Freedom Devotional

Verse Acts 26:18 To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me. Message It's Easter again, and as usual, many people all over the world are going to be celebrating the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. As a result, it would be typical to hear people screaming out loud, "He is risen" or "Jesus is alive." Many Christians have got the Easter story at their finger tips (after watching 'Jesus movies' on the television every Easter who wouldn't?) We all know that Jesus rose up from the grave three days after He was buried: one of the pillars of our faith. But the question is, do we really understand the significance of the resurrection?  "He died and rose from the grave, because God used Him as a sacrifice for my sins; I am a sinner deserving eternal damnation and Jesus took my...

One man died and descended to hell, with the purpose of disarming and defeating the powers that kept the human race in bondage to sin. He fought for and helped us to gain our independence, yet many human beings are still being whipped and controlled by our former colonial masters because, they don't know what Good Friday is all about. It's sad right? Happy Good Friday to you :) "I guess we all know who won this fight..."

Verses Romans 7:18-20 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. 19 For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. 20 Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. Romans 7:24-25 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? 25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin. Message If we would all be honest with ourselves, we would have to admit that, there are many things we do that we wish we never did or ever started doing. No theory can explain this, and even the knowledge gathered from the fact that, 'hate-filled experiences from a person's past, have the power to send them on a quest to find love in the wrong places', isn't enough to keep us from indulging in acts...

Verses 1 Samuel 2:12 Now the sons of Eli [a High Priest of Shiloh] were sons of Belial; they knew not the Lord . Message There is a saying that goes like this, "most pastors kids are naughty; or the nature of most pastors kids totally contrasts that of their parents." This is weird, considering the fact that they (the parents) have dedicated their lives to ensuring that other people's kids, and families as a whole, do not stray away from the gospel. It's easy to point fingers at the devil for attacking the weaker ones in these homes, that is, the kids. However, we need to bear in mind that, he (the devil) always looks for an opening through which he can attack them — just like he did with Adam and Eve, who were more or less "pastors kids". The opening he used to gain access into the lives of Adam and Eve, was the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, or rather one law: "But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of...

Over the years, after the death of Jesus Christ, two types of Christians have emerged. They are the lawyers and the "gracers." The lawyers are typically the ones, who like the Pharisees, "pick up stones to kill the woman caught in the act of adultery" (See John 8:1-11).  Lawyers like any other lawyer, know the law, but this doesn't mean they are capable of living up to it — knowledge is nothing without application. The lawyers are — because of their knowledge of the law, good at pointing out people's flaws and sins whiles secretly concealing theirs. For this reason, Jesus called them a generation of vipers (See Matthew 12:34) and hypocrites (See Mark 7:6). 34 O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. (Matthew 12:34) 6 He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips,...

Verses Proverbs 31:3-4 Give not thy strength unto women, nor thy ways to that which destroyeth kings. 4 It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine; nor for princes strong drink: Message Many of us young folks, have at a point in our lives received advise from our parents or guardians on various topics pertaining to relationships, sex, drugs and probably every other social ill that destroyed the lives of their peers back in their day. We listened to their wise words, and promised never to indulge in certain acts. However as we grew up, things changed. We began doing the very things we promised never to do. Some of us began living secret lives, and this led us to perceive our parents as the enemy. Some of us grew rebellious: a contrast to the kids our parents were advising a few years back. So what happened? Why did we break the promises we made? What caused us to transform into the people we now "hate"? Many of us look in the mirror once in ...

Verse 2 Corinthians 5:17 17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. Message What goes through your mind when you flip through your old photo albums or when you see your baby photos? I don't know about you, but I laugh ( a lot at myself) whenever I see them; and sometimes I smile a bit as I  try to remember what it was like in those days—I believe am not the only one who does this. Anyway. Behind the laughter and smiles, there is one thought we all like to push away when we go through our old albums or baby photos; and the reason we push this thought away is that, we feel there is nothing we can do about it. When this thought emerges, we begin to hate ourselves or someone from our past; we begin to wish we could turn back the hands of time; we sometimes become depressed, shed a few tears and pray for way out of the bondage we may find ourselves in.  Why? Because we were all born as i...

Verse John 1:29 29 The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. Message Jesus didn't come to form a religion with a farrago of doctrines and beliefs, or to give people a chance to place denominational tags on themselves and others.  • He came and was sent  so we might have life - His life , Gods life, everlasting life. (John 10:10) • He came to free us from the bondage of sin; to give you and me power over our problems, issues, addictions, diseases and more. (1 John 3:5-6) • He came so you and I would be perfect without sin,  lacking nothing. (John 17:23) • He came so that you and I would become God's very own children with a heavenly inheritance.  (John 1:12) • He came because God loves you. (John 3:16) With him and through him you can throw your past away like it never existed and begin life on a fresh page. He came for you and me, and He will always be there for us; ...

Verses 2 Corinthians 12:9 9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Philippians 4:13 13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.  Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast. Message "You just don't understand where I am coming from. I can't do it, I can't quit"; "I am tied of trying, maybe I was just born this way, maybe my environment shaped me and made me the way I am". Do you panic when you see the source of your addictions? Do you feel you can never quit doing something you do not want to do? Have you given up on trying? The truth is that in our own power we can never quit; we can never get around our former sources of addictions without being enslaved aga...