Tag: Blessed

26.i. “How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word.”

 

Psalms 119:9 How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word. With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments! I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you. Blessed are you, O LORD; teach me your statutes! With my lips I declare all the rules of your mouth. In the way of your testimonies I delight as much as in all riches. I will meditate on your precepts and fix my eyes on your ways. I will delight in your statutes; I will not forget your word.

The foundation for a morally pure life is found in God’s word. God’s word shows us the standard of purity, so we know what is right and what is wrong. God’s word shows us the reasons for purity, so we understand the wisdom and goodness of God’s commands. God’s word shows us the difficulty of purity, and reminds us to be on guard. God’s word shows us the blessings of purity, and gives us an incentive to make the necessary sacrifices. God’s word shows us how to be born again – converted, so our inner man may be transformed after the pattern of ultimate purity, Jesus Christ. God’s word shows us the way to be empowered by the Holy Spirit, so that we have the spiritual resources to be pure. God’s word is a refuge against temptation, giving us a way of escape in the season of enticement. God’s word is a light that clears away the deceptive fog of seduction and temptation. God’s word is a mirror that helps us see our spiritual and moral condition, and thus walk in purity. God’s word gives us wise and simple commands, such as to “Flee youthful lusts” (2 Timothy 2:22). God’s word washes us from impurity, and actually cleanses our life in a spiritual sense (Ephesians 5:26, John 15:3). God’s word is the key to the renewing of our minds, which in turn is the key to personal, moral, and spiritual transformation God’s word gives a refuge against condemnation when we have been impure, and shows us how to repent and come back to a pure life. God’s word shows us how to conduct our lives so that we are an encouragement to others in purity. (Guzik)

26.h. “You have commanded your precepts to be kept diligently. Oh that my ways may be steadfast in keeping your statutes!”

Psalms 119:1  Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the LORD! Blessed are those who keep his testimonies, who seek him with their whole heart, who also do no wrong, but walk in his ways! You have commanded your precepts to be kept diligently. Oh that my ways may be steadfast in keeping your statutes! Then I shall not be put to shame, having my eyes fixed on all your commandments. I will praise you with an upright heart when I learn your righteous rules. I will keep your statutes; do not utterly forsake me!

Blessed are those whose way is blameless (undefiled).  Being “blessed” – happy, joyful, cheerful, satisfied, content, and at peace seems to be a rarity in very many people. There is so much stuff out there that quickly captures our thoughts away from things of God. Open up any online media source that is proclaiming news.  You will not find one mention of God’s Word other than to use it wrongly or to prove a point against God. These outlets of societal worldly thoughts want to tell you how to be happy, satisfied, and content.  They will bend the truth, lie, cause fear, make boasts, cast doubts, and most assuredly will promote what seems right for the time or in the eyes.  Think about how much of your time and brain is consumed by this rubbish of foolishness.  You hear people say “I read where”, “I saw that”, “so and so said”, “I saw on the news”, “they say”, etc…. Do you ever hear “God’s Word says”? What would it be like if every news and social media outlet would have an editor who reviewed what was being said in light of scripture? What would our government officials be saying if everything they said were as if God was listening? When there is no hunger and thirst, desire and longing, and wanting for God’s Word, what comes out of the heart will be seasoned and filled with what those void of God’s Word want to hear.  

There is nothing more worthy of our time than God’s Word.  There is nothing more precious than God’s Word and His promises. There is nothing more satisfying than God’s Word. There is nothing that can bring peace to the heart, mind, and soul than God’s Word. There is nothing more powerful than God’s Word. There is nothing more that can give courage, hope, and joy than God’s Word. And yet, day after day we choose to neglect it in search of what only it can bring into our lives. There is no excuse to neglect or become complacent with God’s Word. 

25.r. “Do not be deceived: God is not mocked”

 

2 Corinthians 9:6  The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. As it is written, “He has distributed freely, he has given to the poor; his righteousness endures forever.”

 Psalms 41:1-3    Blessed is the one who considers the poor! In the day of trouble the LORD delivers him;  the LORD protects him and keeps him alive; he is called blessed in the land; you do not give him up to the will of his enemies.  The LORD sustains him on his sickbed; in his illness you restore him to full health.

 Proverbs 11:24  One gives freely, yet grows all the richer; another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want.

 Proverbs 19:17    Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will repay him for his deed.

 Proverbs 22:9    Whoever has a bountiful eye will be blessed, for he shares his bread with the poor.

 Galatians 6:7-9  Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap.  For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.  And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.

A farmer sowing seed may feel he loses seed as it falls from his hand to the ground, and we may feel we are losing when we give. But just as the farmer gives the seed it in anticipation of a future harvest, we should give with the same heart.

