Matthew's 13:33 ESV He told them another parable. "The kingdom of heaven is like leaven that a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, till it was all leavened."

Leaven -  noun

• a substance, as yeast or baking powder, that causes fermentation and expansion of dough or batter
• fermented dough reserved for producing fermentation in a new batch of dough.
• an element that produces an altering or transforming influence.

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verb (used with object)

• to add leaven to (dough or batter) and cause to rise.
• to permeate with an altering or transforming element.

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Leaven does its job slowly, secretly and silently, but no one can deny its effect on bread. The same is true of the work of grace in our hearts.

The nature of leaven is to grow and to change whatever it contacts. When we accept Christ, His grace grows in our hearts and changes us from the inside out. As the gospel transforms lives, it exerts a pervasive influence in the world.

2 Corinthians 3:18 ESV And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.

The parable that Jesus told about the kingdom of heaven being like leaven teaches that the reign of God is like what happens when leaven permeates a batch of dough. Jesus' point is that the small, insignificant beginnings of God's reign in Himself will one day be great. Although the parable doesn't describe how this will happen, suggests His future reign as the Son of Man.

Luke 17:20‭-‬21 ESV  Being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, he answered them, "The kingdom of God is not coming in ways that can be observed,  nor will they say, 'Look, here it is!' or 'There!' for behold, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you."

Jesus’ answer was that the kingdom of God was not coming the way that the Pharisees were expecting. The kingdom wouldn't come with spectacle or splendor; there would be no great leader who led a rebellion and achieved military victory and routed the Romans.  This kingdom would come silently and unseen, much as leaven works in a batch of dough. In fact, Jesus says, the kingdom had already begun, right under the Pharisees’ noses. The King Himself was standing among them, although the Pharisees were oblivious to that fact.
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The Reach of the Revival

Leaven is a piece of dough that is pulled out of the mass and set apart to undergo fermentation. This results in the transformation of the original pinch that has been taken from the lump. When the transformative work is complete, the leaven is embedded back into the batch.

This is a striking illustration of the nature of the remnant community: the church. It is the ekklesia — the people who are called out of the world. But the Church is not pulled out of the world to live in isolation from the world. This community undergoes the transformative work of sanctification so it can impart a new quality of life into the world.

As the crucial hour of the cross and atonement neared, Jesus prayed both for His disciples at that time and those who will follow Him across history:


John 17:13‭-‬19 ESV But now I am coming to you, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves.  I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.  I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.  Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth.

The point of Jesus’ remnant people being separated from the world is not that they may live blissfully apart from the world and its miseries. The purpose of being set apart (sanctified) is to undergo a process of personal growth in the Spirit (sanctification) for the sake of being put back into the world, to penetrate it with the Gospel of the Kingdom.

Matthew 24:9‭-‬14 ESV "Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name's sake.  And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another. And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray.  And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.

This is in view when the apostle Peter wrote of the church,

You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. — 1 Peter 2:9

The church’s mission leading up to the coming end-times revival will be — as it always has been — the proclamation of Christ and His Kingdom, which is intensified and advanced in the world in and through authentic revival.

You are the leven!

Let’s be the leaven. Let’s get in the world but not be of the world. We are God’s people, called to proclaim Him to a hungry and thirsty, dark world.

Excerpted  from Call Down Lightning by Wallace Henley

Editor’s Note:  This excerpt from the Jesus Bible was edited by me to include the full scripture.

Matthew 26:14-35 (ESV)14  Then one of the twelve, whose name was Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests15  and said, “What will you give me if I deliver him over to you?” And they paid him thirty pieces of silver.16  And from that moment he sought an opportunity to betray him.17  Now on the first day of Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Where will you have us prepare for you to eat the Passover?”18  He said, “Go into the city to a certain man and say to him, ‘The Teacher says, My time is at hand. I will keep the Passover at your house with my disciples.’”19  And the disciples did as Jesus had directed them, and they prepared the Passover.20  When it was evening, he reclined at table with the twelve.21  And as they were eating, he said, “Truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me.”22  And they were very sorrowful and began to say to him one after another, “Is it I, Lord?”23  He answered, “He who has dipped his hand in the dish with me will betray me.24  The Son of Man goes as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that man if he had not been born.”25  Judas, who would betray him, answered, “Is it I, Rabbi?” He said to him, “You have said so.”26  Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.”27  And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you,28  for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.29  I tell you I will not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.”30  And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.31  Then Jesus said to them, “You will all fall away because of me this night. For it is written, ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’32  But after I am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee.”33  Peter answered him, “Though they all fall away because of you, I will never fall away.”34  Jesus said to him, “Truly, I tell you, this very night, before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.”35  Peter said to him, “Even if I must die with you, I will not deny you!” And all the disciples said the same.  

The events that led up to the crucifixion of Jesus directly parallel what was prophesied about the Messiah as the Suffering Servant in the Old Testament. But not only did Jesus fulfill Old Testament prophecy; others around Jesus did as well.
                        
Judas betrayed Jesus for 30 pieces of silver (Matthew 26:14) which was the equivalent to the price of a slave (Exodus 21:32).

Matthew 26:14 (ESV)14  Then one of the twelve, whose name was Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests

Exodus 21:32 (ESV)32  If the ox gores a slave, male or female, the owner shall give to their master thirty shekels of silver, and the ox shall be stoned.

Zechariah wrote about this exact price in his Messianic foreshadowing

Zechariah 11:12-13 (ESV)12  Then I said to them, “If it seems good to you, give me my wages; but if not, keep them.” And they weighed out as my wages thirty pieces of silver.
13  Then the LORD said to me, “Throw it to the potter”—the lordly price at which I was priced by them. So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them into the house of the LORD, to the potter.

