Been having computer problems the past couple of days.  Hopefully it will get repaired.  So, I’m using an old standby, “God Is Not Dead,” by Lois A. Cheney.

“Before the battle a soldier said, ‘I am afraid.’  In that battle he performed beyond himself.
Before a certain, important sermon a minister said, ‘I am afraid.’  In that sermon he preached better than he was able.
Before an overwhelming challenge Moses said, ‘I am afraid.’  From that challenge came the future of God’s people.

It’s old-fashioned to have fear.

We don’t have to fear God any more,
–grin and wink–
The ole guy just rolled over and died.

We don’t have to fear sin any more,
–grin and wink–
We just label the response and alter the stimulus.

We don’t have to fear hell anymore,
–grin and wink–
It is just a medieval myth.

We don’t have to fear anything any more,
–grin and wink–
We can use it, dissolve it, or absorb it.

Man-giants, it would seem
Knew when to fear

Where,
Oh where
Are the Christian giants?
–grin and wink–”

The fear of the Lord has certainly gone out of style.  If there is no Godly fear there certainly can be no fear of sin.  In fact, sin is becoming more and more stylish.

“For years I sang my songs and whistled my tunes to the beat of hoofs and the jingling of spurs.”          –Buckskin Brady

Now if I tried that there would be noise in the camp.  For some reason I think that horse would take a conniption fit.  I know there are soothing sounds to animals; well, my joyful noise isn’t one of them.
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Since I’ve mentioned Buckskin Brady a couple of times this week, I’ll write his testimony toward the closing of his life.

“I’m saved from the crown of my hat to my horse’s heels–head, heart, pocket-book, testimony and all.  I’ve left the devil’s bad lands with their blowouts and corkscrew trails, and I’m away out across the old Jordan ford in good old Canaan Land, where there is nothing but sunshine between me and glory.  God’s love is burning in my heart day and night, and he leads me all the way.  I’ve got a religion that takes all the kinks out of the trail at a jump, and hits a bee-line for heaven on a fresh horse.  I’m on a high lope.  Glory to God!”
——————–
Aren’t you glad?  I mean, aren’t you really glad?  Just look at the writings of Paul in Galatians, “Christ has set us free.” (5:1)  Now that is something that almost gets me to clogging in the kitchen.  If we truly have faith; faith in the forgiveness of God then we should realize we are free of the past.  With true repentance and true faith Christ sweeps away the record of the past.
I like what A.J. Mattill writes, “With love which manifests itself in service to others, the Christian man is free in the present.  As wings give freedom to a bird, so service brings liberty to man.”  Service and sacrifice is what is required and few realize that they are the key to truly bringing liberty.  There it is again, service.  Remember the Old Testament scripture, “Obedience is better than sacrifice.”  Service then brings your praise.  In fact, they really go hand-in-hand.
One more little thing to remember, that because of Christ and the message of eternal salvation, the Christian is free into the future.  He knows who holds the future.  No matter the situation, the type of prison he may find himself in, there is freedom because Christ has the answer, He is the answer.
You may have heard of the John Chrysostom.  He was a fourth century church leader who was arrested for being a Christian.  He has this to say, “Will the Empress cause me to be sawn asunder?  So it was with Isaiah.  Will she cut off my head?  I shall have John for my companion.  Will she cause me to be stoned?  So it happened to Stephen.”  Mattill states, “The Christian man may have shackles on his feet, but he has a spiritual liberty independent of all physical conditions.”
In closing I want to pass along a little prayer, again by Mattill.  “O God, who can comprehend the glorious liberty of the Christian man?  He is lord over sin, death, and hell, and yet at the same time serves all men.  In the name of the Christ who sets us free.  Amen.”