Matthew 11:30

So, you know how sometimes, you read the Word and you're just blown away. You read something you've read 900 times before and suddenly it jumps off the page at you. Somehow you have revelation that you want to share with the whole world... ? Yeah well, this is one of those moments... You may get it, you may not. It might be something that was for me at that particular point in time, but as I'm learning, there is power in testimony. There is power in sharing with others. Whether it's something that you experienced or learned, it's important to share! So, here it goes... The revelation of Matthew 11:30.

The scripture Matthew 11:30 says this: For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.

Pretty cool scripture the way it reads, but when I read it, I read it as: My burden is light, as in illumination, not weight. Are you with me? In that moment I didn't even read it or see it as we “normally” read it. It was like a whole new Bible verse. As I said, a scripture many of us have read a hundred times.... but let's take a closer look, viewing it from this new perspective.

Now, please bear with me, this is not by any means exegetical in nature. I have written many an exegesis paper, and that is not what I'm going for here. I'm simply using the words for what they are in the English language and sharing what the Lord impressed upon my heart in the moment.

Alright, so the word yoke. Let's start there. If you look at the synonyms for yoke you find the word burden. I thought that was interesting for starters. But the definition of yoke is; a device for joining together, bond. Other synonyms include, coupling, tie, ligament, and burden as I said.

When you look up the word easy, it says; not hard or difficult, effortless, free from pain, discomfort, and worry.

When you look up the word burden it says; that which is carried. (and a few other things) :) And the synonyms were, care, charge, or duty.

And finally, the word light; makes things visible!!

So first of all, the yoke is what ties us as believers to Him. We are joined to Him, bonded to Him. His burden is then our burden, it's our load to carry. We are one with Him, one with the Body of Christ. But in this moment let's not look at it as that kind of load to bear.... Let's “rewrite the scripture” so you understand (hopefully) how amazing this is!!

My yoke, My bond, the ligament that joins us together, is without pain or worry, and our duty, our charge together, is to make things visible.

Yes I get that it “makes more sense” that it means light as in weight when you're talking about splitting up the load that's carried so to speak. But I think we forget that when He is in us, when He is part of us, once we are believers, and we are His sons and daughters, and we are JOINED to Him, we are LIGHT. We are called to be salt and light. We are to make things visible. We are to shine! Again maybe I'm the only one getting some hard core revelation here, but I'm just blown away!

I heard someone this week say, It's not about the darkness, but the absence of Light. We often times focus too much on the enemy and what he's doing or trying to do in our lives, when what we should be doing is illuminating. Speaking about the good. Speaking about the blessings. Being who we're CALLED to be!! The only way darkness exists, or can be present is when we take the light out, or shut it off. It's the same spiritually speaking! Let's not forget who we're joined to. He already said it's easy, right? (see above if you missed the answer!) Let's see the darkness dissipate with all the Light out there!

On a side note: I thought it was equally amusing that two of synonyms listed for burden were “Herculean task” and “thorn in one's side”!! The first just made me laugh but the second got me thinking.... (2 Cor 12:7) I'll save that for another time!! :)

Face Time

Another quirky “A-HA” moment! And for those of you wondering... the answer is Yes! Yes, every chance I get, I'm looking for opportunity to learn, correlate, compare, and blog... No I don't make stuff up just so I can write. If something happens to me, I always ask, “Is there a lesson to be learned here?” Sometimes there is and sometimes there's not. Sometimes it's just a funny story or silly situation. The goal is not to be super spiritual or weird, but just to share life with you. Share experiences I have and hope that it teaches you, speaks to you or just brightens your day.

Today, I was working on the headset taking orders in drive-thru and doin' my thing! Here is something however, most people don't know or realize. The person taking your order (at least at Chick-fil-A) is not usually the person who takes your money at the window and hands you your food. Today, I got done taking someone's order and my first thought after I was finished typing it all in was, “I'm so glad I don't have to deal with them at the window.” Now, first of all, I realize that sounds bad. However, it gets super frustrating when people are rude. You can easily get flustered, so sometimes, you're just glad you even got the order in the computer right! But it dawned on me that often times when people get to the window, they think that the person taking their money is who took their order, so they will start referring to the conversation or say something like, “Did you get it all in there right?” Now let me also say, just because I'm glad to be done with some people after ordering doesn't mean I don't have compassion for the person who then has to deal with them at the window, I'm just grateful to have a break from their attitude!! And I've had my fair share of time working in the window as well! Anyway, my point to all this....

