CELEBRATE FREEDOM! Today we celebrate our country’s freedom which started for us in so many arenas: religious freedom, Britain’s rule, taxation, and so much more. In our flesh and spirit it seemed our original leaders understood the importance of religious freedom and separating it from the government’s rule. However, they also knew that the rules used by the government needed to have God’s design built into them. Today we have drifted so far away from God, it seems our leaders, for the most part, see anything about God’s inclusion as “religious”. I pray for this to be turned around somehow.

As I read my scripture reading this morning I started the small but mighty book of James. I’ve always loved this book because it is written by one of Jesus’ earthly brothers. James didn’t always see his big brother as the true Son of God. Or, if he did, he didn’t respect it as he does when he wrote this book. He addresses so many daily living issues: temptation, forgiveness, faith with action and more. I love what he says about action without faith. I had this all confused for much of my life. I wanted to do “good” to earn my status with Jesus–so He’d love me and find we worthy of cleansing. I was hanging onto the sins done to me not knowing how to let them go and allowing the shame of the sin to be its own control. If I was good at anything I would try and use my strengths to earn this value.

James makes it clear that works done without faith point man to man. Only works done in faith look like God and help others see and find God. This has always been my intent, but it is so wonderful to now be able to live life this way. Life’s journey today does have great enjoyment, but any good I do I sure want it done out of obedience and faith rather than out of the old attempts of my past. I want people to see and find God from actions done today. To God be all Glory!

I’ve begun a bible study with someone on Thursday mornings so we met for the second time yesterday going through the introduction of the book we decided on along with its first chapter. The author’s purpose in the book is to teach us to believe in the authority of Jesus Christ and the power behind this authority. The author weaves his own struggle to believe into his writing and how God over time taught him to not just read His Word–but to believe it and put it into the practice of everyday living.

As we began yesterday the person I’m meeting with stated he’s nervous about getting excited because of what God might want him to do with his story. His confession brought back many, many pleas I’ve had throughout much of my own life. I was able to tell him that I spent 5 years in Celebrate Recovery before I finally opened up to the truth of my entire story. It was one thing to admit I’d been sexually abused by a gay brother for 12+ years. It was another thing to finally admit that this abuse had led to my own gay thoughts and desires. Confessing our entire story is never easy. I was also able to tell him that no matter what our story contains, God not only will prepare us for our “telling moment”, but He also prepares anyone who is to hear it. Never in my giving of my story have I found judgement in its telling. Instead, it has brought me so much closer to so many people who finally feel they can admit something they’ve been holding within waiting for a safe moment to do their own confessing.

God is such an Amazing God. For so long I feared His punishment and the exposure to shame. Instead, I’ve only found love, support, GRACE and FREEDOM. These gifts He gives us are for each of us as we step into our commitment with God.

Hebrews is wrapping up soon and today’s message in chapter 12 is the challenge to live life to the fullest striving to run this race with our eyes solely on the prize at the end–life with Jesus Christ! I’ve only run a few races in my life. I was told I was fast and could do well, but none of us boys were allowed to participate in sports. The cows had to be milked morning and night and this was first on the priority list.

Life’s race we are in today is different than the one on the track at high school. This race has the opportunity for each one of us to win the ultimate prize–Heaven with our Lord and Savior. The author of Hebrews tells us to keep our eyes focused only on the goal–the prize at the end. It is easier said than done, but saying it is the start. The beauty of living out the race is that we get a fresh start each and every day. Even at this ripening age of mine I find that the race is not different. Yes, what the world around me is doing may be different than 50 years ago, but my purpose in the world is not different. God wants me focused on Him. Starting my day with Him and listening well to His Spirit within is my intent–trusting and obeying this voice is my obedience. Each day I get to choose this route for the journey. I never want to question or stray from it. God’s Light is the only Light I want to follow!

Well, 70 years ago today the writer of this blog was brought into this world by Dr. Wolfe in his office in Homedale, Idaho. Dad and three brothers were gone fishing for the day. I’m sure dad was planning to have a fish fry in honor of my arrival! (That’s not what I was told).

