Come to the Cross

As there are many benefits to working for the US Postal Service, one of the drawbacks, for those that are carriers, are back problems. My brother-in-law is one such person. He has had back problems for a while now and continues to work for the Postal Service. Carrying the mailbag for a good amount of the work day would create fatigue at the end of each day. It is probably a huge relief to come in from the day and set your bags down. However, you have to turn around and do it all again tomorrow!

Yesterday, we looked at the idea of coming to the cross. When we come to the cross we need to lay our burdens/worries/anxieties down and leave them there. It doesn't matter what our past is like, there is always room for one more. As we look back on this lesson, here are some applications to choose from...

1. Give it up! Each of us have concerns on our plate. You may have started out today with a list "a mile long" of things that you have to get done or are thinking about. Did it make you look forward to the day? Some of the things that are on your list may not be things you can control. Those are areas that we definitely must leave at the Cross for Jesus to take care of. Don't be like the mail carrier and pick it up the next day...leave it at the Cross!
2. After a long time of carrying something we get thirsty. After you've laid your cares/burdens/anxieties down at the Cross, you will need a "break". At this break you can drink...the water of life. As a way to aid in not trying to pick up your baggage again, you need to be in prayer with Him. This will occupy that time that you previously would have used to "carry the baggage". Find something, if not prayer, to occupy your time that helps you spend that time with Him - listen to music, read a book, etc.
3. unLimited Openings! I've had times when I was trying to find a place to eat, just to pull up to one that was very full. The waiting time was over 20 minutes, sometimes an hour. Some of those I waited at, while others I passed by to find another restaurant. That same concept may be what is keeping you from going to the Cross. You think that you are just a number and there isn't room. Friends, that just isn't so. There is UNlimited openings at the Cross...so don't delay...GO!!!

The Cross is a place of rest...where Jesus takes on our sins and burdens, so we don't have to. This week, enjoy rest as you take things and dump them off at the Cross! Enjoy a "lighter" week!

Taking Several Trips to the Cross...

He Bore Our Sins - I Peter 2:20-24

What have you done that you felt guilty over? Break something of someone else's, lie to someone, or any number of other things. Guilt causes us to carry baggage that we are not equipped to carry. Too much will weigh us down. When it comes to our sin problem, it is nice to know that Jesus bears our sins, so we don't have to bear them.

Yesterday, we looked at Jesus and how He took the sins of ours and placed them on His body, so that His sacrifice could take them away. Here are some applications to use from this lesson...

1. Give Him Your Guilt ~ We've all sinned. Some are very impacting on our lives. Make it a regular practice to give Him your guilt by confessing your wrongs. The wrongs of the past may be lurking, depending on what they were. If they were "washed away", then they are no longer on the record books to be judged against. Acknowledge the wrongs and leave a lot "lighter".
2. Confess Your Wrongs ~ When you've done something against someone else, practice the action you were taught since you were a child...Tell them you're sorry! Sometimes, just making the call or "coming clean" can make all the difference in the world. It is probably worse on you than it is on others (depending on what it is).
3. Breathe a sigh of relief ~ As Jesus has "bore our sins", praise Him for doing so, but then take a deep breath and sigh with a sense of relief, knowing what He's done for us.

Once you do not have to carry the guilt or you've confessed to the crime, you can breathe a sigh of relief because that baggage is no longer weighing you down. You may have to suffer the consequences, but you don't have to carry the weight.

Walking lighter...

Monday Mentionings: In the "Ring" - Part 1 - Genesis 2:19-24

February is here, which means the Valentine’s Day is right around the corner. Like most holidays, the advertising hype and the psychological hype is much greater before the event. Once the event has passed, it isn’t on your mind and doesn’t seem as important anymore. However, in the case of Valentine’s Day and marriages, the chivalry and romance should not get “passed” and left to one day a year. Valentine’s Day is set aside to be a little more romantic than normal, but it should not be the only day we are romantic and chivalrous toward our spouses. May we be inspired to do something regularly for our spouses, like pray for them, give them notes, tell them how good they look, pray with them, take time for them, take part in their hobbies, tell them how much we love/respect them, call them out of the blue, and sometimes, some spouses like it when they get some of their “own” time.

This sermon series, titled “In the ‘Ring’” is couched around the idea of marriage. We are looking at different words/phrases with the letters r-i-n-g in them and applying them to marriage to our spouse, as well as, our spiritual marriage commitment to our Lord. The words/phrase we looked at Sunday were the following: weaRING, bRING things to the marriage, shaRING, God-feaRING. Here are some applications to use this week as you serve Him…

1. Wearing your ring is important to the marriage, as it continually reminds you of the commitment you made to your spouse. Appreciate the opportunity you have to wear your ring. As Christians, we also wear Christ. When you were clothed with Christ, you made a commitment to Him. Wear Christ with pride and show off your pristine clothes to those around you this week as you demonstrate what it means to be Christlike to those in your workplace, at school, in restaurants, at the store, etc.
2. If you are married, you brought things with you, call it baggage. Anything that was in the past that has an affect on your marriage, whether your spouse knows about it or not, like people you dated/hung around with, if you’ve had other marriages and/or children, if you’ve been involved with drugs, drinking, pornography, etc., your family’s relationship, if you’ve been in jail, if you went to college, etc. would be included here. What did you bring to your marriage relationship? For all Christians, what are things which you brought to your life in Christ? Pray that you will be able to either tell your spouse of something from the past, continue to work through something you and your spouse are dealing with from things of your past, and/or work on giving things to God that are from the past which still affect you in the present and future. It is easier to go through life without baggage!
3. Sharing your life with the one you love is priceless! You have memories that are both good and bad, but through it all you become best friends. Share with your spouse how your feel about them. You may say that they already know, but these types of things never grow old – so, go ahead and tell them – again! As Christians and our “marriage” to God we get to share in memories of sharing our faith with others. Make a memory by sharing your faith this week with someone, then share that experience with me…I would like to hear how it went!
4. Being a couple which is God-fearing has many benefits toward the marriage. Your commonality allows you to do some amazing things together as the two of you team up with God to serve in the Kingdom. If one of you is not a believer, pray that your influence will be able to positively influence their heart to want to become a Christian. For all Christians, pray that you will continually be in constant reverent fear of God and may that allow you to keep Him as number one in your life!

Have a great week being “in the ‘ring’”!

Awaiting my weekly surprise ~