRIST who is responsible for all forgiveness? 

My strength may be my weakness

1 Corinthians 8: ⁹ Be careful, however, that the exercise of your rights does not become a stumbling block to the weak. For if someone with a weak conscience sees you, with all your knowledge, eating in an idol’s temple, won’t that person be emboldened to eat what is sacrificed to idols?10 

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Some songs I listen to have catchy beats but their words are not always edifying to GOD. Some shows I watch have content that is not pleasing to GOD. We could argue about the pros and cons of isolating myself from these things but my concern is am I causing someone else to stumble by what I listen to or watch?

• When I do something that people may abstain from out of knowledge that I am forgiven I may be causing someone to stumble.
• When eat during a period of other folks fasting I may be causing someone to stumble.
• When I wave meat in front of a vegetarian I may be causing someone to stumble.

I never realized my actions may affect someone else. I mean aren’t they responsible for their own actions? GOD wants me to be aware that while I am forgiven and have freedom from my sins I should be careful to exercise my freedom around those who do not understand how free I am indeed.

• GOD wants me to appreciate the way someone is worshipping rather than being critical of their ways.
• GOD wants me to enjoy the various ways people see what HE is doing in their lives rather than pushing how I want them to see HIM.
• GOD wants me to be an example because actions speak louder than words.

Remaining calm in the storm, remaining faithful in darkness, remaining strong in the face of weakness is what GOD has called me to do but if my strength gets in the way of someone seeing GOD then I must prayerfully try to reduce myself and increase the person who is stumbling. In other words I have to do everything in my power to help them see GOD and not see me.

• Are you in the way of someone seeing GOD?
• Are your rules getting in the way of those who can’t seem to follow rules?
• Can you allow “that” person to grow in GOD their way and not your way?