"My Chains are Gone"

"But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to GOD, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of GOD is eternal life in CHRIST JESUS our LORD." Romans 6:22-23


Dear Praying Friends and Family,

A few weeks ago, our family watched the video, "Amazing Grace," that Hannah Beth had received for CHRISTmas. It is an amazing story of perserverance, courage, and most of all GOD's grace at work in the lives of HIS people to bring freedom to the African slaves. William Willberforce, a member of Parliament, labored for a total of 46 years to lead the fight to abolish the African Slave trade throughout the British Empire . He served in Parliament from the age of 21 to 65 and though he never lost an election, the cause of abolishing the slave trade was defeated 11 times before it passed in 1807. "The Trade" was so woven into the financial interests of the nation, that it was was an extreme battle to change the hearts of men who had the power to abolish it. The defeats and setbacks would have caused the ordinary politician to give up this long and costly battle for freedom. When John Wesley, founder of the Methodist church and spiritual encourager to William Wilberforce, was 87 years old (in 1790) he wrote to Wilberforce and said,
"Unless God has raised you up for this very thing, you will be worn out by the opposition of man and devils. But if God be for you, who can be against you..."
GOD gave William Willerforce the grace to endure persecution from friends and foes, setbacks, discouragements, chronic sickness, and family problems throughout his forty six year battle. The decisive victory for abolishing slavery itself didn't come until 1833, 3 days before he died.

Wilberforbce was brought up in an affluent home and his father died when he was 9. While living with his Aunt and Uncle he was influenced at an early age for CHRIST by the teachings of John Wesley. He was also greatly influenced by George Whitefield, the evangelist instrumental in founding the Methodist church, member of the "Holy Club" along with John and Charles Wesley, and preached in America during the "Great Awakening," a time of great revival across our land during the 1700's. John Newton, saved out of the African slave trade as a slave ship captain, and writer of the great hymn "Amazing Grace," was used by greatly by GOD to encourage and be a mentor to William Wilberforce. It was him who encouraged Wilberforce to continue in politics when he was converted to CHRIST and was struggling whether or not it was the right thing to continue in politics.
To resolve the anguish he felt over what to do with his life as a Christian he resolved to risk seeing John Newton on December 7, 1785 - a risk because Newton was an Evangelical and not admired or esteemed by his colleagues in Parliament. He said that he had "ten thousand doubts" about going to see him, and walked twice around the block before he could get up the courage to knock on his door. To his amazement the sixty year old Newton urged him not to cut himself off from public life and wrote him two years later: "It is hoped and believed that the Lord has raised you up for the good of His church and for the good of the nation."... Just imagine what hung in the balance in that moment of counsel in view of what Wilberforce would accomplish. John Piper http://www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/Biographies/1492_Peculiar_Doctrines_Public_Morals_and_the_Political_Welfare/


Though Wilberforce was exposed to CHRIST and HIS teachings at a young age, his Mother pulled him away from his aunt and uncle and the boarding school he was attending where he was being taught about CHRIST. She was involved in "high church" of England, the Anglican church, and didn't like the evangelical Methodist influences Wilberforce was receiving. He eventually became involved in gambling and the likes as he grew older and turned away from those teachings. It wasn't until he was in his twenties that CHRIST saved William Wilberforce from his sin, and transformed his desires and passions to serve CHRIST instead of himself. He was " set free from the bondage of sin, to become a slave of righteousness," into which he poured his life into serving HIS Master and HIS LORD for the rest of his life. His goal was to bring glory to GOD and alleviate "the miseries of mankind," through politics.
John Piper (www.desiringgod.org), who wrote the book "Amazing Grace in the Life of William Wilberforce, said about him, "He was a radically God-centered Christian who was a politician. "You can read all about GOD's "Amazing Grace" in William Wilberforce's life by clicking on: http://www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/OnlineBooks/ByTitle/1944_Amazing_Grace_in_the_Life_of_William_Wilberforce/.

As i read about William Wilberforce's life this week, and thought about the tremendous grace GOD gave him to endure through opposition, sacrifices, and longsuffering to free the slaves from their chains, I am reminded of what CHRIST went through to redeem us from our sin and set us free from sin and death. In Philippians 2:5-11 Paul writes:

"Your attitude should be the same as that of CHRIST JESUS:
Who, being in very nature GOD,
did not consider equality with GOD something to be grasped,
but made HIMself nothing,
taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a man,
HE humbled HIMself
And became obedient to death-
Even death on a cross!
Therefore GOD exalted him to the highest place
And gave him the name that is above every name
that at the name of JESUS every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue confess that JESUS CHRIST is LORD,
to the glory of GOD the FATHER."
Phil.2:6-11

Isaiah 52:3 says about CHRIST hundreds of years before HE was crucified, "Just as there were many who were appalled at HIM-HIS appearance was so disfigured beyond that of any man." "HE was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces HE was despised , and we esteemed HIM not...but He was pierced for our transgressions, HE was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon HIM, and by HIS wounds we are healed."Isaiah 53:3,5

CHRIST's death and resurrection made it possible for us to be released from our chains of sin and eternal death, and be made free in CHRIST JESUS, free to become HIS slaves of righteousness, for all those who will repent of their sins and believe in CHRIST.

