{"id":5706,"date":"2021-07-04T09:00:00","date_gmt":"2021-07-04T14:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.barbdahlgren.com\/?p=5706"},"modified":"2021-03-01T20:39:54","modified_gmt":"2021-03-02T02:39:54","slug":"freedom-in-christ","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/barbdahlgren.com\/?p=5706","title":{"rendered":"Freedom in Christ"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Think on These Things: Positive thoughts in a negative world\u2026<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.barbdahlgren.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Fourth-of-July-border-churchartpro-scaled.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/www.barbdahlgren.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Fourth-of-July-border-churchartpro-1024x205.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-5707\" width=\"340\" height=\"68\" srcset=\"https:\/\/barbdahlgren.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Fourth-of-July-border-churchartpro-1024x205.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/barbdahlgren.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Fourth-of-July-border-churchartpro-300x60.jpg 300w, https:\/\/barbdahlgren.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Fourth-of-July-border-churchartpro-768x154.jpg 768w, https:\/\/barbdahlgren.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Fourth-of-July-border-churchartpro-600x120.jpg 600w, https:\/\/barbdahlgren.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Fourth-of-July-border-churchartpro-1536x307.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/barbdahlgren.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Fourth-of-July-border-churchartpro-2048x410.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/barbdahlgren.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Fourth-of-July-border-churchartpro-1320x264.jpg 1320w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 340px) 100vw, 340px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">No one denies we have certain freedoms in the United States which most of the world cannot experience. That\u2019s why I love a good Fourth of July celebration, replete with hot dogs, watermelon, and fireworks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">However, our ultimate freedom lies in Christ. John 8:36 Jesus tells us, \u201cTherefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.\u201d Through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, we have been made free indeed. This is illustrated in the following poem I wrote originally for Christmas but have modified slightly to commemorate this time of year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Freedom in Christ<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph\"><em>By Barbara Dahlgren (2012) <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph\">Jesus came to earth so we<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph\">Now are pardoned and set free<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph\">Free from the penalty of sin<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph\">Free from death to live again<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph\">Free to follow in Christ\u2019s way<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph\">Free to trust, free to obey<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph\">Free to give and to receive<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph\">God\u2019s great love if we believe<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph\">Free from doubts that soon appear<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph\">Free from worry, free from fear<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph\">Free to serve and free to share<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph\">Free to praise our Lord in prayer<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph\">Free to fix our eyes above<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph\">Free to bear the fruit of love<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph\">Free from darkness into light<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph\">Free to walk by faith, not sight<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph\">Free to cherish and embrace<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph\">Love and peace, joy and grace<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph\">We are accepted by blood spilt<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph\">&nbsp;&nbsp; Don\u2019t feel condemned and full of guilt<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph\">True freedom only comes through Christ<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph\">He\u2019s the One who paid the price<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph\">On Fourth of July, I think of He<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph\">Who came so all could be set free<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph\"><em>*****<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>\u201cFinally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.\u201d ~Philippians 4:8 (KJV)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.barbdahlgren.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Philippians-4.8-Fourth-of-July-churchartpro.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/www.barbdahlgren.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Philippians-4.8-Fourth-of-July-churchartpro-683x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-5708\" width=\"322\" height=\"482\" srcset=\"https:\/\/barbdahlgren.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Philippians-4.8-Fourth-of-July-churchartpro-683x1024.jpg 683w, https:\/\/barbdahlgren.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Philippians-4.8-Fourth-of-July-churchartpro-200x300.jpg 200w, https:\/\/barbdahlgren.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Philippians-4.8-Fourth-of-July-churchartpro-768x1152.jpg 768w, https:\/\/barbdahlgren.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Philippians-4.8-Fourth-of-July-churchartpro-600x900.jpg 600w, https:\/\/barbdahlgren.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Philippians-4.8-Fourth-of-July-churchartpro-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/barbdahlgren.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Philippians-4.8-Fourth-of-July-churchartpro.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 322px) 100vw, 322px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Think on These Things: Positive thoughts in a negative world\u2026 No one denies we have certain freedoms in the United States which most of the world cannot experience. That\u2019s why I love a good Fourth of July celebration, replete with &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/barbdahlgren.com\/?p=5706\">Continue reading <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5706","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/barbdahlgren.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5706","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/barbdahlgren.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/barbdahlgren.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/barbdahlgren.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/barbdahlgren.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=5706"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/barbdahlgren.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5706\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/barbdahlgren.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=5706"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/barbdahlgren.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=5706"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/barbdahlgren.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=5706"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}