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The REAL Friend

Wednesday Wanderings with Dr. Sherri is a time we set aside to wander in the Presence of Jesus and ponder His truths. When you are ready, prepare your mind, body, and soul to have a transformational encounter with Jesus.

Watch the Wednesday Wanderings Welcome for this week.

Now that we have cleared our minds of the clutter, we can wander on the journey and examine one word: seek.

PREPARATION: In our last Wandering, we considered one word: Prayer. This week we will consider the R.E.A.L. friendship When you are ready, you may begin the dialogue with Jesus and state: “Jesus, I invite you to help me to leisurely wander into your Presence. Prepare my heart to receive, and illuminate my spiritual senses to encounter you.”

REAL Promise Keeping Friend

PROMISE: Psalm 145:13b (NIV)

Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
    and your dominion endures through all generations.

The Lord is trustworthy in all He promises
    and faithful in all He does.

Jesus is a relational, empowering, affirming, and loving (R.E.A.L.) , promising keeping friend who has promised to bear ALL our temporary burdens.  His protective care is for all His kingdom and throughout all generations. We can be assured that the promises He makes, He will keep. 

PSALM: What a Friend We Have In Jesus originally was written as a poem by Joseph M. Scriven in 1855.

Blessed Savior, Thou hast promised
Thou wilt all our burdens bear;
May we ever, Lord, be bringing
All to Thee in earnest prayer.
Soon in glory bright, unclouded,
There will be no need for prayer—
Rapture, praise, and endless worship
Will be our sweet portion there.

Jesus, our R.E.A.L. friend is a promise keeper (Psalms 145:13b).  Therefore, we can bring ALL our burdens to Him with expectancy. We can expect that He will bear our temporary burdens (Psalm 55:22).  We can expect that our burdens will not overwhelm us because Jesus will be right their with us (Isaiah 43:2). We can expect that even our suffering will point us to Jesus and yield results that are good for us (Romans 8:28). We can expect that one day, we will not have to pray on earth for we will experience the rapture and our prayers will then become words of praise and endless worship. We know Jesus is our R.E.A.L. friend but what about our friendships here on earth, are they a R.E.A.L. Table of Friends?

PARABLE:  

Jesus is a Promise Keeper. Man and women are not. Yet, if they are R.E.A.L. friends, we can expect them to offer us grace and mercy when we break our promises as we offer it when they do the same. We need a R.E.A.L. Table of Friends who will walk with us on our journey and direct us towards Jesus in times of joy and sorrow. Who is seated at your R.EA.L. Table of Friends? 

  • The Relational Seat: The one who spends time with you. Time, space and distance does not matter to this person. They are there to leave you feeling refreshed and better.
  • The Empowering Seat: The one who speaks words of encouragement to you, sees your strengths, and uses their words to empower you?
  • The Affirming Seat: The one who sees your potential, doesn’t allow you to settle for anything less than God’s best. They challenge you but affirm you.
  • The Loving Seat: The one who shows appreciation and love by meeting a need. They don’t even wait for you ta ask, they take action, they feel your obstacle is their obstacle.

PONDER and WANDER:  

If you choose, Ponder the questions: Do I have a R.E.A.L. Table  of Friends? Who is in each role?

Soul care training exercise: Follow the R.E.A.L. steps below to identify who are the R.E.A.L. relational, empowering, affirming, and loving people at your table? Who are the people in your life that include you at their R.E.A.L. table?

  • Take time to still your mind and seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
  • Ask Him to let you see who is seated at your R.E.A.L. table. 
    • Who is seated in the relational seat?
    • Who is seated in the empowering seat?
    • Who is seated in the affirming seat?
    • Who is seated in the loving seat?
  • Look at the table. Do the people seated at your R.E.A.L. table still meet the role they once held? Ask the Holy Spirit to show you if there is anyone who needs to be removed or added in this season of your life?
  • Celebrate your R.E.A.L. Table of Friends.

