Catchy tunes stick in our heads, even when we don’t want them too. This morning, it was one I wanted to stick. I woke with a song in my head from the service on Sunday. It was Chris Tomlin’s song, Our God.
Some of the lyrics are, “And if our God is for us, then who could ever stop us? And if our God is with us, then what could stand against? Our God is greater, our God is stronger, God You are higher than any other. Our God is Healer, Awesome in Power, Our God! Our God! And if our God is for us, then who could ever stop us? And if our God is with us, then what could stand against?” What sweet words of truth to help me stay focused on Jesus, rather than the struggles I face, during my waking hours.
The Lord instructs us repeatedly in the Psalms to sing songs to Him, even ones we make up (“a new song”). Songs are helpful aids in remembering the truths the Spirit has us put into our shields of faith to fight off the enemy’s lies. They can help us remember who Jesus is and what He can do in the situations we face throughout our day.
Who cares if you’re not the greatest singer in the world! Your music to the Lord is sweetness in His ears. He’s the only one who counts, especially as He uses them to make the great exchange – your character for Jesus’!
Put in a worship CD, turn to a worship station on the radio or plug your music device into your car’s stereo and sing to your Lord. I can almost guarantee that a smile will break out on your face!
S“E”t Free Nowww

Someone once said, “Never confuse motion with action.” Many believers are doing lots of things for Jesus as if He needs them to do anything for Him. They read their Bible because good Christians are supposed to do it. They go to services (notice I didn’t say “church”) because they believe that’s what they should do.
They are certainly in motion, but not putting their faith into action. Exercising the right truths at the right time by faith in the Spirit’s power is an action that will produce life change – the end result of faith actions.
Healthy believers don’t do “good things” simply to do them. This is motion. Healthy believers hear from Jesus what truths they need to put into action in order to draw closer to Him, the source of the good stuff.
Examine your life today. Were you just busy or busy putting your faith in action? They are not one and the same. Healthy believers learn the difference.
Set “FREE” Nowww

I heard it long before I saw it. I was driving home when I heard a siren blasting through the air. I started looking around to see where it was coming from and for a safe place to pull over.
There it was, coming at me from the left hand side of the road. It was a screaming ambulance trying to rapidly come to someone’s rescue. After it passed, I was able to continue on my journey home.
We, as believers, have an internal warning system called the Holy Spirit. He can see what’s ahead long before we do and can tell us how to slow down and safely pull over. Just as there are expensive fines for ignoring blaring sirens, there are consequences if we fall to heed the Spirit’s prompting.
You might slow down and examine the situation you’re in the next time you hear the voice in your head or the prompting of your heart telling you to pull over. It could be the Spirit saving you the huge expense of falling to your drug of choice or missing out on the blessing by failing to follow Jesus.
Set Free Now“W”w

Today I’ll let you into my real time world. I’m struggling with what I call the “slimes” as I write this entry. It’s where I feel gloomy for no apparent reason. It’s raining outside. I had a tough battle for my mind yesterday. Drugs of choice were flying off the shelf.
This is the time to stay focused on the truth, Jesus. His Word pleads with us to use times like this, especially times like these, to praise Him for who He is and what He’s done for and in me. If I choose to focus on the slime, I’ll want to take those drugs that are flying towards me. If I choose to focus on Jesus, I can choose a smile on my face as the drugs fly past me.
You might be having a rough day. You might even be getting slimmed as well. If not, still listen up. Where will your focus be – Jesus or the slime – when you’re feeling down? Though I’m still feeling a little gloomy, I’m choosing Jesus and the smile. How about you?
Set Free No“W”ww

The Spirit has been bringing order to a chaotic world since before the beginning of human history (Gen. 1:2). Therefore, He’s got a proven track record that can be trusted when it comes to bringing order to a chaotic world.
When it comes to achieving order in the midst of chaos, Galatians 5:23 gives us important truths about self-control. First, you can’t bring control/order to your own life. As self-control is a fruit of the Spirit, it can only come as a natural byproduct of walking with the Spirit. Two, to gain self-control, you must recognize your world is out of control/chaotic and in need of being put in control/order. Three, keeping in step with the Spirit doesn’t give you control over other people’s lives, only yours. Finally, the Spirit doesn’t give you control over your circumstances, only you in the midst of those circumstances.
If we’re honest with ourselves, it’s when we feel out of our control that we desire to take our drugs of choice. We believe we must handle outside pressure our way in order to bring balance to our world. This is lie-based thinking. According to the above truths, our way of handling life can never give us the control we seek.
Self-control (an ordered mind and heart) in the midst of a chaotic world (pressure from outside sources and the junk already in our heads caused by previous outside sources) comes only through listening to and following Jesus in the midst of the chaotic world in which we live.
The Spirit brought order to chaos before. He can do it again. It’s time to trust the truths He’s given you (if you don’t have any, don’t you think it’s time you do?) from the Word of God (if you’re not in it, don’t you think it’s time you start?) and ask for His strength to walk in step with those truths.
Set Free Now“W”w