“You are a shield around me, O Lord; You bestow glory on me and lift up my head”. Psalm 3:3

Too often at social meetings, worship meetings and at hospitals, I see people with their heads hanging low, bowed down by the burdens they are carrying. Some of them may have no one to talk to, while others show no sign of hope in their eyes. They are desperately looking for answers. Many more have given up and resigned themselves to the challenges they are battling with.

What about you?

Is your head bowed down today because of a burden you are carrying? Are you desperate for God to come through?

When we are downcast or gazing downwards, our eyes are fixed only on a small area of the floor around us. What we see therefore is a very limited space and Satan will do everything possible to keep our gaze on that small space. But, when God lifts our head up, we will see the whole horizon before us; the largeness of what He has created for us to enjoy! Imagine yourself on a beach at dusk, looking down. You may see a rock, some sea sand and maybe a few shells. However, if you lift your head up, you will see the entire horizon, the beautiful sky, maybe a ship or two in the distance, and the beauty of a setting sun! You then realize how big the Creator God is!!

The Good News is that Jesus is well able to ‘lift up your head’ and He is waiting to do so! Psalm 3:3 says, “But You, O Lord, are a shield about me, my glory and the lifter of my head”(ESV). God, through Jesus, wants to show you a glimpse of His glory and to “lift up your head “. Will you call upon the mighty name of Jesus and ask Him for help now? It will change your outlook on your problem!!

Prayer – Lord, my head hangs low with the burdens I am carrying. Be my shield, show me your glory and lift my head up now. In the mighty name of Jesus I pray. Amen!

By Rev. Palitha Jayasooriya
Used by Permission

FURTHER READING

• O My Soul
• The Hand that Holds My Hand
• He Will be My Guide

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When we have worry, doubt, and fear clutched tightly in our hands and our hearts are ruled by anxiety, God wants to say something to us of this effect,

“Let go of your burdens and give them to me. I will put in your hands that are now empty and open…

Joy
Peace
and Freedom.”

All we need to do is give God our burdens and He will give us rest. He will give us joy, a fullness of indescribable joy we have not known before.

From my own experience, I can tell you it will not happen if we keep holding on. We have to let go of one to gain the other. I know what He has to offer is so much more than what we are holding on to, and I know this because I have walked that road before.

The joy I now have is because I finally made the exchange. When I grew weary and tired of my burdens, I finally trusted and obeyed My Father’s voice. I finally let go and I was amazed.

I don’t ever want to walk that road again. The road that says it is too hard to let go. If you want to walk in joy, make the exchange. Open your hands to Him, let go, and place your burdens in His hands. Soon you will know what it is to walk in His peace and joy. Soon you won’t be weary under the load of burdens you were carrying on your own.

It starts with a step of faith and a heart of trust and emptying your hands of the burdens God asks you to lay in His hands.

Will you make the exchange?

“Come to Me,  all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28

By Kathy Cheek
Used by Permission

Do you know this love that is found in God alone, through Jesus?  Would you like to give your burdens to him and have a relationship with Him?  It doesn’t mean that life will be easy but it does mean you have Jesus walking by your side. It starts with a simple heart felt prayer:

Lord, thank You for dying so we can be set free from all of guilt and sin — no matter how big or small.  Your blood has erased all of our sin. Thank You so much! Lord Jesus, I want to know you personally. Thank you for dying on the cross for my sins. I open the door of my life to you and ask you to come in as my Savior and Lord. Take control of my life. Thank you for forgiving my sins and giving me eternal life. Make me the kind of person you want me to be. Amen

It is the first step.  Keep learning more….

The post Will You Make the Exchange? appeared first on Thoughts About God.

Worry is the burlap bag of burdens.  It’s overflowing with “whaddifs” and “howells.” Whaddif after all my dieting, I find that lettuce is fattening and chocolate isn’t?  Howell we pay our baby’s tuition?”  Whaddifs and howells…the burlap bag of worry. Cumbersome. Chunky. Unattractive. Scratchy.  Irritating to carry and impossible to give away!

No one wants your worries.  The truth is, you don’t want them either. No one has to remind you of the high cost of anxiety, but I will anyway. Worry divides the mind.  It splits our energy between today’s priorities and tomorrow’s problems.  The result is half-minded living!

Hebrews 4:16 encourages us to “boldly approach the throne of our gracious God, where we may receive mercy and, in His grace, find timely help.”  God’s help is timely!  God will do the right thing at the right time.  And what a difference that makes!

By Max Lucado
From: Traveling Light
Used by Permission

To learn more about Max Lucado visit his website at:    
https://maxlucado.com/about/

Further Reading

•  Going Deeper with God

•   Struggles, Despair

•  Salvation Explained

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The post Give You Your Bag of Burdens appeared first on Thoughts About God.

“Answer me when I call to you, O my righteous God. Give me relief from my distress; be merciful to me and hear my prayer.”  Psalm 4:1

Thought

At first, this cry for help seems very demanding. However, closer inspection shows that this is really the cry of desperation. Have you been there? I surely have and I regularly hear from folks who are there now. But, read how this Psalm ends! What is the secret to surviving a long agony? I believe three things are important: 1) honesty in our prayer life with God, 2) confidence that God hears and cares even when our prayers sizzle with pain and frustration, and 3) genuine praise for God included in our prayers even when things seem bleak. It’s not a magical formula, but it is a Spirit-inspired one — check it out in Psalm 4!

Prayer

O God, please hear my cry for relief, as well as the relief of those I love, from agony, burdens, and suffering. Please answer in amazing and miraculous ways so that we may not only be relieved, but so that you may be glorified as well. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

By Phil Ware
used with permission.
You can also follow Phil’s daily devotionals on https://www.verseoftheday.com

FURTHER READING

• What Do You Want Jesus to Say When you Meet Him Face to Face?
• The Importance of Knowing God

Learn more about knowing Jesus at: https://thoughtsaboutgod.com/four-laws/

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“Carry each others burdens and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” Galatians 6:2

Thoughts on today’s verse

I feel so burdened myself, that sometimes I can’t even see others’ burdens. But Jesus reminds me that if I am to be like him, I will be a burden carrier. This is why he came, why he died, and why his resurrection is so important — to lift from us the burdens of sin, death, depravity and desperaion.

Prayer:

Compassionate Father, help me to see and respond to the burdens in other lives around me. I want to be a blessing to the broken and discouraged, so please help me find my place and my way of serving to your glory. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

By Phil Ware
used by permission

Phil’s daily devotionals on https://www.verseoftheday.com

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