Are You Carrying a Heavy Burden?

Image from Amazingfacts.com

"What burden are you carrying? There is someone that can lift your burden. He can set you free from it. His name is Jesus."

There are millions of people carrying heavy burdens all across our world. They cannot sleep at night and wake up tired. They have regular appointments with their counselors. Their attempts at hobbies and exercise are strategies to find relief. What burden are you carrying? There is someone that can lift your burden. He can set you free from it. His name is Jesus.

Once He was invited to dinner at a religious leader’s home. Other religious leaders also came, and together they sat down at the table and began visiting. At the time, Jesus’ fame as a preacher was spread far and wide, so word circulated quickly where He was. A certain prostitute who was impacted by Jesus and His ministry learned of His whereabouts. She made her way into the house and found herself standing before Jesus and the other guests. She stood without saying a word, then began weeping. So much, that her tears fell on Jesus’ feet. Seeing that, she bent down and began wiping the tears off with her hair and then proceeded to anoint His feet with a flask of oil she had brought.

During the whole process, the religious leaders were incensed at the woman and Jesus. Noticing this, Jesus spoke to the dinner host, addressing the host’s attitude toward her, then eventually turned back to the woman and said, “Your sins are forgiven” (Luke 7:48). That incensed the leaders even more. Then He spoke one final word before she humbly slipped out, “Your faith has saved you. Go in peace” (Luke 7:50).

This prostitute was carrying a burden, just like all those preachers in that room, all the people in her city, and like you and me. Her burden was that of prostitution, for others it was different.

But when she heard of Jesus, something awakened in her that no doubt said, “This is it!” And she overcame the barriers before her to get to Jesus and when she got there, He did not disappoint her.

She found forgiveness for all the wrong she had done! The guilt and shame she had been trying to outrun was finally washed away. How did that happen? Faith. Jesus said, “Your faith has saved you.”

It was her faith that provided forgiveness. It is interesting to note what Jesus did not say. He did not say anything about religion, morality, goodness or education. Just faith. He did not refer to anything about personal will power, having a positive attitude, perseverance or working hard. Just faith. And what is faith? It was her belief, trust and full confidence in Jesus.

We are all naturally wired to be independent and achieve. We want to earn what we have. Our culture is set up that way from our parents and high school coaches, to our professors and bosses. “Work hard and succeed,” we are told. “It is up to you,” other says. Faith in Jesus is opposite. This woman simply had faith and her life was instantly transformed. She believed Jesus was the Son of God. She believed she had done wrong and needed forgiveness. She trusted that Jesus had the power to forgive. She was confident He was sufficient for all she needed. She believed with all her heart Jesus could lift her burden.

Then He said, “go in peace.” No doubt the immoral life she led weighed on her. She not only needed forgiveness, but peace. Often the foolish things we do cause great amounts of stress and anxiousness. In one moment, her simple faith brought forgiveness and peace. Lay your burden down at the feet of Jesus, and fully trust Him to lift it from you.

A prayer for you - “Lord God, I pray you will help us to release our burden of sin to you, and in exchange provide us forgiveness and peace. Only you can do this. No one, nor anything else. In Jesus’ name. Amen.”

Pushing Others Down, While Lifting Yourself Up

Image from Lightstock 

“There is a mysterious evil within us, that causes us to treat people with contempt. It is a corruption we are born with, but through Jesus we can become new people.”

Contempt. In relationships with other people, it reflects how one treats another person. A customer treating the waitress that is serving him with disrespect, or a homeowner feeling the man that picks up his trash is beneath him. When we relate to others this way, we are lowering the other person, and thereby elevating ourselves above them. Such actions are a strike against the image of God they were created in, no matter who they are or what they have done.

Jesus once told a story about this, “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’ But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’” (Luke 18:10-13)

The differences between the two men are startling. The religious man saw himself as a good person because of the good things he did. He was not like everyone else. He was better. Meanwhile, the tax collector saw himself as nothing. There was an admission of all he had done wrong. A sense that he was undeserving, so in brokenness he called out for mercy.

Our world is filled with people like the religious man. Multitudes that are filled with contempt toward others. Morally, spiritually and in other ways they feel good about themselves and are better than certain groups of people. They are superior to the neighborhood drug dealer or the local corrupt politician. They see “those type of people” as the ones who really need prayer, or the ones who really need saving. Privately they admit they have flaws and have fallen short in different ways, but counter that with their efforts at trying to be morally or spiritually good. To them, it is akin to insurance when they stand before God.

