God of the Living

 “But in the account of the burning bush, even Moses showed that the dead rise, for he calls the Lord ‘the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ He is not the God of the dead, but of the living, for to him all are alive” (Luke 20:37-38).

Jesus was talking to Sadducees and they did not believe in the reality of a resurrection. They were the secularists of Jesus’ day, more concerned with political power in the present than eternity in the future. Jesus was correcting their false view of life after death. God is not the God of the dead, but of the living, “for to him all are alive.”

It is easy to think of life as our time on earth. Jesus taught that our lives extend far beyond our natural lifetimes. When we die physically we go on living. Paul said of believers that when we are absent from the body we are present with the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:8). Moses at the burning bush called God the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. They are still alive.

The woman who nursed the agnostic, Professor J. H. Huxley, through his last illness said that as he lay dying he suddenly looked up, stared and whispered his last words, “So it is true.” It is true! There is life after we die physically and for those who believe in Jesus it is life in the presence of God forever.

He Doesn't Give Up on Us!

 “Peter replied, ‘Man, I don’t know what you’re talking about!” Just as he was speaking, the rooster crowed. The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word the Lord had spoken to him: ‘Before the rooster crows today, you will disown me three times’ ” (Luke 22:60-61).

No one who follows Jesus wants to fail. This was one of the most noted failures in history. Peter, who had followed Jesus for three years, denied knowing Him. If any event would look on the surface like a disqualifying decision it would be Peter’s denying Christ. Peter himself was so broken by his failure that he wept bitterly.

Peter had thought he wasn’t capable of failing this miserably. He had said that if all others forsook Jesus he would not. He’s like many of us who look ahead and overestimate what we would do under pressure. His pride and self-confidence were shattered.

That, however, isn’t the end of Peter’s story. When Jesus rose from the dead He sent word to His disciples “and Peter.” When we give up on ourselves He doesn’t give up on us. On the day of Pentecost Peter stood and openly proclaimed his allegiance to Jesus. He did that at the risk of his own safety. Don’t let a moment of failure ruin the rest of your life. Jesus forgives us our weaknesses and empowers us to go on to a life of purpose. Failure doesn’t disqualify us because we serve a God who knows how to restore us so we can fulfill our destinies.

Why Haven't You Healed Me? (Do Read the Interpretation of the Video)

 

Jesus had just told his disciples he was sending them out two by two to preach the gospel, heal the sick, cast out demons etc, when James (little James (yes there were two James’s)) approached Jesus asking a difficult question … ”you want me to go and heal others, and I’ve seen you heal others also, but why haven’t you healed me, one of your own?”  … a great question!

James is depicted here as a quiet, perhaps even hesitant / shy man, and also he had a significant debilitating limp when walking …

 “But Lord, why haven’t you healed me?”

Jesus looks at James and answers him …

-         My Father and I trust you.

-         I heard your cry in my Fathers will, but He and I had another plan for you.

-         Remember, I love you.

-         Remember, you are so very precious to me.

-         You, James, have the power to heal others – it’s My power yes, but you have the mandate and authority to administer it.

-         Many, thousands, even tens of thousands, will testify of me because I have healed them, but how precious to my Father and I is the testimony of one who believes in me and praises God even when he isn’t healed. Your reward will be great.

-         Suffering develops patience on earth knowing that in eternity, there will be no suffering.

-         Not everyone can bear this – my Father and I trust you with this calling.

-         It’s easy to say “I am fearfully and wonderfully made” but acknowledging it doesn’t make the here and now any easier knowing that, and that’s fine to feel that way, don’t condemn yourself. 

-         Don’t compare yourself to others – your journey is tailor made for you to bring glory to God.

-         The Father doesn’t care what you may look like, a limp, a stutter, a strange way of having to do things, He looks at the heart.

-         It’s easy for me (Jesus) to heal the body, but the heart of man is much harder to heal.

-         James, you will be a healer of hurt and hardened hearts. God is far more interested in the healing of the human heart, more than just the body alone.  

-         The Fathers plan for people may be a mystery to you, and that’s okay.

-         The Lord gives, and the Lord takes away – Blessed be the name of the Lord.

-         Hold on, and keep holding on and you will discover your true strength because of your weakness.

-         The impact of what you hold onto despite of your imperfection will last for generations.

-         The infirm going about healing others i.e. “the wounded healer” – wow! what a precious thing in the eyes of the Lord!

