Agape Christian Fellowship Church

Agape Christian Fellowship Church At Agape CFC our service motto is God's Love Is Uncompromising we are a Jesus Christ centered Social

09/06/2026

Sunday's Sermon
Subject: The Beginning Of Joy
Scripture: Nehemiah 8: 8-14

In America Today There Is A Lot Of Darkness In Many Of Our Communities Because There Is A Lack Of Togetherness. I’ve Discovered, There Is A Lack Of Grace, There Is A Lack Of Truth, There Is A Lack Of Happiness, There Is A Lack Of Joy And There Is A Lack Of Love In Many American Communities. People Are Struggling To Believe In “The Amazing Power Of God” To Rescue Us From Our Sinful Nature, Our Sinful Selfishness And Our Sinful Actions. I’ve Discovered, That God Goes “Beyond Our Mental Comprehension”, Our Mental Imagination And Our Mental Application.
The Beginning Of Joy Means, That We “Count It All Joy” In Jesus Christ Because He Saved Us From Eternal Domination And Damnation In Hell.

The Beginning Of Joy Means, That During Our Struggles, During Our Troubles And During Our Misfortunes We Have Shelter In Times Of Storms Through The Blood Of Jesus Christ.
The Beginning Of Joy Means, That Despite Living In The Last Days Or In Perilous Times We Have An Anchor That Is Jesus Christ Who Keeps Us On Solid Rock Or Ground.
Because Of The Corrupt Federal Government Citizens Have Lost Faith That Their Tax Dollars Are Being-Used Responsibly. The Situation Is Becoming Deadly In State And Local Governments Because Funds Are Dwindling And Lay Offs Are Happening Often. But Don’t Despair God Is Able To Go Far Beyond Our Human Emotions, Our Human Circumstances And Our Human Achievements.
A Story Of Hope And Happiness Is A Real Goal In Human Existence Because The Holy Spirit Will Keep Us In His Care And Comfort Us When Nothing Seems To Be Going Right.
It Was A Crisp Spring Morning When The First Rays Of Sunlight Crept Quietly Through The Curtains, Promising Something Different. For As Long As I Could Remember, I Had Looked Forward To Days Like These Days When The World Seemed To Hold Its Breath, Waiting For A Fresh Start. I Took A Deep Breath, Letting The Golden Warmth Fill My Sense Of Possibility, My Sense Of Wonder And My Sense Of Purpose In Jesus Christ.

Furthermore, The House Was Silent Except For The Gentle Noise Of The City Outside, But Inside My Heart, A New Feeling Began To Grow. This Was The Beginning Of Joy: Not A Loud Or Boisterous Emotion, But A Quiet, Steady Peace Settling In My Chest. It Was The Subtle Awareness That Happiness Wasn't Something Distant Or Unattainable, But A Presence Rooted In The Simplest Moments, A Warm Smile, The Scent Of Fresh Coffee And The Embrace Of Morning Light Through The Holy Spirit.

As I Stepped Out Into The World, I Held Onto That Feeling Of Joy, Of Peace And Of Grace. Each Moment Was Colored With Hope, And Every Face I Passed Seemed To Radiate The Same Gentle Anticipation. Joy, I Realized, Was Not An Event, But A Journey And Today Was Its First Step In Improving My Relationship With Jesus Christ.

I Said Before, “Don’t Become A Joy Killer”, In The Modern-Day Christian Church And Don’t Let Your Unhappiness Become A Stumbling Block For Christians Who Are Struggling With Their Faith In God. Some Of Us Modern-Day Christian Believers Are Not Growing In Our Relationship With Jesus Christ Because Of Foolish Pride. We Must Admit To Ourselves That Our Weaknesses Need Work Through The Holy Spirit And That Joy Should Not Be Based On Our Mood Swings. “Praise The Lord Somebody”!!!

First Of All, Verse 8, God’s Word Is Presented So The People May Understand, May Believe And Accept The Word Of God As It Is. As Modern-Day Christian Believers We Must Understand The Word Of God By Believing In The Wisdom Of God Through The Holy Spirit.

