Jesus said, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest… my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
How many of us are feeling light and easy on a Monday morning?
In general, does your life feel light and easy? Or are you running from here to there, racing against the clock, experiencing tension headaches and tightness in your chest from all the stress and anxiety of a busy life overflowing with responsibilities?
I have found that any time I take on an activity or thought process that is not in line with God’s plan for my life, I am usually worried, stressed, anxious and tired.
Do you find yourself in any of those categories? Are you in a relationship right now that is a constant drain on your time, energy and finances without adding anything valuable back into your life? Do you say yes to projects because you don’t know how to say no and then find yourself wishing you never signed up?
If you find yourself in a state of being perpetually tired and stressed, ask the Lord to reveal why you are experiencing that. Ask Him how you should address those areas. He will show you how to prioritize the activities and release the baggage you have if you follow His instructions.
To be stressed is to not trust God. Trust Him with every detail of your life. You have seen how the vision for your life is coming to fruition. Why would God leave you hanging now? Give all that doubt and negativity to Him and exchange it for joy and peace of mind instead.
Matthew 11:28-30 (New International Version)
28″Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
Are there things that you need in order to shape your life into what you want it to be? Do you have a list of items that are simply lacking or need to be replaced? Do you find yourself looking at others who seem to have all those things that are missing in your life and wonder when it will be your turn to receive?
If you are wishing and waiting for your turn to receive all these things that are “missing”, then I would like to remind you of the universal law of sowing and reaping.
Too often we get into the mindset of “lack” and begin to hoard whatever it is that we do have in order to preserve ourselves. We become stingy with everything out of fear that there will not be enough. Other people’s problems have nothing to do with us, we say we have enough to worry about. We say we cannot give to help another nation when we are starving ourselves.
While that perspective may seem perfectly logical, it simply does not work. The more one looks out for self, the more isolated you become. The more isolated you become, the list of things you lack begin to grow. When you cannot give of yourself, you cut yourself off from love, nurturing, support and countless other resources. When you feel you are entitled to receive help because of your circumstances yet are unwilling to help others, eventually your well will run dry. You will deplete your resources and be in an even worse state.
You may say, “I have nothing to give.” Too often we equate giving with finances. Every person has something to give. You can lend your time to help another person or people in need. You can donate your services when you have special talents and abilities. You can be a friend to someone who needs support. As you do this, you will become a bigger person as the seeds of love are watered in your heart.
Not only will you become bigger, you will become connected with likeminded people who want to help. Suddenly the things you need are being placed in your hands. The support you wished for is now readily available. With the help of others you have the strength to accomplish things you never dreamed of.
If you are in need, give something of value away. Test this principle in your life and see how it can change everything.
Mark 4:24-25 (The Message)
“Listen carefully to what I am saying—and be wary of the shrewd advice that tells you how to get ahead in the world on your own. Giving, not getting, is the way. Generosity begets generosity. Stinginess impoverishes.”
Luke 6:38 (New International Version)
“Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”
God has a plan for your life and that plan never changes. What changes is you! You can ignore the plan, run from the plan, trip yourself up, get lost somewhere in the wilderness, blame God and everyone around you, but He still has the blueprint in His Hand. The longer you run, the longer you delay entering the blessedness of His Will.
The Lord has given you the ability to choose. Are you happy with what you have chosen? Do you see His peace, joy and love unfolding in Your life? Or are you experiencing the same things day in and day out? Do you find yourself continually caught up in drama and conflict with other people? Do you wish for the spotlight and the praise of others?
When your actions are based on a desire to please man rather than God, you are not in line with God’s will. You cannot receive God’s best for your life if you are trying to impress people! Is this hard to understand? Who gave you your life? Who has the power to transform your life?
God is the only One who can transform your life. However, this will not happen unless you really want it. If you want to change, you have to be willing to put people-pleasing in the past. As long as you are trying to impress someone, you are only performing. You have no real relationships because you are not real. Most of the people you are trying to please do not love you, possibly because they have never met the real you.
The God who loves you has a plan for your life that you may not even be able to imagine right now. He has the best things in store specifically for you. He is waiting for you to accept His Will. It does not matter how much time you think you have wasted or how much you may have messed up. God didn’t rip up the agenda. He knows how to redeem the time and get you up to speed. Just surrender to Him today.
Lord I thank you and I pray for my brother and sister reading this right now who genuinely want Your best for their life. I pray that You would remove the distractions and the voices that discourage them from being all that they can be. Help them to see themselves through Your eyes, Lord. Allow them to feel the warmth of Your love and know that You will be with them every step of the way. I pray that they would surrender to You and allow You to transform their lives. Remove the weights Lord, remove the shackles that hold them back . Free them to be complete in You today Father. In Jesus’ Name! Amen.
Hebrews 12:1-3 New Living Translation
1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. 2 We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. 3 Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people; then you won’t become weary and give up.
What are you willing to be in order to have the life that you want?
