One of the reasons we play music (i.e. worship songs) during our church service is they help us come into Jesus’ presence throughout the week, not just on Sunday. Right now the song How He Loves by the David Crowder Band is playing in my head.
Here’s a portion of the lyrics. “He is jealous for me, Loves like a hurricane, I am a tree/Bending beneath the weight of his wind and mercy/When all of a sudden, I am unaware of these afflictions eclipsed by glory/And I realize just how beautiful You are/And how great Your affections are for me/And oh, how He loves us so/Oh how He loves us/How He loves us all.”
We must come to grips with how much our God loves us if we are to walk down that new street toward Jesus and freedom. Once we realize that our path to living doesn’t satisfy, we must choose another path. There seem to be so many from which to choose. Which one will you walk down?
Life has its share of hurricanes that bend us like trees in its strong winds. In His great love for us God uses those strong winds to shape us into Jesus’ image, the only path to satisfaction. Hopefully, we’ll bend to His wind in order to choose His path on a daily basis. Once we make this decision we’ll see just how wonderful our God is. Our God loves like a hurricane. Bend to His will and you’ll find what you’re looking for in life – Jesus’ love.
“S”et Free Nowww

I was listening to talk radio today with my biblical filter switched on. What got through was an interesting statement made by a commencement speaker. This person said, “The only way to help yourself is to be selfless.” I changed it. “The more you want to improve yourself, the more selfless you must become.”
If life is all about you, you’re in big trouble for numerous reasons. I’ll give you two. The first one is who do you think you are? Are you God, who can see today’s decisions in light of tomorrow, and know what is best to do in any given situation? If life is all about you, you’ll have no need for Jesus, as you already have the answers. As you stop trusting yourself and start trusting the only God who does know what is best for you, you’ll see your drugs of choice go by the wayside.
Humanity’s “I” problem is the second reason. I think this is the best way to handle this situation. I feel this is the right thing to say. Do you see the problem here? “I” is in control. If you are in control of your life, guess who’s not (see reason one)? Thus, your ego is a huge stumbling block to growth. If you want to see your life changed, you must demolish “every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of Christ.” (2 Corinthians 10:5 KJV) Jesus needs to be your first option when it comes to decision making, not your second or worse, your last.
As you rely on your self less and less, the more room there is for Jesus to take control of your life. The more you replace your “I” problem with Jesus, the more you will see your life improve.
Think about this today. How often will you talk with Jesus before you start a conversation or a new task? Your answer will reveal whether you’re becoming more selfless or more self-centered. Hopefully, life has taught you which one is better for you.

S“E”t Free Nowww

It’s the start of a new week. What choices will you make? I heard a great story that I’d like pass along.
It’s about a woman who was asked to describe her life in five chapters. She had to write one chapter per note card. This was done to keep her from being too wordy.
Chapter One: I went down a street. I saw a hole on the side of the road and fell into the hole. It wasn’t my fault that I fell into the hole. But it sure took me a long time to get out of the hole.
Chapter Two: I went down the same street. I saw a hole on the side of the road and fell into the hole. It wasn’t my fault that I fell into the hole. But it sure took me a long time to get out of the hole.
Chapter Three: I went down the same street. I saw a hole on the side of the road and fell into the hole. It wasn’t my fault that I fell into the hole. But it sure took me a long time to get out of the hole.
Chapter Four: I went down the same street. I saw a hole on the side of the road and fell into the hole. But it was my fault that I fell into the hole. It didn’t take me long to climb out of that hole.
Chapter Five: I went down a new street.
Albert Einstein once said, “We can’t solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.” Until we expose our brains to the truths in and from the Word of God, they will continue to lead us to the same broken thinking that made us walk down the street of defeat, disillusionment and destruction in the first place.
If you want to walk down a new street and experience Jesus show up in your life this week, make a plan to get into the Word of God and let Jesus speak into your life. Let Him expose the old street thinking, in order to replace it with the truths that will lead to a new way of thinking that leads to walking down a new street.
You are the choices you make. I pray that you choose to walk down the new street this week – the street of victory.

S“E”t Free Nowww

This truth is the basis for a Biblical worldview. Jesus changes us from the inside out; so stop focusing on how you look, your behavior, or what others think of you (past or present). This weekend stay focused on Jesus, the One who changes you from the inside out.

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