The Beginning Of Joy Is A Perfect Representation Of The Grace Of God Even In Times Of Distress, In Times Of Worry, In Times Of Persecution, In Times Of Trouble And In Times Of Evil Being In High Places. God Is Able To Restore The Joy Of Our Salvation By Granting Us His Peace That Passes All Understanding. We Already Have The Victory Through The Blood Of Jesus Christ And We Also Have Everlasting Joy Despite Christianity Living In “The Last Days”. Even In These “Perilous Times” We Can Depend On God To Give Us A Deep Spiritual Laughter That Is Uncontrollable Through The Holy Spirit.

Verse 8 New King James Version
So, They Read Distinctly From The Book, In The Law Of God; And They Gave The Sense And Helped Them To Understand The Reading.

In The Text, Helped The People To Understand The Law: Special Men Were Appointed To Help The People Understand God’s Word. After the Reading, They Needed To Understand It Because If They Did Not Understand It, It Would Do Little Good For Them.
Understanding Needs To Be The First Goal Of Any Preacher Or Teacher. When A Preacher Stands Before God’s People, There Are Some Things To Remember:
· If People Leave Knowing Seven Helpful Hints To A Better Life, But Do Not Have A Greater Understanding Of God’s Word, The Preacher Has Failed And There Is No Joy.
· If People Leave Having Been Amused By Humor, Entertained By Anecdotes, Or Captivated By Dramatic Stories, But Do Not Have A Greater Understanding Of God’s Word, The Preacher Has Failed And There Is No Joy.
· If People Leave Motivated To Action, Or Praying A Prayer, But This Is Not Based On A Greater Understanding Of God’s Word, The Preacher Has Failed And There Is No Joy.
· If People Leave Admiring The Preacher, But Do Not Have A Greater Understanding Of God’s Word, The Preacher Has Failed And Will Be Held To Account Before God But There Is Joy.

In The Text, Helped The People To Understand The Law: It Is Important To See Why God’s People Need Special Help In Understanding God’s Word.
Firstly, Because The Things Of God Are Spiritually Discerned And Not Intellectually Discerned. The Holy Spirit Uses Gifted Teachers To Bring Spiritual Discernment To Us, Helping Us To Understand What God’s Word Says.
Secondly, Because It Was First Written In A Different Language, In A Different Culture, In A Different Place, And At A Far Distant Time. Teachers Help Us Understand It All In Our Own Day Which Is The Beginning Of Joy.
Thirdly, Because Our Minds Are Often Slow To Understand Things That Will Convict Our Hearts. We Often Need It Spelled Right Out To Us In The Gospel Of Peace.

Finally, Understanding Isn’t Only Necessary For Those Who Haven’t Become Familiar With The Bible. Sometimes If We Have Heard It Ten Times Before, We Still Don’t Really Understand It. When An Art Restorer Cleans A Painting, He Reveals Things That Were Always There, But The Colors Weren’t As Bright, And The Details Weren’t As Clear, Because They Were Obscured, When The Painting Is Clean, The Real Impact Of The Painter’s Work Can Be Seen. We Don’t Know What People Are Going Through In Their Lives Until They Tell Us Their Story.

In The Text, They Read Distinctly: The Preacher Must Speak In A Clear, Easy-To-Understand Way. His Main Goal Is To Make The People Understand, Not To Impress Or Entertain Them.
They Gave The Sense And Helped Them To Understand The Reading: The Preacher Must Communicate The Sense Of The Passage Of Scripture, And Not His Own Agenda Or Favorite Personal Topics. The People Must Leave Understanding God’s Word Better, Not Understanding The Preacher’s Opinions Better.

Second Of All, Verses 9-11, Response To God’s Word Prompts Revival In The People During Nehemiah’s Time. The People Respond With Weeping Which Were Not Tears Of Joy.

What Does Revival Mean?
Revival In The Modern-Day Christian Church Ia A Renewed Spiritual Awakening, Characterized By A Restoration Of Spiritual Life, Passion For God, And Repentance Among Believers, Often Resulting In Increased Evangelism, Transformed Lives, And A Deeper Dedication To Christian Teachings, Christian Service And Christian Morality. It Is Viewed As An Outpouring Of The Holy Spirit, Lifting A Community From Lethargy Back To “First Love” For Jesus Christ.
Key Aspects Of Church Revival:Definition: Literally Meaning To “Come Back To Life” Or “Be Refreshed”, It Focuses On Restoring Faith To Its Original, Fervent Condition.Focus: It Priorities An “ Upward Fixation On Jesus Christ” Rather Than Merely On Programs Or Building Church Programs Instead Of Creating Disciples For Jesus Christ.Occurrence: Revival Can Occur Within An Individual’s Life, A Local Church Congregation, Or Spread To Affect An Entire Culture.Characteristics: Often Marked By Intense Prayer, Repentance, Spontaneous Worship, And The Preaching Of The Gospel Of Peace.