Thirty pieces of silver was not a very large sum of money in that era, and in Matthew, Jesus’ story provides a stark contrast to the verses preceding his betrayal (Matthew 26:6-13). While Mary went to great expense to anoint Jesus with precious oil, giving to Jesus what was probably her entire dowry (and therefor her entire future), Judas turned against Jesus for a relatively small price.
                        
Great is the cost of devotion, but cheap is the price of betrayal.
                        
After the description of Judas’ betrayal, Matthew transitioned to the preparations of the Passover meal. The Passover was celebrated in remembrance of God freeing His people from Egypt

Numbers 9:1-2 (ESV)1  And the LORD spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the first month of the second year after they had come out of the land of Egypt, saying,2  “Let the people of Israel keep the Passover at its appointed time.   

However, for believers, Jesus completely transformed the way the meal was celebrated. It is now in remembrance of God freeing His people from sin and death through Jesus. In honoring old traditions, Jesus also created new traditions for believers to follow today.
                        
During this Passover celebration, Jesus represented the very fulfillment of the Passover’s promise of deliverance from sin, ushering in a new covenant to replace the old covenant. This new covenant had been promised in the Old Testament multiple times;

Jeremiah 31:31-34 (ESV)31  “Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah,32  not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, declares the LORD.33  For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the LORD: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people.34  And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the LORD. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.”

Ezekiel 34:25-31 (ESV)25  “I will make with them a covenant of peace and banish wild beasts from the land, so that they may dwell securely in the wilderness and sleep in the woods.26  And I will make them and the places all around my hill a blessing, and I will send down the showers in their season; they shall be showers of blessing.27  And the trees of the field shall yield their fruit, and the earth shall yield its increase, and they shall be secure in their land. And they shall know that I am the LORD, when I break the bars of their yoke, and deliver them from the hand of those who enslaved them.28  They shall no more be a prey to the nations, nor shall the beasts of the land devour them. They shall dwell securely, and none shall make them afraid.29  And I will provide for them renowned plantations so that they shall no more be consumed with hunger in the land, and no longer suffer the reproach of the nations.30  And they shall know that I am the LORD their God with them, and that they, the house of Israel, are my people, declares the Lord GOD.31  And you are my sheep, human sheep of my pasture, and I am your God, declares the Lord GOD.”  

Ezekiel 37:26-28 (ESV)26  I will make a covenant of peace with them. It shall be an everlasting covenant with them. And I will set them in their land and multiply them, and will set my sanctuary in their midst forevermore.27  My dwelling place shall be with them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.28  Then the nations will know that I am the LORD who sanctifies Israel, when my sanctuary is in their midst forevermore.”

Jesus finally fulfilled it.
                        
In addition to Judas and Jesus, Peter and the rest of the disciples also fulfilled Old Testament prophecies. While Peter’s denial was a blatant betrayal of Jesus, it is important to remember that Peter was not the only disciple to avoid being associated with Jesus after His arrest. None of the other disciples had the courage to follow Jesus on that night; they all hid, which Jesus referred to by quoting ;

Zechariah 13:7 (ESV)7  “Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, against the man who stands next to me,” declares the LORD of hosts. “Strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered; I will turn my hand against the little ones.

Matthew 26:31 (ESV)31  Then Jesus said to them, “You will all fall away because of me this night. For it is written, ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’

After Jesus’ resurrection, ever the Good Shepherd, Jesus brought His flock back together 

Matthew 28:16-20 (ESV)16  Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them.17  And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted.18  And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.19  Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,20  teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

He will bring His flock together again in the last days.

Acts 2:17-21 (ESV)17  “‘And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams;18  even on my male servants and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy.19  And I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below, blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke;20  the sun shall be turned to darkness and the moon to blood, before the day of the Lord comes, the great and magnificent day.21  And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.’

Remember that He who was dead is alive and they who were guilty have been forgiven. — Max Lucado

Editor's Note:. The following is an excerpt from the award winning author Max Lucado's book Six Hours One Friday. It can be a devotional for your quiet time with God, and a call to action for the church.  Share it with your church, Bible Study, or Small Group. You can purchase the book by clicking on this LINK, or the image at the end of the post.

Remember...
by Max Lucado, from Six Hours One Friday

On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jews… — John 20:19

The Church of Jesus Christ began with a group of frightened men in a second-floor room in Jerusalem. Though trained and taught, they didn’t know what to say. Though they’d marched with Him for three years, they now sat… afraid. They were timid soldiers, reluctant warriors, speechless messengers.

Their most courageous act was to get up and lock the door.

Some looked out the window, some looked at the wall, some looked at the floor, but all looked inside themselves.

And well they should, for it was an hour of self-examination. All their efforts seemed so futile. Nagging their memories were the promises they’d made but not kept.

When the Roman soldiers took Jesus, Jesus’ followers took off.

With the very wine of the covenant on their breath and the bread of His sacrifice in their bellies, they fled.

All those boasts of bravado? All those declarations of devotion? They lay broken and shattered at the gate of Gethsemane’s garden.

We don’t know where the disciples went when they fled the garden, but we do know what they took: a memory. They took a heart-stopping memory of a Man who called Himself no less than God in the flesh. And they couldn’t get Him out of their minds. Try as they might to lose Him in the crowd, they couldn’t forget Him. If they saw a leper, they thought of His compassion. If they heard a storm, they would remember the day He silenced one. If they saw a child, they would think of the day He held one. And if they saw a lamb being carried to the temple, they would remember His face streaked with blood and His eyes flooded with love.

No, they couldn’t forget Him. As a result, they came back. And, as a result, the Church of our Lord began with a group of frightened men in an upper room.

Sound familiar? Things haven’t changed much in two thousand years, have they? How many churches today find themselves paralyzed in the upper room?

How many congregations have just enough religion to come together, but not enough passion to go out? If the doors aren’t locked, they might as well be.

Upper-room futility. A little bit of faith but very little fire.

