Freedom: June 22-30, 2019 (Sat-Sun): Read through 1 Kings, Esther, Psalms, and Galatians

Freedom. Liberty. Paul’s Letter to the Galatians is all about freedom. Liberty in Christ is real yet unrealized in many believers’ lives. They’re living with a mentality that they must achieve in order to receive. They’re living in a legalism—trying to gain acceptance from God by their works. The truth is that Christ Jesus has paid the price for our freedom. It’s by grace through faith that we receive full acceptance from God. All of our righteousness, Isaiah said, is like filthy rags. Faith in God is what God credits as righteousness in our account. Whatever is not done in faith is sin.

The Galatians were tempted to leave the simplicity of the gospel to follow a bound-up life of following religious rules and keeping customs. He said, “So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don’t get tied up again in slavery to the law” (Galatians 5 in The New Living Translation). Paul asked them who had bewitched them because Christ had come to set them free from sin but also from religiosity.

However, Paul said to them that they shouldn’t let their freedom become a license to indulge the flesh. They shouldn’t think that Christ gave them freedom to live as they please, catering to their sinful desires. They were no longer bound by sin and the law and were free to live for Christ. He encouraged them and us to submit to the Spirit and let Him guide their lives daily and not let their sinful nature be their master. “I say then, walk by the Spirit and you will certainly not carry out the desire of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is against the Spirit, and the Spirit desires what is against the flesh; these are opposed to each other, so that you don’t do what you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law” (Galatians 5 in The Christian Standard Bible).

We must stop feeding our flesh if we’re really children of God. In this life, we’ll always struggle with our sinful nature, so we must recognize the struggle for what it is. Then we must do something about it, making some adjustments to curb the desires of the flesh and making conscious choices daily and moment-by-moment to rely on the Spirit. The following song called “Liberty” by Shane & Shane describes the truth well.

The Lord is the Spirit / Where the Spirit of the Lord is now / There is liberty / And the Spirit lives inside of me / And where the Spirit of the Lord is now / There is liberty

When the spirit of the world comes / To kill me and enslave me I will say / There is liberty / For the chains of sin that once entangled me / Have been broken now I’m singing cause I’m free / There is liberty

For freedom You’ve set me free / And, yes, I am free indeed / You rewrote my name / Unshackled my shame / You opened my eyes to see / That I am free

The storm rolled in / It was dark in the land / As the Son of Man was crucified / You don’t take His life / He laid it down / And He paid the price / And shed His blood / It is done / The veil is torn / He has won / And I am free

For freedom You’ve set me free / And, yes, I am free indeed / You rewrote my name / Unshackled my shame / You opened my eyes to see / That I am free

This week you’ll read…

1 Kings 12-22: “Elijah challenged the people: ‘How long are you going to sit on the fence? If God is the real God, follow Him; if it’s Baal, follow him. Make up your minds!’ Nobody said a word; nobody made a move.” (1 Kings 18 in The Message Bible).

Esther 7-10: “…‘There is a gallows 75 feet tall at Haman’s house that he made for Mordecai, who gave the report that saved the king.’ The king said, ‘Hang him on it.’ They hanged Haman on the gallows he had prepared for Mordecai. Then the king’s anger subsided.” (Esther 7 in The Christian Standard Bible)

Psalm 84-90: “Better a day in Your courts than a thousand anywhere else” (Psalm 84 in The Christian Standard Bible).

Galatians 1-6: “I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me” (Galatians 2 in The Christian Standard Bible).

• June 22 (Sat):
  • 1 Kings 12 (CSB) (MSG) (NLT)
  • Esther 7 (CSB) (MSG) (NLT)
  • Psalm 84 (CSB) (MSG) (NLT)
• June 23 (Sun):
  • 1 Kings 13 (CSB) (MSG) (NLT)
  • Esther 8 (CSB) (MSG) (NLT)
  • Psalm 85 (CSB) (MSG) (NLT)
• June 24 (Mon):
  • 1 Kings 14 (CSB) (MSG) (NLT)
  • Esther 9 (CSB) (MSG) (NLT)
  • Psalm 86 (CSB) (MSG) (NLT)
• June 25 (Tues):
  • 1 Kings 15 (CSB) (MSG) (NLT)
  • Esther 10 (CSB) (MSG) (NLT)
  • Psalm 87 (CSB) (MSG) (NLT)
• June 26 (Wed):
  • 1 Kings 16-17 (CSB) (MSG) (NLT)
  • Galatians 1 (CSB) (MSG) (NLT)
• June 27 (Thurs):
  • 1 Kings 18-19 (CSB) (MSG) (NLT)
  • Galatians 2 (CSB) (MSG) (NLT)
• June 28 (Fri):
  • 1 Kings 20 (CSB) (MSG) (NLT)
  • Psalm 88 (CSB) (MSG) (NLT)
  • Galatians 3 (CSB) (MSG) (NLT)
• June 29 (Sat):
  • 1 Kings 21 (CSB) (MSG) (NLT)
  • Psalm 89 (CSB) (MSG) (NLT)
  • Galatians 4 (CSB) (MSG) (NLT)
• June 30 (Sun):
  • 1 Kings 22 (CSB) (MSG) (NLT)
  • Psalm 90 (CSB) (MSG) (NLT)
  • Galatians 5-6 (CSB) (MSG) (NLT)

CSB are daily readings linked to The Christian Standard Bible on BibleGateway.com.

MSG are daily readings linked to The Message Bible on BibleGateway.com.

NLT are daily readings linked to The New Living Translation on BibleGateway.com.