-         Finally, remember … Yes, you will be completely healed; one day when you pass from this scene, and in the presence of your Father in heaven, you will leap like a young deer in a spring meadow, it’s just a matter of time.

Prayer of Protection

 

Prayer for Healing

 

Courage in God (Daily Readings)

 

Bible Verses 01

 

The Flood

 

A Prayer

 

IN Christ

 

Priorities

 

Pure Grace

 Pure grace is a divine influence that produces effortless change as you rest in the Fathers love. It’s an inside job….Behavior modification is religions never ending battle to change your outward actions through do and don’t do in hopes you will become a better person. 

Fathers grace develops a righteous consciousness while religions behavior modification produces a sin and failure consciousness resulting in never ending guilt and condemnation with each failure.

It’s your choice on how you live..

Stone Throwing

 

God Connection

 

God sees us

 “Later that night, the boat was in the middle of the lake, and he [Jesus] was alone on land. He saw the disciples straining at the oars, because the wind was against them” (Mark 6:47-48a).

Jesus had just sent His disciples to the other side of the lake while He went to the hillside to pray. As they sailed to the other side of the Sea of Galilee they encountered a storm with high winds. The disciples were struggling against the high winds so Jesus began walking toward them on the Sea.

How often that is a picture of our lives. We are doing what Jesus asked us to do and a dangerous storm interferes with our purpose. We are struggling to stay alive. It would be fair to say that the disciples weren’t thinking high spiritual thoughts. Their thoughts would’ve been something like, “Am I going to live through this?”

The good news is that when we face a crisis and it claims all our energy God is watching over us. When we may not be thinking of Him He is looking out for us. The disciples’ world had been reduced to the size of that boat.

There is not a demon in hell or a raging storm that can keep Jesus from us when we need Him! For those who wonder where God is in a crisis the answer is “He’s watching over us and on His way to rescue us and save us.” He doesn’t come to harm us or condemn us. He comes in mercy and compassion because He knows that we’re confronted with a challenge we can’t handle without Him. That is our hope in every crisis.

Jesus never forgets us

 “But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you’ ” (Mark 16:7).

All the disciples had run away from Jesus before the crucifixion. Now that He was risen from the dead the angel conveys a message from Him to be carried to His disciples. He was going to meet them in Galilee just as He had promised them before He was crucified.

The tremendous heart of Jesus is revealed by these words. His disciples may have been still feeling the pain of their desertion. Jesus, as He always does, takes the initiative in reaching out to them. In spite of the fact that they had left Him in His crisis hour, He had just died for them. He has always done what He is able to do to reconcile us to Himself.

Of particular interest is His mention of Peter. Peter, having proclaimed his willingness to die with Jesus, had three times denied that he knew Him. He had wept bitterly at his own failure. Now, Jesus says specifically to Peter that he is included in Jesus’ message. It is typical of Jesus. He never forgets us, no matter what we have done and even though we disappoint ourselves He never gives up on us. He just asks us to continue to trust Him.

It is Peter who was chosen by God to preach the first post-resurrection message. God has an immeasurable supply of mercy and grace. Thank God for that!

Growing Older

 

Abide in Him

 

Morning Meditation

Psalm 18:33 He maketh my feet like hinds' feet, and setteth me upon my high places. 35 Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy right hand hath holden me up, and thy gentleness hath made me great.

    1. My strength is never enough, Lord; thank you for giving me your strength or I would never succeed.

    2. God, thank you for training me for the heights through my circumstances;  I know that with you I will achieve the purpose you intended for my life.

    3. Dear, Lord, thank you for the unique peace you give to those who trust in you; I will not be afraid knowing you will protect me.

    4. God, thank you for seeing more in me than I see in myself; I trust you in every situation to develop your godly excellence in me.

    5. Dear God, each morning, I thank you for pouring out your love in me, giving me hope for each day; even in what seems the worst of days, you are still doing wonder things in me.

    6. God, thank you for creating such a desire to tell others of you; guide my words and heart so that I honor you and encourage others to know you as well.

    7. Oh God, this is the foundation my faith as a Christian stands on, YOU NEVER CHANGE!

    8. Dear God, thank you for rescuing me from the difficult things that come my way; I truly delight in you.

    9.God, I praise Your wonderful word; create a love in me to know you word so well that I know You better through it.

