“It will happen in that day, that his burden will depart from your shoulder, and his yoke from off your neck, and the yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing oil” – Isaiah 10:27
We have all at one time or another felt weighed down by something, as if a burden is around our neck, or our shoulders pressing down on us.
The yoke may fear or worry. It may be something you have been dealing with for so long that you think it will never go away. Isaiah 10:27 gives us hope.
Our yoke is broken because of God’s amounting on us. That means we all have what we need to break free of everything in our lives that is keeping us bound.
Jesus said in John 8:31-32, that is we continue in The Word we will know the truth and it will set us free.
We were created and saved to stand up and break every yoke that is preventing the Spirit of God from being fully manifested in our lives. But we must not stop a quarter of the way up the mountain, we must continue to the top.
“Let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due seasons, we shall real if we don’t lose heart” -Galatians 6:9
God wants to break every yoke off our lives by His anointing. The Bible tells us Jesus has come to set us free, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty (Galatians 5:1; 2 Corinthians 3:17).
Freedom and liberty are our portion. Don’t settle for anything less. Keep pressing in and pressing on. It happens little by little, but we are changed day by day. We just need to keep our eyes on Jesus.
How does someone who is blind to the glory of God, come to see Him for He truly is?
The natural eyes, ears, and brains are part of the process. Without them, we can or see or hear the natural things that reveal God’s glory -creation, gospel, scripture, and Jesus as human and fully God. But natural seeing is not decisive in seeing the glory of God.
In Matthew 13:13 it says,
“Therefore I speak to them in parables because seeing they don’t see, and hearing they don’t hear, neither do they understand.”
Something more than the use of the natural eyes, ears, and brain must happen. The way Paul puts it in Ephesians 1:18 is we that we must have “the eyes of our hearts enlightened, that you will know.”
This may sound strange -the heart has eyes. But not beyond comprehension.
Sometimes it can be difficult to know how to respond when we look around and disasters are happening and evil looks like it’s winning. Sometimes it’s difficult not to allow temporary troubles to affect our peace.
In 2 Corinthians 4:18, Paul describes what our response should be to these difficulties: to look through the trouble to what lasts forever.
So, we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, because that would be impossible. What is seen is temporary, but what is unseen lasts forever.
Paul is not saying we should fix our physical eyes on what can’t be seen because that would be impossible. Instead, he is saying we should focus our internal spiritual eyes on the eternal.
The eyes in our heads help us to see what’s going on ng on around us and the eyes of our hearts see through what’s going on around us to see the eternal end game.
When you look at the world around you the war, the hatred, the killing, the self-promotion, pride, deception, and horror, do you see only with your physical eyes or do you see with the eyes of your heart? Do you only see despair and hopelessness? Or are you looking toward eternity and the One who is invisible but faithful, loving, sovereign, and entirely good?
The biggest struggles we face now are temporary, but the purity and goodness of eternity will last forever. This too will pass.
“He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity into man’s hearts yet so that he cannot find what God has done from the beginning to the end” – Ecclesiastes 3:11
My favorite pastime is spending time in nature. It’s the feeling of peace that it provides.
When I feel stressed or have anxiety I know I can head to the hills and feel at ease.
The studies show us that spending time improves mood, as well as improves cognition and memory.
Being in nature reduces anger, fear, and stress and promotes pleasant feelings. It not only makes us feel better emotionally it also contributes to physical well-being. Reducing blood pressure, heart rate, and muscle tension, and the production of stress hormones.
So, if your feeling stressed or anxious use nature as a healthy coping mechanism.
What would you do if you lost all your possessions?
If I lost all my possessions I would be devastated. The loss of my family pictures that could never be replaced would be beyond horrible. The loss of my physical Bible would be difficult because it is so much a part of my life.
But in the end I would know I had God to give me strength through it.
I honestly think it’s horrible the American government only offered $750.00 to each Helene survivor. What I disgraceful to these people.
In a world filled with chaos and uncertainty, finding peace can seem like an elusive pursuit.
But what if I told you that there is a peace that surpasses all understanding, a peace that is available to you, regardless of your circumstances?
I can give you the concept of the peace of God from a biblical perspective, along with insight and understanding on how to cultivate tranquility in your life through faith and righteousness.
When we think of peace, it’s easy to associate it with the absence of conflict or turmoil. But biblical peace goes beyond mere external tranquility. It’s a deep sense of calm and contentment that can only be found in a relationship with God.
There are understandings that can guide you on your journey to find true peace that can revolutionize your life.
