I saw a gentleman walking toward me the other day waving his hands. The closer I got, I could hear him calling out to something while cussing up a storm. I glanced over my shoulder to see what was behind me but couldn’t see anything. I had a quizzical look on my face as I kept walking while hoping he wasn’t talking to me.
Then I saw what that something was – his dog. He was yelling at the dog to come; and yet, the dog wasn’t moving. At the time the two were reunited, I sure was glad I wasn’t his dog. You should have seen the look on its face. It was like, “Can you rescue me?!”
Even when we stray from and hurt Jesus, our shepherd, He doesn’t treat us like this guy did his dog. You’ve got to understand something: Your view of Jesus shapes whether you will follow Him or not.
Jesus valued you enough to come to this planet. He wanted a relationship with you so bad that He died to make it happen. He believes in you so much that He calls you friend and family. Jesus is asking you to trust Him enough to follow where He leads, even when that goes against every fiber of your being.
So let me ask, “What’s in your eyes when you see Jesus?” Keep exercising the truths He gives you about Himself from Scripture. You’ll discover He’s worth trusting with every cell, not just the fibers, in your body.
S“E”t Fre“E” Nowww

We’ve all heard and most likely read Psalm 23, but do you really believe it? Verse one and three read, “The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.”
Jesus is asking us to trust Him over ourselves. And, we’d probably be quick to say, “I trust Jesus.” But until we surrender our wills, we’re deceiving ourselves, as in fact we’re still trusting ourselves. Surrendering the “I” is probably one of the toughest things we’ll ever do as Jesus believers.
The path Jesus is calling you to take today may be scary, but do you trust your Shepherd to lead to do what’s in your best interest even when your brain is screaming otherwise?
We may love and quote Psalm 23, but we do not really trust our Shepherd until we make that choice to take the step of faith empowered by the Spirit that He’s asking us to take. My BIG partner is praying for my trust to increase, is yours?
Set Fre“E” Nowww

Two scenarios, one question, “Who controls your choices?” I was on a walk-talk with Jesus when both scenarios took place.
The first occurred when a gentleman pulled up in a golf cart, asked how I was doing and did I know that I was on private property. Keep in mind no signs were posted saying I was. I was simply walking the hills to the east of my house where there are acres on acres of open space.
The second took place as I was walking down a dirt road. All of a sudden a construction truck hauls by kicking up rocks and all kinds of dust. Normally, these guys slow down when they pass to avoid such a situation. This guy obviously didn’t get the memo.
I have the right and freedom to walk these hills without getting dusted, literally. Who controlled my choices – these gentleman or me? Don’t be quick to answer, because we all know what we’d like to say or do in each situation. Will we, however, filter these situations through Jesus or our flesh, which contains all the old ways of handling these types of situations?
I could let these guys control my choices. That was my choice. It’s your choice as well. To let others in your past or present make your choices or you can learn to hear from Jesus and then choose to follow Him in each situation, even on dusty roads. The only good outcome occurs when we choose Jesus. BTW – I chose a smile and great walk-talk with Jesus without missing a beat. Yeah!
S“E”t Free Nowww

“It’s not a big deal. I can have just a little.” This mindset can be very dangerous for the believer in Jesus.
Let’s say your drug of choice (the area of your life the Spirit wants to replace with Jesus) is eating. Sure, a piece of candy or one extra helping of potatoes is no big deal. (Unless the Spirit specifically said don’t) So, what’s the problem?
The problem is that with each extra bite, you’re training your brain to believe that compromise is okay. Understand this truth: Our lives are changed through changing the way we think (Romans 12:2). Thus, compromising in one area of your life can lead to compromises in other areas of your life. Thoughts are not isolated, but linked, in our brain.
The “It’s not so bad!” mentality is an “argument” that must be destroyed (2 Cor. 10:5) as it leads down a dangerous path away from the source of everything you’re looking for in life – Jesus.
The next time you think, “It’s not so bad.” Shout back, “Yes it is!” And then exercise the truth Jesus gave you by faith empowered by the Spirit. Victory is sweet and a changed life lasts for eternity.
Se“T” Fre“E” Nowww

I was greeting a couple one day at service when they asked, “How are you doing?” You know my immediate response, “Fine!” Then I stopped and told them the truth, “In reality, I’m struggling at the moment, but am pressin’ on. We do real here at New Hope.” I knew they were struggling as well and hiding that fact wasn’t going to help them; therefore, I knew I had to model realness before them.
Abraham, a faith Hall of Famer, had just come off a great victory in rescuing his nephew Lot, experienced fear and doubt. Would his new enemies regroup and attack? Where was the heir he so desperately needed? God came and said, “I am your great reward and shield. Can you count the stars? Nope, but you’ll have more children than you can imagine.”
We all need encouragement to keep making the necessary daily choices to follow Jesus. Sometimes, God encourages us Himself; but more often than not, He uses others…if we do real. The Spirit writes in James 5:16 that if we want our lives changed/made whole/healed, we must let a few people into our struggles so they can be there and pray for us.
Who are you doing real with?
Set Free Noww“W”