LET ME HELP YOU.....

Come, sit, and enjoy a cup of tea or coffee in the comfort of the Lord:  "Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice."  Ephesians  4:31

Let Me help you through this day.  The challenges you face are far too great for you to handle alone.  You are keenly aware of your helplessness in the scheme of events you face.  This awareness opens up a choice; to doggedly go it alone or to walk with Me in humble steps of dependence.  Actually this choice is continually before you, but difficulties high light the decision-making process.  So, consider it all joy whenever you are enveloped in various trials.  These are gifts from Me, reminding you to rely on Me alone.

"Jesus Calling - Enjoying Peace in His Presence"

WAIT QUIETLY IN MY PRESENCE...

Come, sit, and enjoy a cup of tea or coffee in the comfort of the Lord:  "Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice."  Ephesians  4:31

Wait quietly in My Presence while My thoughts form silently in the depths of your being.  Do not try to rush this process, because hurry keeps your heart earthbound.  I am the Creator of the entire universe, yet I choose to make My humble home in your heart.  It is there where you know Me most intimately; it is there where I speak to you in holy whispers.  Ask My Spirit to quiet your mind so that you can hear My still, small voice within you.  I am speaking to you continually: words of Life...Peace...Love.  Tune your heart to receive these messages of abundant blessing.  Lay your requests before Me and wait in expectation.

"Jesus Calling - Finding Peace in My Presence"

The Promise Of A Less Hectic Life

Come, sit, and enjoy a cup of tea or coffee in the comfort of the Lord:  "Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice."  Ephesians  4:31


“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”   John 10:10 (ESV)

For years I took pride in being overly busy.

Between the needs of family, work, home and church my days were filled to overflowing. Although my schedule was chaotic and I was nuts, I preferred to think of myself as a “highly productive person.”

Friends would ask, “How do you manage all you do?” And I’d respond with a humble-brag, “I guess I’m just wired that way.”

My heart did a little pitter-patter at the recognition of my work, at their respect of my achievements. I hungered for that type of response; it fueled me to keep pressing on.

But in the quiet of my day, my to-do list whispered another truth. The truth that glares at me and says I haven’t done it all. I knew this truth but chose to avoid it. It was easier to find excuses and place blame because, after all, I was “really busy.”

My friends don’t see that side of me. They have the advantage of seeing all I get done; not what’s left undone. But I do.

Perhaps you know this feeling too. No matter how much you accomplish, what bothers you most is what you didn’t finish. That long list of to-do’s (whether it’s on paper or just rolling around in your mind) keeps you up at night.

A lot of undone work includes mundane, everyday tasks like cleaning up, making a menu for the week or paying bills.

But there’s more. There are the dreams we cannot touch. Vacations we don’t plan. Time we want to be intentional with those we love, including God, but can’t seem to manage.

A few years ago I thought I was having a panic attack. I sat on my couch feeling a heavy weight on my chest. It was hard to breathe, and anxiety simmered, but there was no apparent threat. However, looming deadlines, a demanding home business, part-time work and mounting emails beckoned while five kids wondered, When will dinner be ready … and are there any clean socks?

My life felt out-of-control. I was burned out from having too much to do, and always feeling behind. The fear of disappointing someone chased me constantly. I was busy, but simply didn’t know how to stop the endless cycle.

Turns out I didn’t have an anxiety problem. I had an over-commitment problem.

In order to start making changes, I had to honestly face some hard things about myself. My hunger for significance drove me to take on more than I could handle. But the satisfaction of completing a task was momentary and shallow, leaving me with a hectic life and a hollow soul.

Before I could live the less-hectic life I desperately longed for, I had to address the root issue of my heart’s need. And part of that was identifying the lie that drove me to overwork.

Jesus promised an abundant life, but also told us there is an enemy plotting our downfall: “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly” (John 10:10).

And our enemy, “the thief,” is also a liar, always twisting the truth. So while Jesus promised an abundant life, Satan spins it so we think that life is found in an abundance of activity and commitments. Only too late do we realize that life steals from us what’s best … room to breathe, focus and space in our schedules to fulfill our God-given priorities.