    10. God, the desire of my heart is that my words and thoughts are acceptable to you.

CHRIST IN YOU

What is the hope of creation? Who is the hope of creation? Where is the hope of creation? 

Colossians 1:26,27 states ... Even the mystery which has been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to His saints, to whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is CHRIST IN YOU, the hope of glory ... We can now see that the hope of creation is the revealing of the mystery of God, which has been hid for ages. As well, CHRIST IS THAT HOPE, AND CHRIST IS IN US! 

With this in mind, we are able to come to these conclusions: 

Christ is a mystery that must be revealed by God. Christ is to be revealed throughout the ages of time. The mystery of Christ is to be revealed in us. 

This unfolding mystery of the ages is the hope of the entire creation. Christ in us is the blessed hope. 

Please take note of this very important point: IT IS NOT CHRIST IN HEAVEN THE HOPE OF GLORY, BUT IT IS CHRIST IN YOU THE HOPE OF GLORY!!! The only hope of God ever being glorified in the earth is that Christ would be revealed TO YOU, IN YOU, AND THROUGH YOU for the world to see. The only way that anyone will ever see Jesus, hear about Jesus, or learn about Jesus is THROUGH YOU! You are a vessel of God's glory. 

Galatians 4:19 states ... My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until CHRIST BE FORMED IN YOU ... Galatians 1:15,16 states ... But when it pleased God, Who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by His grace, TO REVEAL HIS SON IN ME...The hope of the whole creation is being formed inside of YOU. REJOICE! 

WHAT A HOPE! 

LET THIS CUP PASS

Matthew 26:39 states...and Jesus fell on His face, and prayed, saying, 0 My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from Me: nevertheless not as I will, but as You will...As we take into consideration that Jesus was God manifested in the flesh, we are then in position to understand this statement that He makes. He was a representation of God and man. He was referred to as the Son of man AND the Son of God. As the Son of man, Jesus was identifying with man (mankind) when He prayed, saying, LET THIS CUP PASS FROM ME. This "cup" that He spoke of was referring to His death on the cross. This statement seems to be out of character for Jesus. WHY THIS STATEMENT? 

As Jesus suffered in the Garden of Gethsemane, and did sweat great drops of blood, He made this statement to identify with man in the agony of the death of the self-life. The cup represents the death of self. It is the death of our ways and the life of His ways. This is the cup that Jesus drank for us as a man, and this is the cup that we must also drink of. It is a bitter cup with a bitter taste, but it has a sweet aftertaste, for it results in resurrection life. It initially speaks of death, but after it has done its work it will yield the fruit of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit Man is ever trying to get out of drinking the cup of the death of self. When we do not drink of the cup we miss the opportunity to partake of resurrection life, for life can only come out of death. THE DEATH OF SELF IS THE KEY TO THE RESURRECTION LIFE AND POWER OF GOD! 

As the Son of God, Jesus identified with God when He also said, YOUR WILL BE DONE! 

Jesus typified man and God, FOR HIS LIFE WAS A REPRESENTATION OF BOTH. He was the MEDIATOR between man and God. As the Son of man He identified with man (let this cup pass), and as the Son of God He identified with God (Your will be done). JESUS DRANK THE CUP! We are now able, through Jesus, to drink the cup that represents the death of self, and to enter into His resurrection life. THANK YOU LORD FOR DRINKING THE CUP! 

YOUR WILL BE DONE! 

Be a Reflection

 

Consciousness of Christ Within

 It is vital to have the consciousness that you are complete in Christ. And not to try to attain that which God has already said that Jesus has attained for us. You are now so utterly in love with the Redeemer Jesus, your Bridegroom, he has caught you up into Himself and made you one in Himself. Now you are conscious of love pulsating out of your heart. His is the perfection flowing as incorruptible life out from within you to all. His perfection radiates divine life through you, and you have no need to work to attain, it is His life attaining a hundredfold. You are now obedient to His still small voice, and your functioning in spiritual reality is attaining enormously the "fruit of the Spirit." Any works that the Father does not initiate is like a house built on sand, and will not stand. But living life in God's will we witness the works of the flesh barren beside Christ's manifest life.

My Testimony

Many people think of their testimony in terms of how many bad things they once did, comparing that to how many good things that they do now. God definitely uses that type of preaching, but that is not really our testimony. Revelation 12:11 states ... and they overcame him (Satan) by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death ... Revelation 1:2 also speaks of the testimony of Jesus Christ. 