Trusting in God for Peace
Trusting in God is essential for finding true peace. Isaiah 26:3 tells us when we keep our minds focused on God and trust in Him, He will keep us in perfect peace. This verse captured the profound connection between trust and tranquility.
When we trust in God, we surrender our worries and fears to Him, knowing that He is in control.
I often think back to covid how many people were in fear and lost their peace. It showed how people didn’t have the peace of God.
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight” – Proverbs 3:5-6
This act of surrender allows us to experience a deep sense of peace that surpasses human understanding. It’s a peace that brings comfort, reassurance, and hope.
Trusting In God involves relying on His promises, His faithfulness, and His love. It means acknowledging that He knows what’s best for you and that His plans are good and purposeful.
Even in the midst of difficult circumstances, when you choose to trust in God, He empowers you to walk in resilience and serenity.
However, choosing to trust in God requires a change in you’re perspective. It means shifting your focus from your problems and uncertainties to the One who holds all things together.
As you anchor your trust in God you invite His peace to rule in your heart and mind, guiding your thoughts, decisions, and actions.
Trusting in God brings:
Peace in the midst of uncertainty
Strength in times of adversity
Hope in the face of challanges
Rest for the weary soul
Assurance of His faithfulness
Trusting in God isn’t always easy especially when our circumstances seem overwhelming. we can strengthen our trust in Him through prayer, reading His Word, and relying on the Holy Spirit, then we can experience the depths of His peace that surpass understanding.
Let your trust in Him be the foundation on which you build a life filled with tranquility and hope.
The Giver of Lasting Peace
When it comes to peace, Jesus is the ultimate source. Unlike the temporary peace, the world offers. Jesus offers lasting and transformative peace that can calm troubled hearts and dispel fear. In John 14:27 Jesus assures us of His gift of peace.
“Peace I leave with you, my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”
To experience the true peace that Jesus offers, we must first acknowledge Him as the source and surrender our worries and anxiety to Him. By placing our trust in Him, we can find solace and rest for our weary souls.
I have a family member who worries constantly. So much so that they get physically ill. Sadly they do notunderstand that Jesus’s gift of peace goes beyond momentary relief. It’s good to pray for peace, but it’s not good to pick up the worry after you’ve just asked God for peace.
Jesus’s gift originated from a relationship with Him. This peace enables us to navigate uncertain times with confidence and to face adversity with courage.
Embracing Jesus’s Gift of Peace
How do we embrace Jesus’s gift of peace?
Here are a few key steps:
Trust in Jesus
Place your trust in Hin and believe that His peace is available to you.
2. Surrender your worries
Release your worries and anxiety to Jesus, knowing that He cares for you.
3.Pray for peace
Engage in prayer, seeking God’s peace and asking nh Him to fill your heart with His calming presence. And don’t pick up your worries again.
4. Meditate on Scripture
Spend time reading scripture (out loud if possible) reflecting on God’s Word, and allowing His promises of peace to permeate your mind and soul. We can pray right off the pages of the Bible.
5. Practice gratitude
Cultivate an attitude of gratitude, focusing on the blessings in life rather than dwelling on negativity.
By consistently seeking Jesus’s peace and incorporating these practices into your daily life, you can experience the fullness of His gift of lasting peace.
Peace is not something that we accidentally stumble upon, it requires intentional pursuit. It’s easy to listen to the world, but that is not where peace is found.
When we choose to depart from chaos in the world, we distance ourselves from the actions and behaviors that disrupt peace. By embracing goodness, we foster an environment of harmony and tranquility.
Peace requires ongoing. Seeking peace through action involves fostering healthy relationships, resolving conflicts with love and forgiveness and promoting justice and equality. If requires us to be peacemakers, and to actively contribute to the well being of others and society at as whole.
When we pursue peace, we do not only benefit ourselves, but we also become agents of positive change in the world. Our actions have the power to inspire others to seek peace and create a ripple effect.
I am a firm believer in leading by example. By embodying the principles of peace in our own lives, we become beacons of hope and inspiration for others.
Our actions and words have the power to heal wounds, bridge divides, and cultivate peace.
Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that. Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that.
What’s a topic or issue about which you’ve changed your mind?
I used to think everyone had human decency and valued life. Sadly this is not true anymore.
Being polite, not judging, and accepting the uniqueness of each other, as well as respecting others, as well as leaving people alone to live as they so choose is a thing of the past.
The value of a life means nothing anymore. We have become so desensitized to death it is disgusting.
