Gospel Thoughts Journal #4: Are you still a Slave?

The God, the king, the leader who loves unconditionally is a very strange idea to the people of God because all they have experienced is slavery, coercion, and force. They functioned to what they are used to think that God needed to be served and obeyed or else they suffer just like their slave masters in Egypt. It was so easy to control people's behavior with the fear of displeasing the slave master, and the fear of punishment.

As long as the form of obedience and rule keeping is there it has been enough to satisfy their fear of punishment.

It has been a great struggle to learn and to enter into a relationship of an unconditional love relationship of God of which they only need to accept the love offer of God. With the SLAVE MENTALITY they were not used that the king would be so loving and will assist, and serve them. A King who would be so forgiving is non existing. God's people functioning in the SLAVE MENTALITY when they are introduced to God's character of love, they function in their slave mentality mode and fail to see God's love. Sadly, THEY SAW THE COMMANDS RATHER THAN THE CHARACTER OF GOD, THEY SEE THE REQUIREMENT TO LIVE WITH GOD RATHER THAN GOD'S DESIRE TO KEEP THEM CLOSE NO MATTER WHAT, AND THEY SEE THEIR NEED TO DO THE WORK RATHER THAN THE WORK OF GOD IN THEIR LIVES.

THE FREEDOM REALITY IS LIVING IN GOD'S PROMISE, THE COVENANT OF GOD. It is a life of accepting that God loves you that much even your circumstances says it not and your head says it not.

GOD'S CHARACTER SHOWS THAT GOD'S PURSUIT TO EXTEND A RELATIONSHIP TO SINFUL HUMAN BEINGS WILL NOT BE CUT BY MAN'S CONTINUED FAILURE.

No matter how unfaithful the people might have been, no matter the apostasy, rebellion, and disobedience among them, the Lord still proclaims His willingness to enter into a covenant relationship with all who are willing TO CHANGE (LEAVE THE SLAVE MENTALITY), TO ACCEPT THE NEW LIFE (RESTORED AND SAVED MENTALITY), and TO ACCEPT THE UNCONDITIONAL LOVE OF GOD (JESUS' WORKS).

THE HOPE IS SECURE, GOD WILL GIVE US...

• a heart of flesh (Ezek. 11:19)

• a new heart/ a new spirit (Ezek. 18:31; 36:26)

• God's Spirit in men (Ezek. 36:27)

This is all possible because THE COVENANT IS GOD HIMSELF, God will give us His life for His promise to come true.

He will do His best to give you back the STATUS OF BEING FREE FROM ANY FORM of SLAVERY AND DOMINION OVER YOU. He will do His best to restore the broken image in you. He will do His best to bring your understanding back of WHO HE REALLY IS--LOVING, FORGIVING, MERCIFUL (THE I AM OF Exodus 34).

In Jesus, you are not a slave anymore, you are free.