Come to me, ALL who are weary and burdened, and I shall give you rest.
I believed in a possible God and yet He seemed distant and unreal, just stories.
There came a time my life felt in shatters, of not having my own identity, a life of my own. At my workplace I was asked to train someone up, his name was also Mike. We became friends and began to do things together. I shared the struggles and pain I was going through, where Mike said he would stand by me which caused me to think there’s something different about him. He knew me and I wanted to know him. He said, “If you read the bible, you will know me.” It had the right effect although incorrect. I read the bible and found that the words spoke into my life.
We began to go to church together. One day someone stood and gave a word, including, Matthew 11:28-30, which spoke to me. It was asked for the person to stand up; no one ever did even though it was continuously asked. It was me! I didn’t at that time understand what the gifts in the power of the Holy Spirit were. All I could think about was getting home and sharing what had happened with Mike in which he said that he knew. That night I knew I had given my heart to Jesus. For weeks I felt great joy and peace in my life.
Knowing Jesus has given me my identity, a life and a relationship with a God who is very real and meets all my needs.
God Bless You Mike for your obedience and for being a good friend.
Knowing God’s Joy, Knowing God’s Sadness
Many years ago in my early years as a Christian, I was at a meeting of my church. For a long time God had been beginning to use me in my gifting of Worship. Although from even before being a Christian I could sing, just as most of my family could, I knew little concerning worship songs. For a while it was not an easy thing for me to learn words of a song off by heart, so my possible choices were limited. But with that I do want to say that God can and does use you where you are and with little as you have, as long as you are willing.In the meeting we were in Worship and at a certain part of the meeting I felt strongly that God wanted for me to sing out. The chorus that came to mind was,
I will come and Bow Down at Your Feet Lord Jesus
At that point being young in faith I became very nervous and inside, but when it was appropriate I came in, where I found that no-one joined in.
At that time I lived in a small studio flat, and on my way home I found that the chorus was playing over and over in my mind (I think a lot of people know what that can be like, like a recording playing over and over again). I got inside my door, shut and locked it. I was doing things around the flat when suddenly I stopped and with horror realised something about the chorus which was still there playing away in my mind. I realised I was singing,
In Your Presence there is Sadness and Joy, instead of, there is fullness of joy.
My heart dropped. I began to cry out to God. Why! My mind racing, All those leaders there, what a stupid thing to do and there I believed it of God, and I did a thing like that. I knelt in front of my bed crying, with all I could think was, Why? Why did you let me do it?
Suddenly I felt overwhelmed by the Love of God. A sense of his presence and He spoke saying, “You sang it the way I wanted you to.” He followed, “Many Christians today so want my fullness and joy, and that’s all they want, but there are few who want to know when I am sad, and how even those in my church hurt me, and what makes me sad. But I am glad that you care for when I am sad, and what makes me sad.”
That was a very tender moment for me.
The Day I Wanted to Run Away
For along time it had been like God revealing Church to me. What it was and what it wasn’t. I began to recognise that God was calling for Restoration of His Church. The moment I acknowledged it and began to open myself to God using me in this direction, things began to get difficult, I also felt no one listened.
I remember being sat at work one day and I’d been praying telling God that I had had enough of restoration. I didn’t want to know it anymore, it was becoming too difficult.
Each break I would get out my book. At that point I was reading a book by Terry Virgo, Weak People, Mighty God. The book covered three character studies from the Bible, Elijah, David and Jonah. I’d reached the study of Jonah and at that break I began to read the second chapter, How Can You Sleep?
It read:
God had plans for Jonah, ‘But Jonah ran…’ (Jon 1:3). I wonder how often this is the case with us. God had plans for Mike, but Mike ran.
Immediately the Holy Spirit convicted me and reminded me of what I had just said about restoration. By saying what I said it was like I was running away. To that day I have committed my life to what I now believe God’s calling is for my life.
Restoration!
