I wrote in my journal a few days back, “I know who I am, but not how to be who I am.” We all seek to know who we are, where we’re going and can we do anything significant or worthwhile along the way. Where we go for those answers will determine whether or not we live in bondage or freedom.
Jesus gives us the answers to all those questions. One, He tell us who we are the moment we place our faith in Him, secure children of God (John 1:12). He tells us that through faith in Him we have life both now and forever (John 11:25). He further tells us that by listening to and following Him we can do something significant and worthwhile along the way (John 14:12-13).
Once we know these truths, however, living them out in everyday life is another issue. This is why Jesus said in John 8:31, “If you hold to My teachings, you are really My disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
I know who I am, where I’m going and that I can do something worthwhile with the life given me at both my physical and spiritual births. How to be who I am is a daily journey; and, who I listen to will determine how that journey looks and feels.
So let me add to the above entry, “I know who I am, but how to be who I am is why I must keep listening to and following The I AM.” (John 8:58) I’ve seen the I AM change my life; thus, I’m going to continually strive to hear and follow Him.
Who are you listening to?
“S”et Free Nowww

One writer put it this way, “Men are not merely swept away by movements, they create movements. Heroes matter. Great men matter. So do evil ones.” In this case, two shots by one man started WW I that not only toppled four empires, but created the Middle East geography that’s still wreaking havoc today.
One man, Jesus Christ, is still changing the course of human events through one decision made before time began – to make us secure children of God (Eph. 1:3-11). His one choice, to listen to and follow the Father, started a movement that can’t be stopped.
Yes Jesus is also God, but that doesn’t diminish the choice He made. And whether we like it or not, our choices matter as well. Your choice to listen to and follow Jesus to walk in freedom over your drug of choice not only affects your life, but of those watching your life as well.
Don’t diminish the influential power one choice can make – either way. Who knows if a believer in Christ had made the choice to follow Christ and not religion that the person whose shots started a world war might have made a different choice that day.
Choose to exercise the truth today, it will set you free. Choose to follow Jesus today, others just may follow.
Set Fre“E” Nowww

Adam Brown’s wife, Kelly (I shared part of their story a few days ago) tells how she fought on her knees for her husband. She relates that she prayed for Adam to have strength against his addiction. It “was the only thing that would stop him. I couldn’t forget how Adam would tell me, every time he messed up, ‘It calls my name.’” She was praying that her husband would hear the only voice that could override the other one – Jesus’.
Our drugs of choice do call out to us. They have our number and know where we live. Our enemy wants us to handle life his/our way. Even when things are going smoothly, don’t be surprised when your enemy dials up your number.
Remember, you don’t have to answer! Victory comes through listening to the right voice. This is why it’s so important to live each day listening to and following Jesus everywhere you go. It allows you to filter out all voices but the One that can save both now and forever – Jesus’.
Set “Free” Nowww

“Man, I was walking uphill the entire time!” It’s what I thought when I looked back over the stretch of road I had just walked near my Dead Sea hotel. I’d been walking 4.5-7 miles per day 7 days a week for a few months so my heart and breathing never changed even though I’d been walking up hill.
Then there’s the Snake Path up the side of Masada. We weren’t able climb it this year due to rainy conditions. Yet in years past, my heart and lungs would definitely let me know I was walking uphill. My legs would even throw in their two cents.
On one walk I didn’t recognize my need for help while on another I did. The difference was my conditioning. My body had been trained to handle one hill, but was struggling to catch up to the other.
Jesus uses life’s uphill climbs to strengthen our faith and replace our worn out character with His. He strengthens our faith so we can face our daily challenges without skipping a heart beat. Some want to stay there, however, so God allows us to face bigger hills that will hopefully create the desire within us to know Him better. It’s only as we face new challenges that we are forced to realize that our worn character (i.e. flesh) can’t cut it and needs to be replaced with Jesus.
You can either embrace and walk up the hill and meet your God at the top (though He’s walking every step with you) or stand at the bottom looking up wondering what it would be like to know who your Jesus is.
Uphill climbs are good for us. They hopefully force us to say, “Lord help me!” Some of the strongest words we can ever say. Uphill climbs are good for us. They help us see that our faith in Jesus continually needs to grow. Uphill climbs are good for us. They’re used by the Spirit to make us more like Jesus, if I let them.
Stop wondering and start experiencing your Jesus today. Oh by the way, uphill climbs are good for you!
Set Free Now“W”w

“Joshua went and defeated the Anakites…only in Gaza, Gath and Ashdod did any survive. So Joshua took the entire land, just as the LORD had direct Moses and he gave it as an inheritance to Israel.” (Joshua 11:21a,22b-23)
Joshua modeled for the entire Israeli nation how to listen to and follow their God all the way to victory. He even showed them how to take down the giants in the land!
Yet there was one thing Joshua couldn’t do. He couldn’t fight their battles when it came to gaining full possession of their individual lands. Each tribe and each succeeding generation had to fight their own battles as they drew upon the lessons learned from Joshua and their leaders.
Like Joshua, Jesus has taken out the giants in the land on the cross and has the power to defeat the giants in your life due to His resurrected life. He will show you how to defeat those giants, if only you will listen and follow Him throughout your day. He will give you victory over your drugs of choice, if only you’d pick up your biblical tools and use them.
No one can do that for you, except you. You must choose victory; no one can choose it for you. It’s as one author said, “The choices we make in this life, small or large, are ours alone.” Victory over your giants is a guaranteed done deal, if only you choose to use your biblical tools, the truths the Spirit gives you from God’s Word, in each and every situation you face.
Go ahead. Make Jesus’ day. Knock down a giant or two today.
“Set Free Nowww”