Nothing but Good…

 

being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;—Philippians 1:6

If you are a believer, then you can know that right now God is working a work of divine grace in your soul.  You can also be confident that He will continue to perfect and complete that work of grace He began in you until the day of Jesus Christ.  He has promised and He will do it. 

Beloved…He who delivered you from the power of darkness and conveyed you into the kingdom of the Son of His love will work nothing but good in the heart that has been surrendered into His care. NOTHING. BUT. GOOD. Think on that. Every moment of every day your God is working His good in your heart. THERE IS NOTHING THAT COULD BE BETTER THAN THAT.  

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.—Romans 8:28

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?—Romans 8:31-32

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.—1 Peter 1:3-5

Trust Him…revel in His sovereignty and rest in His love.  

Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.—2 Corinthians 4:16-18

Why do you boast in evil, O mighty man?

The goodness of God endures continually.—Psalm 52:1

I thank my God always concerning you for the grace of God which was given to you by Christ Jesus, that you were enriched in everything by Him in all utterance and all knowledge, even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you, so that you come short in no gift, eagerly waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will also confirm you to the end, that you may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.—1 Corinthians 1:4-9

for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.—Philippians 2:13

But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.—Ephesians 2:4-10

Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.—Hebrews 13 20-21

On Being Kindly Affectionate to One Another, in Honor Giving Preference to One Another…

 

Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another; --Romans 12:10

  

Dear Suzanne, Rebecca, Anna, and Mikayla,

We are in Romans 12, verse 10.  This section of Scripture, as I have said before, is one of the most practical in the Bible.  It is very simple and very easy to understand.  Not much I can do as far as exposition is concerned that Paul has not done.  He has made his point very clear.  As I read Romans 12:9-21, (see below)  however, my eyes always seem to fill with tears.  I don't know about you but the world that I live in and most of the people I know are not this way.  Believers have the desire to live this way  but their execution like mine is far from perfect.   None of us, sadly, will get it right until we meet Him face to face....until we awaken in His image. I so want to be this way to those around me, though.  Paul says this in Philippians and truly it is the heart attitude that we need in this life to live for Christ.

"Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me.  Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead,  I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus."

Romans 12:9-21call us to a supernatural type of living that can only be done by the Spirit of God living inside us. Outside of Christ this type of living is impossible. Do you remember the "therefore" at the beginning of this chapter and what it meant?  Because of all that was written in the previous 11 chapters...because of what He has done and the promises we have in Him, we are to respond by presenting ourselves to God as living sacrifices. We are to put off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light.  We are to look and act differently from the rest of the world.  Our conduct should be worthy of the Gospel of God. 

We already looked at loving genuinely, hating evil and gluing oneself to what is good. Verse 10 tells us to be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another. John MacArthur says that the words kindly affectionate in the Greek is made up of two words meaning love.  So it could say be lovingly loving.  Here is the meaning in the Strong's:  cherishing one’s kindred, especially parents or children); fond of natural relatives, that is, fraternal towards fellow Christians: - kindly affectioned.

I think on it this way...we are to cherish and treat those around us as gently and kindly as a Mom treats a nursing infant.  Do you see how unnatural that would be in our flesh.  I know how I felt about each one of my nursing infants...I do not feel that way naturally for those that God puts in my path...if I manifest that kind of love at all it is the Spirit of God inside me...not me.  It is also the love I feel toward other like-minded believers.  I could be in a room with a group of strangers, but if they are believers in the Lord Jesus Christ it does not take long at all to develop common ground and a unique sense of unity and love with them because of our fellowship in Him.  It is definitely supernatural...I have never encountered its likeness in the world.  Matthew 18 says this:

"Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.  Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Whoever receives one little child like this in My name receives Me."

If you receive another believer, you are receiving the Lord Himself.  I have seen the kindness and love that Christ Jesus has for us manifested in my church family over and over again.  It has been demonstrated to my own family many times. They have lovingly loved us.  It is one of the precious benefits of being a child of God.  Beautiful,  like minded fellowship with other believers.  

Paul goes on to say with brotherly love. John MacArthur says that the verse could read then like this.  "Be lovingly loving with one another with loving love."  I really don't think we have much space in that sentence for argument or loophole. 

1 John 5 says this: "Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves Him who begot also loves him who is begotten of Him."  Pretty simple...a believer will love God and love those who belong to Him. We are to be tender-hearted toward one another and forgiving.  We are to love one another in truth and sometimes we have to say some hard things in loving them truthfully.  Listen to Paul in 1 Corinthians 4.