Last week there was a horrible accident in my town. I driver was in a hurry and cut off a semi trust going 65 mph the semi driver tried to swerve to not hit them. The vehicle behind the semi had 5 people in it killing them all and then hit a kid on a four wheeler.
I get it people make mistakes, accidents happen. After the wreck the road was closed for clean up. But there were people that were “put out” while they were cleaning up the site. And we’re saying some pretty nasty things because the road was closed down.
Have you ever read in the Book of Matthew about the ten virgins?
It offers us some timeless lessons on being prepared and vigilant. If you are paying attention you know that the times are getting dark and getting darker. We don’t know when Jesus will return, but we should be ready when He does.
This parable is recounted by Jesus and underscores the importance of spiritual readiness in anticipation of the Kingdom of Heaven. By meditating on this scripture we can gain valuable insight into living in faith and foresight.
In Matthew 24, Jesus tells His disciples what will happen at the end of the age and gives them the signs of His return. He tells the parable of the ten virgins.
Parables are earthy stories with heavenly meanings. This parable, like many parables this one causes us to examine ourselves.
Matthew 25:1-3 tells us, that 5 of the virgins came to the door of the wedding after going to get oil for their lamps knocking on the door, “open the door for us” but they were too late.
If we are not prepared we are like the 5 virgins who had to go to the shop to get oil for their lamp, who are late for the wedding of the bridegoom.
Jesus will say to us, ‘I don’t know you.” Therefore we must keep watch because we do not know the day or the hour He will come.
This parable emphasizes the importance of being spiritually prepared because the time of Jesus’s return is unknown. We must learn to listen and obey the Holy Spirit.
It’s what’s inside the Lamp that matters most.
What is interesting about this parable is that the 5 virgins had their lamps. They looked prepared for the arrival of the bridegroom. But the lamp was not enough. With no oil, the lamp was useless. They were focused on what the outside looked like, with no care of what was on the inside.
The oil represents the Holy Spirit, so the real importance is whether they were filled with the Holy Spirit.
Romans 8:8-9 says,
“Those who are in the flesh can’t please God. But you at not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if it is so that the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if any man doesn’t have the Spirit of Messiah, he is not this.”
In other words, if you live by the flesh it leads to death and if you live by the Holy Spirit it leads to life.
If the Spirit of God does not dwell within you, then you do not belong to God. The good news is if you become born again His Spirit will come and dwell in you and take up residence in your heart.
Without the Holy Spirit or oil as mentioned in the parable of the 10 virgins, you are just an empty lamp. It doesn’t matter how good the lamp looks on the outside.
When we recieve our salvation we become filled with the Holy Spirit. Ephesians 5:18 tells us,
“Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit.”
One way of thinking about this verse is that we need to constantly yield to the Holy Spirit. Doing God’s will allows Him to have a greater impact on our lives.
Reading the Bible, praising Him and worshipping Him will renew our minds and refill our strength every day. This will give us the oil we need to shine bright in a dark world,
Being filled with the Holy Spirit requires more then than going to church on a Sunday, or fulfilling your “duty” of going on easter Sunday and Christmas.” Your growth will happen most outside of the church. It is there where we prepare our hearts to be ready for the coming of Jesus.
The virgins who had extra oil were prepared and ready for Him coming. Even though we look prepared on the outside, we must be ready on the inside. Our lamps should be full of oil.
Paul said in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18we should all be aware of,
“Brothers and sisters, But we don’t want you to he ignorant, concerning those who have fallen asleep, so that you don’t grieve like the rest, who have no hope. For if we believe that Yeshua (Jesus) died and lives again, even so, God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Yeshua. For this, we tell you by the Word of the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord will in no way precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord Himself descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with God’s shofar. The dead in Messiah will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air. So we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore comfort one another with these words.”
Our eternal destination is determined by what we do now. Once we die our eternity is sealed. If we are not ready the door will be shut. If we don’t prepare now it may be too late.
I imagine the virgins were in shock when they were hot with this reality. I for sure don’t want Jesus to say, “I don’t know you.”
Knowing Jesus us has nothing to do with our deeds or actions. And has everything to do with putting our trust in Him as our Savior and Lord. Nothing else matters.
Don’t be like the 5 virgins who just had lamps, looking like they were prepared, but they had no oil. The Holy Spirit did not dwell in them.
The preparation begins now. This is an appointment you don’t want to miss. We have to get ready for now.
