There’s an hour of persecution coming, an hour of trials and adversities that are going to be put upon the church in America that is being experienced world-wide right now.  We’ve been pretty insulated as a people here, but our turn is coming.  There is a way to prepare.  There is a way to ready ourselves and strengthen ourselves.  We want to look at some of those aspects, in Matthew 11:28, the Lord is speaking and He says, “Come unto me, all ye 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 ye shall find rest unto your souls.  For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”  Amen?

We don’t receive this meekness, this humility that’s so necessary to make us servants, through osmosis.  It’s learning of Him; amen?  It’s a seeking out.  You’ve got to go looking for humility.  You need to seek a servant’s heart.  It’s not just going to drop on you.  It’s not just going to come through the times that we find ourselves in the prayer closet and crying out, “Oh Lord, make me a greater servant!”  It’s up to us.  It’s up to us to choose ways to serve, to look for ways to serve, to look for opportunities to exalt others, praise God!  In our conversations, how can we seek to edify one another?  When that love of Jesus, that true love of God is in us and we’re humbling ourselves, we’re looking for ways to edify one another, to make Jesus big; amen?  It’s just this spirit that’s so attractive.  It draws people to itself.  Oh, we know there’s the supernatural bias and hatred for Jesus Himself.  We would think that someone as pure, and perfect, and loving, and kind, and gentle, and just as He is, would be admired by the masses and draw people to Him, but He said, “They hated Me, and they’re going to hate you.”  So, we’re not talking about how we can entice the world.  We’re talking about how we can edify one another.  This aspect of the ministry, this grace, of humility that works in us to where we become taken up with serving one another, making sure that others are prepared, that they’re going to make it, praise God!  How are we checking in with our brothers and sisters on a regular basis concerning their walk in the Lord?  Jesus says here, “I want you to come unto Me.  I want you to take My yoke, and I want you to learn of Me.”  He talks about that aspect of His being meek and lowly in heart (Matthew 11:29).  Jesus is the example to us, of this meekness, this true, genuine humility which is the source of a servant’s heart.

When we think about the death of someone in our community, some wonder who will replace the missing pillar.  There will not be any pillars missing in God’s temple; amen?  The question is not, “Will a pillar come to replace?”  Many of us like to think we can’t be replaced.  We can all be replaced; amen?  God does not need any one of us.  We are privileged that He sought us, that He took us in with all of our frailties as these earthen vessels and continues to conform us into His image; amen?  Everything that’s marred and all of the things in our lives that—at many times, as we’ve seen vessels made, sometimes that vessel gets just a little bit out of sync.  What do they do?  It’s not acceptable.  They crush the vessel, and start again; amen?  We’ve all experienced crushing in our lives, haven’t we?  As God does that in our lives, it’s to make a vessel that’s without spot or wrinkle or any such thing.  The question isn’t whether the pillar’s going to be replaced.  The question is who’s going to step up?  Who’s going to say, “Here am I, Lord.  Send me”?  Amen?  Because there has to be a replacement.  Are you available?