The Lord spoke these words recently:
"For many of My people who have gone through a time of dishonor and shame, I am bringing them into a season of honor. But before honor is humility."
The Lord spoke further:
"This is a key time to choose to humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, for God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble."
Pride is very subtle, and sometimes we don't even know there is an element of pride in our lives. Furthermore, most people would never admit there is pride in their lives. But nothing takes away the fact that pride destroys, and pride is the major reason why God's people cannot see their destinies fulfilled.
Today, we can learn much from the life of Jacob in the Bible. There's no doubting that the Lord had great plans and a great destiny for him. But before he could see all these come to pass in his life, the Lord had to work in him and humble him first!
Speaking of sibling rivalry, Jacob had competed with his older twin brother Esau since they were in their mother's womb. He wanted his brother's birthright (Genesis 25:29-34), and later on, his brother's blessing (Genesis 27:1-29). When Esau found out that Jacob had taken away his blessing, he became very bitter against Jacob, and he said, "Is he not rightly named Jacob? For he has supplanted me these two times. He took away my birthright, and now look, he has taken away my blessing!" (Genesis 27:36)
So Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing with which his father Isaac blessed him. At that time, Isaac was already old, and his eyes were so dim that he could not see. Esau then said in his heart, "The days of mourning for my father are very near; then I will kill my brother Jacob." (Genesis 27:41) Jacob had no choice but to flee from Esau.
Let's pause for a moment at this juncture of Jacob's life. Have you noticed that in all of Jacob's 'tricky-ness' till that point of time, it actually got him nowhere? Not only did he not receive any tangible inheritance, he even had to run for his life empty-handed! In fact, his next twenty years would be spent as a 'servant' to his uncle Laban! Fast forward, and after a time of humbling under his uncle Laban, Jacob said, "Thus I have been in your house twenty years; I served you fourteen years for your two daughters, and six years for your flock, and you have changed my wages ten times." (Genesis 31:41)
Interestingly, it was only in these humbling years under his uncle Laban that the Lord actually began to bless Jacob in real ways, giving him both a family and great possession! As Jacob moved on, and went on his way to the land God had promised him, he also had to humble before his brother Esau. Having heard that his brother Esau was coming to meet him together with four hundred men, Jacob was greatly distressed, fearing that Esau would attack him and his family. Jacob then said, "I will appease him (Esau) with the present (gift) that goes before me, and afterward I will see his face; perhaps he will accept me." (Genesis 32:20).
The night before the meeting with Esau, something remarkable happened. Jacob was alone by himself when a Man (or the Angel of the Lord) appeared to him, and Jacob wrestled with Him until the breaking of day. When the Man saw that He did not prevail against Jacob, He touched the socket of his hip, and it became out of joint. And the Man said, "Let Me go, for the day breaks." (Genesis 32:24-26)
But Jacob said, "I will not let You go unless You bless me." So the Man said to him, "What is your name?", and he said, "Jacob". The Man then said, "Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel..." (Genesis 32:26-28)
Do you notice that Jacob was so strong in himself (or rather, so full of himself in getting what he wanted) that even the Man could not prevail against him? So much so the Man had to touch the socket of his hip, putting it out of joint, making him helpless! Limping from then on, Jacob couldn't wrestle further, and it was then that Jacob began clinging to Him, and pleaded for blessing!
Now, what does 'limping' means here? It means 'the end of his own strength, confidence, or pride', and 'an acknowledgement that he cannot progress further unless he clings to (and depends on) the Lord'! Do you see something here? Jacob discovered that pride (i.e. relying on self, instead of the Lord) would lead him nowhere! And not until he learned to cling to the Man that he was blessed!
By the way, the name 'Israel' means 'he will rule with God; he will have power (as a prince) with God'. What a change from the name 'Jacob', which literally means 'heel-catcher, supplanter, deceiver'! A name change is a result of a change in character, and Jacob had certainly come a long way!
