Freedom, Peace, and Hope in a Dark World!

Fresh Manna
by Pastor Tim Burt

Imagine you had a friend sitting in jail serving a sentence. He’d been there for 10 years depressed and dreaming about what it’s like on the outside. One day, a guard comes to him, opens the door and says, The rest of your time has been excused and you are free to go! Imagine your good friend whom you’ve loved, prayed for, and often thought about, staying right there in that cell because he didn’t believe the guard—he thought it was trick. He couldn’t wrap his mind around what the guard was saying and so he stayed there. I’d imagine that you would at some point, go to convince him that it was true and that he was really free.

In Jesus Christ, we have been made free! In John 8:36 NIV, Jesus said, “So
if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” Many of those that listened to and dared to believe Jesus’ words were healed, delivered from devils, and were made free from condemnation through the forgiveness of sin. Freedom came to their heart because their eyes were opened to the hope, mercy and love of God toward them.

In Acts 3:7-8 NIV we see the response that you would imagine when someone had been set free by Jesus. It says, “Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man’s feet and ankles became strong. He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God.”

Jesus gave us His Word saying that it would become daily bread. Imagine that! Imagine a daily feeding from God that has the power to free us—to build our faith and heal us and to deliver us from the devil’s lies, strategies, and strongholds that hold us back from living powerfully for Him. Imagine the Lord using you to be an agent of His anointing and power to those that would otherwise not be touched by God. Imagine others being freed and changed in some way because you shared the daily bread—the very words that empowered you from God’s Word earlier in the day! I can tell you from personal experience—it’s a Wow! One of the greatest ongoing experiences you could have!

When Jesus taught His disciples to pray, He said, pray this; “Give us this day our daily bread.” He wasn’t talking about praying for food or material needs. He was talking about letting God’s word come alive so that it could create faith in our heart for the day! His word was the daily bread they were to feed on! He wanted His disciples to develop a heart of faith like David’s, and letting the scriptures speak to their heart was the key to that faith as as we see in Psalm 138:7 (NIV) “Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve my life; you stretch out your hand against the anger of my foes, with your right hand you save me.”

Jesus declared Himself the word of God. He declared that His Word was powerful and did it’s work quickly. We see that in Hebrews 4:12 KJV, “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” I love those words, “For the word of God is quick and powerful…” The word of God creates hope and freedom quickly and that is powerful! It can lift us out of the darkest dungeons instantly because we believe it to be true! Without faith in it’s power, we’d remain trapped and depressed in our cell.

The world is not always a nice place and circumstances can get tough. Sometimes you can really feel trapped and discouraged in it all! But, you can be free from those feelings! You can let the Word of God speak the promises of His love, mercy, help, and grace to carry you through your day! God cares about every hair on your head and detail of your life. He does because He loves you! He guides you in your path, He directs your steps. He gives you the grace and wisdom for every situation. And He does that through His quick and powerful word! But, it starts with you believing and that happens by you having faith. Faith is built by hearing the Word of God and believing it! It’s what springs you from the dungeon Satan has tried to hold you in. It is Jesus’ voice you are hearing that says, The rest of your time has been excused and you are free to go – only believe!

Psalm 91:2 (NIV) “I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust.”

In His Love,
Pastor Tim Burt

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