"Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest."
(Matt. 11:28 NLT).

Rest from the burden of a small god. Why? Because I have found the Lord.

Rest from doing things my way. Why? Because the Lord is my Shepherd.

Rest from endless wants. Why? Because I shall not want.

Rest from weariness. Why? Because he makes me to lie down.

Rest from worry. Why? Because he leads me.

Rest from hopelessness. Why? Because he restores my soul.

Rest from guilt. Why? Because he leads me in the paths of righteousness.

Rest from arrogance. Why? Because of his name’s sake.

Rest from the valley of death. Why? Because he walks me through it.

Rest from the shadow of grief. Why? Because he guides me.

Rest from fear. Why? Because his presence comforts me.

Rest from loneliness. Why? Because he is with me.

Rest from shame. Why? Because he has prepared a place for me in the presence of my enemies.

Rest from my disappointments. Why? Because he anoints me.

Rest from envy. Why? Because my cup overflows.

Rest from doubt. Why? Because he follows me.

Rest from homesickness. Why? Because I will dwell in the house of my Lord forever.

Let us journey on...

Modern fighter pilots operate fast, versatile, highly maneuverable machines capable of moving at incredible supersonic speeds. The pilots are trained to depend on sophisticated instruments to help avoid obstacles, the terrain and other planes. As a matter of fact, on account of the disorientation caused by the dizzying speed and the complex maneuverings, pilots are instructed not to make decisions on what they can see and are able to process with their natural eyes. They are to follow, to the letter, whatever instructions the computer-controlled instruments give them.

Paul, in 2 Corinthians 4:18 wrote: "So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." The Word of God is the "flight instrument" we have been given to navigate and maneuver through the dizzying terrains of life. We must always allow the Word of God to be a "lamp to our feet and a light to our path".

In Proverbs 3:5 we are encouraged by "Mr. Wise Guy" King Solomon to: "Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding". His father, David, in Psalm 5:8, implored God to "make straight Your way before me". Those fighter pilots, not always knowing if they are flying upside down, going up, going down, somersaulting, moving sideways, have to depend on those instruments for flight guidance. We too must always depend on God’s Word to dictate the way we orientate our lives.

Let us journey on...

From 'My Utmost For His Highest' by Oswald Chambers

’Let us go to Judea again.’ The disciples said to Him, ’. . . are You going there again?’
"John 11:7-8

Just because I do notunderstand what Jesus Christ says, I have no right to determine that He must be mistaken in what He says. That is a dangerous view, and it is never right to think that my obedience to God’s directive will bring dishonor to Jesus. The only thing that will bring dishonor is not obeying Him. To put my view of His honor ahead of what He is plainly guiding me to do is never right, even though it may come from a real desire to prevent Him from being put to an open shame. I know when the instructions have come from God because of their quiet persistence. But when I begin to weigh the pros and cons, and doubt and debate enter into my mind, I am bringing in an element that is not of God. This will only result in my concluding that His instructions to me were not right. Many of us are faithful to our ideas about Jesus Christ, but how many of us are faithful to Jesus Himself? Faithfulness to Jesus means that I must step out even when and where I can’t see anything (see Matthew 14:29 ). But faithfulness to my own ideas means that I first clear the way mentally. Faith, however, is not intellectual understanding; faith is a deliberate commitment to the Person of Jesus Christ, even when I cannot see the way ahead.

Are you debating whether you should take a step of faith in Jesus, or whether you should wait until you can clearly see how to do what He has asked?

Simply obey Him with unrestrained joy. When He tells you something and you begin to debate, it is because you have a misunderstanding of what honors Him and what does not. Are you faithful to Jesus, or faithful to your ideas about Him? Are you faithful to what He says, or are you trying to compromise His words with thoughts that never came from Him? "Whatever He says to you, do it" ( John 2:5 ).

Let us journey on...