The abundant life Jesus offers isn’t filled with to-do’s. Tasks satisfy from the outside in, never reaching the core of who we are. Jesus’ satisfies from the inside out, as we experience the depth of His love, purpose and peace.

It took a year of trimming my responsibilities before I experienced the abundant life Jesus promised. I’ve discovered that doing less actually makes me feel more significant when I’m not seeking achievements to fill my heart.

Jesus promises a less-hectic life, and it’s a promise He can fulfill when we look to Him to fill our days, instead of an endless to-do list.

Heavenly Father, You never assigned me to live a hectic, harried life. A life found in You isn’t characterized by checks on a list, but in an abundance of love and joy. Help me find my significance in You alone, and live a less-hectic life. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

This post comes from Glynnis Whitwer from the website:  Proverbs 31 Ministries.

Needed: Self-Examination

Come, sit, and enjoy a cup of tea or coffee in the comfort of the Lord:  "Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice."  Ephesians  4:31

           "Oh God, thou knowest my foolishness; and my sins are hid from thee."  Psalm 69:5

      We are usually so busy mentally congratulating ourselves for some supposed knowledge, achievement, or talent, that we seem to have little time for true, humble self-examination.  The criticism of others is often unkind; but if we are intelligent and study what they say, it may be extremely revealing as to actual flaws in our character and testimony.  Not only should we examine ourselves, and listen to the comments of our critics, but we should let the Word and Spirit of God search our hearts daily so that we will know where the "old leaven" is, that must be "purged out."  If you think you are usually right about everything, and are quite somebody, read God's stinging commentary on how wrong you are as it is recorded in 1 Corinthians  8:2,  "If any man thinketh that he knoweth any thing, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know."

     The Ladies Home Journal printed this story one time as a jest, but it really was quite revealing.  "A rather pompous-looking deacon was endeavoring to impress upon a class of boys the importance of living the Christian life.  'Why do people call me a Christian?' the dignitary asked, standing very erect and beaming down upon his scholars with pride.  There was a moment's pause, and then one of the youngsters said,  'Maybe it's because they don't know you.'"

     If you truly examine yourself in the light of God's Word, you will come to the humbling conclusion that there is actually no such person as you secretly (and pridefully) suppose yourself to be.  The only thing truly lovely in us as Christians is the indwelling Holy Spirit.  May our prayer therefore be,  "O, thou Spirit Divine, all my nature refine, till the beauty of Jesus be seen in me."

"Bread For Each Day"

I Am Such A Great Sinner!

Come, sit, and enjoy a cup of tea or coffee in the comfort of the Lord:  "Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice."  Ephesians  4:31

                                            ". . . be clothed with humility."  1 Peter 5:5

     I don't want to be a "hair-slitter," for they are usually chronic critics who overlook all the flowers in a beautiful bouquet and pick on the one faded petal.  But I may seem to be dealing in petty faultfinding when I object to the way some people begin or end their prayers.  So often it begins,  "We humbly come," or ends, "This we humbly ask."  I know folks mean well, but really "humble" folks never mention it.  In fact, no person is humble who admits or thinks he is.  Paul refers to a "show of humility" in Colossians  2:23.  The worst kind of pride is humble pride, which really is proud humility.  A truly humble person will never suspect that he is humble but will be like Moses when he came down from the mountains.  "Moses wist not that the skin of his face shone"  (Exodus  34:29).

     How can we recognize proud humility in ourselves?  Do you like to talk about your own achievements and spiritual knowledge?  Are you one who humbly (?) tells how much time you spend in prayer and studying the Bible?  We hear folks tell us how much time they spend studying the Word, and when they get up to preach - well, we wonder.  You don't need to advertise how early you get up to pray.  If you really spend much time in prayer, people will soon know it without your telling them.

     There is another form of humility we may call false humility.  It consists of constantly depreciating ourselves to others, telling how bad we are and what a failure we've been; but secretly we want them to disagree with us and tell us how great we are.

