THANKS BE TO GOD

"Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and i will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me, for i am meek and lowly in heart and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." Matthew 11:28-30

Don't we all carry too much burden around all the time. Worry, stress, anxiety, about everything and anything (Matthew 6:27, 34). Even those of us in Christ. We still think we have to help him. Like God needs our help. Don't we want His yoke and His rest? He tells us to come to Him and he will give us "rest unto our souls". Amen, i surely want some of that! Jesus never lies. He is truth. When we truly are yoked to Him in salvation, we share in the victory of the Cross WE ARE IN HIM. Our burdens become a weight lifted off of us, they become weightless in giving them truly to Him. In laying our worldly burdens at his feet, we truly find peace. "And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus" Philippians 4:7. He gives us rest not as the world sees rest, like vegging out in front of the TV, but refreshment in Him, rest in Him, in the harmonious working of all our faculties and affections, of will, heart, imagination, conscience, because we have found in him the perfect peace. When we truly cast our burdens upon the Lord(Psalm 55:22), we are free to do His will which is to "seek and to save that which was lost" (Luke 19:10). We will walk in the Spirit not the flesh.

Jesus also says here in taking his yoke upon us, to learn of Him. He wants so much for us to know him and put him truly first in our hearts and minds and lives. He wants so much for us to know his great love for us and his will for us. We can only do that in prayer and in studying the word. "And be not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable and perfect will of God."Romans 12:2 (Acts 17:11, Psalm 119:11) "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth" 2 Timothy 2:15. We like to say at the end of our Bible study, "Get into God's word and God's word will get into you." If we do, it will. This is so true.

Thank you Lord. Thank you Lord and i praise your name. In all things i give you praise and i love you. Thank you for your Son, your yoke and rest in my life and for lifting my burdens. Amen. This day i give thanks as i sit down with my blessed family to eat, to enjoy the fellowship of like minded believers, i pray for all their needs, the needs of all my loved ones. And i am mindful of all those who go without. Without you, without food, or home, or warm clothes in the winter or the simple needs of life. i will be encouraged in world events that pronounce the Last Days in which we live. i am thankful we can still openly share you with people. i pray for those martos who risk all to share you. i will pray for those you put on my heart. i am thankful. And Lord, i know this day is like every other day as i pray and walk with you, so help me to stay in you every day, to cast all my burdens upon you and continue to walk in you and do your will. You have given me so much that i do not deserve, so much blessing in my life, i cannot express the depths of my gratefulness. Words are feeble. i just know i will always love you and i will praise you in all things, in feast and famine, in good times and not so good, i will remain steadfast in my faith and follow you all the days of my life, until i am with you in eternity. i love you Lord and i lift you above all else in my life. Amen.

My final prayer Lord, is for my family at home. For radical salvation for Dad, John, Bill, Monica and Johnny. For your holy presence with Mom, Laur & Mike, and Myles, as we are each in a four different places this day, as our lives are changing in you Lord, be with each of them in all three places and bring our hearts into one accord with yours Lord, if only for a moment, that they may know the depth of your love, even in our physical separation, even as circumstances change. God bless them Lord. AMEN.

God bless you all this day as we gather with family and friends to give thanks to God. Amen, amen and amen.