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freeslimes4us

@freeslimes4us

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Hosea 6:6 - For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings.

The CSB version writes “For I desire faithful love and not sacrifice.”

Jesus quotes Hoses 6:6 when rebuking the Pharisees in Matthew 9 and 12. The Pharisees were people known for their devotion to God, and that was shown by them knowing the Word, upholding the Law, following traditions, and leading the Jewish community spiritually. Yet, despite their righteous appearance, a number of them missed the mark in following God. Jesus sits them down and tells them that. That their heart is aligned with following God apart from love and reverence for God, and this is not what He desires.

Today, this message is loud and clear for those in the faith that are plagued by legalism. Those who have a belief that the way we live has anything to do with the free gift of salvation we have received from Jesus Christ. That we are bound to the law rather than the Lord’s grace. Jesus sits us down and tells us He would rather us faithfully love Him and fall short, than to live a perfect life missing Him and His heart because then we are missing the entire Gospel.

On the other end of the spectrum, this message is also for those who feel plagued by following Christ. For those who don’t want to give up their own way for the sake of following Christ. Those who don’t want to give up their unholy sexual desires for the sake of following Christ. Those who don’t want to denounce from that fraternity or sorority for the sake of following Christ. Those who don’t want to give up listening to carnal music for the sake of following Christ. Those who don’t want to give up the tradition they have been led to think is correct for the sake of following Christ. Those who don’t want to give up getting high and drunk for the sake of following Christ. Those who feel plagued by the way that Christ calls us to live. by @freeslimes4us

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9 months ago

Isaiah 65: 1-5 - “1 I revealed myself to those who did not ask for me; I was found by those who did not seek me. To a nation that did not call on my name, I said, ‘Here am I, here am I.’ 2 All day long I have held out my hands to an obstinate people, who walk in ways not good, pursuing their own imaginations— 3 a people who continually provoke me to my very face, offering sacrifices in gardens and burning incense on altars of brick; 4 who sit among the graves and spend their nights keeping secret vigil; who eat the flesh of pigs, and whose pots hold broth of impure meat; 5 who say, ‘Keep away; don’t come near me, for I am too sacred for you!’ Such people are smoke in my nostrils, a fire that keeps burning all day.”

When I hear these verses, I think of a few things:
I think of how Jesus went to go find disciples who were not looking for Him. He made Peter and Andrew fisher of men, He called Matthew, a tax collector, out of his booth to be responsible for the recording of His ministry. God called Moses, Samuel, and David, only to name a few, in the Old Testament. Hebrews 13:8 tells us Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and today, and forever.

That leads me to think about when God called me, and I gave Him the response so many others did and continue to do. Isaiah writes down in verse 5, “Keep away; don’t come near me, for I am too sacred for you.” Although we may not say those words directly, that is where our heart is postured when we ignore God’s call and say no to Him. As God says in Isaiah, He holds out His hands to an obstinate people all day long. That shows us His patience and grace for us. Thank You God. He continued to prick my heart until I finally stopped resisting and understood what He was calling me to do, live my life in constant relationship with Him.

It sounds like the reverse, that God, the perfect, almighty, just Creator of the universe, consistently chooses us, and that we have to choose Him for this relationship to work. But that is how His kingdom is. When people consistently turned away from Him, He still chose to go to the cross for the opportunity that we would accept His gift of salvation and have a relationship with Him. by @freeslimes4us

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a year ago

Matthew 4:1-11 - 1 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry.”

Jesus had just been baptized and this was to identify with us. He then related with us in severe temptation, showing us His holy, sinless character (Hebrews 2:18 and 4:15). The end of this verse also says He was hungry, so He identifies with us in that aspect here as well, as He is fully human, fully God. When I read this, I asked myself “did the Holy Spirit tempt Jesus?” James 1:13 tells us that’s not possible. However, the Holy Spirit may lead us somewhere where we will be tempted.