“Sure, we’re doing our part to reach the world. Why, just last year we mailed ten correspondence courses. We’re anticipating a response any day now.”

“You bet we care that the world is reached! We send $150 a month to… uh, well… ol’ what’s-his-name down there in… uh, well, oh, I forget the place, but… we pray for it often.”

“World hunger? Why, that’s high on our priority list! In fact, we have plans to plan a planning session. At least, that is what we are planning to do.”

Good people. Lots of ideas. Plenty of good intentions. Budgets. Meetings. Words. Promises. But while all this is going on, the door remains locked and the story stays a secret.

You don’t turn your back on Christ, but you don’t turn toward him either. You don’t curse his name, but neither do you praise it. You know you should do something, but you’re not sure what. You know you should come together, but you’re not sure why.

Upper-room futility. Confused ambassadors behind locked doors. What will it take to unlock them? What will it take to ignite the fire? What will it take to restore the first-century passion? What will have to happen before the padlocks of futility tumble from our doors and are trampled under the feet of departing disciples?

More training? That’s part of it. Better strategies? That would help. A greater world vision? Undoubtedly. More money? That’s imperative. A greater dependence on the Holy Spirit? Absolutely.

But in the midst of these items there is one basic ingredient that cannot be overlooked. There is one element so vital that its absence ensures our failure.

What is needed to get us out is exactly what got the apostles out.

Picture the scene. Peter, John, James. They came back. Banking on some zany possibility that the well of forgiveness still had a few drops, they came back. Daring to dream that the master had left them some word, some plan, some direction, they came back.

But little did they know their wildest dream wasn’t wild enough. Just as someone mumbles, “It’s no use,” they hear a noise. They hear a voice.

Peace be with you. — John 20:19

Every head lifted. Every eye turned. Every mouth dropped open. Someone looked at the door.

It was still locked.

It was a moment the apostles would never forget, a story they would never cease to tell. The stone of the tomb was not enough to keep Him in. The walls of the room were not enough to keep Him out.

The one betrayed sought His betrayers. What did He say to them? Not “What a bunch of flops!” Not “I told you so.” No “Where-were-you-when-I-needed-you?” speeches. But simply one phrase: “Peace be with you.”

The very thing they didn’t have was the very thing He offered: peace.

It was too good to be true! So amazing was the appearance that some were saying, “Pinch me, I’m dreaming” even at the ascension (Matthew 28:17). No wonder they returned to Jerusalem with great joy (Luke 24:52)! No wonder they were always in the temple praising God (Luke 24:53)!

A transformed group stood beside a transformed Peter as he announced some weeks later:

Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ. — Acts 2:36

No timidity in his words. No reluctance. About three thousand people believed his message.

The apostles sparked a movement. The people became followers of the death-conqueror. They couldn’t hear enough or say enough about Him. People began to call them “Christ-ians.” Christ was their model, their message. They preached “Jesus Christ and Him crucified,” not for the lack of another topic, but because they couldn’t exhaust this one.

What unlocked the doors of the apostles’ hearts?

Simple. They saw Jesus. They encountered the Christ. Their sins collided with their Savior and their Savior won! What lit the boiler of the apostles was a red-hot conviction that the very One who should have sent them to hell, went to hell for them and came back to tell about it.

A lot of things would happen to them over the next few decades. Many nights would be spent away from home. Hunger would gnaw at their bellies. Rain would soak their skin. Stones would bruise their bodies. Shipwrecks, lashings, martyrdom. But there was a scene in the repertoire of memories that caused them never to look back: the Betrayed coming back to find His betrayers, not to scourge them, but to send them. Not to criticize them for forgetting, but to commission them to remember.

Remember that He who was dead is alive and they who were guilty have been forgiven.

Excerpted with permission from Six Hours One Friday by Max Lucado, copyright Max Lucado.

Psalm 33:1‭-‬22 NIV.Sing joyfully to the Lord , you righteous; it is fitting for the upright to praise him.  Praise the Lord with the harp; make music to him on the ten-stringed lyre. Sing to him a new song; play skillfully, and shout for joy.  For the word of the Lord is right and true; he is faithful in all he does. The Lord loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of his unfailing love.  By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, their starry host by the breath of his mouth. He gathers the waters of the sea into jars ; he puts the deep into storehouses.  Let all the earth fear the Lord ; let all the people of the world revere him. For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm. The Lord foils the plans of the nations; he thwarts the purposes of the peoples.  But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations. Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord , the people he chose for his inheritance. From heaven the Lord looks down and sees all mankind;  from his dwelling place he watches all who live on earth— he who forms the hearts of all, who considers everything they do. No king is saved by the size of his army; no warrior escapes by his great strength. A horse is a vain hope for deliverance; despite all its great strength it cannot save.  But the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love, to deliver them from death and keep them alive in famine. We wait in hope for the Lord ; he is our help and our shield. In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name. May your unfailing love be with us, Lord , even as we put our hope in you.
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A Call To International Christian Worship

God sees all the sons of men: God in all His perfections and plans for the nations and ages also has His eye on humanity as individuals. His greatness does not exclude His individual interest on all the inhabitants of the earth.

This is not speaking about just one nation. There is no one Christian nation in the world. God is the Savior of those whom he has chosen from all tribes, nations, and languages.

He fashions their hearts individually: God made us one by one, each with our own particular physical, mental, emotional makeup; including the allowance of our weaknesses and sinful inclinations. As our Maker He has the right of inspection, so He considers all their works.

a. No king is saved by the multitude of an army: In considering the greatness of God and the extent of His reach, the Psalmist understood that human effort alone does not determine events. God’s work and plan in and beyond and sometimes instead of human effort accomplishes His purpose.

