Sometimes we get so busy that we forget to set apart some time to refresh and reenergize, not only our physical but our spiritual too. Right now in this moment, I feel very tired, I feel like I need a break, some time apart with God. Immediately Matthew 11:29 came to mind and as I read it over and over I could feel the heaviness lift. Have you ever lifted something that was heavier than you expected and someone came running to help you carry it, that immediate sense of relief, gladness and gratitude comes as that person is heading towards you maybe even with their hands out ready to help. Well, when times get heavy and your load is too much to bare, there’s one name that you can always call on and that’s Jesus, and He will run towards you with his arms extended towards you and he will carry that weight for you. So find rest in your soul as you call on Jesus. I pray that every single person who reads this now, may a covering of peace fall on you and a breeze of calm enter your being, that you may feel Jesus at your side as He ever so lovingly offers his yoke.
Heavenly Father, hear my prayer. I’m feeling tired and weary. I come to you because I know that there is no one that can lift me up the way you do. I call on you because I know that there’s nothing you wouldn’t do for me. I feel so tired, but I know that in my weakness you are strong. My chest feels heavy, but I know that you sent your only son to carry the weight for me. I know that you make me lie down in green pastures and you lead me besides the still waters. My physical body is tired but my spirit is strong in you Lord. Abba, I trust you, not in my circumstances or what I see and hear, but I trust you and the promises you give. I surrender all that I feel to you now and receive from you the peace that surpasses all understanding. I receive your forgiveness and most of all I receive your love. Thank you for creating me, in Jesus name Amen.
Have you ever received bad news? I think we all have, it seems to be one of those things that is just part of life, something’s are just inedible. As I’ve matured in the Lord I’ve learned that it’s so important to pay attention to ourselves and how we receive not so good news, in other words how we react and how it makes us feel. We’re humans with feelings I think God understands that, so it’s not bad to feel a negative feeling, it’s how long you linger in that feeling and how you get out of it. For me, when I used to hear bad news I would just sink into the floor, whether small or big it was just something I couldn’t bare, I was raised to just let emotions fly and do whatever they wanted even to the point of letting them take over my entire being.
Now, I don’t live in that fear, the fear of the unknown, of not having control, of not having the solution, I live in a place of peace, a place where when trials arise I don’t sink into the floor, instead I arise as well, and My Creator with me. It’s so important to examine ourselves and take time to reflect on those times when our faith shrinks just a little and how to be able to make it rise above it all, the only way is through His word. Read and re-read if you must all the promises He has made and remember how faithful He is, how much He loves you and He will never forsake you. Trials will come that’s for sure, we have an enemy that never tires of inflicting pain, BUT we have an amazing God who stands before us, behinds us and all around us. Praise God. So, now take time, reflect on where you live, In panic of the uncertainty or peace in God’s will.
Father God, I come to you and just surrender all that fear that makes my mind race into thoughts that are against what you have proclaimed for me. I ask for your forgiveness if there is something that I am missing because I am too busy to get into your word. Lord I ask that you guide me and give me wisdom so that I may live in your peace when trials come. Lord I trust you, I love you and I always want to be in your will. In Jesus name Amen.
Did the title throw you off a little? Well, let me elaborate. Many years ago before I was saved, I had a sort of spiritual awakening for a lack of a better term. I knew about God but I didn’t like religion and so I called myself spiritual. Yes, spiritual, what does that even mean? Now it seems a bit silly when I think about it. I guess, what I was trying to say was that I didn’t like religion, I didn’t want to be labeled a Christian, I didn’t want to follow anyone’s specific rules or guidelines to get closer to God. More specifically, I knew what some Christian based churches taught, which was baptism, fasting, praying, reading the bible and being part of a community, most of those things I mentioned I wasn’t willing to do, nor compromise about it. I literally prayed to God and said, I won’t get baptized and I won’t be part of a community where I have to serve or talk to anyone ( immature me), of course that only seemed to pull me farther apart from my purpose. Forward to present time, I’ve been baptized twice (once in the actual Jordan river) and have found an amazing community of people in my church that have welcome me in a way that I can’t explain with words but know in my heart was God sent. In my ” spiritual awakening” I had a long list of the things I didn’t want to do to get closer to God or to have peace in my heart and life, I had to many limitations and restrictions for God, all those things were walls that I had built myself to protect myself from the what if’s in my head, what if God isn’t real, what if the people at church hurt me, or lie to me, what if I’m not worthy or what If I open up and become vulnerable and I get taken advantage in my weakness. With all those walls, all those restrictions, all those conditions, getting closer to God and finding my purpose in this world was never going to work. So, I got lost in many religions, reading books, finding temples, yoga, magic, buddhism, healing myself affirmations, books on how to help myself find peace and all sorts of other stuff that only worked temporarily and when it went away left me feeling even worse. Where am I going with this, you can read all the self help books, all the autobiographies, you can do all the yoga and breathing exercises you want, WITHOUT GOD, IT WONT WORK! By no means am I saying reading self help books are bad, what I am saying (because it happened to me) is that the only way to start truly healing is to let your walls down, ask God to show you the truth. If Jesus is the your foundation, if God isnt number one in your life, and If you still have many conditions, you will never be truly happy. This life doesn’t work without God. Think about it, is there an area of your life where you just can’t seem to have peace in? Is there a wall? A condition you’re putting God? I know you want peace, I know you want to feel loved, appreciated, valued, noticed, I know you want to succeed, be fruitful, be blessed to be a blessing, I know you want to find your purpose, but I’m afraid it just won’t work without God. In my personal journey to findings who in was, I found that I can never walk this life again without my creator. I encourage you to let those walls fall and to just let God guide you into His will, let us pray.