In John 3:1-21, Jesus talks to Nicodemus a prominent Pharisee and a member of the Sanhedrin (the ruling body of the Jewish people). Nicodemus had come to Jesus at night with some questions he had.
As Jesus talked with Nicodemus, He said, “I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again. Nicodemus asked ‘how can a man be born again when he is old?’ Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb to be born!’
Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but Spirit give birth to Spirit,
The phrase “born again” can be translated as “born from above.” Nicodemus had a real need. He needed to change his heart – he needed a spiritual transformation that could only come from above.
Being born again carries the idea of becoming “children of God” through trusting in the name of Jesus.
I think Paul says it best in Ephesians 2:1-5
“You were made alive when you were dead in transmissions and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the children of disobedience, among whom we also all once lived in the lusts of our flesh, doing the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and we’re by nature children of wrath, even as the rest. But God, being rich in mercy, for His great love with which He loves us, even when we were dead through of trespasses, made us alive together with Messiah (by grace you have been saved.”
Sinners are spiritually ‘dead’ when they receive spiritual life through faith in Jesus, the Bible says it is rebirth. Only those who are born again have their sins forgiven and have a relationship with God.
As I was thinking about my next post to put here. This came to my mind. I heard God say,
“Being born again is the Holy Spirit coming to live on the inside of you. God opens up a steady flow of the water of truth that keeps pouring into your spirit”
Because of the childhood neglect, I was raised under. I have always felt out of place. I have never felt like I belong anywhere. It’s difficult to stay very long at social gatherings. It’s difficult for me to look around and see people having a good time and wonder what I’m missing.
I have always known I was different. My childhood traumas because my mother failed to respond to my emotional needs. Along with the fact that I was punished when I talked. I was taught that my feelings did not matter. I had to adapt, by pushing my feelings down and away so that I didn’t bother people. This was a survival tactic to deal with my feelings. But as an adult in becomes a problem.
Emotions are the glue that connects us to other people. I never felt as though I connected with people. I feel like an outcast everywhere I go. I never feel like I can be myself around people. Because I never learned how to socialize with other people.
Because of the emotional distance, and reflection I had as a child, I am more comfortable being by myself, rather than being around people.
Your life without a computer: what does it look like?
Computers can be both a blessing and a curse, depending on how they are used. They can provide access to information. But they the are also a huge distraction. Computers definitely give a wealth of information but the information can be false.
If you want to know something you can google it. But computers are programmed by people. Anywhere people are involved it involves their perception of the truth.
Distractions from computers subtly impact how we solve problems, adapt, and think. When we check an online resource, it reduces the brain’s ability to rely on our memory.
Resting distractions is very difficult for people who are not self-disciplined because computers have been engineered to capture out attention. To eliminate distractions we must make conscious choices to only use a specific amount of time. And live in reality, instead of the digital world.
More than ever, we need God’s power in society today. Without the power of God, we would wither away to nothing. Most people don’t realize that if God leaves He takes everything with Him Man and the universe exist for no purpose.
“When I extinguish you, I will cover the heavens and make the stars dark. I will cover the sun with a cloud, and the moon won’t give its light. I will make all the bright lights of the sky dark over you, and set darkness on your land” -Ezekiel 32:7-8
Only when the Holy Spirit dwells in us can we do all that we were called to do. Without the Holy Spirit power to change us and to help us impact the world around us. It’s only with God’s power we are able to finish strong. As long as the power of God stays in our life, we have power.
It doesn’t matter what we have done in the past, or we choose to do today, without the Holy Spirit we will fail. Only through Holy Spirit sets people free with God’s power. Only the Holy Spirit can fill us with God’s power. That is why God the Spirit is here on the earth.
Job 34:14 -16 tells us,
“If God were to withdraw His Spirit, all life would disappear and mankind would turn again to dust. Listen now and try to understand.”
We need His power to survive. His Word is our secret source of power.
As the critics try to dig deeper into their hole of unbelief, their rationale invariably exposes their own inherent weaknesses. The secret source of power opens the lies, the skeptic life remains unchanged.
If you need strength, and healing in your mind or body God has provided a solution for you in His Word.
I would like to learn effective communication in social settings.
When it comes to writing and speaking to someone one-on-one I can do that. But when I’m in a group setting. I shut down.
I am always focusing on what I should say and then when I do say it, it comes out as a bibble battle because I get stressed out around too many people. My words get mixed up.
I just don’t communicate well in big crowds. I’m not sure why. Sometimes I think it’s that old feeling that people will judge me for what I say.
From Pity to Praise 