     A certain preacher became tired of hearing one of the ladies in the congregation constantly testify as to what a great sinner she was and what a wicked woman she was.  One day she said again,  "Pastor, I am such a wicket woman,"  and the pastor replied,  "Yes, so I've been told."  At this she became indignant and screamed at him,  "Who told you I was a wicked woman?"  He answered,  "You did!"

"Bread For Each Day"

Never Irritated!

Come, sit, and enjoy a cup of tea or coffee in the comfort of the Lord:  "Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice."  Ephesians  4:31

                                         "Love....is not provoked."  1 Corinthians  13:5

     We are told that this verse is not accurately translated.  Actually the word "easily" appears nowhere in the original.  Literally the passage read,  "(Love). . . is not touchy, or fretful, or resentful."  In other words; the love of God in our heart should keep us from becoming "exasperated."  Christians should be able to ignore the pinpricks of life and keep from irritableness and temper tantrums even in the presence of rudeness, insult, and injustice.  When we look at our own lives, however, we see how far we fall short of his ideal and how "touchy" we are.  In fact, we often dramatize to ourselves  "personal grievances,"  and consequently hold grudges against those who slight us, or hurt us with snide remarks.  Yet if we truly have the love of Jesus in our heart and have died to "self," we should be able to gain the victory over  "irritableness."

     D. L. Moody's son in his biography informs us that a man once grossly and deliberately insulted his father. Mr. Moody momentarily flared up in anger at the unjust attack.  Coming to the pulpit a bit later, however, he made this humble admission:  "Friends, before beginning tonight, I want to confess that out in the hall I yielded just now to my temper.  I have done wrong.  I want to confess my error before you all, and if that man is present here whom I thrust from me in anger, I want to ask his forgiveness and God's.  Let us pray." Moody's sincere apology reflected not a hint of excuse or self-vindication for the insult he had suffered.  It is said that the meeting which followed was a scene of unusual blessing because of his straight-forward, Christian confession of having been  "exasperated and angry."

     Oh, for the sweet, unruffled composure of true discipleship, for a love that is not soon provoked.  Resolve by God's grace not to be "irritated" today!

                                                    When I have talked in anger,
                                                       And my cheeks were flaming red,
                                                     I have always uttered something
                                                       Which I wish I had not said.

"Bread For Each Day"

Pharisees or Publicans?

Come, sit, and enjoy a cup of tea or coffee in the comfort of the Lord:  "Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamour and evil speaking be put away from you with all malice."  Ephesians  4:31

"Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee and the other a publican."
                                                                             Luke 18:10

     Whether we like to admit it or not, all of us are to some degree "Pharisees."  It is interesting to note that the prayer life of an individual is quite indicative of his spiritual stature.  If we are not humble in the presence of God Himself, then there is little hope that we will exhibit humility before men.

     You remember that the Pharisee said in his prayer,  "I fast, I pray, I give tithes."  Those with humble and contrite hearts do not address God in that manner.  Recognizing their innate depravity, true saints give God first place, and put themselves in the background.

     A poor Hottnetot in South Africa visited with a Hollander who always had daily, family devotions.  On this occasion the Dutchman selected the story of the Pharisee and the publican.  The poor savage, whose heart was already awakened, looked earnestly at the reader as he intoned,  "God, I thank Thee that I am not as other men."  "No, I am not but I am worse," whispered the poor savage.  The man read on,  "I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess."  "I don't do that; I don't pray in that manner.  What shall I do?" whispered the distressed Hottentot.  Finally they came to the part of the publican who  "would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven."  "That's me!"  said the dark-skinned hearer.  "Standing afar off,"  read the other.  "That's where I am,"  said the native.  "But smote upon his breast, saying God be merciful to me a sinner."  "That's me; that's my prayer!"  cried the poor creature, and beating on his breast, he repeated the prayer,  "God be merciful to me a sinner."  Like the publican, he too went down to his own house that day a saved and happy man.

     How much of the Pharisee is still left in you and me?  How much of the publican?

"Bread For Each Day"