RELEASED

Those who live in this world thinking that this is all there is, that there is no after-life, put everything they have into living for the moment. After all, if you believe that there are no consequences to living a life simply to please yourself, what else would you do?

Now, if careful thought is applied, even apart from a hope for a future apart from this world and what we can see, one can find consequences to living a self-serving life.

• People would rather be around someone that considers them and their feelings so they may not care to be around a self-centered individual.
• Doing “street” drugs, drinking excessive amounts of alcohol, among other things have physical consequences that are counter productive to a healthy life in the here-and-now.
• Having sexual relations apart from marriage can have not only physical but also damaging emotional consequences as well.

The point is that even if someone doesn’t believe in the Bible, one can hardly dispute the fact that the practical living advice it has to offer is extremely relevant.

It often goes unheeded, though, and not just by non-Christians. The attitude is “Well I’m going to die anyway and it will all be over.” However…those of us who have come to know Jesus as Savior have been released from the bondage of the fear of death…

Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, ¹⁵and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. Hebrews 2:14 - 15 (NKJV)

Sin and its allure no longer hold us captive because “we might die tomorrow.”

¹¹So you also should consider yourselves to be dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus. Romans 6:11 (NLT)

If people stopped to think about what advantages they were deriving by a self-serving life they would be hard pressed to find anything of lasting value… But we have eternity with our Creator to look forward to…

²⁰For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. ²¹Therefore what benefit were you then deriving from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the outcome of those things is death. ²²But now having been freed from sin and enslaved to God, you derive your benefit, resulting in sanctification, and the outcome, eternal life. ²³For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:20 - 23 (NASB)

We are freed by Christ’s death on the cross from death and the dread it brings to our few short years on this earth. We are no longer being controlled by the thought of having to “have all the fun we can now because it all may end tomorrow.” We have been released from that fear and from death to life everlasting with God.

SEEK FIRST THE KINGDOM OF GOD

BEYOND

Sometimes when we’re in the middle of a disagreeable situation or circumstance, we need to look beyond the immediacy of the moment and remember who we are.

It’s easy to get caught up in the negativity of a seemingly bad situation. How would you have felt toward Judas if you were in Jesus’ place at that last supper with the disciples? My first reaction would have been to tell everybody in the room what he was going to do. What did Jesus do? Here’s the passage in the Gospel of John…

It was time for supper, and the devil had already prompted Judas, son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. ^3. Jesus knew that the Father had given him authority over everything and that he had come from God and would return to God. ^4. So he got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist, ^5. and poured water into a basin. Then he began to wash the disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel he had around him. John 13:2 - 5 (NLT)

Jesus knew what Judas was going to do and still He washed His feet along with all the other disciples! It was as if He had forgiven Judas ahead of time. Now that’s a positive, loving attitude.

So next time you’re tempted to react negatively to a negative situation remember Jesus’ response to Judas. Then remember that verse in Paul’s letter to the Church in Rome that says…

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. Romans 8:28 (NKJV)

Look beyond your human understanding through the Holy Spirit of God that lives in you.

SEEK FIRST THE KINGDOM OF GOD