Verses 9-11 New King James Version

And Nehemiah, Who Was The Governor, Ezra The Priest And Scribe, And The Levites Who Taught The People Said To All The People, “This Day Is Holy To The Lord Your God; Do Not Mourn Nor Weep.” For All The People Wept, When They Heard The Words Of The Law. Then He Said To Them, “Go Your Way, Eat The Fat, Drink The Sweet, And Send Portions To Those For Whom Nothing Is Prepared; For This Day Is Holy To Our Lord. Do Not Sorrow, For The Joy Of The Lord Is Your Strength.” So, The Levites Quieted All The People, Saying, “Be Still, For The Day Is Holy; Do Not Be Grieved.”

In The Text, All The People Wept, When They Heard The Words Of The Law: The Word Of God Was Doing Its Intended Work. 2 Timothy 3:16 Tells Us Two Things That The Word Of God Is Profitable For: Reproof And Correction. Sometimes It Hurts To Be Reproved And Corrected, And These Tears Were Evidence Of Some Of That Pain.

In The Text, Do Not Mourn Nor Weep: Ezra, Nehemiah, And The Levites Did Not Want The People To Mourn, Even Though It Is A Good Thing To Be Sad Under The Conviction Of The Holy Spirit Through The Word Of God. Yet, If The Sense Of Conviction Is Greater Than The Sense That God Is Doing A Good And Holy Work, Then Tears Are Not Good.
Furthermore, Our Knowledge Of Our Sin Should Never Be Bigger Than Our Knowledge Of Jesus Christ As Our Savior. We Are Great Sinners, But He Is A Greater Savior.

Therefore, The Joy Of The Lord Is Your Strength, Even When You Are Being Convicted Of Sin. When We Are Convicted Of Sin, We know That God Is Going A Work In Us, So We Can Be Glad And Take Joy And “Count It All Joy In Jesus Christ” Through The Holy Spirit.

In The Text, Do Not Sorrow, For The Joy Of The Lord Is Your Strength: The People Felt Sad Because They Were Aware Of Their Own Sin. But They Could Walk In Joy Because God Was Doing A Great Work. Our Emotions Are Not Beyond Our Control; We Can Do God’s Will Even When We Don’t Feel Like It. The Beginning Of Joy Means That Even Though We Have A Sinful Nature, We Have Joy Because Jesus Christ Has Saved Us From Our Sins.

Third Of All, Verses 12-14, The People Choose To Rejoice And Every Modern-Day Christian Baptized Believer Should Rejoice No Matter What State That We Are In. The Leaders Gather For More Study Of God’s Word And The People Keep The Feast Of Tabernacles.

Rejoice Means, To Feel, Express, Or Experience Great Joy, Delight Or Happiness. It Is A Verb Often Used To Describe Celebrating A Positive Event, Expressing Intense Happiness Or In A Christian Context, Expressing Thanksgiving.
For Example:We Rejoiced When We Heard That One Came To Jesus Christ.Let Us Rejoice In The Lord Always.The Community Rejoiced In The Hope In A Brighter Day. The Pastor Rejoiced At The Spiritual Progress Of The Christian Church.Celebrate: To Show Happiness Through Activity.Exult: To Show Or Feel Triumphant Joy.Jubilate: To Show Great Happiness.Glory: To Rejoice Proudly.

Verses 12-14, New King James Version
And All The People Went Their Way To Eat And Drink, To Send Portions And Rejoice Greatly, Because They Understood The Words That Were Declared To Them. Now On The Second Day The Heads Of The Fathers’ Houses Of All The People, With The Priests And Levites, Were Gathered To Ezra The Scribe, In Order To Understand The Words Of The Law.

And They Found Written In The Law, Which The Lord Had Commanded By Moses, That The Children Of Israel Should Dwell In Booths During The Feast Of The Seventh Month.

