Here is a true story I thought you might enjoy.
"Once upon a time there was this little girl who lived near a forest. Each Sunday she went to the little church in the woods. She went to Sunday school at the little church in the woods. In her Sunday School classes she would learn all about God. They played bible games, did bible crafts, and memorized scriptures. The little girl enjoyed going to the little church in the woods. She accepted Jesus Christ and began to grow and grow in the knowledge of the Bible and the things of God. As a teenager, the little girl was chosen to teach adults the Bible. She loved explaining God’s Holy Word.
The little girl traveled out west to work with gang members. She enjoyed working and sharing the Bible with members of the Cripts and the Bloods gangs. But one day, the Cripts and the Blood gang members began shooting their guns. The little girl got caught in the middle of the gunfire and was in danger. But God protected the little girl and she was safe. That incident did not stop the little girl from continuing to help others.
The little girl then went in full time ministry to be the Director of a Youth Center in the inner city. The little girl enjoyed sharing her faith and working with at risk youth. But one day some local teenagers were high on drugs and alcohol and started fighting in the Youth Center. They damaged the property and slashed the tires of the staff. The police had to come to settle them down. The little girl was in danger, but God kept her safe. This did not stop the little girl from continuing to follow God.
The next journey the little girl took was to be a missionary in a land far, far way. She went to a land where the people looked different and spoke a different language; they even ate different food that the little girl was not use to. She had to eat rice for breakfast, rice for lunch, and rice for dinner!.. And the most of the people there never had a bible and they did not believe in God.
When the little girl arrived to the far land, some people mocked her and laughed at her. They even spit at her. A crowd of people yelled to her, “ You (expletive) you don’t belong here. But the little girl did not let that stop her. She continued to reach out and help others. She stayed, and by the time she left, everyone in the village loved her. They gave her gifts, hugs and cried when she left. They said, “Don’t forget us, we love you.” The little girl said, “I will never forget you. You will be with me wherever I go. “
Then the little girl got married. Her and her husband was so excited about having a baby. But then tragedy struck and the baby died a couple months after being born. This devastated the little girl. But she continued on serving God. And God blessed them with two more children.
The little girl began to grow and prosper in all that she did. She lived in a nice big house, had a nice car, a good job. She was living her dream, while also working with troubled youth from New York. But then tragedy struck again, and she lost almost everything. The little girl’s life began to spiral out of control. She hit bottom. The little girl did not think she was going to make it out this time. But God protected the little girl once again and she was safe."
Where is this little girl now? Well,I am the little girl in the story. That’s my story.
You see now I am trusting and believing God that my latter will be greater than my past. How about you?
Just as Pastor Harvill led Cross Street in building the beautiful new sanctuary. That is just a taste of what God is getting ready to do at Cross Street. God is just setting us up for things to come. Our latter will be greater than our past.
Similarly in your life, your latter, will be greater than your past. Meaning the best is yet to come. So hang on in there. Don't give up. Don't give in, stay on your knees, keep trusting God, keep following His will, stay in His word, and stay on the battlefield. Remember saints of God, the best yet to come and your latter days will be greater than your past!
Be Blessed.
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Friday, October 16, 2009
Wrapped Up, Tied Up, Tangled Up...
During Bible Study, Pastor Harvill was teaching about the yoke coming from Matthew 11:28-30. Which says:
28) Come unto me all that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
29) Take my yoke upon you and learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart;and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
30) For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.
This is a passage of scripture I continue to struggle with. For some reason, I want to have the rest, but not the yoke. A friend of mine who is a Theologian and Bible Scholar, and I were discussing this this very passage of scripture about 10-15 years ago. I can remember it as if it was yesterday. And yet, 10-15 years later, I still have not taken Jesus' offer of an easy yoke. I had to ask myself why?
Could it be that I have a problem with submission to authority? Or could it be that somehow I think it is a badge of honor to carry all of these burdens. Could it be that I want to stay loosely connected to Jesus and not all wrapped up, tied up, and tangled up with Him. Or maybe it is that I consider myself a free spirit, an independent thinker, and I want to be free to go and do as I please.
What is it that is keeping me from taking Jesus' offer of an easy yoke? Why am I up worrying all night, when I could be resting- if I just took the easy yoke.
As I pondered over this, I thought about the Kentucky Derby. This is an elite race among horses. These horses are trained and well cared for. Some of these horses live in luxurious stables with the best amenities that money can buy. They are prized possessions. On the other hand, there are horses that live in the wild. They run wild and are untamed. You can not put a saddle on them. All their lives they run in the wild- caring and fending for themselves.
The Kentucky Derby horses all have a bridle/yoke, the other horses do not. The Kentucky Derby horses are kept, well cared for, protected and safe. The other horses are unkept,not cared for, not protected, and not safe.
The bridle/yoke is a tool used for submission, bringing under control, taming. It is used to train, lead, direct; without it the horses would run wild. But once the horse have a bridle/yoke, they can be used to do great things, like win the Kentucky Derby. They become valuable, prized possessions. But without it, they are not useful. The horse may be strong, talented but without the bridle/yoke they in essence are useless because they cannot be tamed.
