I was talking with a couple who were experiencing both sides of alcoholism. I could sense they were coming to a stark realization – both were being selfish. One was meeting their needs their way through alcohol while the other was meeting their needs their way by trying to save their alcoholic spouse. Both were selfish as both were trying to solve their problem their way.
Proverbs 28:26 makes this observation about such choices. “Those who trust in themselves are fools, but those who walk in wisdom are kept safe.” Other translations use mind or heart instead of themselves. No matter what word is used, though, God is telling us that solving our challenges our way is basically telling God to take a hike as, “I’m God now” (Ps. 14:1). We’d never say we’re God aloud, but we sure act like it at times, don’t we?
Choosing to listen to Jesus and then follow Him in any given situation brings safety, which in the Proverb means to make smooth or to rescue from a slippery situation. Think about it, what happens when we all of a sudden walk on something slippery? We usually fall, sometimes quite hard too.
Don’t want to fall and hurt yourself? Then stop acting like you’re God! Slow down the decision making process a tad. Stop and ask for God’s wisdom – the practical how to do. Then rely on the Spirit’s strength to do what He says. Then and only then will you stand on solid ground. That’s God’s promise to you.
S“E”t Free Nowww

My wife, Jan, and I were checking out a new hike. As we faced the mountains, we took a route that would hopefully add mileage to our hike, but still allow us to get to our desired mountain peak following the same ridge line.
As we made our way up the path and over this ridge line, however, we saw we were wrong. The peak where we wanted to go was actually separated by another peak that was behind it.
Was this a failure? No! We learned what not to do next time. We didn’t quit, either. Instead, following my wife’s suggestion, we went around the back peak and eventually made it to our destination.
Failure is only failure if we fail to learn from it. It was not our intention to go the wrong direction, but we did. We could either get angry at having to walk further or chalk it up to a new learning experience and move on. We did the later.
Jesus doesn’t want us to learn through our failures as they bring consequences, but through His grace and mercy, it’s not the end of the world if we do. We never abuse God’s grace; but at times, we will need to use it.
Set Free No”W”ww

There is a word flying around these days – narrative. It means “a story or account of events, experiences, or the like, whether true or fictitious.” Did you catch the last part? People can tell stories about an event that are simply not true and it’s okay if people are buying it.
This is dangerous territory. Our enemy loves to mix truth and lies together in one story. He loves to get you to believe that because one part of his story is true, so must the rest. Wrong!
Jesus said the truth will set us free from all the negative consequences that fictitious stories bring. We make decisions based on what we hear, like other people’s stories or narratives. In times like ours, it behooves the believer to be careful to run every thought, every story, no matter who is telling it, through Jesus.
Don’t be afraid of doing the hard work of checking out what you’re hearing. It can save you all kinds our hard work undoing bad decisions later.
S“E”t Free Nowww

A friend of mine and I were talking about our family trees. They were so different. He found out late in life that his dad wasn’t his bio dad, but was his dad. I knew my bio dad, but he didn’t want to be my dad. His parents were divorced and his dad remarried, which brought added siblings into the family. My parents divorced, but never remarried.
By the time we were done talking about our families, we came to this conclusion. It only tells us where we’ve been, but not where we’re going, which is the issue anyways, right?
We all have interesting pasts, some more colorful than others. But that should be the point. It’s our past. Jesus is the redeemer of our pasts so we can live with and enjoy life in and with Him in the present.
If you haven’t put your past in the past, don’t you think it’s time to pick up the FREEdom tools to do so? If you have, please, don’t look back! You have a bright tomorrow in Jesus.
“S”et Free Nowww

A few years back, my family went through some old photos in a box my mom had. She told us most of who was in them. What’s hitting home to me now is that we still don’t know who everyone was in those pictures! Were they family and/or friends? Here, their face was staring right at us and we didn’t know who they were.
Ecclesiastes reveals this reality. When your time on this planet is all said and done, everything will be forgotten in time. And, even those who will be remembered, will never know they’re being remembered as they’re not around to hear themselves being remembered!
Solomon points out another reality in 12:13, “The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.” Jesus said the same thing, “My sheep hear My voice, I know them, and they follow Me.”
How are you living, following the temporary or the eternal? The only eternal thing from your temporal time on this planet is Jesus. Every situation, no matter what it is, then, is simply an opportunity to listen to and follow Jesus, which results in becoming more like Him. People may forget you and what you’ve done. But they will never forget Him.
“S”et Free Nowww