In The Text, They Understood The Words That Were Declared To Them: They Went Away Praising God Because Understanding God’s Word Brings Such A Sweet Sense Of Joy.
The Heads Of The Fathers’ Houses Of All The People, With The Priests And Levites: Leaders Have A Special Need To Understand And Walk In God’s Word. Their Ignorance Or Disobedience Affects Far More Than Themselves, It Affects Everyone They Have An Influence On.

In The Text, And They Found Written In The Law, Which The Lord Had Commanded By Moses: This Was Beautiful, Simple Obedience. Their Attitude Was That God Said It, So We Will Do It. Even Though Tradition Did Not Tell Them To Keep The Feast Of Tabernacles, It Had Not Been Done Since The Days Of Joshua, They Relied On God’s Word, Not On Tradition.

In The Text, That The Children Of Israel Should Dwell In Booths During The Feast Of The Seventh Month: The Feast Of Tabernacles Was All About Remembering How God Had Blessed And Provided For Israel In The Wilderness During The Exodus. Even In The Wilderness The Beginning Of Joy Still Could Be Found During Their Doubts, During Their Complaining And During Their Doubts In Jehovah God. They Could See God’s Blessing And Provision For Them Right Then, And It Made Something Old Seem Brand New To Them.
For The Bible Says In Zephaniah 3: 14-16
14 Sing, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel; be glad and rejoice with all the heart, O daughter of Jerusalem.
15 The LORD hath taken away thy judgments, he hath cast out thine enemy: the king of Israel, even the LORD, is in the midst of thee: thou shalt not see evil any more.
16 In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem, Fear thou not: and to Zion, Let not thine hands be slack.

In The Text, And There Was Very Great Gladness: Because Of Their Great Obedience To God’s Word, There Was Very Great Gladness. We Often Are Deceived Into Thinking The Path Of Gladness Is In Doing What We Want To Do, But Gladness And Freedom Come Only Through Obedience.

In The Text, Day By Day, From The First Day Until The Last Day, He Read From The Book Of The Law Of God: This Revival Began By The Spirit Of God Working Through The Word Of God; It Continued That Way Also.

The Beginning Of Joy, Means That God Can Do It!!! Yes, God Can!!!.
The Beginning Of Joy, Means That God Is Our Sheperd Even Through The Valley And The Shadow Of Death.
The Beginning Of Joy, Means That God Will Guide Us To Green And Lush Pastures For Our Benefit.
The Beginning Of Joy, Means That Weeping Will Last For A Night But Joy, Joy, Joy, Joy, Comes In The Morning.
The Beginning Of Joy, Means That Jesus Christ Is Our Shelter In Times Of A Storm.
The Beginning Of Joy, Means That Jesus Christ Is A Doctor Who Has Never Lost A Case.
The Beginning Of Joy, Means That Jesus Christ Is The Alpha And Omega.
The Beginning Of Joy, Means That Jesus Christ Came Through Forty-Two Generations.
The Beginning Of Joy, Means That Jesus Christ Was Whipped All Night Long.
The Beginning Of Joy, Means That Jesus Christ Had A Crown Of Thorns Placed On His Head.
The Beginning Of Joy, Means That Jesus Christ Died On The Cross Between Two Sinner Men For Our Sins.
The Beginning Of Joy, Means That Jesus Christ Was Buried In Joseph’s Barrowed Tomb For Three Long Days.
The Beginning Of Joy, Means That Jesus Christ Rose From The Grave Early, Early, Early On Sunday Morning With All Power In His Hand.

09/05/2026

It's Saturday morning in America and our Healthcare system is in shambles. Our system is for profit, for money and for most powerful because the middle class are going into debt to try to stay healthy. It is a ashamed that people are working full time and living in cheap motels, in their cars or living flop houses. The Criminal President is a White Supremacist and could care less about People Of Color. He cares only about breaking the Constitution, breaking the law and putting his corrupt name on building. I've Discovered, that the Corruption is the point and that Cheating is in his DNA. As A Conservative Independent neither Political Party has my vote or confidence. If you get sick in America without health insurance, then that's your death sentence. We Must do better for all Americans.

Agape Christian Fellowship Church Santa Barbara Believes In A Beloved Community Where All People Are Created In The Image Of God No Matter Who You Are. Being A Christian Is A Personal Relationship With Jesus Christ Through The Holy Spirit. Our Faith In God Must Grow Daily And Our Belief Must Become Steadfast. We Must Always Abound In The Faith And Maintain Our Hope In A Brighter Day. We Are On Cash App. At AGAPECFCSB And We Appreciate Your Support. Even Though Corruption Is Everywhere "God's Grace Is Easy To Find". Remember, Oh Yeah!!!Good Is Good!!!

