1 00:00:02,759 --> 00:00:13,960 Speaker 1: Life Audio. This is Donna Jones and you are listening 2 00:00:13,960 --> 00:00:17,520 Speaker 1: to That's just what I needed. Hey, friend, if you've 3 00:00:17,560 --> 00:00:20,480 Speaker 1: ever been in a conversation where you've walked away thinking, Wow, 4 00:00:20,640 --> 00:00:23,079 Speaker 1: that was just what I needed. You know how life 5 00:00:23,079 --> 00:00:25,599 Speaker 1: giving that can be, Well, that's what this podcast is 6 00:00:25,640 --> 00:00:28,520 Speaker 1: all about. We're women who want to know, love, and 7 00:00:28,600 --> 00:00:31,760 Speaker 1: follow God in our real lives, but sometimes wonder just 8 00:00:31,880 --> 00:00:34,320 Speaker 1: how to do it. So each week we'll talk about 9 00:00:34,320 --> 00:00:36,640 Speaker 1: what following God looks like in the midst of daily 10 00:00:36,640 --> 00:00:41,159 Speaker 1: demands and crazy cultural chaos. Because this isn't just what 11 00:00:41,200 --> 00:00:45,560 Speaker 1: we need, it's actually exactly what we need. Hey, hey, 12 00:00:45,640 --> 00:00:49,520 Speaker 1: my friend, welcome to the podcast. I'm so glad you're here. Hey, 13 00:00:49,560 --> 00:00:52,360 Speaker 1: if you live in the United States, this past week 14 00:00:52,479 --> 00:00:55,560 Speaker 1: we just celebrated the fourth of July. If you're listening 15 00:00:55,560 --> 00:00:57,720 Speaker 1: to this podcast on the day that it drives. If 16 00:00:57,720 --> 00:01:00,520 Speaker 1: you're not, however, you are still going to love what 17 00:01:00,520 --> 00:01:03,480 Speaker 1: we're going to talk about. And I know that because 18 00:01:03,520 --> 00:01:06,759 Speaker 1: the topic is something that I need to hear. We're 19 00:01:06,760 --> 00:01:10,400 Speaker 1: going to talk about freedom, but not just freedom nationally 20 00:01:10,560 --> 00:01:15,280 Speaker 1: or politically, but our spiritual freedom. Because here's what I 21 00:01:15,400 --> 00:01:18,800 Speaker 1: have come to know that way too many of us 22 00:01:19,480 --> 00:01:22,440 Speaker 1: don't live in the spiritual freedom that Christ came to 23 00:01:22,480 --> 00:01:26,080 Speaker 1: give us. And frankly, it's keeping a lot of us stuck. 24 00:01:26,160 --> 00:01:30,560 Speaker 1: It's keeping a lot of us from really fully enjoying Jesus, 25 00:01:30,840 --> 00:01:34,560 Speaker 1: enjoying our relationship with God, enjoying our Christian life. It's 26 00:01:34,600 --> 00:01:37,319 Speaker 1: just keeping us stuck. So today we're going to talk 27 00:01:37,400 --> 00:01:41,920 Speaker 1: about freedom and the importance that it plays and how 28 00:01:42,000 --> 00:01:44,360 Speaker 1: Christ wants to give freedom to us. You know, in 29 00:01:44,560 --> 00:01:48,080 Speaker 1: Galatians five to one, the apostle Paul wrote, it was 30 00:01:48,200 --> 00:01:51,680 Speaker 1: for freedom that Christ set us free. Could just think 31 00:01:51,680 --> 00:01:54,080 Speaker 1: about that for a minute. It was for freedom that 32 00:01:54,200 --> 00:01:57,480 Speaker 1: Christ set us free. And notice what he doesn't say. 33 00:01:57,560 --> 00:02:00,320 Speaker 1: He doesn't say Christ made us a little better. He 34 00:02:00,360 --> 00:02:05,880 Speaker 1: doesn't say Jesus simply improved our lives. He says Christ 35 00:02:06,480 --> 00:02:10,840 Speaker 1: set us free. This means before Christ, you and I 36 00:02:11,000 --> 00:02:15,679 Speaker 1: we weren't just struggling. We were captive, captive to sin, 37 00:02:16,360 --> 00:02:20,720 Speaker 1: captive to shame, captive to fear, captive to trying harder 38 00:02:20,800 --> 00:02:24,600 Speaker 1: but never being good enough. And maybe you know exactly 39 00:02:24,720 --> 00:02:27,639 Speaker 1: what that feels like, because I know I do. Maybe 