It’s the start of a new week. What choices will you make? I heard a great story that I’d like pass along.
It’s about a woman who was asked to describe her life in five chapters. She had to write one chapter per note card. This was done to keep her from being too wordy.
Chapter One: I went down a street. I saw a hole on the side of the road and fell into the hole. It wasn’t my fault that I fell into the hole. But it sure took me a long time to get out of the hole.
Chapter Two: I went down the same street. I saw a hole on the side of the road and fell into the hole. It wasn’t my fault that I fell into the hole. But it sure took me a long time to get out of the hole.
Chapter Three: I went down the same street. I saw a hole on the side of the road and fell into the hole. It wasn’t my fault that I fell into the hole. But it sure took me a long time to get out of the hole.
Chapter Four: I went down the same street. I saw a hole on the side of the road and fell into the hole. But it was my fault that I fell into the hole. It didn’t take me long to climb out of that hole.
Chapter Five: I went down a new street.
Albert Einstein once said, “We can’t solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.” Until we expose our brains to the truths in and from the Word of God, they will continue to lead us to the same broken thinking that made us walk down the street of defeat, disillusionment and destruction in the first place.
If you want to walk down a new street and experience Jesus show up in your life this week, make a plan to get into the Word of God and let Jesus speak into your life. Let Him expose the old street thinking, in order to replace it with the truths that will lead to a new way of thinking that leads to walking down a new street.
You are the choices you make. I pray that you choose to walk down the new street this week – the street of victory.

S“E”t Free Nowww

This truth is the basis for a Biblical worldview. Jesus changes us from the inside out; so stop focusing on how you look, your behavior, or what others think of you (past or present). This weekend stay focused on Jesus, the One who changes you from the inside out.

If there ever was a time the world, let alone America, needed “Christians” to be Jesus in their worlds that time is rapidly approaching, if it’s not already here.
“Forget the stagnant American economy and our severe debt crisis and the rapidly mounting troubles in Greece and Spain, at least for a moment. Consider what’s driving the news just this week: Pornography – Did you know the #1, #2 and #3 books on Amazon today are the Fifty Shades of Grey novels that are being widely described as “Mommy Porn” and have already sold more than 10 million copies in just six weeks? (June 6) Cannibalism – “Exclusive: Causeway Cannibal Had Bible, Recently Smoked Pot When He Attacked,” CBS Miami, June 6, 2012. Gay Rights – “Prop. 8: appeals courts set stage for Supreme Court review of gay marriage,” Christian Science Monitor, June 6, 2012. Abortion – “President Obama, 168 House Members Defend Sex-Selection Abortion,” National Right To Life news story, May 31, 2012.
“What in the world is going on? Yes, we face the very real possibility of an economic collapse in the not-too-distant future. But is it possible that we’re already imploding culturally? The country is deep in a full blown political war between Democrats and Republicans, but do we honestly believe either party or presidential nominee knows how to fix the mess we’re in? And where is the Church? In a nation of tens of millions of self-professed born-again, evangelical Christians, how can we be in so much trouble? And is there any hope of turning this around?” (http://flashtrafficblog.wordpress.com)
Yes, there is hope. It comes in the form of Jesus living in and through His people on a daily basis, not just on Sunday. For this to happen though, things must change within the Western Church. Research reveals that only 9% of those who claim to be born-again live with a Biblical worldview. This means that only 1 out of 10 “Christians” lives each day in Jesus’ presence; whereas, 91% don’t listen to Jesus, let alone act like Him. No wonder the Church has little, if any, impact on our world today for Jesus.
Oh that believers today would have this statement made about them that was made about 1st century believers, “These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also.” (Acts 17:6 KJV)
As we head into the weekend, let’s not just go to church this Sunday or play with Jesus. Let’s re-commit ourselves to filtering each day through our biblically-based truth filter formed by the Word of God, Jesus Himself. When believers in Jesus do this, we will bring true hope and change to our world.

Se“T” Free Nowww

In continuing this week’s theme of calling people to come to Jesus, I want to share a story I heard a few months back. A gentleman by the name of “Art”, who lives out the truth of doing what he loves to do with those who don’t know Jesus, was telling the story. Among other things, Art loves to hike and ride mountain bikes and is always arranging trips to do these activities with others.
On one particular trip, there was a guy who was constantly trying to get Art to cuss. This guy was throwing out one bomb after another in hopes that Art would toss them back. Art never went down that trail. He said, “I couldn’t judge this guy because without Jesus, I’m just like him.”
For some reason, believers get in the habit of expecting prebelievers to act like Jesus. Folks, they can’t! They don’t know Jesus. And because they haven’t been radically changed by Jesus, why do we expect them to act like Jesus? They’re acting just like we did before we came to Jesus. So, let’s be Jesus around them so they can see Jesus in us and hopefully come to Jesus through us.
This will take being secure in who we are in Christ, a child of God. This is the foundation of living with a Biblical worldview. As we know who we are, we can be comfortable in our own skin. This means we don’t have to fit in for we are already do – into Jesus! As we get grounded in this truth, let’s “live as though Christ died yesterday, rose from the grave today, and is coming back tomorrow.” Those without Christ need to be around those like you.

“S”et Free Nowww

In yesterday’s blog entry I wrote about the Church calling the world to come to Jesus. This doesn’t mean we sit in our nice air conditioned buildings and wait for people to come to us. No, Jesus said to go and make disciples. He is asking us to go about our every day lives listening to and doing what Jesus says. As we do, we will come into contact with those who don’t know Jesus; and thus, we should “always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.” (1 Peter 3:15)
This can be very messy, though. Jesus prayed for the disciples in John 17 that the Father would not “take them out of the world” but rather that the Father would “protect them from the evil one” while they lived in the world. We are not to live like those around us, but we are to be a light while being in the midst of them. We are not to hole up in our buildings, hoping people will come to church. We are to enter the buildings of those who need Jesus and then invite them to come to Jesus.
This means we will be around people that among other things don’t look, act, or think like us. It also means we will come across evil, which is why Jesus is still praying for our protection today. This is why living with our biblically-based truth filter in the “On” position is so important. We have to use the FREEdom process to not only be unaffected by being in their buildings, but to also be ready for any and all opportunities to share our Jesus stories, the reason for your hope, while we are in the building. This past week I was ready on two occasions and on another I dropped the ball. I’m getting ready to head into another building, pray for me. It’s messy out there.

Set “FREE” Nowww