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His Yoke is Easy


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#1 Meema

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Posted 07 February 2019 - 03:57 AM

February 7

 

My yoke is easy, and My burden is light. (Matthew 11:30)

 

Dear friends, if any truth has the effect of turning you in upon yourself, making you introspective, self-occupied in a spiritual way, that truth has been wrongly apprehended. You may assume the position of the most spiritual, but you are all wrong in your apprehension. This great work which Christ did in His Cross was never intended to make anybody miserable. Of course, that goes without saying; yet there are multitudes who are miserable after trusting the Lord, miserable over the sin question in their lives; and the number, I am afraid, is increasing. Always keep a very distinct and broad line between fuller revelation, deeper truth (whatever you may term it – all that going-on-to-full-growth realm of things) and this whole matter of introspection.

 

Some people seem to think that to become more spiritual we must become more intense and tied-up and occupied with this whole matter of the spiritual life, and really they are the most unbearable people, the joy has gone out of them. I am certain of this, that nothing will ever come to you, however deep, however mighty, however tremendous, by revelation of the Holy Spirit, that will make you miserable. The revelation of Jesus Christ by the Holy Spirit – and there is no other revelation – will never make a soul miserable. There is something wrong if a Christian is miserable on spiritual matters, and it is either failure to apprehend the one great, absolute reality that the victory was God’s and that He won it in Christ, fully and finally, and we are not called to share at all in that battle; or the truth which has come subsequently has been misapprehended and has become something that is a burden grievous to be borne. The Lord Jesus said, “My yoke is easy, and My burden is light” (Matt. 11:30).

By T. Austin-Sparks from: The Battle Which is Not Yours 


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#2 Charles Miles

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Posted 08 February 2019 - 01:24 AM

Absolutely true Meema. Since Holy Spirit is a helper, teacher, councilor, and here to remind us of things Jesus said, why would He make anybody miserable? If knowing you have the Spirit of God dwelling in you does not give you peace and joy, then you just may not have it at all. And I do say "may not". There are sects throughout the world that beat themselves, cut themselves, and do other degrading acts to their body to show that they "share" the suffering of Christ! That implies that His suffering wasn`t enough and didn`t get the job done. To even consider that Christ didn`t do it all perfectly is to diminish His sacrifice. 

 

To tell any other believer that since they don`t understand the Gospel, or don`t understand it the way you do, means they are blasphemers and lack the presence of Holy Spirit, well that is a step to which I just can`t go. 

 

The hour is late here, so I gotta go. I am a blessed man but I`m getting better..

 

Charlie

 

 


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#3 Candice

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Posted 08 February 2019 - 07:13 PM

I agree with Austin Sparks. Thanks for posting. I read his devotional frequently.

I was raised Roman Catholic and can relate to the expectation of misery in some mind sets. That still affects me. I hate admitting it. It’s brain washing. Punishment. God is punishing me because I ... whatever, you name it but comes back on occasion. Particularly with parenting.

If we ask forgiveness, repent (maybe 70 times 7)? the Lord is eager ito forgive. Is that even acceptable. Why should He do it? It is too big for me but He does this!!

Amen Meema
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#4 Charles Miles

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Posted 08 February 2019 - 07:45 PM

There is no way we can understand everything about God`s grace, His love, His infinitude, omniscience, or all His other attributes because our minds cannot wrap around God`s magnitude. I think we are encouraged to study on these things, but a complete understanding will come as we stand before Him as He sits on His throne. 

 

As for asking forgiveness over and over for something done(or not done) maybe even years ago, well I often do wonder about that. God tells us that He will remove our heart of stone and give us a heart of flesh. Then He says He will write His law on our hearts. He will be our God and we will be His people.....and He will remember our sins no more. Does that mean we should go on repenting for the same sin over and over? Might one who is confessing a sin, earnestly asking forgiveness, actually hear a reply of..."I already have forgiven you".  Our repented sins are as far from us as the East is to the West. Jesus took them for us. Past, present, and future. When asked, the Father is quick to forgive and that forgiveness is absolute.

 

Meema, be joyful, be astounded that we have a God who is quick to forgive, has sent His Son to do the work FOR us, and is so powerful that the work is perfect and complete. No longer do we need to shed blood, worry about confessed past sin, or wonder if God meant He would not remember our past sin! Yes, we might remember some stuff we once did or believed, and it makes us ashamed, but praise God, He tells me all of that is not even remembered by Him.  It`s gone!

 

Bless you sweet lady and may God bless you with total peace over any problems you experienced in the past. He sees you as a totally new and righteous person. 

 

Charlie


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#5 Charles Miles

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Posted 08 February 2019 - 07:52 PM

There used to be an edit option here but I can`t find it now. Although Meema wrote the original post, and it is excellent, my last reply was mainly for the comments by Candice. Both these ladies a very special to me and are like personal friends. Both merit my utmost respect, so I just wanted to clear up my post a bit.

 

Thank both of you for being faithful, honest, and searchers for truth.

 

God loves you both,

 

Charlie


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#6 Meema

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Posted 09 February 2019 - 05:31 AM

As I have aged, both in the flesh and the spirit, I understand better that no matter how much I learn I won’t have enough earthly years  in me to know even a smidge of what there is to know. Not possible. So, being practical in my nature, I ponder the point - what then is the outcome of seeking to know more? Merely for the sake of knowing? For becoming a resource for others? For being seen as one who is full of wisdom?

 

The answer is …none of the above. The reason for desiring to know more of God, to add on to oneself the deeper knowledge, and thus experience the Deeper Life, is about gaining the complete comfort of blessed assurance. Denominations based on manmade doctrines are often lacking because, not unlike the first century church, when the Judaizers sought to bring back adherence to the law, the dogma becomes the replacement for Christ, who was the finisher of the old law. Despite Paul’s admonishment, recorded in Corinthians, to avoid this practice, it continues. Sometimes I think this can be attributed to personality types. There are those who simply prefer the letter over the spirit.

 

We all have regrets for past missteps but as we seek to know more of the Who and the What we also learn about the Grace that accepts us, warts and all. We are accepted because the price for our acceptance was paid in full 2000 earth years ago. 

 

But even more amazing is the broad spectrum we are opened up to, which includes that all things come together for good for those who love the Lord. In other words, we mess up, we acknowledge that we mess up, He forgives us, then He uses our messes in ways we could never envision. How much more compelling and relatable it is to another sinner than is a sinner who has repented? 

 

Of course, there is a consequence for being a deep seeker. Solomon described it as ‘with much wisdom comes much sorrow’ and that grief is usually issued by the world that can no longer understand you. It causes isolation. Tozer fully understood that and so did Austin-Sparks. 

 

Charles and Candice, I love you both and I am honored to know that we are related in the spirit because we share the same Father. :-)



#7 Candice

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Posted 10 February 2019 - 10:01 PM

Well, I can not add a single word to both of your responses—you two, Charles and Meema. So, I wish to tell you I love you both. You’ve made the world of difference towards Christ in my life.
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