Next,

Ask you friends if you are invited by the Holy Spirit to be a part of their Table of Friends. If so, ask them to identify what role they need you to be during this season.

PRAYER:  Jesus, thank you that you are my R.E.A.L. friend. There is nothing fake about who you are or who I am when I am with you. You know my shortcomings and you still love me. Thank you for the R.E.A.L. friends on earth that walk with me on my journey and point me towards you. Help me to be a friend who is relational, empowering and encouraging, affirming, and loving others the way you have loved me. Help me to live without the mask that keeps me from sharing the R.E.A.L. parts of me. In the name of Jesus who sees all and loves all of me I pray, Amen. 

PRAISE: Now that you have emptied your mind of the clutter and wandered with Jesus, take a closing moment to thank God for the R.E.A.L. friend you have in Jesus. Let the work of your wandering fill you with the love of Christ.

Then take the mindfulness of God’s presence cultivated in these last few minutes of wandering into the next ones and beyond.

Until next time, be Resonant.

The post The R.E.A.L. Promise Keeper appeared first on Resonant 7.

Image attributions:
REAL friend circle: https://pixabay.com/photos/people-three-portrait-black-3104635/with added text
The Lord is trustworthy: Photo taken by Mary Shortreed with added text

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What Does Earnest Prayer Look Like?

Promises

Blessed Savior, Thou hast promised
Thou wilt all our burdens bear;
May we ever, Lord, be bringing
All to Thee in earnest prayer.
Soon in glory bright, unclouded,
There will be no need for prayer—
Rapture, praise, and endless worship
Will be our sweet portion there.

What a Friend We Have in Jesus
By: Joseph M. Scriven, 1819-1886 (1855)

Listen to this simple piano version as you read, or watch the video complete with lyrics then read.  Please make certain to enjoy the video below.

Below is content always available to Subscribers, often to Free Members, and sometimes everyone.  Want to learn more about accessing all the additional material in the Subscriber Content Library, click here, or the Free Member Content Library with some examples of the complete Subscribers content, click here.

Everyone enjoy this video, and the transcript below.

Transcript may be found below, at the end of the blog.

We conclude our journey through this great hymn this week.  In the first half of this stanza, we remind ourselves of His promise and ask for the earnestness to bring everything to Him in prayer. Let’s tune our hearts.

What a Promise!

Blessed Savior, Thou hast promised
Thou wilt all our burdens bear;

We have recounted many promises of God through this hymn that speak of His willingness and ability to bear every burden.  I want to take a slightly different look at it today.  Lord, open our eyes.

Cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved. Psalm 55:22 ESV

We tend to think of physical burdens, as well as spiritual, mental, and emotional ones.  The context of this Scripture is relational.  The writer is crying out to God throughout this entire Psalm because of the relational assault he is undergoing.

Does that bring anything to mind for you?  Is there a relationship that is creating stress and strain in your life right now?  If not, recall one from the past, and let’s consider how to deal with that.

When you are facing a relational strain, it may not be your first thought to take it to God.  Maybe you examine yourself for causes or try to come up with ways to resolve the strain, which are reasonable things to do, but how much trouble might you save yourself if you went to God first?

Try this, either now or in the future.  Cast that relational strain on the Lord.  Trust Him to sustain you under the weight of it.  Though you feel like it might become more than you can bear, rest in His promise that He will never permit the righteous to be moved.  You can stand strong if you are standing rightly, so ask Him to examine your heart for any wrong you may have injected, make it right, and stand.

Earnest

May we ever, Lord, be bringing
All to Thee in earnest prayer.

I love how intentional the hymn writers were in choosing their words.  Earnest is not a word commonly used today, so allow me to define it.  Earnest, as an adjective, means with sincere or intense conviction.  So, the prayers that are the vehicle by which we bring everything to our Lord are meant to be sincere and offered with intense conviction.

That really challenges us to examine the veracity of our prayers.  Often, we fail to pray at all, but even when we do, are they really sincere and offered with intense conviction? Hmmm.

