We sang a song this morning at church where the words, “Strongholds are broken” repeated several times. The worship every Sunday with my church family is lit. The Spirit is raining down on her servants at Cross Point in powerful ways. Strongholds are being broken across this great nation, and my depression is no exception. I had to take a chill pill earlier this afternoon to face the tasks we had before us, but the Spirit was working through that medication to break strongholds. The Spirit is rewriting some soundtracks in my life that are propelling my family and I forward into brighter days. Mary Beth led a beautiful prayer that moved me even closer to the presence of God. When I’m not able to be at church it grieves me. That one hour on Sunday morning makes a huge difference in my life. God is always present, but there’s something about the corporate gathering of his children that produces a hope that’s bigger. Maybe that’s a broken soundtrack, but I love gathering with my church family.

It’s been in vogue to disparage organized religion, and given it’s the 4th of July anyone and everyone can say that if they want, but true freedom is found in Jesus Christ. There are a thousand voices in my head that tell me what freedom is, but if it’s not rooted in the love of Jesus Christ then it is temporary. Jesus is eternal, and if you’re leaning your ladder against a wall that doesn’t include Jesus I encourage you to reassess your direction. The Bible is clear that if we seek him first all these other things will be added. We have a nation who has turned it’s back on God, and we wonder why the bad things happen that have happened. When any civilization rejects God good things do not follow. The church doesn’t have to always agree 100% on all issues, but if it’s a church who confesses Jesus as LORD it can change entire cities. God created love and all other 8 fruits of the Spirit. He created the planet we walk on. He created the moon our astronauts walked on. He created human beings who have created amazing things throughout history. It all comes from him, yet we reject him. Why is this? We demand our rights, freedoms and liberties, yet we reject the one who gives them to us. It started with the first man and women, and now probably 5,000 years later the story is still the same. When will we wake up to the Father’s love for his children? Jesus work was transformative, and the the gift of the Holy Spirit is still at work in those who put him on in baptism. He’s made it simple to become part of his kingdom, rule and reign, and yet his enemies are murdering more now than they did in the first century. They still can’t silence the Gospel.

It’s time to embrace the truth of Jesus. He died, rose from the dead, and the gift of the Holy Spirit is received at your confession and baptism.