My most amazing creator, my loving Father in heaven, I come to you, scared of the unknown, afraid of what you might reveal to me, afraid of getting hurt, afraid that I am not worthy, afraid that I don’t have enough faith, overwhelmed by this place I’m in because no matter how much I try to control or manipulate those things around me it just doesn’t bring peace. I am lost, I am drowning in a sea of hopelessness and I know that I am stubborn and I ask for forgiveness, I can’t do this alone anymore, I know that anything in my life will not work if you’re not involved. So, I’m inviting you into my life, into my heart, that you may search me and find within me not only that unwillingness to give my life completely to you but anything else that is keeping me from fulfilling my true purpose in your will and cast it out so that I may be delivered into your wonderful freedom and love. I am yours, and I know that without you, it just won’t work. In Jesus name Amen.
Today I wanted to share with you something that is very intimate for me, something that I treasure in my heart and is forever engraved in my thoughts. When I was sick (cancer) and doctors didn’t know what was wrong and I knew something was very wrong, I felt death upon me as days, weeks and months passed and still no answer to my health deteriorating. It was a year exactly when I finally ended up one more time in the E.R and I was told that I had a tumor (no cancer, yet) I was immediately given a date for surgery which was just days away, I remember them saying that they couldn’t do a biopsy because if it was cancer then they would risk transferring it into other parts of my body. A month later, I was asked to meet with a specialist at the hospital which I did, I sat in the room waiting alone, as she walked in and sat in her chair, she turns and says to me that I have to undergo aggressive chemotherapy treatment, the tumor had been in my body way too long and developed cancer cells, the tumor had grown 11.8 inches and it touched and pushed my organs which caused me a lot of discomfort. I remember going back in my head and thinking of the day I knew there was something wrong but I didn’t know what, I remember asking God to reveal to me the illness, I asked Him to guide me to the right doctors, I asked Him to fill me with His courage and to help my family when I shared the news. That whole entire time, from the day I knew something was wrong to finding out what it was and what needed to be done, not once was I alone. God had sent someone who held my hand through the pain, through the confusion of not knowing what was wrong, through feeling of death at my door, through having to call two of my family members and say my will. He sent someone who even though at times I could not even speak a word from being overwhelmed with the news, just sat there in the quiet times with me. Someone who held my hand during the treatments, who was always front and center when I opened my eyes after having taking an ivy of Benadryl to help with the side effects of chemotherapy. He made sure I got to my treatments on time because if I didn’t I would have to start all over (and boy, was there obstacles getting me there). Someone who reassured me every step of the way that no matter what He would never leave my side. Someone who held me as my hair fell off my head in big chunks, someone who never judged me as I raged from the treatment messing with my thoughts and emotions. Someone who still saw the beauty inside when I felt tired, worn, distorted and ugly. He would talk until I fell asleep and He reminded me of who I was to God. That someone is MY Jesus. This testimony is the short version, so many unbelievable things and incredible things happened in that journey but the point of this short story is, My Jesus came through. I called on Him everyday, and everyday He showed up. Are you in a place where you need to call Your Jesus? I promise He will show up. No matter how big or small your situation, (mine just happened to be big at that time) He will show up when you call on Him with all your heart. Let us pray,
My Jesus, please forgive me if I’ve been trying to do life all on my own. I need you to meet me where I am, Jesus the name above every other name. Jesus, King of Kings, Jesus, my savior, my comforter, my provider, my healer, my Lord. I call on you because I am weak right now, because I don’t have the answers, because I don’t have the solutions, because I am not strong, but You are. Here I am. I can’t do this on my own, I am tired, I don’t know where to go. Jesus, I know you hear me, I lift my hands to you and receive your rest and your peace. I receive your love, and your guidance. I need you in my life right now, I surrender my heart, mind and soul to you, let me shine for you, let me praise your name now because you have already triumphed, you already have the victory. Thank you, I love you. In your name I pray, Amen.
