Living from the Heart

“Christ has set us free to live a free life.” Galatians 5:1, Message

My uncle once told me he rather drive a restored car than drive a brand new one. He had a couple of very nice vehicles in his garage. Once was a restored Ford pick-up and the other was a very fast restored sports car. It was the kind of a car that would hit you in the back and say “lets go, lets go!”

My uncle liked having a car that was different than all the other “new models” that looked alike. He told me, “Everyone wants the same kind, there’s not another like this one.” There was a lot of freedom for him in pulling back the top of that car and driving in the sunshine, very fast!

I’ve never owned a fast sports car, but I admire my uncle’s desire to be himself and restore and enjoy old cars and trucks.

You too can be exactly who God created you to be. Discovering that can be quite a challenge due to the messages bombarding you to do this, buy this, eat this, live here, work here, play here and pay here!

Good News! Christ sets you free from the culture’s constant pressure to conform.

The wonderful congregation, I serve as their pastor, come from so many different backgrounds. Ethnicities, educational, experiences and religious backgrounds abound. We are brought together by our faith in Jesus Christ, our baptism, love for one another and a commitment to the Great Commandment and the Great Commission. From there the differences begin to quickly surface. For each of us are free to be exactly what God created us to be in our distinct uniqueness. Which means you can go around the world by being a part of Woodland! Together, we are part of the body of Christ, the Church.

Our commitment to one another doesn’t diminish our uniqueness. Each person genuinely matters to God and to others. However, we need each one to be him/herself. Each person is unique and matters. We have our good points and our flaws. We’re learning to live lives of worshipping God. It includes loving one another and rejoicing in one another’s growth and success and faithfulness when we fail.

We seek to live from the heart! Hearts that have been made new by the Holy Spirit. Here is one of my favorite verses.

“I will take away your stubborn heart and give you a new heart and a desire to be faithful. You will have only pure thoughts, because I will put my Spirit in you and make you eager to obey my laws and teachings.” Ezekiel 36:26-27, CEV

Freedom to live from the heart begins with a personal relationship with Jesus Christ!

Christ set us free to live a free life.