Listen to God's Word

This weekend I am in Tennessee with the youth group at a conference.  Needless to say, I have been quite busy this week preparing for the trip and being here.  I did not have time to finish a post for this week, but I did pull out something I compiled awhile ago.  A piece that I have had to read aloud to myself several times this week.  Listen to what God says and rest.

 

Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly.

Trust in Me from the bottom of your heart; don't try to figure out everything on your own.
Listen for My voice in everything you do, everywhere you go;  I’m  the one who will keep you on track. Don't assume that you know it all.

Don't fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into  prayers, letting Me know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of My wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It's wonderful what happens when I, Christ, displace worry at the center of your life. 

Don't bargain with Me, your father. Be direct. Ask for what you need. This isn't a cat-and-mouse, hide-and-seek game we're in. If your child asks for bread, do you trick him with sawdust? If he asks for fish, do you scare him with a live snake on his plate? As bad as you are, you wouldn't think of such a thing. You're at least decent to your own children. So don't you think, I, the God who conceived you in love will be even better?

Have faith in Me.  I tell you the truth, you can say to this mountain, ‘May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and it will happen. But you must really believe it will happen and have no doubt in your heart. I tell you, you can pray for anything, and if you believe that you’ve received it, it will be yours.

Be confident that I hear you whenever you ask for anything that pleases me.  And since you know I hear you when you make your requests, you also know that I will give you what you ask for.

Summing it all up, my beloved, I'd say you'll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized.

 Matthew 11:28-30 (The Message), Proverbs 3:5-6 (The Message), Philippians 4:6-7 (The Message),  Matthew 7:7-8 (The Message), Mark 11:23-24 (New Living), I John 5:14-15 (New Living),  Philippians 4:8-9 (The Message)