It's the message of the cross that's the seed that is implanted within our hearts that causes us to be born again.

Once we come to this new relationship with God by grace through faith, it sets us free. It sets us free from trying to please God by our works and through legalistic rules. It sets us free from our flesh and our selfishness. It sets us free to be servants. It sets us free to be reconcilers of others. It sets us free to be who God created us to be so that we might bear spiritual fruit.

Making a decision today I'm going to follow Christ. Today I am surrendering myself to Christ. I am asking for the Holy Spirit to produce in me love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control.

The path that is before us as Christ followers is to focus on Jesus Christ and by faith, to receive the grace of God in our lives.

So we have the Holy Spirit to empower us, to free us. And the Holy Spirit produces new spiritual fruit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control.

Galatians 5 says this, "You my brothers were called to be free, but do not use your freedom to indulge your sinful nature. Rather serve one another in love. The entire law is summed in a single command. Love your neighbor as yourself."

And if Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, if the spirit is alive because of righteousness and if the spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells within you, He's going to give life to your bodies.

The call of God is God working out in history His sovereign plan. God has a call on peoples lives. And when God calls people, they hear that call and they are compelled to respond.

The only way anybody starts the Christian journey is by faith. We cross the line and commit our lives to Christ. We embrace Chirst's salvation for us by faith. It's Gods grace and we receive it by faith. And then every step after that in our spiritual journey is a step that we live by faith.

Every person who begins the Christian life on the basis of grace through faith is free in Christ. That is our birth right as believers. It is our spiritual standing before God. It's the truest thing about us. Chirst has set us free!