Therefore, we do not trust in horses, in the army, in a country, or in technology. We trust in God whose word is true, in God who is the Creator and Lord of history, in God who is the eternal Judge, in God who is our Savior.

b. A horse is a vain hope for safety: Horses were some of the most advanced military tools in that day. Because there is a God in heaven who governs the affairs and destiny of men, even the use of the most effective resources and technologies cannot in itself determine the outcome.

a. The eye of the LORD is on those who fear Him: The Psalmist continues to think both of God’s hand in world-shaking events (such as the battles of kings), and His most minute care for the individual.

2 Chronicles 16:9 NLT The eyes of the Lord search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him. What a fool you have been! From now on you will be at war.”

His love for us is everlasting in Christ.  In Christ we are given eternal life.

Jesus told us that God cares for the smallest of birds; surely He will care for those who honor Him, who are made in His image.

Matthew 6:26 NIV Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?

b. On those who hope in His mercy: Those who truly fear the LORD find their hope in His mercy, not in their own goodness or righteousness.

a. Our soul waits for the LORD: Having praised Him and considered God’s greatness from many angles, it was then appropriate to simply wait for the LORD; for His guidance, His word, His deliverance, looking to Him as our help and shield.

The Psalmist starts the psalm by calling God's people to rejoice because of His character and might.  At the end he calls us to praise God because of our  experience of trusting in His holy name.

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The word burnout means “the reduction of a fuel or substance to nothing through use or combustion.” It can also mean “physical or mental collapse caused by overwork or stress.” Both definitions are applicable when it comes to ministry burnout

Have you ever gotten tired of ministry I don't mean ministering; I mean going from this meeting to that meeting, this program to that program, visiting this person then that person, answering the phone in the middle of dinner, answering the phone in the middle of the night, getting a phone call on vacation, etc., etc., etc.  There seems to be no time for yourself or your family.

You’re headed for “burnout”.

Busyness is today’s badge of success. We even carry this over to ministry, thinking the busier we are for God, the more He must be blessing our church, our business, or our ministry. But God would rather have us be with Him than do a bunch of things for Him.

Yes, we are to work hard when we work

Colossians 3:23-24 (NKJV)23  And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men,24  knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.

But we are commanded to rest;

​Deuteronomy 5:12-15 (NKJV)12  'Observe the Sabbath day, to keep it holy, as the LORD your God commanded you.13  Six days you shall labor and do all your work,14  but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your ox, nor your donkey, nor any of your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates, that your male servant and your female servant may rest as well as you.15  And remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the LORD your God brought you out from there by a mighty hand and by an outstretched arm; therefore the LORD your God commanded you to keep the Sabbath day.

Church, people, schedules and taking on Satan head-on is depleting.  If you are exhausted you won't be able to fight and resist the devil. When you are feeling discouraged, stop yourself for a moment and release the burden to God. On your bad days, you should rest and on your good days, you should rest.

Give your mind a break from planning and trying to anticipate what will happen. Pray continually.  Ask the Holy Spirit to take charge of the details.   For you to grow, you have to learn to rest in God’s goodness. 
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Psalm 127:2 (NLT2)2  It is useless for you to work so hard from early morning until late at night, anxiously working for food to eat; for God gives rest to his loved ones.  

Matthew 11:28-30 (NLT2) 28  Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.29  Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls.30  For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”

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Editor's Note:  A few weeks ago I attended the home going celebration ​of a wonderful woman of God who is not present with the Lord.  The program, the obituary, the songs, the scriptures, the special people to make remarks, everything but the  eulogy (although she may have left some ideas for the minister), were all planned in advance by the deceased.  She gave these specific instructions to her daughter in advance.  

Two years ago on a visit to see my mother she gave me detailed instructions for her home going celebration as well.  She has written her obituary and identified the people that she wants to participate in the celebration.  On that visit we went to the mortuary to confirm that all of the arrangements for burial, including the casket were in place.  We went to the cemetery to confirm things there too.  

While the surviving spouse, children, or other responsible people may feel uncomfortable talking about final arrangements at the time of transition from this life you will be glad you they did. When everything is happening at once and everybody is clamoring to get things done and demanding time and attention not having to deal with things like choosing a casket, writing an obituary, planning a program, creating a menu for the repast after the service it's difficult to make decisions and get everything done.  I know because while my wife and I talked about her going to be with the Lord, we didn't have time to plan for the things that must be done.

We usually make arrangements for our burial by buying the cemetery plot, that's all we do.  I urge you start talking with your loved ones and suggesting they plan their funerals. 

Don't forget yourself either.  Bless your loved ones and take the pressure off them now by planning your funeral.

Our guest blogger Sara Bailey gives us 7 important things to consider when you plan your funeral.

7 Things to Consider When Planning Your Funeral
 
It feels weird to plan for your funeral, but it can be highly useful, especially in ensuring your family knows what your final wishes are. There are lots of simple things you can do to keep your funeral affordable and elegant like opting for a natural woodland burial or shopping between funeral homes. Here are some things to consider when planning your funeral.
 
1. Use a checklist
 
There can be lots of details to remember when planning a funeral. In order to keep everything effectively organized, it can be useful to review a funeral-planning checklist to make sure nothing falls through the cracks. This can take the burden off of loved ones who are already mourning the passing of someone close to them.
 
2. Burial insurance
 
Burial insurance pays the beneficiary who can use the money for final medical costs, remaining debts or burial costs. Plans range in price from about $18 to $286 per month depending on your age, sex, overall health and how much coverage you want.
 
3. Plan in advance
 
Anticipating death isn’t an exact process. Although most of us don’t know when we’ll die, talking with a funeral director or particular home in advance can give you a chance to negotiate costs and only pay for what you want.
 
4. Get on the same page with family
 
Having end-of-life conversations with family can be hard. Knowing what to say can be difficult in the moment. Write down some of the main points you want to cover. This is a helpful way to organize the conversation and keep a level head about it. Remember to cover everything and help your family understand exactly what you want.
 
