I just spent the last hour-an-a-half pruning our nectarine tree. As I was cutting off non-producing branches and trimming back fruit bearing ones, I was thinking, “The tree must be screaming it’s head off.”
I know trees don’t feel, but it made me think about you and me as believers in Christ. The Spirit wants to cut off areas in our lives that are unproductive and trim back others to produce even greater amounts of fruit (see John 15).
Pruning is painful! Yet done by the hands of a skillful gardener, it’s very fruitful…for the next growing season. Pruning done in the winter is not for tree control; but to make the tree more productive during the next season. I’ll get a very low fruit yield come summer without it.
Trees can’t resist the pruning process. We can. When the Spirit points out an area of your life that needs to be removed, will you fight or yield to His skillful hands? Once you do, will you continually yield to Him throughout the process of change to see even more fruit in your life month after month, year after year?
I encourage you to take a walk with the Spirit and yield. It makes what the Psalmist wrote make even more sense, “Taste and see that the LORD is good.” How about tasting Him yourself?
Set Free Now“W”w

I was watching a movie, of course with my filter on, when I heard a lead character say something quite provocative. “I am listening to you, but I’m choosing what I want to hear.” Honest and raw, isn’t it?
There were many times Jesus said, “If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.” We can hear Jesus and not follow. We can read the Word and not do what it says. In other words, we’re choosing what we want to hear.
“All Scripture (not just the parts we want to hear) is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” (2 Tim. 3:16-17)
The great exchange of our worn out, temporary character with Christ’s life-giving and eternal character comes from actually listening to and following Him, not ourselves. Are you picking and choosing what to follow?
Se“T” Free Nowww

I was reading a rather good book into the wee hours of Sunday morning, when an extraordinary thought hit me. You can’t give up and be in control at the same time as it results in being out of control.
I’ve been wrestling with God for several months now over a certain area of my life that He wants total control. Control is not a half-way thing. You can’t have two sets of hands on the steering wheel of your life. It only leads to disaster. Either God has control or you do, never both as it only results in being out of control (i.e. other areas of your life start going downhill).
Then another thought hit me, Why can’t I trust you, Lord, even though You’ve never hurt me? I have no answer to that question. He’s definitely disciplined me; hurt me never, though I’ve certainly hurt myself. Please pray for me as I pray for you to give control to the only One who can keep your life from spinning out of control.
Set Free Noww“W”

I recently overheard a very profound truth. “Sometimes the bravest word is no.” It kind of gives a new meaning to what Jesus told Joshua, “Be strong and courageous.” It takes tremendous strength and courage today to love Jesus through following Him.
Following Jesus is not for wimps; and you’re not a wimp! You are a secure child of God who can be brave! Every time you bravely say “no” to your way of thinking and choosing, you’re saying “yes” to Jesus.
Stop beating yourself up. You’re an awesome, brave, and secure child of God. Keep saying yes to Jesus by being brave today!
“S”et Free Nowww

Scripture tells us that we don’t simply put on a new behavior, we must first change the thinking behind that behavior, or renew our minds. We rewire our brains with each choice we make.
Jesus told us that His words are and bring life. We lay down a new neuron on our brain every time we have a new thought; thus, Jesus’ words are actually laid down on our brain every time we read them. Whether they stay there and produce life change or not is up to us and our choices.
We strengthen that neuron when we memorize and mediate on that truth/thought throughout our day. We further strengthen that neuron when we choose to act upon His words, as it sends out tentacles, if you will, further into our brains. With each succeeding choice, we make obeying Jesus easier the next time we have to choose to follow Jesus in that area of our lives. The continual strengthening of that truth thought finally produces life change, meaning our reactions to that situation will automatically be what Jesus wants. Our brains will have been renewed in that area.
The challenge to this is that it works in reverse as well. Each time you choose not to act upon the truth in your head, you weaken it; thus, making each succeeding choice to follow Jesus even harder in that area of life.
Each choice to follow Jesus strengthens the truth in your head, which makes it easier to choose to follow Jesus the next time. Ever wonder why Jesus said the truth will set you free? This truth is also true in reverse as well. Ever wonder why you hear me say that lies put us into bondage?
Life change all starts with reading Scripture and listening to Jesus! Each time we choose to exercise the truth today we actually make it easier on ourselves to choose to follow Him tomorrow all the way to Christ-like character change!
Set Fre“E” Nowww