“If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth and the truth will set you free.” John 8:31-32
We all know what it is like to want freedom. We long for freedom. We ask for freedom. Yet, we often fail to do the one thing that leads to freedom! Jesus said freedom comes as you hold to “My teachings.”
I love the simplicity of this verse. Jesus does not give ten steps to freedom. He gives one. We can summarize this step in the following way. “If you want freedom--- follow my instruction Book!” Following Jesus’ instruction Book involves two steps--- knowing the Book and obeying the Book. In light of this, two questions must be asked.
1. Do you know the Book?
Knowing the teachings in God’s holy Book becomes the first step to freedom. The teachings recorded in God’s Book provide freedom because they express the heart of God on big and small issues of life. Knowing the Book occurs as you daily interact with the Book. Your daily interaction must be personal. You must know the Book so well that even when the Book is not in front of you, the truths of the Book ring in your heart. How much of God’s Holy Word do you have access to in your heart? God has given His Book to be a source of light in a very dark world. Believers must take the light and allow it to shine bright in their lives. This occurs as you read God’s Word and allow it to change the way you live. The outcome of this process will be truth taking the place of lies resulting in freedom!
2. Do you hold to the teachings in the Book?
Knowing the Book is the first step to freedom. The second step is holding to the teachings found in the Book. Jesus said, “If you hold to my teachings, you are really my disciples.” Think about this. Holding on to an object requires two steps. The first step involves making the choice to grab the object. The second step involves displaying an active determination not to let go of the object. Holding on to Jesus’ teachings occurs in the same way. First, you must daily make the choice to grab His Holy thoughts regarding your life. Second, you must display an active determination to hold onto His thoughts by allowing them to change the way you live on a very practical level. This means, the teachings found in His Book impact the way you interact with your husband, children, coworkers, and friends. As you hold on to Jesus’ teachings, freedom flows into your life and through your life as you learn to live by His holy Book.
Freedom can and will come in your life as you seek God’s direction in His Holy Word and surrender to it no matter the cost. Today, I challenge you to grab onto Jesus’ teachings and hold on for dear life!
Questions---
Think of area(s) in your life where you need to grab on to Jesus’ teachings and hold on for life.
Are you willing to allow God’s Word to set you free by changing the way you think and live in the area(s) listed above?
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