Through all the circumstances that he had gone through, and by the work of the Lord in his life, he was finally a changed man, and he knew that he needed to cling to the Lord for blessing! He had finally learned to humble himself! And with it, came honor! Not only did he have a new name, he also saw his older brother Esau accepting and receiving him again! (Genesis 33:3-4) Indeed, humility before the Lord brought him into a new season in his life - a season of honor! And the rest is history.
Thursday, August 30, 2018
Tuesday, August 28, 2018
'Humility' and 'the fear of the Lord' go hand in hand
Proverbs 22:4 (NKJV): By humility and the fear of the Lord are riches and honor and life.
The word 'humility' here is 'anavah' in Hebrew, literally meaning 'taking the lowly place'; and in this context, 'taking the lowly place before the Lord'. It speaks of submission to the One who knows better, and who holds our lives in His hand. It speaks of the willingness to lay down our pride, and let Him have the full (and final) say in our lives. Jesus Himself taught us that 'whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted' (Luke 14:11).
How about 'the fear of the Lord'? This expression speaks of 'a deep reverence (or a deep respect) for the Lord'. As you can see in Proverbs 22:4, 'humility' and 'the fear of the Lord' go hand in hand. You can't have one without the other. Why? Because true humility before the Lord is when you 'fear the Lord more than you fear man'!
Humility and the fear of the Lord! The Bible says these are the two keys to riches (including the riches of His wisdom), honor (i.e. He honors you, and raises up many who honor you), and life (i.e. whatever you do, there will be life)!
Some people see 'humility' as 'whatever people tells you to do, or whatever people invite you, you have to oblige', even if the Lord says no, or even if you have no 'peace' inside you to do it. That's not true humility. That's fear of man. As a matter of fact, deep inside every human is a yearning for approval. But it is better to seek approval from the Lord than approval from man. Proverbs 29:25 says, 'The fear of man brings a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord shall be safe'.
The paradox here is sometimes you may seem to be humble before man, but you are actually being proud before the Lord, and sometimes you may seem to be proud before man, but you are actually being humble before the Lord! What matters most is what the Lord says, not what man says! And whatever He says, you do! When the Lord says so, you say so. And when the Lord says no, you say no. Because the Lord sees further (and farther) than man, and is infinitely wiser than man (Isaiah 55:8-9).
Psalm 75:6-7 says, 'For exaltation comes neither from the east nor from the west nor from the south. But God is judge: He puts down one, and exalts another'. The word 'exaltation' here is 'ruwm' in Hebrew, which can also be translated as 'promotion, elevation, or a raise'.
In Psalm 75:6, this word 'ruwm' is written in the context of 'a person's desire for self-advancement'. However, Psalm 75:7 implies that this 'advancement' cannot be gained merely through any outward plan of man, but rather upon humility and the fear of the Lord. Because it is He who puts down one, and it is He who exalts another.
Zechariah 4:6 says, 'Not by might, nor by power (of man), but by the Spirit of the Lord', and 1 Peter 5:6 says, 'Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time'. Indeed, the Lord resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble. The Spirit of the Lord is the Spirit of grace, and it is by His ability and His supply of wisdom that we can be who He has destined for us to be. Amen.
The word 'humility' here is 'anavah' in Hebrew, literally meaning 'taking the lowly place'; and in this context, 'taking the lowly place before the Lord'. It speaks of submission to the One who knows better, and who holds our lives in His hand. It speaks of the willingness to lay down our pride, and let Him have the full (and final) say in our lives. Jesus Himself taught us that 'whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted' (Luke 14:11).
How about 'the fear of the Lord'? This expression speaks of 'a deep reverence (or a deep respect) for the Lord'. As you can see in Proverbs 22:4, 'humility' and 'the fear of the Lord' go hand in hand. You can't have one without the other. Why? Because true humility before the Lord is when you 'fear the Lord more than you fear man'!
Humility and the fear of the Lord! The Bible says these are the two keys to riches (including the riches of His wisdom), honor (i.e. He honors you, and raises up many who honor you), and life (i.e. whatever you do, there will be life)!
Some people see 'humility' as 'whatever people tells you to do, or whatever people invite you, you have to oblige', even if the Lord says no, or even if you have no 'peace' inside you to do it. That's not true humility. That's fear of man. As a matter of fact, deep inside every human is a yearning for approval. But it is better to seek approval from the Lord than approval from man. Proverbs 29:25 says, 'The fear of man brings a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord shall be safe'.
