Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you
who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” ~ Matthew 11:28 NLT Summer is here, and there may be vacations, family get-togethers, sports activities and camps for the children ahead. Almost everyone loves summer. There exists a strange reality, though. That is, even though one would think that summer would be a time for rest and restoration, more often than we admit, there is an expectation for us to be involved in activities that can leave women exhausted, and even feeling down on themselves. Notice I said “expectation”. Who are we trying to please? We may try to fulfill some false expectation of our own. We may think that unless we plan and execute fun things for ourselves and our families, we will be seen as letting our children and husbands down. That thinking can leave us open to guilt and disappointment. Or, perhaps, especially on vacation, our parents, husbands or children cause us to believe that it is our job to keep everyone entertained and fed. Or, we may experience negative feelings that keep us on our treadmill when we compare ourselves with friends who seem to effortlessly function as hostess, tour guide and social director to their families. Definitely, none of those scenarios create an atmosphere conducive to rest. I suggest we stop and talk to God. Do you feel like you are on a treadmill of endless activity with no sign of real rest ahead? Ask Jesus what keeps you there? Who are you trying to please? If it’s not God, feel free to get off the treadmill. As a Christ follower, no person, nothing but God, should have the power to control us, unless we give it to them. Matthew 11:28, above, has been one of my favorite verses for many years. It is an invitation to come, give what is weighing you down to Jesus, and rest in him. Renounce the fear or lie that is keeping you so tired and burdened, and give it to the Lord Jesus. Another favorite verse is John 14:27 NLT, “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.” Once we come to Jesus and give him the lies and fears that are weighing us down, we fill that space with his peace, so they won’t come back. Jesus’ gift of mental, emotional and spiritual peace lead to true rest in every situation. Notice that Jesus’ peace is a GIFT. We don’t have to do anything to earn it or create it on our own. Just ask Jesus and believe and receive it. It’s as easy as breathing out and in. Release (breathe out stress, tiredness, etc.) and receive (breathe in peace). You can rest, be content and thankful, in that peace. Dear friends, be blessed as you claim your gift of peace and rest this summer. Remember you are loved, precious, and belong to a compassionate, awesome God, just as you are. No need to be anything, or anyone else. Believe you are created to trust and rest in your Lord Jesus. And rejoice! Amen. Mary Sumner ~ July 2, 2024
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I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources
he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. Ephesians 3:16,17 NLT Have you ever wondered how God could love us, especially on those days when we really blow it? Read Ephesians 3 again. It was always Father God’s plan to rescue undeserving humanity from the power of sin, Satan’s control of our lives. God knew us, even before we were born, and, as God knows the beginning from the end, he knew we were never going to be deserving of his glorious love. But he chose to save us anyway. Ephesians 3:10 says that God’s purpose in all this was to use the church to display his wisdom in all its rich variety “to be known and talked about even by the angels.” (The Message) It is God’s love manifested in Christ’s sacrifice that saves us. And we tend to forget that it is God’s love working in and through us by the Holy Spirit that keeps us growing and bringing Christ’s Kingdom to earth. If this is true, it appears that we have under estimated the power of God’s love. I know I have. It is clear from God’s Word that we are brought to life, then sustained and kept strong by God’s love. We are helpless without it. We receive this powerful source of strength by trusting in Jesus. When we choose to trust God, we get a fresh revelation of his infinite, eternal love. It is beyond our understanding completely, but God invites us to experience his love, by faith. As you read all of Paul’s prayer in Ephesians 3:16-21, notice how many times power and strength are linked to God's love. Receive that revelation, drink it in, and receive more of Christ’s love, his power to overcome any obstacle in your life today. Dear friends, be blessed as you daily trust in Jesus to guide and sustain you. The very power that raised Christ from the dead, that holds together the very universe, lives in you. Ask the Holy Spirit to grow the roots of your heart deep into the Father’s love and be blessed as you are filled with his strength. As you choose to align yourself with your heavenly Father’s plan and purpose for you, feel the power, your ability through his love, to accomplish infinitely more than you can imagine. And rejoice! Amen. Mary Sumner ~ June 18, 2024 That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying,
our spirits are being renewed every day. For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! 2 Corinthians 4:16,17 NLT Have you been in a battle that you feel will never end? Know that you are not alone. Our enemy the devil has released powerful spirits of deception, mind control and manipulation and we can see the results in increased confusion, blindness to the things of God and violence. He is the prince of darkness in this world, and he knows his time is limited, so he is out to destroy all and everyone who would point people to Christ. So, hang on! We know Jesus has already won this battle and defeated Satan in his war against the Father’s beloved children. Look to the Cross and Christ’s words, “It is finished.” Jesus is alive and leading his troops in battle. Let’s ask the Holy Spirit to open our spiritual eyes and ears, and cause us to love and understand all that Christ’s victory means for us, even today and for our personal skirmishes. We are forgiven of all our sin. Jesus has taken all our shame. In Christ, our fear is defeated. The Father’s truth, his eternal light, overcomes all darkness. We have all our wonderful promises, like Jesus will never leave nor abandon us. Even when we can’t feel his presence he is with us and for us. Christ is the one who knows the end from the beginning. And his Word says the end of our stories will be “glorious”, beyond our wildest imaginations. Even now, we are seated with Christ in the heavenly realms, at the right hand of the Father. (Eph.2:6) We are sealed with the Holy Spirit, God in us, as proof we belong to the Father. Satan is defeated. He knows it. Let’s choose to believe the truth. Our God is bigger, more powerful, compassionate and merciful, and his love for us is eternal, unchanging. We really have nothing to fear. Our future is sealed. We are one with Christ forever. We are on the winning team. Praise God! That is something to smile and shout about. Dear friends, be blessed as you daily remember to whom you belong. You are dearly loved and cherished by your heavenly Father. There is no fear in his love. The Holy Spirit is at work in you and through you to grow you more beautiful and more pleasing to God. The enemy is afraid you will believe the truth that has set you free. So, be blessed to believe, and be filled with joy as you become all that God created you to be. Amen. Mary Sumner ~ June 4, 2024 |
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