Put The Glass Down Quickly

Okay, so this is NOT new!!!

As a matter of fact, I just copied it from Facebook!!! 

BUT IT IS SO VERY TRUE!!!!  SO, PLEASE READ!!!

A psychologist walked around a room while teaching stress management to an audience.


As she raised a glass of water, everyone expected they’d be asked the “half empty or half full” question. Instead, with a smile on her face, she inquired: “How heavy is this glass of water?” Answers called out ranged from 8 oz. to 20 oz.

She replied, “The absolute weight doesn’t matter. It depends on how long I hold it. If I hold it for a minute, it’s not a problem. If I hold it for an hour, I’ll have an ache in my arm. If I hold it for a day, my arm will feel numb and paralyzed. In each case, the weight of the glass doesn’t change, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes.”


She continued, “The stresses and worries in life are like that glass of water. Think about them for a while and nothing happens. Think about them a bit longer and they begin to hurt.
And if you think about them all day long, you will feel paralyzed – incapable of doing anything.”


It’s important to remember to let go of your stresses. As "QUICKLY" as you can, put all your burdens down. Don’t carry them through “the day or” the evening and into the night. Remember to put the glass down!


***My Notes:  I have edited this story and I replaced a line with the word, “quickly!!!”  I also added the words, “the day or” to change what the next sentence said. 


We should always take our worries, fears and burdens to The Lord “quickly!!!”  Immediately, if possible!!! 


We shouldn’t wait until the evening to get rid of our worries or anything else that is bothering us!!!
 


I have often heard it said this way, “Take your burdens to the LORD and leave them there!!!”


That is what is meant in 1 Peter 5:7 when it says, “casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.”  (NKJV)



I love the Contemporary Version. 


1 Peter 5:7 (CEV) God cares for you, so turn all your worries over to him.

I think Philippians sums it up best of ALL!!!


Philippians 4:6 (CEV) Don’t worry about anything, but pray about everything. With thankful hearts offer up your prayers and requests to God.

 

Lastly, just as this story tells us, worrying about the things in life will cause you to feel worn out and tired, like you are carrying a heavy weight!!! 


We have to learn that worrying and trying to figure out everything does NOT help us!!! 


I can’t solve every problem or understand every situation!!!  And neither can you!!!  But I know THE ONE THAT CAN!!! 


We have to learn to trust God, no matter what happens!!!  

Proverbs 3:5 (NCV) Trust the Lord with all your heart, and don’t depend on your own understanding.

The Broken Pieces of Our Lives

Tonight, I am up or maybe I should say, this morning!!!  But the fact remains that I am up!!!


Do I ever sleep, you might ask??? 


Well, yes!!!  As a matter of fact, I usually sleep very well!!!


I just sometimes keep odd hours!!!


I started to say that I was up at a very ungodly hour tonight, but the truth is that GOD IS ALWAYS THERE!!!


In the quiet stillness of the night, GOD is most assuredly there!!! 


On the sunniest day, GOD is there!!!


Whether the sea looks calm or the storms are raging, GOD IS THERE!!!

Matthew 14:24-27 (CEV)

²⁴ By this time the boat was a long way from the shore. It was going against the wind and was being tossed around by the waves.

²⁵ A little while before morning, Jesus came walking on the water toward his disciples.

²⁶ When they saw him, they thought he was a ghost. They were terrified and started screaming.

²⁷ At once, Jesus said to them, “Don’t worry! I am Jesus. Don’t be afraid.”



You see, The LORD always knows when we are in the midst of a storm!!!  HE knows when trouble comes!!! 

GOD IS THERE!!!  And HE is waiting on us to seek HIM!!!  It is our choice!!!
 


It just seems easier for me to seek HIM when there is less noise(less hustle and bustle.)  So, now is most definitely a perfect time to seek The Lord!!!  


And, that is what I am doing right now because this is one of those rare occasions when I cannot sleep!!!


You see, I know exactly what is wrong with me!!!  I know exactly why I couldn’t rest and go to sleep!!!  I did NOT spend enough time with GOD today!!!  I did NOT get enough of Jesus today!!!


So, when I laid down and tried to go to sleep, ALL of the thoughts of the day began to crowd in on me!!!


Mark 6:30-31 (CEV)

³⁰ After the apostles returned to Jesus, they told him everything they had done and taught.

³¹ But so many people were coming and going that Jesus and the apostles did not even have a chance to eat. Then Jesus said, “Let’s go to a place where we can be alone and get some rest.”


And so now, I bring the broken pieces of my life to God knowing that ONLY my FATHER in Heaven can take that which is truly broken and seemingly unfixable and turn it into something beautiful!!!


As I write, The Lord reminds me of how HE took 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish, and “blessed and broke them.”  After giving thanks to God, HE gave them to the disciples to feed the multitude!!!!