The paradox here is sometimes you may seem to be humble before man, but you are actually being proud before the Lord, and sometimes you may seem to be proud before man, but you are actually being humble before the Lord! What matters most is what the Lord says, not what man says! And whatever He says, you do! When the Lord says so, you say so. And when the Lord says no, you say no. Because the Lord sees further (and farther) than man, and is infinitely wiser than man (Isaiah 55:8-9).
Psalm 75:6-7 says, 'For exaltation comes neither from the east nor from the west nor from the south. But God is judge: He puts down one, and exalts another'. The word 'exaltation' here is 'ruwm' in Hebrew, which can also be translated as 'promotion, elevation, or a raise'.
In Psalm 75:6, this word 'ruwm' is written in the context of 'a person's desire for self-advancement'. However, Psalm 75:7 implies that this 'advancement' cannot be gained merely through any outward plan of man, but rather upon humility and the fear of the Lord. Because it is He who puts down one, and it is He who exalts another.
Zechariah 4:6 says, 'Not by might, nor by power (of man), but by the Spirit of the Lord', and 1 Peter 5:6 says, 'Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time'. Indeed, the Lord resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble. The Spirit of the Lord is the Spirit of grace, and it is by His ability and His supply of wisdom that we can be who He has destined for us to be. Amen.
Tuesday, August 21, 2018
With pride comes downfall, but with humility comes honor
Proverbs 16:18 (NKJV): Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.
Pride is a killer. It destroys. It brings about a downfall. Indeed, it is so important for us to guard our souls against pride. The Bible also says, 'When pride comes, then comes shame; but with the humble is wisdom' (Proverbs 11:2). The root word for this word 'pride' in Hebrew is 'zuwd', which carries the meaning 'to be presumptuous'. In other words, 'seeing oneself greater than who he/she really is'.
In Ezekiel 28:11-15, the Bible says, 'Thus says the Lord God: "You were the seal of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. You were in Eden, the garden of God... You were the anointed cherub who covers; I established you; You were on the holy mountain of God... You were perfect in your ways from the day you were created, till iniquity was found in you."'
Who is the Lord referring to here? None other than Lucifer (who would later be called satan). You see, he was the seal of perfection, filled with wisdom, perfect in beauty, anointed, and established by the Lord. He was a 'cherub', an angel who directly attended to God, a 'picture' of beauty and innocence, and was placed in the garden of God in order to protect it.
Now, what could go wrong, looking at all the good the Lord had endowed him? The Bible says all these came to a halt, at the point of 'till iniquity was found in you'.
What then, was this 'iniquity'? In Ezekiel 28:17-18, the Lord gave the answer, "Your heart was lifted up (became proud), because of your beauty; You corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor; I cast you to the ground... You defiled your sanctuaries by the multitude of your iniquities... Therefore I brought fire... It devoured you, and I turned you to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all who saw you."
As you can see here, Lucifer's iniquities began when his heart became proud. He became so impressed with his own beauty, intelligence, power, and position that he began to desire the glory (and honor) that belonged to the Lord alone. As a matter of fact, the sin that corrupted Lucifer was self-generated pride. This actually represents the beginning of sin in the whole universe! Instead of protecting the garden of God, he defiled it; and instead of leading others to worship the Lord, he wanted to be worshiped! (see Isaiah 14:12-15)
As for Lucifer, because of his pride, he was eternally condemned. But thank God you and I are the children of God, and not mere servants (like Lucifer). We have redemption. We have hope. Because we have our Lord Jesus Christ who died for all our sins.
This topic of 'pride' is definitely not the most popular topic to write. But I am writing here because the Lord is about to bring many of His people into a new season - 'a season of honor'.
The Lord spoke these words recently:
"For many of My people who have gone through a time of dishonor and shame, I am bringing them into a season of honor. But before honor is humility."
