Matthew 11:28-29
28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
Inspirational Thought of the Day:
There is no more joy that can be found on this earth than in Jesus.
Scriptures:
Isiah 24:14-16
“They raise their voices, they shout for joy; from the west they acclaim the Lord’s majesty. 15 Therefore in the east give glory to the Lord; exalt the name of the Lord, the God of Israel, in the islands of the sea. 16 From the ends of the earth we hear singing: “Glory to the Righteous One.”
Isaiah 25:6-8
“On this mountain the Lord Almighty will prepare a feast of rich food for all peoples, a banquet of aged wine— the best of meats and the finest of wines. 7 On this mountain he will destroy the shroud that enfolds all peoples, the sheet that covers all nations; 8 he will swallow up death forever. The Sovereign Lord will wipe away the tears from all faces; he will remove his people’s disgrace from all the earth. The Lord has spoken.”
The weekend is here … finally! So many of us live for the weekend, for a break from the tortuous routine of daily living. Hoping for an escape from boredom, we pursue relief, even partying as a refuge.
Maybe it’s hobbies or parties – drinking, maybe it’s drugs. Maybe relationships. But in all the human pursuits of this earth, eternity knocks on the door of all of our hearts and the longing for something more is not quenched by a momentary celebration or diversion. No, we need something – someOne more.
When I read the verses above, I can’t help but smile. God is not a spoil sport. He designed everything for our enjoyment and eternity with Him is going to be filled with joy and delight in His perfect presence. Parties on this earth pale vastly in comparison to what God has in store for those who love Him!
Those promises the world offers? Counterfeits. We can let them go and find real, lasting answers in God alone. He alone satisfies our soul’s deepest need and desire.
No more death, no more sorrow. No tears seen there. Only perfect peace and joy, enveloped in His love. Think on that this weekend. You are loved with an everlasting love. Right now we can seek Him and know Him and be filled with His Holy Spirit to overflowing.
Lord, thank You that we can know You and enjoy You now. Thank You for the gifts you lavish on us each moment – Your peace, Your unconditional love, Your Joy and faith in troubled times. Help us to find our joy in You and to spread it to all the world.
Inspirational Thought of the Day:
We are more blessed than we deserve.
Scriptures:
Job 9:1-4 (ESV)
“Truly I know that it is so: But how can a man be in the right before God? 3 If one wished to contend with him, one could not answer him once in a thousand times. 4 He is wise in heart and mighty in strength —who has hardened himself against him, and succeeded?”
Proverbs 19:3 (NIV)
“A person’s own folly leads to their ruin, yet their heart rages against the LORD.”
Life is an amazing gift from God. Yet many people never really live the abundant life that Christ meant for us to have. What keeps us from a full life? Ourselves.
Life can be exhilarating and a bummer sometimes, if we are honest. The roller coaster ride of flat tires at inconvenient times, an award for a job well done, terminal illnesses, healing, reckless accidents, miraculous protection, unemployment, a new job, unfaithfulness, loyalty, rebelliousness, obedience . . . and the list goes on and on . . . can be no fun at all for us less adventurous types.
To think that life would be great if we never experienced pain is flawed, however; for the pain is a vivid reminder of how blessed we were to have had moments without suffering in the first place. When we made a mess of things all by ourselves, the consequences for our sin point us to our need for our Savior, which leads ultimately to that perfect, abundant, eternal life.
So how do we wreck abundant life in Christ if we did not cause our own demise? Our response. How we accept, deny, respond in anger or blame others or God – sets the course for whether or not we will walk in the joy that Christ has for those Who are His.
I get it, believe me, I do. When other people’s sins cause immense pain and horrible consequences. I have been there, done that, and still feel the effects. There have been moments of horror, anguish, PTSD, shock, disbelief in my life – but at the end of the day the LORD would bring me to a singular truth that I could not argue with – I am doing better than I deserve.
