When a rope is lax, it is loose, not taut, or stressed. For you and me to relax, we must come again into the special place of having margin in the rope of our lives.
My Christmas Day message is designed to encourage us to tie the other end of our rope to Jesus, not unconfessed sin, idolatry, discontentment, or bitterness. Step one is to be re-born. Just like you were born physically, there is a spiritual birth. In spiritual birth, one is born again. The automatic result of this process is to experience an amazing sense of joy.
In Times Like These: Relax and Rejoice
Do you often find yourself uptight? Are people constantly telling you to “relax?”
Several years ago I was making scrambled eggs. I cracked the eggs, put the egg in the garbage disposal and placed the shell in the frying pan.
My pre-sponse Facebook question, “You know you are too uptight when…”
• My dog won’t stay in the same room with me.
• My mailman walked past my mailbox and said to me, “Bah Hum bug.”
• I said “NO,” to my child and then realized that I never even listened to the question.
• I don’t care if I even celebrate Christmas at all.
• Damaging relationships by pushing people away for no good reason.
• Everything else takes precedence over celebrating the birth of Christ.
The effects of being too uptight, upon the human body, are well documented.
• Headaches
• Ulcers
• Insomnia
To relax is to make loose again.
On the other end of a tightened rope is a heavy object against which the rope is pulled. Deal with the big weights first and you will relax beyond imagination.
1. Un-confessed sin
2. Idolatry.
3. Discontentment
4. Bitterness
Dealing with these four weights is best accomplished through being reborn.
Your spirit comes to new life, free of these tension causing weights.
You may then rejoice! Inside every human being is the God given capacity for joy. That capacity is released when the barriers mentioned above are removed.
Too uptight?
• Be reborn. The Baby born is the Savior
• Relax. The Baby born is the Prince of Peace
• Rejoice The Baby born is the soon coming King
Romans 14:17 shows that these three things are the work of God in your life:
• Righteousness Jesus is Savior Be reborn
• Peace Jesus is Prince of Peace Relax
• Joy Jesus is Messiah Rejoice