What do we reap when we give? We reap blessings that are both material and spiritual. Materially, we can trust that God will provide for the giving heart. The promise of Philippians 4:19 (my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus) is made in the context of the generous hearts of the Philippians (Philippians 4:15-18). If we give to God, He will give to us materially.  Spiritually, we can trust that God will reward the giving heart both now and in eternity. Jesus spoke to this in Matthew 19:29: And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My name’s sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life. Jesus obviously did not mean that we would receive a hundred houses if we gave up our house for Him any more than He meant we would receive a hundred wives if we gave one up for Him! But He did mean that we are never the losers when we give to God. The Lord can never be in debt to any man, and we should never be afraid of giving God “too much.” Spiritually or materially, you can’t out-give God.  Every Christian should be a giver. Because of small resources some cannot give much but it is still important that they give, and that they give with the right kind of heart.

Giving should be motivated by the purposes of our own heart. It should never be coerced or manipulated. We should give because we want to give and because God has put it in our own heart to give. This can also be said in the sense that our giving reveals the purposes in [our] own heart. If we say we love the Lord more than surfing, but spend all our money on surfboards and do not give as we should to the Lord’s work, then the way we spend our money shows the purposes of our own heart more accurately than our words do. Jesus said it simply: For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. God does not want our giving to be grudging (reluctantly, regretfully given with plenty of complaining) or of necessity (given because someone has made us or manipulated us into giving).  Some people talk of the tithe as what they are giving but this I think is wrong.  The tithe was an expectation God has place on us.  Giving is separate from that.  Giving is not given because it is an expectation but freely from the heart.  Give some thought to this and ask God to reveal if you are giving out of love for Him or out of expectation. 

24.x. “On him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again.”

 

2 Corintihians 1:8 For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead. He delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again. You also must help us by prayer, so that many will give thanks on our behalf for the blessing granted us through the prayers of many.

 Psalms 44:6-7   For not in my bow do I trust, nor can my sword save me.  But you have saved us from our foes and have put to shame those who hate us.

 Proverbs 28:26    Whoever trusts in his own mind is a fool, but he who walks in wisdom will be delivered.

 Jeremiah 9:23-24     Thus says the LORD: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches,  but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the LORD.”

 Jeremiah 17:5-7    Thus says the LORD: “Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart turns away from the LORD.  He is like a shrub in the desert, and shall not see any good come. He shall dwell in the parched places of the wilderness, in an uninhabited salt land.  “Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose trust is the LORD.

Whatever the problem was, it was bad. Because of this problem, Paul lived with the awareness that he might die at any time.  He was able to able to learn from this and say – “not to rely on ourselves but on God”.  He has delivered us, He is delivering us, and He will deliver us – past, present, future.  David, though he used bow and sword, said that he did not trust in them even thought there was victory – It was all of God and not by their might, talent, power, or strength that victory was gained.  

It is when we seek deliverance and rely on self, how is God to help?  Life is marked by events, and our life is lived either in anticipation of those events (looking to the future) or in reflection upon them (looking to the past). In either situation, stress is a possibility. We may be concerned about what is coming, or we may be exhausted by what has happened. Whenever life drains you of strength, let God be your source for refreshment (Psalm 23:1-3). Make prayer your first choice when it comes to unburdening your soul of what this world has done, is doing, and will do that adversely affects you. God is not limited and will deliver you. His strength, His power, His might, His timing.

22.d. “Lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn”

 

 

1 Corinthians 2:14  The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.

 Matthew 13:11-17    And he answered them, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given.  For to the one who has, more will be given, and he will have an abundance, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.  This is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.  Indeed, in their case the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled that says: “‘“You will indeed hear but never understand, and you will indeed see but never perceive.”  For this people’s heart has grown dull, and with their ears they can barely hear, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them.’  But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear.  For truly, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.

 Romans 8:5-8    For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit.  For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.  For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot.  Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

The natural man – one who lives in a natural state, and under the influences of these natural passions, lives in opposition to things of God and things taught by and through the Holy Spirit.  Instead of living with knowledge and understanding, they live void of God.  They have blocked their own eyes from seeing and their ears from hearing things of God.  Their heart has become like a stone to things of God.  They choose to live in this state of blindness and deafness.  Everything they do is void of doing it for the honor and glory of God.  Even the good that they do is done out of selfish desires. All of us were born in the natural state, with natural desires, and lives that were in opposition to and void of understanding things of God.  There is not a single person who can claim a birth other than this.  “For all have sinned and fall short of the Glory of God”

The amazing and awesome Good News of Jesus Christ is that, in the grace, mercy, and love of God, He made a way, a mystery, for us to have a “New Birth”, “Born Again”, “A New Creation”.  This mystery can not be understood or found by the wisdom and understanding of the natural man.  The heart and mind of the natural man are void of this understanding.  Somehow, God, is able to soften the heart and mind of the natural man with the “Good News of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  I have no comprehension of how this works, but I know the most stone-hardened heart can be changed by hearing the Good News.  I was lost but now am found, I was blind but now I see, I was deaf but now I hear.  Somehow the Gospel penetrates through the hardness and the heart and mind are able to understand the Gospel.  At that moment, in that very second, that person makes an intentional choice to believe it or reject it.  In that very moment a once hardened heart, that intentionally chooses to believe, trust, and rely on Jesus Christ, is changed and is “Born Again”, becomes a “New Creation”, and is a “New Birth”.   

