There’s a scene in the movie, Love Comes Softly (yes I watch chick flicks with my wife…and love it!) where the lead character goes to “church.” This movie’s set in the American pioneer days. This meant that people tended to live further apart with fewer services, like going to a church, available to them.
In this particular scene the man sat a log overlooking a beautiful valley, sang a few hymns, read his Bible and talked with God. Throughout the movie, though, he was constantly seen in relationship with Jesus. Though he wanted and needed to be with other believers, his walk with Jesus wasn’t dependent upon it. He had a healthy faith.
The Walk with other believers principle is true. We can’t do church alone on some mountain top. We need other believers to help us become more like Jesus. Having said that, if you had to live as the main character, would you still have a healthy faith? Ask yourself, “Does my faith go up and down with what others do or don’t do or is it dependent simply on loving and being with Jesus throughout my day?” Loving Jesus through a healthy faith does come softly, one choice at a time.

“S”et Free Nowww

My wife and I had a wonderful time viewing the fall colors in the Eastern Sierra Mountains. The aspen trees were turning beautiful shades of yellow, orange and red. These colors were just gorgeous against the green pines and blue skies. This awesome display took place because aspens lose their leaves in order to conserve their moisture in the trunk and branches, rather than drying out and dying. Therefore, life comes through letting something go.
Jesus is asking us to trust Him that true living will result when we surrender our drugs of choice to Him. Yet we fight letting the leaves go and fail to experience true living. Ask yourself, “By holding onto that area, the leaves, are you really experiencing the life you want?” If not, it’s time to live with a Biblical worldview and choose to listen to Jesus by surrendering to Him and the process He set up for life change – Set Free Nowww.

“Set Free Nowww”

Yesterday I climbed a good sized hill I’d never climbed before, one that I could see the entire path that led to the top. As I approached its base, a homeowner came out to warn me about the rattlesnakes and coyotes I could encounter along the way. As I’d encountered them before, I thanked her for the heads up and began to climb. Interestingly enough though, about half way up I could no longer see the entire trail, only the section I was walking along. I wasn’t worried as I saw the entire path before I started. I simply had to trust and stay on the path to get me to the top.
This scenario gives us a picture of the principle Entertain the truth. The Bible describes the hills or challenges in our lives – both the path to follow (Set Free Nowww) and those that would wish us to be afraid to walk or stay on that path. It also tells us that if we follow the Path/Way and the Truth, Jesus, we’ll end up on top of our challenges. We will taste victory and experience joy. There are times, however, when our journey will take us places where we can’t see the victory or the end of the challenge. Jesus is asking us to trust Him enough to stay on the path He laid out for us to follow.
I got to the top and felt the victory of a cool breeze on my face and the joy of seeing the entire valley spread out before my eyes. If we trust Jesus by keep walking with Him, even when we can’t see the top, we too will enjoy the victory of becoming more like Jesus and experiencing more of the joy and peace He has for us.

S“E”t Free Nowww

A good friend of mine taught me a wonderful principle to keep from crashing when I’m mountain biking: keep looking where you want to go as your bike will follow your eyes. If you want to avoid the deep channels in the trail focus on the part of the trail that goes around them, not the channel itself. Your wheel will go where your eyes go.
It’s the same with becoming more like Jesus. If you want off the sin-confession-sin cycle keep listening to Jesus (Heb. 12:2) with your eyes focused on the truths from His Word, rather than on where you don’t want to go, your drug of choice.
If you choose to put your filter down (the FREEdom Process) for any length of time (focusing on the channel) your life will go where you’re eyes are looking (the channel in the trail) and you’ll end up scrapping your knees and elbows on your drugs of choice.
Keep doing what got and keeps you free from your drugs of choice (Gal. 5:1): focusing on Jesus, the author and perfecter of your faith, and the truths from His Word, so you can continue to successfully navigate the deep channels off life and enjoy riding on your journey.

Set “Free” Nowww

In the book, Blue Like Jazz, the author makes a very profound statement. “Our behavior will not be changed long with self discipline (i.e. focusing on your behavior – my note), but fall in love and a human will accomplish what was never thought possible. By accepting God’s love for us, we fall in love with Him, and only then do we have the fuel we need to obey.”
Love is a very powerful motivator for life-change. Jesus calls us friends. This relationship can be nothing short of awesome and fulfilling if we choose to hang out and talk with Him wherever we go (i.e. living with a Biblical worldview). As our love grows for Him, the more we’ll want to be closer to Him and allow Him to remove what hinders or hurts this relationship (Heb. 12:1).
God demonstrated that you’re lovable when through the cross He said, “I love you!” Since you are lovable, let your Friend teach you to how to love Him. This love can melt the ice and give you the motivation and power to allow Him to change your life for the better.

“S”et Free Nowww