Let us think about earnest a little differently.  Ear and Nest.

Ear

Ear

At the very least, we need to be sending our prayers up to God’s ears.  He knows our needs before we ask, but still wants us to cry out to Him.  Sadly, we often fail to take advantage of the access we have.  If we are to ever bring all to Him in prayer, we need to fill His ears with our continual pleading.  There have been seasons when I cried out frequently about one thing in particular, but I certainly wouldn’t go so far as to say it became a way of life: filling my Lord’s ear with all the concerns of my life all the time.

Nest

It needs to become a way of living, much like how the bird constructs her nest. A nest is where the birds lay their eggs, sit on them until they hatch, and then nurse their offspring until they can fly.  Think about

Nest

building such a space with your prayers.  Constantly fill the ears of our Lord with your prayers so that they become a place of safety, a cradle for new life.  Sit on those prayers until they hatch, giving birth to new beginnings and new life.  Nurse that  fledgling hope until it is ready to spread its wings and fly.  All the while, putting new eggs in the nest through other concerns.

While this way of thinking about “being earnest” is a bit strange, it gives us another way to wrap our minds around what seems to be a pretty straightforward truth about praying.  This view forced me to come to terms with what might be required to truly be earnest in prayer.  I certainly need the Spirit in order to have any hope of ever praying like that.

Praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. Ephesians 6:18a ESV

So let’s just keep it simple to finish out.  “Spirit help me pray at all times, with all prayer and supplication.”  Then let Him answer that prayer in you today.

Jesus, thank You for the promises You give to bear our burdens.  Give me the faith to believe You, and the earnestness needed to pray like never before.  In Jesus’ name.  Amen!

Earnest Tuning!

Keep coming back, and we will work to help you remove the things that may hinder your longing for His return by cultivating an awareness of God’s presence.   We will help you tune your heart to live out your worship by providing resources like this to help you acknowledge the greatness of God as you become more Resonant, 7 days a week.

Like what you finding here?  Fill out the form to the right to get an email with each fresh post and updates of new tools to help you be Resonant.

Please comment below and share if you have found this helpful in your journey of being more resonant.

Video 13.4 Transcript

Welcome to Tuesday Tunings at Resonant 7, where we reflect on the reality of God and resolve to let it resound in our lives, repeatedly. Let’s tune our hearts.

Blessed Savior, Thou hast promised
Thou wilt all our burdens bear;
May we ever, Lord, be bringing
All to Thee in earnest prayer.
Soon in glory bright, unclouded,
There will be no need for prayer—
Rapture, praise, and endless worship
Will be our sweet portion there.

We can take all our burdens to Jesus with the confidence he would bear them because He promised us He would.  In Matthew 11:28, He invites us to come and find rest. Would you take him up on his offer today? What burden do you need to bring to Jesus?

And we must make this practice of  bringing everything to Jesus a habit.  If we believe Jesus is the kind of friend He promises He is, it will cause our prayers to be earnest, showing sincere and intense conviction. Is that a fair way to describe your prayers? What must change to make it so?

I love it when the hymns take us beyond this age. There is coming a day when we will no longer need to pray, because all our burdens, trials, troubles, cares, sorrows, weaknesses, pains, sins, and griefs will be no more.  How I long for that day! Imagine what that will be like.

So if all of those things we needed to pray about are gone, what will take there place? A feeling of intense pleasure or joy will continually overwhelm us. In God’s presence, we will offer eternal praise and worship to the One who carried our burdens until He ultimately carried us home. Thank Him!

Take a few moments to talk to Jesus about what has surfaced in your heart, or just listen to what He is saying to you, then we will sing once more.

Sing

Take the awareness of God’s presence cultivated in these last few minutes into the next ones and beyond.  Until next time, be Resonant.

The post What Does Earnest Prayer Look Like? appeared first on Resonant 7.

