Page 55 - lifeandgrace
P. 55
1Pet 5:7 (RSV) "Cast all your anxieties on him, for he cares about you."
Mat 11:28-30 (RSV) “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you
rest. 29Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and
you will find rest for your souls. 30For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.""
Mat 10:29-31 (RSV) "Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will
fall to the ground without your Father's will. 30But even the hairs of your head are all
numbered. 31Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows."
Let us refer to the previous list of problems:
1) What really “saves” you in this life we live in is the Life of Jesus. Rom 5:10 (RSV) "For if while
we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are
reconciled, shall we be saved by his life." If we are not willing to allow Jesus to live out His life
through us, we cannot be “saved” in this life. We can never enjoy the abundant life which Jesus
promised us. How do we do this? Simply give up your rights to run your own life! Tell the Lord you
are ready to completely turn your life over to Him. Tell Him you do not want to live an independent
life anymore but desire to be dependent on Him. He will begin to live His Life through you. After all,
it is His Life that gives you life. You really have no life apart from Him.
2) We must believe that God’s love is unconditional and eternal. All our lives we have been taught
“rules of life” in sermons that try to tell us that if we keep such rules, we will be successful in living
the Christian life. When we cannot live up to those rules, we begin to assume that God is angry with
us or does not love us as much. We anguish over this and begin to try to perform rather than just
trusting in His eternal and unconditional love. Believe!! Believe!! That is the key to a life of peace
and joy. Rest in Him! Rest in His love! Trust God in all things! Your life is in God’s hands and
nothing can take you out of His hands. John 10:28 (RSV) "and I give them eternal life, and they shall
never perish, and no one shall snatch them out of my hand."
God is deeply involved in your life because He loves you with an everlasting love that does not
change when you sin or make mistakes! Yes, bad things happen to good people but God has promised
to make everything work together for good. Rom 8:28-29 (RSV) "We know that in everything God
works for good with those who love him, who are called according to his purpose. 29For those whom
he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be
the first-born among many brethren."
Nothing in scripture promises us an easy life without problems and pressures. But the scriptures do
promise that God is always there and will ultimately make everything work together for good. Some
people may think that means a sweet and easy life but remember that God is looking from an eternal
prospective and not just at this life. If something happens to you, and you are taken from this life, you
are still in God’s loving hands eternally - because He has given you His Eternal Life!
3) When you tend towards stress and striving, pray! Give the problem to the Lord and leave it with
Him. It is now His problem to deal with as He sees fit. Trust Him. 1Pet 5:7 (RSV) "Cast all your
anxieties on him, for he cares about you."
Mat 11:28-30 (RSV) “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you
rest. 29Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and
you will find rest for your souls. 30For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.""
Mat 10:29-31 (RSV) "Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will
fall to the ground without your Father's will. 30But even the hairs of your head are all
numbered. 31Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows."
Let us refer to the previous list of problems:
1) What really “saves” you in this life we live in is the Life of Jesus. Rom 5:10 (RSV) "For if while
we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are
reconciled, shall we be saved by his life." If we are not willing to allow Jesus to live out His life
through us, we cannot be “saved” in this life. We can never enjoy the abundant life which Jesus
promised us. How do we do this? Simply give up your rights to run your own life! Tell the Lord you
are ready to completely turn your life over to Him. Tell Him you do not want to live an independent
life anymore but desire to be dependent on Him. He will begin to live His Life through you. After all,
it is His Life that gives you life. You really have no life apart from Him.
2) We must believe that God’s love is unconditional and eternal. All our lives we have been taught
“rules of life” in sermons that try to tell us that if we keep such rules, we will be successful in living
the Christian life. When we cannot live up to those rules, we begin to assume that God is angry with
us or does not love us as much. We anguish over this and begin to try to perform rather than just
trusting in His eternal and unconditional love. Believe!! Believe!! That is the key to a life of peace
and joy. Rest in Him! Rest in His love! Trust God in all things! Your life is in God’s hands and
nothing can take you out of His hands. John 10:28 (RSV) "and I give them eternal life, and they shall
never perish, and no one shall snatch them out of my hand."
God is deeply involved in your life because He loves you with an everlasting love that does not
change when you sin or make mistakes! Yes, bad things happen to good people but God has promised
to make everything work together for good. Rom 8:28-29 (RSV) "We know that in everything God
works for good with those who love him, who are called according to his purpose. 29For those whom
he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be
the first-born among many brethren."
Nothing in scripture promises us an easy life without problems and pressures. But the scriptures do
promise that God is always there and will ultimately make everything work together for good. Some
people may think that means a sweet and easy life but remember that God is looking from an eternal
prospective and not just at this life. If something happens to you, and you are taken from this life, you
are still in God’s loving hands eternally - because He has given you His Eternal Life!
3) When you tend towards stress and striving, pray! Give the problem to the Lord and leave it with
Him. It is now His problem to deal with as He sees fit. Trust Him. 1Pet 5:7 (RSV) "Cast all your
anxieties on him, for he cares about you."
