PEACE - FOR YOUR LIFE
Greetings
to all of you wonderful Saints of God: I have something that I want to share
with that will bless for sure. All you have to do is follow the instructions
and you'll have the peace that you need for this New Year. Actually what made
me think of saying that is this morning I got and made hotcakes; and yes they
were good. I always use KRUSTEAZ mix. I have yet to make a bad batch of hot
cakes.
There is a peace and a rest that the Lord speaks to us about through out all of the Word; too often we become so bogged down in the daily routines of life that we miss them.
I
want to look at some very special scriptures, and discover just how much He
wants us to draw close to Him and know his presence and His peace.
Isa 26:3-4 You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You,
because he trusts in You. Trust in the LORD forever, for in YAH, the LORD, is
everlasting strength.
For
a text I want us to look at Hebrews 4:1-12.
Heb 4:1-6 Therefore, since a promise remains of entering His rest, let us fear
lest any of you seem to have come short of it. For indeed the gospel was
preached to us as well as to them; but the word which they heard did not profit
them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard it. For we who have
believed do enter that rest, as He has said: "So I swore in My wrath, they
shall not enter My rest," although the works were finished from the
foundation of the world. For He has spoken in a certain place of the seventh
day in this way: "And (NKJ) God rested on the
seventh day from all His works"; and again in this place: "They shall
not enter My rest." Since therefore it remains that some must enter it,
and those to whom it was first preached did not enter because of disobedience,
Heb
4:7-12 again He designates a certain day, saying in David, "Today,"
after such a long time, as it has been said: "Today, if you will hear His
voice, do not harden your hearts." For if Joshua had given them rest, then
He would not afterward have spoken of another day. There remains therefore a
rest for the people of God. For he who has entered His rest has himself
also ceased from his works as God did from His. Let us therefore be
diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of
disobedience. For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper
than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and
of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the
heart.
Obviously
I am not going to get to break down the whole text but I want you to get the
picture that God is moving today and that we need to stay in touch with what He
is doing. If we are going to do that then we must learn two extremely valuable
lessons. One is to learn to be still before Him. The second is similar but there
is just a bit of difference. We must learn to enter into His rest.
Let's take a look at these two areas:
I. First, THE SECRET OF STILLNESS:
A.
REST, WAIT, FRET NOT. the WICKED MAY SEEM TO PROSPER OVER YOU NOW BUT IT IS
GOING TO CHANGE.
Ps
37:7 Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself
because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth
wicked devices to pass.
B.
WHEN WE ARE STILL IS WHEN WE WILL RECOGNIZE HIS GREATNESS IN OUR LIVES
Ps 46:10-11 Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the
heathen, I will be exalted in the earth. The LORD of hosts is with us; the God
of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.
C.
BEING STILL ALLOWS US TO CONTEMPLATE ALL OF GODS GOODNESS.
Job 37:14 Hearken unto this, O Job: stand still, and consider the
wondrous works of God.
D.
BEING STILL ALLOWS US TO SEE AND COMPREHEND THE WORD OF GOD.
1
Sam 9:27 And as they were going down to the end of the city, Samuel said
to Saul, Bid the servant pass on before us, (and he passed on,) but stand thou
still a while, that I may shew thee the word of God.
E.
IT IS IN STILLNESS THAT WE CAN COMMUNE WITH GOD.
Ps 4:3-4 But know that the LORD hath set apart him that is godly for himself:
the LORD will hear when I call unto him. Stand in awe, and sin not: commune
with your own heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah.
II. SECOND, WE MUST ENTER INTO HIS REST!!
A. HIS
HOPE GIVES US REST. THERE REALLY ISN'T MUCH HOPE BY THE WORLDS STANDARDS TODAY.
BUT IN CHRIST THERE IS A GREAT HOPE!
Ps
16:9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also
shall rest in hope.
B.
NOT BEING WILLING TO ENTER INTO GODS WINDS OF CHANGE OR HIS PROMISES WILL KEEP US FROM HIS REST.
Ps
95:10-11 Forty years long was I grieved with this generation, and said, It is a
people that do err in their heart, and they have not known my ways: Unto
whom I sware in my wrath that they should not enter into my rest.
C.
THE BLESSINGS OF THE LORD BRINGS US INTO HIS REST!
Ps
116:7 Return unto thy rest, O my soul; for the LORD hath dealt
bountifully with thee.
D. JESUS
IS OUR REST AND OUR BANNER!!!!!! THIS IS ONE OF THE REASONS THAT I ENJOY THE
WORSHIP SERVICES THAT INCORPORATE BANNERS INTO THEIR WORSHIP. IT REMINDS THAT
INDEED JESUS IS MY BANNER.
Isa
11:10 In that day the Root of Jesse will stand as a banner for the
peoples; the nations will rally to him, and his place of rest will be glorious.
E. THE LORD GIVES REST FOR ALL OF OUR
PROBLEMS IF WE WILL ENTER IN.
Isa
14:3 And it shall come to pass in the day that the LORD shall give thee rest
from thy sorrow, and from thy fear, and from the hard bondage wherein thou wast
made to serve.
WN
REST IN HIS LOVE FOR US!!!
Zeph
3:17 The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he
will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over
thee with singing.
F. JESUS
IS THE VERY PLACE AND PICTURE OF REST!!!!!
a. Matt
11:28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will
give you rest.
CONCLUSION :
Well have you come
into His rest yet? I trust that in this New Year you will.In fact I
trust that you will start right now.
Let me close with these thoughts about "HOW WE ENTER
INTO STILLNESS AND HIS REST."
#1. YOU MUST CHOOSE TO ENTER IN. IT'S YOUR CHOICE SO MAKE IT
RIGHT NOW.
#2. ALLOW FOR UNSCHEDULED TIMES WITH THE LORD. TIMES WHEN YOU
CAN
TABERNACLE
WITH HIM! NOT YOUR DEVOTIONAL TIMES, NOR CHURCH, OR BIBLE STUDY
TIME. BUT UNSCHEDULED TIMES.
#3.
FIND TIMES AND PLACES WHERE YOU ENCOUNTER THE LORD AND CHERISH THEM. IN
FACT RETURN TO THEM OVER AND OVER.
#4.
PUT ON SOME PRAISE MUSIC AND JUST LAY IN HIS PRESENSE! MY WONDERFUL WIFE
GOT THIS THOUGHT ONE DAY WHILE WE WERE IN A CONFERENCE WHERE CAROL ARNOTT WAS THE
SPEAKER DURRING THE AFTER NOON SESSION.
A CUCUMBER IS JUST A CUCUMBER UNTILL IT IS SOAKED IN THE
JUICES AND BRINE. THEN IT BECOMES A PICKLE.
WHEN WE TAKE THE TIME TO SOAK IN THE PRESENSE OF THE LORD,
WE BECOME “ANOINTED"
(THANK
YOU JAN FOR SUCH A GREAT ILLUSTRATION OF HOW WE NOT ONLY ENTER INTO THE
ANOINTING, HOW WE ALSO ENTER INTO HIS REST.)
#5.
DON'T BECOME IMPATIENT --- LEARN TO WAIT ON THE LORD. THOSE WHO WAIT WILL BE
RENEWED.
Isa
40:31 But they that wait upon
the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles;
they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.
#6. FINALLY, AT SOME POINT YOU HAVE TO QUIT TALKING
ABOUT IT AND, TO COIN A PHRASE THAT NIKE MADE FAMOUS…
"JUST DO IT!"
HAVE
A WONDERFUL AND BLESSED YEAR; MAY IT BE THE BEST YEAR EVER. MARANATHA!!!
