My Bondage Is My Freedom.

Come and Listen

All Scripture references are from NASB 1995 unless otherwise noted.

“Ho ! Every one who thirsts, come to the waters; And you who have no money come, buy and eat. Come, buy wine and milk Without money and without cost. Why do you spend money for what is not bread, And your wages for what does not satisfy ? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, And delight yourself in abundance.

“Seek the LORD while He may be found; Call upon Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake his way And the unrighteous man his thoughts; And let him return to the LORD, And He will have compassion on him, And to our God, For He will abundantly pardon. For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” declares the LORD. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways And My thoughts than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:1-2, 6-9

There are countless stories of the kings in the Old Testament who followed God, but who did not tear down the “high places.

Asa did what was right in the sight of the LORD, like David his father. But the high places were not taken away; nevertheless the heart of Asa was wholly devoted to the LORD all his days. 1 Kings 15:11, 14

[Jehoshaphat] walked in all the way of Asa his father; he did not turn aside from it, doing right in the sight of the LORD. However, the high places were not taken away; the people still sacrificed and burnt incense on the high places. 1 Kings 22:43

Jehoash did right in the sight of the LORD all his days in which Jehoiada the priest instructed him. Only the high places were not taken away; the people still sacrificed and burned incense on the high places. 2 Kings 12:2-3 

Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah became king....He did right in the sight of the LORD, yet not like David his father; he did according to all that Joash his father had done. Only the high places were not taken away; the people still sacrificed and burned incense on the high places. 2 Kings 14:1, 3-4

Azariah son of Amaziah king of Judah became king...He did right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father Amaziah had done. Only the high places were not taken away; the people still sacrificed and burned incense on the high places. 2 Kings 15:1, 3-4

And it goes ON and ON!
The last time I read through the kings, I found these statistics disturbing. How could they leave idol worship anywhere in the land. But then the Lord convicted me: “What are your ‘high places’?”

All things are lawful for me, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be mastered by anything. 1 Corinthians 6:12

All things are lawful, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful, but not all things edify. 1 Corinthians 10: 23

Why do you spend money for what is not bread, And your wages for what does not satisfy ?Am I delighting more in my freedom in Christ or in my bond with Christ?

It is through my bond in Christ that I will become like Him, and it is by becoming like Him that I will be able to be with Him.

“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” declares the LORD. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways And My thoughts than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:8-9

Are my life choices drawing me closer to Christ, or am I just treading water?

Show me Your ways, O LORD, teach me Your paths; guide me in Your truth and teach me, for You are God my Savior, and my hope is in You all day long. Psalm 25:4-5 (NIV)

To Love Our God

by Mark Hayes

Where does the wind come from? Where does it go?

Blowing north then south, how does it know?

The rain flows gently to the sea, yet the sea is never full.

How can these things be?

Humanity works hard to make a name,

Toiling in the sun, yet nothing gained.

We all return to dust from whence we came.

All is empty, all is vain.

To love our God, the reason we live;

To love our God, the highest call.

Nothing satisfies our soul, gives life meaning makes us whole.

For this purpose we were made…to love our God.