April 14, 2023 – Pacified By Freedom

  April 14, 2023
  Daily Reading – Judges 3-5 / Luke 11:1-28

 

 GOD’S WORD:

Judges 3:30 So Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel. And the land had rest fourscore years.

 

 GETTING INTO GOD’S WORD:

       Binky, Nuggie, Woo-Woo, Silencer, are a few of the many names used for a pacifier. That wonderful invention that causes the baby to stop crying for a while when it is placed in their mouth. It will not work long if a baby is really hungry, or needs their diaper changed. However, there are many times a baby does not know what it wants, it just wants something. The pacifier seems to fit that need. Many times, giving the baby a pacifier will even allow them to be lulled into sleep. 

 

       The Children of Israel, who really acted more like the babies of Israel, were pacified with rest. God had handed Israel’s freedom over to several opposing nations. He did this, it says in Judges 3:4, to see if Israel would listen and obey the commands He had given their nations years before. In Judges 3:9 it says the children of Israel cried out to the Lord because of this oppression. This happens several times throughout the book of Judges. Each time God raises up a Judge to deliver them from their plight. Whenever they would regain their freedom it says something like; “and the land had rest,” and it tells the number of years. During this time of rest, Israel had the freedom to make a choice. Follow and obey God and be blessed or repeat this ridiculous trial yet another time. Over, and over again we see the years of peace and quiet lull Israel into going back and repeating their evil ways against the Lord. How soon we forget, freedom is never free, and sin is always sin. 

 

 GETTING GOD’S WORD INTO ME:

       As Christians, we are free to live however we WANT TO. That freedom was purchased by Christ at Calvary. However, if we are really saved, our “WANT TO” should have changed. The bible says we are New Creatures and old things have passed away.

 

Has freedom lulled you into old sins?