Someone once said, “What brightens the heart is natural phenomena – lakes and mountains, a gorgeous landscape. It lifts us up and carries us to happy places. Not so with trauma. We look away from the homeless woman on the street because if we do not notice her, she does not exist. The eye can be very selfish.”
Our God doesn’t have selected eyesight. He sees our pain (emotionally and/or physically, self-inflicted or caused by others) and wants to relieve it. He knows it can be the source of some of our less than stellar life choices.
Exodus 2:25 states, “God looked on the Israelites and was concerned about them.” The Israelites were made slaves by Egypt. God didn’t cause it, but He certainly saw it and was going to do something about it.
God looks on us and is concerned as well. He sees into the center of our hearts and minds; cares about what’s there; and, is willing and able to do something about it. You’re an awesomely secure child of God because of what Jesus did. Your heavenly Father cares about you. He wants to relieve the source, whatever it is, of what causes you to run to your drugs of choice rather than to Him, which will save you from the pain you’ll experience after taking it.
You God sees you and cares! Take a look His way. You will feel better.
“S”et Free Nowww

This photo might not look like much, but it paints a terrible picture. Before the latest Southern California real estate crash, the owners of this land were preparing the ground to build new homes. It was left abandoned after the crash and weeds and trees grew throughout this parcel. You could barely see any of the grading that had been done. Now, the economy is ready for them to start building, which meant they had to first take the time and money to clear the land back to the earlier point. This is what you’re now looking at in the photo.
The terrible picture for you and me is this: If we stop going forward in our walks with Jesus because life gets tough, weed thoughts will enter our brains and take root. These new thoughts can not only mask the good stuff that had been produced in your life, but can also take you more time and effort to uproot them later just to get back to where you were!
I’m not saying that grace and mercy cease. What I am saying is what Paul wrote in Galatians 6:7, we reap what we sow. We live in a fallen world that desires to plant weeds in our minds. If we stop walking with the Spirit, those seeds will get into our brains. If left unchecked by a continual stagnant life, those seeds will grow into weeds that will later have to be removed if we want to further get closer to Jesus.
The moral of this story is this: We may not control the world around us, but we can control the world within. Let’s save ourselves headaches tomorrow, by walking with Jesus today.
Set Free Now“W”w

“Every obstacle you make it through is one more obstacle closer to your destination,” was written by a guy who descended the summit of Mt. Everest alone and blind when a sudden bout of snow blindness hit him. To reach Camp III alive, he kept his mind and emotions under control by focusing on getting through each obstacle that came his way.
He couldn’t ignore his situation. He could only choose to ignore what he wanted to do, ask Jesus for help and then follow Him down the mountain peak, which is exactly what he did.
Jesus said to deny yourself and take up your cross and follow Him. To deny yourself doesn’t mean to ignore your challenges, problems and/or drugs of choice. It simply means that you don’t deal with them your way, emotionally, mentally or spiritually. This is not quitting! It’s the start of the process of turning to someone greater than yourself to get through the obstacle – Jesus.
This guy’s Jesus story is a perfect example of the principle: when we’re weak, He can be strong for us. Jesus became his strength to get down the mountain safely, even though he was literally blind! You must learn what this climber learned: you are not alone in the midst of your challenges. The question is, “Who will you turn to for help in the midst of them – yourself or Jesus?” Ask Jesus to be your help, today, as you face your challenges head on.
Set Free No“W”ww

I read a wonderful book entitled, Blind Descent, about a gentleman who climbed Mount Everest. The author made a statement that got me thinking. As he was climbing up a certain section by himself, all he could see was white and hear was occasional wind gusts. It was too quiet, which by the way, could be a dangerous situation for a solo climber.
It got me thinking about all sources of stimulation that bombard our senses all day long. When do we have to think about rather than just react to life? In 1775 90% of Americans lived in rural areas, as compared to only 16% today. Life was not only slower, but much quieter back then as well. What did they do with that time? One was to think, as they had less sensory bombardment to wade through.
I was talking with a guy in his early 20’s who doesn’t even read his emails. He said there were simply too many of them and that avoids group texts as well! He’s already learning what many of us need to understand: we just have too much data to filter through and filter out today. We all face a tad too much stimulation. No wonder most Americans are tired! Our brains are always working and storing all the stuff it hears, sees and smells, let alone touches and tastes.
Am I afraid of what I might hear inside me? Am I playing music, watching a show and playing a game on the Internet whiled eating snacks all at the same time because I’m afraid of what I might hear if I slowed my pace and turned down the volume?
Too much stimulation is not good if we want to renew our minds (aka rewire our brains) and be remade in Christ’s image. Gives new meaning “to be still and know that I am God” doesn’t it?
Set Free Now“W”w

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