3 The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” 4 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.”

The enemy came to Jesus and asks Him to prove His deity in using His gifts for selfish gain. It’s not so much that Jesus had a problem with eating, but it didn’t align with God’s will, and Jesus was submitted to the Father’s Will in all things. The NKJV translation puts it as “when the tempter” came, so it is not a matter of if we will be tempted, but when. We also need to take note of Jesus’ response to the temptation. We know that He could have easily rebuked satan as He is all powerful. However, He answered in a way that we could as well, using the word of God. That is why it’s so important that we have Biblical literacy, because God has given us this instrument and we are ignorant to use it.

5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. 6 “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written: “He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not-strike your foot against a stone!” 7 Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test!” by @freeslimes4us

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a year ago

1 Corinthians 6:12 - “I have the right to do anything,” you say - but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything” - but I will not be mastered by anything.

Paul wrote 1 Corinthians to the church in the city of Corinth answering their questions and responding to problems that had come while Paul was gone church.

The Corinthian believers were using their new found freedom in Christ as a license to continue sinning. As we know from Romans 6:1, this is wrong. We still see this problem in the church today.

But what does this mean for us as Christ followers as we live out our every day lives to have the freedom to do anything, but not everything being good.

The best way for me to explain it is through example, since I had to learn this the hard way. I really enjoy playing basketball and playing video games like NCAA. I have the freedom to do things I enjoy that are not inherently sinful. There is no law against such things.

However, these things can become sinful based on the way I conduct myself while I am enjoying them. What do I mean? I love to win. So when I am playing basketball or NCAA, I have found myself acting unChristlike on multiple occasions for the sake of winning. This is backwards. God has given me the freedom to do these things, but in doing them, I get angry, tear others down, among other things, and this is sin.

Now, I want to continue doing the things I love like playing basketball or running NCAA, but I do not want to sin against God and have to protect my witness while doing these things. So, I have to bring my unChristlike ways to God and submit them to Him so He can transform me. However, if I were to continue playing and keep acting unChristlike, I would be sinning against God, not because I am doing these things, but because these things are causing me to sin. by @freeslimes4us

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a year ago

Matthew 10:37-39 - Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it

Here, Jesus is giving the 12 Apostles instructions before He sends them out and is specifically talking about here that He did not come to bring peace here on Earth, but a sword.

I read verse 37 and I think, okay we cannot love our family’s, much less the rest of the world, more than Christ because then we are not worthy of Him. But what does that look like in practicality?
When it comes down to it, are we going to compromise the truth of God for the sake of the world? Let’s look at the verses right before this, verses 32-36

Matthew 10: 32-36 - Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in Heaven. But whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my Father in Heaven. Do not suppose that i have come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to turn “a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter in law against her mother in law - a man’s enemies will be members of his own household.”

And this is all on account of Him! When Jesus tells us about those who disown Him before others, He is referring to disowning Him by not just our words, but our actions! When we see the ones we love on Earth doing wrong, are we going to hold them accountable to the Word, or compromise? When people we love try to get us out of alignment with the Word, are we going to compromise or follow Jesus? In these moments, are we going to compromise God’s truth and our faith for the sake of the world? Are we going to love the world more than we love Jesus, much less have any love for the world? We just talked about this at Bible study on Monday:

1 John 2:15 - Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. by @freeslimes4us

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a year ago

Psalm 19:7-11 - The law of the Lord is perfect, refreshing the soul. The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple. The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes. The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever. The decrees of the Lord are firm, and all of them are righteous. They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the honeycomb. By them your servant is warned; in keeping them there is great reward.

Last video, we had discussed how we are acquitted by what we know; how we know what the Word says, and continue to do the opposite. But why should we even consider living by the Word?

In Psalm 19, David describes the Word of God. The law of the Lord is perfect, refreshing, trustworthy, right, radiant, pure, giving us joy and light to our eyes, and ALL of them being righteous. By them, we are warned, and in keeping them there is great reward.

We can have faith that the commands in God’s Word do not hold us back, but rather show us how to live and give us freedom. God keeps His word. He always has, and He always will, and the Bible shows us throughout its entirety. The Lord tells us in keeping this Word, there is great reward. That is truly a blessing, whether we get rewarded on Earth or in eternity. However, nothing we do can benefit God or secure our place in eternity.

