Tag Archives: Living

Jesus Will Lift You Up

featherLook, I know it’s heavy. Too heavy. Who can lift it? Troubles, trials, & temptations; I know they crush you. They weigh you down. I know you feel defeated. Conquered.

So please listen: Jesus can lift you up.

All that heaviness? Light as a feather to the LORD. Lighter still!

  • He’s eager to do the heavy lifting. Let Him!
  • He wants to take the burden. Let Him!
  • He longs to break your chains. Let Him!
  • He yearns to set you free! Let Him!

Sound too good to be true?

Is not this the fast that I choose:
    to loose the bonds of wickedness,
    to undo the straps of the yoke,
to let the oppressed go free,
    and to break every yoke? – Isa. 58:6

He desires for you to hand over the reigns of your life to Him. Is there anyone more able? Is there anyone more willing? He takes your burden and exchanges it with His rest. Where’s the verse for that you scream?

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

Jesus will lift you up no matter how heavy you think your life has gotten. Jesus will lift you up no matter how badly you think you’ve messed everything up. Jesus will do all of these things & more, if you but submit to Him.

Then WATCH GRACE WORK!

Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. – 1 Peter 5:6-7 (also Psa. 55:22)

  • He will hear you (Psa. 34:17).
  • He will carry you (Isa. 46:4).
  • He will deliver you. (Isa. 40:11).
  • He will help & uphold you with His righteous right hand (Isa. 41:10).

Its all for His glory, not yours. Its all for Him, not you.

So, go out now with a lightened load. Go out with renewed strength. Go out & help your brother (Gal. 6:2). Go out & bring others so He can do the same for them!

– If you were blessed by this please like & share!

Inspired by: X Ambassadors, “Feather.” (VHS)

Like Kids Playing in the Street

icy street 2

The road in front of our house was nothing but ice, so of course Charlotte wanted to go ice skating on it. We were crossing the street & she stopped to play around. I let her do that for a little while, but then I told her to come in. Like any other kid, I had to tell her multiple times before it got through that I was actually serious. Eventually, I had to go get her. For some reason this was all a great surprise to her & she appropriately made a big fuss.

Here’s what WAS going through my head:

  • She’s going to fall on that ice & get hurt.
  • She’s little, so any car coming might not see her.
  • Its icy, so any car coming may have a hard time stopping.
  • It’s cold out here & warm in the house.
  • I have hot chocolate inside ready for her.

Here’s what was NOT going through my head:

  • I don’t want her to have fun.

Someone who has not accepted Jesus, is like that kid playing in the street. There are cars coming. There is ice everywhere. The sun is going down & it is getting dark.

Love isn’t sitting complicit as they are play. Love is warning them to get out!

Of course, we can’t physically go get people out of the street like I did with Charlotte. We lovingly tell them the truth (Eph. 4:15). We tell them how warm the house is & what a wonderful feast there is inside (Isa. 25:6). We tell them how we also used to play in the street until our Father beckoned us safely away (Luke 15:32). We pray that message pierces their hearts as it did ours (Acts 2:37). But then, it is up to them to turn away from the street & to the Father (Deut. 30:19).

You know what? I did go over there & ice skate with Lovey. Sorta. I held her hands as she scooted across the ice. I walked along beside her & held her up. She slipped a few times, but I never let her fall. I just reassured her, “I got you. I got you. Don’t worry.”

Then after a bit, I carried her inside & we had hot chocolate. God will meet you where you are & if you let Him, He will walk along beside you & hold you up. When you slip, He will never let you fall.

He has you (Isa. 49:16). He has you (Heb. 13:5). Don’t worry (Phil. 4:6).

– If this blessed you, please like & share!

Letter From an Ex-Zombie

Michael-Jackson-Thriller
I was a zombie.

I was one of the undead. I was walking around and it looked like I was alive, but really – I was dead.

Sad thing about being a zombie is that you don’t know you are a zombie.

I was dead in my transgressions and sins. I walked in the way of this world. I followed the prince of the power of the air. I was a son of disobedience. I gratified the cravings of my body and mind. I was a child of wrath just like everyone else. (Eph. 2:1-3)

Then Jesus brought me back from the dead.

Jesus brought me back to life. He put skin on my rotten bones. He took this cold heart of stone and replaced it with one that actually works (Ezek. 36-37). He loved me when I was unlovable (1 John 4:19).

As a zombie, people said I was a good zombie. But a good zombie is still a zombie. And zombies are dead.

Folks get the idea that religion is about making bad people good. That couldn’t be more wrong. Religion may do that, but faith (relationship with Jesus) doesn’t. It’s not about making bad people good, but bringing dead people to life.

John Piper says that people think we’re in the doghouse with God. He’s mad at us and we need Jesus to get us out. That is woefully inaccurate. Actually, we are in the morgue and we need Jesus to bring us back to life!

Take it from this ex-zombie: No one’s good, but we’re all dead. Until Jesus intervenes.

Ref: John Piper: Why We Need a Savior