1 00:00:02,680 --> 00:00:14,040 Speaker 1: Life Audio. Welcome to the Crosswalk devotional. We're glad to 2 00:00:14,080 --> 00:00:19,360 Speaker 1: have you listening. Today's topic is about living free from condemnation. 3 00:00:20,480 --> 00:00:23,640 Speaker 1: We'll return with the devotional after a brief message from 4 00:00:23,720 --> 00:00:41,479 Speaker 1: one of our sponsors, carrying the Unnecessary weight of Condemnation, 5 00:00:42,600 --> 00:00:48,600 Speaker 1: written and read by Emily Rose Massey. There is therefore 6 00:00:48,880 --> 00:00:53,960 Speaker 1: now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus Romans, 7 00:00:54,080 --> 00:00:58,760 Speaker 1: Chapter eight, verse one. For many years I was driven 8 00:00:58,840 --> 00:01:02,160 Speaker 1: by perfectionism and the feeling that I had to work 9 00:01:02,240 --> 00:01:05,640 Speaker 1: successfully or perform well in life to be loved by 10 00:01:05,640 --> 00:01:10,640 Speaker 1: other people and to be loved by God. On the outside, 11 00:01:11,080 --> 00:01:14,560 Speaker 1: I looked like I had it all together. High honors 12 00:01:14,600 --> 00:01:21,600 Speaker 1: throughout school, hyper involvement, and extracurricular activities, serving in any ministry. 13 00:01:21,640 --> 00:01:24,399 Speaker 1: I was asked to be involved in star of the 14 00:01:24,480 --> 00:01:29,839 Speaker 1: high school plays and musicals, head cheerleader, first cheer clarinet, 15 00:01:29,920 --> 00:01:33,200 Speaker 1: player in the band, and the list goes on and on. 16 00:01:34,000 --> 00:01:38,360 Speaker 1: But on the inside I was so empty and constantly 17 00:01:38,440 --> 00:01:42,200 Speaker 1: searching for true fulfillment. I knew God was there for me, 18 00:01:42,720 --> 00:01:45,679 Speaker 1: but somehow I thought I could be perfect in my 19 00:01:45,800 --> 00:01:50,000 Speaker 1: own strength on my walk with Him. Because we are human, 20 00:01:50,600 --> 00:01:54,480 Speaker 1: we fail time and time again, we make a mess 21 00:01:54,480 --> 00:01:58,600 Speaker 1: of things. More often than not. Guilt and shame can 22 00:01:58,680 --> 00:02:02,840 Speaker 1: often push us firm away from God instead of closer. 23 00:02:04,160 --> 00:02:07,680 Speaker 1: For so long as a Christian, I was allowing self 24 00:02:07,720 --> 00:02:11,200 Speaker 1: condemnation to take root in my heart, and it weighed 25 00:02:11,200 --> 00:02:14,600 Speaker 1: me down as I walked around carrying all of the 26 00:02:14,639 --> 00:02:18,240 Speaker 1: baggage of my past sins and failures, thinking that I 27 00:02:18,320 --> 00:02:24,160 Speaker 1: had to continue to strive to keep God's forgiveness. Thankfully, 28 00:02:24,320 --> 00:02:29,720 Speaker 1: today I no longer live burdened by works based mentality. 29 00:02:30,320 --> 00:02:34,360 Speaker 1: I find my identity in the finished work of Christ, 30 00:02:34,840 --> 00:02:37,840 Speaker 1: and I want to encourage you, dear brothers and sisters 31 00:02:37,880 --> 00:02:42,840 Speaker 1: in Christ. You should too. Grace is a gift that 32 00:02:43,080 --> 00:02:46,560 Speaker 1: cannot be earned, and you do not have to strive 33 00:02:47,120 --> 00:02:52,519 Speaker 1: to keep it either. In Romans chapter eight, verse one, 34 00:02:52,639 --> 00:02:55,320 Speaker 1: the Bible tells us that we do not have to 35 00:02:55,440 --> 00:02:59,480 Speaker 1: carry condemnation in our lives when we're truly in Christ. 