A Sabbath rest for the People of God. Hebrews 4, speaks about the promise of entering into His rest, and falling short of it.
It was "funny", last Sunday in church I testified that I have Peace in the Lord but their is no rest in my home...little did I know that when I got home that day that God would lead me to a place of study and listening to what the Spirit is saying to my heart.
The first thing that happened was my husband began to watch a TV evangelist and He was talking about Hebrews 4 and this rest. So my study began. And this is what I learned.
I learned that we have to "enter" into this rest, and that if we harden our hearts we can not enter. I learned that "we need to be careful... "that none of us be found to have fallen short" of this rest. So where can we find this rest? it's the Gospel, it's the Word. The bible says we have heard it preached, but the message has no value to some because it was not combined with faith, therefore, they will not "ever" enter this rest.
The author brings in the time that the people of God were in the desert after leaving Egypt and bondage and even though God set them free, the people and because of their unbelief actually put themselves back into bondage. God actually declared "they shall never enter my rest"...wow. Unbelief seems to make God angry. Thank God for this dispensation of Grace and how He allows "confusion" to come in to our hearts and minds and still... He will willingly forgive our errors, because of Grace and His Love and Mercy.
I am glad that I live in this dispensation of Grace, but, God's "feelings" are still the same.. and even though we can repent and He forgives...if we stay stuck in unbelief and will not let Him rule our lives we are not in His will...and our choices, they keep us from walking in obedience and in faith.....in the end,,, when it's over.. and our bodies are ready to leave this world...where will we stand before Him? What excuse can I possibly give Him as to why I did not believe in His promises and His word?
Hebrews goes on to tell that His work has been finished since the creation of the world...that simply means what it says..."it is FINISHED"... it's done, over with all things are GOOD before Him..it means He won the war...it's not about the story line or problem we are playing out in these chapters of life that are put before us by His plan and purpose. It's about believing that all is well no matter what is before us...no matter WHAT...to rest in the knowledge that, simply HE is God..not me.... these chapters also include evil situations..you see, evil falls on the just and the unjust....if we do not have evil situations placed in our lives, by Satan and his workers and allowed by God....how can we believe? What would we compare evil to?... Evil brings us to the other side of Good...Good is always there... it's by choices and obedience to His word in these situations, that we find Him and His rest... we do not have to understand... we just need belief and trust in Him to bring us to this place of rest....knowing that He already did it all...
And on the Seventh day God rested from ALL His work...
so when we pray..... He answers..... the answer is and always was there, because He said it was already "finished" before the creation of time...when the battle occurred in heaven and Satan was kicked out...the Victory was won in ALL things against Satan.. because of this, God is at rest, He is NOT working at anything...(maybe building mansions, amen).. the bible says He is at Rest.....it's already been done....He is Resting...and He wants us to join Him and know this fact to be true and Truth...we claim the Victory by the praises of His people...worship Him in Spirit and in Truth.
So in short, no matter what is before me...no matter the situations that come my way...the war was already fought and the price has been paid, He bought me with a price...my life...He gave His life for mine...so now it's my turn....for the guarantee of Victory in Him only believe...and enter into this Rest.. I, myself, am acknowledging and claiming that Victory... the True Victory that He has purposed...our ideas and ideals are so different from the Lords...His are all set in righteousness and Truth...my decisions always seem to cause the stronghold of Fear to enter and he brings in all others, his helpers and principalities, some of those bring caos and rebellion and they bring in all kinds of evil works with their "magic" in our lives..then, suddenly, destruction strikes and I wonder why?...because I walked into Satans plan instead of believing in God's plan..I believed the creation and not the Creator..I forgot the battle was already won....Satan is a liar and the father of lies....it's all a lie from the father of lies...Satan himself...and THAT is what I choose to believe....
Situations are placed before us to see what we will choose...Rest???? or confusions???..
"Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts"..Hebrews 4:7
I pray we all find this place of Rest...in Jesus name..
