“Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation.” Isaiah 12:2 In shady, green pastures, so rich and so sweet, God leads His dear children along; Where the water’s cool flow bathes the weary one’s feet, God leads His dear children along. Some through the waters, some through the flood, Some through the fire, but all through the blood; Some through great sorrow, but God gives a song, In the night season and all the day long. As we get older, it is much harder to memorize. I like some of the new songs that we sing in church today but find it much harder to remember the words when they are not on a screen before me. That is one reason the songs that keep coming back into my mind are the ones that I learned as a child and young person. If I am having a restless night, those are the ones that are a comfort and blessing to me. As I sing them over in my mind, my body relaxes, and I find rest. The Book of Psalms…

“That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us: Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil.” Hebrews 6:18-19 We have an anchor that keeps the soul steadfast and sure while the billows roll; fastened to the Rock which cannot move, grounded firm and deep in the Saviour’s love! In Mark 4: 35-41 we read the story of Jesus and His disciples during a storm as they were crossing the Sea of Galilee. After a busy day, Jesus found a pillow and laid down to sleep. As the wind began to blow, the waves were getting boisterous, and the ship began to fill with water. In their fear they woke Jesus, asking Him how He could sleep when they were about to perish. They had forgotten two important things: As they began the journey, Jesus told them “We are going to the other side.” The Master of the sea and the wind was in the vessel with them. Jesus did not…

Focus Verses:  Luke 10:38-42, John 11:1-44 Martha and Mary are two sisters with two personalities and two stories in the Bible. It’s interesting to study who chose to record their stories and learn more about the writer. THE WRITER, LUKE If you read the Gospels in the order they appear in the Bible, you first meet Martha and Mary in Luke 10:38-42. Luke was a physician and Paul’s friend. Biblical scholars date the book of Luke between 62 and 70 A.D., so it is unlikely that he was an eyewitness to Jesus’ ministry. Luke wrote after carefully investigating the stories of those personally involved. MARTHA SERVES, MARY LISTENS The narrative in Luke 10:38-42 is only five verses long. Martha invited Jesus and His disciples into her home for rest and a meal. She was a doer. She saw a need and filled it. There was nothing inherently wrong with what she was doing. She may have been moderately wealthy, at least middle class, because the Bible implies she owned her own home, yet didn’t seem to have any servants because, before too long, she was distracted as she served alone. She complains to Jesus, her guest, that her sister has…

Jesus, in Matthew 11:28-30, invites us to release our stress by saying, “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.” In the past I have shared my journey of releasing the pressures I place on myself and how I learned to seek after God’s expectations. To be honest, my heart still gets encumbered with stress, but it’s usually when I have put too many things back on my proverbial plate. Weariness sets in when I carry my burdens, instead of casting my cares upon the Lord. Jesus has the rest you need, isn’t that wonderful? Here are a few practical things that are helping me on this journey of refocusing my priorities. Helpful Tips Write down tasks that need completion. Once you have written your daily and weekly goals in a planner, look at your list and decide which one requires the most attention immediately. Also, give yourself grace, if you do not finish your task today. Turn…