FREEDOM IS COSTLY

Every year, we take time to honor our military, both fallen and
living. What a tremendous work they do. They protect our country
at all costs, both abroad and at home. They leave family and loved
ones behind to take on the task of protecting the liberties we all
enjoy; liberties like freedom of speech, freedom of religion and
the ability to be whatever one wants to be. Sadly, some of these
soldiers never return and some never get to see their children born
while they were away; they pay the price for freedom with their
very lives.

We need to express gratitude more often than once a year for
the freedom we enjoy. Due to the freedom they have secured, we
are able to gather freely whenever and wherever to worship God
without fear of intimidation or persecution from government and
unbelievers. Christians in other countries don’t have this kind of
luxury. They are persecuted constantly and tortured for their faith.
As we enjoy our freedom, let’s remember to pray for Christians
in hostile environments that they will continue to stand firm,
that they will be strengthened and encouraged and that through
their testimonies their persecutors will come to know the living
Savior.

Although we are a free nation, it cost something for us to
be free and for us to remain free. There are people who cannot
accept the fact that we are free; they are always looking for ways
and means to sabotage our freedom. That is why our military is
always on the defensive, always ready to fight to ensure that we
remain free.

Likewise, Christians have been freed from sin, not by our
own doing, but by grace to serve the living God. Our freedom
cost God something! It cost Him the blood of His only begotten
Son Jesus. To those who are freed, freedom is free, but to the One
who paid the price, it is extremely expensive. Freedom therefore
is not free at all.

So what have we been freed to do? We have been freed to live
godly lives to the glory of God and to point others in the direction
of the cross so they can be freed as well. We have been freed to
worship and serve God. We have been freed to serve one another
in love, not indulging our sinful nature (see Galatians 5:13).

Just as other nations can’t stand the freedom we enjoy, the
devil cannot stand the Christian’s freedom in Christ. He does all
he can to re-enslave us from the very things we’ve been freed from
and a whole lot more. Even though we are free we need to fight
to stay free; by resisting him through the word and prayer and
not yielding when he tempts us. We need to be vigilant because,
“Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for
someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8 NIV).

Let’s keep our armor on 24/7. “Therefore put on the full
armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be
able to stand your ground” (Ephesians 6:13 NIV).

MEMORIZE: “Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a
cover-up for evil; live as servants of God” (1 Peter 2:16 NIV).