2 Peter 1:1-7 (NLT)
1 This letter is from Simon Peter, a slave and apostle of Jesus Christ.
I am writing to you who share the same precious faith we have. This faith was given to you because of the justice and fairness of Jesus Christ, our God and Savior.
2 May God give you more and more grace and peace as you grow in your knowledge of God and Jesus our Lord.
3 By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence. 4 And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires.
5 In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God’s promises. Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge, 6 and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with patient endurance, and patient endurance with godliness, 7 and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love for everyone.

A slave to Christ. I’ve been chatting with an atheist who insists that all slavery is bad. Yet, we’re called to be slaves to Christ, and I for one go willingly to my loving master, hoping to grow my understanding of God and my likeness to Him, in desperate need of His promises. God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. I’d say that human slave masters are horribly poor imitations of God and have/are inflicting significant injury and pain in the world.

At the same time, I once had a political science teacher say that the best form of government was a benevolent monarchy. As I’ve grown older, I can see how that would be. Pure democracies devolve into tyranny of the majority. They needn’t if we all followed Christ, but they do. Look at the insane level of fascism coming from the left these days – if you don’t agree with me you’re a misogynist, racist, bigoted, ignorant, fillintheblankphobic pig who’s thoughts don’t matter and need to be shouted down after I get done trashing your town. That form of democracy is really scary.

My point is that we are who we are and until we all start to act like Christ calls us to act, we need boundaries. In this light, submitting myself to God/Christ/Holy Spirit seems like a good idea since he can get me there.

John 15:1-4 (NLT)
15 “I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more. 3 You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you. 4 Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me.”

Acts 3:19 (NLT)
19 Now repent of your sins and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped away.

To live in Christ today, to be the light in a dark world, and to be in his presence in eternity.

Revelation 4:1-3 (NLT)
4 Then as I looked, I saw a door standing open in heaven, and the same voice I had heard before spoke to me like a trumpet blast. The voice said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must happen after this.” 2 And instantly I was in the Spirit, and I saw a throne in heaven and someone sitting on it. 3 The one sitting on the throne was as brilliant as gemstones—like jasper and carnelian. And the glow of an emerald circled his throne like a rainbow.

I am a willing slave, free to come and go, and I recognize that, strive for becoming more like my master Jesus Christ. I know I’m freer than those who are slaves to the world.