Steve’s Devotional - Holding the Land: Gurus

Key Life ^ | November 13, 2014 | Steve Brown

[Idaho_Cowboy]

If you are a free and bold Christian, you will face all kinds of pressure. You will be criticized. You will be looked down on as less of a Christian. You will find yourself thinking of the days when you didn’t make waves, when you were a phony, when you were dishonest…and when you were liked by everyone.

And, as a result, there will be times when you will want to go back to the very prisons you escaped from, the prisons—of failure, perfectionism, religion, the past and the like—that deprived you of your freedom in Christ.

Paul’s surprise at the Galatians should not have been a surprise when he wrote: “I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel” (Galatians 1:6)…

I want to offer some help in holding the land of boldness and freedom. It is very valuable land, bought with a terrible price…the blood of Christ. Let’s check it out. …

Do you know what really irritates me?

People who take free and joyous new Christians and make them into sour, negative and judgmental Christians…

Gurus are spiritual authority figures who supposedly have a special relationship with God and therefore deserve total, absolute submission…

It happens all the time, often for good reasons. We think that there has to be more discipline, more obedience, more holiness and more sanctification…and all of that is true. It is just that those things don’t come from effort; they come from being free and loved.

The fact is, there are those who would rob you of your freedom. They may do it out of concern, jealousy or meanness; but, for whatever reason, don’t let them.

[Idaho_Cowboy]

Praise God we really are free! Where the Spirit of the Lord is: there is liberty.

I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:

Galations 1:6-8 "I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed."

Galations 3:13 "Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:"

Galations 5:1 "Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage."

Some Biblical references Steve regarding Gurus:

Jeremiah 5:30 "A wonderful and horrible thing is committed in the land; The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means; and my people love to have it so: and what will ye do in the end thereof?"

II Corinthians 1:24 "Not for that we have dominion over your faith, but are helpers of your joy: for by faith ye stand."

II Corinthians: 2:17 " For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ."

II Conrinthians 12:18 "I desired Titus, and with him I sent a brother. Did Titus make a gain of you? walked we not in the same spirit? walked we not in the same steps?"

[boatbums]

I have found that when a new Christian is given the basics (the milk of the Word), is loved, cared for, discipled and helped, he/she will grow in the Lord and hunger for the meat of the Word. Only a faith that is tested and refined by trial is a faith that can withstand anything the world throws at it. The Holy Spirit, the more we surrender and yield to Him, ensures the stronger our faith will grow and we become a testimony to the lost world of the power of the Gospel to change hearts from the inside - a living faith in a living Savior. Grace does that!

Thanks for the articles from Steve Brown.

[Idaho_Cowboy]

Amen! You are welcome, I’m a big fan of the ‘old white guy’.

[cloudmountain]

How does a free and bold Christian determine who does and who doesn't need saving?

I thought that only God could read our hearts?

[Idaho_Cowboy]

How does a free and bold Christian determine who does and who doesn't need saving? --------------------------- Don't we all need saving in the long run. Maybe you can elaborate, cause I'm not understanding the question.

[cloudmountain]

People who take free and joyous new Christians and make them into sour, negative and judgmental Christians…

1. Honest question: Who soured those "free and joyous new Christians"?

2. Honest question: What exactly is a "free" Christian? I am a joyous one but I don't get the sense of "freedom." I was a Christian from Baptism so never knew what it was to NOT be a Christian. I have always loved my faith, though still a sinner of course, and never DIDN'T love it.
I strained, sometimes, at the shibboleths that I (and many others) thought outdated (i.e. no meat on Fridays) but I always followed them. Lol. They DID make me stronger and WERE good for me but I didn't see/understand that until I was much older. Duh.

3. It's my opinion (OPINION) that people who are solid in their faith can't be turned into sour, negative and judgmental Christians.
Am I wrong with number three?

.

God bless you and yours.

[Idaho_Cowboy]

Many Christians feel as if they get saved and discover love and freedom from their sin. And then come the religious and tell them all the things they must do and pile on the guilt, break out the checklists. And the religion becomes a program to do more and try harder.

The Bible tells us we are free, really free; unconditionally free! When it really starts to click I feel like yelling “Free at last, free at last; God Almighty we are free at last.” Thank God it's about his grace, what he did for me.

John 8:32-36 “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. They answered him, We be Abraham's seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free? Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin. And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever. If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.”

I'm not sure about your 3rd point, other than to say that those symptoms can be a sign of not being solid in our faith. Lack of freedom seems to come when people lose sight of the relationship and start focusing elsewhere.

If you are really interested in Freedom I would suggest listening to Steve Brown's serious on Scandalous Freedom:
http://www.keylife.org/programs/scandalous-freedom

This article is also gives a great Biblical Explanation of Christian Freedom: http://www.keylife.org/articles/how-to-lose-your-freedom

[cloudmountain]

Thanks for the FREEDOM invitation. I'm a cradle Catholic and have loved my faith from day one. I attend daily Mass here at home and when I travel I ALWAYS find a "Sunday Mass" somewhere.
Even in Hong Kong, ALL OVER the middle east, including Saudi Arabia! Men-of-the-cloth aren't officially allowed into the KSA so they call them "special teachers."
Yes, we had priests, reverends and even a couple of vicars in the Kingdom. Jesus is EVERYWHERE.