Celebrating freedom

Next week many of us will get together with friends and family and have bbq, home made ice cream and all the other foods you're not supposed to have. By the way why is it that everything that tastes good is bad for you - surely there is a conspiracy there! Anyway back to freedom. As I prepare for Sunday - God is causing me to rethink what freedom is and how to celebrate it. I began with looking up freedom. You wouldn't believe how many definitions there are for freedom. But most of us think freedom is the ability to do what we want and when we want. That is mostly right. I think it goes deeper. It is also about choices. That is having the ability to choose what is best. So that assumes that you have all the choices at your disposal. We believe that the American flag is a great symbol of freedom. I agree whole heartedly. I truly love my country. But I think the best symbol of freedom is the cross! I believe that it is because of God's work through Jesus on the cross that we even have this great country.

It is the cross that gives us all the choices. You see before the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross we didn't have real freedom because we didn't have all the choices. Jesus opened the way for a relationship with God the father by paying for our sins on the cross. Without that we don't have the best choice of a forgiven and holy relationship with God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

So now that we have all the choices and the best being a relationship with God, how do we celebrate this freedom? A couple of things come to mind. Let me explain them this way. What do folks do when they find a truly awesome restaraunt or a fantastic deal at a store? They tell their friends about it so they can experience the best too. So we as free followers of Jesus have found the best - lets tell our friends so that they can have the best too.

Freedom also should be celebrated by being the best! Dana and I have gotten to be in a few other countries over the years. In the countries where there is no real freedom - folks do their best not to stand out. If they stand out - those in charge will be quick to investigate and bring them back in line. Where there is real freedom - there is the ability to be creative and stand out and be your very best without fear. I have complete freedom without fear because of the relationship with Jesus. So I can celebrate (by the way that is what worship is - celebrating freedom) my freedom by being absolutely the very best I can, realizing that God has created me special and has equipped me to shine for HIM! So my celebration and being my best becomes an everyday act of worship. Not just worship in a church sanctuary from 11am to noon on Sunday!

I pray that you become free through Jesus and celebrate that freedom!

Sorry - I'm not dead!

Some may think that my lack of blog updates would point to my death. Not So! As the old man being carried off in Monty Pythons Holy Grail would say - I'm not dead yet!
No I'm not dead - just lacking creativity. I've had lots of thoughts and read lots but had nothing I was dying to share.

This evening I'm preparing for a funeral. This gentleman was a true believer and follower of Jesus. I'm tempted to tell folks I don't believe in Christianity! Now pick up your teeth. What I mean is I don't believe in what many call Christianity. Many folks in American say they are Christians. When they say this - it sometimes shocks their co workers or even family members. They look at each other with unbelieving stares and mouth "really". The gentleman who passed would not have had that problem. No one would have been surprised by his proclamation of being a Christian.

You see his everyday committment and trust in God and His Son Jesus was evident all the time. His faith was apparant because of his actions and his words. He looked and sounded like a committed follower of Jesus. I have folks that live in the area that say they are Christians but their faith shows very little. Their committment and love for Christ shows rarely! Surprises are fun sometimes, but honestly I hope I don't surprise anyone when I say I'm a Christian.. No I take that back - I'm not a Christian. I am a follower of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I'm working on the Lord part. You could pray for me on that.

Trent