August 17

Just For Today – Part 2 — Day 24 - Put On Yoke Of Jesus by SGLY Ministry

Just for Today I will put on…
YOKE OF JESUS
“Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me…” Matthew 11:29 (NKJV)

Today’s Action:
Today let’s put on the Yoke of Jesus.
(To yoke means to join together, to bind yourself to something.)

Jesus said:

His Yoke is easy, it will not be a burden to wear.
His Yoke allows us to learn from Him.
His Yoke allows us to find rest for our souls.

This sounds like something worth wearing! In fact, it sounds like it would be something very beneficial for us to wear it daily.

So, Just for Today, let’s put on the Yoke of Jesus and let’s enjoy our day learning from Him and experiencing rest for our souls.

“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 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. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” –Jesus–
Matthew 11:28-30

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Today’s Scripture: “I will listen to what God the Lord says; he promises peace to his people...” (Psalm 85:8, NIV)

The Promises of Peace

No matter what is going on in your life right now, the Lord promises that you can have peace. It doesn’t matter what’s happening in the economy, in your relationships or at the office; nothing in this world can take His peace from you. But notice the first part of this verse—we have to do our part. We have to listen to what He tells us to do.

You may be thinking to yourself, “God doesn’t speak to me.” But once you receive Jesus as your Lord and Savior, you become His. The Bible says that you are His sheep, and you can hear His voice, and the voice of a stranger you will not follow.

The Lord speaks in many ways. First of all, He speaks through the Word of God. But sometimes, He speaks through the encouragement of a friend, or through a song, or in the beauty of nature. Sometimes it’s a simple “knowing” deep down on the inside of you in your spirit. If you aren’t sure how God speaks to you, ask Him to teach you. Open your heart and be willing to hear His voice. As you take time to be still and listen to Him, He will speak. He will reveal Himself to you and give you peace all the days of your life.

A Prayer for Today: “Father, thank You for Your promise of peace. Today, I open my heart to You and ask that You teach me to hear Your voice clearly. I will listen, I will obey, and I will walk in Your ways in Jesus’ name. Amen.”

Joel Osteen

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Slack Tide by Dennis Fisher

He said to them, “Come aside by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.” —Mark 6:31

I find it fascinating to consider the pull of the moon on our great oceans, which creates high and low tides. At the changing of the tide, there is a brief period of time called “slack tide” when the water is neither high nor low. According to scientists, this is when the water is “unstressed.” It is a quiet pause before the surging of tidal flow begins again.

Sometimes in our busy schedules we may feel pulled in different directions by competing responsibilities. In Jesus’ ministry, we see how He understood the demands made on His followers and the need for rest. Returning from a traveling ministry in teams of two, the Twelve reported the wonderful things that God had done through them (Mark 6:7-13,30). But Jesus responded: “‘Come aside by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.’ For there were many coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat. So they departed to a deserted place in the boat by themselves” (vv.31-32).

What responsibilities are pulling on you today? It is certainly acceptable to plan some rest and relaxation time to rejuvenate your body and soul for more fruitful service to others. Jesus advised it, and we all need it. He will meet you there.
My Shepherd is the Lord
Who knows my needs, and I am blest;
By quiet streams, in pastures green,
He leads and makes me rest. —Psalter

Spending quiet time with God can bring quiet rest from God.

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Jesus Is Our Pattern

ROMANS 8:29 NLT
29 For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn, with many brothers and sisters.

Jesus is not only our Saviour, but also the model of what we are to become.

1 CORINTHIANS 15:49 NKJ
49 And as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly Man.

1 JOHN 3:2 NKJ
2 Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.

God's whole program with mankind is to eventually make us all like Jesus Christ.

COLOSSIANS 3:10 NLT
10 Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him.

Jesus is our pattern, our example. He is the one we are to follow, to imitate.

1 CORINTHIANS 11:1 NKJ
1 Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ.

JOHN 14:12 NKJ
12 "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father.

We can't make ourselves like Jesus. Otherwise we would not even need a savior. But God can, and is.

SAY THIS: God is working to make me like Jesus.

A Bible Devotion

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You will show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy, at Your right hand there are pleasures forevermore. — Psalm 16:11 (AMPC)

Fullness of Joy by Joyce Meyer

We seek many things in life that we think will give us joy and enjoyment, but we often fail to seek the one thing that brings fullness of joy. If we seek God first as our vital need, His presence will enable us to enjoy other things, but without Him, they will always be lacking in some way.

