Resting in God

"Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him; do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, because of the man that carries out wicked schemes. Cease from anger and forsake wrath; do no fret; it leads only to evil doing. For evildoers will be cut off, but those who wait for the Lord, they will inherit the land."  Psalms 37:7-9   Rest: quiet; repose; a state free of motion or disturbance; peace; a pause; to be quiet or still; to be undisturbed. ~ Webster 1828

 

This post concludes the discussion on the verses in Psalms 37:3-9. I hope you have enjoyed reading my insights into one of my favorite Psalms, and that your heart was encouraged and renewed through the amazing truths found in these verses. God is continually teaching me deeper implications to apply to my own life, heart and mind from this Psalm, and really all Scripture in general, and I am overjoyed to be able to share them with you.

 

Moving into the command to rest in God, I find that this message is greatly needed especially in this culture and society where "rest" is extinct, work is abused and immoderate, worry is prevalent, and distractions are overwhelming. Our bodies and spiritual lives are malnourished from the lack of true rest in God. We have lost the pure and beneficial art of repose and rest, which is desperately needed in our physical and spiritual lives, and is commanded by God in Scripture.

 

Just as our bodies need time to slow down and sleep, our hearts need time for reflection and quietness, so that we can be fully aware and re-focused in our personal journeys with Christ. To have time to contemplate our previous words spoken, dealings with others, status of our relationship with Christ, and attitude in life is valuable and prescribed by God for our benefit. Our souls need rest and undisturbed time.

 

In the moments of quiet time spent with God, we are better able to hear the whispers of His Spirit and the clarified sounds He has created around us: the birds singing, children's laughter, your own breathing. In these moments we realize more that God is near, His presence is with us and within us.

 

"Be still and know that I am God." Psalms 46:10

 

Like the tempest winds provoking the variable sea, our aggressive lives cause confusion and disturbance in our spirits that consume our passion for God and the caring for others. We struggle to remain afloat. Worry diverts our minds from the empowering effect of meditation on God and His Word. Life becomes suffocating.

 

But we need to listen and obey the words that our good Master is calling out to us - "Hush, be still..." (Mark 4:39)

 

Worry, or fretting, only causes harm. When our minds deviate from the assurance of God's sovereignty and purpose and become engulfed in the snares of worry and anxiety, we lose the precious rest that comes from a heart at peace and secure in the love and supremacy of God. If we trust, delight, commit, and rest in God (as we have studied in these verses), they envelop our souls and dictate our actions and thoughts to test if we are pleasing God.

 

"Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from Him." Psalms 62:5

 

Another important dimension to enjoying true rest is finding that rest in God alone. Many attempts at "rest" can only leave us empty, and our souls exhausted from searching. We oftentimes try to fill ourselves with that which does not sincerely satisfy. We must go to God to find the rest our souls desire. One of my favorite quotes from Saint Augustine says this:

"Our heart is restless, until it rests in Thee..."

 

How true and revealing. Our heart of hearts needs, craves, fellowship and rest in God alone, and we find that sweet rest in God's presence, drawing near in prayer, and feasting on the Word.

 

My friend, may you find rest for your souls in God alone, making time in everyday for rest and peace, to reflect and re-focus, to abide and adore in your Creator and Sustainer. Remember that Satan uses many tactics to distract you from being devoted to Jesus. In any way he can, he will uses the duties of life, appointments and meetings, phone calls and e-mails, exhaustion and piles of laundry and dirty dishes to distract you from the rest God calls you to have in Him.

 

Listen to His voice. He's calling for you to come away with Him for awhile, sit at His feet, and breathe in His transforming presence. Run to His arms for the rest your soul needs and craves.

He's waiting for you. Rest in God.

To Love and Obey

I have lately been meditating upon the great call in a Christian's life for obedience - and it's relation to our position as Christ's bride.

It is true we find our joy, security, and satisfaction in Christ's abundant love for us, but I think we often times neglect the serious reality of the great commitment and cost there is to follow Jesus. While we adore Christ's love, and how He proved His love, we need to be reminded that our love for Christ has, or should have, a proof too. True love always has evidence.

Have you ever met someone who claims to follow Christ, and even boasts, "Oh I love Jesus!", but as you observe their life, it is void of the fruit of the Spirit's presence and genuine faith? What is lacking? And how can we avoid shallow devotion to Christ?

 Love and Obedience

Love coupled with obedience is the secret to a fulfilled, powerful, and fruitful walk with Christ. Our minds have been so polluted by the world's sinful standard that we have lost the earnest truth of loving Christ and what it looks like in our daily walk. The world would have us believe that love is based on mere feelings. God would have us to believe that love is based on truth, commitment, and obedience.

This is not to say that feelings are always irrelevant and wrong; only that when our feelings are not based on the truth and obedience of the love, we can err. This fault can be traced back to the bountiful amount of divorced couples. The apparent and sad motivation for many divorces is, "I just don't feel in love with them anymore." The simple truth is - love is not all about the feelings. Marriage is about commitment, faithfulness, and endurance. What happened to obedience to our vows, our lovers, and our God?

 Christ's Love and Obedience

When we look at Christ's life - His perfect life lived - we see that His definition of love is quite the opposite of our warped perception of love. He was a perfect lover; meaning He loved perfectly. When I read about His communion with the Father, how perfectly and purely He loved God, my heart is renewed to a flawless outlook. His love wasn't grounded in what He happened to be feeling at the moment. Think back to the garden of Gethsemane. The cross was hard, dreadfully hard, but He was obedient to the point of death to His Father.