40 00:02:27,680 --> 00:02:30,240 Speaker 1: you spent years believing that if you could just be 41 00:02:30,520 --> 00:02:34,800 Speaker 1: a little more patient with your kids, or your spouse, 42 00:02:34,960 --> 00:02:38,200 Speaker 1: or your coworkers or your in laws. Or if you 43 00:02:38,240 --> 00:02:41,919 Speaker 1: could just be more disciplined in your time with the Lord, 44 00:02:42,600 --> 00:02:47,440 Speaker 1: or more spiritual, or more faithful in prayer, or more successful, 45 00:02:48,000 --> 00:02:51,680 Speaker 1: then maybe God would finally be pleased with you. Or 46 00:02:52,200 --> 00:02:56,120 Speaker 1: maybe you've carried guilt or bitterness for something that happened 47 00:02:56,280 --> 00:02:59,880 Speaker 1: years ago. Everyone else has moved on, but you have. 48 00:03:00,080 --> 00:03:04,680 Speaker 1: And maybe that prison isn't visible to anyone else, but 49 00:03:04,880 --> 00:03:08,880 Speaker 1: it's very real to you. Jesus didn't come to merely 50 00:03:09,000 --> 00:03:13,560 Speaker 1: improve our prison sale. He came to unlock the door. 51 00:03:14,160 --> 00:03:16,600 Speaker 1: And this came at a cost. I mean, freedom wasn't 52 00:03:16,639 --> 00:03:19,240 Speaker 1: free for Jesus. Now, if you're a believer, you already 53 00:03:19,320 --> 00:03:21,960 Speaker 1: know that you've said that. You've heard that in church 54 00:03:22,160 --> 00:03:27,240 Speaker 1: countless times probably. But here's the thing. Sometimes we can 55 00:03:27,280 --> 00:03:30,520 Speaker 1: be so familiar with phrases like that that they just 56 00:03:30,639 --> 00:03:32,280 Speaker 1: kind of go in one ear and out the other. 57 00:03:32,639 --> 00:03:35,520 Speaker 1: It's kind of like wearing a cross as jewelry. Now. 58 00:03:35,680 --> 00:03:39,680 Speaker 1: I love crosses as jewelry, but sometimes we're so familiar 59 00:03:39,720 --> 00:03:43,320 Speaker 1: with the cross that we can start to lose since 60 00:03:43,360 --> 00:03:45,520 Speaker 1: of the wonder of the cross and what it did 61 00:03:45,560 --> 00:03:49,360 Speaker 1: for us. Because the cross wasn't beautiful like a piece 62 00:03:49,360 --> 00:03:54,480 Speaker 1: of jewelry. The cross was brutal. Jesus was betrayed by 63 00:03:54,520 --> 00:03:58,880 Speaker 1: a friend. He was abandoned by his closest followers. I 64 00:03:58,920 --> 00:04:02,840 Speaker 1: mean they left him and dry. It's like they walked 65 00:04:02,880 --> 00:04:06,840 Speaker 1: out on him. Jesus was falsely accused. I mean they 66 00:04:06,880 --> 00:04:09,600 Speaker 1: said things about Jesus that were just flat out untrue. 67 00:04:10,320 --> 00:04:15,440 Speaker 1: He was mocked, he was beaten, he was humiliated. He 68 00:04:15,640 --> 00:04:20,640 Speaker 1: was scorged until his body was torn apart. Then he 69 00:04:20,760 --> 00:04:24,880 Speaker 1: carried his cross to Calvary. Every step toward the cross 70 00:04:25,800 --> 00:04:30,320 Speaker 1: was a step toward our freedom. Every nail, every wound, 71 00:04:30,720 --> 00:04:34,800 Speaker 1: every drop of blood, every moment of agony. He wasn't 72 00:04:34,800 --> 00:04:38,720 Speaker 1: paying for his sin. He was paying for mine. He 73 00:04:38,800 --> 00:04:43,240 Speaker 1: was paying for yours. Isaiah fifty three says he was 74 00:04:43,400 --> 00:04:48,680 Speaker 1: pierced for our transgressions. He was crushed for our iniquities. 75 00:04:49,279 --> 00:04:54,800 Speaker 1: The punishment that brought us peace was on him, and 76 00:04:54,839 --> 00:05:00,599 Speaker 1: by his wounds, we are healed. That's the exchange. He 77 00:05:00,720 --> 00:05:08,560 Speaker 1: received punishment, We receive peace. He experienced rejection, We receive acceptance. 