The Thirst for Freedom

Freedom starts on the inside. Without internal freedom no one will really be free.

Once a man is free inside, it flows to the external realities, and begins to influence those around him to also be free.

A free society must be made up of free individuals. If the individuals are not free in their hearts, they will easily be manipulated by fear, superstition, hatred, and other vices.

It follows that the government can not make a people free. A government can be set up to externally respect individual rights and freedoms, but it cannot cause freedom.

Oh the implications!

So what does it mean to be free inside?

• It means to be free from hate, bitterness and unforgiveness.
• It means having the power to love others as much as oneself.
• It means having the power to do what is right even to one’s own hurt.
• It means having knowledge in mind and heart of what is true, just and right.
• It means having a conscience that is clean from guilt.
  • That includes a sense of being forgiven by God
  • That includes a sense of being forgiven by oneself
  • That includes a sense of having done everything possible to be right with others

How do we get there? I haven’t met hardly anyone who is truly free. It seems that all of us suffer from fears, doubts, bitterness, and so much trouble.

One of my favorite songs is by Misty Edwards. She sings “just let my heart be alive, let me be living deep deep on the inside, come fan the flame!”

Here are some thoughts:

• It starts with reconciliation with our Creator and Father, the One True God of all existence.
  • This includes being forgiven
  • This includes receiving love from him
  • This includes receiving a new nature in our inner-most being through the Holy Spirit
  • This includes God Himself living inside of us.

How in the world does all that happen?

This is why Jesus came. My testimony is the following, and the testimony of the Holy Scriptures is the same. (And they are so much more important than me!):

All of us were in bondage to ourselves, our selfishness, and our “animal” nature. Jesus came to change us on the inside. He did not come to make us follow a bunch of rules. He did not come to make us feel bad every Sunday. He did not come to force us to our knees. He came to set us free. Free from guilt, and free from ourselves. Ultimately, this will lead to freedom from one another as well! The strong will no longer dominate the weak.

Jesus came to set each individual free on the inside.

Jesus Christ, Yeshua the Messiah of the Jews and Savior of the World is the very foundation of all human freedom.

He starts by creating individuals that are so free, that you cannot even take away their freedom by treating them unjustly or killing them. If you mistreat them they forgive you. If you kill them they either come back to life miraculously, or await in Heaven with Jesus to return to the earth.

It is addictive, this freedom. It spreads. Whole empires have tried to stop it. Bibles have been burned, Jesus’ followers have been slaughtered.

But it continues to grow in an out of control way. The message is still spreading. The prophet Daniel talked about a Rock that became a Mountain that filled the whole earth. It is still growing, it is still filling the earth.

Imagine a world where each individual upholds the well-being and dignity of his fellow man! Not even death can stop such a force.

Love, humility, service, compassion, justice, and all virtue are the result of Jesus changing individuals internally one at a time.

This kingdom of goodness is coming on earth. Are you ready?

Don’t you want some?

Lee Randolph responded to my comment over at debunkingchristianity.

Here is his response:

Hi thirstyjon,

I am talking about something way beyond experience. I am talking about internal knowing! (Lee is quoting me – ThirstyJon here)

How is your experience different from the schizophrenic who is sure someone is in the room with them, or they hear voices, or different from the person who has the experience induced in them by deep brain stimulation, change in blood or oxygen flow, trauma or chemicals?

How do you know your experience is not physiological, biological or psychological?

You know that epileptics report seeing a bright light in a seizure don’t you? And the bright light phenomena can be induced in test pilot g-force simulator.

resting your case on your internal experience seems kind of flimsy.
[Read his comments and the original blog posting at debunkingchristianity.blogspot.com]

Here is the comment I wrote on that blog in response:

Lee Randolph wrote:

“How is your experience different from the schizophrenic…” (etc.) (I-ThirstyJon am quoting him)

My Response:

Actually, my point is that I am not talking about “experience.” Experience can be delusional, experience can be real; but it is not an accurate determiner of reality.I am talking about the internal testimony of the Spirit of God. My observation is that men and women know there is something about God, or at least a spiritual reality. God can put it inside a person to “more than know.”I don’t expect you to accept my testimony. You have to follow your own conscience. I am not offering my testimony as “proof” of anything. I just offer it for free.

My testimony is this: God is good and His will towards mankind is good. “Peace on earth, goodwill towards men.” That is what was announced when God showed up on the planet in person physically. Anyone who wants to know Him can know Him.

I can’t promise there won’t be doubts and struggles. I only assert that the Spirit of God is testifying to all men and women internally about the bad stuff in their heart; and He is also testifying about His goodness, reality, and forgiveness.

With an internal knowing that comes from God, His existence and goodness become so obvious that hearts are changed!

ThirstyJon
freedomthirst.com

Why don’t y’all go over there and join the fun? But be nice! Remember. Civil Discussion!

ThirstyJon

Here is a comment I made on a blog entitled “Will Ex-Christians like us be in Heaven?“

You can read that blog at: http://debunkingchristianity.blogspot.com/2007/08/will-ex-christians-like-us-be-in-heaven.html

My Comment:

God is very good, and the Bible teaches that he rewards those who diligently seek him.

There is always hope for someone who still desires God to be real. Even if for some reason a person has left God. (even if the reason includes the self-deception that it is because of “logic” and “reason” and “evidence”)

I used to doubt the existence of God. But since 1991 I am no longer able to doubt Him. The internal testimony is so strong that even when people say “how does your ‘experience’ prove God?” I say “I am talking about something way beyond experience. I am talking about internal knowing!”

Besides that, the existence of God is plain and obvious to all who would look around them.

ThirstyJon
freedomthirst.com