it sets you free…

when we let others into our problems and our hurts and our pains and our sins amazing benefits take place in our lives.  when i share my hidden secrets with another person, first of all its liberating.
 
JESUS said, “when you know the truth the truth sets you free.” now anytime someone said to me, “i’ve never told this to anybody but i’m going to tell this to you.  you’re my pastor.”  i filled up with hope on the inside.  i knew that person was about to experience freedom. 

the moment you share your secret sin with somebody else it starts weakening the grip on your life by the second, instantly.  all of a sudden that grip that’s got you by the jugular and that guilt that’s got you all tied up, it starts weakening instantly. 

you haven’t done anything about it.  but by simply sharing it with another person it starts making it easier.  when you talk about it, the grip is broken on your life.  it’s liberating.  it’s setting you free. 

you see, hiding a hurt only intensifies it.  when we wear a mask it makes us miserable.  we spend all this emotional energy trying to pretend we’re something we’re not.  it feels good once you’ve done it.  it’s liberating because it’s your secrets that make you sick.  all of a sudden the pressure starts to dissipate when you’ve told one other person about the thing that you’ve never told anybody about. 

just a thought from the front porch…

more you share the more you get…

if you want GOD’s blessing on your life in a great, great way then share GOD’s blessing with others.

GOD doesn’t want to just bless your life, HE wants to use your life in a great way. GOD doesn’t want to just bless you so you can feel good and go, “isn’t this great? i feel blessed.” no. HE wants to make you a blessing to other people. the more you share with others the more GOD is going to bless your life.

2 corinthians 9.8 (nrsv) says this, GOD is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance so that by always having enough of everything you may share abundantly in every good work. GOD says, I bless you abundantly so you can bless others abundantly.

here’s how it works. you start blessing others with what you’ve got and GOD will give you more. i have practiced this principle personally for almost 40 years. you start sharing what you’ve got and GOD will give you more. you don’t say, “when i get to a certain level… when i achieve a certain thing… when i get more time… when this happens in my life… then i will start sharing.” no! you start sharing what you’ve got and GOD will give you more.

i am blessed to be a blessing. GOD wants to bless you so you can bless others so HE can bless you more so you can bless others more so HE can bless you more so you can bless others more and on and on and on.

here’s a verse i want you to memorize this week. acts 20.25 (cev) is a statement of JESUS, remember that our LORD JESUS said, “more blessings come from giving than from receiving.” if you want GOD’s blessing start being a blessing.

just a thought from the front porch…

the most strategic place for you to share…

now the question i want to ask you is very simple, is the place you work a happier place because you are a CHRISTian? is the place you work a better place because you are a believer?

you see matthew 5 says that we are to be salt and light. out in the world, we are to be salt and light. we are to penetrate the world and preserve the world.

let me tell you this. your work place is the most strategic place for you to share the good news. don't under estimate that. that's the place where everybody is. we spend 40% of our waking hours at work. so we need to use that platform for the LORD.

i meet CHRISTians all of the time who say, you know i just want to work with a bunch of CHRISTians. i want to quit my job and go to work in some ministry. i want to isolate myself, withdraw from the world, i want to get away from all those evil, wicked, mean, bad and nasty people. and i want to say, why do you want to do that?

but they say, but bill you don't understand. my office is a bunch of pagans. i mean the language, whew. my office..

why do you think GOD put you there? you can put up with a little bad language. you are his representative and GOD put you at that work. HE doesn't want CHRISTians to work just with a bunch of other CHRISTians. otherwise we might as well go join a monastery or convent depending on your preference.

the fact is, HE wants you out there with people who don't know the LORD so that your work can be an example. to be different to make a difference.

just a thought from the front porch…