People of God, this is a very important time to let the Lord teach us and work in us, especially in the area of humbling ourselves under the mighty hand of God. Let us not follow after Lucifer, but instead give the Lord full right and full say in our lives. For the Lord resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble (1 Peter 5:5).
Pride is a killer. It destroys. It brings about a downfall. Indeed, it is so important for us to guard our souls against pride. The Bible also says, 'When pride comes, then comes shame; but with the humble is wisdom' (Proverbs 11:2). The root word for this word 'pride' in Hebrew is 'zuwd', which carries the meaning 'to be presumptuous'. In other words, 'seeing oneself greater than who he/she really is'.
In Ezekiel 28:11-15, the Bible says, 'Thus says the Lord God: "You were the seal of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. You were in Eden, the garden of God... You were the anointed cherub who covers; I established you; You were on the holy mountain of God... You were perfect in your ways from the day you were created, till iniquity was found in you."'
Who is the Lord referring to here? None other than Lucifer (who would later be called satan). You see, he was the seal of perfection, filled with wisdom, perfect in beauty, anointed, and established by the Lord. He was a 'cherub', an angel who directly attended to God, a 'picture' of beauty and innocence, and was placed in the garden of God in order to protect it.
Now, what could go wrong, looking at all the good the Lord had endowed him? The Bible says all these came to a halt, at the point of 'till iniquity was found in you'.
What then, was this 'iniquity'? In Ezekiel 28:17-18, the Lord gave the answer, "Your heart was lifted up (became proud), because of your beauty; You corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor; I cast you to the ground... You defiled your sanctuaries by the multitude of your iniquities... Therefore I brought fire... It devoured you, and I turned you to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all who saw you."
As you can see here, Lucifer's iniquities began when his heart became proud. He became so impressed with his own beauty, intelligence, power, and position that he began to desire the glory (and honor) that belonged to the Lord alone. As a matter of fact, the sin that corrupted Lucifer was self-generated pride. This actually represents the beginning of sin in the whole universe! Instead of protecting the garden of God, he defiled it; and instead of leading others to worship the Lord, he wanted to be worshiped! (see Isaiah 14:12-15)
As for Lucifer, because of his pride, he was eternally condemned. But thank God you and I are the children of God, and not mere servants (like Lucifer). We have redemption. We have hope. Because we have our Lord Jesus Christ who died for all our sins.
This topic of 'pride' is definitely not the most popular topic to write. But I am writing here because the Lord is about to bring many of His people into a new season - 'a season of honor'.
The Lord spoke these words recently:
"For many of My people who have gone through a time of dishonor and shame, I am bringing them into a season of honor. But before honor is humility."
People of God, this is a very important time to let the Lord teach us and work in us, especially in the area of humbling ourselves under the mighty hand of God. Let us not follow after Lucifer, but instead give the Lord full right and full say in our lives. For the Lord resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble (1 Peter 5:5).
Tuesday, August 14, 2018
A time to ride the wave of the Holy Spirit!
I heard and released these prophetic words recently:
"This is your time to ride the wave of My Holy Spirit! Get yourselves ready, and move with Me! For I am imparting, and I am teaching My people to be in tune with My wave! Catch My wave, and you'll begin to see many things I've wanted you to see!"
As I was contemplating on the prophetic words above, I couldn't help but to imagine a surfer riding the wave in the ocean. Before a surfer can ride the wave, there's got to be wave in the first place. So, let's study a little on the dynamics of ocean waves:
1. Wind causes energy (like how windmill works).
2. Ocean waves get their start when wind blows the open ocean.
3. Ocean waves are therefore 'energy moving through water'.
Note: 'Dynamics' is defined as 'scientific study of the forces that produce movement'.
As you can see above, without the wind, there would be no wave. The same it is in the spiritual realm. If the 'wind' represents 'the Holy Spirit', then the 'wave' represents 'the move of the Holy Spirit'. Who then, is the 'surfer'? You and I, 'the people of the Lord'!
Indeed, the Lord is moving, and the wave is coming! For some of you, a new cycle has begun, whether in ministry, or in some other areas of life! Get yourselves ready, and move with Him! As He moves, you move; and you'll begin to see many things He's wanted you to see!
