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Heavy Lifting Without the Weight

Matthew 11:28 reads, (CEB) “Come to me, all you who are struggling hard and carrying heavy loads, and I will give you rest. Put on my yoke, and learn from me. I’m gentle and humble. And you will find rest for yourselves. My yoke is easy to bear, and my burden is light.”

On the surface this sounds like a great offer of exchange. Yet at depth, it’s not so easily categorized depending on how you view the world. How well you actually understand what is being asked of you. How do you view and respond to a simple call to surrender?

It’s difficult to answer and rightly so because it’s a serious decision and there are many things to consider. The most pressing is, what are your attachments to your choices? What are your worries for the world? Not concerning global warming or population to resources, but how will your rest affect those around you? How does letting go hurt or benefit others?

Those questions to consider and many do, causing some to resist a most favorable rate of exchange because; “they’ve seen the world and you fear the work it would take to set things right.” Ultimately, it’s that simple. Less a question of sin and regret, but what will it cost? What will the toll be if I fully say, commit to, this is where I am? This is where I want to be. This is what I understand (is promised). Yet this is the state I am and as best as I know it – people won’t accept that light; even His light could possibly shine through this darkness. It’s a heavy weight to consider the aftermath of saying yes?

The answer though is light and not so troublesome at all. The choice is simply, you join – connect with a body; a purpose so overwhelmingly strong the head said, “the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” A body who laid down and was resurrected for all time with all power for one purpose – that you might have life. The life that was first given – the life that is yours (by birth). Rest without the threat or possibility of the weight of sin ever entangling you again. Without snares and thorns ever showing their prickly touch… Taking the yoke and learning is simple if you can just remember the weight is not yours to bear alone.

It’s one yoke – one body with all its members answering the same call.

Hebrews 12:1 (NIV) Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us,

The Lean Years – Wasted Moments

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preach-it Based on Spurgeon’s Morning Devotion 7-3-2015:

“The ill favoured and leanfleshed kine did eat up the seven wellfavoured and fat kine.”
Genesis 41:4

Pharaoh’s dream has too often been my waking experience. My days of sloth have ruinously destroyed all that I had achieved in times of zealous industry; my seasons of coldness have frozen all the genial glow of my periods of fervency and enthusiasm; and my fits of worldliness have thrown me back from my advances in the divine life. I had need to beware of lean prayers, lean praises, lean duties, and lean experiences, for these will eat up the fat of my comfort and peace. If I neglect prayer for never so short a time, I lose all the spirituality to which I had attained; if I draw no fresh supplies from heaven, the old corn in my granary is soon consumed by the famine which rages in my soul. When the caterpillars of indifference, the cankerworms of worldliness, and the palmerworms of self-indulgence, lay my heart completely desolate, and make my soul to languish, all my former fruitfulness and growth in grace avails me nothing whatever. How anxious should I be to have no lean-fleshed days, no ill-favoured hours!

This message offers a most powerful indictment of the tends (tendencies) and chords that draw us away from task. While rest is an absolute necessity, how careful are we to watch for the leanness creeping in the guise of a blessed moment of peace? Appearing in the form of a blessing yet there is a startling difference and a dangerous persistence embedding itself.

In the passage there are two cows, both at work, but an important difference the lean worked to devour the fat. As Spurgeon espoused and the word informs of our leanness, slight indifference, our neglect even in the guise of rest – it works to devour all that is accomplished in his name while we traverse the lands of Egypt. Whether you fare as sumptuously as Joseph or as trodden as a slave.

While we’re here God is sustaining us. Yes you’ve been washed and reborn – regenerated into the promised land of Zion yet until the physical day you set foot in Canaan there is a vigilance to educate, to nourish the body as we share learn and discover the elements of faith. There is a vigilance that we need to go often to the well, to the rock – to the Word of God that it may always be as He said. My soul, Psalm 63:5 (HCSB) You satisfy me as with rich food ; my mouth will praise You with joyful lips.

Let us remember today and always the lesson of the dream and the dream itself.

God speaks that we may understand and DO! The dream doesn’t change situations it’s up to you to heed its thoughts and follow through.

The Finishing Touch

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A Through the Fire Devotional:
(Bread for Adversity Series)

Kiln Firing – AVSmith Pottery

2nd Timothy 2:19-21

…In a wealthy home some utensils are made of gold and silver, and some are made of wood and clay. The expensive utensils are used for special occasions, and the cheap ones are for everyday use. 21 If you keep yourself pure, you will be a special utensil for honorable use. Your life will be clean, and you will be ready for the Master to use you for every good work.

