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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.
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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?