Freedom Blog

Right from the get go, let me say that: the way Jesus views the world is very different than the way that an average person does. Everything that Jesus did was redemptive. When He walked the earth, He was more concerned about being about His Father’s business (Luke 2:49), making Him known (John 14:7, 10) and bringing Him glory (John 14:13), than anything else. Now, this meant of course moving in signs, wonders and miracles throughout His life on earth. Jesus always had an eternal view of the world. His encounters with people reveal this as He was constantly proclaiming truth and compassionately healing people and forgiving sins. I believe a major part of an ideal life is making an eternal impact in people’s lives by following Jesus’ exemplar life of redemption (John 14:12). Now we cannot die for sin, but we can do all we can to deny ourselves, in order to follow Jesus (Mark 8:34). What was Jesus’ mission? to preach the good news to the poor, to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, and to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor (Luke 4:18, 19). Jesus was a missionary. He came into this world to seek and save that which was lost (Luke 10:19), meaning people. So, when we think about the components of an ideal life, being on mission for Jesus is central.

Now being on mission for Jesus does not necessarily mean going off to some foreign land, though some people are called to overseas missions. Being on mission means impacting those around you, wherever you are with the light of the Gospel. It means looking at the world through a redemptive lens. The more this happens the more you will begin to see the world as Jesus sees it. When Jesus said that the harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few (Luke 10:2), He meant it. Jesus is constantly challenging me to press into His Word and Spirit, so that I will be able to more readily see the brokenness, lostness and depravity of this fallen world. It is when I am filled with God’s Word that I will be able to stand more steadfast for Jesus and not be tempted away into sin (John 8:31, 32). And the more filled with God’s Word I am, the better I will be able to discern and understand the voice of the Holy Spirit (John 16:12-15). It is when we are following the leading of Holy Spirit that we will begin to see more readily the underlying brokenness of people which will, only by God’s grace, move us towards compassion rather than pride and judgment.

Bottom line, an ideal life includes: loving God (Matthew 22:37), loving others (Matthew 22:39) and serving the world (Matthew 28:19, 20). These are non-negotiables when it comes to living an ideal life because an ideal life isn’t about accomplishing our own selfish ambitions, but about following in the footsteps of Jesus (John 13:14-17) and making an eternal impact in this world for the glory of God (John 17:4). An ideal life is one of servitude (Matthew 20:26) which will include storing up treasures in heaven (Matthew 6:20), loving our enemies (5:44), forgiving people and not judging or condemning them (Luke 6:37), giving to those in need (Matthew 6:2-4), trusting in God (Matthew 6:26, 30) and seeking His kingdom and righteousness (Matthew 6:33). A good plumb line in gauging an ideal life is the Beatitudes (Matthew 5:3-10), spend some time meditating on these following verses. Let them shake up the very foundations of your value system by replacing them with a kingdom value system.

³Blessed are the poor in spirit,

     for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

⁴Blessed are those who mourn,

     for they will be comforted.

⁵Blessed are the meek,

     for they will inherit the earth.

⁶Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,

     for they will be filled.

⁷Blessed are the merciful,

     for they will be shown mercy.

⁸Blessed are the pure in heart,

     for they will see God.

⁹Blessed are the peacemakers,

     for they will be called sons of God.

¹⁰Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,

     for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

*NOTE: the phrase “for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” in verse 3 and 10 form a literary device known as an inclusio which acts like bookends in framing one continual thought. So, how this functions here is that everything listed between verses 3 and 10 describe the values of the kingdom of heaven. Those who are part of the kingdom of heaven will exhibit these traits and characteristics. But, in order to enter into the kingdom of heaven, a person needs to recognize that they are spiritually destitute (v.3) which then culminates with those who are fully committed to God’s cause and are now being persecuted because of this (v.10). The equality of the kingdom of heaven is revealed in these verse bookends (inclusio), for being poor in spirit and being persecuted for righteousness though seemingly at opposite sides of the spectrum have the same reward.

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Ecclesiastes 3:11 (NLT) says: God has planted eternity in the human heart. Understanding this truth can really help in illuminating the reality of why addiction is so rampant in the world. What is it that can satisfy the hunger and thirst of our hearts? Though we desperately try to find satisfaction in what this world has to offer and maybe it does pacify us for awhile, but (I think we all know from personal experience) this contentment never stays long.  Is it because we hunger and thirst for eternity that we will never find the lasting satisfaction that our hearts long for in this earthly world? If this last question resonated with you, then like me, you have to ask this next question: So, what will satisfy my eternal hunger and thirst?

Now we are all prone to addiction at varying degrees, some more than others and still others (like myself) have been completely captivated by addiction to the point where life became meaningless. For me, life became a vicious cycle of feeding my addictions which made life despairingly tedious. Maybe deep down you are wondering if there is something more to life than what you are currently experiencing. I believe there is. I have personally experienced the riches of eternity in the here and now which has helped me to see the treasures of this world as mere trinkets in comparison.

The Bible also says: “But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us” (2 Corinthians 4:7 NIV). In this journey through transformation that God has been taking me on, I have come to cherish this verse in my heart because it has helped to remind me that 1) the power of God runs through me and that 2) there is a far greater treasure within me than any treasure I may encounter in the world. This treasure which has been placed within everyone who believes is “the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God” (2 Corinthians 4:4 ESV).

Whenever I pause long enough to internalize this truth, to really embrace the reality that right now within me dwells eternal hope, the temporal cloudy skies that darken my heart – part – and heaven’s eternal light breaks through. Just as Paul marveled, we too should marvel, because God has entrusted to us, weak and fragile vessels (jars of clay), with the treasure of the gospel of God’s glory that is revealed in Jesus. In Him, our eternal hunger and thirst is satisfied because God has sealed those who believe in Jesus with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our eternal inheritance (Ephesians 1:13-14). Right now within each and every believer through the presence and power of the Holy Spirit, literally, dwells eternity to the praise of God’s glory. Such amazing grace!

So, when the battle within overwhelms you to the point of despair or when the treasures of this world take you hostage, remember this truth, that within you resides eternity, that within you lives the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead (Romans 8:11). Be encouraged!

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