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…

alone or with others…

if you are a true follower of CHRIST you cannot be on the sidelines or in the stands. you have to be in the game.  that is what JESUS was saying over in john 13.35 (msg),  this is how everyone will recognize that you are MY disciples—when they see the love you have for each other.

now in having better relationships there are some crossroads that each of us come to.  one crossroad is when i choose to walk alone or i choose to be with others. 

i’m just going to sit over here in church and not get involved.  i really don’t want to get close to anybody.  the last time i did that i got hurt, or i don’t really want anybody to know anything about me.  i can handle life all on my own.  that is exactly where our enemy wants us.

look at what the bible has to say about this.  ecclesiastes 4.12 (msg), by yourself you’re unprotected. with a friend you can face the worst. can you round up a third?
a three-stranded rope isn’t easily snapped.

you know the early church understood the importance of standing together.  it was awesome.  to them church wasn’t a building but it was a group of people who came together to support each other, to pray for each other, to care for each other, to learn, to study, to survive, to thrive. 

acts 2.44 (niv) says, they were all together and they shared everything.  they were together. 

i hear a lot of people criticizing the people in the game who get paid so much but that’s the way it is with people who risk, they are rewarded.  and you will be rewarded if you reach out and get in touch with other people.

the first crossroad that we all face is am i going to get in touch with other people?  or am i going to keep being more and more isolated? 

just a thought from the front porch…