Sharon (my wife) released these words recently:
"There is a ministry cycle with different stages for everyone. To some, a new cycle has begun. To some others, it is moving from one stage to another in the same cycle. It is an elevation from where you are! Some of you will begin to venture into what you have been gifted and trained. Some of you will rise up to mentor others. Some of you will start working on leaving your legacy."
She then released further:
"Some of My people will only go through one ministry cycle but some will go through many ministry cycles. Do not worry about the span of your ministry stages and cycles. Trust Me, and you will not miss your time and season. Follow My instructions, you will enjoy and fulfill your assigned stages and cycles."
People of God, what is your 'time' now? Elijah knew his time. Elisha knew his time too.
Let's read what 2 Kings 2:1-4 say, 'And it came to pass, when the Lord was about to take up Elijah into heaven by a whirlwind, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal. Then Elijah said to Elisha, "Stay here, please, for the Lord has sent me on to Bethel." But Elisha said, "As the Lord lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you!" So they went down to Bethel. Now the sons of the prophets who were at Bethel came out to Elisha, and said to him, "Do you know that the Lord will take away your master from over you today?" And he said, "Yes, I know; keep silent!" Then Elijah said to him, "Elisha, stay here, please, for the Lord has sent me on to Jericho." But he said, "As the Lord lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you!" So they came to Jericho'.
2 Kings 2:5-8 then say, 'Now the sons of the prophets who were at Jericho came to Elisha and said to him, "Do you know that the Lord will take away your master from over you today?" So he answered, "Yes, I know; keep silent!" Then Elijah said to him, "Stay here, please, for the Lord has sent me on to the Jordan." But he said, "As the Lord lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you!" So the two of them went on. Now Elijah took his mantle, rolled it up, and struck the water; and it was divided this way and that, so that the two of them crossed over on dry ground'.
And 2 Kings 2:9-11 say, 'And so it was, when they had crossed over, that Elijah said to Elisha, "Ask! What may I do for you, before I am taken away from you?" Elisha said, "Please let a double portion of your spirit be upon me." So he said, "You have asked a hard thing. Nevertheless, if you see me when I am taken from you, it shall be so for you; but if not, it shall not be so." Then it happened, as they continued on and talked, that suddenly a chariot of fire appeared with horses of fire, and separated the two of them; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven'.
As Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven, a new cycle began for Elisha. Notice many things are caught, and not just taught. Elisha received his double portion. It was an 'elevation' from where he was in his old cycle.
People of God, that 'Elisha' time has come for many of you who have been 'hidden' by the Lord all these while. There is a release. There is a wave. Begin to ride the wave that's coming! Don't miss this time and season! For the Lord is raising many new generals, majors, captains, and lieutenants that will bring shockwaves in the camp of the enemy. I declare that you are part of this great move of the Lord that's coming. Stay faithful, keep looking to the Lord, and He will bring it to pass. Amen!
"This is your time to ride the wave of My Holy Spirit! Get yourselves ready, and move with Me! For I am imparting, and I am teaching My people to be in tune with My wave! Catch My wave, and you'll begin to see many things I've wanted you to see!"
As I was contemplating on the prophetic words above, I couldn't help but to imagine a surfer riding the wave in the ocean. Before a surfer can ride the wave, there's got to be wave in the first place. So, let's study a little on the dynamics of ocean waves:
1. Wind causes energy (like how windmill works).
2. Ocean waves get their start when wind blows the open ocean.
3. Ocean waves are therefore 'energy moving through water'.
Note: 'Dynamics' is defined as 'scientific study of the forces that produce movement'.
As you can see above, without the wind, there would be no wave. The same it is in the spiritual realm. If the 'wind' represents 'the Holy Spirit', then the 'wave' represents 'the move of the Holy Spirit'. Who then, is the 'surfer'? You and I, 'the people of the Lord'!
Indeed, the Lord is moving, and the wave is coming! For some of you, a new cycle has begun, whether in ministry, or in some other areas of life! Get yourselves ready, and move with Him! As He moves, you move; and you'll begin to see many things He's wanted you to see!
