Dear Peppers 1: God isn't a burden - Tuesday Praise and Pray (for others) March 21, 2023

Sometime ago, I realized I wanted to write a letter expressing some of my thoughts to you Peppers. I just wanted to have a heart-to-heart of sorts. Those can be tough because P&P is structured and I only get to write what the Lord instructs me to share. Recently, however, He permitted me to share some thoughts. I'm calling these messages my 'Dear Peppers' series. I'll drop a few from time to time and I pray they shall be received with the spirit of love with which they are being shared. That said, I wanted to encourage each of us to be careful that we never consider the Lord a burden. He can't become another item we tick off our to-do list. The devil strives to make the things of God, and the Lord Himself, distasteful to us. The enemy wants us to love and cherish the things that God finds detestable while seeing what God desires as tiring. We can't let satan win. Or as I like to say, don't let satan punk you! God gives us so many ways to interact with Him and we need to take advantage of them. We can talk to Him while cleaning our home, watch edifying Christian content, or turn up some praise music and dance with abandon for Him. He also encourages us to fellowship with our brothers and sisters in Christ via church services which now take place in person and online. Then there are gatherings like this which allow us to honor Him as a group with praise and intercession. Plus, if we remember your Jericho Moments and review our testimonies or those of others, we'll know that the Lord is good and worthy of our constant attention. We don't want to be like those He spoke to in Micah 6:3 - “My people, what have I done to you? How have I burdened you? Answer me. God asked that question thousands of years ago and if we are to be honest, we might be just like the people he was talking to back then. We can't afford to be like them. Eternity and where we'll spend it are on the line, so let us ask God to help us to not be like those who see God as a burden. Let us submit to Him and do what He tells us to do so we walk with Him till the very end. Lord, thank You for being my Father. Thank You for Your promise of never-ending love. Today, I ask for Your grace and strength so that I always delight in You. Restore to me the joy of my salvation and empower me to joyfully walk with You to the very end, IJMN Amen. Psalm 37:4 - Delight yourself in the LORD; And He will give you the desires of your heart (NASB). Got any questions about today's post? Fire away. Do you ever feel like God and the things of God are a burden? How do you handle those moments? Do you talk to someone or rely on the Lord, Jesus and the Holy Spirit to get you through. Let's talk and see you later for fellowship (and pre-fellowship chit chat). God bless you.