I think sometimes we forget that, as believers, we deal with people every day. We have opportunities to speak into peoples' lives, to help them etc. But after they encounter us, they will have encounters with others after us. Are you following me? When people come through drive-thru, if I'm the one working the window and I get attitude about the way the order was taken, I'll say something to the effect of, “I'm very sorry. I was not the person who took your order but it will be my pleasure to make any corrections and get you just what you need.” As a Chick-fil-A employee I represent the company, and I want to make sure the customer has the best experience possible. It's the same as believers, we want people to have the best possible experience or encounter. Let me take it a step further. We are sons and daughters of a MIGHTY KING. If we are representing royalty, what do we want people to see or experience? Yes people are going to be rude, and we're going to sometimes think, man I will be glad when someone else has to deal with this person. Or, maybe even pray, “Lord can you please send someone else to help this person. I just can't do it.” But just as it is my job to smile and say my pleasure, even if it pains me, it's also my job to smile and love my neighbor as myself..... even if it pains me. And trust me, I have definitely asked God, or begged God rather, to let me be released of certain things. But, I have to remember who I represent, whether it's in person (like the employee at the window), or if it's just with my voice (like the employee on the headset). I don't want anyone to get a wrong impression, rude attitude, or complain on account of me. And on the flip side, there will be times we encounter people who've had experiences with believers before us and we have no idea how the exchange of communication was with the person prior to us, but we should want to make their experience the best one possible. Am I making sense? :) I want to represent Our Father, with the utmost respect and gratitude. I want others to see His love and compassion, His forgiveness and mercy. Just as an employee I want to do a good job, to serve people with respect and kindness. We may never know what kind of journey a person has been on, where they've been before we meet them; and we may never know where life takes them after we meet them. Here's to facing those people we may not want to face and doing our best to represent!  

Sharing in the Learning

Hey folks! Hope you are enjoying the beginning of June and your journey into summer!! I'm loving the weather lately, although I must say, if you've seen my facebook page at all you can tell I desperately miss my nephews and the Florida beach for sure!! I continually change my pictures to reflect that! My heart hurts being away from my family but as you will see in this entry God has been doing mighty things in my life!!

Let's see, where shall I begin...? I wanted to take this entry to share some things I've been learning over the last couple of weeks and we'll see where I end up!!

I have been getting plugged in over the last few months at a local ministry called Yasha and also a community ministry called Lifetree. I've been active in deliverance classes at Yasha and leading some great discussions at Lifetree. Here are some nuggets from Yasha recently. I hope they encourage and edify you:

1. What you come into agreement with, you empower!  
   These are powerful words and I pray that you really ponder and pray about them. It is so true. When we come into agreement with things said over us, or done to us, we empower that in our life. Which means we are also empowering someONE... Who is that in your life? What is that in your life??

2. There is power in testimony. 
  Those of us who went to Mexico, we heard these words from Dennis. The power of sharing. In one of our lessons we learned that by sharing/speaking testimony, you create an atmosphere of honor and honor produces life! When we create an environment of honor we create an environment for signs, wonders, and miracles. This I believe is coupled with walking in holiness. They go hand in hand. (1Thess 3:12-13) It's not just about honoring the Lord, but others around us. When something happens in your life, share it. Speak about it, no matter how small you think it may be. We are the body of Christ and we need one another. Sharing our lives is part of that.

3. Bitterness is unfulfilled revenge. ("Vengeance is mine" says the Lord. (Deut. and Heb.))
  We don't settle our own accounts. When we are wronged there is a "debt", an unpayable debt. Nothing could adequately fulfill or take away the pain or wound. Forgiveness, is releasing the person from that debt. Do they "owe" you? We say to people, you "owe" me an apology. That's probably true, but whether or not we get it, is not really the issue. When we hold on to the pain, the wound, etc. and expect something in return or hold on to bitterness because we think the person or people "don't deserve" forgiveness, we are allowing them/the situation to torment our lives. When we don't forgive we attach ourselves to that offense and it then has power over us. Forgiveness is not about the offender, it's about ourselves. Freeing ourselves from the power it has over us. It doesn't mean you have to like the person or whatever was done to you, but you choose not to allow it to control you or have power over you. This is huge and never easy, but necessary to grow in our walk with the Lord.

4. We are seated in the Heavenlies.
  This means now folks. It doesn't say you will be. It says, But God.....raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that...... (Eph 2:4-7) Maybe this doesn't strike anyone else the way it does me, but there is power in that!!  I think we forget the power that is within us, at our finger tips. We view Jesus and Heaven as things of the future, but they are among us now. We walk a spiritual life, we are spirit beings, don't miss out on what is yours to be had, RIGHT THIS SECOND!!

I could share more, but let me just end with this. And again, maybe this won't hit home with you as it did me, but I pray that you get a hold of this.

God has COUNTLESS good thoughts toward you!

Read Psalm 139 guys, seriously. It's one of my favorites, but lately it is becoming ever so clear, that He doesn't miss a beat. He hasn't created us and forgot about us. He knows your name and mine. He knows our every move. It's completely and utterly fascinating (and I'm gonna go with mind boggling) to think about the scripture that says; "Heaven is My throne and the earth is My footstool." (Is. 66:1) I'm blown away that I, among billions of others reside on what is the Lord's footstool, yet He cares about me in the same manner He cares about you. He keeps track of each one of us, and loves us all. It's a gift. The love, the relationship, the pardon of sin, the desire to be one with us, we have only to say "yes". To receive the gift. It'll be there waiting until you unwrap it, and I hope you do. 

Be blessed as you finish out your week and stay tuned. I have more news to share, but I have a few meetings to get through first. God is opening doors and preparing me for a new chapter. 

To Him be the Glory. Gloria a Dios!