“The Israelites are…like a STUBBORN HEIFER. How…can the LORD pasture them like lambs in a meadow?” Hosea 4:16 NIV

Dear Overcomers:        

Once upon a time, there was a heifer named Molly who lived on a little dairy farm. Now Molly had a harder life than some of the other heifers, BUT IT WAS HER OWN FAULT! See, Molly was a STUBBORN Heifer!

Would she stay inside the fence that was there for her protection? Of course not! She found ways to crawl through it, which meant she got a yoke attached to her head – basically a sturdy Y-shaped branch that made it impossible for her to get her head outside the fence. It was a nuisance; but a nuisance made necessary by Molly’s STUBBORNESS!

Other times, they would try to get Molly to move, and without serious coercion, she would just plant her STUBBORN feet! Then she refused to stand still to be milked, and started charging toward the door. The farmhand – whose job it was to keep the cows inside that little shed – quickly slammed the shovel across the door to keep her in. Well, Stubborn Molly ran into the shovel and lost part of the cap on one of her horns! But from that day on, Molly went right in and stood there quietly for milking.

“In the face of an obstacle which is impossible to overcome, stubbornness is stupid”

Hosea 4:16 is God’s description of some of His ancient children, and to be honest, some of His CURRENT ones as well. Our text says, “The Israelites are STUBBORN, like a STUBBORN heifer. How then can the Lord pasture them like lambs in a meadow?”

I’ve come to understand, IN EVERY GENERATION, God has problems with STUBBORN HEIFERS! And like Molly, Stubbornness brings on a lot of Unnecessary Hardships. Which makes me wonder if our Heavenly Father looks at us, and thinks, “Yet another generation of Stubborn Heifers!”

“GOD said to Moses, “I look at this people—oh! What a STUBBORN, hard-headed people! Let me alone now, give my anger free reign to burst into flames and incinerate them…” (Exodus 32:9-10 MSG). I don’t know about you, but that statement would’ve delivered me, quickly, from Stubbornness!

Isaiah warns, “‘Woe to the OBSTINATE children,’ says the Lord, ‘to those who carry out plans that are not Mine’” (30:1). The word ‘Obstinate’ means ‘Stubbornly Refusing to Change One’s Opinion or Chosen Course of Action; Hard to Deal With or Overcome.’ It’s Latin Origin ‘Obstinatus’ means ‘Persist’. And if the truth be told, ALL of us (I know many may not think so) but ALL of us have Persisted at some point in time to go in a direction that God said is going to lead us over a cliff, and guess what? Our friend the “Road Runner” always manages to stop himself before going over, but cousin “Coyote”, like a family of fools, we head over the cliff with him every time! We don’t sing “Have Thine Own Way, Lord,” we sing, “I’ll Have My Own Way, Lord.” And many of us keep Stubbornly singing it, even as we plummet over the cliff!

Scott Stapp said it best: “I always believed in God and Christ, but I was in rebellion—trying to make my relationship with God fit into my life instead of making my life fit in with Him. I Was Stubborn.”

Farmers have to put Cumbersome Yokes and sometimes Painful Constraints on Stubborn Heifers! Which, if you think about it, may explain why life has been so difficult for many of us! It brings clarity to the reason why there’s been so much Unnecessary Pain In Our Lives! And if  we were to be totally honest, we could admit that a lot of our endless circles of suffering have been the result of our going in directions that are Not On God’s Map!

I’ve come to find out that a ‘Molly Mentality’ only Makes Your Life Miserable! “But because you are STUBBORN and refuse to turn from your sin, you are storing up terrible punishment for yourself. For a day of anger is coming, when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed.” (Romans 2:5 NLT).

Even when we dress up our STUBBORNESS in spiritual terms like “Conviction“  or “God’s Leading,” its still our way versus God’s! That’s why it’s so dangerous to forget that the only plans that will ever prosper are HIS! (“…I know what I’m doing. I have it all planned out—plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for.” (Jeremiah 29:11 MSG)!

Saints, our STUBBORNESS is Costing Us the Fullness of God’s Perfect Plan For Our Lives! And if that doesn’t make us change, Nothing Will!

Surely, we’ve all got to be tired by now of the pain, the yoke, and the hits! That’s why NOW is the Perfect Time to Yield to the Perfect Will of God! Accept the fact that He’s Allowed Many Difficulties (things to break our horn) into our life, not to hurt us, BUT TO GET US TO GO WHERE WE WOULD NEVER OTHERWISE GO—STOP WHAT WE OTHERWISE WOULDN’T STOP—AND CHANGE WHAT WE OTHERWISE WOULD NEVER CHANGE! ALL OF THIS, SO HE CAN GET OUT OF US, WHAT HE PUT IN US! “God is the one who began this GOOD WORK IN YOU, and I am certain that HE WON’T STOP BEFORE IT IS COMPLETE…” (Philippians 1:6 CEV).

Lastly, in the Garden of Gethsemane, as Jesus faced the awful prospect of carrying the weight of the world’s sin, He said eight of the most powerful words in the world, “YET NOT MY WILL, BUT YOURS BE DONE” If you didn’t know it before today, God’s been waiting a long time to hear those words from you!

Saints, we’ve carried enough burdens; gotten enough scars, and run into enough walls. It’s time to surrender that Stubborn heart and will to God before we miss out on His best!