5. Review life insurance policies
 
Life insurance policies usually have a death benefit written into them, which is basically tax-free money that goes to your loved ones if you pass away. If you have a life insurance policy, talk with your insurance professional to get an idea for what money is available and where it might go. Money from life insurance can be used to pay for the funeral and other costs that might incur.
 
6. Document your final wishes
 
One article on final wish documents explains that they are not legally binding, but they often include information on the funeral that you want, the location of assets or insurance policies and the location of a will. This is also a document where you can lay out plans for a funeral. Take some extra time to write out and detail what you need for your passing.
 
7. Prepay
 
If you have a good idea of what you want at the funeral, consider prepaying so you or family members don’t have to stress about it in the future. Mourning the passing of a loved one can be difficult and adding the financial stress in there can make it especially difficult. By prepaying, you can take care of all your funeral needs and wishes without worrying if anything will go wrong.
 
Planning for your funeral may involve some surreal feelings and take some painful steps, but it is necessary. It’s a good chance for you to get in touch with your loved ones and reaffirm that you care about them. According to an article in the Huffington Post, people with a lot of funeral experience mention that the “perfect” funerals are simple ones, which encourage loved ones to speak from the heart and share the joy of life with laughter and tears.

To contact Sara email her at info@thewidow.net and visit her website The Widow Net 

Psalm 16:1-11 (ESV) 1 Preserve me, O God, for in you I take refuge.2  I say to the LORD, “You are my Lord; I have no good apart from you.”3  As for the saints in the land, they are the excellent ones, in whom is all my delight.4  The sorrows of those who run after another god shall multiply; their drink offerings of blood I will not pour out or take their names on my lips.5  The LORD is my chosen portion and my cup; you hold my lot.
6  The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.
7  I bless the LORD who gives me counsel; in the night also my heart instructs me.
8  I have set the LORD always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.9  Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices; my flesh also dwells secure.10  For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let your holy one see corruption.11  You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

A Prayer for Unshakable Peace
By Gwen Smith

Editor's Note:  Some edits to the original post made by me.

David, who wrote this psalm says that no matter what you go through, you can experience unshakable peace, and declare, “I shall not be shaken!”  God knows what you have been through and what you are going through. He promises peace to each believer through Jesus.

Part of our unsettled nature is that we try to cling to the things of earth – to the “American way” of living – to the here and now. When we put our trust in things of this world, we give anxiety, fear, jealously, discontentment, greed, and insecurity open access to our lives.

1 Timothy 6:17-19 (ESV) 17  As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy.18  They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share,19  thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life. 

Instead of finding ways to hold on to what you have, be encouraged today to let go.

Let go of what doesn’t matter. Even let go of those things that seem worth your worry.

Matthew 6:31-34 (ESV) 31  Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’32  For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.33  But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. 34  “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

Seek God first, friend … above and before any earthly thing, large or small. Have faith that He will meet you at your need. God wants us to store up treasures where moth and rust will not destroy.

He wants us to trust Him. When we do, He promises that we can live with an unshakable peace that passes understanding.
​
Dear Lord, I need your unshakable peace! Please forgive me for placing my trust and hope in things of this earth. Lead my soul to find rest in You and in Your perfect plan for my life.
In Jesus’ Name,
Amen.

​Prayer is a dynamic relationship. If we’re to relate with God in two-way relationship, we need to become aware of the different ways He speaks and learn to discern His voice.

How We Communicate Is Important

When two people, friends, use different methods of communicating we really never communicate.  For example today almost everybody has a cell phone but a lot people prefer texting and others never text.  If you and I are friends and I text but you don’t then we may miss a very important occasion or message. If you have a cell phone and never answer it or check your voicemail you may miss a very important occasion or message.  If I use email and you never check your email then you may miss a very important occasion or message. We may be communicating but the other person is not hearing you. So for us to stay in contact with each other and develop our relationship we have to be aware of the different ways that we communicate.   It is the same thing between God and us.  If we want to communicate with God we not only have to do our part by talking to Him in prayer but we have to become aware of the different ways that He speaks and we have to learn to discern His voice.  Discern means to perceive or recognize (something). 

How Does God Communicate? 

In order to learn of how God communicates we need to look at the Bible.  There is a lot of scripture that says that God communicated but the don’t really tell us the method that He used.  For example the Holy Spirit revealed to Simeon that he wouldn’t die until he’s seen the Messiah but we don’t know how Simeon got that revelation.   Luke 2:26 (NKJV)  And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ. 

​Audible voice

There are other places where it just says that “God said” or “the word of the Lord came.” However there are passages that do indicate the methods that God uses to communicate with us.  Let’s look at some and see if we can see which method God used to communicate.

Genesis 1:3 (NKJV)3  Then God said, "Let there be light"; and there was light.

Luke 3:21-22 (NKJV)21  When all the people were baptized, it came to pass that Jesus also was baptized; and while He prayed, the heaven was opened.22  And the Holy Spirit descended in bodily form like a dove upon Him, and a voice came from heaven which said, "You are My beloved Son; in You I am well pleased." 

Dreams and Visions 

Joel 2:28 (NKJV)28  "And it shall come to pass afterward That I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your old men shall dream dreams, Your young men shall see visions. 

Matthew 2:12 (NKJV)12  Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way. 

Acts 2:17 (NKJV)17  'And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your young men shall see visions, Your old men shall dream dreams. 

Vision and voice

Acts 10:9-16 (NKJV)9  The next day, as they went on their journey and drew near the city, Peter went up on the housetop to pray, about the sixth hour.10  Then he became very hungry and wanted to eat; but while they made ready, he fell into a trance11  and saw heaven opened and an object like a great sheet bound at the four corners, descending to him and let down to the earth.12  In it were all kinds of four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, creeping things, and birds of the air.13  And a voice came to him, "Rise, Peter; kill and eat."14  But Peter said, "Not so, Lord! For I have never eaten anything common or unclean."15  And a voice spoke to him again the second time, "What God has cleansed you must not call common."16  This was done three times. And the object was taken up into heaven again. 

