The Joy of Jesus Comes with Yoke-sharing

“These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full." John 15:11

This past weekend was indeed an enjoyable experience. I experienced Joy in the Journey, which was the theme of the Christian Women’s Retreat I attended. The speaker had written the word JOY many times on her flip-chart. I knew there was an acronym in the word, but what?

Then my new book, Length of Days – Beyond the Valley of the Keepers, which is available on Amazon later today, came to mind. Christy is trying to help an underling understand that all people are equal, but “equal” is not in the underling’s vocabulary. Finally, the mole, or underling, has a flash of insight.

“Oh ... yoke-sharers,” he said as his face spread into a grin. “I’ll carry the bucket on my shoulder if you’ll carry the other one on your shoulder.”

J.O.Y. = Jesus Our Yoke-sharer. He doesn’t have us skirt around the hard-stuff of life; he walks with us right through the mess, carrying our burden on his shoulders to lighten our load.  The trials of life make us stronger; they build our faith-muscles, as we learn to carry our burdens in-step with Jesus. Can you imagine how much harder it would be to be yoked with another and yet we try to control the pace, or try to walk ahead of Jesus, dragging him behind us, or ignoring him altogether which would force him on our shoulders along with the cargo we carry? Bring true joy and strength to your heart by sharing your pain with Jesus. Choose J.O.Y. each and every day. Let us pray:

“Father, God, you have created in me a strong and independent heart. Holy are you, Father and therefore unable to make mistakes. May your kingdom of joy come into my heart this day, in full measure, filled to the brim and running over to touch the lives of others. I give over my free-spirit to you dear Lord. I know, when I relinquish my need to hurry along the way of life, and let you lead, you will take me into glorious places of the heart I could never have access to on my own. You lead and I will walk beside you. Like a great dancer, the movement of your heart will direct me and allow me to lock-step with you. Forgive me when I try to run ahead of you. For each time I do, I choke myself on the yoke I have chosen. You are my partner in life, shouldering the burdens and sharing the joy. Today, I choose yoke-sharing. In the name of Jesus, the Christ, your son and my savior, I pray. Amen”

Doris

"God gives us stories that testify to His love. Let me tell you mine.”

Copyright 2015 Doris Gaines Rapp

Books by Doris Gaines Rapp

Novelette:

News at Eleven (Glo Magazine Jan, Feb, March, and April 2015 – now on newsstands and online at http://www.glo-mag.com/view-our-issues/

Novels:

Length of Days – Beyond the Valley of the Keepers (February 2015)

News at Eleven – A Novel (April 2015)

Others in the side-bar

True Love Never Fails nor Does It Cease

“Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.” 1 Corinthians 13:3

Pure love is the very breath of life, the creative force that sustains all that there is. Two days ago was Valentine’s Day, the day we celebrate earthly love. If that earthly love is not rooted in Heaven, then it can fade.

There are many old hymns that have the power to stir the soul. One of mine is, Oh Love That Will Not Let Me Go by George Mattheson. Every verse is wonderful and it’s hard to choose just one. I’ve printed them all here. They’re in the Public Domain.

O Love that wilt not let me go,
I rest my weary soul in thee;
I give thee back the life I owe,
That in thine ocean depths its flow
May richer, fuller be. 

O light that foll’west all my way,
I yield my flick’ring torch to thee;
My heart restores its borrowed ray,
That in thy sunshine’s blaze its day
May brighter, fairer be.

O Joy that seekest me through pain,
I cannot close my heart to thee;
I trace the rainbow through the rain,
And feel the promise is not vain,
That morn shall tearless be.

O Cross that liftest up my head,
I dare not ask to fly from thee;
I lay in dust life’s glory dead,
And from the ground there blossoms red
Life that shall endless be.

When the Cherokee were force from their land in North Caroline in October 1838 and had to walk to Oklahoma, arriving in March 1839, they took many pots of fire from the last great council flame. One reason was for ceremony and one was because they simply had no matches. Praise God, the original fire survived in the homes of hundreds of people who survived the Trail of Tears and settled in Oklahoma. In the 1950’s coals from that fire were taken back to the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Nation in North Carolina. Then, in April 1984, ten Cherokee braves returned the flame, by relay, from North Carolina, to the sacred Council Ground at Red Clay.

We have walked our own treacherous journey in many ways. The only energy that kept us going and ignited our steps, was the flame we received from God, the life energy of Love. As an act of faith and love, let today be the day we ‘yield our flickering torch’ back to the Lord. By yielding the light we carry as we walk the remainder of our path, whether that is a long journey or a short stroll, our way will be ‘brighter and fairer’ than any blaze we can imagine. Let us pray:

“Holy Father, love divine, ‘I trace the rainbow through the rain’ and remember your promise that you will walk with me. Today I ask for your presence with me with each step I take. Forgive me when you have carried me along and yet I didn’t even know you were there. I complete your promise of love, by recognizing you in my life and giving back the love you have given me. I ‘lay in dust life’s glory dead,’ oh Father, giving all glory and honor back to you. You are the source, not the servant. I pray in the name of your son, whose name was and is and always will be—Love—who came to earth as Jesus, the Christ, and my Savior. Amen”

Doris

"God gives us stories that testify to His love. Let me tell you mine.”