78 00:05:09,520 --> 00:05:16,000 Speaker 1: He carried condemnation, we receive forgiveness. He died so we 79 00:05:16,040 --> 00:05:20,440 Speaker 1: could be truly free. So why do we forget these things? Well, 80 00:05:20,680 --> 00:05:23,640 Speaker 1: have you ever noticed how quickly we get used to 81 00:05:23,680 --> 00:05:26,200 Speaker 1: good things? I mean, think about your home. When you 82 00:05:26,279 --> 00:05:29,000 Speaker 1: first moved in, you probably noticed everything, everything you wanted 83 00:05:29,000 --> 00:05:32,479 Speaker 1: to change, everything you loved. I mean, you noticed everything, 84 00:05:32,600 --> 00:05:35,720 Speaker 1: and then after a while you barely noticed it anymore, 85 00:05:36,040 --> 00:05:38,440 Speaker 1: except if there's like a major renovation that needs to happen, 86 00:05:38,560 --> 00:05:40,719 Speaker 1: or something really needs to be updated. But other than that, 87 00:05:40,760 --> 00:05:43,680 Speaker 1: you just kind of get familiar with your surroundings. Well, 88 00:05:43,800 --> 00:05:47,000 Speaker 1: the same thing happens to us spiritually. We get so 89 00:05:47,400 --> 00:05:51,560 Speaker 1: accustomed to grace that we stop marveling at it, and 90 00:05:51,880 --> 00:05:55,719 Speaker 1: things like communion become routine, or church becomes routine, or 91 00:05:55,760 --> 00:05:59,799 Speaker 1: the Cross becomes routine, or if not routine, just familiar. 92 00:06:00,279 --> 00:06:04,120 Speaker 1: But when we start to remember the cost, then worship 93 00:06:04,160 --> 00:06:09,159 Speaker 1: becomes the natural outflow. And when worship becomes the natural outflow, 94 00:06:09,480 --> 00:06:14,039 Speaker 1: then what happens is that we actually experience the freedom 95 00:06:14,040 --> 00:06:17,720 Speaker 1: that as ours in Christ. We don't feel captive anymore, 96 00:06:18,279 --> 00:06:24,320 Speaker 1: and gratitude replaces entitlement or love replaces obligation, and our 97 00:06:24,400 --> 00:06:29,920 Speaker 1: obedience to Jesus becomes it's like a joyful response instead 98 00:06:29,960 --> 00:06:33,520 Speaker 1: of an exhausting attempt to earn God's approval. So here's 99 00:06:33,520 --> 00:06:37,600 Speaker 1: where this becomes really practical. If Jesus purchased our freedom, 100 00:06:38,240 --> 00:06:42,600 Speaker 1: then why do so many of us keep living as prisoners. Now, 101 00:06:42,640 --> 00:06:44,560 Speaker 1: maybe you're thinking, Okay, don I don't know what you 102 00:06:44,640 --> 00:06:47,400 Speaker 1: mean by this whole idea of living as prisoners. I 103 00:06:47,440 --> 00:06:49,880 Speaker 1: don't feel like I live as a prisoner. Well, hang 104 00:06:49,920 --> 00:06:51,880 Speaker 1: on just for a minute before you feel like you 105 00:06:51,880 --> 00:06:53,640 Speaker 1: don't live. I mean, I hope you don't. I hope 106 00:06:53,680 --> 00:06:57,200 Speaker 1: you live totally free. But I suspect that all of 107 00:06:57,240 --> 00:07:00,080 Speaker 1: us have some areas where we're not living as free 108 00:07:00,240 --> 00:07:04,040 Speaker 1: as God meant for us to live. Let me give 109 00:07:04,040 --> 00:07:07,159 Speaker 1: you a couple of examples. Some of us are imprisoned 110 00:07:07,160 --> 00:07:10,800 Speaker 1: by regret. I mean, God says you're forgiven because of 111 00:07:10,840 --> 00:07:12,840 Speaker 1: what Christ did on the cross for you, but you 112 00:07:12,960 --> 00:07:16,760 Speaker 1: keep replying your worst moments. Some of us are imprisoned 113 00:07:16,760 --> 00:07:20,720 Speaker 1: by fear. You have a fear of failure, you have 114 00:07:20,760 --> 00:07:24,880 Speaker 1: a fear of rejection, you have fear of the future. 115 00:07:25,360 --> 00:07:29,160 Speaker 1: Others of us are imprisoned by people's opinions, and so 116 00:07:29,480 --> 00:07:33,720 Speaker 1: we live for approval instead of living from God's approval. 