For years I said I wanted to be married and have a family but I was unwilling to be committed. I also wanted peace and happiness in my life yet I was not obedient to the will of God. I formed this belief that God was somehow angry with me and wondered if I would ever please Him.
Have you done this? Have you wished for your life to be different, yet failed to do what was necessary to bring forth the change?
Jesus told a wealthy young man that it was easier for a camel to enter through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God. I suspect that it is not the riches that prevent someone from entering the kingdom of God, but their unwillingness to give up their way of doing things.
You can be loving and have the relationships that you want. You can be creative and have the businesses that you want. You can be compassionate and make a difference in your world.
“Every man must decide whether he will walk in the light of creative altruism or in the darkness of destructive selfishness.”
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Matthew 19:23-26 (New King James Version)
23 Then Jesus said to His disciples, “Assuredly, I say to you that it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24 And again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”
25 When His disciples heard it, they were greatly astonished, saying, “Who then can be saved?”
26 But Jesus looked at them and said to them, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
Imagine we were all born and assigned the task of designing the ultimate project: “Your Life”. We are all given different resources and materials to work with as well as people to assist us with our design. One thing we all have in common is our project partner, God. He created us and all the materials that make up our life. If we trust Him, we will learn how all the pieces and materials fit together for His best use.
The success of this project lies in how much we work with God. He shapes our lives as we allow Him to and He provides guidance for the choices we make in how to design them.
Perhaps you are discouraged with your project because the people who were supposed to help you early on interfered and offered little help. Perhaps they cursed at you and screamed that you would never make anything of your life. Maybe others came in and tried to destroy whatever you had already accomplished. Maybe you are so tired and frustrated that you don’t even want to work on your project anymore.
While it may be discouraging, it is also natural for challenges to occur while designing and building a project. It is certain that you will make mistakes along the way as you figure out the best way to do it. Through these obstacles and failures, God teaches how beautiful life can be and shows us how to move forward.
The most important part of this project called Life is to focus on the task at hand and trust God as your Partner and Creator. He will never leave you or forsake you. Allow Him to lead the way and trust Him that even if the design starts out shaky, you will have your greatest masterpiece in the end. Never-mind those who have tried to block your progress. They cannot stop your success. Forgive them and move on, allowing the Father to help you build a beautiful life.
Isaiah 64:8
But now, O LORD,
You are our Father;
We are the clay, and You our potter;
And all we are the work of Your hand.
Tears of gratitude flow as I reflect on the past year. Lord in spite of me, You have brought me to levels of my destiny that I have always dreamed of, yet I know this is still only the beginning. I know there is so much more in store, so much for me to do, so much work yet to be done in me.
Thank You Lord for preserving me with Your grace and mercy that I might live to see this day. I’m so thankful to know that no matter what happened in my past, I still have a bright future and even today shines brightly because of Your Love in my life.
Today, I come before You asking for a fresh start to a new year. I repent of any fleshly desires, doubts and fears. Lord cleanse me and dress me in Your Holiness as I rededicate my life to You. I want my days to be increasingly marked by my love, obedience and service for You. More importantly, I give my life to You to use as You please. You have done so much for me, the very least I can give You is myself.
In the coming year, “let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, Oh Lord my Strength and My Redeemer” (Psalm 19:14 NKJV). For “one thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple.” Psalm 27:4 NIV
Learning of a friend’s tragedy really hit me hard last week. Things of this nature cause me to question even if briefly, why we are here and what life really means. I know I have a purpose and God has a plan for my life. I know there is work for me to do here, but knowing how fragile life can be causes me to need a boost to my faith sometimes.
I need more faith because otherwise the future would seem bleak. Why make plans if I have no guarantee that it will come to pass? Why give my all in love without knowing if that person will always love me back or even be around to share it with me?
Sometimes I really do feel like men make plans and God laughs because He knows better.
However, I am reminded of the parable Jesus told where three servants were entrusted with portions of their master’s income. Two of the men invested the money and one, fearing risk or loss, buried his in the sand. The two who invested the money earned a profit for their master. The one who buried his of course did not earn anything. The master was angry with the servant who buried the money but for those who doubled what he gave them he said:
“Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!” (Matthew 25:13-38 NIV)
If I stopped moving forward out of fear of what may or may not happen, I would be like the fool who buried money in the dirt instead of putting it to good use. If I refused to live, that would indicate a lack of gratitude for the life God has blessed me with. It would also demonstrate a total lack of faith and trust that God knows best, even if I don’t understand this life at times.
Thank God that as I trust Him and take even the most timid steps of faith, He reveals that He is with me all the way. His Provision for me is beyond what I know how to ask for. He is so creative in the ways that He shows His Faithfulness.
Yes, I will keep moving and keep expecting to see God in my life. I will continue to bless Him and thank Him for each new day because He is Good.
Daniel 2:20-22 (New International Version)
“Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever; wisdom and power are his. He changes times and seasons; he sets up kings and deposes them. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning. He reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what lies in darkness, and light dwells with him.