Angel 

Luke 1:26-28 (NKJV)26  Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth,27  to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin's name was Mary.28  And having come in, the angel said to her, "Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!" 

Acts 8:26 (NKJV)26  Now an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, "Arise and go toward the south along the road which goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza." This is desert. 

The creation.

Psalm 19:1-4 (NKJV)1  The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament shows His handiwork.2  Day unto day utters speech, And night unto night reveals knowledge.3  There is no speech nor language Where their voice is not heard.4  Their line has gone out through all the earth, And their words to the end of the world. In them He has set a tabernacle for the sun,  

Romans 1:20-21 (NKJV)20  For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse,21  because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 

Holy Spirit led men to speak or prophecy. 

Numbers 11:25-26 (NKJV)25  Then the LORD came down in the cloud, and spoke to him, and took of the Spirit that was upon him, and placed the same upon the seventy elders; and it happened, when the Spirit rested upon them, that they prophesied, although they never did so again.26  But two men had remained in the camp: the name of one was Eldad, and the name of the other Medad. And the Spirit rested upon them. Now they were among those listed, but who had not gone out to the tabernacle; yet they prophesied in the camp.   

Luke 1:67 (NKJV)67  Now his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying: 

Acts 19:6 (NKJV)6  And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied. 

The Bible The Word of God 

Psalm 119:105 (NKJV)105  Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path. 

2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NKJV)16  All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,17  that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. His Spirit agreeing with your spirit (still small voice) Romans 8:16 (NKJV)16  The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,

How Can I Hear From God?
 
Editor’s Note:  This section was written by Adam Weber, and was published on Crosswalk.com on March 5, 2019.  To read the post click this Link

My wife says sometimes I talk too much.

It’s a little embarrassing to admit, but I know it’s true. If you have a pulse, I can and will talk with you. A lot.

“You need to give others a chance to talk and just listen,” she’ll tell me.

Just listen.

This is good advice for having a conversation with a friend, coworker, or stranger. I mean, it’s a basic social norm and a common courtesy that one acquires by the age of 5. It’s important to listen to others. To give others a chance to speak and share. To give each other a turn to talk.

But it’s also good advice when it comes to prayer and talking with God.

To give Him a turn.
To give God a chance to speak.
To listen to Him.

While many of us, especially us extroverts, are good at talking with people, we often struggle when it comes to speaking with God. Prayer can be overwhelming for many because we don’t know the words to speak. That said, when it comes to prayer, the most important part isn’t speaking. It’s listening!

Listening and giving God a chance to speak isn’t just good advice, it’s necessary and vital to having a true conversation with God.

Now, we can hear from and listen to God at any place and at any time, but we must know what the voice of God sounds like.

The best place to start knowing His voice is by opening up the B-i-b-l-e. By seeing His words come alive. As we read, we come to understand the character and heart of God. We come to know His promises and truths. His ways. We see what God has said in the past, which gives us a good idea of what He’ll say to us today. And what He won’t say to us. We come to know what His voice sounds like.

Unlike we naturally assume, when God speaks in the Bible, it’s often not in a loud booming voice from heaven that stops traffic. Instead when God speaks, He does so using a still small voice.

Instead of brashly breaking into our lives, He stands at our front door and gently knocks.

Instead of shouting when we don’t listen, we’re told that He draws us to Himself with His kindness, not His anger.
When it comes to hearing from God, often the main question that we need to answer is the most basic one: Do we want to hear from Him?

If we do, we need to give God the space and room to speak.

More practically, invite God to speak and then be quiet.

Turn off the noise. Instead of checking Twitter between meetings, be still for three minutes and listen.
Get into the Bible. Again, we have to be able to recognize God’s voice if we want to hear it.

Declutter your life. Is every ounce of your day full (including every evening and weekend)? Good luck hearing from a God who whispers and quietly knocks.

If we want to hear from God, we need to give Him time.

Time to share.
Time listening.
Time and availability to speak into our lives.

We need to.
​
Just listen.

Barriers to hearing God’s voice. 

We need to identify hindrances to hearing God.

• Not taking time to listen
• Doubting that He will really speak
• Unconfessed sin
• Distractions
• Self-reliance, independence
• Fear of what He might say
• Being afraid of hearing the wrong voice

How do we break down these barriers?  You guessed it by prayer and practice.  Once you identify the thing that you think might be hindering your hearing from God, confess it and talk to Him about it, and trust that He will answer. The risk of not addressing the hindrances is not hearing at all. I wrote talked about how God communicates but we also need to learn how to discern when He’s speaking to us.  

Learning to recognize God’s voice is a skill that takes time, practice, and intentionality.  Don’t be discouraged if sometimes you think you’re hearing anything or you might be hearing wrong’  That’s normal for most of us when we’re getting started.  Discerning God’s voice from all of the other voices in and around us (our own thoughts, the philosophy of the world, the desires of our flesh, the temptations of the Evil One) is a skill that God is eager ot develop in us.  He wants to talk to you. He wants you to hear His voice and receive His love, affirmation, guidance, instruction, perspectives, and companionship. He is invested in the process of helping you to know His voice.  Here are three things to keep in mind: 

1.God wants you to hear His voice.  He will protect you from hearing the wrong thing.  

John 10:27 (NLT)  My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. 

John 16:13 (NLT)  When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future. Make it a practice to let Him know you want to hear Him only.  If you ask Him to protect you from hearing other input, including your own logic and understanding.  

2. Scripture is always the measure for what we hear.  Hod may tell us things not specifically discussed in Scripture, but He will not contradict Scripture.  God’s voice is always consistent whether through the written pages of Scripture or His Spirit speaking in our hearts.  He will always confirm what He says.