Sharon (my wife) released these words recently:
"There is a ministry cycle with different stages for everyone. To some, a new cycle has begun. To some others, it is moving from one stage to another in the same cycle. It is an elevation from where you are! Some of you will begin to venture into what you have been gifted and trained. Some of you will rise up to mentor others. Some of you will start working on leaving your legacy."
She then released further:
"Some of My people will only go through one ministry cycle but some will go through many ministry cycles. Do not worry about the span of your ministry stages and cycles. Trust Me, and you will not miss your time and season. Follow My instructions, you will enjoy and fulfill your assigned stages and cycles."
People of God, what is your 'time' now? Elijah knew his time. Elisha knew his time too.
Let's read what 2 Kings 2:1-4 say, 'And it came to pass, when the Lord was about to take up Elijah into heaven by a whirlwind, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal. Then Elijah said to Elisha, "Stay here, please, for the Lord has sent me on to Bethel." But Elisha said, "As the Lord lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you!" So they went down to Bethel. Now the sons of the prophets who were at Bethel came out to Elisha, and said to him, "Do you know that the Lord will take away your master from over you today?" And he said, "Yes, I know; keep silent!" Then Elijah said to him, "Elisha, stay here, please, for the Lord has sent me on to Jericho." But he said, "As the Lord lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you!" So they came to Jericho'.
2 Kings 2:5-8 then say, 'Now the sons of the prophets who were at Jericho came to Elisha and said to him, "Do you know that the Lord will take away your master from over you today?" So he answered, "Yes, I know; keep silent!" Then Elijah said to him, "Stay here, please, for the Lord has sent me on to the Jordan." But he said, "As the Lord lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you!" So the two of them went on. Now Elijah took his mantle, rolled it up, and struck the water; and it was divided this way and that, so that the two of them crossed over on dry ground'.
And 2 Kings 2:9-11 say, 'And so it was, when they had crossed over, that Elijah said to Elisha, "Ask! What may I do for you, before I am taken away from you?" Elisha said, "Please let a double portion of your spirit be upon me." So he said, "You have asked a hard thing. Nevertheless, if you see me when I am taken from you, it shall be so for you; but if not, it shall not be so." Then it happened, as they continued on and talked, that suddenly a chariot of fire appeared with horses of fire, and separated the two of them; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven'.
As Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven, a new cycle began for Elisha. Notice many things are caught, and not just taught. Elisha received his double portion. It was an 'elevation' from where he was in his old cycle.
People of God, that 'Elisha' time has come for many of you who have been 'hidden' by the Lord all these while. There is a release. There is a wave. Begin to ride the wave that's coming! Don't miss this time and season! For the Lord is raising many new generals, majors, captains, and lieutenants that will bring shockwaves in the camp of the enemy. I declare that you are part of this great move of the Lord that's coming. Stay faithful, keep looking to the Lord, and He will bring it to pass. Amen!
Thursday, August 2, 2018
Empower, not encumber!
Matthew 11:28-30 (NKJV): "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."
The word 'rest' here in Greek is 'anapauo', meaning 'to rest, to refresh, to be at ease', and it isn't just about finding rest from the stress and pressures of day-to-day life, but in the right context, finding rest from the heaviness and encumbrance of religious rules, bureaucracy, and legalism.
This was the actual reason Jesus spoke these words, "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest". He was speaking to those who had been trying to carry an impossible load, namely the man-made rules and standards imposed upon them by the religious leaders of the day.
The word 'labor' here speaks of 'trying to work it out to the point of utter exhaustion', whilst the term 'heavy laden' speaks of 'a great load being dumped on a person'. As you can see here, Jesus was addressing those who were exhausted (or burnt-out) from trying to measure up to the expectations of the religious leaders of the day!
I heard the Lord saying these words recently:
"Make Christianity as simple as the Bible says Christianity is! Make life as simple as the Bible says Christians are! Empower them, not encumber them!"