Reflections
Freedom
It was lies that kept me bound. A seed of untruth that my enemy nurtured. It was grace that set me free. The truth of my Lord, victory, your triumph over sin and over death. You paid a debt you didn’t owe, to satisfy a debt I couldn’t pay. You stood me on a hill with light all around me. Though dark clouds surround me you keep me in the light of your truth where sin and death cannot penetrate. Above me you place a rainbow, a reminder of your promises and that you will fulfill all you have promised. You gave me feet of faith, continuously moving forward, never standing still. Walking new avenues, always improving. Never looking back, letting go of that which feels comfortable, holding on to freedom to change, not knowing what new thing is around the corner but trusting in the perfector of my faith. You gave me eyes of faith, a vision to grab hold of, a promise to be kept. A purpose not of mine, a vision of what’s to come, not knowing how, not knowing when but shared, trusting in the perfector of my faith. You say expect the unexpected and do not strive. You cannot be put in a box. When things look impossible you make possible. You make a way where there seems no other way. If God seems far away we need ask, Who’s moved?
Darkness overwhelms the people. Children of light, let your light shine before men. Share in compassion and reachout to them, not with cold professionalism, but with tender mercy. You will do everything you have promised. Lord, your love is eternal. Complete the work that you have begun.
Love
I felt misunderstood, my words unable to convey my heart. I was lost and alone, my whole being a life of despair. Why does love fail? Why do people hurt each other? Why do we stop loving when things get hard? Questions, questions, questions, so many questions.
I Praise You Lord, for you gave the answers. I cried out to you and there you were. New life and a new hope, for you are the answer. In you I have refuge and strength to meet each day. I praise you in my spirit even when outwardly I feel the pressures of life. Your Love endures forever. Bigger than any mountain, deeper than the oceans is your love. Your Love never fails, in you there is peace.
Proclaim salvation to the nations; raise his banner of love. Why is it so hard for those words, “I Love You,” and that love to be given? Lord examine our love and change us. Father your love never fails, give us that love.
Trust
Lord I don’t know who to trust. I trust you but it’s people I don’t trust. I thankyou for those I do trust, but Lord, what of those I don’t find easy? Those of whom I find hard to believe that what they say is given in actions, when often their actions have not backed up their words. Lord I want to trust them; I don’t know what to do. Forgive me Lord for I too can be like them. I sense the hurt of people outside and to why they don’t trust your people, because our love does not appear real. Help me, I need You!
Father, I praise You, I worship you. You’ve touched my life in a way, never before, and yet I know there’s more. More love, more power. More of you in my life. I seek your face, for there is no higher calling. I place you on the highest place for there is no-one greater than you, and, “I Love You.” Glorify your name in me; let your light shine from me. Quiet my mind, calm my restless heart. Make me more like you. May your love and joy abound and fill me with your peace.
People of God. Let us seek the good in all. Let us look through God’s eyes and see each other as he would see us. It’s that we see his glory in each of us. Let our trust be in him who dwells in each of us and in unity take the land he has given us.
"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
Matthew 11:28-30
Life With and In the Holy Spirit
Come to the still, still waters. Step into the clear, pure water. By faith follow the way of the Spirit.
Fix your eyes on Jesus, the author and Perfecter of your faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Hebrews 12:2
As the sun rises so does my love for you. As the sun melts snow on a snow covered hill, so my Son melts your heart, from it coming freshness, life and power through my Holy Spirit.
Draw near to me and I shall draw near to you.
James 4:8
As an early morning mist covers the hills taking away sharpness and clarity of sight, so to those who seek Me, nothing is clear, but all is there. Although you see not clearly, I am there, for I have said, “I will never leave you or forsake you.” And that, “I am Faithful.”
Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.
And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
Hebrews 11:1,6
We live by faith, not by sight.
2 Corinthians 5:7
Salvation Through the Holy Spirit
At home I’d been producing a diagram on what to me was a revelation of the scripture,
‘Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the Lord Almighty.
Zechariah 4:6
The Holy Spirit began revealing that scripture in my day to day life. I was sat at work, opposite me was my supervisor. I’d heard a joke spoken out within a message on Sunday at Church and I felt the Spirit say, “Tell Russell the joke.” At first I hesitated, but I couldn’t ignore what was being said so I plucked up the courage and told Russell the joke. That began one of the most uplifting weeks of my life.
We began to share and I soon began to see that the Holy Spirit was very much moving on his life and mine. That evening I had finally finished the diagram at home and thought I’d take it into work. The next morning, Russell on arrival said to me he had had two dreams that night.
1. He dreamt the words, ‘You Know the Way.’ It turned out that he had read Journey into Life. He’d also said that he didn’t like the book but had never got rid of it.
