Released and set Free
2 Corinthians 3:17
A BAZAAR WAS HELD in a village in northern India. Everyone brought his wares to trade and sell. One old farmer brought in a whole covey of quail. He had tied a string around one leg of each bird. The other ends of all the strings were tied to a ring which fit loosely over a central stick. He had taught the quail to walk dolefully in a circle, around and around, like mules at a sugarcane mill. Nobody seemed interested in buying the birds until a devout Brahman came along. He believed in the Hindu idea of respect for all life, so his heart of compassion went out to those poor little creatures walking in their monotonous circles.
I want to buy them all,he told the merchant, who was elated. After receiving the money, he was surprised to hear the buyer say, Now, I want you to set them all free.
Whats that, sir
You heard me. Cut the strings from their legs and turn them loose. Set them all free!
With a shrug, the old farmer bent down and snipped the strings off the quail. They were freed, at last.
What happened? The birds simply continued marching around and around in a circle. Finally, the man had to shoo them off. But even when they landed some distance away, they resumed their predictable march. Free, unfettered released, yet they kept going in circles as if still tied.
Salvation cuts the strings of sin. It’s time to stop marching and start flying.
2 Cor 3:17
17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.
God never made birdcages
The Spirit of God is always the spirit of liberty; the spirit that is not of God is the spirit of bondage, the spirit of oppression and depression. The Spirit of God convicts vividly and tensely, but He is always the Spirit of liberty.
God who made the birds never made birdcages; it is men who make birdcages, and after a while we become cramped and can do nothing but chirp and stand on one leg
Beware of being in bondage to yourself or Satan. Oppression and depression never come from the Spirit of God. He never oppresses, he convicts and comforts.
Oswald Chambers (1874-1917)
Some of us are caged by the memories of a sinful past.
Lloyd Ogilvie said, "The memory of past failure is like sand in the gears of our effectiveness."
God did not put the handcuffs of past memories on you. They are self-imposed. He wiped out your sins in order that you might have seasons of refreshing (Acts 3:19).
Other Christians are caged by legalism.
They read the Bible to learn of its rules. The legalist with a sensitive conscience knows he cannot keep God’s laws perfectly.
Some are caged by success.
They are in mortal dread of failure, they are afraid to try. I do not have to succeed. I have only to be true to the highest I know-success or failure are in the hands of God.
If you are living in a prison of your own making, you can walk through the doors of freedom today.
Galatians 5:1
1 It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.
Released and set free with the liberty of the Spirit.
The presence of the Spirit gives freedom, freedom from fear, freedom from the guilt and burden of sin,
The man who is renewed in Christ Jesus can be safely trusted with his full liberty, because he is established in principles, and upheld by a power which guarantees that he will put his liberty into reasonable and righteous limitations.
Released and set free and restricted for power
No horse gets anyone anywhere until he’s harnessed, no steam or gas drives anything until it is confined, no Niagara ever turns anything into light or power until it is tunneled, no life ever does great things it is until focused, dedicated, and disciplined.
Released and set free to make a difference
The great spiritual task facing me is to so fully trust that I belong to God that I can be free in the world--
free to speak even when my words are not received;
free to act even when my actions are criticized, ridiculed, or considered useless;
free also to receive love from people and to be grateful for all the signs of God’s presence in the world.
Released and set free with a new Name "Christian, & Child of God"
The boxer who is now known as Muhammad Ali began his life as Cassius Clay. He changed his name. He said that Clay was a name that came from slavery and he would not wear it any longer. What he did not know was this: the Cassius Clay for whom he was named was a fiery opponent of slavery. He opposed it at a time when it was quite dangerous to do so. On the other hand, the original Muhammad Ali did nothing to replace slavery with freedom. As Christians we wear the name of the one who set us free.
Released and set free to find purpose and importance in life.
The following conversation occurred between a canary in a cage and a lark on the window sill.
The lark looked in at the canary and asked, "What is you Purpose?"
"My purpose is to eat seed."
"What for?"
"So I can be strong."
"What for?"
"So I can sing," answered the canary.
"What for?" continued the lark.
"Because when I sing I get more seed."
"So you eat in order to be strong so you can sing so you can get more seed so you can eat?"
"Yes."
"There is more to you than that," the lark offered. "If you’ll follow me I’ll help you find it, but you must leave your cage."
It’s tough to find meaning in a caged world.
Released and set free to become what God would have me become
Freedom does not mean I am able to do whatever I want to do.
Freedom means I have been set free to become all that God wants me to be, to achieve all that God wants me to achieve, to enjoy all that God wants me to enjoy.