Image Attributions
Promises – https://pixabay.com/photos/bible-blur-book-chapter-close-up-1846174/
Ear – https://pixabay.com/photos/ear-auricle-listen-hearing-2372090/
Nest – https://pixabay.com/photos/nest-empty-home-animal-bird-nest-918898/

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Who Mingles Mercy and Might Masterfully?

Friends Forsake?

Are we weak and heavy-laden,
Cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Savior, still our refuge—
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Do thy friends despise, forsake thee?
Take it to the Lord in prayer!
In His arms He’ll take and shield thee,
Thou wilt find a solace there.

What a Friend We Have in Jesus
By: Joseph M. Scriven, 1819-1886 (1855)

Listen to this simple piano version as you read, or watch the video complete with lyrics then read. Please make certain to enjoy the podcast below.

Here is podcast content always available to Subscribers, sometimes to Free Members, and occasionally to everyone.  Want to learn more about accessing all the additional material in the Subscriber Content Library, click here.  Or check out some other samples at our Free Member Content Library.  We have lots of tools and lots of options designed to help you be Resonant!  Check them out today!!

Everyone enjoy this podcast and transcript below!  It features meditative music and moments to contemplate the Scriptures and reflections shared.

Transcript may be found below, at the end of the blog.

We continue our journey through another great hymn today. In the second half of this stanza, we consider the comfort and consolation we can find from distress by welcoming His friendship if we will “Take it to the Lord in prayer”.  What kinds of distress? Let’s think about this.

I Thought You Were My Friend

We have all uttered some version of that statement if we have lived long enough.  The disappointment of a “friend” despising or forsaking us.   I am sorry to bring it up, but it provides a context to welcome again the friendship Jesus offers.

Will you recall for just a moment the pain of that memory when you thought or actually spoke those words?  Not the circumstance, not the scenario, just that moment that allows you to answer honestly “yes” to this question.

Do thy friends despise, forsake thee?

Now will you bring it to Jesus?  Maybe again.  Maybe for the first time.

Take it to the Lord in prayer!

As you bring it, ask Him to heal your heart from that pain.  To allow His presence to be a balm to your broken heart.  Maybe you are way past it, but there are still cracks.  Let Him fill them with His love.

A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.  Proverbs 18:24 ESV

In this verse the contrast seems to be between two kinds of companions.  We have all experienced some examples of the first kind, those whose friendship is superficial and who cause trouble.  But I hope you have also experienced at least on one occasion the rare friend who is as loyal as a brother.

Of course, Jesus is the epitome of that kind of friend.  Do you know that?  If so, thank Him and ask Him to show you agin today that friendship.  If not, go to Him right now and ask Him to show Himself to you today in that way.  And then keep your eyes open for He will! 

In His Arms

Jesus Is More Than a Friend

Not only is Jesus that friend who sticks closer than a brother, there is truly no  friend like Him who shows infinite mercy and possesses limitless power.  We often need mercy because of our own choices, but we also need power for the protection from the effect of others’ actions.  The amazing thing is Jesus has the ability to mingle the mercy and the might in the same expression.

Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:10 ESV

Jesus gives us strength even while helping us and holding us in His arms.  He is with us.  Can you recall the last time to stopped to receive that kind of love from Him.  Maybe you have been plodding along and did not realize how much you need it, whether you are in fearful or dismaying spot or not.  You need to open your heart to the tender and strong love of our Savior.

Shield You

Maybe you are VERY aware of your need of it.  Maybe you could name several things that seem to be pressing in our your soul, any one of which could consume you if it were not for the kindness of our God.  You can experience it today, even in the midst of that distress.

Jesus wants to take you in His arms and shield you, providing a solace for you which has no equal.  Solace is comfort and consolation in a time of distress.  Whether you are feeling the distress today or not, take a few moments to come and experience the rest only Jesus offers.  It will be well worth those few minutes.

If you did not already listen to the podcast I want to urge you to do so.  Every week we create a few minutes in them for you to encounter Jesus and His solace.  Either way, take a few minutes now, whether through that experience or one of your own, to just rest in the protective shield of His love for you.  Thanks for stopping by today.  Be resonant.

