I have an awesome Jesus story to tell today. I was given a compliment this morning that caught me completely off guard. This person and I were in a conversation when they said, “You look so calm.”
My response was, “It’s true and it’s Jesus.” This wasn’t a cliché answer either. The calmness to my uncertain situation is in fact due to Jesus continuing to change my life.
This calmness, which is opposite of what I should be feeling, is founded upon the truths He’s put into my shield of faith from my BIG reading. Consider the following: “I will praise the LORD all my life. I will sing praise to my God as long as I live. Do not put your trust in princes (outside authorities), in human beings (including myself), who cannot save. Blessed (happy, calm) are those whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the LORD their God. He is the Maker of heaven and earth…The LORD sets prisoners free…the LORD lifts up those who are bowed…The LORD watches over the foreigner…He frustrates the ways of the wicked. The LORD reigns forever. His pleasure is not in the strength of the horse, nor His delight in the legs of the warrior; the LORD delights in those who fear Him, who put their hope in His unfailing love.” (Psalm 146:2-3,5-6,7b-10b; 147:10-11)
That about says it all, doesn’t it? This calm feeling in the midst of a storm comes from Jesus; not me, my abilities nor my strength. Period. Therefore, we must filter out our ‘I’ problem as it is the problem. “I think. I want. I have to have. I desire. I’m not getting this or that.”
Those who use their biblical tools to stay focused on The Answer to life find answers in life and can give answers to life’s questions to others. It is indeed all about You, Jesus.
“S”et Free Nowww

I was on a prayer walk at The Oaks Retreat Center when I came upon vast tracts of land burned by a fire. On this walk I also saw what a good fire road or break can do as well.
If you look closely on the right side of the photo (to the left of my shadow) you will see the charred base of a small shrub. Yet across the road the landscape shows no signs of fire damage whatsoever. It was the road and a lot of help from firefighters that not only saved the animal habit to the left, but the retreat center that is just a short distance from here.
As the firefighters used the road as a firebreak to keep the fire from causing further damage, Jesus wants to use you and me as a firebreak to keep the fires of life from similarly destroying the lives of those around us.
People’s lives are being destroyed by life; and yet, they are hesitant to turn to Jesus. Part of the reason is that they are without firebreaks in their lives. They watch believers in Jesus being destroyed by the same flames at the same speed as it’s destroying theirs.
Choose to be that firebreak! Allow the Spirit to change your life by picking up and using your biblical tools each day. It’s a win:win situation. Your life gets better and at the same time you become living proof that Jesus can make their lives better as well.
Each one can reach one for Jesus as they watch Jesus, the ultimate firefighter, change their life. Don’t settle for the slow burn. Become a firebreak by listening to and following Jesus every where you go, no matter what time of day it is.
Set Free Nowww

I’m in awe of the ocean. And recently there was even more reason to be. This past Friday a big wave surf contest was held at Half Moon Bay, California called the Maverick’s Invitational. Some of the waves during this contest were higher than 40 feet and had the power to literally kill you.
Why go out in such conditions? One surfer put it this way, “If you want to experience the greatest wave of your life, you have to put yourself out there in uncomfortable positions.”
Believers in Jesus must have the same mentality. If we want to experience the greatness of our God, the one who created those enormous waves, we must allow the Spirit to move us out of our comfort zones of handling life our way.
Judges 4:5 reveals that it was after Barak entered the battle, not before, that the Lord routed his enemies. He had to leave the comfort of camp and enter the fight in order to see his God work.
Want to know that your God is real? Surrender the area of your life He’s been asking of you and let Him change your life. Apply your tools and you’ll go for one enormous ride.
“S”et Free Nowww

It’s been said that we discover God’s presence inside whenever we override our ego and courageously put aside all that we hide. We must stop looking at the outside, focusing on our behavior, if we want to really know our God. We must allow the Spirit to surface the thoughts, emotions, hang-ups and lies if we are to expose them to light of truth in order to see what keeps us in the presence of our drugs of choice.
We have the God of the universe living within us who wants to continually reveal Himself to us. He greatly desires to show us the truths about Himself that will keep us out the boxes that confine and restrict us. He has so much to tell us about Himself if only we’d let go of our self-sufficient “I can handle life myself” attitude.
We are His workmanship and can be so much more if we’d only stop hiding from ourselves. (You know, you can’t hide from Him, right?) Your God is not somewhere out in the cosmos. He is as close to you as the skin on your face. You’d find a God of extreme love and boundless acceptance if only you’d look Him in the eye and let go of “you” and what holds you back.
“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.” Don’t you think it’s time to let the Spirit have a look inside so you can soar above your man made restrictive boxes?
Set Free Now“W”w

Wait a minute. Give it time. I know it’s coming. Bam. All of a sudden my 20 year-old daughter pounces on me. I knew it was coming as she had done the same to my wife the night before. Every now and then she needs to cuddle and pick on her pa. And you know what? I absolutely positively love every second of it! I can’t get enough.
This is what life is all about – hanging with and making an impact on my children. I was reminded of that fact this morning as I was thinking about all the things I could be doing on my day off. Then I filtered this thought through the scriptures the Spirit has built into my shield of faith. The outcome enabled to enjoy the moment. There is going to be plenty of time to do those things later, especially as I know in the not so far future she will leave the nest.
This illustrates a point for all of us. We think so many things are important; and when they don’t happen, we feel frustrated, angry, disappointed or any other combination of emotions, all of which can lead us to our drugs of choice. We must choose to filter all our activities through Scripture if we want to keep experiencing the freedom Christ gives us. Often times what we think is important simply isn’t. As we realize this, we can relax and enjoy the moment.
S“E”t Free Nowww