3. God will speak to us in a way that is consistent with His character.  He is never condemning or harsh. He invites, leads, and woos. He doesn’t force, drive, or push. Conversations with God should leave you feeling hopeful rather than defeated, accepted rather than judged.   

It is important to be aware of the necessity to practice our listening skills, but it won't happen automatically for most of us.  Until we learn to discern His voice, we often miss what He’s saying. Remember, be intentional ask God questions, then stop be still, listen, then pay attention to what’s happening in your heart and mind.  Remember the difference between you head and heart beliefs.

Give God the space and room to speak to you today. Put away the distractions and open up His Word — because He has things He wants to say to you. 

​

God Will Never Give You More Than You Can Bear

The phrase “God will never give you more than you can bear” is not in the Bible.  It is a misquote of;

1 Corinthians 10:13 (NKJV)13  No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.

In his first letter to the church in Corinth Paul reminded them that people often choose to do the wrong thing when they are tempted. However we know that God does but tempt us.  If we interpret this scripture in context we see that what Paul is saying is that God will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you can bear.  When we are tempted to sin we can’t say that God tempted us,

James 1:13-15 (NKJV)13  Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am tempted by God"; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone.14  But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed.15  Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.  

We know how great a true follower of Jesus Paul was yet he faced trials and tribulations all the time, and at one time he admitted that by himself he couldn’t take it anymore.

2 Corinthians 1:8-10 (NKJV)8  For we do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, of our trouble which came to us in Asia: that we were burdened beyond measure, above strength, so that we despaired even of life.9 Yes, we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves but in God who raises the dead,10 who delivered us from so great a death, and does deliver us; in whom we trust that He will still deliver us,

Let’s admit it we sometimes hurt so much that it is more than we can bear.  There is a quote by Dr. Howard Hendricks, “Sometimes life gets so tough that you don’t just hit rock bottom - you crash through it”.  Tough times come with living we can’t get around it and we’re not exempt from them.

The reality of Scripture is that God allows us to experience trials, tribulations, and hardships, sometimes even greater than we can bear by ourselves in order to push us  toward true faith and submission.

James 1:2-8 (NKJV)2  My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials,3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.4  But let patience have itsperfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.5  If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.6  But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.7  For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord;8  he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

The way you bear the burdens that come on you speaks volumes about your faith and commitment to trusting God.  Paul, that great follower of Jesus asked, no pleaded, three times for God to take a burden from him. God’s answer wasn’t you can bear it Paul because I wouldn’t put more on you than you can bear.  His answer was;

2 Corinthians 12:7-9 (NKJV)7  And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure.8  Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me.9  And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

The Question Then Is What Do You Do When Things Get Too Much To Bare

Jesus tells us to come Him;

Matthew 11:28-30 (NKJV)28  Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.29  Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.30  For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."

He tells us to help each other;

Galatians 6:1-5 (NKJV)1  Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who arespiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted.2  Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.3  For if anyone thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself.4  But let each one examine his own work, and then he will have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another.5  For each one shall bear his own load.

God Doesn’t Expect You To Bear Your Troubles Alone

It’s pretty clear that God doesn’t expect any person to handle everything that comes to them alone. The Scriptures never say that God won’t give you more that you can handle what they do say is that if you trust God He will be with you through it.

Now read the testimony of Lysa TerKeurst who did get more than she could bear. ​
​

When God Gives You More Than You Can Handle

There’s no easy way to attach the word cancer to your world and not make all who love you cry. I kept thinking about that statement everyone loves to throw out in times like these: “God won’t give you more than you can handle.” But that’s not actually in the Bible.

God does say He won’t allow us to be tempted beyond what we can bear and that He always provides a way out (1 Corinthians 10:13). But that’s not the same as God not giving us more than we can handle.
​
He sometimes will allow more and more and more. I knew this. And now I was sitting in a pink chair living it. And, as I type these words, I know I’m not the only one who feels they’ve been given more than they can handle. I see the wide-eyed expressions on people all the time. Grief upon grief. Hurt upon hurt. Heartbreak upon heartbreak. Addiction upon addiction. Diagnosis upon diagnosis. Disappointment upon disappointment.

The world is filled with people who are dealt more than they can handle. And, surprisingly, the Bible is also filled with people who were given more than they could handle.

The apostle Paul wrote:

For we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about the troubles we experienced in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt we had received the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. — 2 Corinthians 1:8-9

God doesn’t expect us to handle this. He wants us to hand this over to Him.

He doesn’t want us to rally more of our own strength. He wants us to rely solely on His strength. If we keep walking around, thinking that God won’t give us more than we can handle, we set ourselves up to be suspicious of God. We know we are facing things that are too much for us. We are bombarded with burdens. We are weighed down with wondering. And we are all trying to make sense of things that don’t make sense. Before we can move forward in a healthy way, we must first acknowledge the truth about our insufficiency.

Cancer is more than I can handle… on my own. I closed my eyes and silently asked God to come and sit in the empty pink chair near me, Art, and the doctor. I needed God to show me His perspective so I could set my perspective. But it didn’t come right away. And that frustrated me. I was filled with fear and questions like, Why this? Why now? Why me?

I could feel my emotions starting to unravel and my resolve to trust God slipping. It was too much. I didn’t want to keep trying so hard to trust God. I was tired of trying to make sense of this life that isn’t supposed to be this way.

I went to bed that night seriously contemplating running away to Montana to hide from my life. I could be a waitress in a breakfast diner. I had been a waitress when I was in my early twenties and loved it. Life was simpler then. Serving up plates of bacon and eggs and toast sounded so appealing. But cancer would follow me. The hurt would follow me. And even my wrestling with whether or not I could trust God would certainly follow me whether I moved to Montana or just crawled in a hole somewhere.