I believe the verse Matthew 26:26-29 is an example of how Jesus was trying to show them how to be united and even though a couple verses before this one Jesus mentions that someone will betray Him, yet, He still goes forward and has supper with them as they all come together as one by eating the bread and drinking the wine. To me, it just shows that Jesus was telling us in the midst of uncertainty and in a time where there was fear of what the future was to bring, we are to come United breaking bread as we face our trials together, praying and taking part of communion. The word communion is defined as sharing with each other intimate thoughts with one another meaning that we are to come to one another in our most very distressful and times of need to pray for one another and encourage one another, but we must take the step to reach out and even in that feeling of shame or shyness or whatever holds you back, we must overcome to have a true chance of being obedient to God. Is there anything that is holding you back from having this communion? Surrender it to Jesus right now.
Lord, King of Kings! I come to you right now feeling inadequate, feeling shame, guilt, feeling embarrassed and shy, and I surrender all these feelings to you so, that I may be able to move forward into communion not only with you but with my brothers and sisters in Christ, that may be able to boldly stand and ask for prayer when I need it, boldly declare your promises that you’ve given me and rest in your peace that surpasses all understanding. I surrender so that I can be lifted higher and closer to you. In your name I pray Amen.
I promise it won’t be long, trees will burn, houses will come down, but not in vain, no never in vain. There’s refinement in your pain. There’s deliverance in your tears. There’s wisdom in your fears. There’s salvation in your mourning. The waves will over take but not in vain. People will die, foundations will crumble to longer exist but not in vain, no never in vain. There’s edification I’m your loss. There’s freedom in your bewilderment. There’s correction in your worry. The ground will break and swallow up all that stands on it but not in vain, no never in vain. In those days, you will cry out and I will hear your voice and you will know mine. Then there, you will find peace, you will find love, you will find wisdom, you will find courage, you will find joy, you will find your salvation.
Father, I just want to say thank you. Thank you for your message. Thank you for your love. Thank you because even when make the wrong choices you never reject me. Thank you because even in my pain you are stilly comfort. Thank you for holding me in the palm of your hand and keeping me safe. Thank you for reminding me that I am not alone. Thank you for your wisdom. Thank you for your protection. Thank you for being my wonderful, perfect, father. I lift my heart to you and all that is feeling right now, I know you are in control, I know you have plans for me, I know that you will always uphold me with your right hand. Don’t let go of me, I won’t let go of you. I love you. In Jesus name Amen.
The rage. Do you know it? I do. I don’t engage anymore with it, but how I used to linger and sulk in it. I remember as a teenager once my little brother said to me while I was having a fit and rage against my mom, that I reminded him of the hulk. I remember so clearly thinking, wow, that’s how much rage comes out of me. To tell you the truth that continued for many, many years, anything would set me off. I had no control, there was no balance of my emotions specially when it came to anger. Yes, of course I was a teenager and the raging hormones and all that but what about later in life? As a Adult I had to finally be honest with myself and find a solution, I tried mediation, reading books about peace, buddhism, angels, crystals, anything that had the word peace I was trying. Needless to say, all those things seemed to work for a while and then vanish like if they never existed in my life, back then I wasn’t saved and I didn’t know better, it wasn’t until I bended knee and called out for the creator of all things when He started showing me through His word and getting to know who Jesus was that I started to think that I might have a chance. There are three things you must know: 1. The only one who can help is God. 2. Surrendering will activate your faith. 3. Alignment with God’s will bring peace.
How do you start: 1. Make time for God, praying, meditating, worshipping. 2. Read the bible. His word. If you need an answer seek it in His word. 3. Repent and Give thanks to God in the worst and best times.
Lord, I boldly come to you now with a humble heart, please forgive me for anything that I have done to keep you from doing your will in my life. I am here now with an open heart and a willing Spirit. Lord create an emotional balance within me and let me flow in your serenity. When my anger starts to rise Lord I ask you to cover me in your compassion, Father I lift up every emotion to you, be my guide so that I may know how to react to others actions. I want to be slow to anger. Let everything I do and say be a reflection of what you are. In Jesus name Amen.