09/02/2026

It is amazing and sad that the Southern States will cheat and steal the Midterms in November. They know that their policies are failing many Americans and that their party is out of control. They know that the Criminal President is breaking the Constitution every day and that he is a liar. Texas is trying to close polling stations because they know they are in trouble with many Texans. Corruption is rampant in America and it will only get worse. We Must stand up to Evil with the Love Of God. Blessings

08/30/2026

Sundays Sermon
Subject: Get Rid Of Your Handcuffs
Scripture: 2 Corinthians 3: 12-18

Every Modern-Day Christian Baptized Believer Experienced What I Call “The Handcuff Syndrome” Before We Gave Our Lives To Jesus Christ. While We Where Yet, Sinners Jesus Christ Died On The Cross For Our Sins. Our Imprisonment To Sin Is Over Because Of The Blood Of Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit Gives God’s People The Ability To Get Rid Of Your Mental, Spiritual And Physical Handcuffs.
Restrictions May Feel Like Walls Around Your Future, But They Do Not Define The Limits Of Your Potential. Every Challenge, Setback, And Obstacle Can Become A Test Of Your Strength, Patience, And Courage. The Key Is To Keep Moving, Even If Progress Feels Slow, Because Every Small Step Forward Weakens The Hold Of Fear And Doubt. When You Believe In Your Ability To Grow Beyond What Holds You Back, Restrictions Stop Being Prisons And Start Becoming Lessons That Shape Your Resilience. You Are Stronger Than The Barriers In Front Of You, And With Persistence, Faith, And Determination, You Can Rise Beyond Them And Create The Life You Were Meant To Live Through The Holy Spirit.
Breaking Energetic Or Spiritual Handcuffs Requires A Combination Of Deliberate Action, Intentional Shifting Of The Mind And Energetic Clearing. The Process Involves Cutting Energetic Ties, Replacing Limiting Thought Patterns With Self-Empowerment And Restoring Your Personal Autonomy.A Structured Approach Can Help You Regain Your Freedom:

1) Identify The Source And Cut Energetic Cords:”Energetic Handcuffs” Often Manifest As Limiting Doubts, Recurring Fears Or Attachments To Toxic Situations Or People.Visualization: Visualize Cords, Chains Or Handcuffs Binding Your Wrists. Take Deep, Intentional Breaths And Mentally Imagine A Bright, Protective Light Or A Pair Of Spiritual Sheers Or Slicing Through Those Restraints.Intention: State Clearly, I Release Myself From All Energetic Attachments, Limitations, And Restrictions That No Longer Serve Our Highest Good.

2.) Practice Energetic Clearing And Grounding Your Spiritual Life:Clearing Your Immediate Environment And Energetic Field Can Remove Heavy Vibrations And Restore Your Natural State Of Balance.Space Cleaning: Make Sure That You Spend Time In Prayer Being Grateful For Your Freedom Through The Word Of God.Grounding: Practice Your Daily Bible Study By Using Sound Doctrine To Guide Your Life Through The Holy Spirit.

3.) Replace Limitations With Empowerment:To Ensure Those “Spiritual Cuffs” Don’t Return, Fill The Space They Occupied With Positive, Affirming Mindsets.Positive Frequencies: Surround Yourself With High-Vibration Activities, Such As Listening To Hymns, Chants Or Uplifting Music.Refraining Beliefs: Replace Feelings Of Spiritual Or Energetic Restriction With Affirmations Of Growth, Abundance And Unlimited Potential.

First Of All, Verses 12-16, The Open And Bold Character Of The New Covenant. As Modern-Day Christian Baptized Believers We Must Be Bold In Our Sharing, In Our Character And In Our Living Of The Gospel Of Peace.

Verses 12-16 New King James Version
Therefore, Since We Have Such Hope, We Use Great Boldness Of Speech Unlike Moses, Who Put A Veil Over His Face So That The Children Of Israel Could Not Look Steadily At The End Of What Was Passing Away. But Their Minds Were Blinded. For Until This Day The Same Veil Remains Unlifted In The Reading Of The Old Testament, Because The Veil Is Taken Away In Christ. But Even To This Day, When Moses Is Read, A Veil Lies On Their Heart. Nevertheless, When One Turns To The Lord, The Veil Is Taken Away.

