“My Yoke is chréstos”
Jesus said His "yoke is easy." (Matthew 11)
"Easy" is the English translation of the Greek word, chréstos
There are seven occurrences for this Greek word in the New Covenant writings, and the eleventh chapter of Matthew is the only place where this word is translated into the English word "easy."
Strong's Concordance Definition: chréstos: useful, gentle, pleasant, kind.
"Come unto me, all that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and you shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke [is] easy (chréstos), and my burden is light." Matthew 11:28-30 (KJV).
"Come to me, all [those] who kopiaó..."
kopiaó: Definition: (a) I grow weary, (b) I toil, work with effort (of bodily and mental labor alike).
"...ALL YOU who labor (kopiaó) and are phortizó..."
phortízō – overload (pack up), causing someone to be (literally) "weighted-down."
"And I will give you anapauó."
anapauó Definition: I make to rest, give rest to; mid. and pass: I rest, take my ease.
"Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and you shall find rest unto your psuché."
psuché Definition: (a) the vital breath, breath of life, (b) the human soul, (c) the soul as the seat of affections and will, (d) the self, (e) a human person, an individual. ~Matthew 11:28-30
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“For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome, because everyone born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world: our faith.” ~1 John 5:3, 4
“I am the LORD your God, which brought you forth out of the land of Egypt, that ye should not be their bondmen; and I have broken the bands of your yoke, and made you go upright.” — Leviticus 26:13
What beautiful promises of God through His Christos (Anointed) Son. So much more precious when we are in desperate need (Luke 7:47). Those are the people God is actually talking to the most. And they are the ones who hear God's gospel the most. Jesus said He came to save those who were lost (Luke 19:10), the sinners (Matthew 9:13) and the sick (Mark 2:17). Aren't they the ones who cried out to Jesus more earnestly than anyone else? And Jesus had compassion and healed them all (Mat 4:23, 12:15; Luke 9:11).
In the book of James, he says something very similar to what Jesus is recorded as saying in Matthew 11. He says, Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. James 4:7
I want to encourage everyone to LOVE God with all your heart like we are commanded to do (Matthew 22:36-40; Luke 10:25-28). Jesus said "My yoke is easy, pleasant, gentle, kind". Therefore we are without excuse.
God allowed His Son to die and shed His blood for us and be a sacrifice for our sins.
And then Jesus raised from the dead.
And He stayed with the apostles for 40 days;
"To whom also he showed himself alive after his suffering by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God:" Acts 1
Then, He gave instructions to His disciples that they would receive POWER.
God's POWER.
"But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Spirit is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth." Acts 1:8
"And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight." Acts 1:9
"Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men." Ephesians 4:8
"And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;" Ephesians 4:11
Now no one may claim these titles on their own. Their love/obedience to God, claim these titles. The proof or fruit being as follows:
"For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:"
Do you push yourself to perfection by crying out to God and seeking Him with all your heart? And do you teach others the same? Do you edify or build up the temples of the living God?
I'm not claiming any title for myself. I only repeat what I myself must follow.
But the promises of God are to those who love Him with all the heart. He loved us first and gave us His Son and offers joint-heir ship to all those who follow Him with all their heart until the very end of their lives. He gave/gives us all, and WE must give all.
When we do this then the promises are given.
And,
"Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low; and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways shall be made smooth;
"And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it." Isaiah 40:4, 5; Luke 3:5, 6
All flesh is offered salvation through Jesus (Yeshua) the Christ (Messiah) and through the easy yoke and light burden He promises us in His Word. All flesh has the opportunity to choose between good and evil, light and darkness, sin or holiness, God or the devil, Heaven or hell.
"Choose you this day who you will serve." Joshua 24:15
In following God with all your heart, and you make a misstep, God chastens you.
And,
IF ye endure (IF IF IF), ye ENDURE His "grievous" chastisement "then" God deals with you as His sons and daughters. (Hebrews 12:7 KJV)
If you go astray, God seeks your return. You should seek your return. Pray and fight your way out of it. Force yourself back into His word and in prayer. Pray God extend mercy to you.
God doesn't leave us. We leave Him.
No one can pluck you out of God's hands. Except yourself!
"And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve Him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the LORD searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek Him, He will be found of thee; but if thou forsake Him, He will cast thee off for ever." 1 Chronicles 28:9
God bless you all with wisdom and understanding in the revelation of God's love and His power. In Jesus' Name Amen
Thomas Richards
You can be saved!
God loves the people in the world so much that He came down to die for us. If God is opening your heart to His message and you feel convicted for your sins which have separated you from a holy God and you feel the need to be forgiven, then say this prayer. This is how I was powerfully converted to the Christ in 1997!
Say, "My Lord and my God, have mercy on me, a sinner. I believe Jesus the Christ died on the cross and shed His precious blood for the forgiveness of all my sins. I believe Jesus raised from the dead and ascended into heaven and is now on the right-hand side of God listening to this prayer. I open up the door of my heart and I invite You in, Lord Jesus. Thank you, God, for saving my soul and I vow to serve you with all my heart which is the first and greatest commandment. Amen."