“The Trinity” is not the God of the Bible.

Trinity and the multitude of verbal trappings that consume theologians and seminaries, serve to get a handle on God, and put Him in a box.

The wording of trinity with all its catch phrases bears little resemblance to the Word of God—the Bible is just used to back up the trinity doctrines.

We should instead read the Bible and ask, “What does it say about God?”—not say how it proves our point.

(By the way, that applies to all doctrinal teaching.)

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By universal and continuous use of trinity and all that goes along with it, we actually reverence and worship man’s words more than God’s Words—when we say them more.

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Undisputed teachings of honored church fathers without caution can be dangerous.

Do we swallow everything Luther said and wrote?

That is not a good idea.

Do we accept without question what early church leaders said just because they lived closer to Jesus’ time on earth than we do?

That is not a good idea.

Do we follow what our pastor and teachers say because we like them and trust them? Lots of people do.

That is not a good idea.

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Sadly, the masses of people in the pew accept as gospel truth what they hear repeatedly from the pulpit, without ever opening their own Bible to see where it came from—or even IF it came from the Bible.

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Just start listening to the frequency of trinity and all it’s affiliated phrases, compared to the frequency of Bible verses quoted on Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

“Jesus told him to do what he clearly could not do, and he did it”—–Allister Begg on American Family Radio

Jesus told a man with a paralyzed hand to stretch out his hand, and he did.

Is something from the past holding you back like a prison cell?

Do you relive it in the present by retelling it or rethinking it?

Now what—what about the future, your future—permanent prison, or prison no more?

PRISONS PAST and

PRISONS PRESENT must become

PRISONS NO MORE !

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What makes, and maintains, a personal prison?

+Identity with lifelong patterns or habits from early on, leaving the idea, “This is just who I am.”

+Circumstances with unfavorable economics, unstable family life, undesirable neighborhoods, leaving the idea, “This is all I know.”

+People with influence offering leadership toward wrong activities, security of belonging in wrong groups, leaving the idea, “This is my family now.”

+Some individual—family, acquaintance, stranger—crossing the line of abuse, seductively or violently, leaving the idea, “I’m permanently damaged.”

+Trauma—a terrible event, ongoing devastating health conditions or other circumstances, fear of return, leaving the idea, “There is no hope for me.”

+Triggers and reminders crossing your path without warning and making you rethink or even relive or even retell that part of your life, leaving the idea, “This is my life.”

+Shattered dreams—unfinished projects, re-lived nightmares, debilitating shortcomings, ongoing patterns lacking accomplishment, life in a merry-go-round, leaving the idea, “I can’t.”

+Identity of repeating—when any challenge to what you say over and over, is a threat, leaving the idea, “I’m fragile.”

+Lifestyle choices convince you that there is no room for change, leaving the idea, “I have no choice—this is it.”

+Memories—never-ending reminiscing about the good days of the past—gone by, never to be experienced again because something happened, leaving the idea, “My life is over.”

+Wrongs of previous generations are piled on you for wrongs you have not done, leaving the idea, “I am guilty.”

+Living in a dreamworld that has more pain than fantasy, leaving the idea, “I’m scared of the real world—too scared to try.”

+All of life’s pain compounded to the point of overwhelming—something has to give, NOW, leaving the idea, “I have to do this (the unthinkable).”

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The progression of living in a dreamworld:

Dreaming—in a childhood fantasy

Dreaming—in a childhood fantasy, in a fairy tale

Dreaming—in a childhood fantasy, in a fairy tale, with a prince

Dreaming—in a childhood fantasy, in a fairy tale, with a prince, in a castle

Dreaming—in a childhood fantasy, in a fairy tale, with a prince, in a castle prison

Dreaming—in a childhood fantasy, in a fairy tale, with a prince, in a castle prison—in adulthood

You believed in fairy tales, and you dreamed you had your very own, and then . . . , and now your choices—this prison, or end up in another, or even ‘been there, done that.’

You have no hope to bring back the reality of really living, or bring it into reality for the first time, with the childlike secret to loving life, including dreaming?

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Perhaps you can’t talk about the past, or perhaps you always talk about the past.

Perhaps your past is also your present.

The pattern about the past can make you feel like a victim, like a prisoner.

How you respond to it now can determine either freedom from the prison—or deeper entrenched in the prison, with more fortified walls, as you consider dangerous decisions.

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Straight talk, from life through the years:

Instead of reaching out for help, do you lash out and drag others into your prison—others who could be close to you, close enough to help?

Do you think and talk about your prison with claims that you understand it, and nobody else can?

Do you fiercely guard your prison—keep anyone from changing the way you see it, remember it, relive it, retell it? The same guard that makes sure no one gets in to your prison, also keeps you from breaking out of your prison.

Every time you think or talk or act about the prison in your life, you either add a brick to the wall or start busting down the wall, toward freedom.

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Your prison of the past is fixed—real history.

Your prison of the present is not fixed forever—every day is a decision whether to retell, relive, repeat—and thereby reinforce your prison— or—let someone in to help you break down the walls that have become so familiar.

