Do Christians have the best sex life?

“What’s up with Christians and believing Jesus is real?” One atheist man said to his other atheist friend.  “I don’t know, I think they are all nuts!” said the other male friend. “I do know a Christian that I work with and he says he has the best sex life in his marriage because of Jesus.” “Really?” Long pause and silence…. “Where did he say he goes to church?” – (Mark Gungor, Laugh your way to a better marriage)

Since the launch of our church, over 5 years ago, hundreds have been led to Jesus for the first time. Many leaders would be the most excited that they were a part of the new, born again process to lead people to Jesus. My favorite and most exciting thing to be a part of is to watch Jesus heal a person’s home life and marriage. Over the past 8 years, we have witnessed Jesus heal dozens of marriages on the brink of divorce. Ultimately each couple would admit that self-righteousness was the greatest enemy of their marriage. Self-righteousness is self- focused and keeps score and yet when we are Christ-focused and what He did for us, we can’t help but lay our lives down because when we were still sinners He died for us.

Many have witnessed this next generation uneasy to lay their lives down to marriage. Young men and women want the benefits of marriage but can choose to live together and often refuse the life long vow and commitment. This has been happening for years. Did you know the institution of marriage is God’s idea for us to have the best sex life ever?  When young people have been impacted by being raised in an environment of a bad marriage then we can’t be surprised when they are reluctant to marry. People often reject God’s institutions because they have seen an unhealthy environment. We don’t heal from what we reject and the absence of something, we heal from who we accept and the presence of someone (2 Corinthians 3:17). His name is Jesus and he wants to heal our sex life!

Can marriage be unhealthy in a Christian home? Absolutely! I have met atheists that have better marriages than some believers. I can promise you that this is not what Jesus intended. I also know that this is not the majority of marriages. The majority of Christian marriages have a way better sex life than singles or celebrities that trade their partners every six months. I have heard experts say, “Single people don’t even know what they are doing.”   Jesus desires His people to have the best sex life under His idea of marriage and what if the world knew the truth? It may be time for the church to rise up and the redeemed of the Lord to say so!

Equipping Disciples of Jesus to Receive, Give & Serve in Grace,

Brandon Pollard

http://www.graceforeternity.com

What’s the difference in Missions and Missionaries?

After nearly 4 years of serving with my parents as missionaries in Papua New Guniea and a dozen mission trips over my lifetime in 8 different countries, defining missions and missionaries to the next generation has been important. Here are 3 things we invited our teens to discover about mission trips.

1. Mission trips are a great opportunity to invest spiritually in yourself to learn ministry safely in the community you are visiting.
2. Mission trips are a great source of support to missionaries that are planted in their village, city, or community.
3. Mission trips can give temporary support to the local’s needs like training, medical, water, food, spiritual but without local missionaries, local spiritual leaders, and local Christian government leaders long-term impact can be extremely difficult.

As he was getting into the boat, the man who had been possessed with demons begged him that he might be with him. ¹⁹ And he did not permit him but said to him, “Go home to your friends and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.” ²⁰ And he went away and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him, and everyone marveled.- Mark 5:18-20

Jesus refused to allow the man who had been set free from demons to go on a mission trip with Him and the disciples, even after the man begged Jesus. Here is a gentile who wanted to follow Jesus to a different land of the jews and the Lord commands him to start with his home and friends. Jesus did both missions and missionary ministry with the disciples and in the next blog we will discover three truths from God’s word about missionaries. You won’t want to miss!

Heal the Home, Heal the World

Brandon Pollard

http://www.graceforeternity.com

Heal the Home, Heal the World

 And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand.– Mark 3:25

Jesus was accused of being demon possessed by the religious leaders surrounding him witnessing His miracles. His response (Mark 3:25), was about a divided home and referred to His unity with His heavenly Father. Many of His disciple were confused just how unified Jesus was with the Father even after living and learning from Him. When Philip later asked to see the Father (John 14:7-9), Jesus replied, “Whoever has seen me has seen the Father”.