117 00:07:34,160 --> 00:07:36,920 Speaker 1: And then there are those of us with invisible chains 118 00:07:36,960 --> 00:07:41,320 Speaker 1: of comparison. So we scroll through social media, we compare marriages, 119 00:07:41,440 --> 00:07:45,000 Speaker 1: we compare ministries, we compare vacations, we compare kids, we 120 00:07:45,040 --> 00:07:49,840 Speaker 1: compare bodies, we compare success, and then comparison quietly steals 121 00:07:49,840 --> 00:07:51,960 Speaker 1: the freedom Christ gave to give us. Do you see 122 00:07:52,000 --> 00:07:55,800 Speaker 1: how practical this is? Every time that we choose shame 123 00:07:56,320 --> 00:08:01,280 Speaker 1: instead of grace, or fear instead of try rust or 124 00:08:01,840 --> 00:08:08,520 Speaker 1: bitterness instead of forgiveness, or comparison over contentment, Well, then 125 00:08:08,560 --> 00:08:12,800 Speaker 1: we voluntarily walk back into a prison whose door Jesus 126 00:08:13,000 --> 00:08:16,200 Speaker 1: already opened. Imagine for a minute, like, picture in your 127 00:08:16,280 --> 00:08:19,840 Speaker 1: mind a prison cell. Picture you being in the prison cell, 128 00:08:20,040 --> 00:08:22,320 Speaker 1: and you're there. It's you know, the wall of gray 129 00:08:22,680 --> 00:08:26,400 Speaker 1: and there's no very little light, and it's cord and 130 00:08:26,480 --> 00:08:29,640 Speaker 1: creep floors, and the bed is old and saggy and 131 00:08:29,920 --> 00:08:33,800 Speaker 1: mattress is nasty. And then imagine someone coming with the 132 00:08:33,880 --> 00:08:37,480 Speaker 1: key to unlock your prison cell and they're like, you're free, 133 00:08:37,880 --> 00:08:40,560 Speaker 1: But when the door swings wide open, you just stay 134 00:08:40,559 --> 00:08:43,840 Speaker 1: inside because it's familiar. I mean, it sounds ridiculous, right, 135 00:08:44,520 --> 00:08:48,679 Speaker 1: and yet spiritually we do it all the time. The 136 00:08:48,800 --> 00:08:53,119 Speaker 1: enemy's favorite prison is one whose door is already unlocked. 137 00:08:53,640 --> 00:08:57,280 Speaker 1: But Jesus says, come out, the question is will be 138 00:08:57,840 --> 00:09:01,880 Speaker 1: Here's another beautiful thing about living in frintom. People who 139 00:09:01,960 --> 00:09:06,400 Speaker 1: have been set free tend to become people who set 140 00:09:06,640 --> 00:09:11,920 Speaker 1: others free. So instead of condemning, they extend grace. Now 141 00:09:12,000 --> 00:09:14,800 Speaker 1: why do they do that, Well, because they've been freed 142 00:09:15,360 --> 00:09:18,000 Speaker 1: by grace themselves, so they don't have to be all 143 00:09:18,480 --> 00:09:22,280 Speaker 1: judgmental and condemning of other people. They can extend grace 144 00:09:22,320 --> 00:09:27,040 Speaker 1: to other people. Instead of keeping score, they forgive. Well, 145 00:09:27,080 --> 00:09:30,280 Speaker 1: how can they do that Because they've been freed by 146 00:09:30,320 --> 00:09:33,880 Speaker 1: the forgiveness of Jesus, and so they're able to forgive 147 00:09:33,880 --> 00:09:38,720 Speaker 1: other people. Instead of being controlling, they trust God. Instead 148 00:09:38,760 --> 00:09:44,400 Speaker 1: of gossiping, they encourage. Free people don't need to prove themselves. 149 00:09:45,000 --> 00:09:47,640 Speaker 1: They don't have to win every argument, they don't have 150 00:09:47,720 --> 00:09:50,800 Speaker 1: to always be right. They don't have to carry every 151 00:09:50,880 --> 00:09:55,520 Speaker 1: offense forever because they know what it feels like to 152 00:09:55,600 --> 00:09:59,640 Speaker 1: receive mercy and be set free. The more amazed we 153 00:09:59,679 --> 00:10:03,080 Speaker 1: are God's grace toward us, the more gracious will naturally 154 00:10:03,120 --> 00:10:06,680 Speaker 1: become toward others. The more free we are, the more 155 00:10:06,720 --> 00:10:10,679 Speaker 1: we will help other people be free. That's why it's beautiful. 