" But thanks be to GOD that though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were committed, and having been freed from sin, you became slaves of righteousness." Romans 6:16,17

The Apostle Paul, the man who wrote the Words above after CHRIST had set him free from his sins, including false beliefs about CHRIST on the road to Damascus , suffered much to reach others for CHRIST. The LORD told Ananais in Acts 9:16 concerning Paul," I will show him how much he must suffer for my name." In 2 Cor. 11:23 Paul says, " ..I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea. I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my own countrymen, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false brothers. I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without foo; I have been cold and naked. Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches."

Paul loved and labored, and suffered that men might come to know CHRIST, and be set free from their sin. When writing to the Corinthians concerned for their salvation Paul shared his heart with them:
"But I will most gladly spend and be utterly spent (myself) for your souls. If I love you exceedingly, am I to be love [by you] the less?" 2 Corinthians 12:15

Paul loved the Corinthians dearly and was willing to spend himself, to lay down his life for them, even though the more he loved them, the less they loved him...for them to come to know JESUS CHRIST as their LORD and SAVIOR. Only CHRIST can give us that kind of love for others, a love that is willing to exhaust itself, year after year, in prayer, in sacrifice, in love that others might be reached for CHRIST.

What am i willing to endure that others may be set free from their chains of sin which leads to eternal death and damnation forever and ever? Am i willing to endure ridicule, persecution, death? Just last Sunday, a pastor in Illinois was shot and killed as he was preaching in the First Baptist Church in his town. He used his Bible to try and deflect the bullets. Are we willing to lay down our lives, our reputations, our all, that others might come to know CHRIST? Am i willing to be a "fool for CHRIST," or "endure scars in order to liberate souls?" I must confess, i shrink back at times and don't have the courage that i should to boldly share CHRIST with those i love.
I do believe in these days of great trial in our country that GOD is going to give us many opportunities to share HIS redeeming love with others, who in normal circumstances of ease and pleasure would not be open to listen about CHRIST setting them free from their sins. May GOD give us the boldness and courage to stand for CHRIST and not be afraid to share HIM with those who are enslaved in sin. May HE grant us the love HE gave Paul for the Corinthians, and the endurance he gave William Wilberforce to continue to love and perservere with those who don't know HIM yet, to endure with them, until HE sets them free from their chains of sin.

Oswald Chambers writes in My Utmost for HIS Highest:

"GOD has nothing worth having that is easy. There are no cheap goods in the heavenly market. Our redemption cost all that GOD had to give and everything worth having is expensive."

Charles Spurgeon said about loving those who are difficult to love in his Morning and Evening devotion for March 12:

.
"Wouldst thou be a feather-bed warrior, instead of bearing the rough fight of love? He who dares the most, shall win the most; and if rough be thy path of love, tread it boldly, still loving thy neighbours through thick and thin. Heap coals of fire on their heads, and if they be hard to please, seek not to please them, but to please thy Master; and remember if they spurn thy love, thy Master hath not spurned it, and thy deed is as acceptable to Him as if it had been acceptable to them. Love thy neighbour, for in so doing thou art following the footsteps of CHRIST."


JESUS is the one who sets us free from the bondage of our sin, and sends us to be HIS ambassadors to tell others, "For GOD so loved the world that HE gave HIS only begotten Son that whosoever believes in HIM shall not perish but have everlasting life." John 3:16. HE empowers us to be HIS ambassadors to go out and implore others to be "reconciled to GOD." "So we are CHRIST's ambassador's, GOD making HIS appeal as it were through us. We [as CHRIST's personal representatives] beg you for HIS sake to lay hold of the divine favor [now offered you] and be reconciled to GOD." 2 Corinthians 5:20

William Wilberforce's life was dramatically changed when JESUS CHRIST sacrificial love set him free from his sins, and Wilberforce became "born again." Jesus said to Nicodemus in John 3:3 "Truly, truly I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of GOD." Wilberforce became an ambassador for CHRIST, and labored by the power of the HOLY SPIRIT for 46 years to free the slaves of Africa...because of the freedom and power that he had been given in CHRIST JESUS that radically changed his life. This "change," was not a result of Wilberforce making us his mind to become a different person, but from CHRIST who loved HIM and gave HIMself for him on the cross of Calvary. His whole life from that point on was focused on bringing glory to HIS GOD and "setting the captives" free.

As triumphantly as the first Christians did; we must learn, like them to repose our entire trust in him and to adopt the language of the apostle, 'God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of Jesus Christ' [Galatians 6:14], "who of God is made unto us wisdom and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption" [1 Corinthians 1:30].
William Wilberforce

I used the song "Amazing Grace, My Chains are Gone" sung by Chris Tomlin last week, with a video from the movie "Amazing Grace." I felt led to share it with you again since you know more know about God's "Amazing Grace" in William Wilberforce's life, and how he used John Newton, who wrote "Amazing Grace," to encourage Wilberforce. Praise the LORD, for HIS Amazing Grace in our lives..."My chains are gone, i've been set free, my GOD my Savior has ransomed me, and like a flood HIS mercy reigns, unending love, amazing grace."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AXV6HJxUebg&feature=related


With all HIS love and gratefulness for my GOD's "Amazing Grace,"
Mitzi