Jesus, thank You for being a friend who sticks closer than a brother, and mingles mercy and might together whenever I need.  Teach me to come to Your regularly so I can avail myself of Your unparalleled care for me every day. In Jesus’ name.  Amen.

Honest Thinking!

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Podcast 13.3 Transcript

Welcome to Thursday Thoughts at Resonant 7, where we reflect on the reality of God and resolve to let it resound in our lives, repeatedly. Let’s think about this.

Are we weak and heavy-laden,
Cumbered with a load of care?

We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed;  2 Corinthians 4:8-9 ESV

Another rhetorical question answered with an emphatic “Yes!” We have burdens of many kinds and too often we try to carry them alone.  What burdens are you carrying today. Again make a quick mental list of your cares. We will do something with them in a moment.

Precious Savior, still our refuge—
Take it to the Lord in prayer.

Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us.  Psalm 62:8 ESV 

Those things that we might think are meant to destroy us are meant simply to help us find our refuge in God.  Recall that mental list from a few moments ago, all those cares, and pour them out to Jesus right now. Trust Him to meet you and lift those burdens.

Do thy friends despise, forsake thee?
Take it to the Lord in prayer!

A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.  Proverbs 18:24 ESV

The contrast seems to be between two kinds of companions: those whose friendship is superficial and who cause trouble, and the rare friend who is as loyal as a brother 

So there are friends, and there are friends.   Some are superficial ones whose friendship actually causes trouble, and others rare ones who are as loyal as a brother.  Jesus is the epitome of loyalty and will never despise or forsake you. Thank Him for that.

In His arms He’ll take and shield thee,
Thou wilt find a solace there.

Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.  Isaiah 41:10 ESV

Not only will He never forsake or despise you, but He will actually draw you close so you may find strength, help, and even a lifting in your spirit.  Solace is comfort or consolation in a time of distress or sadness. That is exactly what Jesus offers His friends. Receive it now…and always.

Take a few moments to talk to Jesus about what has come to your mind, or listen to what He is saying to you, then I will read our text once more.

Are we weak and heavy-laden,
Cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Savior, still our refuge—
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Do thy friends despise, forsake thee?
Take it to the Lord in prayer!
In His arms He’ll take and shield thee,
Thou wilt find a solace there.

Take the awareness of God’s presence cultivated in these last few minutes into the next ones and beyond.  Until next time, be Resonant.

The post Who Mingles Mercy and Might Masterfully? appeared first on Resonant 7.

Image Attributions
Friends Forsake? – https://pixabay.com/photos/girl-sadness-loneliness-sad-3421489/
In His Arms – https://pixabay.com/vectors/hug-love-feeling-need-sticker-2702900/
Shield You – https://pixabay.com/vectors/shield-escutcheon-heraldic-shield-31869/

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How to Find Refuge in Jesus from Your Cares

Cumbered with a Load

Are we weak and heavy-laden,
Cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Savior, still our refuge—
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Do thy friends despise, forsake thee?
Take it to the Lord in prayer!
In His arms He’ll take and shield thee,
Thou wilt find a solace there.

What a Friend We Have in Jesus
By: Joseph M. Scriven, 1819-1886 (1855)

Listen to this simple piano version as you read, or watch the video complete with lyrics then read.  Please make certain to enjoy the video below.

Below is content always available to Subscribers, often to Free Members, and sometimes everyone.  Want to learn more about accessing all the additional material in the Subscriber Content Library, click here, or the Free Member Content Library with some examples of the complete Subscribers content, click here.

Everyone enjoy this video, and the transcript below.

Transcript may be found below, at the end of the blog.

We continue our journey through another great hymn today.  In the first half of this stanza, we consider cares and the refuge God provides from them if we will “Take it to the Lord in prayer”.  What kinds of forms do those cares take?  Let’s press in again today as we tune our hearts.

Are We? We Are!