Every time I try to argue with myself about that truth, when I somehow feel I have been unjustly treated (and it might be the case), I finally relent and realize it is folly to even attempt to play the self pity card when the truly Perfect One didn’t. He did not deserve to suffer for my sin or anyone else’s, but He WANTED to. This was not because he enjoyed suffering – no, He cried tears of blood in anxiety over His choice, but He chose it nonetheless, because comfort was not His God and the salvation of our souls was His mission which He did not falter from.
Don’t get me wrong. There are tremendous burdens that seem completely unbearable, that make us lean into God hard. When we see others hurting, we have an opportunity to be the hands and feet of God – not just to dismiss their suffering. But in that comfort, it is in vain if we do not point them to the Healer Who is able to help us handle every let down. But perhaps our expectations, when placed in reality, help us to take notice and be grateful when things go well. Why is it that I did not get sick? Why is it that I can see this amazing gift from God at all? What an amazing grace is ours. Such understanding this is that we can turn away from our behaviors that hurt the heart of God and thank Him instead.
Lord, forgive us when we get mad or disappointed when things don’t go our way. Your ways really are the best. Give us eyes to see and ears to hear.
Inspirational Thought of the day:
God chose to identify with the lowly and lifts them up.
Scripture:
Psalm 9:19-13
“The Lord is a stronghold for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. 10 And those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek you. 11 Sing praises to the Lord, who sits enthroned in Zion! Tell among the peoples his deeds! 12 For he who avenges blood is mindful of them; he does not forget the cry of the afflicted. 13 Be gracious to me, O Lord! See my affliction from those who hate me, O you who lift me up from the gates of death.”
Psalm 10:14
“But you, God, see the trouble of the afflicted; you consider their grief and take it in hand. The victims commit themselves to you; you are the helper of the fatherless.”
Psalm 10:17
“You, LORD, hear the desire of the afflicted; you encourage them, and you listen to their cry.”
Have you ever felt like no one notices you? Or perhaps no one understands or knows the anguish of your soul? Silently you suffer, wondering if anyone cares? There is One Who knows – intimately – every worry or care that floods our minds, every burden we try to pretend is not there. Jesus.
Every slight you feel, pain you endure – none of it is hidden from God’s keen view. He longs for us to bring it to Him and lay it at His feet, but sometimes we think we can either bear the burden on our own or that he is not able to remove it from us.
it is not until we reflect on this God Who would choose to be counted as one of us – and not as a popular one of us, but as an afflicted one Himself, that we begin to see His ability to help us to do the same.
Joyfully He bore His cross. How can that be? Solely by the grace of God and the God Who helps us see past temporary burdens that can serve as stepping stones to be more like Him instead of enduring through some circumstance we regret. May we be counted worthy to walk through suffering for the glory of God and not our own.
More than the praise or sympathy from any created person, we have the empathy of the Creator Himself, Who has truly been there and is able to completely understand and enable us to walk the same road he did – with victory.
Lord, thank you for showing us how to walk through this lift filled with burdens and cares. Thank You for choosing to be afflicted, choosing to die for our sins so we could be saved. May our light and momentary troubles be seen as just they are – temporary afflictions that lead us closer to you.
Romans 8:5
“For those who live according to the flesh have their outlook shaped by the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit have their outlook shaped by the things of the Spirit.”
We’d all like to think that we are led by the Spirit and are making decisions that are wise, but often we do not see the spiritual realm all around us, affecting our thoughts and actions. The impact of flesh versus spirit affects our lives and those around us.
The choices we make moment by moment are filtered by our mindset which is impacted by many factors in our environment. Evident in our choices about what we eat (ugh . . . chocoholic confessions here for me), to the clothing we wear, the words we say and the attitudes we have toward other people, we have impressions or feelings that bombard us constantly. If we are not careful and discerning, we can allow our perception or someone else’s opinion to affect our own behavior.
One main way this flesh is played out is how we treat one another. Rejection of others who aren’t like us is common in the world, but unfortunately, it also happens at church. People shun others or just plain old don’t like other people who are made in the image of God. Where does this come from? If it is not from God, then the answer is obvious, but all too often we do not stop to consider why we don’t like someone. We might all have different personalities, but we ought to love one another so the world can see that body of Christ is indeed different.