Whether earthen clay, glass vessel or Gold or the finest bejeweled pot, all must go through the fire. Before you make it to the shelf to the users table you must be finished, hardened, prepared and proven in the flame (the furnace of affliction). Many see this as a time of anguish or suffering, the reality is a time for joy.

It’s the time! You’re nearest the end of a journey. It’s the moment before the rest when you’re proven and shown tetelestai! (It is finished.)
You are a work of art. You are worthy. God has declared you ready to GO!
Having endured the gathering, the shaping, the molding, the so strenuous process; now you’re come to the close. Now it’s time for the fire. The funeral pyre;
All impurities are burned away. All inconsequential doubt and unsureness is dissolved – consumed. This is the time to rejoice you’ve nearly arrived. This fire that threatens to engulf you encompass you, embrace it. Burn baby burn!
I know where my destination is
I’m going to the master’s house- to the master’s table. I am certified meat (good) for the master’s use.
That’s a better signature than Made in China, America or anywhere else in the world.

God’s Word concerning me- I’m done, I’m ready, I Am available
Thank you God! and
Hallelujah for the refiners fire!

The Gritty Truth about Faith

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It’s not always pretty. In fact in the words of Pastor Mankins: Get “Ugly” For Jesus

move-mountains-working-hard-work-CN Life

Check Out the New Book – Embrace of Faith – http://amzn.to/10LTVMz

The message brought about an intriguing thought, one I’ve had for some time. David praised God out of his clothes. Whether you’re hurt or joyous about a circumstance you often forget how it looks to others. Most often you’re just trying to accomplish a thing. Why not the tell others the gritty truth. Faith ain’t pretty. It gets hard at times but these are the times to push for the other side knowing God is there, with you and waiting for you, with the winning bouquet of Glory.

Enjoy this excerpt of The Message – Faith ain’t Pretty

A local tire store had an advertisement that caught my attention. The ad said, “Hello, neighbor! Tires ain’t pretty, but everyone needs tires, so you might as well get them from us at the best price.”

Some time later I was in a radical, wild church service where people were laughing, and shouting, and praising God. Some were even leaping for joy, running, and dancing! During all of this, the Lord spoke to me in this way, “Hello, neighbor! Faith ain’t pretty, but everyone needs faith! So get your faith from God and learn how to release your faith and respond to the Word and power of God.”

So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
(Rom. 10:17)

I rejoice at thy word, as one that findeth great spoil.
(Ps. 119:162)

Thy words were found, and I did eat them, and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart.
(Jer. 15:16)

…yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.
(1 Peter 1:8,9)

Notice that between “believing” and “receiving” in these verses is “joy unspeakable.”

Joy Unspeakable
When you are really a Bible believing Christian, there must be some rejoicing with joy unspeakable. If the joy is “unspeakable,” you must let it out somehow through laughing, shouting, leaping , or dancing for joy. This kind of joy is full of glory. The spirit of faith declares the outcome even in the middle of adversity. You see the victorious end of the challenge you are facing.

Some people would have great faith, but they are too concerned about being pretty all the time. They want to look cool or sophisticated. Real Bible faith ain’t always pretty. (I know that may not be good English, but it is still true.)

For the entirety of Mark Mankins Message Read more at http://www.cfaith.com/index.php/article-display/19-articles/faith/21930-faith-ain-t-pretty

Source: The Spirit Of Faith by Mark Hankins

Some Things are worth Waiting For

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No one said waiting on the promise was easy. But enduring patience, building
patience is a work that must be accomplished. Because there are many times that
may come upon us suddenly that will try to turn us away from God; tear us away
from our focus. And these are the times when the appreciation or the art of waiting
become not only a necessity but a source of strength.

As we see in Saul, it delineates character, having the ability to wait patiently on God.
To not take matters in our own hands without knowing all the consequence. It may
seem all right today and tomorrow but when we lack patience, we often lead others
to lack patience. And ultimately this can cause a whole nation to stumble.

Prayer Note: – James 1:3-5

We are instructed to let patience have its perfect work. Perfect is an indication of
complete, full and precisely accurate. It makes no mistakes. As such I say, if you are
indeed feeling the stress of life’s situations, take a moment and absorb these words.

Grant me patience to endure all afflictions and sufferings. Comfort me in all
misfortunes and distress. Forgive me daily my sins and grant that I may thus continue
firm unto my soul’s salvation, and that I may, in the true and saving
faith and with a good conscience, serve Thee even unto
Amen.
(AN EXCERPT OF THE LITTLE TREASURY OF PRAYER)