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“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 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. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” —Matthew 11:28–30

We can learn to listen to Jesus by placing ourselves in the stories found in Scripture. This is a foundational part of experiencing prayer as a living dialogue with God.

In my life, I have discovered the intimacy of dialoguing with God.

My wife was going through a difficult period while we were missionaries in Africa, and I sought ways to encourage her. Being an analytical type person, I was not very good at encouraging her. I had a habit of making rational comments that were more criticism than encouragement. I remember one morning devotional time, after having a dialogue with God, when I simply asked Jesus for words of encouragement for my dear wife. I figured that the Lord would know my wife better than I did and would know how to encourage her in this difficult time. I wrote down the words that came to my heart.

Later in the day, I shared those words with my wife, who was much more encouraged than in my previous attempts. My intimacy with Christ led me to a closer intimacy with my wife. I have continued to develop this joyful dialoguing with Jesus to this day. It has brought many fruits to my life and ministry for which I am so grateful to God. 

In my case, I learned to dialogue with the Lord first as a response to a need. What are your needs as you read this today? I propose four possible pathways to dialogue with God: rest, love, forgiveness, and action, each needed at different times in our lives. Which pathway(s) would you like to walk with Jesus this week?

Rest: The text of Matthew 11 invites us to realize that when we are tired or concerned, a first step can be to find rest in Jesus’ presence. A good way to practice that is to realize that Jesus is close to you (see Matt. 28:20). Ask Him for encouraging Scriptures to guide you to find rest.

Love: In our past, some of us have pictured God as a demanding taskmaster. That trait does not represent our loving God, who is also our Heavenly Father. Jesus presented God to us as a loving Father, and He can lead us to His Father’s love. Sometimes we need to simply sense His love and rest in His wonderful presence.

Forgiveness: If we sense that we have missed the mark and struggle to accept that there is hope, we can read the story of the prodigal son in Luke 15:11-32. After reading the story, we can imagine we are the prodigal son returning with a desire to change. From there, let us listen to how the Father speaks to our hearts so that we can ask for and receive His wonderful forgiveness.

Action: If you need guidance in a specific situation, bring that situation to the Lord. Ask the Lord how He sees the situation. Then spend time in silence, letting impressions come to your heart and listening for His voice.

Stéphane Tibi is a missionary serving as Regional Education Coordinator in Eurasia.

Written for Coffee Break.

Last week I spoke with a man who told me he calls this “the silly season.”  He explained that every hour is packed with things that MUST get done.  The longer I ponder this, the more I realize he’s got a valid point.  Is it the right point though?

Christmas is nearly upon us and the pressure is building.  Family members are traveling to see others, presents are still being purchased and wrapped, some of us are trying to decide where to put the tree (or whether its worth the effort).  Whew.  I’m tired now just thinking about it.

And yet, the rush and bustle, the panic and push that accompanied the first Christmas is what this season is truly about.  Joseph was bustling to get to Bethlehem in time for the census.  He felt panic when he saw the bustling crowds that had arrived ahead of him and then Mary began to push. 

Maybe, just maybe, we all need to slow down a bit and reconsider what this season is about.  It’s not about us, or our kids, or friends & neighbors.  Unless of course we are sharing what’s most important with these folks we love. The story of Christmas. 

If you don’t know or remember the whole Christmas Story, we’d like to invite you to join us on Sunday morning at 10:55 am as our children and teens re-tell this wonderful story.  We encourage you to bring your friends, kids and grandparents so they can share in this wonderful reason for our celebration.

Please join us on Sunday morning to hear Pastor Ann continue her message about Jesus in Prophecy.  We are hoping to have our live-stream back up this week and apologize for the sermons you may have missed. 

We are looking forward to seeing you at 10:55 a.m. Sunday.  We’d like to invite you to come back Sunday evening at 6:00 p.m. as Pastor Ann and Gary Hohner share their Israel experiences!  Wednesday we’ll be meeting at the church for a time of caroling in the community. 

“Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” —John 15:4–5

In Jesus’ last discourse with His disciples He said, “Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them” (John 14:21). In Luke 8:21 He said, “My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it.” God expects us to be not only hearers but also doers of His Word (James 1:22). As we learn to practice this in our lives, Scripture shapes us in a pattern of hearing, listening, and obeying. Reading scriptures is a wonderful way to learn and practice the prayerful dialogue of love with God. This manner of dialogue enables us to invite God to guide us in our daily walk with Him.

However, the key for a loving relationship is more than just solving problems and seeking guidance; it is also about rejoicing in the presence of the loved one. The foundation of our faith is our loving relationship with God, which is formed through intimacy with Christ. We often want Jesus to handle our situations and help us choose the right path. Yet, we must also know that Jesus has unique plans for each person. If we learn to listen to Jesus in prayer, He will hear us and do what we ask of Him (John 14:12-14). Jesus desires that we remain in Him and He in us, always growing deeper in a loving relationship.

We should not forget that our dialogue with God is supported by our learning to rest in Him and in His peace that surpasses all understanding.

This is possible through the amazing gift of the Holy Spirit. Jesus did not leave us as orphans but sent the Holy Spirit to teach us everything. God’s love is poured in our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us (John 14:25-26, Rom. 5:5).

Let us celebrate the coming of Jesus in our world! Take time to pray and thank Jesus for coming into our lives. You can also initiate a simple dialogue: “Jesus, where are You in my life, and where do You want to be? What journey are You preparing for me in this coming year?”

Take time to remain in Jesus. In the morning, simply ask the Holy Spirit to fill/refill you completely and guide you through the day. Don’t rush this time with God. Rather, take several minutes to welcome His loving Spirit. Rejoice in His love and rest in His peace.

If you struggle to find peace, ask in prayer if there is something that is hindering you from receiving God’s peace and what you should do about it—perhaps forgive someone (including yourself), repent of some sin, or obey God’s instruction to do something you might have resisted before.

Stéphane Tibi is a missionary serving as Regional Education Coordinator in Eurasia.

Written for Coffee Break.