If I should be that person through writing, then the first brick to remove (to bust in pieces with a sledge hammer) is to change the way you talk and think about the past prison.

Don’t expect to break free from prison cautiously and carefully and gradually and safely and comfortably.

Every brick, however familiar, that you bust, must be thrown outside the prison wall, so it can’t be used again.

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If you recognize that you still live in a prison today that was created in the past, this is good because there is hope.

You can start thinking differently, alone.

But don’t stay alone.

Some of the people who have listened to your past may have been uncomfortable.

Some of the people who have listened to your past may have given advice that is obviously not helpful.

Some of the people who have listened to your past may have challenged you, made you uncomfortable, felt threatening to your very identity. This may lock you into deeper defending, repeating the same words, and adding another brick to the prison. And you’ll never trust or share with those people again.

Some of the people . . . Hmmm . . . Think again, carefully, of all the people you know. What if there is someone who really cares, who might actually help? Before you read on, try to write down a name or two that could be that someone. Let that sit on your counter a few days. Include prayer for them.

Before you read on . . . do that.

If you wrote down a name(s), thank God for that person, before you say anything.

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But where do you turn for help, when there’s no one to help?

I personally know what it’s like to not find that person. There are many who could help, but won’t.

I know what it’s like to hear decades of pat answers that only serve to avoid involvement by people who don’t care enough to make a difference.

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What if God cares—about your prison? He has a lot to say about the toughest parts of our lives, and that counts a lot more than what I have to say.

I will add a few more words of my own, because I have been through the thick of it, and close friends have been through the rest. The above list of prisons comes out of all that reality.

Then I will offer words from His Book, because His Words have power to heal and set free.

Answers are found in the Word of God and a relationship with Jesus—the secret lies in what He said.

I will share that directly, because I believe there is the power to set us free—but I will also try to be the Voice of Truth with skin on, a real person through real struggles, some with real answers, and some with more real struggles.

I spent my life explaining, defending, unsuccessfully.

I know what it’s like to say, “I can’t win,” especially with some people.

Maybe I have become stronger defending the way I explain my life.

Voices try to return, tempting me to go back to familiar prisons.

But freedom is so good, so much better.

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“. . . voices calling out to me, ‘Boy, you’ll never win.’ But The Voice of Truth tells me a different story. The Voice of Truth says, ‘This is for My Glory.’ I will choose to listen and believe The Voice of Truth.”

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The secret lies in what Jesus said, and His Book.

“It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not let anyone bring you again to a yoke of bondage.”

“Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.”

“The thief comes to kill and steal and destroy; I came that you may have life, and have it more abundantly.”

“Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.”

“Jesus said, ‘If you continue in My words, and My words abide in you, then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.'”

“So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”

“For you did not receive a spirit of slavery that returns you to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship, by whom we cry, ‘Abba! Father!’ (Daddy)”

“Whom the Lord loves, He chastens.”

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There is much more, in your Bible, available for you. Pray, and open the book, over and over, until He gives you the hope and courage you need.

I strongly suggest you listen to this song by Casting Crowns (with a few lines quoted above).

Oh what I would do to have
The kind of faith it takes
To climb out of this boat I’m in
Onto the crashing waves
To step out of my comfort zone
Into the realm of the unknown where Jesus is
And He’s holding out His hand

But the waves are calling out my name
And they laugh at me
Reminding me of all the times
I’ve tried before and failed
The waves they keep on telling me
Time and time again. “Boy, you’ll never win!”
“You’ll never win!”

But the Voice of Truth tells me a different story
The Voice of Truth says, “Do not be afraid!”
And the Voice of Truth says, “This is for My glory”
Out of all the voices calling out to me
I will choose to listen and believe the Voice of Truth

Oh what I would do to have
The kind of strength it takes
To stand before a giant
With just a sling and a stone
Surrounded by the sound of a thousand warriors
Shaking in their armor
Wishing they’d have had the strength to stand

But the giant’s calling out my name
And he laughs at me
Reminding me of all the times
I’ve tried before and failed
The giant keeps on telling me
Time and time again. “Boy you’ll never win!”
“You’ll never win!”

But the Voice of Truth tells me a different story
The Voice of Truth says, “Do not be afraid!”
And the Voice of Truth says, “This is for My glory”
Out of all the voices calling out to me
I will choose to listen and believe the Voice of Truth

But the stone was just the right size
To put the giant on the ground
And the waves they don’t seem so high
On top of them looking down
I will soar with the wings of eagles
When I stop and listen to the sound of Jesus
Singing over me

But the Voice of Truth tells me a different story
The Voice of Truth says, “Do not be afraid!”
And the Voice of Truth says, “This is for My glory”
Out of all the voices calling out to me (calling out to me)
I will choose to listen and believe
I will choose to listen and believe the Voice of Truth
I will listen and believe
I will listen and believe the Voice of truth
I will listen and believe
Cause Jesus you are the Voice of Truth
And I will listen to you, you are