Devotional Song: … GO TO THIS LINK … Please take the time to take in a video of Nichole Nordeman singing her song, Finally Free declaring that no human habit or hang up can hold a Christian from walking to freedom in Christ when that one decides to follow his/her Lord.
Highlight Passage: Genesis 39: 7-9 [NKJV] …USE THIS LINK …
… Joseph chooses to follow God rather than his own flesh.
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Highlight Context – Genesis 39:1-12 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK …
… Joseph was a slave, yet he chose to walk away from the bondage sin.
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Reference Passage #1 - Isaiah 61:1-2; Luke 4:18-21 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK …
… Jesus becomes the fulfillment of the Messiah, … the One prophesied to come and free God’s children from their bondage to sin.
Reference Passage #2 - Luke 9:23 [NKJV] …
23 Then He said to them all, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. … "
… Jesus declares what it takes to walk from bondage to freedom.
Reference Passage #3 - 1st Corinthians 10:13[NKJV] …
13 No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.
… God, through Paul, declares the truth about a Christians ability to walk free from the bondage of any temptation, trial, or test.
My Journal for Today: Today’s Our Daily Bread author, Lawrence Darmani, reminded his readers (me) of the reality of our being in bondage to our own fleshly desires and what it take to walk free by choosing to deny self and follow the Messiah. And Darmani’s highlight biblical illustration came from the Old Testament story of Joseph, who had been enslaved in Egypt and was tempted by the wife of his master to sin against Joseph’s God; but instead, … Joseph chose to follow His God and walk away from the sin [see the Genesis 39 passages linked above].
These days it is so enticing, sometimes addictive, to become enslaved to the flesh. I know, because for two decades of my early life, I was shackled by my own addiction to pornography. But (long story) God pursued me; and I ultimately chose to walk free my self and follow my Savior [see Jesus’ command to His disciples in Luke 9:23; and when I did I was led to freedom by The Messiah.
It’s a wonderful truth that the Prophet Isaiah, centuries before Jesus came to walk amongst God’s people, prophesied of the One who would free God’s chosen from themselves (see Isaiah 61:1-2); and then over 700 years later, God sent His Son to set those, who come to Him in faith, free from their bondage to sin (see Luke 4:18-21).
And anyone … ANYONE … can experience what Nichole Nordeman sings about (linked above) … i.e., the freedom which comes when we choose the Savior over self. Let me pray that will be our pursuit today.
My Prayer Today: Heavenly Father, … Help us to walk in freedom from the bondage to sin by following You. … Amen
Blogger Note: Everyday during this year, my daily devotional blogs are influenced by the reading and study of the online devotional blog entitled Our Daily Bread, distributed online via email by RBC Ministries. If you GO TO THIS LINK on the date of my blog, you can read/study the ODB blogs; or you can subscribe to the blog via email at that site.
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