John 6:11 (CEV) Jesus took the bread in his hands and gave thanks to God. Then he passed the bread to the people, and he did the same with the fish, until everyone had plenty to eat.

Luke 9:16-17 (NKJV)

¹⁶ Then He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He blessed and broke them, and gave them to the disciples to set before the multitude.

¹⁷ So they all ate and were filled, and twelve baskets of the leftover fragments were taken up by them.



You know, Jesus is supposed to be our example!!!  If we were wise, we would take our lives and offer them up to GOD and ask HIM to bless us and use us!!!  We would offer everything that we have to GOD!!!  We would pray, and ask God to bless us in ALL of our endeavors!!!  


Did you notice that the disciples did NOT bring the leftovers (the fragments) to Jesus and ask Him to bless them???  They brought the fish and the loaves to HIM to be blessed!!!

Matthew 14:17-21 (NKJV)

¹⁷ And they said to Him, “We have here only five loaves and two fish.”

¹⁸ He said, “Bring them here to Me.”

¹⁹ Then He commanded the multitudes to sit down on the grass. And He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He blessed and broke and gave the loaves to the disciples; and the disciples gave to the multitudes.

²⁰ So they all ate and were filled, and they took up twelve baskets full of the fragments that remained.

²¹ Now those who had eaten were about five thousand men, besides women and children.


And that is what we should do!!!  When we are making plans, we should go to GOD and say, this is what I was thinking about doing.  Then we should listen as HE advises us!!!


But most often, even as Christians, we bring the mess that we have made to GOD and we ask HIM to fix it!!!  And HE DOES!!! 


We bring the fragments (our leftovers) to HIM and HE accepts them!!!  Then HE takes them and makes something beautiful!!!

Those of us who trust God know to bring the broken pieces of our lives and offer them up to GOD and ask HIM to bless us in our brokenness!!!  And HE does!!!  HE loves us that much!!!


GOD wants us to trust HIM with our lives!!!  HE wants us to come to HIM and bring our lives and ask HIM to BLESS US in ALL that we do!!!


Maybe if we did this more often, our lives wouldn’t seem so broken!!!  My life is so much more complete with JESUS!!!  My life isn’t perfect, but it is so much better with Jesus!!! 


Just like the calm before the storm, there are always times that it would seem that “ALL HELL BREAKS LOOSE!!!”  And it just means that the devil is on the move!!!  He’s on the loose!!!


But even then, even in the storms, even when we feel tossed and broken to pieces, Jesus tells us to gather the fragments and come to HIM!!! 

John 6:12-13 (NKJV)

¹² So when they were filled, He said to His disciples, “Gather up the fragments that remain, so that nothing is lost.”

¹³ Therefore they gathered them up, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves which were left over by those who had eaten.


The New Contemporary Version says,

John 6:12 (NCV) When they had all had enough to eat, Jesus said to his followers, “Gather the leftover pieces of fish and bread so that nothing is wasted.”


Don’t you like that!!!

Jesus wants NOTHING in our lives to lost or wasted!!!! 


Not even the broken pieces!!!   

The Holy Spirit; HE IS MY HELPER!!!!

Today, as I was listening to a preacher, I found him preaching a message that I had heard before.  It was interesting because I remembered what I thought the first time that I heard him preach this message.



I found that I had even written a post about it!!!  I tried changing the channel, but I returned to hear what I knew was going to be a good message.



Evidently, however, God had a different message for me today!!!



So, what did I learn???  I learned to realize and understand that THE HOLY SPIRIT can help me with EVERY aspect of my life, if ONLY I will ask him!!!  


John 14:16-17 (AMP)

¹⁶ And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Comforter (Counselor, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, Strengthener, and Standby), that He may remain with you forever—

¹⁷ The Spirit of Truth, Whom the world cannot receive (welcome, take to its heart), because it does not see Him or know and recognize Him. But you know and recognize Him, for He lives with you [constantly] and will be in you.

This is something that I should already know, but I like other folks sometimes forget things that are very important!!!

This is when we need GOD to tell us again!!!  In fact, we need for THE Lord to make certain things “real to us!!!” 


I have no idea if that makes sense!!!  What I am trying to say is that we can be told something, but sometimes it simply doesn’t sink in!!!  Or maybe I should say, “The light bulb doesn’t come on!!!”


In fact, I can tell you that THE HOLY SPIRIT has helped me with so many things!!!  But today I realized that HE HELPED ME BECAUSE I INVITED HIM TO HELP ME!!! 


That is the key!!! 


We have to ask THE HOLY SPIRIT TO HELP US!!!  We have to INVITE HIM TO HELP US!!!  HE IS A GENTLEMAN and HE does NOT go where HE IS NOT WANTED!!!


So, as I sit here writing today, I speak to YOU, GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT, and I INVITE YOU TO HELP ME in ALL AREAS OF MY LIFE!!!  I ASK YOU TO HELP ME IN EVERYTHING THAT I DO!!!



