“Come to Me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 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. For My yoke is comfortable, and My burden is light.”
Matthew 11:28-30 NASB
I’m sensing a time of refreshing coming for those who have been weary and burdened with the weight of their circumstances. I distinctly heard the Father say, “Come cuddle up with me. Let me take what you weren’t meant to carry and lavish my love on you.”
What an invitation. There’s no one with bigger arms than He has. No place where I can receive everything I need to get me through my trial.
I’m counting on it today. Dropping off my cares and concerns and leaving them there. He’s right as always; I was never built to carry what I’ve been carrying. Neither were you.
Join me for some Divine Cuddle time today. He’ll give you peace beyond anything you ever knew and fill you with a deep understanding of His unfathomable Love.
“But the Most High God does not live in houses built by human hands. This is what the prophet writes:
‘The Lord says, Heaven is my throne, and the earth is where I rest my feet. So do you think you can build a house for me? Do I need a place to rest? Remember, I made all these things!’” Acts 7:48-50
I believe that the reason so many people are dissatisfied with church today is because they are expecting it to be something it was not meant to be. Let me explain what I mean by that.
Have you ever gone to an Italian restaurant? What you find on the menu is just that; Italian cuisine. If you’re expecting a hamburger and fries, you’ll be very disappointed because that’s not what they offer. It’s like looking for meat at a vegetarian restaurant. It’s not likely so don’t expect it.
The ‘church’ was never meant to be the place we bring our unsaved friends to meet God. Jesus showed us that when He sent His disciples into the surrounding villages to bring miracles to those who needed them most. We’ve become so brainwashed into ‘bringing the lost so they can find Jesus’, that we forget our place in the world.
And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” Mark 16:15-18
Why did He say these things? Because it’s never been about staying in comfort and having a pastor do it for us. It’s always been about knowing the powerful God that dwells in these temples not made by hands, and simply relying on His power to manifest through us to save, heal and deliver those around us in our marketplace, our workplaces and our communities where we live. We were made to be light in a dark place, daily, people in darkness should be drawn to the light in us.
Jesus taught His disciples and sent them out. They weren’t perfect! They didn’t feel ready. They weren’t sure what to say or how to do it, but they had His example and they followed it. When they came back to report to Jesus, they were excited because miracles followed them. How about that! God actually did what He said He would do!
Please don’t go to church expecting God to ‘show up and show off’. That should be happening everyday in and through you as you just go about your business. When you begin to exalt and worship God at home, your light will burn brighter because you’ve taken the time to magnify Him. You must decrease so He can increase in you. When you remain hidden, you’ll be surprised at what happens around you.
Be the church you were meant to be, where worship is not a show and no one but God hears you and is intimate with you. Let His presence speak louder than words.
“So the Lord said, “If you have faith as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be pulled up by the roots and be planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.” Luke 17:6
Ever held a seed in your hand and imagined the possibilities? Well, you can keep on imagining all you want because until you plant it, it ain’t growin nowhere! I can have a seed, hold a seed, encase it in beautiful jewelry, but until I plant the seed it, water the seed, care for the seed, nothing will ever come of it.
Seeds have a purpose-to reproduce after its own kind. Has your seed of promise remained in your hand and you wonder why it hasn’t done anything? Plant it! I’m not saying toss it onto any old ground and hope for the best, I’m saying spend time with God and get some direction. Ask Him where the best soil is for that particular seed! If you want optimal yield, you must learn to listen and obey.
Sometimes you have to look for a better job to replace the one you have. Sometimes you must plant your children (NOT LITERALLY-though at times you may want to!) and totally trust God for their future before you see the slightest bit of change.
Don’t be discouraged! Don’t be downcast, oh my soul! My help comes from the Lord! Even when you can’t see what’s going on with the seed, it’s growing. Don’t gage the end result by what you see while it’s still growing. I love what God has done in both my daughters but most of you didn’t know me going through the ‘growing’ part. I had to stop talking about what I saw and go by what I heard Him say about them.
I had to put on my blinders and speak of things that were not as though the already were. It was the soil I got dirty in, caring for the seed I had entrusted to the Lord. Water, watch, water, till, weed, water, watch…it’s a long process, but keep remembering that tree is destined to grow and yield fruit!
So, imagine what one seed of Faith can do. Taste and see that the Lord is good!
Can you imagine getting up every morning, putting on what you wore yesterday, then putting something clean over it? Day after day, you go through the same routine putting on layers of old and dirty just to cover it with a clean outfit. After a few weeks of this, the clean clothes would have to be a much bigger size just to fit over all the old not to mention the smell.