I love how this hymn asks all these rhetorical questions.  I love asking questions.  I have often found it is a good way to gain understanding and really hear the person who is there with you.  People like to talk about themselves, so this is truly a great device used very effectively in this hymn.

The question that opens this stanza asks if we are “weak and heavy laden, cumbered with a load of care”.  When was the last time you used the word cumbered?  Yeah, I know, me either.  It means to hamper or hinder.  Those burdens we carry hamper and hinder our walk, equated with our relationship to Christ.  He does not mean for them to cumber us with a load of care, but rather to use those cares to encourage us to come to Him.

Before we go any further though, let’s just get this out of the way.  Are we cumbered?  We are.  

We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed;  2 Corinthians 4:8-9 ESV

We are cumbered. But.  That is a powerful word, and it appears four times in these two verses.

afflicted BUT not crushed
perplexed BUT not despairing
persecuted BUT not forsaken
struck down BUT not destroyed

So what are your current afflictions? Perplexities? Persecutions? Downers? Take a few moments and acknowledge each of them that comes to mind for what they are.  Seriously.  Right now.

Now take a few more moments and thank God that you can bring each of them to Him and because of Who He is and What He has done…you are not crushed, despairing, forsaken or destroyed.  Seriously.  Thank Him right now.

Are we….? We are! BUT.  Instead of being cumbered, you can come to…

Refuge

Refuge

Kind of like that dated term of cumbered, although not quite as archaic, refuge -in the way I think of it in this light- is more like a castle than a retreat center.  When we think of coming to Him with our cares, I think of running from a full-on assault, not like I simply need some time to decompress and process.  I need to learn to flee to Him so my cares do not cause me to get picked off in the battle raging in my soul.

Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us.  Psalm 62:8 ESV 

As I see it, there are two parts to this:

  1. His refuge
  2. My trust

God is a refuge for us.  I must believe this.  I am not going to go to Him if I do not believe He can protect me, or that He wants to do so.  Are you so convinced?  If not, maybe that is why you feel so cumbered.  If convinced, do you still feel cumbered?  If so, maybe you simply are not taking things to Him.  Believe He is a refuge.  That is the first part.

I must trust Him at all times.  That trust will cause me to pour out my heart before Him.  I will not keep things to myself that I am incapable of overcoming.  I will acknowledge when I am overwhelmed and will come to Him.  He wants us to find refuge in Him, but it does require that we bring everything to Him.  Not just the big things.  Everything.  That is the second part.

So how are you doing with these two parts?  Do you believe He is a refuge?  The question that reveals if you actually do is this next one: Are you taking everything to Him?  I know we keep coming back to that in this hymn, but that is by design.  We must resolve this issue and learn to take everything to Him.

Let’s practice.  Think of two things you need to take to Him.   Got them?  Take them to Him now.  Talk to Him about them, and then listen.  Then keep bringing them, especially when they afflict or perplex you, when they persecute or strike you down.  Doing so will help you practice and believe He is your refuge!

Jesus, thank You that even though I face cares of many kinds, You are my refuge from them all.  Help me to learn to bring each and every one of them to You as an expression of my trust in You.  In Jesus’ name.  Amen!

Unencumbered Tuning!

Keep coming back, and we will work to help you remove the things that may hinder your longing for His return by cultivating an awareness of God’s presence.   We will help you tune your heart to live out your worship by providing resources like this to help you acknowledge the greatness of God as you become more Resonant, 7 days a week.

Like what you finding here?  Fill out the form to the right to get an email with each fresh post and updates of new tools to help you be Resonant.

Please comment below and share if you have found this helpful in your journey of being more resonant.

Video 13.3 Transcript

Welcome to Tuesday Tunings at Resonant 7, where we reflect on the reality of God and resolve to let it resound in our lives, repeatedly. Let’s tune our hearts.

Are we weak and heavy-laden,
Cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Savior, still our refuge—
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Do thy friends despise, forsake thee?
Take it to the Lord in prayer!
In His arms He’ll take and shield thee,
Thou wilt find a solace there.

