Rest sounds GOOOOODD!!!

 A wonderful friend of mine has invited me to start studying the Book of Hebrews with her. It has been amazing. The Lord has really blessed us in it. This last week we did Chapter 4. Which was a lot about rest. And then our Guest Pastor Tim Morrow spoke on resting with the Lord on Sunday. 

I don't believe there are such things as a coincidence. 

At church he was talking about entering into the Lord's rest. Which comes at the end of our run. 

God has created rest since the beginning for us. The Israelites could not enter it because they were disobedient to the Lord. 

Hebrews 4:6 NLT So God's rest is for the people to enter, but those who first heard this good news failed to enter because they disobeyed God. 

My KJV says they failed to enter because of their unbelief. Unbelief or Disobedience??

I found this extremely interesting, maybe just because I am a nerd for the Word of God.

In Numbers 14:3-4 (NLT), Why is the Lord taking us to this country only to have us die in battle? our wives and little ones will be carried off as plunder! Wouldn't it be better for us to return to Egypt? Then they plotted among themselves, "Let's choose a new leader and go back to Egypt. 

SETTING THE STAGE: Before this they sent people to spy in the land to see if it was fruitful and if it was obtainable. They reported back that they saw giants over there. The people were too afraid to fight, THEY DID NOT HAVE FAITH IN GOD. The LORD told them to go claim the land but they chose to send spies. They disobeyed God because they did not believe HIS WORD. 

I'm sure by now, you are asking what in the world this has to do with rest. This was their PROMISED LAND. It would be theirs. They would not long have to fight for land. They would no longer be slaves to other nations. They would no longer be people with nothing. 

We may not have to fight people for our land, or have people physically own us, but there are many things that we have to worry about day today. Like for example, am I pleasing God, do I study or watch tv, did I do the wrong thing when I was at work, did I miss something God told me, is God mad at me because I did not meet with this person when they needed me to. All of these constant worries we have in this race.

Yes, we are going to enter into the promised land, at the end of our race, when we are in God's presence, but as my friend and I were talking, we agreed that there is also a rest that is offered here while we run. Now I know that sounds a wee bit contradicting, trust me, I thought the same thing at first. BUT.... Hear me out.....

While we Christians are running this race, it can get exhausting, honestly to the point we might not want to keep going, WE NEED REST. I know there are times where I get in these moods where I am like I need rest. Then what do I do? Lay around, watching Netflix,scrolling through facebook, take a trip, not doing anything, BE LAZY! I don't know about you but that always makes me more tired. This is not the rest that we need. 

Matthew 11:28 Come to me all ye that labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest. 

THAT IS THE TRUE REST. THAT SPIRITUAL REST. 

I know as a Christian; I AM CONSTANTLY IN A WAR. What am I warring against??

It can be STRESSFUL. OVERWHELMING. TIRING. NERVERACKING. SCARY. DISCOURAGING. HARD. CAUSE ANXIETY. FEARFUL. This here is what we need rest from. Not the form of rest us human tend to think about when we get tired. We are supposed to continue to run, continue to fight. 

I had read, Hebrews 4:11 (Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief), and thought to myself, again contradicting. But the Spirit led me to look into that word labour in the strongs concordance. I obeyed and this is what I found....

Labour----spoudazo; to use speed, to make effort, be prompt or earnest: -do (give) diligence, endeavor, study 

Hmmmm, STUDY? What? That word does not seem like it should be there. Then I noticed what the very next verse was....

Hebrews 4:12 For the Word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of bone and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and interest of the heart. 

That verse would normally seem out of place to me, but having just found the word study there, that sudden switch makes all the sense in the world to me now. 

2 Timothy 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 

When our bodies are physically tired, how do we get energy? we either sleep or we eat FOOD. 

When we are spiritually tired, how do we get energy? We need FOOD. 

 

While satan was attempting to tempt Jesus, he told Him, "If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. "

                                        

Jesus replied to him with the WORD OF GOD. "It is written, Man shall not 

by bread alone but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God."

I know most of you are thinking, we know this already. But I "knew" it already too but still struggle to do this. I get tired and I want to rest in the flesh. But I was severely convicted by the Holy Spirit today, that I CANNOT REST THAT WAY. 

I recently started this TV show and it is so good, that is all I want to do. "I just wanna lay down and rest and watch one episode" For me, it never ends with just that one episode. 

I watched a sermon today by Isaiah Saldivar about 2 Samuel 11 when David was on his roof and being tempted. First of all, Isaiah made the point that he was not supposed to be rising from bed and on the roof, because God had called him to battle, but he sent someone else to do it. He was in the wrong place at the wrong time. So, his disobedience led to him being tempted. He saw Bathsheba from his roof and found her very beautiful. Now, the lust has set it. He eventually laid with her, and she conceived. 

This sermon also tied it all together for me. How? Well, my sin might not be fornication or adultery anymore, but when God tells me to go out to fight and I choose to sit at home watching TV you can bet that lust for that TV show will eventually get me out of the WORD, it will eventually lead to sin. Which leads to bigger sin. Heck, David attempted to hide his sin and put it on someone else, which did not work, so he wound up killing Uriah. 

When we place our need for physical rest in the place of our need for spiritual rest, trouble is going to come. One way or another. 

My prayer for us all today, is that the Lord will let us know when we need spiritual rest as opposed to physical rest and that we would listen to Him. Lord, help us to learn what our Bathsheba is, whether it is an affair, a job, tv, food, fornication, idolatry, instagram, facebook, whatever it is, just show us God. Help us to put you first, help us to hear you, and to rest in your WORD Father God. Your WORD is POWERFUL and will help us fight these lusts that our flesh continues to create in us. Help us to remember how important THIS work is in order for us to stand firm, fight a good fight, and enter into your rest Father God. Like Tim Morrow said, we want to hear Well done, good and faithful servant. I know hearing and obeying your word will get us there. We will receive the crown of righteousness that we can cast before you Lord. After all it is your righteousness imparted into us! All glory and Honour and Praise be to you Lord, Holy Holy Holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come! We love you Lord, keep speaking to us, and thank you that you have mercy on us when we struggle to listen. Thank you that you offer that rest today!