Love Who, Yes You!

After having several encounters with someone whose belief system radically opposed my belief in Jesus as a loving Perfect Creator, my flesh said be self-righteous, be judgmental, be angry.

But those feelings oppose Jesus, just as the individuals’ beliefs did.

Fighting those feelings, and yielding to Jesus, I spent time with the person. I listened, identified our similarities shared food with them and had countless conversations.

Eventually, I found that the person had been physically and verbally abused by a family member who said they were a Christian. This was an open door to share God’s love and expose the harm they suffered as something God would never approve.

Oddly enough, weeks later, Jesus introduced me to someone else whose belief system opposed Jesus as a loving perfect Creator. The first experience helped prepare me for the second. The fight to be self-righteous and judgmental was over before it began. I allowed Jesus to love through me, in patience, kindness and truth.

Don’t think this type of experience is just for me, it’s for you too. The world is filled with hurt and confused people.

You probably know at least one person whose lifestyle radically opposes Jesus. Pray that Jesus will help you radically love them, just as He radically loves you and me.

God soooooo loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son so that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life. (John 3:17) But how will the world know this unless we yield to Jesus and love radically?

Need More Time in 2023?

I hate wasting time, don’t you? Imagine living in a peaceful overjoyed state using every moment to fulfill God’s will and not your own.

It’s possible to actually sense you’re living in the perfect will of God, but the process of getting there may surprise you.

During the mad rush of Christmas, I went out to get a few needed items. After at least an hour’s search, I proceeded to the line. Fifty, maybe 60 people were ahead of me. I refused to wait another hour to pay for items it took an hour to find.

Frustrated, I prayed! Lord forgive me for wasting time when I could have been doing something more productive! Immediately, I remembered that I had recently spent more time doing, and not as much time resting in the presence of Jesus, reading His word

worshipping and listening. I’ve noticed that the more time I spend quietly with the Lord, the less time I waste!

Would you like to be more productive in 2023? The solution is not logical, but it works.

The more time spent in the presence of the Lord, the more you’ll sense the Holy Sprit’s guidance, peace, and wisdom leading you throughout your days, in the least things as well as in the great.

The Word adds length of days and years of life and peace. (Proverbs 3:2) Blessed are those who find wisdom, those who gain understanding, for she is more profitable than silver and yields better returns than gold. She is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire can compare with her. Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor. Her ways are pleasant ways,

and all her paths are peace. She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her; those who hold her fast will be blessed. (Proverbs 14-18)

The Work of Rest Part II

Part 1 of the Work of Rest encouraged us to receive rest in our souls. This comes as we join our faith to the word of God and believe - come what may, we are to live in rest, not stress.

But there’s a second part of rest that may be even more difficult for believers to receive and live out, it’s the physical aspect of rest. As Christians, sometimes we think that movement for Christ means movement in Him. It ain’t necessarily so.

Be honest, have you ever been stressed out and maybe burnt out, doing what you believed is the Christian thing to do? You believed you should have gone here, done this, and done that, even when you were so tired you could hardly think straight. You pushed yourself beyond measure. But was pleasing Jesus your motive?

Let’s go back to Matthew 11: 28. Jesus said “HIS” yoke is easy and HIS burden is LIGHT.

In our zeal to please self and others, we can take our OWN heavy yoke. Without the prayerful yoke of Jesus, our efforts only lead to weariness and added stress.

Remember Jesus said, Come to ME! That’s our first and most important responsibility as a Christian.

As we spend time with Jesus daily and learn of Him, we become more sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit. We trade our yoke, our way of doing things for His, resulting in His will being done on earth.

Recently, I considered doing 3 very important tasks that were Christ centered in 1 day. I sensed a lack of peace from the Holy Spirit about one of those tasks, but I felt it was just as important as the other tasks since it involved helping someone. After serving in three areas in one day, I did not feel well for a few days. It wasn't God's will for me to overdo it, and that is not His will for you. Whom Jesus loves, He chastens (Hebrews 12:6). I repented and received healing!

When we live in the rest of God, “we cease from our own works, as God did from His” (Hebrews 4:10). If God rested, so should we. Our bodies are His temple. Let's be obedient and labor to enter the rest of God! As we follow the Lords leading to do things His way and balance that with His rest we become spiritually and physically fit and God is well pleased! After all, it's about pleasing Him!