PJP2 PROLOG 160529 PROLOG Focus - Galatians 5:13-15....

1 Chronicles 16:9 (ESV/emphasis added/jaj)...."Sing To Him, Sing Praises To Him; Tell of ALL His Wondrous Works!"....

PJP2 PROLOG POST 160529 - Galatians 5:13-15 (ESV/emphasis added/jaj)...."For you Were Called To FREEDOM, brothers.  Only Do NOT use your FREEDOM as an opportunity for the flesh, BUT Through LOVE Serve one another.  For The Whole Law IS Fulfilled In One WORD: 'You Shall LOVE your neighbor As yourself.'  BUT IF you bite and devour one another, Watch Out that you are not consumed by one another."....

One objection I have heard to being a Follower of Jesus Christ is 'there's just too many rules....you can't be yourself.....you have to Obey.....too restrictive....no freedom'.....

Hmmmm....Let's ponder that for a moment.....

Note:  I have heard the Book of Galatians called "The Christians' Declaration of Dependence", or "The Christians' Magna Carte".....Easy to see where that comes from when you look over Galatians 5:1 and 5:13...."It Is for FREEDOM That Christ Has Set us FREE"....."For you Were Called to FREEDOM"....

So, one the one hand, IF our Lord Jesus is enslaving us.....then I'll gladly be enslaved to a Master Who Calls me Via His Giving me FREEDOM (from guilt and shame and sin's destructive touch).

As for 'too many rules'......Bottom-Line/Up-Front - Our Lord Jesus encapsulated ALL of the Old Testament and God The Father's Laws Given Through Moses (and His Prophets) into TWO Commandments Resting On One CONCEPT = LOVE......

Matthew 22:35-40 (ESV/emphasis added/jaj)...."And one of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question to test Him. 'Teacher, which is The Great Commandment in The Law?'  And Jesus Said to him, 'You Shall LOVE The Lord your God With ALL your Heart And With ALL your Soul And With ALL your Mind.  THIS IS The Great And First Commandment.  AND A Second IS Like IT: You Shall LOVE your neighbor as yourself.  On These TWO Commandments Depend ALL The Law and The Prophets.'”....

So, once more if the objection to Being A Follower of our Lord Jesus is that He is Too Restrictive....well He Restricts us By His Grace Giving us FREEDOM.  He's Too Bossy.....He Commands us To LOVE.

Just me thinking out loud here.....I am Encouraged By His Grace, Empowered By His Freedom and Enthused By His Amazing Love of us, Even though there is no-way I have earned or deserve Any Of His Attention.

Again, I would rather be a Servant of The Master Who Gives FREEDOM and Commands LOVE, than a free person lost in the clutches of sin and depravity.

IF you do Not Know our Lord Jesus, He Ever Remains Open-Armed, Waiting and Wanting you to Come to Him.  If you Do Know Him, Praise God, for You Know Well our Hope and Joy in Him.

My Prayer for us today - O Lord Jesus, Holy Spirit, Father God, Thank You That You Have Called us To Your FREEDOM from death and sin.  Lord Jesus, Guide and Teach us NEVER to abuse our FREEDOM as an opportunity for the flesh.  Holy Spirit, Lead us By Your Word and Truth to Share You LOVE and to Serve our fellow man.  Father God, Thank You that Through Your Son, You Have Given us Your Whole Law Fulfilled In just One WORD: 'You Shall LOVE your neighbor As yourself.'  Lord Jesus, Protect us from the divisiveness that can come when we bite and devour one another from petty disagreements, or selfishness.  Holy Spirit, Help us to Watch Out for such divisions, for by them we could be consumed by one another.  Father God, Open our Inner Eyes to Clearly See Your Way of Love, Mercy and Grace.  Lord Jesus, we Raise our Praise and Prayers in Your Holy Name....Amen/Amen....jaj