No More Shackles

"And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."

John 8:32 KJV

Children sometimes say cruel things to each other without realizing it.  We, as adults, say cruel things and know what we are saying.  If you have ever been told that you're fat, ugly, and no good, you believe it.  This verse tells us that if we know the truth, the truth shall make us free.  The truth is Jesus loves us no matter how fat or skinny we are.

When I was in high school, there were several kids who told me that I was fat, ugly and stupid and didn’t have a right to live.  If you hear something like that every day, you begin to believe it.  I honestly thought I didn’t have a right to live because one student said to me “you’re nothing so why don’t you kill yourself”?

Many people are in shackles in their heart because of depression, suicidal thoughts, criticism, sarcasm, and being told that they are no good.  May God forgive us if we have contributed to the shackles in someone's heart because of what we have said or done to that person.

I have been set free by the amazing love, grace, and mercy of Jesus.  He has washed me in His precious cleansing blood.  I am His and He is mine.  Bill and Gloria Gaither wrote one of my favorite hymns “HE TOUCHED ME”.  “He touched me, Oh He touched me, And oh the joy that floods my soul!  Something happened and now I know, He touched me and made me whole.” 

On August 14, 1980, Jesus touched me and told me He loves me and He lifted me up from under a bed in a mental hospital where I had crawled because I was afraid of everyone and everything.  Is your heart in shackles today?  Allow Jesus to set you free by His unconditional and unending love.  Do not listen to the people who tell you that you're no good.  Listen to Jesus as He whispers softly in your ear that He loves you.  Listen as He says to you, "Come to Me.  I Love you and will remove the shackles from your heart".

If you know people who are in shackles, allow them to see the difference that only Jesus can make in a life.  Let's be huggers for Jesus.  If you don’t feel comfortable hugging people, hug them with your loving words and actions.

Joanne Lowe

February 22, 2019