28 Jul 2011

Stand Firm in Freedom!

Submitted by theshovel
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Hello, my dear friends :)

It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery. Galatians 5:1

Every day, you and I are hammered by forces, both seen and unseen, that attempt to erode our confidence in Christ. I suspect that you know what I'm talking about. But then again, maybe you don't think anyone needs to hammer anything out of you because you lost your confidence long ago, and now you're just running on empty. To you, I say, do not listen to the lie that has kept you from standing firm in freedom, for it was for freedom that Christ set you free. The lie would have you imagine that you are not good enough, as if being good enough ever had anything to do with being set free. Right now, you are as qualified as you ever were in Christ. Right now, God sees you as you are, and he is not ashamed of you, for you are precious in his sight. Stop wallowing in doubt and self-pity as if God considers you an underachiever, or as a sinner, or as out of fellowship with him, for what he has done for you and in you should cause you to realize that you have been listening to somebody else's opinion regarding who and what you are. Stand firm in the freedom in which Christ has set you free.

Shovel Audio

Adam and I have put together yet another ShovelAudio program this week, and it's a good one! It's called Sin-Consciousness vs. the Cross of Christ. Among other things, Adam I and discuss what it means to "fall from grace". Don't miss it! :)

Related Content: 
confidence
freedom
Spoonful: 
spoonful 2011
New Testament: 
Galatians
Galatians 5

Comments

luvin - July 28, 2011 - 5:22pm
I just love this encouragement from you. Adam

Visitor - July 29, 2011 - 3:14am
Please continue what you’re doing. I cannot begin to tell you how much you are helping me!!! Darlene

Visitor - July 29, 2011 - 2:21pm

Oh, thank you Jim! I needed to be reminded of this today! Life can be so overwhelming, and I start quaking at the waves! The challenge is to stay focused on Christ and him alone!

Love you for all you share with us!

Sylvia

DIGNZ - August 1, 2011 - 10:11am
WOW! AWESOME! can’t say it enough! AWESOME! AWESOME! AWESOME!  :) encouragement to the MAX!!  :) thank you!!!!!!!!!! :)
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theshovel - August 1, 2011 - 1:44pm

Thanks for your comments! I am always glad to reach out with the good news of freedom in Christ. :)

Jim

luvin - August 1, 2011 - 3:09pm
Yeah, this was really encouraging wasn’t it!?!!

nerg0 - May 17, 2014 - 11:22am

I just left a Bible Study group. One Bro who is legalistic talking about the Sabbath and how we should cease work on Sunday or on a day that we chose. Then he went around the table and asked each believer one at a time “Do you keep the Sabbath and do no work on the Sabbath?” (All the believers there have been ‘saved’ for years – 15 or more years). The amazing thing to me was that most of the Brothers sat there in complete silence on how to answer the question. They looked like a “deer looking at headlights of a speeding car”. They were speechless. The other Bros were defensive … got “angry”. You could sense the condemnation/shame oozing from their expression. I was amazed!!. But then again, I later thought , “Ya know , at one time in my life, I would have squirmed in my seat with the same condemnation. “ And what amazed me even more is à I thought I really knew these Brothers. I have spent years with them sharing scripture, and at times, sharing our hearts on challenges in our lives.

Jim, Adam, Julie, Georgi, Dan, Sherri, etc. others who have commented on theshovel.net., I really appreciate how in many Q&A, scripture discussions, or challenging topics discussed you point the reader to the freedom that we have in Christ alone … who fills the lifeless heart so we can live truly alive.

