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Today is Sunday January 24, 2010 and we are reading through the Bible in a year. Today's message comes from the reading of the Book of Exodus, chapters 20-22. If you would like to read the chapters along with us here online you can Click Here to read them or copy & paste this URL onto your browser: http://www.readytofollow.com/bible-january-24

Title: Independent by Dependence

The word independence is defined as having freedom from the control, influence, support, aid, or the like, of others. In other words, we are free to do or think what we want either as an individual or country. The world strives on independence, in fact, many countries devote special days each year just to be reminded of their independence. We as individuals, strive on our independence as well, claiming our right to choose the way we want to live our lives. However, the truth is, that we have no more independence than someone in prison does. Think about it, we revolve around the government, the environment, and even the influence of others. If we want to prosper in life we need to depend on others to help us get there. For example, we may have the freedom to choose a president, but he does not have the authority to make decisions on his own, he is dependent upon the government officials to make them for him. The president is only as good as the people making the decisions for him, he just happens to be the one representing the country. Often the wrong decision gets made and who is to blame, the president, because he took on that responsibility. However, instead of blaming the president we need to take a look at what we have done as a nation and what we can do to turn things around. Honestly, that will never happen, that is, unless people start submitting to authority instead of what they want individually.

When the Israelite's were set free from the Egyptians, they had a decision to make, depend on God or depend on themselves for survival. In order to depend on God they had to submit to His authority. So, what is God's authority? The word command can be defined as, to have authority over and responsibility for a person or task. In other words, when the Israelite's chose God, they chose to let God have authority over them and give Him the responsibility to show them how they were to live in order to be prosperous. “And God spake all these words, saying, I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.” -Exodus 20:1-6. Commandments are of utmost importance, they are the foundation in which we are to have a prosperous life, not only with God, but with our lives. His Commandments are essential, basic principles for the spiritual and moral conduct of all mankind. Without them we have no standard of what is right and wrong. God says that He is a jealous God, what this means is what it applies, He is jealous of all things that take place before Him. Think about it, if you know that your mate is being unfaithful, you become very jealous and wroth toward that person. So, how do you think God feels if you are paying more attention to something else? Any job, hobby, possession, or person that comes before Him is a false god and one that God does not accept too kindly.

However, God is faithful to forgive all who submit to His authority. I will tell you what, if more people did there would be less wrong decisions being made and much less suffering in the world today! You know, we can claim our independence, it's wonderful to be able to choose for ourselves that we choose Christ, but in reality we are independent by our dependence on others. I will tell you one thing, if I am going to be dependent upon someone, the only one I am going to depend on is Jesus Christ. A marriage between two people can end, but a marriage made with Jesus is forever. Praise God! “Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin............... For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.” - Romans 3:20,23-26. No matter what happens in life, we can depend on Jesus to make things right. Praise God!

Enjoy the rest of your day/night and week, God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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