Man has freedom to the extent they decide to have God close to them. Man also has joy to the extent they have a proper perspective of life situations they face. Three people can experience the same exact trial, but can experience different degrees of freedom based upon their perceptions of how great God is in relation to the trial they face. Can I trust God? Does He really love me? If so, why am I having these struggles? Do I want to put Him Lord of my life, or do I want to do my own thing? Choices like these influence how much freedom we truly have.
When we let the Holy Spriit control our lives, we experience the fruit of the spirit love, joy, peace, etc. in our lives. When we finally realize that the secret of life, happiness, and freedom is abiding in an every-growing, intimate love relationship with God. We may know the truth, but unfortunately, our sinful natures often habitually prevent that from happening. Choices influence freedom.
God created everything; He is the God of all things. God is omniscient, omnipotent, and omnipresent. He controls time, every situation - nothing catches Him by surprise. Before we were born, God knew all the times our sins would hurt others and grieve the Holy Spirit; but in spite of all that, God chose Christ to be crucified on the cross - all because God desperately wants to experience an intimate love relationship with me and you. Just think: the maker of the Heavens and Earth, the Alpha and Omega, wants to completely love me and you - so much that His innocent Son was crucified on the cross.
The cross reconnects the sinner back to God. Only when we abide in Christ are we truly free.
Psalms 23:1 says "The Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want." God wants to take care of all our needs, He wants to guard us sheep from dangerous wolves (life troubles) come near. Only when we realize the Truth of who God is and the Truth of How much God loves us, and that, in spite of all our sufferings, promises like 1 Cor 10:13, Romans 8:18, and Romans 8:28; 38-41 always remain true.
True joy comes from abiding in Christ and surrendering to the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:23). Jesus said in John 15:10-13: "If you keep my commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love. These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full. This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends."
True joy doesn't depend upon the goodness or badness of situations. It doesn't depend upon whether we have certain possessions or great social status. All these things are temporal and are insufficient in total joy that we would experience in we had them. What last is abiding in Christ and letting the Holy Spirit control our lives, so fruit of the spirit love, joy, peace, etc. would be experienced in our lives.
When we let the Holy Spriit control our lives, we experience the fruit of the spirit love, joy, peace, etc. in our lives. When we finally realize that the secret of life, happiness, and freedom is abiding in an every-growing, intimate love relationship with God. We may know the truth, but unfortunately, our sinful natures often habitually prevent that from happening. Choices influence freedom.
God created everything; He is the God of all things. God is omniscient, omnipotent, and omnipresent. He controls time, every situation - nothing catches Him by surprise. Before we were born, God knew all the times our sins would hurt others and grieve the Holy Spirit; but in spite of all that, God chose Christ to be crucified on the cross - all because God desperately wants to experience an intimate love relationship with me and you. Just think: the maker of the Heavens and Earth, the Alpha and Omega, wants to completely love me and you - so much that His innocent Son was crucified on the cross.
The cross reconnects the sinner back to God. Only when we abide in Christ are we truly free.
Psalms 23:1 says "The Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want." God wants to take care of all our needs, He wants to guard us sheep from dangerous wolves (life troubles) come near. Only when we realize the Truth of who God is and the Truth of How much God loves us, and that, in spite of all our sufferings, promises like 1 Cor 10:13, Romans 8:18, and Romans 8:28; 38-41 always remain true.
True joy comes from abiding in Christ and surrendering to the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:23). Jesus said in John 15:10-13: "If you keep my commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love. These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full. This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends."
True joy doesn't depend upon the goodness or badness of situations. It doesn't depend upon whether we have certain possessions or great social status. All these things are temporal and are insufficient in total joy that we would experience in we had them. What last is abiding in Christ and letting the Holy Spirit control our lives, so fruit of the spirit love, joy, peace, etc. would be experienced in our lives.
