Responsibilities of Freedom

Posted on July 2, 2025 by Arrow

The Fourth of July or Independence Day reminds Americans of their great freedoms. I heard a pastor share that a uniformed soldier once told him, “Don’t thank me for my service. Thank me for your freedom.” Something worth considering.

Freedom is a powerful thing. We, in America, are allowed many freedoms that others have never experienced. But the greatest freedom is offered to all people through Jesus Christ. As believers, we are set free from sin (Romans 6:18).

Freedom, however, comes with responsibilities.

  • The Message version of James 1:25 says, “But whoever catches a glimpse of the revealed counsel of God—the free life!—even out of the corner of his eye, and sticks with it, is no distracted scatterbrain but a man or woman of action. That person will find delight and affirmation in the action.” James was warning that true freedom is demonstrated in right living. We don’t forget what we hear. We do it.
  • The Apostle Paul wrote, “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom” (2 Corinthians 3:17). He then explains that believers, with the help of the Holy Spirit, should increasingly become more like Jesus.
  • Paul also taught, “You, my brothers [and sisters], were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love” (Galatians 5:13). He then clarifies that believers are to “live by the Spirit.”
  • Finally, the Apostle Peter adds, “Live as free [people], but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God” (1 Peter 2:16).

May we regularly recall what Christ did and what it cost Him to set us free. Let’s give Him thanks and live in a way that reflects Him.

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Put On the New

Posted on June 25, 2025 by Arrow

“You’re going to wear that again?” The frustrated mother of a junior higher gave up. It was the third day in a row that her son would wear that unwashed shirt and jeans.

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Interestingly enough, Jesus told a story about a man who was improperly dressed, possibly wearing dirty and tattered clothing, not to school, but to a wedding feast! The guy had been given a new outfit appropriate for the occasion, yet he refused to take off the old and put on the new.

How did that work out? The man was thrown out, essentially sent to hell. (Matthew 22:13).

In 2 Corinthians, Paul teaches, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” (2 Cor. 5:17).

Jesus’ parable of the wedding feast was a depiction of God inviting all people into His kingdom, into a personal relationship. Everyone was invited. Unfortunately, most created excuses as to why they couldn’t come. God continued to send messengers to make sure everyone knew they were welcome. He even provided a change of clothes for those who felt unworthy of attending.

Perhaps the man in Jesus’ story felt he was not worthy to attend the heavenly feast. He misunderstood that He was not invited based on his own merit or works, but on what Jesus did. “God made him [Jesus] who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Cor. 5:21).

Once we accept God’s invitation, we are made new and stand before God with the clothing of Jesus’ righteousness.

May we get rid of the old and embrace the new.

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Healthy Spiritual Muscles

Posted on June 18, 2025 by Arrow

The cause of my pain was finally diagnosed by our chiropractor. A back muscle called quadratus lumborum was waaaay too tight. The doctor explained that this muscle band needed a good blood flow to be healthy and it wasn’t getting it. Treatment: deep massage and stretching.

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND

We’ve all experienced the stiffness of unused muscles, even if we’ve only been still for a couple of hours. The same thing happens with our spiritual muscles. In the parable of the talents found in Matthew 25:14-30, the servant who hid his “gift” instead of using it eventually lost it. Those who used their talents were blessed with more.

As believers, fear, laziness, and disobedience are all causes of “stiffness” in our spiritual life. In order to be spiritually healthy, we need to use the gifts God has blessed us with to serve others.

My doctor also shared this example. If I made a tight fist and stuck it in water and then took my hand out, my palm would be dry, a picture of the lack of blood flow to my back muscle.

I thought of how we may hang on to sin so tightly that we do not allow the blood of Jesus to flow into that area of our life to bring healing. What we need to do is open our hand, release the sin or problem and allow the blood of Jesus to cleanse and forgive.

Scripture tells us, “[L]et us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience . . . . And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds” (Hebrews 10:22, 24).

Our spiritual muscles need blood as well as movement. Let’s go!

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Anything New?

Posted on June 11, 2025 by Arrow

Anything new? Hmm. Not wardrobe or hairstyle. Not my walk/jog through my neighborhood. Truly, not my homemade breakfast bars that I’ve made part of my routine for months now. Usually, I’m okay with that. With some things, I’m comfortable with same-old, same-old . . . but in other areas, I need something new. How about you?