The word "testimony" means a witness or a martyr. Let us now formulate a proper understanding of what it is to have a testimony, or THE TESTIMONY OF JESUS CHRIST. It speaks of being a witness to the cleansing blood of Jesus. As well, it speaks of a laying down of one's life (a martyr, whether physically or spiritually). OUR TESTIMONY IS THAT WE IDENTIFY WITH CHRIST, BEING IN CHRIST AND HE IN US! WE ARE WITNESSES TO HIS LIFE-CHANGING POWER! Our testimony is clearly stated in Revelation 12:11. It is the blood of the Lamb and that we love not our lives unto the death of self. Doesn't that sound familiar? 

How about: 

 . . lose your life for His name's sake . 

... lay down your life for your friends . 

. . make yourself of no reputation ... 

Our testimony is THE CHRIST-LIFE INSIDE OF US. IT IS CHRIST IN US THE HOPE OF GLORY! It is the death of self and the manifested life of Christ. Jesus, Who was God manifested in the flesh, was a witness to the Father, becoming a martyr for the sin of the world. We must drink of the same cup. We are witnesses for Jesus and His Kingdom. 'This causes us to become a martyr in the Spirit, loving not our lives unto the death. We are of course speaking of the death of the self- life. We are called to take on the same testimony that Jesus had. WE HAVE THE TESTIMONY OF JESUS CHRIST! Jesus overcame, causing us to be overcomers in Him. WHAT A TESTIMONY! 

THIS IS THE WORD OF OUR TESTIMONY!

O Wretched Man that I Am

 Romans 7:18 gives us one of the most important revelations in the Bible. It states...For I know that in me (that is in my flesh,) dwells no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not...

What a statement! What an honest confession! What a revelation! In fact, this is the revelation of all revelations! This revelation tops the list!

Understanding this scripture is equivalent to the moment at which a pregnant mother's water breaks, for then she knows that the baby is on its way and sure to be born. After we come to an understanding that in our flesh dwells no good thing, we are surely on our way to delivering and birthing the very Christ-life. We must know what we are up against. We must identify our enemy. It is US!!! It is our flesh, our carnal mind, and the sin nature that we inherited from Adam. We inherited a corrupt nature that continually comes short of the glory of God. Realizing that our carnal mind is the enemy of God is probably about 98% of the battle (the other 2% being... realizing that God's divine nature is our power source, and learning to partake of His divine nature). Romans 8:6,7 states...For to be carnally minded IS DEATH; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the CARN AI. MIND IS ENMITY AGAINST GOD: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be ... This revelation on the surface seems to be very discouraging and could leave us with no hope. It causes a person to say ... O WRETCHED MAN THAT I AM! WHO SHALL DELIVER ME FROM THE BODY OF THIS DEATH? That is a good question that we must ask ourselves. We must then see ourselves as wretched outside of the life of God, but we are not left without hope. The apostle Paul said that we are to thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Thank Hirn for what?

Romans 8:1,2 states...There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus...vs. 2...For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus HAS MADE ME FREE FROM THE LAW OF SIN AND DEATH ...We are to see ourselves as no longer under condemnation, IN CHRIST, walking after the Spirit, and FREE. Once you know the bad news, that there is no good thing in your flesh, you can have your eyes opened to the GOOD NEWS, which is IN CHRIST JESUS our Lord.

God says, I love you

 I LOVE YOU, I LOVE YOU, I LOVE YOU

The voice of despair says, “I sin over and over again. After endless promises to myself and others to do better next time, I find myself back again in the old dark places. 

Forget about trying to change. I have tried for years. It didn’t work and it never will work. 

It is better that I get out of people’s way, be forgotten, no longer around, dead.”

This strangely attractive voice takes all uncertainties away and puts an end to the struggle. 

It speaks unambiguously for the darkness and offers a clear-cut negative identity.

But Jesus came to open my ears to another voice that says, “I am your God, I have molded you with my own hands, and I love what I have made. 

I love you with a love that has no limits, because I love you as I am loved. Do not run away from me. 

Come back to me—not once, not twice, but always again. You are my child. . . . 

I am your God—the God of mercy and compassion, the God of pardon and love, the God of tenderness and care. 

Please do not say that I have given up on you, that I cannot stand you anymore, that there is no way back. 

It is not true. I so much want you to be with me.

I so much want you to be close to me. I know all your thoughts. I hear all your words. I see all your actions. 