The truth is we are more apt to be carnal than spiritual beings and when we are spiritual, we often get in the flesh and think it is us who are righteous, when Christ alone is our righteousness.
While this is a humbling truth, maybe it can provoke us to be aware of our thoughts and behaviors. Do they honor God? Are they of the Spirit or of the flesh? If we could grab a hold of this reality, Christians would turn this world upside down with godly lives and choices that no longer appear hypocritical, unconditional acceptance and love instead of judgment and forming cliques.
Pleasing self or others and seeking acceptance from God’s creation does not compare with living for the audience of One. Like Paul, we will have to battle the flesh, but staying in the battle is far better than not recognizing the battle of the flesh versus spirit in the first place.
Lord, may You increase and may we decrease. Help us to recognize the things that are from You and the things that are not and to walk in the Spirit.
Genesis 12:1-2
“Now the LORD said to Abram, ‘Go out from your country, your relatives, and your father’s household to the land that I will show you. 2 Then I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you, and I will make your name great, so that you will exemplify divine blessing.'”
The chasm between the calling God has placed on our lives and the ultimate fulfilling of that vision can be rife with challenges and doubts. To our limited understanding, it would seem that the all-powerful God would call us, then fulfill what He had spoken without a lot of delay or consequences.
God is surely capable to crush everything that stands in the way of accomplishing what He has called us to, but in this fallen world the enemy is busy trying to undo what God has already finished. We are stuck in this space called time that God is already outside of, fully knowing how everything will turn out. Mind blowing.
Often I question whether God has really given me a vision or if it is myself trying to achieve a calling on my own. I get confused and feel I cannot pray for success because I do not want it to be for my own glory. It is then that I realize that a vision that is of God and for God will be tested and that testing process will refine the character needed to accomplish the task placed on my heart.
I don’t have to be perfect to be used by God. I just have to yield to Him in the process and continue to press on in the work He has called me to. Back to Abram.
God told him to go – he went. It does not say that he labored over it. He just obeyed. He then promised incredible blessings, which, although Abram would be blessed, the goal was not just for Abram – it was for all people and ultimately “to exemplify divine blessing”. Abram’s response? To worship – even though He had not yet received the blessing.
When people look in our lives and see God’s blessings, it is not so we will be comfortable, but so people can see what being in a relationship with God is like. When we are in between a promise and a blessing and face trials of all kinds, our worship in the midst can inspire many to do the same.
Abram was not spared hardship – he faced famine right after He worshiped God for His promise. How we respond during the famine will often determine how long we stay there. When Abram doubted God’s ability to protect he and his wife, God was faithful and protected them, anyway. The world will see us fail, but the righteous man will rise again and again and continue to walk until God’s purposes are fulfilled in him.
When God places a vision in our hearts, we do not know how we will get there and many obstacles will stand in our way. Abram faced famine, quarelling, war, family problems – but through it all he worshiped the God of the promise. In the end, Abram became Abraham; his name and his life changed forever because of the faithfulness of God to keep His promise.
In His faithfulness, God will remind us of His calling and His promises. He did not promise us a pain-free life, but He did promise to carry us through the challenges we face and that all of it has meaning for those Who would trust in Him. In the process, on the other side of our calling – our nature is changed, too, for we can never be the same when we encounter the living God.
Lord, help us to trust You when the road seems long and burdensome. You are faithful and You will complete the work You have begun in us. Praise Your Name!
Isaiah 20:2
“At that time the LORD announced through Isaiah son of Amoz: “Go, remove the sackcloth from your waist and take your sandals off your feet.” He did as instructed and walked around in undergarments and barefoot. 3 Later the LORD explained, “In the same way that my servant Isaiah has walked around in undergarments and barefoot for the past three years, as an object lesson and omen pertaining to Egypt and Cush, 4 so the king of Assyria will lead away the captives of Egypt and the exiles of Cush, both young and old. They will be in undergarments and barefoot, with the buttocks exposed; the Egyptians will be publicly humiliated.”
