J.R. Lee

• So grateful for the stories of life-change I have heard already from this past Sunday!
• People are taking steps of faith that they thought would be impossible just weeks ago.
• Generosity is on the increase.
• Trust in God and His Word are growing.
• Addictions are being dealt with and overcome.
• Marriages are undergoing restoration.
• Jesus is being honored and He is blessing as only He can!
• Lexi starts guitar and London starts dance this week.
• Devin just called to let me know that Bryce is in the 94th percentile for height, 85% for weight, and his head measures at 99%.
• Bryce, like his dad, has a big head apparently. Sorry son.
• Devin and I have been changing up our date nights each week and it is quite the experience.  I’ll write more about that at a different time.
• It’s Miami / Florida State week.  Let’s Go Canes.
• I say this often, but I absolutely love being the Pastor of Freedom Church.  The faith of our people inspire me greatly.
• The best is yet to come Freedom.  The best is yet to come!
• Speaking of that – I am pumped up about Sunday.  I say that every week and I mean it every week.  Join me in inviting friends/family to come with you on Sunday.
• Look forward to seeing you then!

Matthew 7:13  “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate & broad is the road that leads to destruction, & many enter through it. 14 But small is the gate & narrow the road that leads to life, & only a few find it.

How do you know which road you are on?  One road leads to death.  The other leads to life.   It’s important to make the right choice. Believing the following statements signify that you are on the Broad Road:

• As long as were sincere we all end up in the same place:  (Proverbs 14:12)
• If my good outweighs my bad than I am covered: (Good deeds can’t fix it)
• Jesus couldn’t possibly be the only way – that’s too narrow minded (John 14:6)

It’s important to remember that if you desire a relationship with God through His Son Jesus Christ that there are two doors marked Heaven.  One goes there. The other does not.   There are not a lot of people trying to sell you on hell and therein lies the deception. Jesus offered something different.    A relationship by grace through faith as a result of divine accomplishment where salvation depended on what God did for us not what we do for God.   

It’s a big decision.  I hope you will choose wisely.   You can take your chances, do things your way, all while racing blindly down the wrong highway OR you can do things God’s Way, come to the truth, and be forever given life with a few others down a one lane road.

• Sunday was an extremely encouraging day!  Go back and watch/listen to the message if you missed it.
• Bikes or Bust  is going to be incredible this year!  Check out the website for more details.
• October was Pastor Appreciation Month and I want to let you know how much I appreciate the opportunity to a part of Freedom Church.  I am grateful and appreciate YOU!
• We are now up to 45 families who are taking part in the Giving Challenge.  So proud of them and what God is doing in their lives!
• I love them months of November and December!
• For those of you who hate it when people put their Christmas Tree up early – I advise you not to come to my house.  The tree is not up yet but I fully expect to get home from work one day soon and for that to have changed.
• Devin is a Decorating Guru and loves Christmas decorations as much as anyone on planet earth.
• Sunday is going to be a life-changing day at Freedom.  If you are part of Freedom – I challenge you to bring someone with you this week!  

Philippians 4:19 contains an incredible promise…

19 And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.

I love and am grateful for that promise.  The same is probably true of you.  It’s nice knowing that we have a blank check backed up by Christ guaranteed to meet all our needs (Key word = NEEDS)!

But here’s the catch.  That promise is conditional and it doesn’t work in reverse.  If you are not living a life of obedient generosity than that promise does not yet apply to you.  That’s bad.  If you are and/or are living a life of obedient generosity than you are covered under that promise.  That’s good.

The promise takes effect when its activated by faith.

Thats how faith works.  Giving takes faith to believe that following God’s Word makes more sense than following your word.

Don’t believe me?  God invites us to put Him to the test (Malachi 3:10).

10 Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the LORD Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it.

We believe it so much that we offered people the chance to take a 30 Day Giving Challenge.  Honor God in the area of generosity for 30 days and if you don’t experience the blessing of God  - we’ll give it back.  All of it.  No strings attached.

Go ahead.  Give it a shot.  You have nothing to lose and everything to gain.  God’s never made a promise that was too good to be true and that’s good news for all of us.