Are You Yoked with Love?

SOBERING UP THE CHURCH

I would be sweeping the facts under the rug if I didn’t say God is doing some correction in his churches in America.   And maybe correction isn’t a strong enough word.  God is sobering up his church.   This jolt may seem like a revival of sorts but I believe it is something more.  I believe this is a stern warning from God so many can be saved and many won’t be lost due to the circumstances and experiences that may lie ahead.   God is saying I want you to realize what needs to be fixed in your faith in order for it to endure, to be strengthened and to be a light to others.   Jesus is saying, I walked amongst the churches of America and these are the complaints I have against you - just as he did in the book of Revelation.

Reflecting on the past, I have found that I rather be disciplined in the hands of God then suffer anywhere else for when God disciplines his children he combines it with positive reinforcement which is productive, useful and constructive.    

So what does a church do when confronted by God?

First the church has to accept what God has said - and in accepting what God has voiced, the church must repentant and then seek, change and do according to God’s will.

Those individuals who take this word from the Lord to heart can feel overwhelmed by these directives and they will either do one of two things.   They will see the directive as impossible and follow everyone else who don't take the word to heart or they will strive to seek the change that God wants.       

God directive change can seem overwhelming but we have to understand God doesn’t want us to go through this change alone.  God is right there to help and assistance in this change.  It would do us no good to try to do this change without God’s help because part of the process of the change is becoming more intimate and trusting in him.  God isn’t this taskmaster that says, “Here! Go do this!” and leaves you all alone to figure it out all by yourself.  He wants to teach and lead you.

Psalms 68:19.

“Blessed be the Lord, who daily loads us with benefits, the God of our salvation! Selah.” NKJV

Jesus says “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.”  Matthew 11:29-30

Notice he says “My yoke”.  He wants you to be yoked with him.  He wants you to be strapped to him.  He knows the way.  He has prepared the way.  He is doing all the heavy lifting and all you have to do is listen to his coaching and trust in him as you climb the most beautiful spiritual mountains in your life.

I remember being on this rock climb with my step dad and brother as a kid.   We were really high up and I got stuck.   I started to look around and look down.  My legs were in this awkward position where they started to tremble and I really felt like I couldn’t move any further.  A sense of fear came over me.  (I might as well been Peter, who took his eyes off of Jesus while walking on the water.)   The waves – in my case, the height and next place to put my foot and grab a hold with my hand was just too far out of reach.   The fear of falling (even several feet from such a high height) began to wrestle with me and I began to wonder if I would hurt myself if I fell or if I could I pull myself back up if I fell.

I yelled up (probably in a frantic voice) to my step dad, who was a few yards above me on the right, “I can’t move!”   He secured his rope and descended beside me where he calmly and constructively coached me how to loosen up my legs and then swing myself out of that difficult spot.  When I did take that leap of faith and caught hold of that spot (where my step dad told me to come to) I was pleasantly relieved and surprised and my step dad chuckled with joy to see my success.    

God is right there for us.   He is there to coach us and encourage us and finds great joy in the successes that he leads us through which no doubt makes us feel good as well. 

The burden, load, obligation, - “the difficult spot” isn’t suppose to be oppressive in nature but to build us up and enrich our soul  - so we can see what God can and wants to be in our life.  Remember Abraham, Joseph, Moses, Joshua, Samuel, David, Esther, Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego, Jeremiah, Zachariah, Isaiah, Mary, John the Baptist, the faithful 11 apostles, Stephen, Saul who turned to the Apostle Paul and Ananias who was instructed by God to lay hands on the Saul/Paul who he had only known for killing Christians?  They found themselves in difficult spots in their life but God was there to help them all.

These people found themselves in difficult spots but God was there to instruct and help them.

According to the bible concordance the obligations Christ lays upon a believer are fit, useful, virtuous, good, manageable, mild, and pleasant.  These obligations aren't to be carried out by oneself but with God and trusting God.

Submit is to trust and we will either trust in the things of this world or trust what we see in our own understanding or trust in Jesus Christ.   The trust in Jesus must go beyond head knowledge and go to our heart and IF possible… beyond.  For God is greater then the heart.   He is greater then our thoughts.   Captive in Christ is having and knowing your need can be answered and met in Christ because you’re his possession.  AND you knowing your his possession placed yourself in his care.  

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”  Philippians 4:6-7

When we place our trust in God - we don’t lose heart do to the afflictions and circumstances that come in this temporary life.  The afflictions aren't easy in life but God is right there beside you and I and we are not alone.   God manifests himself in many ways to comfort and encourage us.

In Christ we see this life in a new light.  For the world can be an adversary or something we have already won - through or by Christ.   We are over comers in Christ and in Christ alone.

Over comers do as Micah 6:8 says, “do justly, love mercy and walk humbly before your God.”

We are not fit to do God’s work when our mind and heart are tied up else where.  I cannot function properly if I am burden and stressed out.   When this happens it shows my emphasis is in the wrong spot.  Instead of on things down here our emphasis should be on Christ who has overcome and world and is our peace.

The peace of God that comes from being yoked to Christ also allows us to go on a Holy Spirit journey and rise above the storms of life.  This journey is not in our control for that would be burdensome to the Christian traveling through this life.  