156 00:10:10,960 --> 00:10:14,600 Speaker 1: If you can have a friend that lives in freedom 157 00:10:14,960 --> 00:10:17,120 Speaker 1: because she's going to help you or he's going to 158 00:10:17,200 --> 00:10:19,959 Speaker 1: help you live in that same freedom too. And it's 159 00:10:20,000 --> 00:10:22,480 Speaker 1: the freedom Christ came to give us. Remember what Galatians 160 00:10:22,480 --> 00:10:26,080 Speaker 1: pipe said, It was for freedom that Christ set us free. 161 00:10:26,200 --> 00:10:29,480 Speaker 1: So on fourth of July this year, I hope you 162 00:10:29,520 --> 00:10:32,280 Speaker 1: watch the fireworks, and even if you didn't, I hope 163 00:10:32,320 --> 00:10:35,400 Speaker 1: you had a great day. But more importantly than that, 164 00:10:36,280 --> 00:10:39,400 Speaker 1: I hope that you'll get just a glimpse of the 165 00:10:39,440 --> 00:10:42,000 Speaker 1: freedom that Christ wants you to have. And I hope 166 00:10:42,000 --> 00:10:45,439 Speaker 1: that you'll say, Jesus, thank you that you've unlocked the 167 00:10:45,480 --> 00:10:47,520 Speaker 1: prison doors. I don't want to stay in the prison 168 00:10:47,559 --> 00:10:50,680 Speaker 1: and be held captive by whatever it is that's holding 169 00:10:50,720 --> 00:10:57,560 Speaker 1: me captive shame, bitterness, unforgiveness, fear, doubt, worry, regret, Jesus. 170 00:10:57,559 --> 00:10:59,840 Speaker 1: I want to be set free. And here's the thing. 171 00:11:00,559 --> 00:11:04,160 Speaker 1: The cross and the empty tomb says that you are free. 172 00:11:04,920 --> 00:11:10,760 Speaker 1: Political freedom matters greatly, but spiritual freedom lasts forever. No 173 00:11:10,920 --> 00:11:15,320 Speaker 1: government gave it, no person earned it, no circumstance can 174 00:11:15,360 --> 00:11:18,800 Speaker 1: take it away. So today, just take a moment, even 175 00:11:18,840 --> 00:11:22,760 Speaker 1: maybe after this podcast is over, and just whisper out 176 00:11:22,760 --> 00:11:26,560 Speaker 1: loud to the Lord Jesus, thank you that you have 177 00:11:27,160 --> 00:11:31,800 Speaker 1: set me free. Well, I hope you enjoyed today's episode. 178 00:11:32,160 --> 00:11:35,560 Speaker 1: I hope it encouraged you. Hope it made you think. 179 00:11:35,679 --> 00:11:38,000 Speaker 1: I know it made me think about areas that maybe 180 00:11:38,040 --> 00:11:40,760 Speaker 1: I'm not living in freedom and the fact that Christ 181 00:11:40,880 --> 00:11:42,560 Speaker 1: wants me to live in freedom and he wants you 182 00:11:42,760 --> 00:11:46,120 Speaker 1: live in freedom too. So ten point those areas where 183 00:11:46,160 --> 00:11:48,319 Speaker 1: you feel like you're still living in a prison cell, 184 00:11:48,400 --> 00:11:50,960 Speaker 1: you're still living a little bit captive, and let Jesus 185 00:11:51,040 --> 00:11:54,840 Speaker 1: invade those places and whisper to your girl, you're free. 186 00:11:55,080 --> 00:11:58,040 Speaker 1: And if we don't already connect on social media, let's 187 00:11:58,400 --> 00:12:01,560 Speaker 1: do that today. You'll find me on Instagram at Donna A. Jones, 188 00:12:01,600 --> 00:12:04,400 Speaker 1: on Facebook at Donna Jones, Speaker and Author. Jump over 189 00:12:04,440 --> 00:12:08,199 Speaker 1: to my website, sign up for my newsletter. My website's 190 00:12:08,200 --> 00:12:12,160 Speaker 1: Donna Jones dot org. And as always, my friend, I 191 00:12:12,200 --> 00:12:14,600 Speaker 1: can't wait to see you next time, for that's just 192 00:12:14,720 --> 00:12:15,320 Speaker 1: what I needed.