July 2013
Greetings From Chris
"Freedom"
Happy 4th of July! As I reflect on our nation's freedom and watch the fireworks burst in the sky my thoughts go to Jesus' words...you shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free.
It is somewhat interesting when I take a step back and look at how much effort and focus I tend to direct to achieving and maintaining certain freedoms. Often my thoughts tend to get me to believe that my happiness and contentment are wrapped up in these specific freedoms. It is definitely a tremendous blessing to not be an oppressed people and it is definitely a huge blessing when we have enough cash flow to meet our financial obligations.
What I find interesting is how little time I spend on attaining and maintaining freedom in the things that Jesus was talking about. The Bible tells me to take captive every thought and surrender it to him. It is my mind and what I think that so often are the very things that take me captive and rob me of my freedom? It is my broken relationships and my unwillingness to forgive that enslaves me and renders me useless? It is my selfishness and judgmental attitudes that hold me hostage and keep me from being who God created me to be.
The Bible tells me that whatever is true, right, good, pure, trustworthy, excellent or praise worthy...those are the things that I am to think about. Jesus brings true freedom and only he can bring deliverance from that which enslaves us and break the chains of those things that hold us captive!
Happy Freedom!
Blessings,
Chris