When Life is Overloaded

Then Jesus said, "Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke fits perfectly, and the burden I give you is light." - Matthew 11:28-30

Do you feel overwhelmed at times? How about overloaded? I do. I'm in the middle of making some tough, life-changing decisions. Career choices, relationship commitments, geographical moves...all these kinds of things that we face in life. Then there's the other stuff...getting behind in bills, health issues, time conflicts, and it goes on and on...and on.

Maybe it's time to get back to our first love. I remember when I truly accepted Jesus Christ as my personal saviour. I physically felt lighter...like the weight of the world had been lifted off my shoulders.

Could it have been His yoke upon me for the first time? I believe so. A yoke is generally thought of as a wooden bar or frame by which two draft animals (as oxen) are joined at the heads or necks for working together.

Today, let's walk under His yoke...knowing that it fits perfectly and the burden becomes light.

Alexander is a writer in the online spiritual battlefield. You can also find him at The Scrooge Report.

Does God Speak Through Circumstances?

How does God speak to you? For some the question may seem absurd. They may even say, "God never speaks to me" or "God only spoke to those in the Bible."

However, I urge you to consider that God does speak to us in present times. We may have to simply stop and listen.

This from Today's Devotion with Greg Laurie:

THE VOICE OF CIRCUMSTANCE

So Gideon said to God, 'If You will save Israel by my hand as You have said—look, I shall put a fleece of wool on the threshing floor; if there is dew on the fleece only, and it is dry on all the ground, then I shall know that You will save Israel by my hand, as You have said.' — Judges 6:36–37

Not only does God speak to us through His Word, and not only will He never contradict His Word, but God also speaks through circumstances. Although I'm not one to base major life decisions on circumstances alone, there have clearly been times when I have sensed that something was the will of God and then things would fall into place circumstantially. At other times, circumstances have made it obvious that God was saying "no."

A classic example of God speaking through circumstances was when God spoke to Gideon, who laid his fleece out on the ground, asking God to confirm His Word. Certainly, Jonah got the right message when God brought his journey to an abrupt halt, and he found himself in the belly of a very large fish.

Of course, as a part of this process, God speaks to us through people. For example, there have been times when I have been listening to a someone preach or have been talking with a friend, and suddenly what he is saying addresses the situation I'm going through, even though he is completely unaware of my circumstances. It makes me realize that it is God himself speaking to me through those individuals.

Maybe God has spoken to you through a pastor or a Christian friend. Or perhaps He has been speaking to you through circumstances. Listen carefully, and remember that He will never contradict His Word.
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Books by Greg Laurie can be found at Amazon.com.

What if Baghdad was a city of peace?

Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain. -Psalm 127:1


U.S. soldiers pray in a circle before leaving Camp Victory for their patrol mission on the streets of Baghdad. REUTERS/Nikola Solic (IRAQ)

This from Baghdad Prayer Patrol:

What if Baghdad were a city of peace? What if the impossible happened and it became a beacon of hope for the region? What if we prayed, and God answered, what could happen?

Did you know that Baghdad was once called Madinat Al- Salam, city of peace? Maybe that’s its God given destiny, maybe if we agree with God, we can change history.



What if Baghdad was a city of peace?