In The Text, Therefore, Since We Have Such Hope: Since Our Hope Is In A More Glorious Covenant, We Can Have A More Glorious Hope. Because Of This Hope, Paul Can Use Great Boldness Of Speech. The Old Covenant Restricted And Separated Men From God; The New Covenant Brings Us To God And Enables Us To Come Boldly To Him.
Unlike Moses, Who Put A Veil Over His Face: Even Moses Did Not Have Real Boldness Under The Old Covenant With God The Father. A Veil Is Not A “Bold” Thing To Wear; It Is A Barrier And Something To Hide Behind. Moses Lacked Boldness, Compared To Paul, Because The Covenant That He Ministered Under Was Fading Away And Fading In Glory.

In The Text, So That The Children Of Israel Could Not Look Steadily At The End Of What Was Passing Away: From Reading The Account In Exodus 34:29-35, One Might First Get The Impression That Moses Wore A Veil After His Meetings With God So That The People Wouldn’t Be Afraid To Come Near Him; The Veil Was To Protect Them From Seeing The Shining Face Of Moses. Here Paul Explains The Real Purpose Of The Veil: Not To Hide The Shining Face Of Moses, But To Hide The Diminishing Glory Of His Face Because The Glory Was Fading. The Passing Glory Of The Old Covenant Contrasts With The Enduring Glory Of The New Covenant.
Could Not Look: Since The Veil Hid The Face Of Moses, The Children Of Israel Couldn’t See Any Of The Glory From His Face. Therefore, The Contrast Isn’t Only Between Passing Glory And Enduring Glory, But Also Between Concealed Glory And Revealed Glory.

In The Text, For Until This Day The Same Veil Remains Unlifted: Paul Says That Most Of The Jews Of His Day Could Not See That The Glory Of Moses’s Ministry Faded In Comparison To The Ministry Of Jesus Christ. Because The Veil Remains Unlifted, They Can’t See That The Glory Of Moses’s Ministry Has Faded And They Should Now Look To Jesus Christ. Since The Same Veil That Hid Moses’s Face Now Lies On Their Heart, They Still Think There Is Something Superior Or More Glorious In The Ministry Of Moses.
Nevertheless, When One Turns To The Lord, The Veil Is Taken Away: Paul Could Say Of His Fellow Jews That A Veil Lies On Their Heart, But Paul Could Also Say That The Veil Can Be Taken Away In Jesus Christ. Paul Knew This Well Because He Was Once Veiled To The Glory, The Eternality And The Superiority Of Jesus Christ.
For Example, Many Modern-Day Christian Baptized Believers With A Heart To Preach To Their Jewish Friends Wonder Why It Is Rarely So Simple As Just Showing Them That Jesus Christ Is The Messiah. This Is Because A Veil Lies On Their Heart. Unless God Does A Work In Them So They Turn To The Lord And Have The Veil Taken Away, They Will Never See The Fading Glory Of Moses’s Covenant And The Surpassing Glory Of Jesus Christ And The New Covenant.
Of Course, It Could Be Said That The Jews Are Not The Only Ones With A Veil, On Their Heart. Many People Have “The Veil Of Wickedness”, The Veil Of Selfishness And The Veil Of Privilege” On Their Hearts And Are Sleepwalking Through Life. Gentiles Also Have “Veils” That Separate Them From Seeing Jesus Christ And His Work For Us Clearly, And Jesus Christ Is More Than Able To Take Those Veils Away. This Points To The Essential Need Of Prayer In Evangelism. It Has Been Rightly Said That It Is More Important To Talk To God About Men Than It Is To Talk To Men About God, But We Can Do Both Important Works. It’s Our Jobs To Preach, To Teach And To Share The Gospel Of Peace Wherever, Whenever We Can.

Second Of All, Verse 17, The Liberty Of The New Covenant Is A Gift Of God Through His Only Begotten Son Jesus Christ.

Verse 17 New King James Version
Now The Lord Is The Spirit; And Where The Spirit Of The Lord Is, There Is Liberty.

