Working Through…

We’re all working through things.

…Things we don’t want, circumstances, personal stuff, family dilemmas. We will always be working though something.

BUT!

We’re not going to let these (our) ‘things’ become an excuse for staying where we are.

This year let’s commit to ourselves to not let these ‘things’ we’re working through…perpetually it seems…to prevent us from moving forward.

SO…

What am I thinking about right now that I am allowing as an excuse, so I don’t do what I am hoping to accomplish in my life?

Work through it…and you will get to the other side.

Our Pasts

A stopping point or a stepping stone?

Everyone has a past….most are riddled with hard times, disappointments and loss.

“Everything was trying and difficult, there is no hope of something different for me up ahead.”

OR, is the past your stepping stone to a better, different, more fulling future?

Could you become the artist of your own life…paint it into the picture of your liking…make it an original creation of your own hands… or is it up to fate, luck, somebody else or ‘circumstances beyond your control’?

A painter begins with only 3 colors…red, yellow and blue.

‘I can’t paint something unique and different with only these 3 colors!” He has come to a stopping point.

“With theses 3 colors, I can blend and mix and match into a zillion new colors never seen before!!!” He has come to a stepping stone.

Move from, “I only have…” to “with what I have I can…” and watch what will come out of it.

Our past does not mean a dead-end to our future, it is only a jumping point to a brand new beginning, and another beginning, and another…

It’s fun to jump off the diving board into fresh new waters, into a new experience, a whole new life.

Where do you need to step, jump or dive into your new you, your new future? …and when you come out of the water, you’ll be a fresh, clean, brand new person… ready to begin again!

1, 2, 3….JUMP!

FREEDOM

Today I was privileged to watch part of  the ceremony for Hungary’s National Day in Budapest. Hungary was founded August 20th 1000AD by St. Stephen. As they sang their national anthem the guardsmen slowly, reverently raised their flag up the tall gray pole. The rain was coming down steadily, but that stopped no one from joining in the celebration of their freedom. The band played and the people sang while the guards watched as the flag was unfurled. Umbrellas of every size and color dotted the crowds who watched from the grounds. The verdant grass contrasted its green life against the red, white and green color stripes of Hungary’s flag.

Freedom. What a privilege. What a responsibility.

As I thought about their freedom and the freedom sought in many lands around the world today that freedom is available to anyone, anywhere, anytime. God said, “Whom the Son sets free is free indeed!”

Yes, we can have that freedom if we choose and if we cultivate it. Freedom begins not in a certain land or place; it begins first in our heart. It begins with a simple choice. “I believe.” Our greatest bondages are in our mind and Jesus came to free us of everyone of them—big or small. God said He would give us a new mind and a new heart when we come to Him, but now we must keep it renewed daily, sometimes minute by minute, as our greatest enemy, the devil, tries to take over our thoughts and bring us back into his bondage. Jesus gives us freedom no matter where we live and no matter what circumstance we find ourselves in. He is our great deliverer. This is our privilege in Christ.

It is also our responsibility, because we and we alone have control over our minds. God will not force us to think a certain way and the devil is constantly barraging our minds with thoughts of hate, anger, destruction, doubt, fear, guilt, inferiority, unworthiness, but God said we are to bring those thoughts to Him and cast them down. In other words, flatly refuse to think on them. Yes we do have a choice, to think on the bad and the negative, or to think on the good and the positive. We choose. God wants to help us. We tend to think we’re helpless and too far gone. No, that too is a lie. Jesus is there to help us and gives us His power to overcome those thoughts.

If we are free in our minds we can be free in our bodies. Freedom does begin first on the inside. I believe all men and women really do want to be free, but there is a cost. True freedom is found only in Jesus Christ, and He paid the cost that we couldn’t. All He says we need to do is believe and follow Him.

And His truth shall make you free!