Unshackled Moments ~ March 23, 2018 ~ Personal Access

I love pinball. I have preferred pinball to video games for years, even though they are harder to find. I used to drive miles to play a particular game. Video versions of pinball have never been satisfying as they do not have the same feel. Recently I discovered Pinball FX3, a game that I can play on my computer that sounds like a real pinball machine and even allows for bumping in game play (and tilting if overdone). I have really been enjoying the one free table that came with it.

For my birthday, Leah bought me a bundle of 10 tables to add to the game that are all Star Wars themed tables. Pinball and Star Wars, what could be better? I felt thrilled, and I have had a blast with them. Mostly. Two of the 10 tables won't load and crash the program whenever I attempt to load them up. It has been frustrating, especially considering the cost of the bundle. Each of the eight games that do work effectively cost more due to the cost became divided between eight instead of 10 games. Of course the most frustrating part is that I want to play these two tables and can't.

I have spent some time with Microsoft and XBox support trying to sort out the issue. Two of the things we have tried after dealing with support are to log into XBox with a different account on my computer and see if the games will then load and to try to play them on Leah's computer instead of mine to see if the issue is with my laptop. Neither worked. The different account on my computer made no difference. And even though I logged on to Leah's computer with my account, it wouldn't allow me to download the game at all without repurchasing it, which I am not going to do.

Those two were the last in a list of things we have tried, and I am waiting to hear back from XBox support to find out what we will try next. In the meantime, the last attempt made me think about spiritual life. The game won't play on Leah's computer, because even though it was my account, it was a different computer. The purchase protection is not allowing for multiple downloads. I suppose this is to keep me from allowing all my friends who enjoy Pinball and Star Wars to use my account to download the games for themselves without paying for their own version. Which makes sense.

Our relationship with Daddy is similar. We have free access to grace and relationship with God because of the work of Jesus, and it's available to anyone who wants it. The life worth living and freedom from bondage that we can have by the power of the Spirit is free for all who want it. But it is also personal and individual. I can't use my parent's account for my life. I can't use my wife's relationship with Daddy in place of my own. Our relationship with God is based entirely on our own access to Him and acceptance of the work done on our behalf. We can not gain spiritual relationship because of someone else's relationship or response to Daddy. So, if we want a relationship with God, we must surrender and accept for ourselves.

Our account with Daddy has been paid for by the work of Christ and is free for us. But it must be personally received by each of us. It doesn't matter if our family or friends have relationship with Him, or how good or bad that relationship is. What matters is if we ourselves have entered into a personal relationship with Him. When we don't rely on someone else's relationship with God for our spiritual life, we find something real and powerful for us personally, and we are also protected from disillusionment and distance between us and Daddy being caused by someone else's failure or shortcomings. Nothing can separate us from the love of God, not even hypocrisy or mistakes by other followers. But we have to have our own connection.

Today let us not worry about the accounts of others and focus on our own relationship, the foundation of our freedom. Daddy's love for us is personal and individualized. For relationship, we need to personally say yest to that love.

This site is free. If this blessed, helped and or informed you, the best thing you can do is pass it on via the social buttons below. And please subscribe or follow Unshackled Life Ministries on Facebook.

Unshackled Life Ministries is grateful for every person that reads the daily Unshackled Moments, the weekly Unshackled Echo and or listens to the Audio Messages. I want to thank those who have clicked "like" on something that blessed or ministered to them on social media, commented on the blog or replied to an email subscription. It is encouraging to know that God is using this ministry to help and bless others. Please remember that if God used something from this ministry to help, encourage or bless you, it could also bless someone else. Would you help get the devotions and sermons to more people by sharing this? Hitting the share button or forwarding this to a friend will help us reach more people with the good news of freedom and the encouragement to live an Unshackled Life. Thank you and God bless.