Crazy, right? Yet everyday we refuse to lay down the old in exchange for the new. We try to carry on with the old life and just cover it with our version of righteousness. We add our own twist to worship, but our praise is not from our hearts but from our flesh.
Isaiah 61:3 says, “To give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning. The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; That they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.”
I cast off the old, the pretend, the garment that makes me stink of old mindsets, selfish desires, self ambitions and traditions and I trade it for Your robe of righteousness. I want to be called Your own. I want to look like You, talk like You, smell like You. When others look at me, they only see You! Oh Jesus, I’m so glad You made a better way. Thank You for cleansing me in Your blood, washing me clean and placing on me a robe of righteousness. I’m Yours to use, Yours to claim, Yours forever. May the smell of Your glory permeate the world today as I pass through wearing Your robe. Like the woman who touched the edge of Your robe and was healed, may everyone who touches Your robe on me be changed, healed, delivered and set free. May they look at me and say, ‘She looks just like her Daddy!’
And the Lord said, “If you had faith like a mustard seed, you would say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and be planted in the sea’; and it would obey you.” Luke 17:6
Did you catch that? It’s a voice activated Kingdom we live in! WOW! What’s that mean to us? SAY IT! DECLARE IT! DECREE IT! It’s not going to happen by itself. You will say! There are times when you ask, but there are times to declare.
God didn’t say, ‘Light, will you come please?’ No, he said, LIGHT BE, and it was! Kings who rule do not ask, they command. If you don’t talk to your circumstances, they will talk to you. Don’t believe me? Try not eating for a few days, your stomach will talk to you!
When Jesus healed the sick, He spoke to sickness. He activated His words to create a different outcome. What sort of outcome do you want? If you knew that your miracle is waiting on you to activate your words, would you stay quiet? I sure wouldn’t!
Pain-you’re dismissed! be gone! I say health come. Nothing missing or broken! I say to Lack-you’re dismissed. Poverty is under the curse and I am under the blessing. Nothing missing or broken in my finances, in my family, in my future! I speak to my destiny, COME! All things are possible to them who believe.
Oh, thank you Jesus for showing us a better way. You didn’t say to ask the mulberry tree to please go to the sea, You said it as a command. You speak to your children who are lost in this world’s system and call them back. Speak to whatever you’re facing and have faith that your words, joined with your faith will bring the results you’re saying. Remember this, God backs your words! Good or bad, you can expect to have what you say. Make your words count in activating the supernatural in your life!
Father, You set a great example for us when You created the universe. You showed us with Your words how we are to activate the power of the Holy Spirit in us. I declare Your Word today and come into agreement with it because it will never come back empty or unfulfilled. It’s in Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.’
For here is the way God loved the world—he gave his only, unique Son as a gift. So now everyone who believes in him will never perish but experience everlasting life. John 3:16 TPT
This is how we have discovered love’s reality: Jesus sacrificed his life for us. Because of this great love, we should be willing to lay down our lives for one another. 1 John 3:16 TPT
Valentine’s Day is a special day for me. Walt and I were married 47 years ago today. There are several couples that I know personally who made this day their own special day and congratulations to you all! Marriage isn’t all fun and games, it’s hard work on it’s best day, but well worth it in the long run.
But let us remember, God’s gift to all of us was His love in the form of Jesus. For that reason alone, we should be grateful each and everyday that the greatest example in history was His great expression of love for all of us, His children. He loved us so that we in turn can love others. It’s the gift that keeps on giving.
None of us deserved it, but He freely gave it to each of us and it’s ours to choose. A gift that’s never forced on us, but offered none-the-less. I hope you open your arms to receive this great sacrificial gift of love.
For my part, I am going to boast about nothing but the Cross of our Master, Jesus Christ. Because of that Cross, I have been crucified in relation to the world, set free from the stifling atmosphere of pleasing others and fitting into the little patterns that they dictate. Can’t you see the central issue in all this? It is not what you and I do—submit to circumcision, reject circumcision. It is what God is doing, and he is creating something totally new, a free life! All who walk by this standard are the true Israel of God—his chosen people. Peace and mercy on them! Galatians 6:14-16 The Message
Aren’t you so glad that Jesus set you free? I am! Free from guilt and condemnation. Free from sickness and sin. Free to live in communion with God. Free from being conformed to everyone’s idea of freedom to truly live free.
As the remnant, we are set apart to live a life that’s been handcrafted by God, a life that only we were made to live. A life perfected for us alone. A hand in hand, lead me and I’ll follow kind of life. Be it short or long, there is nothing lost but everything gained by living this kind of free life. It will look different from my life, not perfect in the eyes of others, but certainly perfect in God’s eyes.
Free. Walking in the covenant promises and trusting Him to keep His Word. Nothing missing or broken. Simply free.
