A recording artist, who had contracted cancer, tells the story of one of his songs. He was asked, “Do you follow the Lord?” He said, “Certainly.” Then after thinking about it some more, he thought, “Do I really follow the Lord around each day or do I ask Him to follow me around?”
Who’s following who? Your conversations with Jesus, or prayer, is one way to reveal what’s true in your life. Are you doing most of the talking or is He? He surely talks to us as we listen to Him in the Scriptures. He also likes to talk to us as we are quiet before Him.
It’s a safe bet you’re asking Him to follow you around, if you’re not seeking to hear His voice throughout your day everywhere you go. If you want to be near the source of all you need in life, Jesus, follow Him around. It might mean slowing down a little. A noisy world and mind make it hard to hear.
Set Free Now“W”w

The Lord gave me, through my Bible Impact partner, a great analogy of being free in Christ. Imagine you’re in a plane flying home. It’s a long flight that will mean refueling quite a few times. You have two options. You can refuel in the air by hooking up with a fuel tanker. This would keep you soaring above the hassles on the ground and enjoying your journey home.
Or, you can land and encounter all the hassles that go with it: pilots who are rushing to get to their gate, grouchy air controllers giving various commands, possible landing gear malfunctions, and/or whatever other temptations that come along with being on the ground.
All illustrations have their limitations, but this story clicked with me. Because of what Jesus has already done in me (Col. 2:10), I was meant to soar. So why land? I am God’s masterpiece (Eph. 2:10) and an awesome child of God (John 1:12) through faith in what Jesus did for me, not what I do for Him. Why land? I was meant to experience the peace and quiet of soaring above the clouds through rejoicing and staying in contact with the Prince of Peace (Phil. 4:4-7). Why land?
We have simple choices, but hard decisions to make each day either to land or to soar. We can either land in places full of temptations or keep soaring by asking the Spirit for the strength to keep our minds and hearts on the things above (Col. 3:1). I know what I’m pray’n.
“S”et Free Nowww

I love spending time in and with the Word of God. I get so much out of doing both. And for the most part, it’s quite plain what I need to do after being in it. It’s in the execution of that truth that the decision appears to become hard.
Just recently, the Lord convicted me of how little I ask the Spirit of God for help. It’s almost like I’m expecting to exercise the truth by faith in my own power, rather than in being empowered by the Spirit.
We were never meant to follow Jesus in our own ability or strength. We’d be patting ourselves on the back rather than praising our great and awesome Savior if that were true. In order to become more like and closer to Jesus, we need both the Word and the Spirit of God.
The what is often simple. The how is the difficult part…only if we choose to make it that way. The next decision you face to follow Jesus, ask the Spirit to empower you to exercise the truth He gave you by faith; and then, watch Him work. You’ll definitely have something to give praise for in your next Bible Impact session.
Set Fre“E” Now“W”w

We’re prisoners inside our own perspective. We only know what we know right now, but what we know might be wrong! Any lie, no matter what it is or how insignificant it may seem, leaves us in prison robbing us of enjoying our walk with Jesus.
The Spirit tells us to destroy strongholds, arguments and every lofty opinion (aka our perspectives) raised against the knowledge of God by taking every thought captive to obedience in Christ (2 Cor. 10:4-5). We are to examine our thinking by being in and with the Word of God (the Spirit can use the people of God speaking the truth in love as well – Eph. 4:15) to break us out of prison.
Ask yourself, “Do I want to be free?” Letting Jesus shine His light into your heart and mind may not be pretty. Could this be another reason why so many believers are afraid to take the time to slow down (see Monday’s Running but Going No Where) and listen to Jesus in His Word and in prayer – they’re afraid of what they might hear, find or discover?
A good friend of mine recently wrote, “Why do we set up different rules (i.e. our perspective) for governing our lives and why does it feel so good, so right, so comfortable? It keeps us in control (seemingly) and from surrendering to God (true repentance)…. We have a better idea of how to live our life’s and that began in the garden and continues today.”
If we want to reap the rewards of being like and enjoying our walk with Jesus, we must be freed from the prison of our own perspectives. I know of what I speak. It’s certainly not easy, but it’s definitely worth the effort to slow down, shut up and listen.
S“E”t Free Noww“W”

We can do good things and still end up in bad places. I recently heard the story of a couple who were leaving the US to live where the pace of life was much much slower. They discovered that most Westerners are running, some real fast, but are going absolutely no where.
This is just as true of believers in Christ as it is for those who are not. Some have bought the lie that busyness leads to godliness. It’s an obedience that can mask true spirituality. “I’m obeying; thus You should be happy with me God!”
I wonder if the reason that we busy ourselves with so many things is that we’re hiding from ourselves and Jesus. Our “get it done” “do more” mentality only hides our insecurity, our sense of insignificance, and our fear of being found unworthy of love if someone really knew us.
Yet, Hebrews 4:13 states that “no creature is hidden from His sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.” He sees where you’re running and it’s not a good place if it is not where and when He’d have you run.
Jesus said His sheep hear His voice and then follow Him. It’s pretty hard to hear His voice, though, if your mind’s pre-occupied with so many things, even good things. Can you slow down? Let me re-phrase that, are you afraid to slow down? Here is an important truth: Jesus knows more about you than you do and still He says He loves you…forever. So stop running and talk a walk with Him today. You don’t validate yourself by what you do, but who you do it with.
“S”et Free Nowww