36 00:03:00,600 --> 00:03:05,800 Speaker 1: If you are a born again believer, condemnation does not 37 00:03:06,120 --> 00:03:11,400 Speaker 1: exist because the punishment for our failures and sins does 38 00:03:11,400 --> 00:03:16,880 Speaker 1: not exist. There is therefore now no condemnation for those 39 00:03:16,960 --> 00:03:21,120 Speaker 1: who are in Christ Jesus Romans chapter eight, verse one. 40 00:03:22,320 --> 00:03:26,240 Speaker 1: This means that when we embrace and believe what Jesus 41 00:03:26,280 --> 00:03:29,040 Speaker 1: did for us on the cross, as he took the 42 00:03:29,080 --> 00:03:34,239 Speaker 1: punishment for our sin that we deserved, our lives are 43 00:03:34,280 --> 00:03:38,160 Speaker 1: now hidden in Christ. When we come to God with 44 00:03:38,240 --> 00:03:42,680 Speaker 1: a heart full of repentance, resting in this glorious finish 45 00:03:42,800 --> 00:03:46,440 Speaker 1: work of the Cross, we can stand before the throne 46 00:03:46,480 --> 00:03:51,040 Speaker 1: of God without any shame. Because Jesus bore all of 47 00:03:51,080 --> 00:03:56,120 Speaker 1: it for us. The debt we owed has been paid 48 00:03:56,320 --> 00:04:04,320 Speaker 1: in full. We are free from all bondage intersecting life 49 00:04:04,520 --> 00:04:09,040 Speaker 1: and faith. Jesus took all of your sin and your 50 00:04:09,160 --> 00:04:13,800 Speaker 1: shame upon himself and passed it as far as the 51 00:04:13,840 --> 00:04:18,080 Speaker 1: east is from the west. Friend, do you struggle with 52 00:04:18,160 --> 00:04:22,159 Speaker 1: the thoughts of shame from your past, Fix your eyes 53 00:04:22,320 --> 00:04:26,240 Speaker 1: on the finished work of the cross. Christ bore the 54 00:04:26,240 --> 00:04:29,839 Speaker 1: weight of your sin. You no longer have to live 55 00:04:29,920 --> 00:04:33,960 Speaker 1: with the weight of your failures. You can come boldly 56 00:04:34,320 --> 00:04:38,160 Speaker 1: to the throne of Grace, beloved, because it is Grace 57 00:04:38,520 --> 00:04:42,520 Speaker 1: that did the work for you. You can rest assured that 58 00:04:42,680 --> 00:04:47,200 Speaker 1: God sees you as blameless and perfect. Because you are 59 00:04:47,400 --> 00:04:52,480 Speaker 1: in Christ. There is no reason to carry that heavy 60 00:04:52,480 --> 00:04:58,039 Speaker 1: burden of condemnation upon your shoulders. Surrender it to Christ. Today, 61 00:04:59,120 --> 00:05:02,479 Speaker 1: let's pray that you learn to no longer walk around 62 00:05:02,600 --> 00:05:07,080 Speaker 1: carrying the weight of your past and stop striving for perfection. 63 00:05:08,240 --> 00:05:18,720 Speaker 1: Remember Jesus is blameless and perfect for you lean upon him. 64 00:05:18,880 --> 00:05:22,159 Speaker 1: The Crosswalk Devotional is a production of Life Audio and 65 00:05:22,279 --> 00:05:26,159 Speaker 1: Salem Media. If you liked what you heard today, please 66 00:05:26,200 --> 00:05:28,560 Speaker 1: take a second to rate and review this podcast in 67 00:05:28,640 --> 00:05:32,039 Speaker 1: your favorite podcast app so that more listeners like you 68 00:05:32,320 --> 00:05:37,200 Speaker 1: can find the show. For more faith filled inspirational podcasts, 69 00:05:37,839 --> 00:05:47,440 Speaker 1: visit us at lifeaudio dot com.