deanrush.net

Living in freedom

Galatians 5:1
It is for freedom that Christ has set us free

When I think about freedom I think about the great freedom speech in cinematic history
In the movie Braveheart – William Wallace asks this great question to the Scottish troops
What will you do without freedom?
It’s a good question – without freedom we live in bondage

You look around the world today and see so many living in bondage
Living with weight, living with bitterness, living in fear

Keys to living in freedom

1. Receive freedom
John 8:32
 Jesus said, If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples.
Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.
When you receive the gospel – you have the opportunity for truth to come into your life
You don’t have freedom until you receive it from Christ
The world is living under a death sentence of it’s own sin
Until you accept the gospel and receive Jesus Christ – you are also under the it’s weight

If you carrying around a weight – receive freedom

What does freedom look like?
It is a life of faith, hope and love
It is lightness – you feel released
It is a life that is unburdened and unrestrained

2. Offload your baggage
John 8:36
So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.
Freedom is the absence of baggage
Too many people are carrying around baggage that they don’t need to be carrying
To receive freedom you need to offload the weight

The devil wants you living a burdened life – and the world obliges
People end up stressed out, in credit card debt
Mortgaged up: Old French word, literally means death pledge
Relational stress, in therapy, in alcohol and drug abuse & physical abuse

But Christ has come to set us free from the weight of sin and death

3. Live differently
1 Peter 2:16
 – 17 Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God’s slaves. Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the emperor.

Honor God by living in freedom and using your body to glorify him
I see Christians who kind of take it all for granted – accepting freedom and then try living for no.1
I am changed by what Christ did for me
I don’t want to live the old life
If you have anger, un-forgiveness, anxiety, stress, guilt, self esteem issues
It’s time to change

Christ wants us to live a free life in a burdened world
He wants us to demonstrate freedom
To live the kingdom life

4. Don’t go back
Galatians 5:1
Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.

The devil wants you back in bondage – he wants you back in sin and back carrying your burden
And he knows your weakness
You need to stand up to him and stand firm in Christ!
Stand on the rock, stand with the faithful, stand in truth, stand in the presence of God

Freedom is a beautiful thing and Jesus Christ’s gift to us
Receive the gift – get free – walk in freedom

Respect: for the people of Christchurch

I have just spend a few days in Christchurch with a team from C3 Auckland. We wanted to do something to help out and send a message of love and support.

My trip has included a 5.1 earthquake this morning – which woke me up and shook the motel I was staying in. I’m sure many Christchurch residents didn’t even wake up – after all they have been through, but it was big for me!

As a Christchurch old boy I was really effected by the “ghost town” look of the inner city. Driving around the city is like navigating a 4×4 track and seeing all the port-a-loo’s around remind us of the many people who have to live everyday without proper water supply. But these last few days what I have really noticed is how nuggety the people of Christchurch are in dealing with this ongoing crisis. They have an amazing ability to “get on with it”. They just get up every morning and keep going.

I can see the potential of this great city bouncing back in the future – but it will be because of these incredible people who have hung in there and built their city back. I want to pay tribute to the great Canterbury spirit and say to the people of Christchurch that you are fantastic and an inspiration to the whole country!  We are behind you!

RESPECT!

10 promises to give you hope and change your world

Speak these scriptures over your life and your circumstances everyday and you will never be the same!

Psalm 34: 19 A righteous man has many troubles, but the Lord delivers him from them all

Proverbs 16: 3 Commit to the Lord whatever you do and your plans will succeed

Isaiah 54: 17 No weapon that is formed against you will prosper

Jeremiah 29: 11 For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future

Romans 8:28 All things work together for good to those who love God

Philippians 1: 6 Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Jesus Christ

Philippians 4: 19 And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus

Galatians 6: 9 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up

2 Thessalonians 3: 3 But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen and protect you from the evil one

James 1: 12 Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him

Overcoming Disappointment

Overcoming disappointment

Robert Kiyosaki said “The size of your success is measured by the strength of your desire; the size of your dream; and how you handle disappointment along the way.”

To be successful in life you have to get over yourself and over disappointment
Disappointment is something you have to keep overcoming to show yourselves faithful

When ever you have high hopes – you will be disappointed at some stage

Here are some keys to overcoming disappointment

1. Don’t do anything stupid when you are disappointed
When you are disappointed don’t make any quick decisions
Allow yourself sometime to get over it and back into faith

2. Don’t play the blame game
It’s just disappointing!
It’s not God’s fault – he wants to bless you
It’s generally not anyone else’s fault
Don’t blame yourself – bottom line you gave something a go – that is to be applauded
See it for what it is – a disappointing outcome and it hurts – but it can be turned around!

3. Be comforted by God
2 Corinthians 1: 3 – 4 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles
So many in disappointment run away from God – but he is described in the bible as the God of all comfort
Be comforted by God
Run to God

4. Don’t give up
2 Chronicles 15: 7 But as for you be strong and do not give up for your work will be rewarded
It’s only failure if you give up
Be strong and stay in the game – trust God and keep trying
The outcome won’t be as bad as you think
Your work will be rewarded

5. Persevere
James 1: 3 – 4 and the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish it’s work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything
God wants to produce perseverance in you so that you will be mature and complete

6. Receive what was promised
Hebrews 10: 36 You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God you will receive what he has promised
On the other side of disappointment is promise and success
Psalm 22: 5 They cried to you and were saved; in you they trusted and were not disappointed
Trust in God – you will not be disappointed

Do not give up

Do not give up

2 Chronicles 15: 7
But as for you, be strong
To make it in life we need to be strong – to make our dreams into realities we need to find strength
It is easy to feel weak as situations in life feel overwhelming
But you have strength
David said in Psalm 28: 7 the Lord is my strength and my shield
Ephesians 6: 10 says to be strong in the Lord and his mighty power

You are stronger than you think!
In God you are strong

and do not give up
Sometimes everything inside of you wants to give up
The world seems to want you to give up
The devil certainly wants you to give

But I want to encourage you to stay in the fight
Don’t give!
Don’t think about giving up

Think about breaking through
Think about how great your victory is going to be
The tougher it is the greater the victory will be

Remember it is only failure if you actually give up
If you keep trying – your failure becomes incredible victory

for your work will be rewarded
The bible says your work will be rewarded
How good is that
Whatever you are working on right now – it will be rewarded
The strength – the perseverance – the work will be rewarded

So don’t give up!