Similar to us, we also need the bridle/yoke otherwise we too would run wild. Out of control, unkept, unprotected. So you see this bridle/yoke is necessary for the Christian who seeks to be used by God. To be useful in His service, we must have the bridle/yoke on. Otherwise we would run wild and be untamed..just like the horse.
So then, why still am I having trouble taking the yoke Jesus offered. The main reason is : Pride.
The enemy tells us, it doesn't take all that, there is a short cut, we don't really have to take the yoke. We don't need to be all wrapped up, tied up, and tangled up in Jesus. Just being loosely connected is enough.
Only when we get a glimpse of the "Kentucky Derby" Christians who took the yoke and we see they are well kept, well cared for, protected and safe. Then we begin to wonder why our lives are in the mess it is in. Why are we so unkept, untamed, uncared for, fending for ourselves-out in the wild. This is mainly because we have not taken the bridle/yoke. We are out in the wild.
The yoke Jesus offers, is a two person instrument with you on one side, and Jesus on the other side. Symbolizing you submitting to Jesus and being connected to Him. He carries the load as you follow His lead and direction. You are tamed, under His control, disciplined, kept, safe, protected, well cared for.
If you, like me want to now take Jesus' offer of an easy yoke as in Matthew 11:28-30 and you are tired of being out in the wild- unkept, uncared for, fending for yourself..
Let us take Jesus at His word and begin this process today, together... Step by step, one day at a time. Taking the rest and easy yoke Jesus wants us to have.
Email me: atthecrossblog@gmail.com.
28) Come unto me all that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
29) Take my yoke upon you and learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart;and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
30) For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.
This is a passage of scripture I continue to struggle with. For some reason, I want to have the rest, but not the yoke. A friend of mine who is a Theologian and Bible Scholar, and I were discussing this this very passage of scripture about 10-15 years ago. I can remember it as if it was yesterday. And yet, 10-15 years later, I still have not taken Jesus' offer of an easy yoke. I had to ask myself why?
Could it be that I have a problem with submission to authority? Or could it be that somehow I think it is a badge of honor to carry all of these burdens. Could it be that I want to stay loosely connected to Jesus and not all wrapped up, tied up, and tangled up with Him. Or maybe it is that I consider myself a free spirit, an independent thinker, and I want to be free to go and do as I please.
What is it that is keeping me from taking Jesus' offer of an easy yoke? Why am I up worrying all night, when I could be resting- if I just took the easy yoke.
As I pondered over this, I thought about the Kentucky Derby. This is an elite race among horses. These horses are trained and well cared for. Some of these horses live in luxurious stables with the best amenities that money can buy. They are prized possessions. On the other hand, there are horses that live in the wild. They run wild and are untamed. You can not put a saddle on them. All their lives they run in the wild- caring and fending for themselves.
The Kentucky Derby horses all have a bridle/yoke, the other horses do not. The Kentucky Derby horses are kept, well cared for, protected and safe. The other horses are unkept,not cared for, not protected, and not safe.
The bridle/yoke is a tool used for submission, bringing under control, taming. It is used to train, lead, direct; without it the horses would run wild. But once the horse have a bridle/yoke, they can be used to do great things, like win the Kentucky Derby. They become valuable, prized possessions. But without it, they are not useful. The horse may be strong, talented but without the bridle/yoke they in essence are useless because they cannot be tamed.
Similar to us, we also need the bridle/yoke otherwise we too would run wild. Out of control, unkept, unprotected. So you see this bridle/yoke is necessary for the Christian who seeks to be used by God. To be useful in His service, we must have the bridle/yoke on. Otherwise we would run wild and be untamed..just like the horse.
So then, why still am I having trouble taking the yoke Jesus offered. The main reason is : Pride.
The enemy tells us, it doesn't take all that, there is a short cut, we don't really have to take the yoke. We don't need to be all wrapped up, tied up, and tangled up in Jesus. Just being loosely connected is enough.
Only when we get a glimpse of the "Kentucky Derby" Christians who took the yoke and we see they are well kept, well cared for, protected and safe. Then we begin to wonder why our lives are in the mess it is in. Why are we so unkept, untamed, uncared for, fending for ourselves-out in the wild. This is mainly because we have not taken the bridle/yoke. We are out in the wild.
The yoke Jesus offers, is a two person instrument with you on one side, and Jesus on the other side. Symbolizing you submitting to Jesus and being connected to Him. He carries the load as you follow His lead and direction. You are tamed, under His control, disciplined, kept, safe, protected, well cared for.
If you, like me want to now take Jesus' offer of an easy yoke as in Matthew 11:28-30 and you are tired of being out in the wild- unkept, uncared for, fending for yourself..
Let us take Jesus at His word and begin this process today, together... Step by step, one day at a time. Taking the rest and easy yoke Jesus wants us to have.
Email me: atthecrossblog@gmail.com.
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