And I love you because you are beautiful, made in my own image, an expression of my most intimate love. 

Do not judge yourself. Do not condemn yourself. 

Do not reject yourself. Let my love touch the deepest, most hidden corners of your heart and reveal to you your own beauty, a beauty that you have lost sight of, but that will become visible to you again in the light of my mercy.

Come, come, let me wipe your tears,

and let my mouth come close to your ear

and say to you, ‘I love you, I love you, I love you.’

Henri Nouwen

Made in the Image of God

 Jesus is the prototype of what God intends man to be. He is God’s finished product, God’s perfect man; what every man should be and ultimately will be.

We will only understand the majesty of man in God’s image when we see Jesus as THE BEAM OF THE DIVINE GLORY, and THE OUT-RAYING OF GOD’S PERSON. Jesus Christ is the express or exact image of the Father’s being, the perfect imprint and very image of God’s nature. The allusion here is to the impression made in ancient times by a seal on molten wax; and as the image made on the wax is the exact representation (though on another substance) of the die, so is Christ the precise representation of the Father in human flesh. And thus He was able to say, "If you have seen me, you have seen the Father." 

It is by facing the enemy in the crucible of experience and by the authority of the spirit that victory is snatched from the jaws of defeat. Each and every test in our lives is an opportunity to prove for ourselves and demonstrate for those about the triumph of the spirit over the flesh. That is how Jesus did it! He knew that He was not a physical man possessing a spirit. He understood clearly that He was a spirit encased in a body. Therefore His spirit must have dominion over His flesh, not the other way around. He lived, spoke, and acted by the life of God in His spirit, even the Father who dwelt in Him. Step by step, battle by battle, victory upon victory we also ascend into the heights of the kingdom of heaven (spirit), the image of God, and the dominion restored in man! 

J. Preston Eby

A Gift

 

Forgiveness

 

The Few

 

The Greatest Fear

 

In this World

 

God's Light

 

1st Corinthians 2:9

 

Courage

 

Drawing People

 

Step Out!

 

A Heart That Listens

 

Measure of a Man

"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.”

God of Love/Judgment

 It was at the cross that God's love and judgment were both displayed.

He showed His love for us by saving us from the penalty of sin and demonstrated judgment by sending His Son, Jesus, to die in our place. 

Albert Einstein

 

Lord, protect us.....

 

Soul and Spirit

A glimpse of the vast gulf between the soulish and the spiritual will save us from many deceptions which afflict Christendom today. Almost all religious literature gives the soul the place which God reserves for the spirit. The soul is strictly limited to the physical senses. It uses the various bodily members to function. It feels and sees and hears and tastes and smells. It is consciousness and sensation. It yearns for physical pleasure and carnal comfort. It dominates the human body now, before it is vivified by the spirit. The joy and satisfaction which are ours in Christ do not come through sweet smelling incense, or fulsome food, or solemn, stirring music, or majestic cathedrals, ornate without and beautiful within, or even through  moving emotions in great mass meetings. It comes through the still small voice of revelation, striking the strings of the spirit, engaging it with the delicious thoughts divine, energizing it by the Living Word. 

A. E. Knoch

God Created You

 

God's Heart

 

z

Rest

 Rest is not laziness or idleness. It’s not the antithesis of productivity nor the absence of work. Not at all! Rest is the highest expression of trust. It finds its authenticity in the complete surrender of control in deference to the superior care and capability of Another. When we operate from rest (which is actually a person, Jesus Himself), we are acknowledging the Holy Spirit as the active agent by which all growth occurs in our lives. While we have the pleasure of participating in that creative process as partakers of the divine nature, the source of the transformation is Him.

Passages to Ponder:

Hebrews 4:10-11

As we enter into God’s faith-rest life we cease from our own works, just as God celebrates his finished works and rests in them. So then we must be eager to experience this faith-rest life, so that no one falls short by following the same pattern of doubt and unbelief.

1 Corinthians 3:9-11

We are coworkers with God and you are God’s cultivated garden, the house he is building. God has given me unique gifts as a skilled master builder who lays a good foundation. Afterward another craftsman comes and builds on it. So builders beware! Let every builder do his work carefully, according to God’s standards. For no one is empowered to lay an alternative foundation other than the good foundation that exists, which is Jesus Christ!

