I was prepared for missions across the world. Istanbul, Calcutta, St. Petersburg, etc. I was ready to be unleashed upon the masses. After all, I graduated. I'm a licensed minister now. What's holding me back? God was the last person on my objection list, or so I thought.
God has called me to patience this summer. No where in particular. Just patience in Colorado Springs. EEEEEEEK! This is not what I wanted. But God had been speaking to me for over a year on what to expect THIS SUMMER! haha. Shows how much I listen :)
I was saddened my friends left town and was feeling inadequate because I wasn't ministering, or in a leadership position. Plus, I realized God doesn't want me in a leadership position right now and He wants me in a relational position.
The very fact that I would feel inadequate period is means to step back and reconsider what's going on. INADEQUACY comes from a lack of knowledge of the love of God. That's what I want to talk about. The love of God.
Ministry is relationship to and with God. That's it. Simple. Relationship with God. My ministry is not where I go or who I speak to. My overflow of my relationship with God blesses others, but my ministry is purely a relationship with God.
I knew that. I know that. I knew I knew that. BUT I FORGOT! I had to be reminded of that. My Father's love trumps every situation, every circumstance, and every problem.
For this summer time I am going to be in ministry full time. Ministering to myself daily. Ministering to God daily. I feel amazed that God says I get to minister to HIM! How does that work? I don't know! But think about it... He created us because He loves us. And He wants us to love Him. When I give God love, He is ministered to. When I praise Him, take time out of my day, worship Him, I am blessing God!
If you don't see that, I won't argue with you. I love the Lord :) Besides that, the love of God is said to keep you in perfect peace. Do you believe that? The bible says it will. Do you believe that? I do.
I can't explain every question you might have. I know the word is truth, God is love, and I have Christ's righteousness. I was in fear and anxiety because I went there in my mind and allowed myself to be that way. I cannot explain the entirety of God's love and I have a horrible time explaining this. That's why I'll take the next blog to talk more about it. It'll be more illustrated and have scriptures and what not. It'll be a good summer
Monday, June 8, 2009
Friday, May 22, 2009
Labor to Enter God's Rest
Hebrews chapters 3 and 4. This will be my short (hopefully) overview on the rest provided by God.
The Promised land was the rest of God for the Israelites. They did not enter into God's Promised land because of their unbelief. (3:12, 19 4:6 etc.)
How do we enter into the rest of God? Believe.
Hebrews 4:4 For he spake in a certain place of the seventh [day] on this wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all his works.
God retired after 6 days of work! What a great plan!
Hebrews 4:9-10 There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God [did] from his.
We enter in the rest of God by His example. Now, on to verse 11 before I type on this.
v11 Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.
But didn't verse 10 say to cease from works and now verse 11 says to labour for rest, which is an oxymoron in itself? Oh my goodness! What does this mean?
You cannot trust in your works and God's promises at the same time. You either cease from your works, and rest in God, or you trust in your works, and depart from God.
So then, because we find it so hard to cease from our works, it is a labor to cease from our works. That's why verse 11 says to labor to rest. Because you cannot rest in God if you work in yourself.
The issue is about belief. Believing in the Lord will keep you in perfect peace. If you're not at peace, you're not trusting God. If you're not at peace, you're not trusting God. Ouch. Isaiah said it first. :)
If you're not trusting God, what are you trusting? YOUR OWN WORKS. Stop it. That takes action. That is labor. Labor to cease from your own works, as God did from His, to enter into his rest. You can rest or you can have unbelieve. You can have the finished work of the cross, or your own righteousness. You can have PEACE which passes your understanding, or you can try to figure life out by yourself.
I could go on and on on what you can have. Life or death. Blessings or curses. Love or Fear. Fruit of the Spirit or Lusts of the Flesh.
You need to trust God. He loves you so much. As a sweet friend likes to put it "It's fine. It's not even a big deal."
I love you guys. Please follow God's example and retire. You won't be forsaken. God takes care of his creations. He loves you. Have a good day.
The Promised land was the rest of God for the Israelites. They did not enter into God's Promised land because of their unbelief. (3:12, 19 4:6 etc.)
How do we enter into the rest of God? Believe.
Hebrews 4:4 For he spake in a certain place of the seventh [day] on this wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all his works.
God retired after 6 days of work! What a great plan!
Hebrews 4:9-10 There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God [did] from his.
We enter in the rest of God by His example. Now, on to verse 11 before I type on this.
v11 Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.
But didn't verse 10 say to cease from works and now verse 11 says to labour for rest, which is an oxymoron in itself? Oh my goodness! What does this mean?
You cannot trust in your works and God's promises at the same time. You either cease from your works, and rest in God, or you trust in your works, and depart from God.
So then, because we find it so hard to cease from our works, it is a labor to cease from our works. That's why verse 11 says to labor to rest. Because you cannot rest in God if you work in yourself.
The issue is about belief. Believing in the Lord will keep you in perfect peace. If you're not at peace, you're not trusting God. If you're not at peace, you're not trusting God. Ouch. Isaiah said it first. :)
If you're not trusting God, what are you trusting? YOUR OWN WORKS. Stop it. That takes action. That is labor. Labor to cease from your own works, as God did from His, to enter into his rest. You can rest or you can have unbelieve. You can have the finished work of the cross, or your own righteousness. You can have PEACE which passes your understanding, or you can try to figure life out by yourself.
I could go on and on on what you can have. Life or death. Blessings or curses. Love or Fear. Fruit of the Spirit or Lusts of the Flesh.
You need to trust God. He loves you so much. As a sweet friend likes to put it "It's fine. It's not even a big deal."
I love you guys. Please follow God's example and retire. You won't be forsaken. God takes care of his creations. He loves you. Have a good day.
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