If we were in control we could take credit for such wonderful things that occur, which would give birth to pride and ignorance and satisfaction in things down here instead of in God and what God is doing through us.  Contentment and satisfaction comes from doing the will of God.  Again I say be careful that these satisfactions and successes - watch your thinking so they don't become polluted, twisted and worm their way into some arrogant way of thinking.  We simply do and go where he directs bringing God’s goodness to other people’s lives.

Remember the Spirit is spontaneous but not weird.   Think about what the Spirit does in us.   There is no weirdness.   Love is what?  (Note: 1 Corinthians 13:4-7).

God has prepared the way before us -so knowing this there should be peace to walk in that prepared path -knowing he is going to walk with us through it.  We are yoked to Christ.
 

Oh yes like twins that fight in a mother's womb so the Spirit and flesh fight and wrestle inside of you especially in positive Godly change.   Satan comes to kill steal and destroy and manipulate your and others flesh.  He is there to stir up trouble, cause confusion and division.   Have no part in his games.  He doesn't want people to slip away, have their chains fall off, and live out their purpose God has prepared for them.  

He doesn't want you to "live in" the truth.   He doesn't want your heart and mind to experience any uncharted territory in God where God becomes very real and tangible in your life. 

 Don't overreact but be ready in love for those who are also struggling with change -who come against you.  If you are doing the will of God and doing it as directed - they are not against you but God.   Seek God in the ways to love them.  Remember evil and people can't bend God's tracks.   Evil will fail and people who decide not to fulfill their enriching experience God has for them will be replaced.   The flesh fights for what it understands, is temporary and is sinful but the Spirit yearns for what is lasting. (Note: Galatians 5:17-22) Think of the body of Christ as a wheel.  If the wheel is flat on one side it isn’t going to ride very smoothly. 

The Holy Spirit yearns for us to live in our spiritual birth right in Jesus Christ.   He pleads for believers in Christ to live in harmony.  He pleads for us to live outside the box of routine and religious routine and in his power.
   

You choose what you are controlled by (the flesh or the Spirit) knowing what they both harvest.
  

The Holy Spirit is our inheritance.   God who is our inheritances allows us to draw from that inheritance in all our times of need.   God also bestows upon us further blessing as well.   Things we didn’t even ask or dare to hope for but are given….
     

God made it so we can to draw from the Holy Spirit to speak, to stay quiet or be self-controlled, the need for provision, the need for guidance, the need for strength, a need for healing, a need of comfort, a need of confirmation of a promise and so on...   (All those things I need everyday!) He is the gift giver that keeps on giving so we can experience all that God can be in our lives while bringing glory to Him. 
    

We don’t just see with the natural eye but in a “loftier” sense of things in the Spirit of God.  That loftier sense doesn’t come with our human effort but our submission, hope, peace, and trust in Christ.

We can live in the blessed assurance of the kingdom of God, which allows us to share the hope and joy, and peace we have in Jesus Christ despite the things around us.

The Lord in the midst of me is mighty.  Do we truly believe this or do we just say it from our mind not our heart?

ASTOUNDING LOVE
 I was listening to some jazz music on my ipod while I was doing some mowing the other day and this song called “Like Someone in Love” sung by Sophie Milman came on and it reminded me of what our love should be like for the Lord.

When you are in love with someone you constantly have them on your mind.   Love has this sense that just over powers us in special ways.

We do some astounding things for love do we not?

So when God talks about loving Him with all our heart, mind, soul, strength and Him being our first love does this love carry over in the same way in our relationship with him?  You know that love that just seems to carry us as if we were floating through the day,  the love that can't help but make us joyful and grateful even in the worst of circumstances.  The love that has a sense of wonder.  That love that we lose ourselves in?

Do we allow God's love to makes us feel like we are flying high on the wings of eagles?  Are we sharing God's love with others because we know deep in our heart and wholeheartedly how wonderful God's love is?  Are we allowing God's love to just direct our day?  Do we give up our plans and wants for someone we love? Why not for God?

Think about it.  Think about all what seems foolishness we do in love.  Yet we do some astounding things for love.

Do you love Jesus the same as when you first did when you realized the realness of his love? That love that swept your heart clean from the weight of the past and life at that present time.  When you seemed to burn every bridge with your friends and family because you became a "Jesus Freak" over night because Jesus - God become SO REAL to you.   

We must ask ourselves how far have we fallen...  are you living in the same house but you and God are estranged because you lost yourself in other things in this life.  Turn back to him before it's too late.  (Revelation 2:5)
     

God is our prosperity.  God is our inheritance.  God is love.  He is better then the morning light flooding the sky.  Remember falling in love with someone and it didn't matter what others thought - you were going to be with that person no matter what.  That is the way it should be with the Lord.

I encourage you to draw close to God and draw from your living inheritance of love,  his unlimited resources and truly trust Him.  Then you won't be able to help it - God’s light will shine through you and you will do some astounding things in the "name" of love - God.

"When I think of the wisdom and scope of God's plan, I fall on my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth.  I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will give you mighty inner strength through this Holy Spirit.   And I pray that Christ will be more and more at home in your hearts as you trust him.   May your roots go down deep into the soil of God's marvelous love.  And may you have the power to understand, all all God's people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love really is.   May you experience the love of Christ, though it is so great you will never fully understand it.  Then you will be filled with the fullness of life and power that comes from God.  Now glory be to God!  By his might power at work within us, he is able to accomplish infinitely more then we would ever dare to ask or hope.  May he be given glory in the church and in Christ Jesus forever and ever through the endless ages. Amen."  Ephesians 3:14-21