 The teaching I ask you to accept is easy; the load I give you to carry is light. Mat 11:30
Paul had an interesting observation about the way we treat people. He said it about marriage, but the principle applies in any relationship. "The man who loves his wife loves himself" (Eph 5:28 ). There is a correlation between the way you feel about yourself and the way you feel about others. If you are at peace with yourself—if you like yourself—you will get along with others. The converse is also true. If you don't like yourself, if you are ashamed, embarrassed, or angry, other people are going to know it… Which takes us to the question, "How does a person get relief?" … "Come to me, all of you who are tired and have heavy loads, and I will give you rest" (Mat 11:28 )… Jesus says he is the solution for weariness of soul. When God Whispers Your Name (Max Lucado) 
There is a correlation between the way you feel about yourself and the way you feel about others. If you are at peace with yourself—you’ll get along with others. The converse is also true. If you are ashamed, embarrassed, or angry, other people are going to know it. The tragic thing is we tend to take it out on those we love unless the cycle is interrupted.
Which takes us to the question, “How does a person get relief?” Which takes us to one of the kindest verses in the Bible. In Matthew 11:28 Jesus says, “Come to me, all of you who are tired and have heavy loads, and I will give you rest.” Be honest with Him. Admit you have soul secrets you’ve never dealt with. He’s just waiting for you to ask Him for help. You’ll be glad you did. Those near to you will be glad as well. 
A fit of anger. Uncontrolled debt. A guilty conscience. Icy relationships. Alarms in your life. When they go off, how do you respond? Be honest, now. Hasn’t there been a time or two when you went outside for a solution, when you should have gone inward? Ever blamed your plight on government? Blamed your family for your failure? Called God to account for problems in your marriage? Your circumstances may be challenging, but blaming them is not the solution. Nor is neglecting them.
Consider David’s prayer in Psalm 51:10, “Create in me a new heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.” In Romans 12:2 Paul says, “Fix your attention on God. You will be changed from the inside out.” Heaven knows you don’t silence life’s alarms by pretending they aren’t screaming. But heaven also knows it’s wise to look in the mirror before you peek out the window!  There was a point in our life when we were just a signature away from moving from one house to another. The price was fair, it seemed a wise move. But I didn’t feel peaceful about it. To this day I can’t pinpoint the source of the discomfort. Sometimes a choice just doesn’t “feel” right; and sometimes choices do “feel” right.
When Luke justified the writing of his gospel to Theophilus, he said, “Since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, it seemed good also to me to write an orderly account for you.” (Luke 1:3). Did you notice, “it seemed good also to me?” Luke pondered his options and selected the path that “seemed good.” Do you have a heart for God? Heed it. Do you have a family of faith? Consult it. Do you have a Bible? Read it. You have what you need to face the giant-size questions of life. Once you’ve given your heart to God, consulted people of faith, and read the Bible, then trust your heart and do what seems right. Who knows? You may end up writing your own gospel story. from Facing Your Giants  God keeps His promises. Shouldn’t God’s promise-keeping inspire yours?
People can exhaust you. And there are times when all we can do is not enough. When a spouse chooses to leave, we can’t force him or her to stay. You’re tired. You’re angry. You’re disappointed. This isn’t the marriage you expected or the life you wanted. But looming in your past is a promise you made. Whatever that is, may I urge you to do all you can to keep it? To give it one more try? Why should you? So you can understand the depth of God’s love. When you love the unloving, you get a glimpse of what God does everyday for you and me. When you keep the porch light on for the prodigal child, you do what God does every single moment. Pay attention, take notes on your struggles. God invites you to understand His love by loving others the way he does. from Facing Your Giants  He has a price on his head. No place to lay his head. But somehow he keeps his head. He turns his focus to God and finds refuge! Refuge is a favorite word of David’s in the Psalms. But never did David use the word more poignantly than in Psalm 57 a song of David when he fled from Saul into the cave. On his face, lost in shadows and thought, nowhere to turn. But then he remembers he is not alone. And from the recesses of the cave his voice floats:
“Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me. For my soul rests in You; And in the shadow of Your wings I will make my refuge.” Make God your refuge. Not your job, your spouse, your reputation, or your retirement account. Make God your refuge! Let Him encircle you. Let Him be the foundation upon which you stand! And that foundation will support you right into eternity. from Facing Your Giants  But be holy in all you do, just as God, the One who called you, is holy. 1 Pe 1:15
I have something against the lying voices that noise our world. You've heard them. They tell you to swap your integrity for a new sale. To barter your convictions for an easy deal. To exchange your devotion for a quick thrill. They whisper. They woo. They taunt. They tantalize. They flirt. They flatter. "Go ahead, its OK." "Don't worry, no one will know." The world rams at your door; Jesus taps at your door. The voices scream for your allegiance; Jesus softly and tenderly requests it. The world promises flashy pleasure; Jesus promises a quiet dinner … with God. Which voice do you hear? In the Eye of the Storm (Max Lucado  When I kept things to myself, I felt weak deep inside me. Psa 32:3
Ask yourself two questions: Is there any unconfessed sin in my life? Confession is telling God you did the thing he saw you do. He doesn't need to hear it as much as you need to say it. Whether it's too small to be mentioned or too big to be forgiven isn't yours to decide. Your task is to be honest… Are there any unsurrendered worries in my heart? "Give all your worries to him, because he cares about you" (1Pe 5:7 ). The German word for worry means "to strangle." The Greek word means "to divide the mind." Both are accurate. Worry is a noose on the neck and a distraction of the mind, neither of which is befitting for joy. When God Whispers Your Name (Max Lucado)  If you forgive others for their sins, your Father in heaven will also forgive you for your sins. Matthew 6:14
Bitterness is its own prison. The sides are slippery with resentment. A floor of muddy anger stills the feet. The stench of betrayal fills the air and stings the eyes. A cloud of self-pity blocks the view of the tiny exit above. Step in and look at the prisoners. Victims are chained to the walls. Victims of betrayal. Victims of abuse. The dungeon, deep and dark, is beckoning you to enter… You can, you know. You've experienced enough hurt… You can choose, like many, to chain yourself to your hurt… Or you can choose, like some, to put away your hurts before they become hates… How does God deal with your bitter heart? He reminds you that what you have is more important than what you don't have. You still have your relationship with God. No one can take that. He Still Moves Stones (Max Lucado)  Wait for the LORD, and he will make things right. Proverbs 20:22
Some of you are in the courtroom. The courtroom of complaint. Some of you are rehashing the same hurt every chance you get with anyone who will listen. For you, I have this question: Who made you God? I don't mean to be cocky, but why are you doing his work for him? "Vengeance is Mine," God declared. "I will repay" (Heb 10:30 NKJV). Judgment is God's job. To assume otherwise is to assume God can't do it. Revenge is irreverent… To forgive someone is to display reverence. Forgiveness is not saying the one who hurt you was right. Forgiveness is stating that God is faithful and he will do what is right. When God Whispers Your Name (Max Lucado) |
Ana & Andre Schoonbee God uses us to motivate and encourage the body. 
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