…For whatever overcomes a person, to that he is enslaved.
What shackles you?
Latest stat that I saw this weekend shows that 78% of smart phone users are drawn to pickup their device the very first thing when they wake up in the morning. This past year phone users surpassed TV as the medium of choice to connect with social media. In my early days of youth, our household was limited to one hour of television watching per day. The rest of the time we invested in exercising, reading, and socializing in person. Today’s smart phone users daily spend over three hours of their time connected with social media.
What shackles you?
About 45%-55% of us take time out each year to celebrate Valentine’s Day and Halloween. The candy and flower industries love these days. And then we wonder why approximately 75% of Americans are addicted to sugar.
What shackles you?
Addiction to pornography, prostitution, drugs, alcohol, sugar, gambling, sports, work, family, social media, are all symptoms of enslavement to one’s passions. There is a deep longing within us for satisfaction. King Solomon writes about the well of eternity within all of us. We want more of life but don’t know where to go for it. Instead of going to the Source of life, we dabble in physical sensations.
We long too belong, and social media gives us a small taste. So, we connect. Before long, we are ensnared into a time stealer taking us away from real connections with caring people.
What shackles you?
We desire intimacy but have difficulty communicating and relating with those who are most important in our lives. Therefore, the temptation plunges us into pornography and prostitution to quickly satisfy our desires. Before long, we are trapped into more and more without ever reaching the satisfaction we seek.
What shackles you?
We need to prove our self-worth and therefore join the competitive world of sports and business. We climb, sacrifice, and manipulate our way to the top of our field, only to find the itch still remains within us. We therefore chase after more and more thinking the itch will go away. But no, after accomplishing all we desire the emptiness is still there and the battle scars of broken families, busted relationships, and failing health makes one wonder was it worth it.
What shackles you?
Jesus Christ made the claim he came for all mankind. Not only to fulfill a religious promise, but to draw all humanity to him. He paid the ultimate price for you and me. So much so He received from His Father and God the title King of Kings. With that title, He also received all the land, resources, and people as His subjects. Yet God did more, He adopted humanity into His family. He chose you to belong with Him.
Our challenge is to surrender our passion and desires for Him. When we do, He replaces our misguided emotions with His attributes. His Spirit of love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, kindness, gentleness, faithfulness and self-control begins to work within us.
When we acknowledge He owns us, we find fulfillment and satisfaction for life not in the physical commodities of everyday living, but in the relationship of knowing Him and sharing life with each other. He becomes the center of all our desires and passion. The end result is real freedom with the wisdom, truth, and teachings He leads us through.
Whatever temporarily situation you find yourself currently battling, you don’t have to remain there. Acknowledge who truly owns you and ask Him to restore you back into His graces. Breakaway from the traps that surround you and let Him lead you to people who want to see you succeed in life rather than those who seek out to entrap you into their snares.
Jesus owns you and wants you to succeed. But you have to do it His way.
Rooting For You in Christ!
Dr. Mike
Encourager & Founder of
Vocational Leadership 360
Author of e-Books:
* Dancing With God: Life-Giving Theology Explained
* Great Business Emulates a Good God
* Be Radical…Follow Christ!
* Simply The Messenger
* Unequally Married
Encourage a Friend…Share Today’s Message!
Radical In Christ 