Company Of The Free

Wednesday, September 25, 2024

Good morning, Lord

Verse of the Day:  1 John 2:1

2 My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.

Memory verse: Psalm 42:2(New American Bible )

"My soul thirsts for God, the living God. When can I enter and see the face of God?"

Today's reading: Isaiah 1-2 Galatians 5

 Company of The Free

Hebrews 10:39 My friends, we are not those who give up hope and so are lost; but we are of the company who live by faith and so are saved.

Galatians 4: 31 So, brothers and sisters, we are not children of the slave woman, but sons and daughters of the free.

I have a friend who wrote back that he loved Hebrews 10:39-and said we are in 'good company'--and as I read our daily reading the very last word Paul wrote in Galatians 4 is that we are 'sons and daughters of the free'.

We are in 'the' good company--the company of the free. It is a moment to rejoice when this is realized on the personal level. When someone realizes the real gravity of God's freedom and the company that surrounds us in God's family.

With every victory there is a weapon that the enemy has prepared. A time of rejoicing should always be a time of sober thought. A time for us to always be aware of our Father's power against the 'flaming arrows'(Ephesians 6:16) of the enemy. A time to remember that as the children of Israel rebuilt the wall(Nehemiah 1) some worked with one hand and held a weapon in the other. A time to remember that God has placed us in 'good company of the free' so we may seek His strength in His numbers.

A time of rejoicing is a time of sharpening and mending and healing and giving glory to God. Remember what Paul wrote:

Galatians 5:1 It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.

We must remember to glory not in our own freedom but in God's freedom provided in Christ Jesus and that we are in the good company who remember God said:

“Come out from them and be separate, says the Lord." 2 Corinthians 6:17

The freedom of our company has never come from a democratic government. It is a blessing to live in a free country but our company's freedom comes from our God giving His son so we can be free from all oppression-all the time.

The battle rages. Do you feel the Lord's freedom? Do you rejoice in God's good company of His family?My friends, we are not those who give up hope and so are lost; but we are of the company who live by faith and so are saved. Hebrews 10:39

How many times are the words 'fear not' in the Bible? 365 times-one for each day of the year-one for each morning when we take up our own crosses and follow Jesus. One for each day when we rejoice for the company God has given us to keep...to keep.

Keeping good company--keeping good company--maintaining and growing in God's company of true believers as we share each other's burdens(Galatians 6:2), pray and break bread together(Acts 2:42), and as we worship together(Hebrews 10:25).

Bad company(1 Corinthians 15:33)? Well, we would have only one reason to be in bad company: to tell them about Jesus-to give reason for the good hope that is within us(1 Peter 3:15)

The good company of freedom-the family of God-the Bride of Christ-seek it always as you seek God always-rejoice as iron sharpens iron:

Proverbs 27:17

17 As iron sharpens iron,

    so one person sharpens another.

Rejoice and be ready...

...because He loves us...

Father in Heaven,

Forgive me for letting my guard down as I rejoice. It is all Your strength, not mine. Lead me, I desire to be obedient. Teach me to obey.

Father of Your good company of freedom!

In the name of Christ Jesus,

Amen