As a matter of fact, Jesus came to set us free! Freedom from not just the stress and pressures of day-to-day life, but also from the religious yoke set by men! What then is a yoke? It is a wooden crosspiece fastened on the neck of two oxen to pull together a load when working in pairs. You see, the ox isn't alone under the weight of the wooden crosspiece. That's speaking about you. There's another ox to help him. And that's speaking about Jesus. A yoke is in effect a 'picture' of the 'cross', and Jesus is here to help you carry your 'cross', burden, heaviness, and shame!
Of course, Jesus paid a very heavy price to set the people free! He ruffled the feathers of 'the powers that be' (the religious leaders) of His days, so much so that they sought to kill Him! But He stayed true to His calling on earth, obedient till the very end, even to the point of death on the cross! Today, He is exalted above all names, that every knee should bow, and every tongue should confess that He is Lord!
Hebrews 4:15 says, 'For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin'.
- He suffered assassination attempts, both character assassination and physical assassination (Matthew 2:13-16, Luke 4:28-30).
- He suffered rejection from His own disciples, and even His brothers did not believe in Him (John 6:41-66, John 7:5).
- He suffered sorrows, and wept. Raising Lazarus back to life sealed His very own death (John 11:35, John 11:48-50).
- He suffered betrayal from His own at the Garden of Gethsemane (John 18:1-3).
- He suffered great pains, humiliation, and loss of breath on the cross (John 19:17-30).
Beloved of God, whatever your 'cross', burden, heaviness, or shame may be at the moment, know that there's nothing that He cannot understand (or sympathize with you). Like the ox that carries the weight of the wooden crosspiece, let Him also carry them all for you, as you continue to walk side-by-side with Him. Amen.
The word 'rest' here in Greek is 'anapauo', meaning 'to rest, to refresh, to be at ease', and it isn't just about finding rest from the stress and pressures of day-to-day life, but in the right context, finding rest from the heaviness and encumbrance of religious rules, bureaucracy, and legalism.
This was the actual reason Jesus spoke these words, "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest". He was speaking to those who had been trying to carry an impossible load, namely the man-made rules and standards imposed upon them by the religious leaders of the day.
The word 'labor' here speaks of 'trying to work it out to the point of utter exhaustion', whilst the term 'heavy laden' speaks of 'a great load being dumped on a person'. As you can see here, Jesus was addressing those who were exhausted (or burnt-out) from trying to measure up to the expectations of the religious leaders of the day!
I heard the Lord saying these words recently:
"Make Christianity as simple as the Bible says Christianity is! Make life as simple as the Bible says Christians are! Empower them, not encumber them!"
As a matter of fact, Jesus came to set us free! Freedom from not just the stress and pressures of day-to-day life, but also from the religious yoke set by men! What then is a yoke? It is a wooden crosspiece fastened on the neck of two oxen to pull together a load when working in pairs. You see, the ox isn't alone under the weight of the wooden crosspiece. That's speaking about you. There's another ox to help him. And that's speaking about Jesus. A yoke is in effect a 'picture' of the 'cross', and Jesus is here to help you carry your 'cross', burden, heaviness, and shame!
Of course, Jesus paid a very heavy price to set the people free! He ruffled the feathers of 'the powers that be' (the religious leaders) of His days, so much so that they sought to kill Him! But He stayed true to His calling on earth, obedient till the very end, even to the point of death on the cross! Today, He is exalted above all names, that every knee should bow, and every tongue should confess that He is Lord!
Hebrews 4:15 says, 'For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin'.
- He suffered assassination attempts, both character assassination and physical assassination (Matthew 2:13-16, Luke 4:28-30).
- He suffered rejection from His own disciples, and even His brothers did not believe in Him (John 6:41-66, John 7:5).
- He suffered sorrows, and wept. Raising Lazarus back to life sealed His very own death (John 11:35, John 11:48-50).
- He suffered betrayal from His own at the Garden of Gethsemane (John 18:1-3).
- He suffered great pains, humiliation, and loss of breath on the cross (John 19:17-30).
Beloved of God, whatever your 'cross', burden, heaviness, or shame may be at the moment, know that there's nothing that He cannot understand (or sympathize with you). Like the ox that carries the weight of the wooden crosspiece, let Him also carry them all for you, as you continue to walk side-by-side with Him. Amen.
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