The story I started telling myself was that life would never get any better. My mind became fixated on all that pointed to this season of suffering being my new normal.

I woke up with panicked feelings. I walked around with panicked feelings. I went to bed with panicked feelings.

I knew my thinking had to change.

I couldn’t escape my realities. I had to face them. I had to walk through them. But maybe if I changed my thinking I could trust God in the midst of them.

Thinking about everything I didn’t know wasn’t getting me anywhere. So, I started listing things I did know.

And the main thing I know? I know God is good. I didn’t know the details of God’s good plan, but I could make His goodness the starting place to renew my perspective.

So now let me tell the story of all these recent events using God’s goodness as the central theme. Had things not blown up between Art and me last summer, I never would have hit the pause button on life to go get a mammogram. I would have waited. But because I had a mammogram at that exact time, the doctors caught a cancer that needed to be caught. And because they caught a cancer that needed to be caught, I had every fighting chance to beat this cancer.

You see, we’re all living out a story, but then there’s the story we tell ourselves. We just need to make sure what we’re telling ourselves is the right story. And the right story is, yes, God will give us more than we can handle. But He always has eventual good in mind.

We see more and more unnecessary heartbreak. But God sees the exact pieces and parts that must be added right now to protect us, provide for us, and prepare us with more and more of His strength working through us. We don’t have to like it, but maybe knowing this can help us live through it.

I learned about these very necessary “pieces and parts” one day when a couple of girls introduced themselves while standing in line to get some take-out food at a restaurant near my house. Pauline and Jessica had both read my book Uninvited. We chatted for a minute about what God had been teaching them, and then the topic of what I’d be writing next came up. I told them about this book and the revelation God had given me about dust. Jessica’s eyes lit up. Her mom is a professional potter.

As I shared how, when we place our dust into God’s hands and He mixes it with His living water, the clay that’s formed can then be made into anything, she smiled so big. She’d seen clay being formed into many beautiful things when placed into her mother’s hands. And then she shared something with me that made my jaw drop.

She told me that wise potters not only know how to form beautiful things from clay, but they also know how important it is to add some of the dust from previously broken pieces of pottery to the new clay. This type of dust is called “grog.” To get this grog, the broken pieces must be shattered to dust just right. If the dust is shattered too finely, then it won’t add any structure to the new clay. And if it’s not shattered enough, the grog will be too coarse and make the potter’s hands bleed.

But when shattered just right, the grog dust added to the new clay will enable the potter to form the clay into a larger and stronger vessel than ever before. And it can go through fires much hotter as well. Plus, when glazed, these pieces end up having a much more beautiful, artistic look to them than they would have otherwise.1

Jessica smiled and said, “C’mon, that will preach, right?!”

Oh, it absolutely did. I kept thinking about what Jessica shared and how it might relate to my season of suffering. What if the clay made from all the other dust currently in my life could be strengthened by this newly added broken piece?

And then I read Isaiah 45:9:

Woe to those who quarrel with their Maker, those who are nothing but potsherds among the potsherds on the ground. Does the clay say to the potter, ‘What are you making?’ Does your work say, ‘The potter has no hands’?

God is making something beautiful out of my life. I know that. So, why question what He sees as the necessary ingredients to make my life stronger and more beautiful than ever? Sure, my diagnosis added some more brokenness, but even this could be used for my good.

I kept reading that verse from Isaiah and decided to do a little investigation into the term potsherd.

A potsherd is a broken piece of pottery.

Interestingly enough, a potsherd was also mentioned in the story of Job when he was inflicted with an awful disease.

So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord and afflicted Job with painful sores from the soles of his feet to the crown of his head. Then Job took a piece of broken pottery and scraped himself with it as he sat among the ashes.

His wife said to him, “Are you still maintaining your integrity? Curse God and die!”

He replied, “You are talking like a foolish woman. Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?”

In all this, Job did not sin in what he said. — Job 2:7-10
A broken potsherd can lie on the ground and be nothing more than a constant reminder of brokenness. It can also be used to continue to scrape us and hurt us even more when kept in our hands.

Or, when placed in our Master’s hands, the Master Potter can be entrusted to take that potsherd, shatter it just right, and then use it in the remolding of me to make me stronger and even more beautiful.

When I understood this, I saw that in all my circumstances God was keeping me moldable while adding even more strength and beauty in the process.

I don’t want to have cancer.

There’s no part of my human brain that thinks cancer is fair for any precious person who receives this diagnosis. God didn’t cause this potsherd reality in my life. It’s the result of living in this broken world between two gardens.

Since I do have cancer, however, I don’t want this broken reality to just be a potsherd wasted on the ground or something I keep in my hand that hurts me more. I must take even this and entrust it to the Lord.

Take this, Lord, and shatter it just right, so I can be made stronger, more beautiful, and able to withstand fires as never before. I believe that You see things I cannot see. And You have eventual good in mind.

This perspective didn’t take away my cancer. But it did take away the feeling I had to figure this out on my own. It took the weight of it all out of my hands and helped me release it to God.

When we hit the place in our lives where we finally realize some things are truly more than we can handle, we will throw our hands up in surrender. And that surrender can happen in one of two ways.

We might surrender to the enemy, giving in to those feelings that this isn’t fair, God isn’t there, and God isn’t good. Or, we can surrender to God. This kind of surrender isn’t giving in; it’s giving up! Giving up carrying the weight of all that’s too much for us to our God, who not only can carry it but use it for good. When we know the truth about the amazing things God can do with the dust and the potsherds of life, we won’t surrender to the negative lies of the enemy. Instead, we will lift our hands to the Potter.

Excerpted from It’s Not Supposed to Be This Way by Lysa TerKeurst.


So rather than the phrase being “God will never give you more than you can bear”  it really should be “The world and Satan will give you more than you can bear, but God will help you bear it if you’ll only trust in Him!​