Revelation 1:5-6 To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father – to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen.

This would seem to be something of an echo of 1 Peter 2:8, which I love dearly. It is certainly a fitting close to the theme of “Messiah” which we have been following this month. When we realize what Christ has done for us, we indeed want to praise Him! The problem is that most people don’t realize that their sins bind them. Rather, they are deceived by the devil into thinking that their sins are what they want to do. I’m reminded of various psychiatric problems I’ve seen or have heard of, where people feel compelled to all sorts of violent and /or destructive behaviors. Sin may or may not be violent, but it is certainly destructive! The blood of Jesus Christ dissolves the chains of sin and sets us free. The more we realize that, the better we grasp it, the freer and more joyful we are. However, that freedom is never license; that puts us back into bondage! We are set free to be priests to serve our Creator. The problem here is that the devil lies to us, again, and tells us that serving anyone or anything isn’t freedom. The reason that’s a lie is that refusal to serve God puts us back into bondage to sin!

This, of course, is something I strive to communicate to as many people as possible, but I won’t be effective unless I am walking in it myself. I must remember that “Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom,” (2 Corinthians 3:17) and that Spirit is the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the Lord. (Isaiah 11:2) I will never have the freedom I desire unless I am walking in right relationship to God by the grace of Jesus Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit. If I am walking in that right relationship, I will have peace and joy and will be able to lead many into that relationship for themselves, for their salvation and God’s glory.

Father, thank You for Your grace and mercy that are indeed new every morning. Thank You for the past year, and for the year that lies ahead. Keep me growing in hearing and obeying You, so that all of Your purposes for me may be fulfilled, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!