Isaiah 64:6 - All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away.

The best of what we could ever do is filth to the Lord. That’s humbling and just shows us His glory. The standard for God is perfection, hence why it was imperative for the Son to come live a perfect life and die for our shortcomings. Again, nothing we can do can benefit God or secure our spot in eternity. If we are obeying Him and His word simply for “great rewards,” we are dead wrong and need to check our heart posture.

John 14:15 - If you love me, you will keep my commands by @freeslimes4us

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a year ago

Luke 12:47-48 - The servant who knows the master’s will and does not get ready or does not do what the master wants will be beaten with many blows. But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone whom has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much; much more will be asked.

For context, the Apostles came to Jesus and asked him when the end of the age will happen and what signs there will be. Jesus goes into detail about always being ready for that hour, because only the Father knows. This conversation is recorded in Matthew, Mark, and Luke, but these verses are unique in the Gospel of Luke.

Jesus tells us plainly here that we are attributed to what we know. And then He tells us that those who have been given much, much will be demanded. We read that and primarily think of materialistic things, but the same applies to our knowledge and what we know. The meaning of the phrase “ignorance is bliss” is clear after reading this. There’s nothing like being convicted and gaining understanding on how we should be transformed and living from the Word of God.

John 14:15 - If you love me, you will keep my commands.

We know Jesus’ commands. In keeping these commands, we show our love for Him. We know the Lord’s will. He tells us throughout the entire Bible. But that begs the question, how much longer will we know the greatest command to love the Lord with ALL of our heart, soul, and mind, but continue to make Him secondary in our lives? How much longer will we know not to steal, have sex outside of marriage, get drunk, all of the things, and continue to do the opposite? Jesus tells us on that day of judgement, we are attributed to what we know, and how we lived according to that.

This even goes hand and hand with something we touched on at Bible study on Monday if you were there.

Romans 12:2 - Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is - His good, pleasing, and perfect will. by @freeslimes4us

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a year ago

1 Chronicles 13:9-10 - When they came to the threshing floor of Kidon, Uzzah reached out his hand to steady the ark, because the oxen stumbled. The Lord’s anger burned against Uzzah, and he struck him down because he had put his hand on the ark. So he died there before God.

After reading this, I’m asking myself, “God, why did You strike this man down for trying to not let the Ark of the Covenant fall?” His intentions seemed pure, but when we look deeper, we see that God had already given clear instructions about how the Ark was to be handled.

Numbers 4:15 - … only then are the Kohathites to come and do the carrying. But they must not touch the holy things or they will die. The Kohathites are to carry those things that are in the tent of meeting.

Uzzah’s mistake wasn’t just touching the Ark, he was violating a direct command from God. This reminds us how serious God takes His commands. Even pure intentions do not excuse going against His word. We see a very similar instance in the New Testament. When Peter tried to stop Jesus from going to the cross, thinking he was protecting Him, Jesus gave a strong rebuke:

Matthew 16:23 - Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”

Peter’s heart may have been in the right place emotionally, but he was opposing God’s will. The Lord then led me to reflect on our culture today. We often justify disobedience for the sake of “good intentions.” The Bible commands us to live by His truth, not by our feelings or intentions. by @freeslimes4us

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a year ago

2 Kings 22:11, 13 - When the king heard the words of the Book of the Law, he tore his robes. (Josiah said) Go and inquire of the Lord for me and for the people and for all Judah about what is written in this book that has been found. Great is the Lord’s anger that burns against us because those who have gone before us have not obeyed the words of this book; they have not acted in accordance with all that is written there concerning us

For a little context, after the reigns of David and Solomon, the majority of the kings in Israel were corrupt and led people to idolatry. Josiah, one of the few righteous kings, finds the Book of the Law, and is immediately convicted by it. His reaction is one of genuine repentance, he is moved by the truth of God’s word, recognizes the disobedience, and immediately seeks God’s direction. This is God’s response:

2 Kings 22:19 - Because your heart was responsive and you humbled yourself before the Lord when you heard what I have spoken against this place and its people—that they would become a curse and be laid waste—and because you tore your robes and wept in my presence, I also have heard you, declares the Lord.