At last we have freedom, for Christ has set us free! We must always cherish this truth and firmly refuse to go back into the bondage of our past. Galatians 5:1 Passion Translation
So let’s not allow ourselves to get fatigued doing good. At the right time we will harvest a good crop if we don’t give up, or quit. Right now, therefore, every time we get the chance, let us work for the benefit of all, starting with the people closest to us in the community of faith. Romans 6:9-10 The Message
Do you ever get tired of being nice to people? I hope not! But I have known people who make that statement, “I’m tired of being nice all the time.” Let me ask this; what are the alternatives and would you be happy with yourself being that way? I know I wouldn’t be. Besides, it’s not my nature!
How can I say that? Because when I chose to surrender my life to Jesus, I didn’t hold anything back. That means He and I are not just friends, but we are Gods children and therefore we share His DNA. His love and kindness is (or at least should be) who we are. If we truly are His, we will reflect His love.
So don’t get tired of doing good, not just being nice. If the opportunity is there, do good. If you’re able and you see someone in need, ask God what He would have you do and then do it. Don’t do it for attention, do it because it’s the right thing to do. Do it because what you do for others comes back to you magnified.
I’ve had people send me checks to bless me never knowing what I just gave in sacrifice because God asked me to meet a need. I know I can’t outgive God. It pays to be a giver and to do good things for others. Practice each day asking God to use you in that way, than listen and obey. It pays!
Don’t be misled: No one makes a fool of God. What a person plants, he will harvest. The person who plants selfishness, ignoring the needs of others—ignoring God!—harvests a crop of weeds. All he’ll have to show for his life is weeds! But the one who plants in response to God, letting God’s Spirit do the growth work in him, harvests a crop of real life, eternal life. Romans 6:7-8 The Message
More than anything in this world, I want a good harvest. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had to pray for crop failure because I sowed some really bad seed and I didn’t want to reep that harvesst. It’s easy to do. Just ignore the promptings of the Holy Spirit and do the opposite, you’ll find yourself surrounded by weeds and wishing you’d of listened and obeyed.
I’ve tried to consult God with what exactly He wants me to do or say in any given situation. Sometimes my feelings get in the way of His voice and I need to empty out my thoughts so I can clearly hear Him. I’ve made enough foolish decisions that I make a habit of saying, “Let me think about it and I’ll get back to you.” There’s nothing wrong with waiting!
I can’t fool God. He doesn’t just know my thoughts, He knows my intent. If I do something even with the wrong motives, He knows. Others don’t, but He does. So my harvest is dependant on not just the seeds I sow, but the motives behind the sowing. If I sow because I’m desperate and I want God to hurry and bless me, my motive is wrong. God’s already my provider, I don’t need to do anything for Him to bless me. But sowing seed is a gift given out of the purest of motives and expecting nothing in return but knowing how God works, you just know He’ll take care of the return on your investment.
Taking time to examine my heart today. Teach me Your ways, oh God and reveal to me any errors in my thinking.
Be very sure now, you who have been trained to a self-sufficient maturity, that you enter into a generous common life with those who have trained you, sharing all the good things that you have and experience. Galatians 5:5 The Message
I can’t take credit for anything I’ve done in my life. My part was to do what I was trained to do. My mom and her sisters sang together as a quartet for years. My mom and dad sang together, as did his siblings. Music simply ran in the family. I started singing when I was 2 years old and harmonizing when I was 4. I don’t know how I did it, I just heard it in my head and found I could find any part and sing it. I’m thankful for the privilege to sing with some great people along my journey.
I can’t take credit for writing. My mom was simply too busy to write letters when she was running the orphanage and clinic in Haiti, so she made me her correspondent. She would trust me to answer letters from sponsors and help her write the newsletter at times. I began journaling when I was 18, and although I don’t do it everyday, I enjoy the ability to write my thoughts and share and encouraging word.
I can’t take credit for doing couples ministry or premarital counseling. I owe that to all of the teachers and trainers who invested their gift into me, who encouraged me to lead, monitor classes and share our story. All of that training enabled us to invest into other marriages and give them the tools needed to survive and thrive in their relationships.
I can’t even take credit for my beautiful looks–that was the influence of two very beautiful parents. LOL
Truly there is nothing in life we can brag or gloat on, it’s the grace of God that gifted us, but it’s our own responsibility what we do with it. I’m thankful for the opportunity to share it with you.
Everything I do or have done, I owe to those who’ve taken the time and effort to train and encouraged me. I’m especially thankful for the Holy Spirit and His constant influence working in and through me. Without Him energizing and activating His Word in me, I’d be a failure in every sense of the Word.
remnantposts by sandy gregory 