"I do not write these things to shame you, but as my beloved children I warn you.  For though you might have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.  Therefore I urge you, imitate me.  For this reason I have sent Timothy to you, who is my beloved and faithful son in the Lord, who will remind you of my ways in Christ, as I teach everywhere in every church. Now some are puffed up, as though I were not coming to you.  But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord wills, and I will know, not the word of those who are puffed up, but the power.  For the kingdom of God is not in word but in power.  What do you want? Shall I come to you with a rod, or in love and a spirit of gentleness?"

Loving parents not only love their children fervently but warn, exhort, encourage, speak the truth, and make sure they keep the right company.  A loving parent sets an example that a child can imitate...and there should be no disparity between that parent's word and deed.  A loving parent will  speak gently and in love but at other times speak with a rod of discipline.  This is how we are to be in the family of God.  We are to love one another in truth.  Sometimes our love will be caring..sometimes concerned...sometimes confrontive, but it should always be led by the Spirit of God whose love is shed abroad in our hearts.

The second part of this verse takes our love even a step higher.  It says that in honor we are to prefer one another.  We are to put the other ahead of ourselves.  Still reading?...Good.  Love like this takes humility.  We are to jump at the chance to be first not in what we want, but in giving another what they desire.  We are to prefer them over ourselves. We are to love them sacrificially. Jesus is our ultimate example here.  

"Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy,  fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.  Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.  Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.

Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus,  who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God,  but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.  And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.  Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name,  that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth,  and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." --Philippians 2:1-11 

We need the mind of Christ to be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love and to prefer their needs to ours.  A mind of humility, submission, meekness and fervent love.  Christ is our example. He has done so much for us.  Our constant desire should be to please Him, to walk in obedience to Him and worthy of the grace and mercy He has shown us.   

Show others Christ by giving honor, giving preference, giving care, and meeting the needs of those He has placed in your life. Give yourself completely to Him and " "Be lovingly loving with one another with loving love."

Love

Mom

Romans 12:9-21 

Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good. 10 Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another; 11 not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; 12 rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer; 13 distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality. 

14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. 16 Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion. 

17 Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. 18 If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. 19 Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,”[a]says the Lord. 20 Therefore

      “ If your enemy is hungry, feed him;

      If he is thirsty, give him a drink;

      For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.”[b]

   

 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

The Light of My Eyes…

 

The light of the eyes rejoices the heart,

And a good report makes the bones healthy.—Proverbs 15:30

So many things in this world vie for our attention and our heart. There is only One, however, that we need give our attention. Only One that will see us through this life and into the next.  Only One whose lovingkindness is always before our eyes. Only One that can never be taken from us. Sound truth and wisdom are from our Father in heaven.  Any thought that brings Him, the Giver of all that is good to mind, will stir our heart, relieve our anxiety and produce a cheerful face. 

Purpose with me, right here and right now to make Him your all in all. He who is the same yesterday today and forever, will never leave you nor forsake you. His mercy reaches to the heavens and his faithfulness to the skies. With Him is the fountain of life. In His light we see light.  He who holds all things, holds us.  May He be the light of our eyes and the rejoicing of our heart. 

Beloved…Put your trust under the shadow of His wings. Drink from the river of His pleasures and be abundantly satisfied with the fullness of His house. Philippians 4:8 comes to mind here. May all the gifts and the graces of God point us forever and always to Him who loves us with an everlasting love. 

Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.

Many, O LORD my God, are Your wonderful works

Which You have done;

And Your thoughts toward us

Cannot be recounted to You in order;

If I would declare and speak of them,

They are more than can be numbered.—Psalm 40:5

Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness,

And for His wonderful works to the children of men!—Psalm 107:15

Bless the LORD, O my soul;

And all that is within me, bless His holy name!

Bless the LORD, O my soul,

And forget not all His benefits:

Who forgives all your iniquities,

Who heals all your diseases,

Who redeems your life from destruction,

Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies,

Who satisfies your mouth with good things,

So that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.—Psalm 103:1-5

Be thou my vision, O Lord of my heart;

naught be all else to me, save that thou art.

Thou my best thought, by day or by night,

waking or sleeping, thy presence my light.

Bearing Our Cross After Jesus…

 

Bearing Our Cross After Jesus…

Now as they led Him away, they laid hold of a certain man, Simon a Cyrenian, who was coming from the country, and on him they laid the cross that he might bear it after Jesus.

