GOD'S YOKE IS NOT HEAVY

When I first came to Christ in 1999, I thought I had to fill up my week working for Jesus.  I joined several church auxiliaries and boards. I started a church newsletter (which most did not even read). I taught Sunday School. I was wearing myself out. I began to feel distant from the Lord, and that bothered me. I was tired all the time. I remember one Saturday night I literally stayed awake all night preparing for church the next day. I had so much to do, that I shrugged off sleep.

Finally, I made a list of all the projects that I was involved in and posted it on my bulletin board. It was about 16 different operations that I was involved in. I told the Lord to close the door on the ones that He had not appointed, and leave the ones He wanted me to continue. As He began closing the doors one by one, I crossed those items off the list and it gradually dwindled down from 16 to 4 things that He wanted me to do. My relationship with Him was restored, and I got my sleep back.

Joyce Meyer said, "Let me encourage you today to think seriously about how you spend your time. As God leads you, cut activities and commitments out of your life until you no longer go through every day at a frantic pace and end up feeling stressed. As you evaluate how you’re spending your time, use this simple rule: If you have peace about it, keep doing it. If you don’t have peace about it, stop. Feeling resentful or hearing yourself complain about it frequently indicates the need to make an adjustment."

Matthew 11:28-30 (NKJV) Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.

To God be the glory.

Dee Richardson, Voice of the Dove †

GOD IS ALL THAT AND THEN SOME

Confidence in God — A Reflection of Psalm 62

The Bible is full of victory stories where God came through, and worked great miracles for many people. The psalmist David is one of them. David’s faith in God had advanced to an unshakable steadfastness, to the point that David said, “Only God is my rock, my salvation, and my defense. I will never be greatly shaken by attackers. My soul silently waits for God.” Every single time… God proved Himself faithful on David’s behalf. Trusting anything else was proven a vain hope. David goes on to encourage us to trust in God.

People, always put your trust in God! Tell Him all your problems. God is our place of safety. (Psalm 62:8 ERV)

Don’t be moved by oppression, and do not trust in riches, because God is the ultimate power and source. He renders to everyone what has been sown. Our refuge is in God alone. Even when they’re not trying, sometimes people will let you down. We need to learn to make God our source, for our help comes from Him.

I must calm down and turn to God; only He can rescue me. (Psalm 62:1 ERV)

Rock of Ages, cleft for me,

Let me hide myself in Thee;

Let the water and the blood,

From Thy riven side which flowed,

Be of sin, the double cure,

Save me from its guilt and power.

To God be the glory.

Dee Richardson, Voice of the Dove †

GOD'S OMNISCIENT PERSPECTIVE

A lot of frustration in life comes from trying to figure out only what God can understand. Through our limited mindset, we will not understand everything God does, and everything He allows. We need to cultivate a trust in God so strong, that even when circumstances seem completely jacked up, our confidence in God is unshaken, no matter what we’re seeing and experiencing.

The goal is not to always understand what God’s doing, and why He allows things to get all jacked up, but the goal is to continue trusting Him in spite of it, even when our human logic and emotions are going tilt, tilt, tilt. "God? Hello? Are You there?"

Romans 11:33-34 (NKJV) Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out! For who has known the mind of the LORD? Or who has become His counselor?

Isaiah 55:8-9 (NKJV) "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways," says the LORD. "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.

1 Corinthians 1:25 (NKJV) Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

Proverbs 3:5 (NKJV) Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding;

2 Corinthians 5:7 (NKJV) For we walk by faith, not by sight.

To God be the glory.

Dee Richardson, Voice of the Dove †