The “house” we lived in during our vacation is quite rustic. It has no running water, no electricity and no indoor plumbing. It has none of the creature comforts we’ve come to expect in the West. But it’s a great house! It provides shelter, a place to put our stuff, and is base camp, home, for the activities we do while on vacation, like hiking, fishing, exploring, and simply hanging out with each other and Jesus.
This year, on our last night, my wife and I sat on the porch all bundled up with a hot drink in our hands looking up at the light show above our heads. It was so beautiful to see so many of the stars that make up the Milky Way galaxy. It was quite relaxing. As we gazed upwards, we began talking about wouldn’t it be nice to stay up here longer. Then reality hit. It snows at this elevation! And it snows a lot. What’s the big deal? We both greatly dislike the cold. Wearing extra layers of clothing to keep warm is not something we look forward to at home where it doesn’t snow, let alone up here where it does.
This cabin is nice. But it’s not home. This world might be nice, but it’s not home. This is an important lesson we can take from the Feast of Tabernacles (aka Sukkot). Our bodies? Temporary. Our homes? Temporary. Our stuff? Very temporary. Our challenges? Temporary. Our defeats and failures? Temporary. Our pain and sorrow? Again, temporary.
We must praise Jesus for the victories, but don’t get too high on them. Complete victory is coming. Don’t beat yourself up over the defeats, which can lead to taking your drug of choice, you’re heading to a place where you’ll never lose again. One day this temporary sin-stained world will be replaced with permanent perfection. Stay focused on Jesus as this world is not our home, we’re just passing through.
S“E”t Free Nowww

“What are you guys looking at?” This was what the angel asked the 11 Apostles. They were standing on the Mt. of Olives looking up at the sky where Jesus had just disappeared beyond a cloud after being taken home. The angel followed up with an interesting statement, “This same Jesus will come back to earth the same exact way He left … from the sky.”
Jesus is coming back via the sky, both for His bride and then again to reign as King on this planet from Jerusalem. I find it interesting that during this Sukkot season (i.e. Tabernacles) Israeli’s are living in tents with holes in their roofs. Tradition gives us a few reasons for this skylight. It’s to enable them to see the stars and remember they wandered in the desert under those stars before they came home. It’s also to remember that they live each day under God’s provision.
I’d like to add another reason. Our Messiah (i.e. Christ) is coming from the direction of those stars. The first time Jesus came to earth humbly and vulnerably through the virgin birth. The next time He’ll come from the sky regally and with great power.
We must never forget that no matter how our daily battles go, we’re on the victorious side. Look up. As we face daily choices to keep listening to and following Jesus, look up. The Spirit will enable you to make the truthful choices. As life gets discouraging, look up. You’ve got someone smiling down on you. This world, which is full of disappointments, is not the final destination. Look up. Home is around the corner. Ultimate victory is already gained. Look up.
We become what we focus on and what we focus on only gets bigger. Focus on what’s above, not on what’s going on here (Col. 3:2). Look up. You’re not only looking at where your help comes from, but you’re also looking in the direction of home.
S“E”t Free Nowww

Yesterday began the biblical feast of Sukkot. The people of Israel then and now build and live in temporary shelters/tents for seven days. One thing it does is to remind them and us that this world is not our permanent home, our final destination, it’s only temporary; so don’t get too comfortable in the here and now.
One reason we take our drugs of choice is because we focus way to much on what we see here on this planet, especially when life doesn’t turn out like we think it should. Governments, businesses, and culture are influenced by people who don’t always have our best interests in mind. And when they fail us, we can end up turning to our sinful repeated behaviors to feel better about ourselves, rather than to Jesus.
Think about what you’re stressing over right now. Is it coming with you when you die? Is it temporary or permanent? Only Christ-like character and people will last beyond the boundary between earth and heaven. Thus, each choice you make reveals where your focus is – only on the now, the temporary, or the eternal, the permanent. When we take our drug of choice we’re seeking temporary relief today, not permanent satisfaction tomorrow.
Shift your focus from the here and now to the eternal, from the temporary to the permanent and your choices will begin to change; choices that will replace your temporary unfulfilled to Jesus’ permanently satisfying character.
It’s like the old hymnal said, “This world is not our home. We’re only passing through.” So why focus your attention on what only you can see?
S“E”t Free Nowww

Here’s something to ponder. Why did tears stream down Jesus’ face over His good friend Lazarus’ death and the pain He saw in all those mourning the passing of their friend and loved one? Jesus already knew that in literal moments Lazarus would be alive. Why not say, “Hold on! It’s hallelujah time! It’s not a time for mourning, but for rejoicing. Lazarus is coming back!”? He knew that pain preceded victory. He was identifying with them in a very personal way.
Most of the time, achieving victory over our drugs of choice is a process that takes time. Before we taste the sweetness of victory, we often have to taste the bitterness of defeat in order to remember it so we don’t want to taste it again.
We can never say to Jesus, “You don’t understand my problem.” Before He could rise from the grave in ultimate victory, He had to go through extreme pain in the Garden and in prison. We will never be able to say, “We are alone,” like Jesus did when He went through the agony of separation from His Father as all humanity’s past, present and future sins (our drug related thinking and taking) were poured out on Him at the cross.
We are not and never will be alone in our struggle for ultimate victory. The searing pain, the sting of defeat and the sense of separation is not lost on Jesus. He knows your pain as He lived it. Yet He also knows that shouts of victorious hallelujahs are also coming. He experienced that as well. Your God not only is walking with you during your struggle, but He understands it as well. It’s time to run into His arms, rather than away from or ignoring Him, as He is the only Way to victory.
“S”et Free Nowww