As I have already told you, THE HOLY SPIRIT helped me do the plumbing several months ago!!!  And the last time that I had to plumb, HE was right there with me!!!



THANK YOU, HOLY SPIRIT for HELPING me and GUIDING in redoing my bathroom!!!  I would have never been able to do it without YOU!!! 



THANK YOU for HELPING me when I buy groceries, and run errands.  THANK YOU for HELPING me study and understand THE WORD!!!



And THANK YOU, FATHER GOD for revealing YOUR PRECIOUS HELPER to me!!! 


Maybe I had just gotten used to THE HOLY SPIRIT helping me with certain things!!!  Maybe I hadn’t even thought to ask for HIS HELP with other things!!! 


Whatever the case may be, I needed to know that HE COULD HELP ME WITH ANYTHING THAT I NEEDED HELP WITH!!!  All I need to do is ASK!!!! 


Somehow I had forgotten or overlooked the fact that HE CAN and WILL HELP ME, when I ask HIM to help me!!! 


So, the LIGHT BULB came on for me today!!! 


Why is this so important??? 



And why does this matter so much to me???



I mean, is it really such a big deal??? 



YES!!!  TO ME IT IS A VERY BIG DEAL!!!



My latest project has been trying to NOT ONLY get the house cleaned, but to get it packed!!!


You see, I am moving!!! 



YES!!!  I am really moving!!!  All my friends know!!!  And some of my family, but I have gotten to where I hesitate to tell anyone else, because packing and cleaning this old house has become such a chore for me up until now!!!



When I would look around at this messy house, I had no idea where to begin!!!  I would begin to feel overwhelmed!!!  And I would quickly realize that I definitely have way too much stuff!!!


Some folks say, “Throw it out!”  And I actually have thrown out some stuff!!!  Others say, “Have a garage sale!”  But I hate having to sit out in the yard having a Garage Sale!!!  I would rather give it away for FREE!!!



Besides it is just NOT that easy or that SIMPLE!!! 


Maybe cleaning the house is easy for you, but if you are honest, you will admit that there is something that is NOT EASY for you to do!!!


What I am trying to tell you is that you need to ask THE HOLY SPIRIT TO HELP YOU with whatever it is!!!!


I have been talking to GOD about this for some time!!!  And I have felt very discouraged, because I have lots of friends that seem to have no problem whatsoever with keeping a clean house. 


And even as I write this, the devil wants me to think that I am a moron for saying that cleaning my house and trying to get ALL this stuff packed up is an issue!!!



But then, I have to remember that he is a liar anyway!!! 


I can do lots of other things and do them well!!! 


I can change the oil in my truck!!!  And the spark plugs, too!!!  I can even change my thermostat and my transmission filter and fluid!!! 


I can make a homemade pie, crust and all, or homemade biscuits!!  And even homemade jelly to eat with my biscuits!!! 

I can build a website and a computer!!!  Yes, a computer!!! 


I can sew!!!  I can make a skirt or a dress or a purse using my sewing machine!!!  By the way, I absolutely love sewing!!!   And riding horses!!!

And even as I write this, God, The Holy Spirit reminds me that I CAN DO ALL THINGS THROUGH CHRIST WHO STRENGTHENS ME!!!  Phil. 4:13
 

The Contemporary English Version says it this way!!!



Philippians 4:13 (CEV) Christ gives me the strength to face anything.

Don’t you just love that???




So, today, I say, Holy Spirit, “Thank YOU!!!”  I know that you are going to motivate me and inspire me, and encourage me to do that which sometimes seems or looks impossible to me!!! 


Mark 9:23 (NKJV) Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.”

Today, I have hope!!!!  And I am so glad of that!!!


Proverbs 13:12 (CEB) Hope delayed makes the heart sick; longing fulfilled is a tree of life.



Both the KJV and the NKJV say, “Hope deferred makes the heart sick.”


The New Century Version says, “…But wishes that come true are like eating fruit from the tree of life.”


You know, I did ask God to send HIS holy angels to pack this house, so I could get moved, but alas, I don’t think that packing is on the list of things that angels do!!! 

And I even started to say that I have been asking for help (from The Lord), but now I realize that I was complaining and feeling sorry for myself!!!



Finally, I got smart and actually told Father God that I truly needed help!!! 

John 14:16-17 (NCV)

¹⁶ I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper to be with you forever— ¹⁷ the Spirit of truth…


And so today, MY FATHER in Heaven reminded me that I did have help!!!   

John 14:16 (CEV) Then I will ask the Father to send you the Holy Spirit who will help you and always be with you.

Psalm 42:5-6 (CEV)

⁵ Why am I discouraged?
Why am I restless?
    I trust you!
And I will praise you again
    because you help me,
⁶     and you are my God.