Paul, A man free in chains

[RustyAngeL]

Today's sermon in church came from Philippians Chapter 1.

 

 Paul is in prison, I'm sure in chains and has endured his share of beatings. He used words like peace, grace and joy. He is praying for believers all over the world,  He is constantly encouraging the church to continue the work that God gave them to do until Jesus returns.

 

Paul was caught in between going home to be with Christ or staying where he was, so he could continue in the ministry that God had called him to. To him  it was a win win situation.

 

I was struck by just how free Paul was.  In prison, in chains, yet he he walked in more freedom then we do in our everyday lives.

 

It was brought up in that same sermon that our heart beats only because God's hand is on us.  If He removes His Hand from us we die. The very air we   breathe is because of God's Hand on us.

 

I am not a morning person, I find myself getting up letting my dogs outside and not even giving the sun and the vivid blue sky a glance.  I was reminded that every morning we need to start each day with words like,  "Thank you Lord for another day that You are keeping my heart beating.  Thank you for Your promise that You will never  leave me or forsake me. Thank you just for being who You are in me. Thank you for Your constant forgiveness that is mine  just for the asking.  Thank you that someday my home, my real home, will be in Heaven with You, but thank you most of all,and may I never forget this, the sacrifice that it took to give me this gift of eternal life."

 

I believe that if we start each day  with words of praise and thanksgiving, we, like our brother Paul, can be more conquerors,and do more then we can even imagine.  Even when the mountains loom in front us or when we have to pass through the waters,we will not drowned,or through the fire, we will not be burned. And when the day comes that pass through the valley of the shadow of death, All we need to do is reach out for that nail scared hand. Take hold and know that in spite of the of the battles going on around us, God has already won the war . And there is nowhere you can run because God is already there,  So rest in His word,  trust in His covering over us. Be still and know that He is God.

 

 

Praise God, Thank You Jesus!!

 

 

 

BecauseHe Lives!!

 

RustyAngeL

[Guest ninhao]

Amen.

 

Eph 5:20  Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;
 

[nChrist]

Another Amen!

[CAP73]

Brilliant.  Love it.

[kwikphilly]

Blessings Rusty!

     Oh yes indeed,praise & glory to our Father & it is in Jesus Name that we can even stand before Your Heavenly Throne of Grace!!!

    Rusty,sweet Sister,We are so blessed to be able to call The Great I Am,"Abba'' and only because of the Blood that Jesus shed for us...Our Redeemer lives & in Him we too live......How can we not begin each day by giving Him the first  fruit of our thought?He gave us His first fruit,Jesus!I simply cannot start my day unless I speak with my Father,it is useless,I would just go round in circles or blindly bump into walls,,,I just cannot do it,,,,,, I awaken because of His new mercy each new day,I look at the sun because He put it there and gave me eyes to see,I go to the kitchen because He gave me limbs walk,I praise Him with His joy in the heart He keeps pumping,I pray with the mouth He has allowed me to speak,I think of what I must do because He gives me a sound mind.....& then & am ready to go out in the world because He died for me and I must tell somebody......

      Those are the miracles He gives me every New day He permits the earth to keep spinning,how could I ever begin the day without Him? Abba,draw me unto Yourself........

                                                                                                                With love,in Christ-Kwik

[*Zion*]

If the Son has set you free, you are free indeed.  Paul always going to be free in Christ.

[RustyAngeL]

Blessings Rusty!

     Oh yes indeed,praise & glory to our Father & it is in Jesus Name that we can even stand before Your Heavenly Throne of Grace!!!

    Rusty,sweet Sister,We are so blessed to be able to call The Great I Am,"Abba'' and only because of the Blood that Jesus shed for us...Our Redeemer lives & in Him we too live......How can we not begin each day by giving Him the first  fruit of our thought?He gave us His first fruit,Jesus!I simply cannot start my day unless I speak with my Father,it is useless,I would just go round in circles or blindly bump into walls,,,I just cannot do it,,,,,, I awaken because of His new mercy each new day,I look at the sun because He put it there and gave me eyes to see,I go to the kitchen because He gave me limbs walk,I praise Him with His joy in the heart He keeps pumping,I pray with the mouth He has allowed me to speak,I think of what I must do because He gives me a sound mind.....& then & am ready to go out in the world because He died for me and I must tell somebody......

      Those are the miracles He gives me every New day He permits the earth to keep spinning,how could I ever begin the day without Him? Abba,draw me unto Yourself........

                                                                                                                With love,in Christ-Kwik

Amen my sweet sister His mercies are new everyday! 

[Willa]

Hi Rusty, and thank you for the beautiful words. I am with you--not a morning person. I can't even bless the Lord without a cup of coffee. Call it fibro fog or whatever you want but my mind just won't focus in the AM. Can't even make the coffee and doing good to be able to pour it. But after my eyes can focus and my mind is more alert, I must remember to rejoice in the Lord and come before His presence with thanksgiving. I wish it were my first thought. My God is not coffee. I am not addicted to it. I just don't wake up without 1 or 2 cups for the day and couldn't wake up before 10 before I started drinking coffee. Thank you again. It is far better to awake counting our blessing that to try to sleep by counting them.

And it is so good to be free from the heaviness of guilt and regret. They are the chains of misery that we are freed from. We can be filled with joy even in foggy morning minds, just because we are His.

[Tazcontrol]

The fact that Paul felt free inside of a prison cell is enough for me. Being in a small confined space like that I'm pretty sure I wouldn't feel free at all. And the fact that he still had the courage to write to everybody on the out side and still preach the good news is amazing. I am thankful for every day I take a breath and I encouraged by the word the God has given us. With out the Lord's word and guidance some days I would truly be lost!!

[Littlelambseativy]

There is more to the expression "Stop and smell the roses".  Our lives are so busy and consumed with the things of this world that we do not look at the beauty that surrounds us - all from the hand of Jesus the Creator of all things. By not seeing all that is around us we never appreciate or thank Jesus for this or for His remarkable gifts  and His sacrifice for us.