Let’s admit it.  We seldom walk in the total freedom that Christ bought for us.

I recently came across this video made from an old recording of Paris Reidhead preaching.  I shared it on Twitter and wanted to share it with you here.  I have a difficult time watching it without tearing up as I reflect on what Jesus did for me and how I often respond to it as if it were something less.

I know what you’re thinking. “I don’t have time to watch a seven and a half minute video!”  Do yourself a favor.  Turn off the phone, quiet your heart, and let the Holy Spirit speak to you through this.

When you’re done, ask yourself, “Do I ever settle for less than all that Christ gave me?” and “Have I ever acted like the slave girl?”

God’s humongous blessings on you!

* My apologies to all those who commented on this post.  I lost it during maintenance and had to repost it.  Feel free to comment again!

Ever found yourself in a situation like this? You’re tempted.  You want to look at that image, vent criticism, gossip, cross that line, bend the truth, or whatever it is your flesh wants to indulge in.  But you hear the voice of the Holy Spirit saying, “Don’t go there!” Maybe you don’t hear a voice but you know it’s wrong.  Right about then, that other voice kicks in saying, “He’ll forgive you.”  Somewhere in the back of your mind you assure yourself of the mercy of God and it comforts you to know that He’ll still love and forgive you if you choose to do the wrong thing… and that comfort usually leads to the wrong decision.

I think sometimes when we struggle with a pattern of sin (secret or public) the answer can simply be found in how we view Jesus.  If we stop at Savior, we’re missing so much of what He has for us. We have to accept and view Him as Lord, King, Giver of Life, Best Thing of All!  When we approach him simply as a free ticket to heaven, mere fire insurance, we miss out.  Plain and simple.  He’s so much more and when we give Him Lordship, we receive that abundant life He spoke of.  In the end, it’s not so much of a sin problem as it is a Lordship problem.  Lordship leads to who and what we bend our lives around.

How do you view Jesus?  A.W. Tozer once wrote  “What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.”  How you view Jesus will change how you live, where you live, and whether you truly live but you have to want more than simply a forgiveness dispenser.

“Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ and become one with him.” – Philippians 3:8-9a

* My apologies to all those who commented on this post.  I lost it during maintenance and had to repost it.  Feel free to comment again!

“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.” – Aristotle

“Discipline is freedom.” Wrap your brain around that! I read through Foster’s book with an equal amount of conviction and excitement about a disciplined life. I’ve always considered myself a relatively disciplined person (at least in a few areas) but I know I could use an adjustment here and there. I learned a long time ago that praying for God to help me be disciplined was crazy talk like praying for longer hair or bigger muscles. Discipline is a choice and a daily decision. It’s not just going to come over you by supernatural influence.

The thing I’ve found though, is that it really DOES bring freedom! I meet with people all the time that are struggling. They struggle with their commitment to Christ, they struggle with their weight, they struggle with their marriage, they struggle with… everything! It astounds me how many times the answer just comes back to discipline. To the struggling believer, I ask, “How’s your prayer life?” The answer is usually a long list of activities that are taking priority over prayer. I see friends struggling with their weight that just can’t seem to establish a discipline of exercise and restraint, pastors with declining churches that won’t discipline themselves to read, grow, and learn a better way, and families falling apart that fail to discipline themselves to say no to all the things that compete for their time together.

I know that’s a pretty general approach to many of the problems that we face. My intention is not to come off as insensitive and all “Drill Sargent-y”. But isn’t it much easier to wish than it is to take practical steps to do? I turned my life over to Christ 25 years ago. I’ve seen many wonderful people turn away from the faith during that time, and I have the pleasure of worshiping alongside others who were with me when I made the most important decision ever. When I look at the lives of those who fell away, gave up the fight, and abandoned their relationship with God, I find only one common thread, only one difference between them and those who are still serving Him today, and it’s a lack of discipline to seek God. That’s it! We all had similar problems, obstacles, and issues. It’s just that the disciplined ones stayed. Hence the old saying, “He who prays stays, and he who fasts lasts“.

There’s an old man in his 90s that I know from the YMCA. His name is Ernie. He swims six days a week! Because of his discipline, he has energy, he’s strong, mobile, and sharp as can be. He didn’t start swimming when he turned 90. He’s been doing it for decades, and now he experiences a great deal of freedom for a man his age. Many men, younger than him, come into the gym feeble, sickly, and tired because they they spent so many years without discipline and now they’re there under doctor’s orders. I don’t know about you, but I want to be like Ernie!

Being disciplined helps you to last. It brings freedom from bondage. It conditions you to serve better. It creates a condition in you that allows God to transform you!

If you don’t believe me, give it a try. Pick a discipline, like prayer or reading, and stick to it every day for six weeks.  You WILL notice a difference!  Your desires change.  You start to long for the good stuff.  Your capacity for achievement increases because you’re growing and expanding.  Your mind even starts to sharpen because you’re forcing yourself to develop new habits (a side effect to counter-intuitiveness).

I believe so strongly in the power of discipline that, if it doesn’t help you, I’ll refund the money I charged you for reading this blog ;)

One last thing.  If you do decide to give it a try, think about posting your benefits on this blog.  You never know who you’ll encourage!