If there ever was a time the world, let alone America, needed “Christians” to be Jesus in their worlds that time is rapidly approaching, if it’s not already here.
“Forget the stagnant American economy and our severe debt crisis and the rapidly mounting troubles in Greece and Spain, at least for a moment. Consider what’s driving the news just this week: Pornography – Did you know the #1, #2 and #3 books on Amazon today are the Fifty Shades of Grey novels that are being widely described as “Mommy Porn” and have already sold more than 10 million copies in just six weeks? (June 6) Cannibalism – “Exclusive: Causeway Cannibal Had Bible, Recently Smoked Pot When He Attacked,” CBS Miami, June 6, 2012. Gay Rights – “Prop. 8: appeals courts set stage for Supreme Court review of gay marriage,” Christian Science Monitor, June 6, 2012. Abortion – “President Obama, 168 House Members Defend Sex-Selection Abortion,” National Right To Life news story, May 31, 2012.
“What in the world is going on? Yes, we face the very real possibility of an economic collapse in the not-too-distant future. But is it possible that we’re already imploding culturally? The country is deep in a full blown political war between Democrats and Republicans, but do we honestly believe either party or presidential nominee knows how to fix the mess we’re in? And where is the Church? In a nation of tens of millions of self-professed born-again, evangelical Christians, how can we be in so much trouble? And is there any hope of turning this around?” (http://flashtrafficblog.wordpress.com)
Yes, there is hope. It comes in the form of Jesus living in and through His people on a daily basis, not just on Sunday. For this to happen though, things must change within the Western Church. Research reveals that only 9% of those who claim to be born-again live with a Biblical worldview. This means that only 1 out of 10 “Christians” lives each day in Jesus’ presence; whereas, 91% don’t listen to Jesus, let alone act like Him. No wonder the Church has little, if any, impact on our world today for Jesus.
Oh that believers today would have this statement made about them that was made about 1st century believers, “These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also.” (Acts 17:6 KJV)
As we head into the weekend, let’s not just go to church this Sunday or play with Jesus. Let’s re-commit ourselves to filtering each day through our biblically-based truth filter formed by the Word of God, Jesus Himself. When believers in Jesus do this, we will bring true hope and change to our world.

Se“T” Free Nowww

In continuing this week’s theme of calling people to come to Jesus, I want to share a story I heard a few months back. A gentleman by the name of “Art”, who lives out the truth of doing what he loves to do with those who don’t know Jesus, was telling the story. Among other things, Art loves to hike and ride mountain bikes and is always arranging trips to do these activities with others.
On one particular trip, there was a guy who was constantly trying to get Art to cuss. This guy was throwing out one bomb after another in hopes that Art would toss them back. Art never went down that trail. He said, “I couldn’t judge this guy because without Jesus, I’m just like him.”
For some reason, believers get in the habit of expecting prebelievers to act like Jesus. Folks, they can’t! They don’t know Jesus. And because they haven’t been radically changed by Jesus, why do we expect them to act like Jesus? They’re acting just like we did before we came to Jesus. So, let’s be Jesus around them so they can see Jesus in us and hopefully come to Jesus through us.
This will take being secure in who we are in Christ, a child of God. This is the foundation of living with a Biblical worldview. As we know who we are, we can be comfortable in our own skin. This means we don’t have to fit in for we are already do – into Jesus! As we get grounded in this truth, let’s “live as though Christ died yesterday, rose from the grave today, and is coming back tomorrow.” Those without Christ need to be around those like you.

“S”et Free Nowww

In yesterday’s blog entry I wrote about the Church calling the world to come to Jesus. This doesn’t mean we sit in our nice air conditioned buildings and wait for people to come to us. No, Jesus said to go and make disciples. He is asking us to go about our every day lives listening to and doing what Jesus says. As we do, we will come into contact with those who don’t know Jesus; and thus, we should “always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.” (1 Peter 3:15)
This can be very messy, though. Jesus prayed for the disciples in John 17 that the Father would not “take them out of the world” but rather that the Father would “protect them from the evil one” while they lived in the world. We are not to live like those around us, but we are to be a light while being in the midst of them. We are not to hole up in our buildings, hoping people will come to church. We are to enter the buildings of those who need Jesus and then invite them to come to Jesus.
This means we will be around people that among other things don’t look, act, or think like us. It also means we will come across evil, which is why Jesus is still praying for our protection today. This is why living with our biblically-based truth filter in the “On” position is so important. We have to use the FREEdom process to not only be unaffected by being in their buildings, but to also be ready for any and all opportunities to share our Jesus stories, the reason for your hope, while we are in the building. This past week I was ready on two occasions and on another I dropped the ball. I’m getting ready to head into another building, pray for me. It’s messy out there.

Set “FREE” Nowww

Jesus said, “Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” The Spirit and the Bride are saying, “Come!” Those who have heard this message say, “Come!” “Whoever is thirsty, let him come, and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life.” (Matt. 11:28; Rev. 22:17)
Jesus, the Spirit, our future home Jerusalem and the Church are all saying, “Come on home!” The Church should be a safe haven to come to be perfect, not be a place where people must be perfect to come. Is your church fellowship an inviting place to come?
In order for it to be, every believer must realize they have a drug of choice from which Jesus wants to set them free. A drug of choice is anything, anyone and/or anyplace where you go to meet your needs other than to Jesus Christ. Yes, some drugs of choice have greater consequences on this earth; but all sin destroys our lives, no matter what it is – big or small, gross or societal accepted.
Since we all have sin in our lives (yes you do – 1 John 1:8!); we all have times when we are weary soldiers in need of rest; and, we all have burdens that need lifting, let’s be a safe haven for the Spirit to change our lives on His timetable in His way. A good friend of mine, who is a recovering alcoholic, once said to me, “I feel more accepted at an AA meeting than at most churches I’ve been too.” This should and cannot be if we are saying to the weary, the thirsty, and the burdened, “Come!”
The weary and thirsty want your place of fellowship to be a safe haven. This will only occur if we allow people to come as they are, messy or clean, whether they look or dress like us or not. This can only happen when believers realize they have drugs of choice as well, they’re just different.
Can people come while being in process or must they be perfect before they enter your fellowship? The church that learns to accept people where they are, though not liking everything they do, say or wear, and loves them while they process their drug of choice through the Word of God is going to be the kind of church that says, “Come!” and people will actually come.

Set Free No“W”ww

The movie, The Matrix, was very insightful into the human condition. It portrays a very important truth: what is seen is not real and what is not seen is real. What is real lasts forever and what is not real doesn’t.
C.S. Lewis spoke about this when he said, “You don’t have a soul. You are a Soul. You have a body.” What is not seen should be our focus, not what is seen. The Word of God reiterates this thought in 2 Corinthians 4:16-18, “We do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day…So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”
What will your focus be on this week, the inner or the outer person? Believers waste so much time worrying about how they look physically and how they appear to others. It’s a waste of time to focus on such things that don’t last forever! Every day, you can choose to use your biblically-based truth filter to stay focused on Jesus in each situation you face. With each decision you can allow the Spirit to build Christ-like eternal character within you. As you begin a new week make the decision to hear from Jesus and do what He says to do. If you do, you will build up your soul – the inner real you that will last forever, a healthy use of time.

Se“T” Free Nowww