Jeffs Blog: Free From Doing My Own Thing

Let me start this blog with an update on my week. I'm in Wyoming doing a painting trip with another artist friend. The picture is one of the hundreds of references I've gotten over the last couple of days - (very little sleep, lot's of driving, painting and taking pictures... and junk food.

Hope you joined me last weekend for At The Movies 2011, we talked about how we have been given a clue to living this life while we looked at Transformers. This coming weekend at Alive Church I am going to be wrapping up At The Movies 2011 with one of my favorite talks from the Bible: Given a Purpose. And the movie of the week is... (hint - it is an animated and if you heard last weekend it does have a sequel coming out this summer!) Take some time and invite a friend for this weekend or if you have never been to one of our campuses, make this the weekend, it will be a great time and a life changing talk. Besides, last weekend for free pop corn and lots of movies clips to look at Biblical truth in a Hollywood blockbuster!

Always want to give this report - last weekend there were 10 new people who made decisions to follow Jesus. If you are one of them - congrats! You've made the most important decision of your life. You are a new person on a new journey - don't do it alone!


Thinking and praying this morning and focusing on Jesus words in John 8:31-32: "If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free." I love this verse but we often take it out of context to mean that Jesus is talking about being honest and that honesty will lead to freedom. There are plenty of verses that talk about honesty - this isn't one of them. It is so much more. I guess one reason I love this verse so much is that one of my personal values has always been FREEDOM. I want to live in freedom.

Jesus died for us to be free, not free to "do our own thing" rather to free us from doing our own thing and to serving Him. There is a qualifier for this freedom. "Continue in My word.", then you will know the truth. Many version say "Obey My commands". We read that and we start to think that it gets complicated. Not really. That's one of the things I love about being a Jesus follower. Jesus said here are my commands: "Love God and Love others." (Matt 22:37-39) He said that is it. He is Truth - we will know Him, not a thing and we will live in FREEDOM - absolute FREEDOM! Anyone grateful for the Freedom Jesus, The Truth, gave us on the cross? I am. Dude - I'm really grateful - Thank you God!!!