When you are weary remember.....

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.” Dear Lord Jesus, when I take your yoke, I walk beside You. You lead me and go and do as You do. Lord, give me Your wisdom to see where You are going so I may follow You. There is such joy in surrender to You.

Jesus Fasted

Matthew 4 Jesus fasted for 40 days and 40 nights. What has happened to fasting. I had done some fasting last year and then somehow "forgot" about fasting. This seems to be a lost discipline. If Our Lord practiced fasting Himself, I need to align myself to fast. Being raised Catholic, we had Friday fasts from meat. This was relaxed to only during Lent. We fasted for 3 hours before taking Communion. This was relaxed to an hour. It seems this is almost a non-entity in many churches today. I have heard of many types of fasts; the Daniel fast, the Eden fast, a liquid fast. The biggest question is why fast? Fast to seek God's face as a form of prayer on special requests. Read Daniel and Ruth. For difficult situations that with which we strggle. "this type comes out only by prayer and fasting." Finally, Jesus said when the bridegroom is taken then hus disciples would fast. Dear Lord Jesus, today I seek Your face on a special request that I need direction in my work. Lord, I want to be in the center of Your will. Give me wisdom, guidance and Your Peace.

My New Home

I love houses and home decorating. I spend way too much time browsing magazines, model homes and PINTEREST dreaming. Dreaming of dream houses with lush gardens, French country kitchens and every detail. Reading in the book of Hebrews, I have gotten a glimpse of why I have this desire. I have an internal desire built in me by Our Lord for my heavenly home. "for he (Abraham) was looking forward to the city who has foundations whose designer and builder is God." Hebrews 11:10. Hebrews speaks to a homeland, a city that that we enter like Abraham in faith. While I live here, I am truly blessed by Our Lord with a beautiful home. I just need to, by faith, look forward and send up some building materials to my new home. It is being constructed in my true homeland, heaven. "Eye has not seen,nor ear heard, nor has entered the mind of man what God has prepared for those who love Him," 1 Corinthians 2:9

Speak Love

Luke 6:45-46 English Standard Version (ESV) 45 The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks. Lord, give me wisdom and let me hear the still small voice so I speak LOVE.

Judging others hurts us not them...

Luke 6:37-42 New International Version (NIV) Judging Others 37 “Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. 38 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.” 39 He also told them this parable: “Can the blind lead the blind? Will they not both fall into a pit? 40 The student is not above the teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like their teacher. 41 “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 42 How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.

God doesn't want us to judge because it hurts us. It does nothing to the other person, but it makes our heart dark. Lord, help me to catch myself when I start going down the Judgement Road. Let me continue your motto....LOVE, LOVE, LOVE.

Jesus commands us to love our enemies!

Love for Enemies Luke 6:27 “But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. 29 If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them. 30 Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. 31 Do to others as you would have them do to you. 32 “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. 33 And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. 34 And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. 35 But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. 36 Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. I think Jesus understands that hate and resentment is poison to our soul. My sister had a great line from a 12 step program. Resentment is like taking poison and expecting the other person to die. I am amazed by the Amish story where the man shot children in their school and they forgave him. Wow! I am amazed at their obedience to God's Word. If they can forgive, can I not forgive much more minor offenses?

A prayer...

How can I let God's love flow through me? How can I deny myself, and take up my cross and follow Jesus? How can I walk in the power of the Holy Spirit? Dear Lord Jesus, my heart wants to love, love, love, but my flesh is weak. As I read your Word, it states You were filled with the Holy Spirit. Help me to be sensitive to the quiet, still small voice You gave us. Teach me how to renew every morning. Let me see each and every interaction is an opportunity to share Your Love in a world starved for You. Dear Lord Jesus, I submit myself to You truly being my Lord. Give me Your wisdom to do Your will in my life. Amen.