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theshovel - May 17, 2014 - 11:25am

Thanks so much for this my brother Nerg0! :)

Julie - May 17, 2014 - 3:47pm
Hi NergO. Your comments are always so beneficial for me to read. They are so real, and point to the reality that Christ has brought you to in Himself. I’ve been to those Bible studies, heck I even led some of them, and I could shoot one of those questions at them with the sincerity of how I just wanted them to get it as right as I did. I remember and mention this only because it brings such overwhelming joy and gratefulness for the freedom Christ has brought me to….and not only that but how He also keeps me standing firm in it. As for those in my Bible studies, like you we had a relationship and friendship of working thru the stuff of trying to figure out how to live life Biblically, (which meant Religiously.) The years have gone by and there are different stories for different people, but I wlll say this much, there are those that Christ claimed for His own as He did me, and though at times we separated from each other, he was mightily working within us, and as He slowly brought us back together we realized He had worked in us what no bible study could do. They are now my dearest and most cherished sisters in Christ. We don’t get together for Bible studies, but our conversations with each other just naturally revolve around Christ because we know He is all of Life and He alone can live it. ……..Julie

luvin - May 17, 2014 - 11:31am
Nergo, what a rich post you shared with us. You know, as healthy as it might just be to cease from physical and even mental work one day a week, I think it is so darn easy [I mean SO easy] for the natural, sensual mind of man to create a Law out of it. To have Christ IN you and not as a doctrine full of do’s and don’ts[laws] seems so foreign to the mind of man that we literally have to be taught by the Spirit as to what that actually means. Thanks again brother, you have been an encouragement of both mine and Jim’s over the years. Thank you. ADAM

DIGNZ - May 19, 2014 - 11:59am

i can not thank GOD enough for HIS Love and encouragement shown to me through each and all of you … some of you for years now and some rather recently come into my cyber life here at theshovel.net!  :)  thank you very much for your post nergo!  :) 

when the flesh in challenged in the guise of 'spiritual concern' - no matter how well meaning - it will certainly respond or react in one way or the other, not having anything to do with the New Creation Life.  my old conditioned mentalities of insecurity, fear, shame and guilt would have been squirming in my seat as well … even today … until i had time to think about it. 

i was curious … and you do not have to respond at all … but did the question make it around to you as well?  may i ask what your reply was?  i do not know what i would reply.  i am not good at all with point blank questions face to face.  my brain freezes!  ha!  that is why i love the internet so much!  this form of communication suits me quite well because i have time to think and ponder and word and reword and all that.  even then, i am still not that great with the communication.  you won't be getting any condemnation or judgment from this end.  just wondering how you personally handle that kind of group/public point-blank 'confrontation' stuff. 

whether you feel comfortable enough to answer that or not, i am very thankful and encouraged to hear from you.  :)

nerg0 - May 24, 2014 - 10:26pm

Ha! … I thought about sharing my Sabbath answer in my first comment but due to time on my first comment I hit “send” instead. Yes … the question came to me too. And the first thing I said in that insecure and tense environment was: “Well, we been here sharing quite a while this morning … and I wish I could stay … but I need to be going now.” I was completely joking and most (8 people) seem to appreciate the lighter side, I think. Then I shared briefly that I feel everyday is a Sabbath ... everyday a rest for me now. Although for years I experienced such a restlessness as I tried many things to feel my emptiness. Man, I was so miserable and disappointed. Christ's finished work on the Cross removed all my attempts searching to find rest. Monday through Sunday is the same to me except when I meet in the morning with you guys. Then its a special hour or so of special rest that I look forward to learning and sharing with you guys. That's about it. Ya know ... I really am not drawn into embracing what most what these guys emphasize in their sharing but my learning of Christ through their sharing is priceless.

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theshovel - May 25, 2014 - 6:21am

Ya know … I really am not drawn into embracing what most what these guys emphasize in their sharing but my learning of Christ through their sharing is priceless.

You express so well the love and life of Christ in us that values the people of God far more than the things they teach. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been in a similar situation, and when asked what I enjoyed so much about the fellowship I could not express it by much of what they said, for there was a sharing of the life despite it. :)

Jim

DIGNZ - May 25, 2014 - 5:24pm

enjoyed that very much!  quite a lovely and restful response!  :)  i hope they found it encouraging, because it soooo is!.  :)  so happy that you shared that with us!  :)


heart

luvin - May 25, 2014 - 6:31pm

Really enjoyed hearing this response from you Nergo.

 

 

Love,

Adam

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