FREED FROM.... or TO?

OK, I have no pictures but I am going to try to give you and update on some of the lessons learned from Beth Moore's teaching during the re-taping of the Breaking Free Bible Study mentioned earlier on this blog. There were 10 sessions plus an introduction. the premise of the whole Bible Study is from Isaiah 61:1-4 and it parallels the bondage of the Israelites to believers today.

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because the Lord has annointed me to bring good news to the poor; He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound...to comfort all who mourn...to give them a beautiful headress instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the garment of priase instead of a faint spirit, that they may be called the oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord that He may be glorified. They shall build up the ancient ruins....

There were several main points from the week and without stealing Beth's thunder of some of the poingant analogies I will share some thoughts:

• The least likely make mighty warriors. All of us have strongholds - those things or people that we are preoccupied with that are destructive to healthy spiritual lives. Bonadage is anything that hinders us from being who God created us to be. If we don't seek freedom - we will seek shelter, primarily in our strongholds.

• HEBREWS 4:12 - The Word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword; piercing even dividing asunder soul and spirit, joint and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

• YOU NEED A BULLET IN YOUR GUN - Having a quiet time replete with the Word of God is your ammunition. There is no substitute...not a sunset, a mountain, a beach, or any other created thing...not a song, or a poem...the only thing potent enough is the Word of God. So load up....there are shotgun shells that spray for a wide variety and their are bullets (or for shotguns - a slug) that are for a more narrow aim. Whatever your stronghold is, The Word of God has the ammo you need to derail the enemy.

• It's your choice: Bandage or Bondage! Is. 61:1 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me...to bind up the brokenhearted... God is much more interested in our calling than our comfort. We are not FREED FROM ______ we are actually FREED TO _______ ! Many of us are under the captivity of activity. We do not know how to rest...we are busy, busy, busy. We check our email, facebook, my space, our text messages, voice messages, and mailboxes. We listen but we don't hear. We talk but our lives don't speak. We have been called to COME WITH ME...TO A QUIET PLACE...GET SOME REST (Mark 6:30-31). Just because there is a need...it doesn't mean you (or I ) are called to meet it.

This is quite enough to dwell on. The taping sessions were so applicable (as you can tell) and have given me much food for thought. What you see here are the nuggets I will grapple with for the next few months. How do I slow my life down enough to ...REST IN HIM, REST WITH HIM? Thanks for indulging me the priviledge of sharing some of the week with you. I will say that this study will be well worth your time and will transform your heart to be more like His.

Breaking Free from Work

Today I am off - totally off - not mentally (well, maybe) but from work at work and work at home. I have had a terrific month of November...first, I got a good report from my Dr. about my knee...still no load-bearing exercising - until January - but I can bike and do the elliptical machine! Then I took an entire week off November 10-15 and went to visit my good friend, Elizabeth, in Pass Christian, MS. During the day, I got to see her new world with her precious son, Walker Paul Lacedarius Williams.

Then about 4:30 each day we drove to New Orleans to Franklin Avenue Baptist Church to be a part of the re-taping of Breaking Free Bible Study - live with Beth Moore! This was such an amazing thing to witness. There is no way I can really describe it. I have tried and tried to see how I could actually blog about it...I am working today on narrowing down my thoughts to a few talking points....then I will post them later this week...since, as you know, I have the rest of the week off! :) so, stay tuned for an update within the next four to five days.


One final note on Redemption....this is the prequel for the 7th season of Jack Bauer and "24" that was aired on Sunday night. It was set in Africa and honestly hit a little close to home because it showed some rebels mounting a coup against the government and what Jack has to do to save 14 young boys...it reminded me of my time earlier this year in Rwanda and a bit of what it must have been like to live in fear and for children to be captured and forced to serve in the makeshift army. Anyway, alot of thought provoking scenes...but the very last one will preach...Jack gives up his freedom so that the boys will be saved...sounds familiar. More to come.