And a great multitude of the people followed Him, and women who also mourned and lamented Him.—Luke 23:26-27

Such a graphic, but beautiful picture Luke paints here of what each of us, as believers, are to do as  His “followers”; bear our cross and follow after Him. The cross is a symbol of shame, humiliation, forgiveness and victory.  It was an instrument of death that brought life to the world and eternal glory to Jesus, the Son of God. Mark 15:21 tells us that Simon was the father of Rufus and Alexander.  In Romans 16:13 we learn that Paul sent greetings to Rufus and Alexander. The fact that Paul included greetings to them most likely means that they were well-known Christians. The implication is that Simon got saved—perhaps, on the very day that the Romans compelled him to carry the cross of Christ.

As any true believer can attest, the cross is the point where we see God’s love the clearest.  (We love Him because He first loved us.) It is where we go to be forgiven and obtain peace.  It is where mercy and truth meet. It is where righteousness and peace kiss. It is there that Truth springs out of the earth and our Righteous Father looks down from heaven.  It is there at the cross as we make Jesus’ footsteps our pathway, that we get to know Him and share in the fellowship of His sufferings. It is at the cross where we learn to die to what we want and live for the will of our Father in Heaven.  It is at the cross where we find our true life.

What they meant for evil then, Jesus used for good not only to perhaps the saving of Simon, but also to the instructive illustration that Simon portrays in bearing the cross after Him.

Then He said to them all, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and is himself destroyed or lost? For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, of him the Son of Man will be ashamed when He comes in His own glory, and in His Father's, and of the holy angels.—Luke 9:23-26

And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it.—Matthew 10:38-39

Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain. He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor.—John 12:24-26

Truly, we can say with Paul..

But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.—Philippians 3:7-11

As For Me, I Will Call Upon God…

 

As for me, I will call upon God,

And the LORD shall save me.

Evening and morning and at noon

I will pray, and cry aloud,

And He shall hear my voice.

He has redeemed my soul in peace from the battle that was against me,—Psalm 55:16-18

Cast your burden on the LORD,

And He shall sustain you;

He shall never permit the righteous to be moved.—Psalm 55:22

Whenever I am afraid,

I will trust in You.—Psalm 56:3

You number my wanderings;

Put my tears into Your bottle;

Are they not in Your book?

When I cry out to You,

Then my enemies will turn back;

This I know, because God is for me.—Psalm 56:8-9

Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me!

For my soul trusts in You;

And in the shadow of Your wings I will make my refuge,

Until these calamities have passed by.

I will cry out to God Most High,

To God who performs all things for me.

He shall send from heaven and save me;

He reproaches the one who would swallow me up.

Selah

God shall send forth His mercy and His truth.—Psalm 57:1-3

My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast;

I will sing and give praise.—Psalm 57:8

My daily Bible reading has placed me in the midst of Psalms 55, 56 and 57.  The above verses are the ones that I underlined. Aside from bringing me much strength and comfort, David’s inspired words have also reminded me, among other things, that…

—My God is for me…

—He is on my side

—He fights for me

—He is merciful

—He cares for me

—He desires to hear my voice

—He wants me to cast my cares and burdens upon Him

—He desires that I stay myself on His providence and promises

—He wants to be the One who upholds me in the struggles of this life.

—He numbers my wanderings

—My tears are precious to Him…

—He performs all things for me

—He desires to be my strong habitation to which I can continually resort

—He wants me to honor Him with my trust 

Beloved…Moment by precious moment, by His Spirit who dwells in you, resolve to trust in the mercy and grace of your God. Behold, God is our helper.  The Lord is our strong tower. His steadfast love never ceases..His mercies never come to an end. Great is His faithfulness. 

Blessed is the man whose strength is in You,

Whose heart is set on pilgrimage.

As they pass through the Valley of Baca,

They make it a spring;

The rain also covers it with pools.

They go from strength to strength;

Each one appears before God in Zion.—Psalm 84:5-7

For the LORD God is a sun and shield;

The LORD will give grace and glory;

No good thing will He withhold

From those who walk uprightly.

O LORD of hosts,

Blessed is the man who trusts in You!—Psalm 84:11

Cast Thy Burden Upon the Lord…

 

“Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.” —Psalm 55:22

Beloved…I don’t know about you, but I need this reminder every day. Today was no exception. I am thankful that God is my strong habitation to which I can continually resort.  I liked what John MacArthur said about this verse as well as Matthew Henry and Charles Spurgeon. I have found them helpful to meditate on when anxiety starts to take hold. 

The word for burden implies one’s circumstances, one’s lot. The psalmist promises that the Lord will uphold the believer in the struggles of life.—John MacArthur. 

Short and sweet. In the struggles of this life our God is our support. 

