Sunday Morning Podcast May 15, 2016. Bro. Dave Goble.
TEXT: PROVERBS 3:1-6
1 My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments:
2 For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee.
3 Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart:
4 So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man.
5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
Matthew 11:28-30
28 Come unto me, all yet 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.
Mercy, compassion, and truth need to be “plowed” (or written) on the table of our heart (Proverbs 3:3). Is this so with you? Are you bringing this forth in your life? Do you have a love for truth that doesn’t accept any error? If you have bound them to your “neck” (again, Proverbs 3:3), you will be able to be a help to your fellowman. In Matthew 11:28-30, Jesus was speaking to a multitude of different needs, saint and sinner alike. More specifically, Jesus was bidding sinners to give their burdens to Him. Giving over the burden of sin to Jesus, allows souls to rest in His holiness. Jesus asked all to take upon them, His yoke, and not the yoke of sin. Christ’s yoke is easy; His burdens are light. For Jesus’ love can give a grace and peace, that will bring a restful guidance to our heart.
Take Jesus’ yoke upon you. When you do, He will teach you how to plow spiritually. Plowing to rid our hearts of anything that would hinder our rest in Jesus. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart.” Trusting in the Lord can only happen when your soul and mind are yoked with Him. Jesus said, “My yoke is easy, and my burdens are light.” With the yoke of Jesus, life will become balanced and in tune with God. Otherwise our service will be hard. If we’re yoked with Jesus, our life will be one of His power and victory. “Learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart.” But we can only learn, if we have a willing and obedient heart. Then you will learn that you need to always move forward. And that you must be consistent.
Being consistent can help avoid the fear, of being yoked to Jesus. Fear will keep us from plowing, which is what trains the heart. Not plowing will keep fleshly hindrances from being removed from our life. If we become independent with our decisions, and not submissive to God, being yoked to Jesus will not happen. Instead being yoked to Satan and sin’s heavy burdens will.
Being yoked to Christ, will cause us to plow in love and obedience to Him. It’s how God brings us true rest.