Tag Archives: Freedom

Freedom

22 Monday Feb 2016

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Jesus Advocate

Today’s Reading: 1 John 2:1 Version NIV
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+John+2%3A1&version=NIV

When a Christian commits an error, a mistake, a grave sin, there are those who are ready and willing to condemn and ridicule his behavior.

Only a few people remember that Christ forgiveness cleans and purifies our sins; Christ accepts the sinner again and again without restriction.

No one needs to carry that feeling of guilt, head down and ashamed, if it was forgiven and received by Christ. Peter denied his Master, lied, then confessed and pulled out of his chest the rottenness that his act meant. The burning tears streamed down his face, Jesus opened his arms to receive and restore him. That sin was forgiven. Forgiveness is forgiveness!

There are grave sins that destroy our inner being and need to be removed. This problem does not have an easy solution. For the children of God, although freed by Christ, live a life burdened by a thousand rules and precepts. The rituals of religion, worship and everyday life become enslaving and a heavy burden, after all, didn’t Christ set us free from all of these? You say, “I do not know, I’m free but yet, I’m still scared. He is a righteous judge; could we be condemned by our defense counselor, our advocate?

If Jesus does not condemn you, who will? Have confidence in God’s forgiveness. Repent, confess your sins, turn to God and live in peace and enjoy freedom! Jesus is our Advocate!

Ildefonso Torres

¡Freedom in Jesus!

13 Wednesday Jan 2016

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Free Yourself Final Final
Today’s Reading: John 8:31-34 Version CEV
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+8%3A31-34&version=CEV

Do not stay depressed, free yourself! Depression is the cause of your melancholy and sadness. Depression turns you into a slave. Free yourself! There is no reason to stay angry and resentful. There is no reason for you to continue feeling sorry for yourself.

The failures to solve problems, those feelings of guilt, all of these things have led you to hopelessness. Today there is much talk about the liberation of women, sexual liberation, and economic liberation. However, these are not only liberations but debauchery and they become dangerous when freedom is confused with irresponsibility.

Searching for sexual satisfaction without serious commitment is debauchery. To have complete freedom in all areas of our lives we need to start from an inner freedom, real freedom from selfishness, evil, hatred, and sin. We can only achieve this freedom through Jesus Christ. He gives us the diagnosis and the remedy.

He who sins is a slave of sin. On the other hand, those who know Christ and remain in his Word, know the truth and the truth will set them free.

Find freedom in Jesus! Free yourself!

Ildefonso Torres

The Way

07 Thursday Jan 2016

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Jesus is the Way - a
Today’s Reading:  John 14:6 Version CEV
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+14%3A6&version=CEV

Jesus is the door of salvation, the door that opens to the re-encounter of the human being with the eternal God. But how can anyone, confused, tired and destroyed from within, find that door? Jesus is the way by which men, women and children find direction for their steps.

If Jesus is the door where we come in and out and find food for our souls, we will understand that life is freedom, security and livelihood. Likewise, if Jesus is the way, He did not merely lead us to the door, but also shows us the way we have to go, the course, the direction, the goals we have in life. It is not an inner struggle of our conscience, whether we are, or not, pleasing to God; a constant concern of being in the wrong path. If we use the path or the way that Jesus represents, we will be able to admire the flowers at the roadside.

The question is only one: Are we? If we are on the way, the direction has been defined already; we know within ourselves what lies ahead.

Let us say with gratitude: “How unhappy would it be to live aimlessly, Lord! You are the door that opens to the way, the path that extends before us that guide our steps. Amen!”

Ildefonso Torres

Salvation

06 Wednesday Jan 2016

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I Am The Door - Final
Today’s Reading: John 10:9 Version NKJV
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+10%3A9&version=NKJV

What is the meaning of salvation? Salvation is freedom, abundance and life. Salvation means not only a heaven after death, but our encounter with life, here and now. Salvation is healing, removing all our worries and our disappointments. It is the healing of the wounds of the heart, caused by contempt, bitterness and disappointments.

Salvation is the restoration of the dignity of man, created by God in his image and likeness. It is to receive back the desire to live, to fight, to understand and to become someone useful.

The gateway to a country is a passport. The gateway to a good job can be knowledge, experience or unfortunately influence. The gateway to life is not money, or health, or good friends. The gate to life is Jesus! You must go through Him, receive forgiveness, inner freedom, the power of his Spirit, so that life outbreaks naturally. Life, then, becomes joy, peace, love, kindness and understanding.

There is a door that opens onto a new relationship with God and with people. Jesus is the door! Enter through this door and live!

Ildefonso Torres

Graphic by Michelle Kincaid

Freedom

13 Sunday Sep 2015

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Liberty Conjuntos
Give me liberty or give me death! These were the words of a freedom fighter of the last century. Today our world is full of the concept of liberty. Any suspicion of oppression, censorship, imposing rules, is reason to shake up the masses and demand freedom and liberty.

Everyone is talking about freedom and liberty, democracy and civil rights. There are large movements, women’s liberation; the liberation of oppressed races; the liberation of the youth; and even sexual freedom and the theology of liberation.

The desire for liberty and freedom is natural in the heart and conscience of mankind. No one has the right to oppress or enslave his neighbor. The only danger is to confuse freedom with irresponsibility; to seek personal satisfaction without serious commitment, without hard work and struggle.

If we are to talk about freedom, we must not confuse it with debauchery, corruption and dishonesty. We will only get real and complete freedom in all areas, when we start from an inner freedom. That is, when free ourselves of selfishness, wickedness, greed and evil.

Remember when Jesus said that if we obey his words we will become his followers and will know the truth. And the truth is: The truth will set us free!

Ildefonso Torres

Lack of Freedom

12 Wednesday Aug 2015

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Lack of Freedom
Today’s Reading: Ephesians 1:7
The word freedom reminds us about the tyranny of slavery, oppression and lack of human rights. It seems that every day hatred and contempt for human rights injustices of all kinds grow.

Tyranny deprives us of freedom. There are people who would rather die than not be free. In many of our countries we are free and do not suffer under the hand of tyranny. Our freedoms are guaranteed in the constitutions and laws of our countries. However, freedom needs to be defended and preserved. We need to beg God to preserve our freedom and spread it to all peoples.

As Christians, we must ask God to, not only free us from slavery and tyranny, but also of sin, because sin is a tyrant who enslaves all. God guarantees true freedom to all who offer their lives and hearts.

“… In whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of His grace” (Ephesians 1:7) Forgiveness liberates us!

When our hearts are full of pessimism, we must remind our fellow men in a world of tyranny and false freedom, that we must thank God for the freedom we enjoy in our country, although sometimes it is not complete.

Ildefonso Torres