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
Genesis 1:1, NKJV

Of all we don't know about the creation, there is one thing we do know-God did it with a smile.  He must've had a blast.  Painting the stripes on the zebra, hanging the stars in the sky, putting the gold in the sunset.  What creativity!...

Like a whistling carpenter in his workshop, he loved every bit of it.  He poured himself into the work.  So intent was his creativity that he took a day off at the end of the week just to rest.

Let us journey on...

I now send you, to open their eyes . . . that they may receive forgiveness of sins . . .
-Acts 26:17-18

This verse is the greatest example of the true essence of the message of a disciple of Jesus Christ in all of the New Testament.

God´s first sovereign work of grace is summed up in the words, ". . . that they may receive forgiveness of sins . . . ." When a person fails in his personal Christian life, it is usually because he has never received anything.  The only sign that a person is saved is that he has received something from Jesus Christ.  Our job as workers for God is to open people´s eyes so that they may turn themselves from darkness to light.  But that is not salvation; it is conversion-only the effort of an awakened human being.  I do not think it is too broad a statement to say that the majority of so-called Christians are like this.  Their eyes are open, but they have received nothing.  Conversion is not regeneration.  This is a neglected fact in our preaching today.  When a person is born again, he knows that it is because he has received something as a gift from Almighty God and not because of his own decision.  People may make vows and promises, and may be determined to follow through, but none of this is salvation.  Salvation means that we are brought to the place where we are able to receive something from God on the authority of Jesus Christ, namely, forgiveness of sins.

This is followed by God´s second mighty work of grace: ". . . an inheritance among those who are sanctified . . . ." In sanctification, the one who has been born again deliberately gives up his right to himself to Jesus Christ, and identifies himself entirely with God´s ministry to others.

Let us journey on...

We Christians know that evil exists in the heart of man as well as his actions (See Romans 7:15-21).  This is a fictional conversation and was at one time attributed to Albert Einstein as the second student, this is not true.  Enjoy.  ph

Does evil exist?

The university professor challenged his students with this question.  Did God create everything that exists?

A student bravely replied yes, he did!"

"God created everything?"  The professor asked.

"Yes, sir," the student replied.

The professor answered, "If God created everything, then God created evil since evil exists, and according to the principal that our works define who we are then God is evil."

The student became quiet before such an answer.

The professor was quite pleased with himself and boasted to the students that he had proven once more that the Christian faith was a myth.

Another student raised his hand and said, "Can I ask you a question professor?" "Of course", replied the professor.  The student stood up and asked, "Professor, does cold exist?"

"What kind of question is this?  Of course it exists. Have you never been cold?"  The students snickered at the young man's question.

The young man replied, "In fact sir, cold does not exist.  According to the laws of physics, what we consider cold is in reality the absence of heat.  Everybody and every object is susceptible to study when it has or transmits energy, and heat is what makes a body or matter have or transmit energy.  Absolute zero (- 460 degrees F) is the total absence of heat; all matter becomes inert and incapable of reaction at that temperature.  Cold does not exist.  We have created this word to describe how we feel if we have too little heat.

The student continued.  "Professor, does darkness exist?"

The professor responded, "Of course it does".

The student replied, "Once again you are wrong sir, darkness does not exist either.  Darkness is in reality the absence of light.  Light we can study, but not darkness.  In fact we can use Newton's prism to break white light into many colors and study the various wavelengths of each color.  You cannot measure darkness.  A simple ray of light can break into a world of darkness and illuminate it.  How can you know how dark a certain space is?  You measure the amount of light present.  Isn't this correct? Darkness is a term used by man to describe what happens when there is no light present."

Finally the young man asked the professor.  "Sir, does evil exist?"

Now uncertain, the professor responded, "Of course as I have already said.  We see it every day.  It is in the daily example of man's inhumanity to man.  It is in the multitude of crime and violence everywhere in the world.  "These manifestations are nothing else but evil."