Copyright 2015 Doris Gaines Rapp

Books by Doris Gaines Rapp

Novelette:

News at Eleven (Glo Magazine Jan, Feb, March, and April 2015 – now on newsstands and online at http://www.glo-mag.com/view-our-issues/

Post-to-Phone Messages

Prayer for Release of Anxiety

Novels:

News at Eleven – A Novel (April 2015)

Length of Days – The Age of Silence

Escape from the Belfry

Smoke from Distant Fires

Hiawassee – Child of the Meadow

Length of Days – Beyond the Valley of the Keepers (February 2015)

Collection:

Christmas Feather, one of eight short stories in a wonderful collection titled, Christmases Past

Children’s:

Lincoln’s Christmas Mouse 

Non-Fiction:

Waiting for Jesus in a Can’t Wait World – Advent 2014

Prayer Therapy of Jesus

Promote Yourself

Valentine's Day Week

“Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away.” 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 (NIV)

Do you know that kind of love? No? Then seek Jesus because he brought love to earth over two-thousand years ago.

Too many times, we measure the love of a spouse, family member or friend by this Bible passage. "They don’t love me because they did this or said that.” Divorce is too often the next step. With children, I hear, “Dr. Rapp, my husband says we should not talk to our son/daughter anymore. They failed our expectations.” I remind them that they will sever any opportunity to influence their child’s life again if they break off contact.

What we fail to realize, the description of love in 1 Corinthians is a blueprint for the love WE should show OTHERS. Then your spouse, children or friend will say, “I can always depend on their love.”

Valentine’s Day is not about a heart shaped candy box; snakes in Ireland; or how much someone loves us. Valentine’s Day is all about how much, and in what way, we love others. Read the Bible passage again. Can we use February 14, Valentine’s Day, as the day to change our own behavior and thinking? Strive to love in Christ’s way of loving, as you strive to live in the life-changing way Christ taught us to live. Let us pray:

“Holy Father, love divine, shine your light on this heart of mine. Mold me; make me into your loving agent, that I may change my little corner of your world. For this day, Father, fill me to overflowing with the love that Christ had. With that love he changed the whole world. Listen to my heart for the names of those near me who also need an in-flooding of your love. You created the entire world with the sound of Love, Father. I believe you can recreate my world, and the lives of those around me, with the Love that was born in Bethlehem so long ago.  Holy, holy, holy is your name and the name of your son, Jesus Christ, in whose name I pray. Amen”

Doris

"God gives us stories that testify to His love. Let me tell you mine.”

Copyright 2015 Doris Gaines Rapp

Books by Doris Gaines Rapp

Novelette:

News at Eleven (Glo Magazine Jan, Feb, March, and April 2015 – now on newsstands and online at http://www.glo-mag.com/view-our-issues/

Post-to-Phone Messages

Prayer for Release of Anxiety

Among my Novels:

News at Eleven – A Novel (April 2015)

Length of Days – Beyond the Valley of the Keepers (February 2015)

Groundhog Day Déjà vu

“You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds;  and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.” Ephesians 4:22-24 

Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow today, so that means, in rodent terms, six more weeks of winter. Put that furry-fellow aside and remember, since the first day of spring is not until March 20, six weeks from now, “Phil’s” ability to predict the weather is just wishful thinking. If you have seen the movie, Groundhog Day with Bill Murray, you know the day repeats itself over and over, the same each morning, until Murray’s character learns some vital lessons of life.

We are taught in Ephesians to be made new by a change in the attitude of our mind. Yet, we live out our lives, as if it were Groundhog Day every day. If you’re like me, however, that feeling of déjà vu, “I’ve experienced this before,” doesn’t occur. We stumble in the same water puddle and never think to step aside.

Today is your lucky day! I invite your to re-read Ephesians 4:22-24, put off your old life and put on your new self by changing your attitude. God intended you to be the very best you he had in his mind and heart. Yet, we continue to hang our head and choose to re-live the mistakes of yesterday, over and over again. The point is, “What are you supposed to be learning from your mistakes?” When you tackle that question, you will then be able to step into your New Self, in true righteousness and holiness. Since fear is the basic emotion, you can start there. Turn your fear over to him and he can help you break the old patterns of your life. Let us pray:

“Father God, Lord of my life, holy is your name — that name above all names. I ask this day that I may step into your kingdom here on earth, so that your will may be done within me. Today, Father, please rid fear from my life. Shake fear’s grip on me and send it as far from me as the east is from the west. Forgive me when I seize fear back from your grasp because living a life of fear is more familiar than living a life of holiness. I claim your promise in Ephesians and turn fear over to you and take on an attitude of victorious living. For this new life, I pray in the name of Jesus, your son. Amen”

Doris

"God gives us stories that testify to His love. Let me tell you mine.”
Copyright 2015 Doris Gaines Rapp

Books by Doris Gaines Rapp

Novelette:

News at Eleven (Glo Magazine Jan, Feb, March, and April 2015 – now on newsstands and online at  http://www.glo-mag.com/view-our-issues/ - page 50-51

Post-to-Phone Messages

Prayer for Release of Anxiety