When we seek the Lord with a genuine, repentant heart, He meets us with His grace and mercy.

1 John 1:9 - If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. by @freeslimes4us

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a year ago

Proverbs 16:2 - All a person’s ways seem pure to them, but motives are weighed by the Lord.

One of the most dangerous things about the human heart is how easily we can convince ourselves that we’re doing the right thing, or something harmless, when our heart posture off. This verse gives us a clear picture of that. We think our ways are pure, but the Lord examines our motives. We need to consistently check our hearts in everything we do.

Hebrews 4:12-13 - For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.

Hebrews takes the same idea and goes even deeper. The Word doesn’t just confront our actions, it cuts to the intentions behind them. It doesn’t just expose us, it invites us to surrender what it reveals so God can change us. Nothing is hidden from the Lord, and our heart posture is everything behind our actions. Jesus even warns us about this very thing.

Matthew 6:1 - Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.

While we may be doing good, doing it with the wrong heart posture means nothing. The Lord wants a heart that serves out of love, not because It wants to be seen. We need to apply this same mentality to the every day tasks in our life.

The act itself may not be sinful, but the intention can be. That’s why we’ve got to constantly ask ourselves, is this glorifying God, or feeding my flesh?

We can consistently deceive ourselves if we don’t check our motives. We have to be honest about our heart posture, so we can bring those hidden desires to the Lord. And when we bring our hearts to Him, He accepts and molds it to be more like His. He willingly changes us and meets us with grace. You ask for His will, and He will do it. That is the God we serve. by @freeslimes4us

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a year ago

Isaiah 53:3-6 - He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces he was despised, and we held him in low esteem. Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

What happened today to our Savior was prophesied over 600 years before it happened. Jesus, fully God and fully man, was sent to the cross to bear ALL of our sin. Being fully human, He felt the weight of what was to come.

Luke 22:42 - “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.”

Despite His human emotions: anxiety, sorrow, worry. Jesus CHOSE the Cross. He CHOSE us. At our worst, He prayed for our best.

Luke 23:34 - Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.

This moment reflects the very heart of God. We gave Him rejection, betrayal, and pain. Yet, He still offered us mercy, forgiveness, and love.

John 15:13 - Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.

Jesus proved His love for us through what He endured today. His sacrifice gained our freedom. We gave Him our worst, and He STILL WILLINGLY CHOSE to go to the cross for our redemption, our restoration, and for our relationship with Him. And He would do it endlessly, without hesitation, to bring us closer to Him.

That is the God we serve. Although we are remembering Jesus death today, we are anxiously waiting for Sunday. Amen by @freeslimes4us

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a year ago

John 17:17 - Sanctify them by the truth; Your word is truth

Here, Jesus is praying to the Father for His disciples before He is arrested and crucified, only to rise from again, revealing His glory more than ever. He prays “sanctify them (the disciples) by the truth; Your word is truth.” To sanctify means to set apart, to dedicate for a holy purpose. We are set apart when we know the truth and live by the truth found in God’s Word.

As I read this, the Holy Spirit had me thinking of what Jesus said a few chapters earlier in John 8.

John 8:31-32 - To the Jews who had believed Him, 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.”

Jesus connects everything for us. True disciples hold to His teaching. That’s how we come to know the truth, and it’s that truth that sets us free. God’s Word is that truth. That’s really what all of my videos revolve around. This word is truth, and it leads to our freedom. Paul helps us understand more in Romans 6:

Romans 6:16-18 - Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey—whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness? But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you have come to obey from your heart the pattern of teaching that has now claimed your allegiance. You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness.

Before Christ, we were slaves to sin, trapped in bondage to it. Through Christ, we are set free from that bondage. Now, we are slaves to righteousness, bound to the truth that sets us free, which is this Word He has given us.

Freedom doesn’t come from doing whatever we want, it comes from surrendering to God’s truth. by @freeslimes4us

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2 years ago