To this the student replied, "Evil does not exist sir, or at least it does not exist unto itself.  Evil is simply the absence of God.  It is just like darkness and cold, a word that man has created to describe the absence of God. God did not create evil.  Evil is not like faith, or love, that exist just as does light and heat.  Evil is the result of what happens when man does not have God's love present in his heart.  It's like the cold that comes when there is no heat or the darkness that comes when there is no light."

The professor sat down.

Let us journey on... staying teachable...

Most of us have now learned to live with voice mail as a necessary part of our
lives. Have you ever wondered what it would be like if God decided to install
voice mail?  Imagine praying and hearing the following:

Thank you for calling heaven¦

For English press 1
For Kiswahili press 2
For all other languages, press 3

Please select one of the following options:

Press 1 for request
Press 2 for thanksgiving
Press 3 for complaints
Press 4 for all others

I am sorry; all our Angels are busy helping other sinners right now. However,
your prayer is important to us and we will answer it in the order it was
received. Please stay on the line. If you would like to speak to:

God, press 1
Jesus, press 2
Holy Spirit, press 3

To find a loved one that has been assigned to heaven press 5, then enter his
social security # followed by the pound sign (If you receive a negative
response, please hang up and dial area code 666)

For reservations to heaven, please enter JOHN followed by the numbers, 3.16.

For answers to nagging questions about dinosaurs, Tsunami, oranges and bananas,
life and other planets, please wait until you arrive in heaven for the
specifics.

Our computers show that you have already been prayed for today, please hang up
and call again tomorrow.

The office is now closed for the weekend to observe a religious holiday.

If you are calling after hours and need emergency assistance, please contact
your local pastor.

Thank you and have a heavenly day.

Let us journey on...

FROM OUR FAMILY TO YOURS FOR 2006

And be renewed in the spirit of your mind... Ephesians 4:23

God takes us through things so our pain is our gain,

Our misery becomes our ministry,

Our mess becomes our message.

Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: but rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ´s sufferings; that when His glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy... 1 Peter 4:12,13

Our families are free of debt

We are prospering, and our needs are met

We are living the abundant life.

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly... John 10:10

Beloved, I pray that in all respects you may prosper and be in good health, just as your soul prospers... 3 John 1:2

Lord deliver us from the adversary´s attempt to entrap us mentally, physically and spiritually... Deliver us from other´s opinions of us... Deliver us from our egos and help us to recognize it is not about us, it is about the Kingdom... Deliver us from generational curses, whose only intent is to hold us back in fear, and hold us down to cause us to be defeated.

For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and a sound mind... 2 Timothy 1:7

So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of

God... Romans 10:17

Let them shout for joy, and be glad, that favor My righteous cause: yea, let them say continually, let the Lord be magnified, which hath pleasure in the prosperity of His servant... Psalms 35:27

This we declare and decree...In the Holy Name of Jesus... Amen.

Love, Grace and Peace... From The Harpers, New Years 2006

Read:
Colossians 1:15-20

All things were created through Him and for Him. -Colossians 1:16

 Russell Nagy's moving choral anthem "The Promise" contains these words:

Silently by night,
    in mortal flesh enshrouded,
He who framed the mountains
    draws first breath.
Far from human sight,
    the Promise ne'er forgotten
Is in love begotten
    to conquer death.
© 1993 by High Street Music

The marvel of Christmas is that the Maker of the mountains took His first breath as a baby.  The One who framed the universe assumed human flesh so He could save us.  The incarnation is the astounding combination of who descended from heaven to earth, how He arrived, and why He came.  "For by Him all things were created . . . . And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. . . . For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, . . . having made peace through the blood of His cross" (Colossians 1:16-20).

When Jesus took His first breath on earth, a loving promise of God the Father was fulfilled.  The Christ-child whom the angels announced and the shepherds proclaimed had come to die.

The baby in the manger was "the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation" (v.15), "in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins" (v.14).

O come, let us adore Him! -David McCasland

Let us Journey on...