2. He dreamt he was walking what was like a diagram and he could only go one way as all other directions were blocked.
My heart leapt when he said the dreams, in particular the second. I asked him, “What else can you say about the diagram, were there colours?” He replied, “Yes, the only way I could go was along a red path.”
With that I said, “I think you need to see this.” I got out the diagram and showed him it to which he saw that there was a red line on it. I explained the diagram to which I told him that there are three sets of lines on the diagram, all different colours. Two sets of lines ended in two circles, representing might and power. The third which was not a circle and was red was representing the way of the Spirit, the only way to go.
God had not only encouraged me in what I had done but he had used it to answer Russell’s dream. From then it was a mighty week or two with God’s Spirit between us, ending in Russell giving his heart to Jesus, realising there was no other way. Hallelujah!
Leading of the Spirit - Get Up and Leave
It was a time after I was baptised. With me there had been two others baptised as well, a young girl and an even younger boy of between 12 and 13 years of age. The boy was nervous and it was like God say, “Take care of him.”As time went on I became a friend to the family, where one day the parents approached me asking whether I could talk to the boy as something had happened and he needed support. We talked and he opened up, with me feeling that there were things he needed to be taught being a young Christian. With the parents agreement, backing and acceptance it was arranged that we would meet once a week to share the bible and for him to be able to share his feelings.
The day came to what he thought was the first meeting and had so arranged with me on the Sunday at Church.
I was at work when I felt strongly that God was saying I had to take half day and go and see the parents. I didn’t understand but it wouldn’t go away, so I left work and began to drive to their home. For some unexplained reason I began driving away from their home heading towards my home, I was saying to God, “If I am meant to be going to see the parents, why is it I’m going away in another direction?”
I was driving by a nearby park, going round a bend when in front of me I saw the parents. I stopped the car and went to them, on which they told me that the boy had made a mistake and that the meetings would not be starting until the following week.
If I had of gone straight to their home I would have missed them, for they were not there and I would not have found out about the boys mistake. As strange as sometimes things can be, if you sense God’s direction follow it, because there may be a perfectly good reason.
You have the Spirit, God asks that you live by the Spirit
But the Counsellor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.
John 14:26
But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth.
John 16:13
Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshippers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshippers must worship in spirit and in truth.
John 4:23-24
Might
We can not succeed in our own might. We end up going in circles.Before Paul went onto describe the Armour of God he writes
“Finally be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of His might.”
Ephesians 6:10
David and Goliath – 1 Samuel 17
David left his things with the keeper of supplies, ran to the battle lines and greeted his brothers. As he was talking with them, Goliath, the Philistine champion from Gath, stepped out from his lines and shouted his usual defiance, and David heard it. When the Israelites saw the man, they all ran from him in great fear.
Verses 22-24
David asked the men standing near him, “What will be done for the man who kills this Philistine and removes this disgrace from Israel? Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?”
Verse 26
The army saw Goliath in relation to themselves and trembled; David saw Goliath in relation to God and triumphed.
You plus Jesus equals a majority.
Power
We can not succeed in our own power. We end up going in circles.
The bible is to most, just a book. Many read and it is just words written on paper, with its discrepancies to them, a book of stories and much more.
Christians know it as the Word of God and yet they use it unfortunately for their own benefit. They go to the Word and pick out a bible verse to fit what they are going through to what they want to hear and stand on it in prayer and then when nothing happens wonder why God has not come through for them, when God is saying, “No that is not what I am saying, this is what I want to say and to do.” We misuse the Word of God. We end up going in circles.
By My Spirit
It’s as God’s Word says in Zechariah 4:6
‘Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ says the Lord Almighty
We can not do anything in our own strength or might. We can not do anything in our own power or in the misuse of God’s Word. We will only find that strength, that power through the Holy Spirit. It is the looking beyond our circumstance, our obstacle, the attack to the True and Living Word our Lord Jesus Christ, our Intermediate to our Father in heaven, where by His Spirit, He proves His Word as living and active and sharper than a double-edged sword. He Defeats the enemy, where though, remembering our foe is already defeated. He removes the obstacle, He stops the attack and changes the circumstances where in that He matures us, moving us on closer and stronger in Him.
Circles – Allow the Holy Spirit to cut the circle, closing the past and making paths straight.
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