Thursday, June 28, 2012

Let Go

This is a devotional I led when we were on our missions trip. I modified it to make a study.


I want you to spend a minute to think about something that is burdening you. It could be sin, a situation in your family, a past experience, or something someone did to you.
Does this burden your relationship with god?
Background: Hosea and Gomer. Hosea was a prophet in the OT. God told him to marry a prostitute named Gomer, and that he did.
And the LORD said to me, "Go again, love a woman who is loved by another man and is an adulteress, even as the LORD loves the children of Israel, though they turn to other gods and love cakes of raisins." Hosea 3:1
Hosea has to go through his wife leaving him for other men, knowing that God chose that relationship with him. At the same time, Israel is doing the same to God.
I will heal their apostasy; I will love them freely, for my anger has turned from them.  Hosea 14:4
By the end of the book, the resounding message is freedom. God is persistent in his pursuit of you, and he wants you to be FREE from sin and bondage.
Christ wants freedom for you, but we have to turn to him to gain it. This involves being broken over our sin, mourning our past, and being broken hearted for what breaks God’s  heart. Let it go. Release it to him. Repent. Turn away.
16 But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed.
17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.
18 And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit. 2 cor 3:16-18
Background (from ESV study notes): Just as Moses was able to enter into God's presence without a veil (Ex. 34:34), so too when one turns to the Lord in faith, the veil of separation from God and incomprehension of him brought about by a hardened heart is removed.
Turn to Christ openly and with no reservations. Even though he knows, tell him about this burden. Everything, even the parts you are ashamed to even think. Unload on him. Do not be ashamed to cry, to kneel, to do whatever it takes to get the closest to God
5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.
6 We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin.
7 For one who has died has been set free from sin.
8 Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him.
9 We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him.
10 For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God.
11 So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.
He wants your heart, give it up to him. 
Really focus on leaving this behind, and moving forward unburdened.Jesus wants to fix this for you, to get closer, but he can't "fix" you if you don't allow yourself to be broken.
Have someone pray for you or over you that you are close to.
If you want to add a little worship you can listen to:
Break Every Chain: Will Reagan and the United Pursuit Band
All things New: Elevation Worship

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