2 Peter 1:3-4

Everything we could ever need for life and godliness has already been deposited in us by his divine power. For all this was lavished upon us through the rich experience of knowing him who has called us by name and invited us to come to him through a glorious manifestation of his goodness. As a result of this, he has given you magnificent promises that are beyond all price, so that through the power of these tremendous promises we can experience partnership with the divine nature, by which you have escaped the corrupt desires that are of the world.

All reactions:

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Life can be like a roller coaster ride

Life can sometimes be like a roller coaster ride. There are ups and down, joy and sorrows. The next time you experience life's harsh side, such as a job loss, separation or divorce, prolonged illness or the death of a loved one, do take time to heal your hurt.  

Here are some suggestions that I hope will help you. 

  • Take the time to heal the hurt. The struggle is real. Avoid the temptation to ignore or escape from it. By taking time to accept the pain is the way to recover from it. Covering it up may only resurface later in a potentially more serious way.

• Take time to slow down or grieve. Cry when you need to. You have every reason to weep when you are hurt. It is the cleansing process.

• Take the time to be vulnerable. A crisis may have occur into your life. If you broke an arm, you would not expert to function at full capacity immediately. If your heart is broken and spirit is hurting, there will be confusion, overwhelm, feeling of despair. These are a normal part of adjusting to life's blow.

After you have gone through the above process, move on to the next level, that of healing. 

• Take time to identify resources. Seek out people who can help and guide you. A coach, mentor, counsellor or compassionate friends.

• Take the time to care for your health. During a stressful time be sure to look after your well-being. Eat healthy food, exercise, pray and sleep well.

• Take time to be patient. God has given us capacity to heal, at times, it may take longer than you expected. Be patient. The flow of life will return to it's normal pace.

Remember, it is perfectly okay to cry when you need to, however, never forget that YOU are special and beautiful within you. God loves you! You are worthy and wonderfully made!  

 

Pain

 

Faith

 

Dirty Water

 

God has Revealed Himself

 

"No, God has not revealed himself in any religion, including Christianity. He has revealed Himself in His Son."

-Karl Barth

The word religion comes from the Latin word religio, which means "to bind together" or "re-align." It generally indicates that something is separated or broken and in need of restoration. In spiritual practices, religion is any pathway that leads you to God or sets you in right standing with God. The baseline of most religion is that humans are separated and unrighteous in the eyes of the divine; therefore, one must do something to get close to God, be accepted by God, or "get right" with God. On top of that, it is normally grounded upon a system of reward and punishment (Do good, get good. Do bad, get bad), and it stems from the subconscious notion of — "If I do good, God will bless me. If I do bad, God will curse me."

Jesus was born into the religious structure of Judaism, which operated from the Old Mosaic Covenant. The Jews believed that following the 613 commandments of the law made them right with God. However, this system of works-based righteousness and performance never produced its assumed return on investment and only brought them (the Jews) a sense of unworthiness, shame, guilt, and sin consciousness. Paul highlights this in his letter to the Romans, "Therefore no one will be justified in His sight by works of the law. For the law merely brings awareness of sin." (Romans 3:20).

Through the incarnation God chose to be born into a strict religious system of law and performance so that he could bring those in bondage out of this treadmill of suppression and into the liberating reality of full acceptance. "But when the fullness of the time came, God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons and daughters." (Galatians 4:4-5).

In the gospel of Matthew, Jesus speaks a subversive message of rest to the law keeping puritans that had spent their entire life working, striving, and performing by doing good-for-nothing religious jumping jacks, "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." (Matthew 11:28-29). Jesus came to teach us how to recover our life from the strenuous strain and demands of religion. At the rock-bottom place of emptiness, burnout, exhaustion — feeling as though we are not good enough — we are then met with overwhelming love, limitless mercy, and rejuvenating peace.

Unfortunately, conditional ideologies have infiltrated Christianity distorting the gospel message of rest and liberation by reinstituting law-based conditions such as — if you go to church, read your bible daily, say the right prayer, join our denomination, live holy and pure enough, or believe the right thing, then you are included, loved, and accepted by God. Other religions outside of Christianity have also adopted different conditional methods that ultimately require you to do something or perform properly to obtain blessing, moksha, nirvana, enlightenment, or salvation.

Conversely, the message that Jesus brought to humanity was not a conditional fear-based obligation but a revolutionary life-giving proclamation that God unconditionally loves, accepts, and includes all of humanity just as we are with zero strings attached. So fall into to reality of rest, recover your life, and ride the unconditional waves of grace!