Include the Lord in all that you do and speak with Him throughout the day. The fact is: God is everything and we are nothing without Him. He is your joy!

Prayer of the Day: Father, help me to seek You first as my vital need in life, and I will experience fullness of joy, amen.

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His brothers also came and fell down before him and said, “Behold, we are your servants.” --Genesis 50:18

We live in a culture that loves paybacks. Many people hunger to get even with those who have hurt or betrayed them.

But paybacks don’t relieve the hurt. In fact, the more you contemplate a hurt, the more it grows and the angrier you become. And before you know it, anger and resentment turn into bitterness. And that bitterness grows like a cancer, and it spreads and consumes a person.

If anyone had the “right” to be bitter toward someone, it was Joseph. His brothers sold him into slavery and he suffered unimaginable heartache, injustices, and indignities for over a decade as a result.

No one would have blinked twice if Joseph had retaliated against his brothers when they appeared in Egypt in need of grain. But Joseph didn’t avenge himself. Here’s why.

Joseph had not allowed anger, hurt, and bitterness into his heart. Under the worst conditions, Joseph had grown in godly character. And he forgave his brothers and he met their needs with joy.

Has someone wronged you terribly? Do you find that you are in the bondage of bitterness?

Let Jesus set you free from your brokenness. Ask him to help you get past your past and allow him to heal your heart so that you can truly give the gift of forgiveness.

When you do, you will experience a freedom you’ve never known.

Jack Graham

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Bible Verses

Psalm 37:4,5 “Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart’s desires. Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust him, and he will help you.”

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Just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many. Matthew 20:28

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Revelation 1:8 – "I am the Alpha and the Omega—the beginning and the end," says the Lord God.

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James 1:2-4 2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

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Prayers

My God the King

In the name of Jesus, I will exalt You, my God the King; every day I will praise You and extol Your name forever and ever. Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; Your greatness no one can fathom. I commend Your works to the next generation and tell of Your mighty acts. I speak of the glorious splendor of Your majesty, and I meditate on Your wonderful works, and proclaim Your great deeds. Together we celebrate Your abundant goodness and joyfully sing of Your righteousness. Great is our God, our King! Amen

Scripture Reading Psalm 145:1-7

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Lord God, who keepest truth to generations, and who through love and wisdom hath gathered us into nations, forgive me for what I have done that is wrong, and for what I have neglected that was right. May I give greater loyalty to my country and to thee. Amen.

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Godly Gain

1 Timothy 6:1-10

Dear Father, whose truth is gentle, Help us to find a heart to serve you, even in oppressive circumstances.

Grant that our religion may not be a ground of conceit. May we not love controversy, but rather avoid wrangling and contention. Help us witness to your truth to others, but let it always be done in a spirit of gentleness and truth-seeking.

May none of us be guilty of using anything connected with our faith as a means of worldly gain. Help us to accept the great gain that comes with a godliness combined with contentment.

We brought nothing into this world. You show us that we can take nothing out, except for the treasures we lay up in heaven. Help us to be content and not to seek material riches.

In the name of Jesus I ask. Amen.

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Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. John 14:27, NIV

Dear Father in heaven, we thank you for holding open the way into our hearts and for bringing us the peace of Jesus Christ. Help us to keep this way open. Grant us peace in this tempest-torn world. Grant us peace when many struggles and uncertainties try to occupy our hearts. We have no strength in ourselves, only in him who is standing at our side and who will never forsake us, who lives and gives strength. His light will always break in anew among us men. His light will shine on many people and lead them to the promised day, the day that will bring all our hopes to fulfillment. Amen.

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Dear Father, as I face this day I know there will be things that happen that are not in my control. Please guide me and help me through as I may not be able to find my way.

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Dear Father in heaven, we thank you for holding open the way into our hearts and for bringing us the peace of Jesus Christ. Help us to keep this way open. Grant us peace in this tempest-torn world. Grant us peace when many struggles and uncertainties try to occupy our hearts. We have no strength in ourselves, only in him who is standing at our side and who will never forsake us, who lives and gives strength. His light will always break in anew among us men. His light will shine on many people and lead them to the promised day, the day that will bring all our hopes to fulfillment. Amen.