Jesus invites all who are weary and heavy-laden to come to Him and find rest. We all have burdens we struggle under that reveal our lack of strength.  If you can acknowledge your weakness, you are in the good company of the humble hearts who look to Jesus. Can you?

Acknowledging you have a burden you cannot bear positions you to look beyond yourself for refuge and relief.  When you earnestly look, you will find Jesus ready and willing to help you. Take whatever it is to Him right now and find Him to be the precious Savior again, or for the first time.

Little is as painful as when someone you thought was a friend who would stick with you through the worst life offers turns away from you in your moment of greatest need.  Jesus will never do that. If you were still struggling with a time a “friend” despised or forsook you, go to Jesus.

Solace is comfort or consolation in a time of distress or sadness.  We all need that. Though we may find some measure of it elsewhere, no other place compares to that which we find in the arms of Jesus. What an incredible image finding rest and protection there. What’s stopping you?

Take a few moments to talk to Jesus about what has surfaced in your heart, or just listen to what He is saying to you, then we will sing once more.

Sing

Take the awareness of God’s presence cultivated in these last few minutes into the next ones and beyond.  Until next time, be Resonant.

The post What Weight Will You Lift to the Lord Today? appeared first on Resonant 7.

Image Attributions
Cumbered with a Load – https://pixabay.com/photos/boxes-cardboard-carrying-overload-2624231/
Refuge – https://pixabay.com/photos/battlements-bulwark-buttress-castle-1238268/

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What Weakness Will You Wear When You Yak with Jesus Today?

Faithful Friend

Have we trials and temptations?
Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged—
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Can we find a friend so faithful,
Who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness;
Take it to the Lord in prayer.

What a Friend We Have in Jesus
By: Joseph M. Scriven, 1819-1886 (1855)

Listen to this simple piano version as you read, or watch the video complete with lyrics then read. Please make certain to enjoy the podcast below.

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Everyone enjoy this podcast and transcript below!  It features meditative music and moments to contemplate the Scriptures and reflections shared.

Transcript may be found below, at the end of the blog.

We continue our journey through another great hymn today.  The two halves of this stanza conclude with the same phrase so it is fair to say that is the main thrust of this stanza, “Take it to the Lord in prayer”.  Who is this One we are supposed to be taking everything to, and what confidence do we have that we should? Let’s think about this.

Faithful Friend

The old sitcom “Cheers” theme song started, “You want to be where you can see
our troubles are all the same. You want to be where everybody knows your name.”  That longing to be known and still welcomed is a powerful one.  There is sharing of troubles that can certainly bring a group of people together.  That context can provide a place to work through those things, but there is an even better way to create that environment.

We all desire to have a place to share our sorrows.  It’s important to have a place to do that.  To be able to be real, authentic, and still be loved.  And such a place is home to friends who will listen and not judge.  Hear without changing their view of us.  Such places are truly rare.

Such a place can be found in our relationship with Christ.  Not sure about that?  Don’t take my word for it.  Take His.

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Matthew 11:28 ESV

First the invitation.
Come.

Then the clarification.
All who are weary and burdened.  

Finally the explanation.
I will give you rest.

No friend can promise that to the extent Jesus can, and certainly no other friend can deliver like Him.  The invitation, sure.  The clarification, probably not.  The explanation, rarely.

What is keeping you from coming to Jesus today?  Maybe you have another friend who is faithful.  That is awesome!  We all need someone who can be Jesus with skin on.  But not even they can come close to emulating what Jesus can do.  Commit to come to the most faithful friend you could ever have as we continue to examine what to bring and why.

Sorrows Share

Sorrows Share

So we have established why we should come to Jesus: His promise.  Now let’s talk about what to bring with you when you come.

Sorrows.  Those things that cause us to be heavy laden and labor along through our days.  What are yours?  Maybe some happened today and you have not yet laid them down.  Maybe some happened last month and you have tried but they still seem to press on your soul.  Maybe there are some you have carried for a long time and they have kind of worn a rut in your spiritual shoulder, so much so that you are not sure if you will ever shake them.