Have you ever pushed time with God for later because you weren’t “feeling it” or plain simply didn’t want to do it because you were doing something else that was distracting you? I didn’t want or felt like reading my devotional sometime last week, I was putting it aside and I opened the bible twice and said later but then in my spirit I didn’t feel right so I stopped what I was doing and just started with my devotional and wow, God wanted to tell me something that strengthen me in the moment and I really didn’t know it until then that I need that strenghting. After, I read the Bible verse for today as I’m reading the bible in a year, and God also had so much love to share with me as I read along and not only for me but he also put some people in my heart that I must share with. When I was done, I felt so loved by Him and so humbled, I also felt a little shame that I was putting Him to the side when all he wanted was to share with me His strength and love. Needless to say that I’m sure the people God put in my heart to share as well felt the same love. So, I say don’t set God aside, don’t dismiss Him, don’t make Him wait for you, when He calls embrace Him. Don’t bring disorder to your consistency of putting time for Him aside intentionally. God loves us so much and He knows us so well, Hrs trying to give us wisdom at all times before something happens and we find ourselves disoriented. Like me, you may be in need of comfort without even knowing it because you’re trying to distract yourself from your worry. Stop. Take that moment even if it’s to sit still, He will show up. If not now, when?
Lord, please forgive me for letting myself be distracted by other things instead of intentionally making time for you. Forgive me for embracing the wonderful time that you give us when I pray. Holy Spirit, make me more sensitive to your presence and be my guide that I may never stray too far from the Lord. I give you this time, my love, my heart, everything. Thank you for your forgiveness and your unconditional love. In Jesus name Amen.
Who or what do you have above Jesus’ name? Have you ever stopped to meditate on this question? It’s pretty straight forward, God tells us that Jesus’ name is above every other name, He exalted Him (Philippians 2:9). Back to the question, in other words, what is that thing that takes over you into a place of uncertainty or even to a place of sin, it can also be a who, someone that brings temptation or doubt into you heart where God’s promises are suppose to lay. We all at one point or another have to recognize that even when our relationship with God is at its best, there are times when we tend to find ourselves in this place of putting our anger, sadness, worry, resentment, lack of faith, relationships, lack of provision, busyness, ego, selfishness, and so on and so on, above Jesus’ name, when what we should be doing at all times is putting Jesus above everything and everyone. They way to do that is to simply open your bible and start declaring those promises that God has already instilled in your heart. God is willing, Are you willing to set everything and everyone aside for Him?
Heavenly Father, I come to you today with a humble heart, that you may search me and reveal to me those things that can easily separate Me from you, cleanse my heart, renew my spirit, let my mouth proclaim those promises that you have already decreed over me, anoint me and set me aside, continue to be that light that I reflect in this world. Sometimes Lord I get ahead if myself, I let my feeling take over and sometimes I let people in that take your place, Please Lord, forgive me. Jesus I want you to be my focus always. Holy Spirit thank you for the conviction, for the guidance. I lift your name up Jesus, I put you above every other name, above my situations, above my illness, above my resentment, above my anger, above my worry, above anything and anyone that wants to hinde me. Jesus I love you, Jesus thank you. In your name I pray Amen.
Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled.
Matthew 26:38-39
Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.” Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.”
Matthew 26:42
He went away a second time and prayed, “My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done.”
Have you been to the garden of Gethsemane? Have you prayed like Jesus prayed at the garden? I have. Many times.
This whole chapter has so many little treasures that we can take for ourselves and store as wisdom in our hearts but I want to focus today on how Jesus’ priority was to pray, not only that but the urgency Hee had to make sure that His disciples knew that praying with Him was essential. Jesus teaches us what to do when we’re in a place of sorrow and trouble. First, He lets us know not to be alone, as He Himself took two disciples with Him as He instructed them to sit while He went “over there”. I remember one night I was in a place of sorrow and trouble and I didn’t know what to do, (this was a very long time ago before I was saved) and I remember asking God for help at that time as best as I could with the little knowledge I had but what I remember also is that I showed up at one of my dearest friends house and I sat on her couch and all I did was cry as she sat across from me and we didn’t say a word to each other. To know that in her heart she was also praying and being there for me in the only way she knew how was such comfort. I think Jesus was telling us that there will be times when we need to reach out for our own good as well as to be models to those who love Him as well. Second, we shouldn’t be afraid to ask God to help us in anyway. Jesus boldly asked God to remove that which was causing Him great sorrow to the point of death. Jesus knew that God was ever so capable and it wasn’t in vain to ask, at the same time He knew that as long as it was God’s will no matter what it would be, He wouldn’t be alone. Just recently, a few times I may add in my times of pain while in recovery of surgery I’ve made a similar prayer, “God take this pain away but let your will be done”, knowing that even IF he didn’t somehow he would also give peace to my heart and spirit. Lastly, I just want to encourage you to come before our God, cry out to Him in all your sorrow, your trouble and let Him take control of that which makes your heart ache.
Lord, sometimes in the midst of sorrow and trouble and pain we get so blinded by what our flesh feels and it seems almost unbearable but I ask you Lord that you hear my cry and that no matter what it is you bring down your will into my heart. Abba, I receive you and whatever plans you have for my life and I do not worry because I know you see me. Here I am, Lord help me in my need. Thank you in advance for being so faithful and so willing always. In Jesus name Amen.
Flowing In God's Grace 