In The Text, The Lord Is The Spirit: From the Context Of Exodus 34:34, We See That When Paul Says The Lord Is The Spirit, He Means That The Holy Spirit Is God, Just As Jesus Christ And The Father Are God.
Where The Holy Spirit Of The Lord Is, There Is Liberty. Paul’s Thinking Follows Like This: When Moses Went Into God’s Presence, He Had The Liberty To Take Off The Veil; The Presence Of The Lord Gave Him This Liberty. We Have The Holy Spirit, Who Is The Lord. We Live In The Holy Spirit’s Presence Because He Is Given To Us Under The New Covenant. So, Just As Moses Had The Liberty To Relate To God Without The Veil In The Presence Of The Lord, So We Have Liberty Because Of The Presence Of The Holy Spirit.
We Should Also Consider What Paul Is Not Saying. He Is Not Giving License To Any Pentecostal Or Charismatic Excess Because Where The Holy Spirit Of The Lord Is, There Is Liberty. We Have Great Liberty In Our Relationship With God Through What Jesus Christ Did And Through What The Holy Spirit Is Doing, But We Never Have The Liberty To Disobey What The Holy Spirit Says In The Word Of God. That Is A Perversion Of True Liberty, Not A Spirit-Led Liberty.
In The Text, There Is Liberty: Paul Really Has In Mind The Liberty Of Access. He Is Building On What He Wrote In 2 Corinthians 3:12: We Use Great Boldness Of Speech. Boldness Is A Word That Belongs With Liberty. Because Of The Great Work Of The Holy Spirit In Us Through The New Covenant, We Have A Bold, Liberated Relationship With God.

Furthermore, I Believe, “A Liberty From The Yoke Of The Law, From Sin, Death, Hell; But The Liberty Which Seemed Here To Be Chiefly Intended, Is A Liberty From That Blindness And Hardness Which Is Upon Men’s Hearts, Until They Have Received The Holy Spirit.”
The “Liberty Of The New Covenant” Describes The Freedom That Believers Have In Jesus Christ, Transitioning From A System Of External, Rule-Based Law To One Of Grace And Inner Transformation. Rooted In The New Testament, This Concept Centers On Liberation From Guilt Of Sin, The Curse Of The Law And The Empowerment Of The Holy Spirit.
Key Theological Blessings:
The Transition From The Old To The New Covenant Marks Several Fundamental Changes In How Believers Relate To God:Law Written On The Heart: Instead Of Commandments Written On Tables Of Stone, God’s Desires Are Implanted Directly Into The Minds And Hearts Of Believers.Empowerment By The Holy Spirit: The Holy Spirit Resides Within Believers, Producing Transformation From The Inside Out And Providing The Desire And Power To Please God.Complete Forgiveness: Unlike The Temporary Covering Of Sins In The Old Covenant, The New Covenant Offers A Complete, Permanent Removal Of Guilt.Unbroken Intimacy: Believers Enjoy Direct Access To God, Characterized By Adoption And Unbroken Fellowship.

The Biblical Foundation:The Foundational Prophecy For This Liberty Comes From The Old Testament, Specifically In Jeremiah 31: 31-34. In The New Testament, The Apostle Paul Elaborates Heavily On What This Freedom Means In Daily Life.Liberation From The Law: Paul Explains In Galatians Chapters 4 And 5 That Believers Are No Longer Bound By Tyranny Of Trying To Earn Acceptance With God Through Strict Religious Performance.Freedom From The Veil: In 2 Corinthians 3: 17, Paul Famously Writes, Now The Lord Is Spirit, And Where The Spirit Of The Lord Is, There Is Freedom. This Contrasts The Veiled Glory Of Moses With Unveiled, Direct Access To God That Believers Now Possess.True Freedom Verses Self-Indulgence:
A Vital Aspect Of This Liberty Is That It Is Not A License To Live A Careless, Uncaring, Troublesome, Fruitless And Sinful Lifestyle. Instead, New Covenant Freedom Is Framed As Liberation From The Dominion Of Sin In Order To Serve God And Others. Believers Are Called To Use Their Freedom Not For Self-Indulgence, But To Fulfill The Law Of Jesus Christ Through Acts Of Service, Acts Of Grace, Acts Of Faith, Acts Of Hope And Acts Of Love. Praise The Lord Somebody!!!

Third Of All, Verse 18, The Transforming Glory Of The New Covenant.

Verse 18 New King James Version
But We All, With Unveiled Face, Beholding As In A Mirror The Glory Of The Lord, Are Being Transformed Into The Same Image From Glory To Glory, Just As By The Spirit Of The Lord.

