July 4th
It’s “A FREED BODY, BUT AN ENSLAVED MIND.” Day
Whenever the 4th of July comes around, I think of the word freedom. Freedom is one of the most illustrative words in the English language. On the surface, freedom seems to suggest the absence of restraints, the absence of control, and the ability to do what one pleases. Almost everyone wants freedom, but very few, it seems, really know just what freedom means.
True freedom is an inward spiritual experience rather than just an external deliverance. For not only is there a physical aspect to slavery but a mental one as well. You see, you don’t need shackles on the feet if you have it on the mind.
Now in the 14th chapter of the book of Exodus, we find that the Israelites have been freed by God from Egyptian slavery and led thru the wilderness by a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night.
After leaving Succoth, they camped at Etham on the edge of the desert. Then the Lord spoke unto Moses and said: “Tell the Israelites to turn back and encamp between Migdol and the Red Sea. Pharaoh will think that you are wandering around the land in confusion, hemmed in by the desert. And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and he will pursue you. But, I will gain glory for myself thru Pharaoh, and all his army and the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord.”
So Moses and the Israelites followed the Lord’s command. Now, when the King of Egypt was told that the people had fled, Pharaoh and his officials changed their minds and said, “What have we done? We have let the Israelites go and have lost their services.”
So he had his chariot made ready and took his army with them. He took 600 of the best chariots along with all the other chariots of Egypt with officers over all of them. The Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh King of Egypt so that he pursued the Israelites who had marched out boldly.
Now, as Pharaoh approached the Israelites looked up, and there were the Egyptians marching after them. They were terrified and cried out to Moses: “Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you brought us to the desert to die? What have you done to us by bringing us out of Egypt? Didn’t we say to you in Egypt, Leave us alone; let us serve the Egyptians? It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the desert!”
This cry by the Israelites shows us that they have a freed body but an enslaved mind. They would rather live in Egypt as a slave than die in the desert as a free man or woman.
O’ Moses, what have you done? What Moses did was to free the Israelite’s bodies, but didn’t free their minds. Moses took them out of slavery but didn’t take slavery out of them.
As that old saying goes: “You can take the man out of the country, but you can’t take the country out of the man.”
Israel is out of Egypt but still acts like they did when they were in. You see, not only were they in Egypt but also Egypt was in them!
But you can be in slavery, but slavery doesn’t have to be in you! You can be in the slums, but the slum doesn’t have to be in you!
You can be in the Ghetto, but the ghetto doesn’t have to be in you! You can be in Egypt, but Egypt doesn’t have to be in you!
O” Israel, slavery is over! So stop being and acting like a slave. Now that you are out of slavery, take slavery out of you!
For slaves are servants of other people. People ride their backs because they are bent. A man can’t ride your back if you stand tall. They complain all of the time. Depend on others for everything. They let others kill them, and they kill one another. Like crabs in a basket, they pull one another down. And I’ve come to realize that you can’t keep a man down unless you stay down with him. They think very little of themselves because they are abused, used, and misused. Yes, Israel had a freed body, but an enslaved mind. You know there are many of us just like Israel. We still want to be beholding to others, even thru our children’s children.
Many of us think that no project will be successful unless we have the permission or involvement of other folks.
Many of us think the more we act and look like other folks the better off we will be. We still believe Yellow is Mellow, and White is Right – Brown get down and Black Get Back!
“Brothers and Sisters we need to stop complaining about what you don’t have, Thank God for what you do have, and use what you got! But there is a word from the Lord, about our condition. For the God of Our Salvation is saying: “Replace the lip service with life service. Stop acting like a slave, stop complaining and start doing. Don’t live in the past; get your mind out of slavery and Egypt. Move forward together, stretching out your rod-like Moses; reaching for Power to part the Red Sea of life!” Now, this power that the Lord is talking about is the only power that can truly set us free. This power doesn’t come from Education, and it doesn’t come from Legislation. No, this power comes from Revelation! It’s manufactured by the Father, designed by the Son, and distributed by the Holy Ghost.
This power is the Spirit of God, for where the Spirit of the Lord is there is Liberty! Now, it’s not hard to get this power. For this power, this true freedom comes thru Prayer, which is our rod! Moses put forth his rod and prayed. Power came, the waters parted, the Israelites were set free, and Pharaoh’s army got drowned! Yes, our body is free, but our mind is enslaved.
But if we pray together, give together and work together, the Lord will truly free our Body and Mind!!!
This is Rev Dr. Wm. Rocky Brown, 3rd letting you know that GOD and I Love you, and we approve this message because we want to motivate your mind, body & soul. So be happy and enjoy the blessings of The LORD today my friend! Please subscribe to my website to receive these messages daily at http://www.yourspiritualmotivation.com. You can also buy my publication: “800 SAYINGS BY OLD FOLKS WHO RAISED US” from Amazon.com or by email: wmrocbe@aol.com or by calling 215-480-5333. The cost is $15.00 s/h included.
