I was out on a prayer walk when I sensed the Lord telling me to deviate from my normal route. Instead of taking the longer route, He had me take a left up and over a small hill.
Did I have to know why? No. As Jesus’ slave (the biblical meaning of the term doulos), He has the right to tell me what to do, no matter the why. As Jesus’ sheep, He will guide me to the green pastures of peace. If I want to stay in that peace (one biblical meaning is to feel complete), I must go where my Owner and my Shepherd lead me. And then, rest in the truth that He knows and wants what’s best for me.
Oh by the way, because I went when and where Jesus said to go, I was able to meet and talk with a sheriff’s deputy to plant some Jesus seeds. I would have missed this opportunity if I had taken my normal route.
Knowledge is okay, but obedience is better.
S“E”t Free Nowww

A good friend used to say, “I lost my sock.” It was a code phrase that she was having a bad day. Her bad day wasn’t actually caused by losing a sock, which she hadn’t even lost in the first place. It didn’t matter what caused it; therefore, it might as well have been a sock she couldn’t find.
It’s been said, “The person who wants to be unhappy will find many roads. The person who wants to find peace must find the one.” If we want to complain about life, we can find all sorts of reasons to start bellyaching, which only drags us down. Yet, if we want to have a good day or be lifted up, there is only one path, one person who knows where that illusive sock is, Jesus Christ.
You choose what your day will be like based on the path you choose to walk. Jesus said He is The Way or that path. Hopefully, you’re choosing to walk with Him today.
S“E”t Free Nowww

A had the most interesting conversation with a six year-old. The subject isn’t as important as was the conversation. This precious young lady had a very bold opinion about the topic at hand, which mind you, she brought up. She believed God felt a certain way on this subject.
I asked her, “Did someone give you their opinion or did you get it from the Bible?” I told her that people, all who love Jesus, have many different beliefs on her chosen subject. The important thing was, “Was it their opinion or did it come from Jesus and the Bible?” As with any young child, the discussion quickly changed to something else.
How many times do we base our beliefs, and thus our choices, on opinion rather than doing the hard work of finding out what Jesus says in His Word? People’s opinions (including pastors!) can lead to separation from the Source of Life while following Jesus’ words can bring life to any and all life situations.
I recently followed a map that was to take us to a certain lake; only to discover the map was wrong! It was a tourist map, made by the local tourist industry, who apparently failed to check the topographical map.
Who are you basing your choices on today – people’s opinions or the Word of Truth that will only send you in the right direction?
S“E”t Free Nowww

A friend of mine once said, “There are times I completely empty my mind.” She would literally clear her mind of garbage thoughts, negative stuff people had said or what was currently coming her way. She was using the FREEdom process to filter out all the junk so she could hear Jesus speak to her.
I want to take that step further. Entertainment devices. Every where I look – people driving their cars, riding their bikes, sitting with friends at a coffee shop, etc. – people are on their phones. It’s like we’ve become addicted to information no matter the app it comes in on.
I too like to make the most of every minute under the guise of being efficient. But am I really? I will take my iPad and read the paper, catch up on emails, browse Facebook, get ahead on work projects almost anywhere. (I’ll let your mind run with where!) But is this good?
Am I afraid of being quiet? Is Jesus that scary that we’re afraid to be alone with Him? May I suggest that we all put down our electronic devices a little more often. Then from your time in the Word, grab a passage and munch on it as you spend time Jesus. Let the savoring thoughts roll over your mind. Our loving God guarantees we’ll find peace as we do.
Set “FREE” Nowww

I was driving through a mountain range listening to worship music on the radio when it happened. I heard two radio stations at once on the same frequency! It was quite annoying as I couldn’t really hear either one very well.
What a great example of our need to fine tune our hearing. Scripture tells us that we’ll be blessed if we read it. In fact, I greatly encourage every believer to read through Scripture with the intent of simply hearing Jesus speak to them, not “getting” everything they read. We know the words of this Book come from the mind and heart of Jesus. They are His voice; thus, we can begin to know what His voice sounds like as we read.
Don’t stop there! Here is where the above illustration comes into play. We know our adversary sends false prophets who don’t look bad (those are easy to spot), but look and sound pretty close to Jesus. The Spirit knew this and had Paul write that we are to put the effort into (study) “rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Tim. 2:15). We have to spend time studying the Bible in order to be able to discern between the two competing stations/voices.
Yes, it takes time, but it saves time as well. If you listen and follow the wrong voice, you’ll head down the wrong path. Then, once you listen and respond to the Spirit’s conviction (however long that may take), you’ll have take the time to confess, turn around, get back to your original spot and then start walking again. What a waste of time! A little time goes along way to saving lots of time simply by spending time studying The Book.
S“E”t Free Nowww