So why should you believe the world can be changed when the home is healed? Whatever is going on in our soul is our true home that needs unity and healing. Our soul,( mind, will and emotion) receives healing when in unity to the words of Jesus. Our spirit is made new with faith in Jesus, our soul can be renewed daily by the word of God, and our body can be impacted by our soul prospering. Let’s allow scripture to interpret scripture, Jesus said,

 “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. ²⁵ And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock.”– Matthew 7:24-25

A home that is centered on the words of Jesus is receiving healing and receiving wisdom. Notice there is a storm coming for both the believer and the non-believer. When we build our soul on Jesus, even the wind and floods cannot destroy what He begins. So why should you believe, heal the home, heal the world? The priority is freely receiving from Jesus for our soul and then freely giving to the world.

Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, as it goes well with your soul.– 3 John 1:2

Brandon Pollard

http://www.graceforeternity.com

Mother’s Reflect Jesus!

Every year, as the body of Christ, we take time to honor and reflect on motherhood and the the gift the Lord has given us as families. By honoring one member of the family, God does not rob from others. He carries plenty of honor for every member, as every member of his Body is needed. The spiritual gift of a father is often to plant seeds and create life with his words. Men invest their strength to soften the ground of the hearts God entrusted him with. The spiritual gift of a mother often is nurturing and protecting those God entrusted, even at the expense of their own body. Mothers carry a gift of compassion and patience to see the children rooted in love.

Mother’s often reflect Jesus when they nurture babies and give them the affection and nutrients from their own body. A child with a loving mother doesn’t just have head knowledge they are loved. Children have truly experienced the love from their mother and wouldn’t be alive and healthy without her. So when we honor a mother annually for her earthly gifts to the family, how much more should we honor for her spiritual gifts? What do those spiritual gifts look like? They often look like Jesus.

God empowered Jesus as head of the church (ekklesia) which is the assembly of the saints. Fathers can empower mother’s to be head of the home. What we often see is husbands who give a wife a house and she makes it a home. A godly father often is strategic with providing and nurturing his wife. A godly mother is often strategic to invest in her children and home. Whenever the temperature of her attitude in praise and gratitude to God rises so does the comfort level of everyone living in the home. A godly mother is the thermostat of her home.

Heal the Home, Heal the World

http://www.graceforeternity.com

Brandon Pollard

How To Discover Contentment.

There was a viral pandemic that hit me in the United States way before 2020. Recently defined as “Discontentment Disease” and any spiritual doctor would have diagnosed me with a bad case of it in my early twenties and early thirties. Discontentment drove me to ask the Lord to move away from discomfort or difficult people. “God, can I move on from this relationship, church, job, etc…?”. The answer I often heard was, “You are free to choose”. What if God desired self-control more than controlling me?

I took discontentment with me to every situation and it didn’t matter if I changed my outward circumstance, I still couldn’t find joy or contentment. Does that mean that God’s best answer for me was to leave difficult people? I believe God knew in my heart I was full of discontentment and He desired for me to learn from Him contentment. I wasn’t looking for His comfort as a friend, I was looking for His demand as a Father. Instead of demands, He gave me freedom to choose jobs, relationships, etc.. and so then as a young adult I may have chosen to change my outward circumstances more than changing my underwear (insert laugh track and drum roll here). I couldn’t be depended on to be faithful by other people and that was no joke!

What a revelation of grace did was bring an understanding of internal contentment in my thirties. Why did it take that long? The law offers bipolar performance (self-righteousness) for contentment. I didn’t discover to receive from Jesus Himself contentment until I hit the bottom of my self-righteousness. God was always offering contentment through Jesus but I wasn’t receiving by faith His righteousness. Jesus offered me righteousness and contentment in my home which radically impacted my home life, church, work, etc. Difficult circumstances repeated over the next decade and more but understanding my righteousness in Christ helped me to live from contentment not for contentment.