I don’t know about you, but walking around barefoot in underwear has not typically been what comes to mind when I think about what it means to be a prophet of the LORD.
But why?
Sometimes God calls us to do strange things or allows us to go through difficult times so we will have a passion and an understanding to live fully for Him and to communicate His heart and message to His people.
Noah had to build a boat amidst mockers in a dry land. Joshua had to march around a city and blow a trumpet. Abraham was told to sacrifice his one heir, his precious son. Moses was told to go back and demand from the king of the greatest land that their slaves be let go. Jeremiah bought a linen belt God told him to buy, hid it in a crevice then dug it up when it was ruined. A prophet named Agabus came down from Judea and took Paul’s belt and bound his own feet and hands to prophesy about what Paul would suffer.
Sometimes we need object lessons to be warned or to wake us up to walk uprightly before God. While it might seem futile for Jeremiah to bury a belt, the ruined article of clothing demonstrated how the people of God would be ruined if they did not repent and seek God.
While building a boat with no water or rain in sight was possibly embarrassing, it meant the salvation of Noah’s family and ultimately the continuation of the existence of mankind and all of the creatures God created.
Sometimes man can also come up with crazy radical ideologies that have nothing to do with God, but they claim it does, anyway. The fruit of our behavior identifies where the calling originated from. Does it bring life or death?
The words of the famous missionary, Jim Elliot, which were echoed by Twila Paris many years later, have been precious to me since I first came to know the LORD in 1988. “He is no fool if he should choose to give the thing he cannot keep to gain what he can never lose. To see a treasure in one soul that far outshines the brightest gold; he is no fool.”
If God calls us to do something that is not popular or seems foolish to man, perhaps that makes it all the more reason to do it. To live for Jesus, really live – is to seek to do His will in everything we do. Sometimes it just won’t make sense. But that’s ok. He who chose to come and be born as a baby; King, Creator over all, humbling Himself to be at our level, conquered every heart with the most radical action of all.
Lord, help us to trust You when things don’t make sense. Every trial we go through has a purpose – we can comfort others when we come out on the other side and bring You glory. May we be sensitive to Your calling and never doubt Your goodness. Love You, Lord!
Job 5:17-27
17 “Therefore, blessed is the man whom God corrects, so do not despise the discipline of the Almighty. 18 For he wounds, but he also bandages; he strikes, but his hands also heal. 19 He will deliver you from six calamities; yes, in seven no evil will touch you. 20 In time of famine he will redeem you from death, and in time of war from the power of the sword. 21 You will be protected from malicious gossip, and will not be afraid of the destruction when it comes. 22 You will laugh at destruction and famine and need not be afraid of the beasts of the earth. 23 For you will have a pact with the stones of the field, and the wild animals will be at peace with you. 24 And you will know that your home will be secure, and when you inspect your domains, you will not be missing anything. 25 You will also know that your children will be numerous, and your descendants like the grass of the earth. 26 You will come to your grave in a full age, As stacks of grain are harvested in their season. 27 Look, we have investigated this, so it is true. Hear it, and apply it for your own good.”
Healing. Deliverance. Safety. Provision. Protection. Confidence. Peace. Fruitful. Long life. What an amazing list of promises God has for those who would welcome His correction in their life. We see this message also in Proverbs 3:11 and Hebrews 12, the living word crying out to us that discipline, while not pleasant to receive, is actually a blessing for those who accept it and yield to the LORD in discipline.
The Word of God is pretty blunt; labeling as stupid those who don’t love discipline. But when we consider the kindness of someone showing us when we are errant, it would be a fool who would prefer flattery which brings ultimate ruin.
We often think someone going through a hard time is disobedient and being punished, but the opposite is true. Scripture tells us that we are to accept all hardship as discipline by a Father Who loves us. Perhaps our view of discipline is wrong. Instead of seeing troubles as burdens, seeing them as sculpting the inner man while the outer man or the flesh is capitulating to the will of God.
