feeling weary?.....

Have you ever felt weary? Have you ever tried to get motivated for Jesus but just couldn't? Ever want to be a flame but felt like a smoldering ember? I have. Is a Pastor supposed to feel like that? Is a Pastor supposed to admit that? I'm not sure. Probably not, but I'm not good at religious politics. But I do know what its like to want to quit, to want to give up. To be tired. And I'm not the only child of God who goes through this. My wife and I were recently comforted by some dear friends of ours. As we shared our struggles and prayed together they brought us back to a great scripture in Gods word: Isaiah 40:28-31 Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint. How do we find solace in time like these? One thing I have learned to do is go back to the beginning, back to the base, back to what it is all about. A relationship with Jesus Christ!. Our loving God who created us, gave us life, died for us, justified us, fills us with His Holy Spirit, watches over us, loves us with an everlasting love, showers us with grace and mercy every morning, is preparing a place for us in eternity right now and, renews our strength! We must get back to seeking God's face and His holy presence in our life "but they who wait for the Lord..." . It is so easy to get too busy for God, for prayer, worship, or the reading of the bible, but we must! We must return to our Father, our Spirits within us will not let us be content unless we are abiding in Christ Jesus Himself! We must not look at the world around us for comfort the world is passing away. We must not look at our circumstances they will only deceive us and discourage us. God alone will renew our strength! God alone will bring us the victory in every area of our lives. Remember everything around us is going to burn. Don't allow yourself to follow after the temporary. Seek an eternal relationship with Jesus Christ, its the only thing that we will take with us into eternity.

THOUGHTS FOR MY FELLOW PILGRIMS ON THE JOURNEY TO THE EVERLASTING CITY: Ode to John Bunyun:

Its not our works and deeds that condemn us, sin goes deeper than that....it is
our fallen nature, the mystery of iniquity is at work within us...that old man refuses to lie down for very long and he often raises his ugly head, pulling us away from the holy path. The old man has a invisible friend that wanders in this world, he has a loud voice and he likes to present to pilgrims temptations that pull at the lust of the eyes, or the flesh, ah the pride of life in this present dark world. How can darkness seem so attractive and so strong? We have learned as pilgrims that following the invisible one leads to guilt and shame, but he is so persistent, and he covers his ugly visage with light that tempts and deceives us over and over again.
So what shall we do Pilgrims? Keep moving towards the everlasting city, tread again on the path of holiness. Do not be weary of well doing. Don't give up the fight. The one who has called us away has a love for us that endures forever, he has mercies that are renewed for us every morning. He bares our scars on His body! He also has an invisible friend in this world who desires to teach and comfort all pilgrims on the journey, but He speaks in a whisper so you must shut out the loud clamorous world to hear His instruction and feel His peace.
DON'T QUIT FELLOW PILGRIMS!

Godspeed Jimmyg