Changing jobs, relationships, churches can be healthy when being led by the Spirit. What is not healthy is a lifestyle of launching forward from discontentment instead of contentment. Look at Abraham content in the land he is living and God asks Him to move by faith. Look at the Apostle Paul who was content in all circumstances and after a few years of planting and making disciples, he was asked to move cities to do it again. Changing circumstances is not a problem, nor is obeying God to do so. Discontentment is a disease and how the world makes their decisions to change circumstances. Do you think Jesus was discontent in being a carpenter or was He 100 percent living present from contentment and moved by faith to obey the Father to launch into ministry?

Maybe you started your natural adult life out launching from discontentment from your child hood home. As a young adult, your discontentment was possibly from thinking you know more than your parents or worse….maybe you didn’t have parents to launch you forward from a place of contentment. However you got to today’s internal discontentment, it’s time to frame our past with God’s eyes of grace. How do we do that practically? I’m glad you asked…. Are you ready? Here are three practical ways I discovered to pray from a place of contentment and could be repeated in your quiet time with the Lord:

Prayer One: “Thank you for choosing me on the earth as such a time as this” Meditation: Did you know that you could have been born over the last recorded 5,000 plus years in any physical body or home and God chose your body and this timeline? It was no accident that He made you and contentment begins with accepting this. Think today’s generation is very dark and evil compared to a hundred years ago? God’s answer was to place you for such a time as this!

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,
and before you were born I consecrated you;
I appointed you a prophet to the nations.” – Jeremiah 1:5 Esv

Prayer Two: “Thank you for choosing the earthly parents you gave me and the childhood I experienced, because of this I learned that ___________ (spend some thoughtful time here) and_____________ is important to you. Jesus chose you to join His family and to impact the people He entrusted you with His compassion. God only knows what kind of life pain you have been through with earthly family but He chose you to His heavenly family with a rich history of compassion and love. He will not waste an opportunity what the enemy tried to destroy in your life experience to turn it to good and His purpose!

And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. -Romans 8:27-28 Esv

Prayer Three: “If nothing today changes in my circumstance, you have given me more than I deserve with your Son! I will choose to rejoice in You now for Your faithfulness in the middle of the storm.” Christians who wait to see circumstances change before changing their attitude are not walking by faith. Faith is the substance of things not seen. We can’t be discontent and full of praise at the same time.

I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at length you have revived your concern for me. You were indeed concerned for me, but you had no opportunity.  Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content.  I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need.– Philippians 4:10-12 Esv

Super Hero Identity

When I was four I identified with super man. He was fast and I thought at the time I was fast. Superman was invincible, I thought I was invincible. I thank God that my mother didn’t allow me to jump off our roof because I identified with superman. Just because I had the underoos (yes that was a thing in the 80s) didn’t mean I needed to put my identity as superman and my mom protected me from my false beliefs.

Someone may have told you to feel shame for having a desire that is not of the Lord. My question might be, “do you identify with your earthly desire or do you identify with your heavenly spirit?” Your new spirit happened when you put your faith in Jesus and became born-again. This is your true super hero identity with Christ. What are your super powers? Well, let’s take a look at some of the most important ones:

 for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.- 2 Timothy 1:7

Power sounds good, love sounds amazing, wait…….self-control? Certainly didn’t see that listed anywhere in the comic books growing up…..1st edition of Marvel Comics presents, “Self-control Man”. Mmmm, not sure that would be a top seller to four year old boys but for sure to a healthy christian woman looking for a future husband and father to her future children.

Let’s go back to shame, because a lot of men and women live in shame today and identify with fleshly desires more than they do comic book characters. Our desires are from two places according to the apostle Paul. From our flesh or from our Spirit. Your spirit is the real you and desires what Jesus desires because you are co-laborers with him. So when Jesus says, “I will build my church….” then we see in scriptures early believers having a desire to build His church. Why? Because they identified with Christ and the desires of their new spirit, not the desires of the flesh. You don’t have to live in shame for an earthly desire, everyone on earth has them and you are not dirty for having selfish desires. It is sin to identify with our earthly desires and live for them. For the believer we are learning to surrender our earthly desires and live for the desires of our King Jesus who has given us power, love, and self-control. Some of us may need spiritual parents who protect us from jumping off a roof and hurting ourselves because we were deceived and identified with shame and earthly desires.