This does not mean we are filled with delight when we suffer, but it means we see that God uses it all for good and that a little sobriety in this life can cause us to live a life that pleases God instead of wasting our lives on futile matters.
When it seems like others are receiving blessings and we reap only trouble, it is in those times that we should not be offended by God, but rejoice that He lovingly has a unique plan for each one of us filled with blessings coming in one form or another; blessing or burden, all of it is useful in the hand of God in the lives of His children.
Lord, thank You for showing us our need of You and where we fall short. When life seems challenging and we wonder if you see, help us to know that You are a loving Father carefully weaving it all for our good and Your glory.
Inspirational Thought of the Day:
Faith in God is able to conquer every fear we face.
Scriptures:
Joshua 13:44
33 But to the tribe of Levi, Moses had given no inheritance; the LORD, the God of Israel, is their inheritance, as he promised them.
Joshua 14:7-8
Speaking with one of my children tonight who was stressed with the growing demands of adulthood, I did not sugar coat the facts – life is hard. The growing demands of becoming independent in this crazy world are often harsh. My kids know I have always endeavored to tell them the truth – even when it hurts.
The fantasy fairy tale world might alleviate some minds for a few moments, but when reality crashes in, we are left dazed and disillusioned, which in my opinion, is far worse than facing what is coming with the grace of God.
He did not leave us alone, and is our inheritance for times of joy and sorrow. He is our portion. When life becomes more than we think we can bear, it is in those moments that the truth of God’s promises strengthen those Who would call on His Holy Name.
I love the honesty of Joshua, mentioning his age and the fact that everyone around him was terrified. His age could have been a factor for some to feel disqualified and what they saw could have been enough to make a grown man cry, yet He firmly had his heart steadfastly focused on following God.
No matter how harsh the truth of our situation gets, God’s truth and grace are greater still.
We might not be called to conquer a city, but we might be given some bad news or face a burden so great it makes us shudder. But the One Who called us will equip us and the battle belongs to Him alone.
Lord, thank You for Your truth, which is a far greater comfort than any escape this world offers. Help us to cry out to You, for You long to be our refuge. Your grace is enough, sweet Jesus, for anything we face. Amen.
Inspirational Thought of the Day:
Don’t let the burdens of this life weigh you down – God will use them to lift you up!
Scriptures:
Psalm 68:19 “Blessed be the Lord, who daily bears us up; God is our salvation.”
Psalm 103:2 “Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits.”
James 1:2-4 “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”
Psalm 103:10 “He does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities.”
From one thing to another, this day had Monday written all over it. I thought about not posting today. It was one of those days that I’d rather forget . . . until God gently whispered to me His encouragement through precious saints in my life.
While I pondered wearing the “rejection” or “failure” sticker today, my oldest daughter came and shared a post she wrote today about contentment. God was using one who I had poured into to encourage me. Then my son came next and shared an essay he wrote about how he hopes to be used by God to help others. On and on it went, my children circling me and sharing one blessing after another, followed by my precious husband who, with a smile, wiped away my tears. Wow. Now what was I complaining about?
Trials and problems have a tendency to discourage and disillusion us if we let them, but God has a much better plan. Taking our discomforts, insults, judgments and rejection as a tool for His glory and our good, He redeems it all.
Instead of regretting such problems or treatment, we can rejoice that God sees everything and always chooses to delight in us, giving us His amazing undeserved gift of salvation.
This life is hard. Maybe today was a rough one for you, too. Look around. What blessings are right there in your midst, that has God accomplished in and through you that are often taken for granted? He is indeed good – all the time – and our ever-present help in time of trouble.
Lord, thank You for encouraging us when we are hurt and prone to self-pity. You are able to take what seemed pointless and give us a precious jewel in the midst. You are our treasure, Lord, and You are enough.
Seeing Deep Blog by Denise Pass 