Everyone will make an intentional decision to believe and trust God or to reject deny or reject Him before they die.  In this decision, they choose eternity in heaven or eternity in hell.  There ought to be a difference in how the lives are lived of those that are “Born Again” compared to those who are spiritually void.  

21.n. “The mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints.”

 

 

Romans 16:25  Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages but has now been disclosed and through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith— to the only wise God be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ! Amen.  

 Amos 3:7   “For the Lord GOD does nothing without revealing his secret to his servants the prophets.

 Matthew 13:17    For truly, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.

 1 Peter 1:20    He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you

 Luke 10:23-24   Then turning to the disciples he said privately, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see!  For I tell you that many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.”

 Ephesians 3:9    and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God, who created all things,

 Colossians 1:26  the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints.

Once the mystery has been revealed, people will look at it in a host of different ways.  Some will see it clearly and welcome the revelation with open arms.  They see their sin, redemption through Christ, and firmly take hold of it by faith.  Some take hold of it by faith because of what was written in the past about a coming messiah, the coming of Jesus Christ fulfilling these past prophecies, and assurance of eternity.  The mystery was revealed and they believed.  They believed in the grace, mercy, and love of God through Jesus Christ our redeemer. 

There are those who have seen the mystery revealed and reject it.  They mock, deny, and reject it as not a mystery but a fairy tale told by weak-minded people and believed by the simple-minded followers.  They not only deny the revealed mystery but they deny God.  Paul makes it very clear that God has revealed himself to everyone and that no man is without excuse.  (Romans 1:18 “because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them, For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools”)

Think about how gentiles were grafted into the redemption plan of God.  This is truly a mystery.  Prior to the rejection of Jesus Christ by the Jews, gentiles were, as it were, separated and without hope.  They knew nothing about the prophetic writings from old but surely some of them heard of the God of the Jews.  I wonder if this is the reason they came up with their own gods.  The fact that God, in His wisdom, grace, mercy, and love, chose to reveal the mystery of the Gospel of Jesus Christ to gentiles, and continues to open their hearts and minds up to their sin and the need of redemption, and be able to clearly see not only Jesus Christ but the need for Him.  This is truly the revealed mystery of grace, mercy, and love of God.

19.s. “The Father of mercies and God of all comfort”

2 Corinthians 1:3  3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. 5 For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds through Christ. 6 Now if we are afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effective for enduring the same sufferings which we also suffer. Or if we are comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation. 7 And our hope for you is steadfast, because we know that as you are partakers of the sufferings, so also you will partake of the consolation.

What if Your blessings come through raindrops? What if Your healing comes through tears? What if a thousand sleepless nights are what it takes to know You’re near? What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise?” Singer and songwriter Laura Story wrote these words after her husband was diagnosed with a brain tumor. As the couple wrestled with his diagnosis and prayed for healing, Laura expressed her prayers to the Lord through her song, “Blessings,” which has encouraged many others as they walk through trials.

No matter your trial—illness, unemployment, family struggles—God is still blessing you. The blessing may come through a comforting verse in His Word or through an encouraging card from a friend. It might appear in the unexpected gift from a family member or the worship song sung at church. His blessings are all around us. These small blessings bring great joy to our hearts, but perhaps the greatest blessing we receive during times of trial is the blessing of drawing closer to God. As we trust Him and cling to His promises, our relationship with the Father deepens. What an indescribable blessing! (David Jeremiah)

19.k. “For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

Romans 5:3 Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

2 Corinthians 12:9-10  But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.  For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

James 1:12 Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.

James 1:2-3  Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds,  for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.

2 Corinthians 4:17 For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison,

Hebrews 12:11  For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

Romans 15:4  For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.

We can glory in tribulations (literally, stresses) because they are the occasion to produce perseverance (endurance).  Spurgeon said it something like this; “A Christian should expect and know trials and troubles come to them as well as the unsaved.”  Our faith untested by troubles and trials is much like a runner who never trains for the race.  All of his ability is in his mind, and when the race begins he is quickly unable to continue.  