For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.-Galatians 5:17

New Covenant Curse?

Let me begin by saying the word “kingdom” is sometime used frivolously from people who don’t always obey the King but enjoy the gain of using His word “kingdom”. Broken down the word “kingdom” is made up of two words. “King” and “Dominion” imply that we surrender to His authority. The Apostle Paul warned Timothy, a young pastor, that there were people who would have the appearance of godliness but not submit to the authority of the King. According to Paul, these trouble makers were the ones who showed godliness as a way to become wealthy with gain(1 Timothy 6:5).

There is nothing wrong with being Godly. In fact it brings glory to God and represents Him well when Christians live a life that is godly. However, when we apply godliness as a means for financial gain, instead of godliness for love, it robs from Jesus.

Follow me here, under the old covenant, you could rob from God by not bringing your tithed farm produce (add up all the spices, grain, and some theologians believe it equaled close to 23 percent), . I’m not going to dwell on this because there are plenty of books and teachings today by the millions still applying this old covenant teaching. Under the new covenant, it is possible to rob (curse) Jesus. “How can we rob Jesus?” Well, I’m glad you asked……

The Bible tells us in Galatians that if you are relying on works of the law, then you are under a new covenant curse. Doesn’t mean your bank account or crops are cursed like the old covenant. For new covenant gentile believers, this curse is impacting Jesus to rob Him of the glory He is due. Rely on the works of the law and Jesus is not glorified to the world that He became the door of Heaven and is wide open to every believer to pour out blessings because of faith in Him.

Galatians 3:10-12 For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them.” ¹¹ Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for “The righteous shall live by faith.” ¹² But the law is not of faith, rather “The one who does them shall live by them.” 

“Hang on Pastor B, why would you say tithing is the law?” Actually I didn’t say it, Jesus did and then He fulfilled the law on the cross and everything changed to faith in Him.

Matthew 23:23 NLT “What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are careful to tithe even the tiniest income from your herb gardens, but you ignore the more important aspects of the law—justice, mercy, and faith. You should tithe, yes, but do not neglect the more important things.

Romans 7:⁶ But now we are released from the law, having died to that which held us captive, so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit and not in the old way of the written code.

The religious leader might say “See, Jesus said we should tithe!” Jesus didn’t come to abolish the law from the jews but to fulfill it. Once he fulfilled the law, he offered the new believer, by faith, a new spiritual heart with the new covenant law. Love is very generous and requires surrendering and compassion to be moved by faith. To give ten percent all you might need is a calculator, if even that. Often the prosperity preacher says you can purchase the favor of God or the removal of a curse off your money. Implying that just pay the mafia-like church and watch the protection and favor of God increase your financial gain. This kind of teaching robs and curses Jesus.

Remember the time the Apostle Paul taught tithing to all the new gentile believers in the church? Me either? “Well their money was cursed if they didn’t tithe”, says the mega pastor. Really? Not one mention from Apostle Paul to those new gentile converts in poverty about removing a financial curse in Acts, Romans, 1, 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians……..oh wait….. (he must have not loved them by not teaching “tithing”- insert eye roll)….

Philippians 4:18-20 I have received full payment, and more. I am well supplied, having received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent, a fragrant offering, a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God. ¹⁹ And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

Translation (mine): Thank you for the generosity and love gifts, my God will supply every need of yours because JESUS fulfilled the law on your behalf and deserves the glory!

“Ok, Brandon, you are now in left field….. how will the church and kingdom get funded?” What if new believers were taught faith to listen and submit to King Jesus for godliness and love without financial gain? Then Jesus would not be robbed by the message and receive the glory and honor He is due.

