What can set us Free? Mark 1:21-28 I'm sure that we all have experienced and perhaps are still experiencing areas in our life that we don't seem to have any control over. Other factors within and without control us and do not allow us to be free. It could be something physical like a illness, disease or handicap.   It could be social ills that conspire to keep us down.  It could also be emotions like anger, fear and loneliness that we don't seem to have control of us and well up within us like demons and overtake us at the most inappropriate times.  There are times I am sure that we have felt that choices in our lives have been made because of the pressure put upon us by others, people that seem to have more control over our lives than we have. We feel that we have to please them rather than make the  appropriate choices that we can live with. It could be a domineering parent or a friend that makes their friendship dependent upon doing what they want rather what we want. ?  We may  have addictions in our lives, such as to drugs , alcoholism, pornography, sex, hording, shopping, power, and a host of other thing that have a grip over our lives and smolder beneath the surface at all times.  I'm certain that all of us  have some things, known or unknown, deep within us that control our lives, and make themselves known quite unexpectedly in a way that even surprises ourselves. We may even be facing the immediacy of death that cripples our ability to even relate to another person. There are so many ways where we may have lost the ability to control our lives. When I worked in the field of addictions I always seemed to be working with people who had lost control of the lives.    They had been able to choose their way of life to begin with but as time went on their minds and bodies became subject to forces beyond their control.  No matter how hard they tried to live a life of sobriety or off drugs they would end up in the same grip of addiction.  Sometimes they actual were "clean" for weeks or months but when they went back to their old addiction, they were in even worse condition than before they stopped.  It was almost as if they had ridden themselves of one demon and after they had cleaned their house, seven more demons came and found a comfortable dwelling place.  It was frustrating for me as a counsellor because I was trying to lead them to make good decisions for themselves, but they were unable to make those decisions.  Their freedom had turned into bondage. * This week we see the power of Jesus caring ministry upon a person who appeared to have no control over his own life. An "unclean spirit" had control of him. The man was powerless over it.  His life was unmanageable.  However when that which was controlling the man came into contact with the power of Jesus' spirit, there was no match. Truly the man must of realized that his life was restored to sanity by a power greater than himself and greater than that to which he was in bondage. No wonder people talked to one another about this being a new teaching, one with authority.  Jesus teaching was not given as a lecture or in the formation of a discussion group. They were in touch with his power. The exercise of his power went together with his words. That's what made it different. * I believe that Jesus was showing all of us that we can be free of those things that seem to control us.  I think that he was showing us that we all have the ability to cast out our demons. First of all, we need to recognize what it is that controls us, name it and face it head on. Leslie Weatherhead once told and interesting parable of a little boy who fled from a witch who had turned herself into a cat. As the boy ran, he kept glancing fearfully over his shoulder. The first time he looked back, the cat was the size of a calf. The next time he looked, it had grown to the dimensions of an elephant. Then the boy fell, and was unable to go farther. Resolutely he got up and faced the pursuing horror. It stopped. So he took a step toward it. It backed away. As he continued to advance toward it, it began to shrink in size as it retreated from him. Finally it changed into a mouse and ran under the door of the witch's cottage to be seen no more. Yes, facing up to the demon that controls us is the first step.  Working with addictions led me to a greater understanding of the first three steps in the AA program or any of the twelve step programs that are applied to addictive behaviour. The first step was when the addictive person admitted that they were powerless over alcohol (or any other thing that they were addicted to), that their lives had become unmanageable. Secondly, they came to believe that a power greater than themselves could restore them to sanity. Thirdly, they made a decision to turn their will and lives over to the care of God, as they understood God. God was many things to many people.  For some it was the spirit within the AA group itself. However they understood it, these  people needed to in touch with a caring power greater than themselves in order for their lives to become whole again. You cannot underestimate the caring power of the people around you to help you to make changes * Sometimes, if it is a physical ailment or handicap that holds us down it cannot be removed. There may be no cure.  They may be nothing you can do about the physical condition itself. But people in that situation have been able to rise above it. In the book Tuesdays with Morrie: An Old Man, A Young Man and Life's Greatest Lesson (Doubleday, NY, NY 1997).  The author Mitch Albom, a sportswriter for the Detroit Free Press is a former college student of Morrie Schwartz. Morrie develops ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease) a brutal , unforgiving illness of the neurological system. Of course he is dying. Every Tuesday his former student visits his dying teacher in his final months to learn another lesson about life from this man who has lived so richly and completely. It is a moving account of a man who's body is wasting away and yet his spirit is soaring. He didn't despair. He wanted to talk with others and learn more about life, and share the tremendous wisdom he had gained. They talk of such things as avoiding regrets and self pity, the value of family, importance of forgiveness, the fear of aging, the meaning of death. Each dialogue means so much. Here is snippet of one conversation: "Mitch you asked me about caring for people I don't even know. But can I tell you the thing that I'm learning most with this disease?" "What's that?" " The most important thing in life is to learn how to give out love, and to let it come in." His voice dropped to a whisper. "Let it come in. We think we don't deserve love, we think that if we let it in we'll become too soft. But a wise man named Levine said it right. He said, 'Love is the only rational act." He repeated it carefully, pausing for effect. " 'Love is the only rational act.' " In nodded like a good student, and he exhaled weakly. I leaned to give him a hug. And then, although it is not really like me , I kissed him on the cheek. I felt his weakened hands on my arms, the thin stubble of whiskers brushing my face. "So you'll come back next Tuesday?" he whispered. (page 52) * I think that when the man with and "unclean spirit" became in touch with Jesus , he was in touch with the God who is Love , and was in overcome by a love so great that it set him free to be truly himself and what he was meant to be. Ultimately it is the Love around us and in us that can set us free.  Love is stronger than anything that besets us It is this vision of love that is able to set us free that is presented to us in the Gospel. Hold on to that vision through out the days and weeks ahead as we face the things that seem to control our lives, and believe that facing our demons head on, with caring people around you and in the power of love, we can be set free. You are visitor number UK Online Casinos This free counter  is supplied by Visible Counter   Connect with Deacon Sils Homelical resource   Also for more sermon and lectionary resources connect to SERMON AND SERMON LECTIONARY RESOURCES Check Out my daughter's web site CARLY'S STRENGTH THE GODDESS WITHIN MUSIC PROJECT Each year, thousands of women and children become homeless as a result of domestic violence.  "The Goddess Within" music project is designed to empower those whose lives have been affected by domestic abuse and to raise awareness of this issue. "The Goddess Within" compilation album will showcase artists and their songs, written for or relating to those escaping the cycle of violence.  The C.D. will be distributed throughout North America and proceeds from the sale of the C.D. will be donated to women's shelters. More information on the CD is available at ARTISTS FOR CHANGE My daughter Carly is featured on the album with her song The Mask.  The art for cover for the CD album is the creation of another daughter, Mary Anne Molcan. Another site to access is Ending Domestic Abuse * Mary Anne is a very talented artist.  She has a new web site called Faerie Artist where she displays her Art.   You can access her site at: Faerie Artist   Megan's Blog You can check out some of Megan's recipes and meal planning on her Blog  Food and Whine, Adventures in making food for my toughest critics, my family.