“Whatever virtues tribulation finds us in, it develops more fully. If anyone is carnal, weak, blind, wicked, irascible, haughty, and so forth, tribulation will make him more carnal, weak, blind, wicked, and irritable. On the other hand, if one is spiritual, strong, wise, pious, gentle and humble, he will become more spiritual, powerful, wise, pious, gentle and humble.” (Martin Luther)  

“‘Tribulation worketh patience,’ says the apostle. Naturally it is not so. Tribulation worketh impatience, and impatience misses the fruit of experience, and sours into hopelessness. Ask many who have buried a dear child, or have lost their wealth, or have suffered pain of body, and they will tell you that the natural result of affliction is to produce irritation against providence, rebellion against God, questioning, unbelief, bad-tempered, and all sorts of evils. But what a wonderful alteration takes place when the heart is renewed by the Holy Spirit!” (Spurgeon)

More than likely we would rather have God just sprinkle perseverance and character and hope on us as we sleep. We could wake up a much better Christian! But that isn’t God’s plan for us or for any Christian.

“Lord, I won’t seek trials and search out tribulation, but I won’t despise them or lose hope when they come. I trust Your love in everything You allow. I surrender to Your perfect will, plan, and purpose for and in my life.  You are my God and I trust You for you are my rock, refuge, and fortress whatever the trials or troubles are.”

17.q. “If they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.”

John 12:12   The next day the great crowd that had come for the festival heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting, “Hosanna!”, “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”, “Blessed is the king of Israel!”  Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, as it is written:  “Do not be afraid, Daughter Zion; see, your king is coming, seated on a donkey’s colt.” At first his disciples did not understand all this. Only after Jesus was glorified did they realize that these things had been written about him and that these things had been done to him. Now the crowd that was with him when he called Lazarus from the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to spread the word. Many people, because they had heard that he had performed this sign, went out to meet him. So the Pharisees said to one another, “See, this is getting us nowhere. Look how the whole world has gone after him!”

Luke 19:35   When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen: “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!” “I tell you,” he replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.”

“The donkey was not normally used by a warlike person. It was the animal of a man of peace, a priest, a merchant, or the like. It might also be used by a person of importance but in connection with peaceable purposes.  The donkey speaks of peace.” (Morris) “They greeted Jesus as a king, though ignorant of the nature of His kingship. It would seem that they looked upon Him as a potential nationalist leader, with whose help they might be able to become wholly independent of foreign powers who ruled over them.” 

What were the people really praising Jesus for?  Was it for raising Lazarus from the dead? Was it because they anticipated Him to become their mighty King? Was it because, on the coming Passover, they thought He was their deliverer from their Roman oppressors?  When we praise and worship Jesus it is because He is King of Kings, Lord of Lords, Son of God, and Savior.  It should never be about what we can get from Him, but because of who He is.  Granted, we are blessed beyond all measure, we are forgiven of sin, we are redeemed, we are redeemed, forgiven, and born again, we are given and filled with the Holy Spirit, we are given His written Word, we are given joy, peace, love, hope, power, refuge, and the promises of eternal life and His coming again.  These blessings we can truly be thankful for, but our praise and worship should be for who He is. I guess this is a very fine line.  Thankfulness can be an expression of praise and worship.  However, the line can grow strangely wide when our heart speaks thankfulness for what we can get rather than for who the Giver is.

16.h. “And the truth will set you free.”

John 8:31  So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” They answered him, “We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How is it that you say, ‘You will become free’?” Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin. The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. I know that you are offspring of Abraham; yet you seek to kill me because my word finds no place in you.

Isaiah 61:1   The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;

Romans 8:15     For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!”

Galatians 5:13    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.

2 Timothy 2:25-26     correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth  and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.

James 1:25     But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.

1 Peter 2:16    Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God.

Jesus was speaking to those who believed Him.  There is a difference between believing Him and believing in Him.  Those who believe in Him will abide in His word.  Those who believe Him will not, or they may pick and choose what they want to abide in. Clearly, they were inclined to think what Jesus was saying was true.  But they were not prepared or willing to yield that belief into trust and reliance.  Abiding in His Word means “Welcoming it, being at home with it, and living with it so continuously that it becomes part of the believer’s life, a permanent influence and stimulus in every fresh advance in goodness and holiness.”

Abiding in His Word will open our hearts and minds to the truth.  It is this truth that sets us free.  There is nothing like the freedom we can have in Jesus. No money can buy it, no status can obtain it, no works can earn it, and nothing can match it. It is tragic that not every Christian experiences this freedom, which can never be found except by abiding in God’s word and being Jesus’ disciple.  There is freedom from worry, hate, anger, fear, greed, jealousy, envy, pride, self-reliance, and the want to sin.  But in order to experience this “Freedom”, there must be an intentional choice to die to self and its sinful nature and live for Christ.  In this complete surrender and yielding, we will find a mysterious freedom that seeks and desires to know, do, trust, and rejoice in the will of God.