This next generation will not put up with the “Emperor’s Clothing” in churches called tithing to remove curses, nor will they sit on the sideline and give nothing to the bride of Christ and His kingdom. There is a generation rising that is moved by faith, love, and compassion and Jesus will receive all the glory for their godliness.

5 Mistakes To Avoid Raising Teens (And Solutions)

As my wife and I get a year closer to a life of empty nesting, we reflect on some mistakes and some intentionality to recalculate our roadmap to parenting success. We remind ourselves and you, as a parent, there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus which gives us the strength and power to realign our plans to Jesus. Defining success for your teens spiritual and mental growth will help you create a plan of success. Here are my top 5 common mistakes to avoid and success solutions for the growth of your teens spiritually:

Common mistake #5. Celebrate Natural Growth And Ignore Celebrating Spiritual Growth.

When a teen is celebrated greatly in a home for physical accomplishments more than spiritual growth, we often find a teen leaning to the world’s way of thinking. Solution: Don’t celebrate only their physical growth, education, and birthdays, celebrate even more their commitment to quiet time with Jesus, generosity to Jesus, them serving others, and their commitment to making disciples of Jesus. What we celebrate as parents in the home becomes a value in their life. 3 John 1:3, 2 John 1:4, Matthew 28:19

Common mistake #4. Surround Them With Worldly Mentors Instead of Godly.

When a teen has a coach or mentor who is investing in them, they are taking mental notes to how they will approach life in that same manner as them. If your teen’s mentor has the approach of being away from their spouse and church seven days a week for sports, drama, dance, martial arts, etc. it doesn’t matter if they profess Christ. That mentor’s fruit is a life of disobedience to King Jesus for not valuing discipleship and spiritual mentors in their life. Solution: Find Godly men and women mentors who prioritize their time for marriage and church discipleship and watch your teen enter their twenties making decisions to do the same. -1 Corinthians 15:33, Hebrews 13:17

Common mistake #3. Self-Centered Home Over Marriage-Centered

If the home revolves around the teens instead of the marriage, self-centeredness is brewing. Parents are raising adults that are passing through the home. Our marriage should be dreaming success together in the home more than just dreaming for our kids success. If the home revolves around the kids, then we will often find teens believing life revolves around them instead of Jesus. Solution: Marriage is God’s idea for a picture of the love of Jesus and His bride, show this to your teens and a marriage centered home full of love will cover a multitude of parental mistakes. Ephesians 5:25-27, 1 Peter 4:8

Common mistake #2. Choose The Cheapest Education Without Prayer

Besides your teen choosing a spouse later in life, one of the greatest decisions in their life is where they will be educated. As parents, we would never drop off our teen at a topless bar to make friends, but often we discover much worse friendships are happening in some public schools or private schools. If money make’s our decision in education without prayer, then money replaced our faith in God. Solution: Pray now for your teens future spouse and pray now for their next year’s education. For me than 15 years, my wife and I take a vision retreat every year and pray for each child and their education. John 10:27, Proverbs 22:6

Common mistake #1. Hide Your Personal Finances From Your Teen.

Transparency with our finances and generosity is a family secret, not a secret from our teens. To hide our finances as Christian parents is to set our teens up for moral and financial failures in life. Solution: Show your teen where your heart is focused by opening your personal banking account to openly discuss mistakes and successes. Include them in your family believing God for dreams that are always bigger than what is in your checking account. Then when they are on their own, they know how to apply their money and faith honestly in the same way or greater. John 15:15, Matthew 6:21, 2 Kings 22:4-7

Maybe you realize there are more common things to avoid raising teens that we missed, feel free to add them below in the comments. Encouraging you to not give up on your teens and know that God hasn’t given up on you. Cheering and rooting for you as Christian parents!

Heal the Home, Heal the World

Brandon Pollard

http://www.graceforeternity.com

Three Reasons For Water Baptism

Young believers sometimes ask me, “Why Water Baptism?”. It may seem strange or weird for those who have never experienced it. The body of Christ and local church have been doing this for 2,000 plus years and the excitement for this first step of faith is still ever growing around the world. So let me give you briefly some Biblical truths to hopefully understand God’s heart for you a little more.