You can.

Jesus wants to take them for you.  He promised.  He would give you rest.

Maybe you are not sure you want to, or that He will really take it, or maybe you have just grown so accustomed to carrying it that you do not know how to lay it down.  Just bring it to Jesus today.  Talk with Him about it.  Listen to how He responds to you.  Linger log enough to feel the burden lift, maybe not entirely, but at least begin to feel a little lighter as you begin to trust Jesus with it.

Every Weakness

Weakness

Maybe you are not even sure how to talk about it to Him.  That’s okay. As a follower of Christ, you have a helper.  The Holy Spirit.  He will help you bring everything to Jesus, even those things you do not even have the words to pray about with Him.

Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.  Romans 8:26 ESV

Maybe you just need to sit with Jesus for awhile.  Alone with Him.  Quiet before Him.  Letting the Spirit speak those things that are too much for words.  We do not always know what to pray for, but the Spirit does.

Will you be quiet before the Lord and let the Holy Spirit do the talking for you?  As the Spirit talks for you, He may also talk to you.  Be willing to receive what He is saying.  He may reveal a weakness that is effecting you that you can not even find the words to express.  As He does, simply acknowledge it and let Him take it to Jesus for you.

Jesus already knows that weakness, for He knows every weakness and still He invites you to come.  Come with it in your mind, and let Him speak to you about it. Let Him begin to strengthen, heal, forgive, make whole, renew, refresh, revive or whatever else it is you need.

 

Jesus, thank You for being my friend!  You know my every weakness and still You invite me to come.  Give me strength when I am weak so that I can find my way to You with every sorrow, and every other thing.  In Jesus’ name.  Amen.

Honest Thinking!

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Podcast 13.2 Transcript

Welcome to Thursday Thoughts at Resonant 7, where we reflect on the reality of God and resolve to let it resound in our lives, repeatedly. Let’s think about this.

Have we trials and temptations?
Is there trouble anywhere?

James 1:2-3 ESV

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 

Notice it does not say “if” you meet trials, but “when”.  So the answer to the questions that start this stanza are “Yes!” Trials, temptations and trouble.  But this verse speaks to the purpose in them. Make a short mental list of the ones that are a part of your life today.

We should never be discouraged—
Take it to the Lord in prayer.

Philippians 4:6 ESV

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

So when we face those things, we basically have two options:  worry or pray. And they are not mutually exclusive. We can worry and pray, but we need not.  Take that mental list to Him now. Don’t be discouraged, just take it to the Lord in prayer, and leave it with Him.

Can we find a friend so faithful,
Who will all our sorrows share?

Matthew 11:28 ESV

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

Another rhetorical question, but this time the answer is an emphatic “No”!  We can never find another friend like Jesus who shares our burdens and invites us into a rest which only He offers.  Have you received that rest? Will you walk in it today?

Jesus knows our every weakness;
Take it to the Lord in prayer.

Romans 8:26 ESV

Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.

To be known, and still loved, is a powerful thing.  Jesus knows the worst of us and yet invites us to bring everything to Him.  When we lack the capacity to know how to do that, the Spirit helps us even then to take it all to Jesus!  Praise Him for His friendship.

Take a few moments to talk to Jesus about what has come to your mind, or listen to what He is saying to you, then I will read our text once more.

Have we trials and temptations?
Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged—
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Can we find a friend so faithful,
Who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness;
Take it to the Lord in prayer.

Take the awareness of God’s presence cultivated in these last few minutes into the next ones and beyond.  Until next time, be Resonant.

The post Learning to Use Your Lips and Life appeared first on Resonant 7.

Image Attributions
Faithful Friend – https://pixabay.com/illustrations/hand-friend-people-friendship-782688/
Sorrows Share – https://pixabay.com/illustrations/felt-tip-pen-drawing-figure-graphics-1019133/
Weakness – https://pixabay.com/illustrations/desperate-stress-stressed-problem-2676556/

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