I’ve lived so much of this first 70 years in the bondage of sins: dad’s, my brother’s and my own. I’ve worked hard to earn God’s favor, dad’s favor, the world’s favor only to find I had it all along. The worthiness I sought had already been given to me by the sacrifice of God’s Son–Jesus Christ. The gift was called GRACE and it is still the same gift each of us receives when we receive Jesus as our Savior and Lord.

Today I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that there is nothing for me to earn with or from God. The rest of my life (however much God is granting me) is going to be spent honoring Him and giving back to Him with tremendous thanks, admiration, and love. He has gifted me with a loving wife, 3 amazing kids and 12 even more amazing grandkids! How much more could a grandpa ask on his 70th birthday?!

Our God Team: God, Jesus and The Holy Spirit as truly AMAZING. I have been reading Hebrews of late in my devotions. The author of this book is said to be unknown. However, the title of the book: Hebrews, tells us it is written to the Jews–the new converts to Jesus and His Grace rather than God and His laws. Now, over 2000 years later, God is still trying to get me to turn away from following laws so I can live in Christ Jesus’ promised Grace.

Satan loves to have each of us bound up in bondage to anything which diverts our attention from the loving GRACE of our Lord Jesus Christ. Our flesh, human wisdom, seems to think laws are the only answer so we seek them out only to find we get lost in them. Looking at our own country’s present state demonstrates just how much man gets lost in his laws and trying to carry them out man’s ways. We have never been so divided as we presently are. Our nation’s eyes are turned away from this freedom promised by God through His Son Jesus and are now looking only to the laws of man. I would love to see our nation shift back to seeing God, but for this present moment, God is wanting me to not get lost in this. He wants me to keep my eyes on Jesus and help others to do the same.

At first when our pandemic began I found myself waiting for this crisis to end so I could get back to life as it was. I now realize this isn’t going to happen (at least anytime soon). So, how do I join God in this time? This morning as I asked Him this question I heard His nudge to look up. When I did I saw life, freedom and opportunity. At this point I only know these three ingredients are awaiting for me (us) to join them. So, instead of wondering what I will do, I will step into this day and each day believing there is life, freedom and opportunity in this day which I will join God in attaining. I’ll see just what that looks like for this day as my day with Him begins!

Yesterday was quite an amazing day. Once church was over I went out to pick the raspberries and had over 2 gallons before I’d gone through the inside of the patch. I took all of them to our neighbors who have 4 children. They seemed thrilled. I then came home and picked 2+ more gallons. I changed clothes quickly and went to a graduation party and once home I made 5 batches of jam–20 pints. All of this was done with a relaxed sense that God is in control and He really is.

Our pastor’s sermon yesterday was all about letting God be the one in control of our day rather than inviting Him to join us in our day–we join Him. I knew this message was for me, but I also know that God is wanting each of us to know this message from Him. The pastor tied it to the word compassion. He said God wants us to be compassionate as He is and if we join Him, we will exemplify this Godly compassion. I sent the pastor a text later in the day because my blackberries are almost ready to start picking and I tend to not share them and they are his favorite. So, I my text said that the next time he is inspired to preach a sermon as today, delay it until the blackberry season is past! It is hard to be selfish when God and man are telling you the same message!

It has been a weekend of events for us starting with the party Friday for our granddaughter. Yesterday had a recital and a 60 year anniversary along with helping my youngest get her car serviced. It was to end with a car parade for all the graduates at our granddaughter’s high school parking lot. I can get lost in all of these thinking they are events to endure until they pass and I can get back to my garden and picking raspberries (which I needed to do yesterday but….). I was journaling about this to God when He reminded me I can relax even during the events I’m attending. It is all about an attitude adjustment. I don’t need to go into a day as though it were a day of meetings at school all with a tight agenda. Each of these events is a celebration which needs to be relaxing and rewarding. It was nice to see them this way and it was even nicer to experience them this way too.

This journey of life is starting to teach me a lesson I’ve needed to awaken. God has been chipping away at this and finally I’m seeing a Light of truth I’ve yet to see clearly. This Light is that which shines when we go into the day with God rather than asking Him to go with us (me). I’m beginning to see that God never gets uptight. He doesn’t need to–He is ultimately in charge whether man knows this or not. When I join God rather than thinking He needs to join me, I see Him in charge and I can “relax” as He has been reminding me all weekend. My raspberries will get picked–I don’t need to get all uptight about it inside myself!

