WORD for Today!!

Good Morning everyone!!!! I KNOW you all had a wonderful night's sleep !! God has some wonderfull things planned for each of you today!! In Galations 5:1, it reads "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery." God wants us to be free. He doesn't want us to be yoked or weighed down. Neither does he want us to be enslaved. Enslaved?? What does this mean. In Websters it says "one that is completely subservient to a dominating influence". Does this have to a person?? No! It can be an object, desire, temptation. It can be anything that causes one to be distracted from Jesus. Examples can be: food, alcholism, *****graphy. It can be an emotion like fear, mistrust, shame, perfectionism. depression. Jesus was even tempted to take his eyes off of the reason he was here and to bow down to satan who was tempting him. (read Luke 4). Jesus doesn't want us to go back to these things or to be enslaved because he died on the cross for us so that we can be free!! Why?? So that we can be the man/woman of God he has called us to be AND to be happy, at peace, joyful, fulfilled in him! In Galations 4:8-9 reads, "Formerly, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those who by nature are not gods. But now that you know God--or rather are known by God--how is it that you are turning back to those weak and miserable principles? Do you wish to be enslaved by them all over again?" I encourage all of you to examine yourself today. Is there something that is causing you to be distracted from Jesus. If there is 1) pray and ask forgiveness for the distraction 2) Seek Godly counsel if it is an addiciton or something deeper 3)Ask God to fill that void with His Presence, word and peace (begin to read His word and pray daily). God IS the God of second chances!! He loves you so much that if this has to be done daily, than do it daily!!! If you have to repent OR forgive someone daily, then do it!!! It will get better!! He wants only the best for you!!! He wants you to live and be happy and at peace, not enslaved to something that is going to make you unhappy. He has nothing but good intentions for you!! My prayer for you today is that you would desire to be the person God wants you to be, that you would know HIM and have a more personal/closer relationship with him, and that you would have healing and peace in the midst of everything. I Love you all! Lucy