As we were all reminded by the celebrations yesterday, we Americans have
a lot to be thankful for as far as freedom - freedom of worship among others.
But the spiritual freedom Sandi mentioned yesterday is even more important.
(Isa 61:1-3 NNAS) The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me,
Because the LORD has anointed me To bring good news to the afflicted; He
has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to captives
And freedom to prisoners; 2 To proclaim the favorable year
of the LORD And the day of vengeance of our God; To comfort all who mourn,
3 To grant those who mourn in Zion, Giving them a garland
instead of ashes, The oil of gladness instead of mourning, The mantle of
praise instead of a spirit of fainting. So they will be called oaks of
righteousness, The planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified.
(Rom 7:24-25 NNAS) Wretched man that I am! Who will set
me free from the body of this death? 25 Thanks be to God
through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, on the one hand I myself with my
mind am serving the law of God, but on the other, with my flesh the law of
sin.
(John 8:32 NNAS) and you will know the truth, and the
truth will make you free.
(Gal 5:1 NNAS) It was for freedom that Christ set us
free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke
of slavery.
(1 Cor 10:29-31 NNAS) I mean not your own conscience,
but the other man's; for why is my freedom judged by another's conscience?
30 If I partake with thankfulness, why am I slandered concerning
that for which I give thanks? 31 Whether, then, you eat or
drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.
(Gal 5:13-14 NRSV) For you were called to freedom, brothers
and sisters; only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for self-indulgence,
but through love become slaves to one another. 14 For the
whole law is summed up in a single commandment, "You shall love your neighbor
as yourself.
(2 Pet 2:19 NNAS) promising them freedom while they
themselves are slaves of corruption; for by what a man is overcome, by this
he is enslaved.
(Rom 8:20-21 NNAS) For the creation was subjected to
futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope
21 that the creation itself also will be set free from its
slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of
God.