It is a huge mind shift when I join God in the day rather than asking Him to join me. The one is so selfish keeping me in charge. I’ve not wanted that, but it has been my truth. Today and each day I want to join God and live the day for Him so His Light shines through whatever He has me to do.

What an amazing God we get to serve! Yesterday was a party day at our home. Our oldest granddaughter’s high school graduation party was finally able to be held and we were the hosts. Her actual graduation will be held next Monday evening and we even get to attend. Her goal is to be a teacher focusing on special education. I love that. She had so many details planned into the party: a picture area, volleyball, canopy with tables and chairs, bouquets, several kinds of tacos and plenty of cupcakes. We had people coming and going most of Thursday and Friday getting all of this set up to her expectations. It ended at 8:00 pm last night and by 9:30 all of it was pretty well cleaned up and dismantled. She had so many friends here to give assistance. It was just a pleasure to be part of this.

The best part was watching and experiencing how eager everyone was to participate in the work of this. I was pondering this morning about our attitudes towards doing God’s work. How eager am I and what kind of an attitude do I have about it? Living each day for God is a party in the making. God wants to celebrate everyone of His kids arrival home with Him. I sure don’t want to be a deterrent to anyone coming to this point in their lives. Instead, I’d like to be a light for Jesus helping people see there is a party awaiting for them!

Last night at Celebrate Recovery I taught the lesson on Daily Inventory. I had prepped for it a couple times and then again yesterday late afternoon before heading over to the church. It was then while doing the last prep that I began to hear the Holy Spirit challenging me with the content of this lesson. Doing a daily inventory is done through journaling and responding to a few questions analyzing your day and how you responded to it. However, the deeper part of the lesson is what happens for each of us when we are responsibly doing this.

It has been in my journaling that I have found the intimacy of my spiritual heritage–God, Jesus Christ and The Holy Spirit. Daily tuning in to them by confessing, asking, listening and responding I’ve found the most loving TEAM one could ever find. I’ve known what the scriptures have said about God’s love for us and that we are to love others as we love ourselves. However, I’ve needed to move this information from my mind to my heart. I had to believe what the scriptures say as truth for me. This is what God has done over the last couple of years.

Life can teach us so much that Satan takes and drills into our minds as truth. This always contradicts God’s TRUTH. It has been the daily journaling which has allowed me to not only find the reality of this awesome relationship God wants with me, but also to begin finding His promised strength to do what I’ve never been able to do before–BELIEVE! Isn’t our God AMAZING?!!

A few weeks back one of my grandsons and his friend helped me prepare our pool for filling and use. I bought the chemicals and a new pool cover for the season. We found three tiny leaks in the lining while cleaning it which I’d never had happen in the past 22 years. I thought it was fine after patching them and began to fill it only to have many more begin in a particular area. It is 24′ round. I “hate” dealing with this so I wanted to dismantle the thing and give the grandkids something to do besides swim. (That didn’t go over so well!) I finally ordered a different type and slightly smaller one. This one I will dismantle each fall when the season ends hoping the winter doesn’t destroy things (if that’s the problem). Yesterday I returned the cover and when I got home the new pool had arrived. Today we will set it up.

I write all of the above because this is a perfect example of what makes me anxious–to the point of not sleeping at night. I just want to do away with things like this. However, putting my trust in God in all things as yesterday’s scripture says is remarkable. It is one thing to be obedient and finally do what we are to do. It is another thing to do it with confidence that it is not about my skills, but God’s. Having the Holy Spirit within me (the POWER of the ALMIGHTY) doesn’t give me skills, but it is to give me the confidence that in spite of my skills, “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.” Philippians 4:13

The 4th chapter of Hebrews challenges me to stop giving so much attention to my anxiety and lack of skills and to confront it with God’s assurances/promises as scripture tells. This is what Christ did throughout His ministry years and He asks us to do the same. It is such a silly example–a pool–however, it is a big one for me.