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Jeremiah wrote, “Because of the LORD’s faithful love we do not perish, for His mercies never end. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness!” (Lamentations 3:22-23 CSB Italics mine.)

Bible study teacher, Jennifer Rothschild, clarifies this verse. “Jeremiah is not saying that we lose God’s mercy or compassion.” “But rather, every day we get to experience God’s mercies all over again, fresh and new” (Psalm 23: The Shepherd with Me).

The idea of God’s love washing anew over us each morning is like the joy of a spring shower. His daily mercy in forgiving our weaknesses and shortcomings provides relief and refreshes our mind.

People talk about needing a fresh filling of the Holy Spirt. But it’s not because they ran out or the Spirit left. Our mind needs to be refreshed. We need a new awareness of God’s presence and His power.

We forget and get distracted. That’s why it is important to spend time with the Lord on a daily basis. We need daily, refreshing reminders. We need to hear His Spirit speak to our hearts. And God has a Word for us every day.

The apostle Paul reminded us that we were taught “to be made new in the attitude of [our] minds” (Ephesians 4:23).

May we pause daily to experience God’s presence and power, receive His new love and mercies, and hear His refreshing Word.

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A Cup of Hope

Posted on June 4, 2025 by Arrow

I’d like a cup of hope, please.

Wouldn’t that be a nice way to jumpstart your day? Is hope something I can stir up when feeling discouraged? Where can I find it?

The NIV Study Bible describes hope as “unshakable confidence concerning the future”, “not a mere wish.” NIV notes on Romans 5:5 explain, “The believer’s hope is not to be equated with unfounded optimism. On the contrary, it is the blessed assurance of our future destiny and is based on God’s love, which is revealed to us by the Holy Spirit and objectively demonstrated to us in the death of Christ.”

The Scriptures below answer where hope can be found and teach what or whom to put our hope in: God, His Word, and His love.

  • “Why are you downcast [depressed], O my soul? Why so disturbed [with grumbling and complaining] within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God” (Psalm 42:5).
  • “For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope” (Romans 15:4).
  • “But the eyes of the LORD are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love” (Psalm 33:18).

In other verses, hope and waiting or hope and faith go hand in hand:

  • “But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently” (Romans 8:25).
  • “[W]e wait for the blessed hope—the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:13).
  • “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see” (Hebrews 11:1).

When needing a helping of hope, may we look to the One who is our hope, the hope that does not disappoint. (Romans 5:5)

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Graduation or Summer School?

Posted on May 28, 2025 by Arrow

Here we are, that time of year where many are graduating, receiving that long-sought-after diploma. The lessons learned have hopefully equipped scholars to successfully embark on their choice career.

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Sometimes, a life of lessons learned can feel like a series of graduations. Other times, we may experience feeling stuck in a series of repeated summer school sessions.

Challenges or seasons of difficulty give us the opportunity to grow in our faith and experience a closer walk with God. Remember, He knows exactly what we need in order to mature in our relationship with Him.

Maturing or “graduating” is up to us. When we refuse to learn the lessons God has for us, we become stuck in a summer school cycle.

That’s what the Israelites did after they left Egypt. God wanted them to understand that He was trustworthy. He was with them and would meet all their needs.

But they repeatedly panicked, grumbled, and complained. Instead of waiting to see how God would provide for them, they went to Moses and whined or took matters into their own hands causing epic failures.

The Israelites were such slow learners that they stayed in the desert for 40 “summer school sessions.” It was the next generation who finally entered God’s promised land.

May we learn from their example and heed the words of James: “Consider it a great joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you experience various trials, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing” (James 1:2-4).

I figure, becoming “mature and complete” takes a multitude of mini-graduations and hopefully fewer summer school sessions to learn our lessons.

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I Could Never Do That!

Posted on May 21, 2025 by Arrow

What do you do when you know within your spirit that God has given you a specific task, but in your mind, you know that you are completely incapable of accomplishing it? The very thought of it conjures up fear and a feeling of weight too heavy to bear.

But that’s the thing, God is our burden bearer. King David wrote, “Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens” (Psalm 68:19). The New Testament parallel verse is this: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:28-30).

I love that we are called to come and learn from Jesus. When we ‘take’ His yoke, we accept His teaching and answer the call. We agree to do the work He has for us.

