I will share about Christian books I have read or listened to.
I will be sharing about my life before and after Christ. I will include stories about my pet and other pets I have encountered.
Burden Bearers
Everyone carries burdens. The things we go through shape the way we view the world—and ourselves. But we weren’t meant to carry our burdens alone.
In Matthew 11:28-30, Jesus says to the people following Him:
"Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you… For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light." (NLT)
A yoke is a heavy wooden beam that lies across a pair of oxen, evenly distributing the weight of the loads they carry. But the term was also used by Jewish Rabbis. “The yoke of the law” symbolized complete submission to God’s law, and Rabbis taught that becoming yoked to it would free the Jews from enslavement to the world.
Jesus is using a phrase that His Jewish followers would have easily understood, but then He flips the illustration. He tells the crowd that they must yoke themselves to Him—because He is the fulfillment of their law.
When they do this, the burdens they carry won’t be heavy at all, because He will bear the weight of their burdens.
Paul references this teaching in his letter to the Galatian Christians:
“Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ.”
Galatians 6:2 NLT
The law of Christ is to love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, and to love others as ourselves (Matthew 22:37-40). But the only way we can fulfill the law of Christ is if we bind ourselves to Him. When we are yoked to Jesus, He becomes our source of strength.
He helps us endure hard situations and enables us to walk away from poor decisions. He fills us up with His love so that His love can overflow from us. He gives us the capacity to support other Christ-followers just like He supports us.
Just as Jesus bore our sins and suffering, we are called to bear the suffering of others. In this way, we show them the love of Christ and guide them toward Jesus.
Right now, spend a few minutes talking to God about the burdens you need help carrying, and then allow Him to show you the people in your life He wants you to support.
Live Empowered
Imagine God’s Spirit hovering over the face of the earth...
Everything is dark and without form until God breathes out the words, “Let there be light.” In an instant, everything changes. The light pierces the darkness and what was once invisible is now seen clearly. This is what God’s Spirit does. He is always near—bringing light to what was once covered in darkness.
The Holy Spirit is available to anyone who becomes a follower of Jesus, empowering them to live out the calling God has placed on their life. And what has Jesus called His followers to do? To love God, love others, and make disciples.
Jesus’ first disciples wanted Him to stay and restore the kingdom of Israel. But in Acts 1, Jesus hints that His Kingdom wasn’t what they were imagining. His Kingdom would continue throughout history by the power of the Holy Spirit and the continual testimony of His disciples.
The Holy Spirit is a gift from our heavenly Father that helps us live in a way that honors God...
