Monday, September 2nd 2013 TAKE YOUR REST IN THE LORD “Take your rest in the Lord, waiting quietly for him; do not be angry because of the man who does well in his evil ways, and gives effect to his bad designs.” (Psalms 37:7 BBE) Many believers today have been deceived by the devil into postponing their rest in the Lord to when they get to heaven. While there is eternal rest for the believers in heaven, however the Scripture assures that there is a true rest, peace, and joy in the Lord available to the believers in this present life. You therefore don’t need to defer your rest, peace, and joy in the Lord till after you leave this evil world. The Lord Jesus has made provision for you to have peace in this present troubled world. Jesus said: "These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." (John 16:33 NKJV). "Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” (John 14:27 NKJV). There is no doubt that perfect and eternal rest, peace, and joy await true believers in heaven (Rev. 21:4). However, God wants you to have a foretaste of the perfect rest, peace and joy awaiting you in heaven while you live amidst the turmoil of this present life. That is why Jesus said: "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” (Matt. 11:28 NKJV). If truly you have come to Christ and submitted to His lordship, you have right and access to a divine rest in the Lord while you live in this agitated world. One of the primary evidences of knowing and following the Lord is that you will possess and evince peace and joy, even when you are in the midst of tribulation or persecution. In the face of death, the face of Stephen, the first martyr among the early disciples, was said to be glowing like the face of an angel. Apparently, he was not fearful, restless or troubled (Acts. 6:15). The word “rest” in the Hebrew “damam” literarily means “to be dumb.” This implies “to stop, to cease, to hold peace, to quiet self, to be silent, to be still, to tarry or wait.” To take rest in the Lord therefore imply: “to stop from struggling to please God through the works of the law; to cease from fear, worries and anxieties about anything; to hold your peace in the midst of troubles, trusting in the Lord’s help; to quiet yourself and refuse to be upset, restless or agitated in the days of adversities; and to be still and wait upon the Lord for divine instructions when under pressures to act. It is God’s command that everyone who comes to Christ must take their rest in the Lord Jesus. The Scripture commands: “Take your rest in the Lord, waiting quietly for him; do not be angry because of the man who does well in his evil ways, and gives effect to his bad designs.” (Psa. 37:7 BBE). How do you know someone who has taken his rest in the Lord? He will cease from his works! The Scripture says: “For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His.” (Heb. 4:10 NKJV). What sort of works is the scripture talking about here? The works of the law! You cannot enter into the Lord’s rest until you cease from struggling to overcome Sin and Satan in your own strength and wisdom, and from seeking to appease or please God through your good works, self righteousness, or adherence to religious rites. The Scripture records that when the heavens and the earth, and all the host of them were finished, God rested on the seventh day from all His works which He had done (Gen. 2:1-3). God rested from His works of creation, not to sleep or go on vacation because He had become exhausted, but to relish or take pleasure in all that He had created. Similarly, Jesus Christ has completely finished the redemptive work for the salvation of mankind on the Cross. No man needs to do any other works or offer any sacrifices to be saved than to take pleasure in the finished work of Christ and put his faith in the person and finished work of Christ on the Cross. The Scripture says: “Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt. But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness.” (Rom. 4:4-5 NKJV). No other good works can please or satisfy God completely for salvation other than the finished work of Christ on the Cross. It is therefore useless striving to keep the Mosaic laws or to perform some religious rites for the purpose of earning God’s blessing. No man can earn God’s blessing or favour. God’s blessing is only made available to all men as a gift at the expense of Christ. The Scripture testifies: “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” (Eph. 2:8-9 NKJV). “Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree"), that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.” (Gal. 3:13-14 NKJV). Beloved, you take your rest in the Lord when you cease from your futile works and take pleasure only in the finished work of Christ on the Cross for your salvation (John 17:4, 19:30). It takes a spiritual understanding that Christ has defeated Sin, Satan and the World on the Cross for you to enter into His rest. You will always experience inward rest, overflowing joy, and peace that surpass all understanding in spite of your circumstances if you truly know and deeply believe that the Lord Jesus loves you unconditionally and infinitely, and has won for you a complete victory on the Cross. You will not lose your sleep, peace, rest or joy over any spiritual, physical, financial, physical, or emotional need if you truly know and believe that God has already blessed you with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, and that all things are yours in Christ (Eph. 1:3, 1 Cor. 3:21-22, Rom. 8:17, 2 Pet. 1:3). Friend, enough of fretting and running about! Christ has won, defeated and finished all battles and adversaries for you on the Cross (Col. 2:15). God is calling you today to come and take your rest in the Lord. Prayer: My Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for all the divine provisions You have made available in Christ so that I may have a foretaste of the eternal bliss awaiting me in heaven. From today, I cease from my toiling, worries, anxieties and fears, and I enter into my Lord’s rest, in Jesus’ name. Amen
Posted on: Sun, 01 Sep 2013 23:45:08 +0000
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