As one of Christ’s followers, we may sense unsteadiness, like standing in a boat on a lake in a storm. But be assured of His presence and hear His call to step out of the boat. We must move out of our comfort zone and step into the unknown with Him.

And then it happens! We find ourselves doing the work He assigned. We experience His help, guidance, and strength, and we complete our assignment for the day.

The next day, we find ourselves in the same ‘boat’. Each day, we must muster the faith to again step out.

Gradually, stepping out isn’t such a heavy task. We recall His faithfulness and somehow the ‘work’ becomes a ‘walk’ that is doable with our Lord.

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One Thing

Posted on May 14, 2025 by Arrow

In my observations, I find that it typically takes more than one thing to be truly successful, stay healthy, have a thriving marriage, or even warrant off deep wrinkles.

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA

Jennifer Rothschild, an author of Bible studies, identifies four “one thing” Scriptures that I had never linked together. Here they are.

Jesus told Martha: “[Y]ou are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed” (Luke 10:41b-42a). Jesus was referring to the example of Martha’s sister, Mary, who had made the better choice. Rather that fussing over preparations, Mary spent time at the Lord’s feet listening to His teaching.

Similarly, we find King David praying, “One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple” (Psalm 27:4). David wholeheartedly longed to be in the Lord’s presence.

Now, peek at Paul’s focus. “But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:13b-14).

Finally, we hear the testimony of a man born blind. Unable to explain the miracle, he simply testified, “One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!” (John 9:25b).

When the blind man gained his sight, I hope the one thing he did was follow the examples of Mary, David, and Paul. To choose to live for the Lord and spend time in His presence sounds like the best “thing” of all. (Oops, that might be two things!)  Oh well, let’s do it!

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Check Your Sensors

Posted on May 7, 2025 by Arrow

It was late winter and I found myself driving in falling snow for the first time ever! A retreat had called me from our warm, wet valley higher to the mountains where the precipitation quickly turned to snow. I thank God the roads were clear, visibility was good, and drivers were taking their time. But soon I learned that some of my car’s guidance and driving features were not working. Warnings flashed letting me know among other things that I had no radar and therefore no cruise control. Snow-covered sensors were inoperable.

We drive into similar situations in our spiritual lives. Our senses or spiritual awareness becomes dull, our vision blurred, and hearing muffled or muted. It seems difficult to receive God’s guidance or sense His nearness.

That means, time for a checkup. James says, “Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded” (James 4:8). The truth is God promises throughout Scripture that He will never leave us so we remind ourselves of this fact. Then we examine our hearts. Is there disobedience or sin we are hanging on to? When we ask earnestly, the Holy Spirit will reveal areas that need a good washing or adjustment.

Paul points out that believers are no longer immoral or evil doers. He says, “But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God” (1 Corinthians 6:11b). Since God has cleansed us, may we regularly check to make sure our hearts and actions are aligned with Him and His Word. Our spiritual clarity increases as we cruise where He leads with our senses fixed on Him.

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Freedom Offered

Posted on April 30, 2025 by Arrow

The toddler balanced securely on her crib railing, feet firmly woven around the bars and hand holding the end panel. She was determined that she would not leave her crib until her parents got home from their brief outing. Awaking early from her nap, the little one refused to take the outstretched arms of Papa or Grammy. Instead, she stubbornly retreated back into her crib, content with waiting and rejecting the freedom offered.

Wow, do we act like this sometimes? Choosing to stay stuck in our little “habitat”, perhaps mad that what’s coming to “greet” us isn’t our first choice or particular preference for the moment? Instead of leaning forward in freedom, we retreat into a sulking disappointment, missing out on new or different experiences or blessings.

Listen as Jesus quotes the prophet Isaiah: “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor” (Luke 4:18-19). Jesus announced that He was fulfilling that very prophecy.

Jesus set us free from sin, free from the bondage and burden of sin. We have been set free to walk a new life with Him when we accept Him as Savior.

As believers, do we live in Christ’s freedom? Do we lean into Him, trusting His open arms, believing He knows best? Have we risked stepping into the new thing He has prepared for us to do, remembering that He is always with us?

“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free” (Galatians 5:1a).

The prison doors have been opened, my friend. May we move forward into the life-giving freedom of Christ.

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