“GOD had taken a stand against Israel and Judah, speaking clearly through countless holy prophets and seers time and time again, “Turn away from your evil way of life. Do what I tell you and have been telling you in The Revelation I gave your ancestors and of which I’ve kept reminding you ever since through my servants the prophets.” But they wouldn’t listen. If anything, they were even more bullheaded than their STUBBORN ancestors, if that’s possible. They were contemptuous of his instructions, the solemn and holy covenant he had made with their ancestors, and of his repeated reminders and warnings. They lived a “nothing” life and became “nothings” – just like the pagan peoples all around them. They were well-warned: GOD said, “Don’t!” but they did it anyway.” (2 Kings 17:13-15 MSG).

SURELY YOU DON’T WANT THIS TO BE YOUR TESTIMONY?!

Put yourself in God’s shoes: If you had the choice between an Obedient Sheep and a Stubborn Heifer, WHICH WOULD YOU CHOOSE TO LEAD?! WHICH WOULD YOU CHOOSE TO BLESS?!

I can tell you God’s choice: “…you do not believe and trust and rely on Me because you do not belong to My fold [you are no sheep of Mine]. The sheep that are My own HEAR AND ARE LISTENING TO MY VOICE; and I know them, and THEY FOLLOW ME” (John 10:26-27 AMP).

Therefore, if you’re not listening, not obeying and not following, I only have one piece of advice for you before the last trumpet sounds: STOP BEING A STUBBORN HEIFER!

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Love U 2 Life! Dr. SYS

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When I read the Bible a few different things happen. I can get encouraged, convicted, inspired, instructed… It’s very seldom that I feel anything else, but recently I’ve had a new feeling that I haven’t experienced before: pure frustration. Why? Because of the Israelites.

God did everything for them. Led them out of captivity in Egypt with fire by night and a cloud by day. Sent down bread from heaven to satisfy their hunger. Assured them a great future in the Promised Land… but the second something doesn’t seem like it’s going the way it should be what do they do? Complain that God brought them to the desert land so that would die and build an idol for themselves (Exodus 32). Just moments ago God was helping them cross the Red Sea, performing and incredible miracle that helped in their deliverance from the Egyptians… yet when Moses was on the mountain with God a little too long the Israelites seemed to suffer from short-term memory loss. They forgot who led them through that desert. They forgot who provided for them. They forgot who their God was. They chose to build a new god instead to replace the One that seemed to have “left” them. Just reading this story made me frustrated. I felt how God felt for a second (Exodus 32:9-10): absolutely angry. How in the world could these people be so quick to build an idol for themselves after everything God did for them? How did they have the audacity to declare that God had left them? Why would they do such a terrible thing that hurt and angered God so deeply? 

And yet… I do the same exact thing.

Often times I don’t see God right in front of me… just like for a period of time the Israelites didn’t see God in front of them. And all of a sudden I seem to suffer from short-term memory loss. I forget how many times God has come through for me in the past. I forget His faithfulness in helping me through the hard times. I forget that although I may not feel Him at the moment He is still right beside me. And like the Israelites in that desert, I begin to doubt. I doubt that He is still there to guide me. I doubt His plans and purpose for my life. I doubt that He will come through for me. And this not only  hurts God – it also angers Him. How can I doubt His goodness and His intentions for me and my life today when He was right there beside me yesterday? How can I seek to look for other means to get me through rather than Him?

After God brought the Israelites to the Promised Land He asked them to do something interesting. He asked them to build a memorial out of stones (Joshua 4:6-7). Why? Because this stone memorial would serve as a way for them to remember God’s faithfulness to them in the past. Every time they stopped and looked at this memorial they would once again be reminded of how God led them through the desert land to freedom. How God miraculously divided the Red Sea for them. How God remained faithful in keeping His promises to them.

This memorial was especially helpful during difficult times. During times of trials and tribulations. During those times when all hope seemed lost. During these times they could look at this memorial and be comforted and encouraged by what it symbolized and what it meant for their future. God was in control then and He took care of His people. God was still in control now and He will still take care of His people. God was faithful to them during difficult times then. God will be faithful to them during difficult times now.

This memorial may look like a pile of stones to a person just passing by… but its significance is incredible to the people who know what it stands for.

Recently I have decided that it is my turn to create a memorial for myself. A way for me to always remember the countless times in my life where God helped me through. When God made a way out of no way. When God helped me overcome things I never thought I could overcome. When God was faithful to me. Obviously, I’m not planning on going to the beach to pick out huge stones to build a memorial out of (although that would be pretty neat). Instead I bought a journal in which I plan to record every single moment that God came through for me.

I’ll record the prayers that He answered and the prayers I’m still waiting to receive an answer for. I’ll record the promises that He gave in His Word to stand on during difficult times. I’ll record all the little ways that He has poured out His blessings in my life to read through when I feel like complaining or being un-grateful. I’ll record the lessons He taught me during different seasons of my life.

This journal will be my personal memorial. Where I will look during those times when I need that extra encouragement that God will come through for me just like He always has in the past. My way of reminding myself of His faithfulness. And maybe one day my children will ask me what’s in that special journal of mine, just like the children of the Israelites would ask their parents what that pile of rocks resembled… and I’ll pull it out and share the many times that God was so evident in the story of my life and remind them that just like He was faithful to me, He’ll be faithful to them too.

I hope this will encourage some of you to create your own personal memorial… your own way of remembering God’s faithfulness in your life. I know it’s definitely going to be a helpful tool for me during hard times in the future. :)  Be blessed!