It’s God’s Idea: Jesus himself was obedient unto God’s plan for water baptism, before starting his ministry, being baptized by his cousin John. Then after his earthly ministry, Jesus gives his command to the disciples of water baptism before ascending into heaven.

Matthew 28^: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,

It’s An Action of Obedience: Water baptism is not the performance that brings salvation, faith in the performance of Jesus is enough. Being obedient to receive baptism can be similar to being married and putting on an outward wedding ring. Baptism is a symbol to yourself and friends that you no longer are the king of your own life and letting those around you know you were purchased at a very high price.

Identify With Christ and His Church: When you are water baptized, you are identifying with the death and burial of Jesus and being raised with Him in life. The world offers have thousands of identities, God offers believers one identity in Jesus. Once you are baptized into Christ, God’s word reveals you are in a community of believers, His church.

Romans 6:1-7 What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? ² By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? ³ Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? ⁴ We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.⁵ For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. ⁶ We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. ⁷ For one who has died has been set free from sin.

Excuse me, passing through!

Ever been in a crowded line and you have family up at the front of the line saving a spot for you? The people in line aren’t always excited that you are moving ahead of them. In fact some might even make rude comments to you or their friends. It’s honestly a weird feeling to say, “Excuse me, passing through to my family up ahead.” Sure you may have had to step away to use the restroom or grab a drink, but they don’t care about the excuse. They care that someone is moving ahead before them.

The Psalmist said he walked through the valley of the shadow of death and that he would fear no evil. As a child of God we are just passing through valleys. No need to build our home there or identify with a failure or evil. You have Jesus guiding you and yes He may bring other believers along with a map. Think about the Apostle Paul who was Saul and was blinded and needed a guide to pray over him and share more about Jesus. Then He spent years learning from the disciples and other mature Christians, who Jesus was for Him, before His ministry to the gentiles.

What if we have the “Just me and Jesus” attitude that some Christians carry or even Christian married couples (who are really just one flesh in God’s eyes)? Then we often find ourselves having been in the same valley for a long period of time. Without walking with Godly people that Jesus sends our way, we can find ourselves stuck in the valley of poverty and not passing through. Maybe stuck in the valley of sickness and need some Godly friends with faith to open a roof? How about the valley of isolation or the valley of depression? Many valleys are unavoidable for Christians who are in the world but shadows are not to be feared and valleys are made to pass through. Worldly friends will possibly make rude comments or unfriend you but ALL of Heaven is cheering you on to pass through the valley and so are we!

http://www.graceforeternity.com

Is Rest a Four letter word?

For some of us, everything in the world is grabbing for our attention. Our work, our kids, our friends, our phone, our emails, pretty much 24/7 we have some thing or somebody wrestling for our focus. So when we think of rest, we can often think of no responsibility or turning our focus off our job, which by the way can be very refreshing for the soul. However, have you ever felt you needed a vacation even after a vacation from your job? Rest for some well-meaning Christians can be a four letter word and their vacations can often be busier in focus than their day jobs.

For the new covenant believer, we are invited to learn from Jesus to find true rest. Today vacations are needed and practiced in our marriage and yet as a young believer I thought I could leave behind the responsibility of learning from Jesus while on vacation. I felt too busy relaxing and being entertained to invite Jesus into my jam packed vacation. All along Jesus was inviting me to learn from him even while on vacation, sometimes near the ocean, and ask Him the hard questions. I found the more real questions I asked Him the more I learned, and the more I learned the more I felt peace and rested. What moment in life have you felt the most rest and peace from Jesus? Were you able to give Him your full attention in that moment? Ask yourself, what would it take to go back to that kind of intentionality from distractions to focus on Rest?

Matthew 11:28-30 ESV

²⁸ Come to me, all 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.”

Matthew 11:28-30 The Message

^28-30 “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”