These attitudes are dangerous. They will produce a spiritual obnoxiousness that will lead to a sterile church, empty of spiritual power. It will also lead to a divided nation between those whom are good, and those whom are not good enough.

We all are sinners with evil lurking in our hearts. Regardless of our religion, political party or standing in our community. We have all done wrong. Who has never told a lie, never had a bad thought about another person or never has done something from a selfish motive? Who? God once said, “None is righteous, no, not one . . . no one does good, not even one.” (Romans 3:11,12)

There is a mysterious evil within us, that causes us to treat people this way. It is a corruption we are born with, no matter if we grew up in a religious home or not.

Because of this we face the judgement of God and His penalty of eternal death. But there is good news! This was the reason Jesus came from heaven to earth. He came to go to war against the evil within us by dying on a cross. There He took our place. He took our penalty. Then He rose again, securing the promise of forgiveness and a new life in Him.

Admit before God you have treated others with contempt. Admit you have tried to put others down, in order to lift yourself up. Admit this darkness inside you, then take on the humble spirit of the tax collector, and cry out to God for mercy. And because of what Jesus did on the cross for you, you can become a new man, a new woman.

A prayer for you – "Lord God, examine our heart. Point out to us if we have treated people with contempt. Let us no longer live this way, where we disgrace the image of You in others. Forgive us O, God. In Jesus’ name. Amen."

Belief In God Is More Than Words

image from lightstock  

“There is a mysterious evil within us, that causes us to treat people with contempt. It is a corruption we are born with, but through Jesus we can become new people.”

Have you ever known someone where what they said, did not match reality? Like a person who talks about the purple heart they were awarded while they served in the military, only to find out they never were actually in the military. Or like one who shares about the college they graduated from with honors, only to learn the person never attended college.

When there is a gap between what a person says about themselves and the truth, it is a dangerous place to live. How so? Because they are living a lie.

Likewise, when someone says, “I believe in God,” “I believe in Jesus,” or “I am a Christian,” but their life shows the opposite, he also is living a lie. In some places, it is almost part of the cultural to believe this way, where nearly everyone does, from respected elected officials and local businesspeople, to inmates at the county jail and regulars at the local bar,

What do people mean by “believing?” It is an acknowledgement of their belief in the existence of Lord God. Also, their belief might mean they either ask for prayer, or pray to Him. Maybe they even go to church. Overall, in terms of their life choices, they will admit they are not perfect, but they feel their belief in God does count for something.

Let me ask, “Is there a standard for belief in God, or is it more whatever an individual feels it means to them?” Does God have something to say about this, and should it matter? Should it take precedence over what we think?

Jesus directly addressed this, “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you? (Luke 6:46) Put another way, “Why do you say you believe in Me, but you do not do what I tell you?” If Jesus asked you that question, what would you say? On another occasion Jesus said, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word…Whoever does not love me does not keep my words.” (John 14:23-24) Jesus is saying the same thing here, but in a different way. Instead of saying “believe” He uses “love.” These statements from Jesus are summarized by God who said, “…this people draw near with their mouth and honor me with their lips, while their hearts are far from me…” (Isaiah 29:13)

When we say we believe in God, it is a form of honoring Him. Notice God is more concerned about how one’s heart is toward Him, rather than what one’s lips say about Him. What demonstrates the attitude of the heart? One’s lifestyle, choices, habits. In other words, what a person does in public and private, shows the true condition of their heart toward God.

You say you believe in God, but how do you live? Do you do what He tells you?

Keep in mind the devil believes in the existence of God. The Bible says, “You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder” (James 2:19). But do you know what the devil does not do? Obey God. The only person he is going to obey is himself.

When you do what God commands it is a recognition of His Lordship over your life. It is a demonstration of your submission to Him. It is a true reflection of your heart toward Him.

No longer try to deceive yourself, others or God by honoring Him with your lips, while your day-to-day life is far from Him. To do so, is to live a lie. Jesus died and rose again to show He is Lord of lords and King of kings. As such, He commands everyone to turn to Him with their entire life because He has proven He is worthy of it.

A prayer for you. “Lord God, reveal if we have merely honored you with our lips, but not our lives. If we have, we confess our sin and humble ourselves under your Kingship. From this day forward we yield our lives to you by faith. In Jesus’ name. Amen.”