Way too long...

First off...it's been too long! After my last post I wasn't 100% what I wanted to write about, so I thought about it. I have had some more unique experiences at Portland Rescue Mission, been excited about baseball (today IS OPENING DAY!!!!), and stressing out over the Blazers.

But, what I have been thinking about most is freedom. Not freedom in a political sense, but freedom in a biblical sense. Last weekend, our sermon was on freedom. Paul writes to the Corinthians that his freedom gives him the ability to preach the Gospel in his own way, as a tentmaker instead of being paid by the church.  The sermon is posted on the Solid Rock website, which you can access with a link on the left. I have also been reading Romans. In Romans, Paul talks about our freedom from sin enabling us to live the life that we were ultimately intended to lead. I have been reading The Message: Remix/Pause. It is an interesting interpretation because it breaks up the traditional order of the Bible and mixes the New Testament with the Old and in different order (John, Hebrews, Romans). It is really intriguing to go from Numbers and clarification of the Law into Freedom from the Law. Paul mostly encourages the Romans to see that in Christ's death we have been set free from our sin and no longer need to live by it. One of my favorites has been: "Offer yourselves to sin...and it's your last free act" in Romans 6. As well as: "Sin didn't, and doesn't, have a chance in competition with the aggressive forgiveness we call grace" in Romans 5.

This freedom is a beautiful thing. Freedom from sin. Freedom from the old man. In freedom, we live for God, not for sin. I have to keep reminding myself that this freedom is indeed mine, as I have been baptized into eternal life. As I was carried under, I died to my old self (and still have to daily) and as I was raised up, I was raised into new and eternal life as was Christ Jesus my Lord. It is a beautiful thing of which I play no part but to put my faith in God's grace and Jesus' salvation.

Sin gets int he way of our living with the Father, but the freedom we have opens up doors to live a life that is not selfish but seeking God. We live for God and not for ourselves. We count it all as lose for the sake of knowing God, as Philippians 3 states. May you be blessed today!

And Go Royals!!!