Victim: “one that is injured, destroyed, or sacrificed under any of various conditions; one that is subjected to oppression, hardship, or mistreatment”. (www.m-w.com)
Did reading that bring feelings of being a victim to your remembrance? Did you feel like those words were written specifically about you? If so, it is time to change your name from “Victim” to “Victorious”!
Changing your name requires a choice. If your desire to change is coming from deep inside your heart, start moving in the direction of change.
Know that God never called you to be a victim! Now is the time for you to stand up! Sometimes God delivers us from oppressive situations but we still see ourselves as the victim. We make excuses for our shortcomings by referencing the past.
Your husband may have beat you but that doesn’t mean God has forgotten about you. You have a purpose to fulfill in the earth!
If people abused you and said you would never amount to anything, it doesn’t mean you should now prove them right. Shake off the “Victim” label today. Rejoice for the trials that you have overcome because you are still standing! The things you have been through have made you a stronger person. Your story will help someone else become Victorious because they can look at you and see that you have made it.
Your past was preparation for where you are going in God; never look at it as a hindrance again.
Change your name. You are no longer Defeated, Oppressed, Unhappy, Held Back or Held Down! You ARE Victorious. Think about your past and smile, laugh, cry tears of joy because it is your PAST. Be thankful and keep moving forward in victory!
Habakkuk 3:18-19 (Amplified Bible)
18Yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will exult in the [victorious] God of my salvation!(A)
19The Lord God is my Strength, my personal bravery, and my invincible army; He makes my feet like hinds’ feet and will make me to walk [not to stand still in terror, but to walk] and make [spiritual] progress upon my high places [of trouble, suffering, or responsibility]! For the Chief Musician; with my stringed instruments.
1 John 5:4-5 (New International Version)
4for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. 5Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.
Excuse me, I would like to introduce myself to you. My name is Victory. I have been through the fire and I have been through the flood. I have been abused, scorned, ridiculed and neglected. I have been foolish, careless and just plain wrong. I have been so miserable that I wondered why I was even here.
But I stand before you today a new person. Sometimes I almost forget who I used to be because everything is so different now. God came in and performed a wonder in my life. My joy runs deep, my peace is sustained and I am full of hope for tomorrow.
Life is so miserable without hope. But Christ in us IS the hope of glory. Because I can see where He brought me from, I know that He is not finished with me yet. My struggles of today will not be my struggles tomorrow for I am being changed from glory to glory.
Be encouraged today that the Lord will fight your battles and bring you through victoriously. I see God’s hand in the lives of so many people. What has He done for you? How many times has your life been threatened but you are still here? Against what odds are you still breathing today? There is a reason why you are still here. Even if it seems the whole world is against you, God is on your side and yes, He still has a plan for you.
Believe Him for your victory and give Him the glory for the things He has already done!
Romans 8:28 (Amplified Bible)
28We are assured and know that [God being a partner in their labor] all things work together and are [fitting into a plan] for good to and for those who love God and are called according to [His] design and purpose.
Romans 8:36-40 (Amplified Bible)
36Even as it is written, For Thy sake we are put to death all the day long; we are regarded and counted as sheep for the slaughter.
37Yet amid all these things we are more than conquerors and gain a surpassing victory through Him Who loved us.
38For I am persuaded beyond doubt (am sure) that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities, nor things impending and threatening nor things to come, nor powers,
39Nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
What are you holding onto that is holding you back?
A wealthy man told Jesus that everything he had belonged to him since he was young. Jesus saw the grip that the man’s riches had over his life, told him to give it all up, take up the cross and follow Him. The man sadly walked away. He just could’nt part with those things, even if it meant trading it for eternal treasure and a place in God’s kingdom.
This passage made me think about the things that can stop us from allowing the kingdom of God to come in our lives. I don’t believe Jesus told the man to give away his wealth because there was something wrong with having those things. I believe the problem was in the stronghold that those things had over his heart and mind.
I may not have many material possessions, but if I am obsessed with gaining wealth, I cannot possibly be wholeheartedly commited to doing God’s will. If I am so attached to my ideas about what life should be, I am not open to the path that God has for me. If I am stuck on feelings of doubt, fear, insecurity or pride, it must go! No matter how long I may have felt this way, even if this is the only way I have ever known, I must yield these thoughts, feelings and attachments to the will of God.
Any thought or desire that has become bigger than what God desires for you, must go in Jesus’ Name! Give it up and open yourself to God’s perfect will. His plans for you are Good. (Jeremiah 29:11)
Mark 10:20-26 (New King James Version)
20 And he answered and said to Him, “Teacher, all these things I have kept from my youth.”
21 Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “One thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me.”
22 But he was sad at this word, and went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.
With God All Things Are Possible
23 Then Jesus looked around and said to His disciples, “How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!” 24 And the disciples were astonished at His words. But Jesus answered again and said to them, “Children, how hard it is for those who trust in riches to enter the kingdom of God! 25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”
26 And they were greatly astonished, saying among themselves, “Who then can be saved?”
