SOUL TALK SERIES # 2 - SECRETS TO A RESTED SOUL

I awakened on a recent night with too much of the night left to be happy about it. But the problem was my mind was flitting about wildly like a bee from one flower to another. My soul was racing, not allowing time to consider one assignment, situation, problem or need before throwing others on the table. I began to do some serious soul-talk. I began the task of flagging my soul down to a walk and finally to a stop. Once I got my soul’s attention, we had a serious visit. (By the way, does this sound a bit schizophrenic to you? Whatever your response, stay with me!)

I had already allowed my soul to overload my plate before I was sufficiently awake to arrest it. Hmmm . . . do your reckon a rested soul must first be an arrested soul? Think about it but keep reading,

I tried several methods of calming my erratic soul until above all the tried ones came a well-known Scripture in Matthew 11:28-30. It was as if Jesus Himself had come into the room. I sounded the words with my own voice but I heard the voice of Jesus in my spirit immediately relayed to my soul. The effect was both immediate and dramatic.

My soul stopped alive in its tracks and listened. About halfway between sleep and being awake I experienced an encounter with Jesus Christ. When I awakened I quickly rehearsed what I heard lest, as many times before, I would forget completely (a very important measure in retaining details in dreams). Allow me to share with you what I will treasure for the remainder of my life and share wherever and whenever I can. As I recount what happened during my past-midnight tryst (from about 2:30-5:30) these are the flashpoints:

Matthew 11:28-30

“Come unto me all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you and learn from me and you will find rest for your souls.
For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
There was a call from Jesus, “Come . . .”

There was a coming to Him on my part; though half asleep I consciously went to Jesus.

There was a connection as I chose to take his yoke.

There was a consciousness of both his presence and peace, a rested soul.

There was a centering on the final statement in the passage, “My yoke is easy and my burden is light.” I will add one other thought.

There will be a continuity of this experience. It was not given as a single episode but as a lifestyle. That will be intentional.

There is much more but I will finalize the report for now by saying that burdens are inevitable but should never be borne alone; they must be borne as we are yoked to Jesus! His yoke does not chafe; the burden, now his, is light. I will never forget this night.

SOUL TALK SERIES # 1

This is a new series of blogs under the general title: SOUL TALK SERIES. As I launch this project into blogdom, I am reminded that I do not know what the word "blog" means. Looked it up in a big, thick dictionary and it ain't there. It is a clearly a third millennium word. Well, I guess I will learn about it on the way.

SOUL TALK SERIES # 1

Everybody does it! It seems inevitable and can be productive. We all talk to ourselves and the older we get the more prone we are to do it aloud. My mother-in-law , rest her soul, took audible soul talk to a new level, she argued with herself. I sometimes thought that if she was two people they would come to blows.

Whatever you think about it, it seems quite normal, so don't let someone convince you that because you engage in soul talk, you're going crazy (though there may be other signs that need attention)!

David, in the Psalms, engaged in soul talk. He was simply having a sensible, up-to-heaven (opposite of down-to-earth) talk with his soul when he said, "Soul, bless the Lord, praise His name, don't forget His multiple benefits: He forgives, heals, redeems, crowns you with love and compassion, satisfies your desires with good things and renews your strength like the eagle's. (Psalm 100)." All the while he is talking to his inner self, his soul.

Earlier in the Psalms David is heard, hauling his soul into counsel, demanding rather curtly, "Soul, why are you cast down; why are you so perturbed within me?" He asked the same thing three times in Psalm 42 and 43. It is evident here that he had heard a message from his soul he had no intention of taking lying down. So up he arose and sternly counseled his own soul, "Put your hope in God!" This outcry was a result of his realization in Palm 42:6 that "My soul is downcast within me."

We need to deal quickly and decisively with the case of the downcast soul. Don't put up with it, confront it and command it to face the truth that God and God alone is our hope.

Suggestions: Start right now listening to your soul and take nothing as final that is not good news or does not lead to good news. Demand an answer when discouragement, depression, disappointment or even disdain begin to infect and affect your attitude or disturb your inner peace.

Bottom line: If we are going to engage in soul talk, and we will inevitably, let's do it right. There is a key verse that will help us get started right, Luke 21:19. Though it is translated in varying ways, I love to translate it, "With stubborn endurance, get hold of yourself." I take that to mean, "Declare yourself in soul control" or "take full control of the inner you", all of this, of course, under the jurisdiction of he Spirit of God. Demand right answers, control the conversations and keep asking until you get a proper answer. The next time you use the familiar complaint, "Oh, my soul!", remember you have just addressed the seat of most of your problems, a soul out of control.' Make you soul subservient to His Spirit in you!

Until next time, happy soul talk!

Jack Taylor

Wonderful days in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, West Africa

This is my first post of my blog about our trip to Africa. We had a great day Friday with the president of the country who was as excited about being there as we were to have him. He was moved by our love and good words toward him and the warm reception of the great crowd.

We kicked off a stadium-like meeting in the field across from the church (the future home a 10,000 student university and a 200 bed hospital) with an evangelism and deliverance services last night and all day today. I preach again at a service Sunday Morning with the ordination of pastor and ministerial staff, sharing the time with Ralph Neighbour, Jr.

Friede is fine and ministered briefly in the deliverance tent tonight and taking thousands of pictures. We love the people of this country.

The launch of a massive expansion program yesterday to build hospitals and schools throughout the country and other nations while expanding the ministry locally will be the largest single project ever in history for a single church.

This will prove a strategic week with Ralph & I recognized as fathers of this most remarkable work with upwards of 200,000 members throughout the world and thousands of house churches.

6,000 ministers (mostly lay people) care for every imaginable need and witness opportunity. To watch the church in action is a most breathtaking experience.

We close with the massive ordination service in the morning and move three hours up country to the city of Yamousoukro for staff training centering on the Kingdom of God. We will leave the country Friday evening and be home late Saturday.

Tonight we were informed of the breakdown of one of the country's crucial power grids and may not have electricity where we are going but are assured that God knows what it is all about and will make a problem a blessing!

Pray about this and thanks for all the prayers thus far! You all are wonderful. Stay tuned for more postings of this fabulous trip...

Blessings!

Jack, Friede and Son Tim (Your missionaries on assigment in West Africa!)

Check Tim's blog on the trip at www.sonslink.com