God bless us all. and may all of God's people enter into His Rest...no worry...at all....
It is Finished...
It was "funny", last Sunday in church I testified that I have Peace in the Lord but their is no rest in my home...little did I know that when I got home that day that God would lead me to a place of study and listening to what the Spirit is saying to my heart.
The first thing that happened was my husband began to watch a TV evangelist and He was talking about Hebrews 4 and this rest. So my study began. And this is what I learned.
I learned that we have to "enter" into this rest, and that if we harden our hearts we can not enter. I learned that "we need to be careful... "that none of us be found to have fallen short" of this rest. So where can we find this rest? it's the Gospel, it's the Word. The bible says we have heard it preached, but the message has no value to some because it was not combined with faith, therefore, they will not "ever" enter this rest.
The author brings in the time that the people of God were in the desert after leaving Egypt and bondage and even though God set them free, the people and because of their unbelief actually put themselves back into bondage. God actually declared "they shall never enter my rest"...wow. Unbelief seems to make God angry. Thank God for this dispensation of Grace and how He allows "confusion" to come in to our hearts and minds and still... He will willingly forgive our errors, because of Grace and His Love and Mercy.
I am glad that I live in this dispensation of Grace, but, God's "feelings" are still the same.. and even though we can repent and He forgives...if we stay stuck in unbelief and will not let Him rule our lives we are not in His will...and our choices, they keep us from walking in obedience and in faith.....in the end,,, when it's over.. and our bodies are ready to leave this world...where will we stand before Him? What excuse can I possibly give Him as to why I did not believe in His promises and His word?
Hebrews goes on to tell that His work has been finished since the creation of the world...that simply means what it says..."it is FINISHED"... it's done, over with all things are GOOD before Him..it means He won the war...it's not about the story line or problem we are playing out in these chapters of life that are put before us by His plan and purpose. It's about believing that all is well no matter what is before us...no matter WHAT...to rest in the knowledge that, simply HE is God..not me.... these chapters also include evil situations..you see, evil falls on the just and the unjust....if we do not have evil situations placed in our lives, by Satan and his workers and allowed by God....how can we believe? What would we compare evil to?... Evil brings us to the other side of Good...Good is always there... it's by choices and obedience to His word in these situations, that we find Him and His rest... we do not have to understand... we just need belief and trust in Him to bring us to this place of rest....knowing that He already did it all...
And on the Seventh day God rested from ALL His work...
so when we pray..... He answers..... the answer is and always was there, because He said it was already "finished" before the creation of time...when the battle occurred in heaven and Satan was kicked out...the Victory was won in ALL things against Satan.. because of this, God is at rest, He is NOT working at anything...(maybe building mansions, amen).. the bible says He is at Rest.....it's already been done....He is Resting...and He wants us to join Him and know this fact to be true and Truth...we claim the Victory by the praises of His people...worship Him in Spirit and in Truth.
So in short, no matter what is before me...no matter the situations that come my way...the war was already fought and the price has been paid, He bought me with a price...my life...He gave His life for mine...so now it's my turn....for the guarantee of Victory in Him only believe...and enter into this Rest.. I, myself, am acknowledging and claiming that Victory... the True Victory that He has purposed...our ideas and ideals are so different from the Lords...His are all set in righteousness and Truth...my decisions always seem to cause the stronghold of Fear to enter and he brings in all others, his helpers and principalities, some of those bring caos and rebellion and they bring in all kinds of evil works with their "magic" in our lives..then, suddenly, destruction strikes and I wonder why?...because I walked into Satans plan instead of believing in God's plan..I believed the creation and not the Creator..I forgot the battle was already won....Satan is a liar and the father of lies....it's all a lie from the father of lies...Satan himself...and THAT is what I choose to believe....
Situations are placed before us to see what we will choose...Rest???? or confusions???..
"Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts"..Hebrews 4:7
I pray we all find this place of Rest...in Jesus name..
God bless us all. and may all of God's people enter into His Rest...no worry...at all....
It is Finished...
