The Beaten Path by Janice M. Wilson

 

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened,

and I will give you rest. Matthew 11:28

Most of us come to Christ beat up and hopeless all the way through.  Life in this world does that to us. It did to Christ too.  It even killed him.

We get tossed around, abused, enslavened to addictions, sucked into heavy debt, sickened, lied to, beaten down, sometimes literally beat up- period. It shows on our faces – that vacant hopeless look of disbelief that life can be this way – cruel, even. It’s unnerving how the world can be so cold.

Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, 

for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰ 

For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. (Matthew 11:29-30)

But when we come to Christ, repent, and become his, we don’t feel the same anymore. He gives us real rest and peace.

In His time, Christ changes us.  We no longer feel we have to try so hard to fit in with the world and achieve great wealth and fame, to accomplish everything and claw our way to the top while stepping on others either-often forgetting who we were in the process.

These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace.

In the world ye shall have tribulation:

but be of good cheer; I have overcome. (John 16:33)

When we reconcile with Jesus Christ, we become one with the King of Kings who loves and forgives us.

I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one;

and that the world may know that thou hast sent me,

and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.

John 17:23

The Father welcomes every single person who repents and believes with a warm hug and blessed assurances, even healing our hearts and bodies too.

He reached down from on high and took hold of me;
    he drew me out of deep waters.
¹⁷ He rescued me from my powerful enemy,
    from my foes, who were too strong for me. Psalm 18:16

He accepts EVERY SINGLE SINNER on this planet- no matter the sin – who are in true confession and absolute surrender to Jesus.

And ye shall seek me, and find me,

when ye shall search for me with all your heart. Jeremiah 29:13

But it is on HIS terms (and thankfully that truth is eternal), not ours!

“Yet your fellow citizens say, ‘The way of the Lord is not right,’

when it is their own way that is not right.

“When the righteous turns from his righteousness and

commits iniquity, then he shall die in it.

“But when the wicked turns from his wickedness and practices

justice and righteousness, he will live by them. Ezekiel 33:17-20

Our terms were never perfect in the first place or we wouldn’t be in the bind we are in today (the world’s a mess, everybody has problems, people are becoming cold and heartless).  Only His way is Perfect!

For it was fitting for us to have such a high priest, holy, innocent, undefiled,

separated from sinners and exalted above the heavens; Hebrews 7:26

We can just be in Christ– that’s it. No middle-men.  No popular preachers with the latest-selling books. No ‘new’ programs that are not new at all.

See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would

be called children of God;

and such we are For this reason the world does not know us,

because it did not know Him. 1John 3:1

We can stop marching, hiking, searching for fulfillment within a world that will forget about you quickly once you’re gone.

With all the hatred, bating, shootings, stabbings, child abuse and pedophilia, sex slave trading and addict we need Jesus more than ever.  You think it’s bad now……….I can tell you it will get far worse .   Don’t blame God for it – it’s our own fault because we chose sin.

The hunger games stop at his feet.   We need Him back in our lives, our families, our souls and in our nations.

If my people, who are called by my name, will humble 

themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways,

then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive 

their sin and will heal their land.  2 Chronicles 7:14