In The Text, We All With Unveiled Face: Paul Invites Every Christian To A Special, Glorious Intimacy With God. This Is A Relationship And Transforming Power That Is Not The Property Of Just A Few Privileged Christians. It Can Belong To All, To Everyone Who Has An Unveiled Face.
How Do We Get An Unveiled Face? When One Turns To The Lord, The Veil Is Taken Away In 2 Corinthians 3:16. If We Will Turn To The Lord, He Will Take Away The Veil And We Can Be One Of The “We All.”
In The Text, Beholding As In A Mirror The Glory Of The Lord: We Can See The Glory Of The Lord, But We Cannot See His Glory Perfectly. A Mirror In The Ancient World Did Not Give Nearly As Good A Reflection As Our Mirrors Do Today. Ancient Mirrors Were Made Of Polished Metal, And Gave A Clouded, Fuzzy, Somewhat Distorted Image. Paul Says, “We Can See The Glory Of The Lord, But We Can’t See It Perfectly Yet.”

In The Text, Are Being Transformed: As We Behold The Glory Of God, We Will Be Transformed. God Will Change Our Lives And Change Us From The Inside Out. Though The Old Covenant Had Its Glory, It Could Never Transform Lives Through The Law. God Uses The New Covenant To Make Us Transformed People, Not Just Nice People. Everyone Wants To Know, “How Can I Change?” Or, Everyone Wants To Know, “How Can They Change?” The Best And Most Enduring Change Comes Into Our Life When We Are Transformed By Time Spent With The Lord.

In The Text, Yet, It Requires Something: Beholding. The Word Means More Than A Casual Look; It Means To Make A Careful Study. We All Have Something To Behold, Something To Study. We Can Be Transformed By The Glory Of The Lord, But Only If We Will Carefully Study It.
Into The Same Image: As We Look Into “God’s Mirror,” We Are Changed Into The Same Image Of The Lord. When We Spend Time Beholding The Glory Of The God Of Love, Grace, Peace, And Righteousness, We Will See A Transforming Growth In Love, Grace, Peace, And Righteousness.

Of Course, This Is How You Can Know Someone Is Really Spending Time With The Lord: They Are Being Transformed Into The Same Image. However, Much Depends On What We “See” When We Look Into “God’s Mirror.” In This Analogy, “God’s Mirror” Is Not A Mirror That Shows Us What We Are As Much As It Shows Us What We Will Become, And What We Will Become Is Based On Our Picture Of Who God Is. If We Have A False Picture Of God, We Will See That False Picture In God’s “Mirror” And Will Be Transformed Into That Same Image, Much To Our Harm, Both For Now And Eternity.
In The Text, Are Being Transformed: This Work Of Transformation Is A Process. We Are Being Transformed; The Work Isn’t Complete Yet, And No One Should Expect It To Be Complete In Themselves Or In Others. No One Comes Away From One Incredible Time With The Lord Perfectly Transformed.

By The Spirit Of The Lord: With These Last Words, Paul Emphasizes Two Things. Firstly, This Access To God And His Transforming Presence Is Ours By The New Covenant, Because It Is Through The New Covenant We Are Given The Spirit Of The Lord. Secondly, This Work Of Transformation Really Is God’s Work In Us. It Happens By The Holy Spirit Of The Lord, Not By The Will Or Effort Of Man. We Don’t Achieve Or Earn Spiritual Transformation By Beholding As In A Mirror The Glory Of The Lord. We Simply Put Ourselves In A Place Where The Spirit Of The Lord Can Transform Us.

Get Rid Of Your Handcuffs, Because God’s Amazing Grace Can Handle Anything.
Get Rid Of Your Handcuffs, Because Weeping Will Last For A Night But Joy, Joy, Joy Comes In The Morning.
Get Rid Of Your Handcuffs, Because Jesus Christ Never Said A Mumbling Word.
Get Rid Of Your Handcuffs, Because Jesus Christ Died On The Cross For Our Sins.
Get Rid Of Your Handcuffs, Because Jesus Christ Was Buried In Joseph’s Borrowed Tomb For Three Long Days.
Get Rid Of Your Handcuffs, Because Jesus Christ Rose From The Grave Early, Early, Early On Sunday Morning With All Power In His Hand.

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