The following is from Matthew Henry’s Commentary…

He encourages himself and all good people to commit themselves to God, with confidence in him. He himself resolves to do so (v. 23): "I will trust in thee, in thy providence, and power, and mercy, and not in my own prudence, strength, or merit; when bloody and deceitful men are cut off in the midst of their days I shall still live by faith in thee." 

And this he will have others to do (v. 22): "Cast thy burden upon the Lord," whoever thou art that art burdened, and whatever the burden is. "Cast thy gift upon the Lord" (so some read it); "whatever blessings God has bestowed upon thee to enjoy commit them all to his custody, and particularly commit the keeping of thy soul to him." Or, "Whatever it is that thou desirest God should give thee, leave it to him to give it to thee in his own way and time. 

Cast thy care upon the Lord," so the Septuagint, to which the apostle refers, 1 Peter  5:7. Care is a burden; it makes the heart stoop (Prov. 12:25); we must cast it upon God by faith and prayer, commit our way and works to him; let him do as seemeth him good, and we will be satisfied. 

To cast our burden upon God is to stay ourselves on his providence and promise, and to be very easy in the assurance that all shall work for good. If we do so, it is promised, 1. That he will sustain us, both support and supply us, will himself carry us in the arms of his power, as the nurse carries the sucking-child, will strengthen our spirits so by his Spirit as that they shall sustain the infirmity. He has not promised to free us immediately from that trouble which gives rise to our cares and fears; but he will provide that we be not tempted above what we are able, and that we shall be able according as we are tempted. 2. That he will never suffer the righteous to be moved, to be so shaken by any troubles as to quit either their duty to God or their comfort in him. However, he will not suffer them to be moved for ever (as some read it); though they fall, they shall not be utterly cast down.—Matthew Henry

My favorite in this one is the admonition to “stay” ourselves on God…on His providence and promise. I also liked that he reminds us to commit all to Him…the “burdens” and the “blessings”. 

Thy burden, or what thy God lays upon thee, lay thou it upon the Lord. His wisdom casts it on thee, it is thy wisdom to cast it on him. He cast thy lot for thee, cast thy lot on him. He gives thee thy portion of suffering, accept it with cheerful resignation, and then take it back to him by thine assured confidence. He shall sustain thee. Thy bread shall be given thee, thy waters shall be sure. Abundant nourishment shall fit thee to bear all thy labours and trials. As thy days so shall thy strength be. He shall never suffer the righteous to be moved. He may move like the boughs of a tree in the tempest, but he shall never be moved like a tree torn up by the roots. He stands firm who stands in God. Many would destroy the saints, but God has not suffered it, and never will. Like pillars, the godly stand immoveable, to the glory of the Great Architect.—Charles Spurgeon

Spurgeon consistently and continually reminds us to obey what God has commanded here in this verse.  I like that because I always need to be reminded.  “His wisdom casts it on thee, it is thy wisdom to cast it on him.”

Ending with some cross-reference verses…

Commit your way to the LORD,

Trust also in Him,

And He shall bring it to pass.

He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light,

And your justice as the noonday.—Psalm 37:5-6

"Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?

"So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?

"Therefore do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.—Matthew 6:25-34

casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.—1 Peter 5:7

Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down;

For the LORD upholds him with His hand.—Psalm 37:24

Wait on the LORD;

Be of good courage,

And He shall strengthen your heart;

Wait, I say, on the LORD!—Psalm 27:14

My soul, wait silently for God alone,

For my expectation is from Him.

He only is my rock and my salvation;

He is my defense;

I shall not be moved.

In God is my salvation and my glory;

The rock of my strength,

And my refuge, is in God.

Trust in Him at all times, you people;

Pour out your heart before Him;

God is a refuge for us.—Psalm 62:1-8

I have set the LORD always before me;

Because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved.

Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices;

My flesh also will rest in hope.

For You will not leave my soul in Sheol,

Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption.

You will show me the path of life;

In Your presence is fullness of joy;

At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.—Psalm 16:8-11

I will lift up my eyes to the hills—

From whence comes my help?

My help comes from the LORD,

Who made heaven and earth.

He will not allow your foot to be moved;

He who keeps you will not slumber.

Behold, He who keeps Israel

Shall neither slumber nor sleep.

The LORD is your keeper;

The LORD is your shade at your right hand.

The sun shall not strike you by day,

Nor the moon by night.

The LORD shall preserve you from all evil;

He shall preserve your soul.

The LORD shall preserve your going out and your coming in

From this time forth, and even forevermore.—Psalm 121

My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father's hand. I and My Father are one."—John 10:27-30

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."—Matthew 11:28-30

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.—Philippians 4:6-7