A Daily Devotional with Pastor Doug Crouse April 1, 2018 Living in Freedom Scripture Reading – 1 Timothy 2:3 - 6a (NLT) “This is good and pleases God our Savior, who wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth. For there is only one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and humanity - the man Christ Jesus. He gave his life to purchase freedom for everyone..." 

Jesus is risen! He is risen indeed! Thank God for resurrection Sunday!

You have seen it from football games, to major events - the person with the sign 3:16! It is the universal truth that in and through the sacrifice of God's Son on the cross, our Lord Jesus Christ, God the Father makes it plain that He is in favor of everyone in the world to come through to Him and know and understand His great plan of salvation. Of course we understand that God has not made us robots who must love Him, but has given us the freedom to choose to be saved or not.

The truth of the Good News on this Easter Sunday, is that, 'Living in Freedom', both here and now on planet earth and of course in and through eternity itself depends upon one coming to Christ and receiving that forgiveness. For there is absolutely no other way, be it good works or any religion that can suffice, save the blood of Jesus Christ our Lord. And by His death and resurrection, we now have that newness of life, under the new agreement from heaven. No longer bound by the law, but saved by grace to serve God with all of our heart, soul, mind and strength.

The truth of the Gospel is that the more we lose our lives in Jesus, the more we will find them, the more we become last, the more we will understand being first, the more we take up our cross daily and follow His leading, the more we will experience and express the freedom that Christ Jesus alone can bring.

And so today may you and I once again discover that, 'the chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy him forever', for therein my sisters and brothers truly does our freedom reign. Maranatha, come quickly Lord Jesus! 

Prayer Father I rejoice in the freedom that is mine through Jesus Christ my Lord. Today Spirit of the living God, teach me what I need to know to live in the fullness of freedom that You have purchased for me. I receive this in Jesus name. 

Memory Verse:  Acts 3:15 NLT “You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead. And we are witnesses of this fact!”