Relational Devotion #13 [Set free]

Hi, Everyone.
I was set free from sin at the age of 13, when I asked Jesus into my heart. Being set free from emotional bondage took over 3 decades more, however. I praise the Lord that His Word is true, and I have experienced the last line of the last verse in today's scripture.

John 8:31-36
"Jesus said to the people who believed in Him,...'You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.' 'But we are descendants of Abraham,' they said. 'We have never been slaves to anyone. What do you mean, 'You will be set free'?' Jesus replied, 'I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. A slave is not a permament member of the family, but a son is part of the family forever. So if the Son sets you free, you are truly free.'"
     
     To be "set free" is to know the truth--the truth about oneself and about Jesus our Liberator. The truth is this:  We are slaves to sin and powerless to effectively manage our life. With God's truth as our standard, we recognize and confess our needs, struggles, and sins. As we confess those to God, we turn our broken life over to God, who alone can make us whole, for now and all eternity. He sets us free from sinful habits, dependencies, and emotional bondage.

What this has to do with weight loss:  The process of getting to a state of obesity is one full of denial. We lie to ourselves. "I can stop eating [or lose weight] anytime I want to." "I have the right to live my life my own way." "I'm not hurting anyone but myself." Ironically, as we assert our freedom to live as we choose, we soon lose the freedom to choose anything other than our dependency on food. We become enslaved to it. It is only when we break the cycle of denial, when we become brutally honest about our bondage to food, that there is any chance for real freedom.

Today, if you recognize that you are in bondage to food [in any way], confess it as sin [for anything that takes the place of God in your life is an idol, and idolatry is a sin]. Ask Jesus to set you free, knowing that then "you are truly free." Listen to Lynda Randle singing "I'm Free."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=grGGxlPJZF8&feature=related

Blessings,
Mary

What a perspective.  Thank you for your thought provoking message this morning. 
I thought I had lost you.  I couldn't remember how to get back to this site and this morning it dawned on me that I have you bookmarked.

Thanks Mary honestly, for always being right here every time I look for you. 
Kelley

Hi, Kelley.
I wondered why I hadn't heard from you lately. I hesitate PMing, I guess because my fear is that I'll get a reply like, "Well, your devotion made me so mad!" or something like that. I should have checked on you. I'm sorry. Will you forgive me?
I now have the Christianity forum's link with my quote signature line, so maybe more people will find us. :)
Keep in mind that I do post the daily devotion on the Main forum. It's just harder to find, with more traffic there. I also post on my profile blog, so you can access it that way, too. I just don't want to lose you again!
Blessings,
Mary

Nooooo   Mary!  Don't ever hestate to PM me!     I don't mind at all!  In fact, I was thinking I could make your devotionals apart of my devotion I'm "trying" to start doing in the morning.   

I love to read your devotions and have been having such a rough time lately that I was really missing them and the message every morning.     

Thanks for everything and yes....    I forgive you!  LOL!

I'm honored that you would make the devotion a part of your quiet time. That's great. Be sure to share what the Lord teaches you.
Blessings,
Mary