"So that the world may know that I [Jesus] love the Father, I do exactly as the Father commanded Me." John 14:31

Jesus proved His love for God by obeying His Father's voice, doing exactly as God commended Him, "He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross." (Phil. 2:8)

Jesus lived as our example showing us that obedience, especially when it is hard and difficult for us, is how we prove to ourselves if we really love God. Our daily lives should reveal that we love Jesus. People should see in us a life lived in obedience that testifies of the love we speak of for Christ.

Loving Jesus is so much more than shallow Sunday prayers and fish-shaped decals on the bumper of our vehicles. It's about obedience to the God who loves passionately, forgives abundantly, and requires enormously a life lived holy and blameless - obedient to Him.

"He who has my commandments and keeps [obeys] them is the one who loves Me; and He who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and disclose Myself to him." John 14:21

"If anyone loves Me, he will keep [obey] My Word; and My Father will love him, and We will come and make Our abode with him." John 14:23

"But thanks be to God that though you were slaves to sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were committed, and having been freed from sin, you became slaves of righteousness." Romans 6:17-18 

 The Bride's Call to Obedience

In our passionate love relationship with Jesus, we must accept the call and command to live obedient lives to and for Christ. A bride of Jesus is not her own - she belongs to Another. She is committed, surrendered, and obedient to her Groom in all things. Those who look to her see plainly the evidence of her love for Him by her obedient lifestyle and nature. 

The calling to be a bride of Christ demands abundantly more than fleeting emotions and shallow loyalty; it is arduous and demanding, yet fulfilling and rewarding. Because as we kneel before the altar, we vow to adore and commit. We promise to love and obey.

Alabaster Heart: Morgan

It is my pleasure to introduce to you a beautiful new friend of mine. May her life lived for Jesus encourage your heart and inspire your walk with Christ.

My name is Morgan and I am 17 (almost 18) years old. I have been homeschooled my entire life and will graduate this spring. I live on a farm in SW Ohio with my 2 younger siblings and parents. I have been a dancer for 13 years and currently I am the teacher's assistant for the 6-8 grade class at one of hte studios I attend. I like designing web pages in my spare time and I also take photography courses from the New York Institute of Photography. I plan to receive my Associate degree (unsure of what it will be in.) Most likely, though, majoring in computer security, computer forensics, or business. I also want to continue with my photography and hope to work using my degree to save money in order to have my own photography studio. I then want to get married and have a large family...living in the woods in a log cabin. (smile) I also like caring for kids, volunteering wherever needed, taking walks in the woods, and meeting new people. I hope to raise children that will carry on Christ's legacy and be a light in a very dark world.

 

1) How and when did you first come to know Jesus as your Lord?  

 

I was raised in church my entire life and accepted Christ at the age of 7 or 8. When I was 12, I rededicated my life to Him at a Christian dance convention. 

 

2) What has been the biggest change in your life as a result of salvation? 

 

Wanting to be Christ-like. Sometimes I think that something is right because I've heard that it is for so long. When I stop and think about it, I ask myself, "Is it Christ-like? Am I acting like Him?" If I'm not, I try to change right away and become who He wants me to be.

 

3) What is your favorite thing about Jesus? 

 

Oh my goodness...His forgiveness. It really does  stretch as far as the East is from the West!  

 

4) What do you feel God's purpose for your life is? 

 

In general as a Christian, my purpose is to reach all those around me with the love of God and bring others to Christ. As for Christ's personal plan for my life, I'm not sure yet. I've always felt a strong call toward missions, but am unsure if it means out-of-country, or just reaching those around me! I know for a fact that He wants me to get married become a Godly wife, all the while raising Godly children. 

 

5) What is the hardest thing for you to live out as a set apart woman? 

 

I am a peace keeper. Sometimes I do not always stand up for what is right in order to keep the peace. I think that it comes from our 'politically correct' culture and I try to break away from that. I know sometimes it isn't easy, and we can extend forgiveness and grace towards others, but we also need to stand up for Christ and our Biblical values...even if it makes people uncomfortable.

 

6) What woman has impacted your walk with God more than anyone else? 

 

I have two: my Mom and my Bible study leader, Mrs. Landis.

 

7) In your daily walk with God, what are a few things that you do to remain renewed and focused on God? 

Memorize scripture... specifically prayers.

 

8 ) If you could say one thing to other Christian girls what would you say?

 

 Make your actions and your words match according to God's Word.  

 

9) What do you do to entertain yourself? 

 

Ha ha...I live in the middle of no where! We make our own fun! I take pictures and edit them. Our family likes to watch Hallmark movies together and my sister and I like to do DancePraise2. (Christian version of DanceDance Revolution) I like to read craft magazines and dream about things I'll never make. (smile) And I like going to youth group activities and hanging out with friends and their families.

 

10) What are some of your favorite books? 

 

I don't really like to read...I think it's because of all the Christian romance novels I read my freshman year. ;) There are a few books that I LOVE~ "To Kill A Mockingbird" and "When My Name Was Keoko."

 

11) What is one of your favorite things to do in the course of a day? 

 

Go to sleep!

 

12) What is your favorite bible verse? 

 

"Let my speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that I might know how I ought to answer everyone." -Colossians 4:6    Is that hard to live by or what? And I also love " Call upon Me in the day of trouble, I will deliver you, and you will honor Me. " Psalm 50:15

13) As far as music goes, who is your favorite artist and why? (Also name a couple of your favorite songs) 

I like Brandon Heath, Chris Tomlin, Nicole C. Mullen, Across the Sky, Lincoln Brewster (my favorite), and the Glory Revealed CD.  My favorite songs are "I Surrender" by Lincoln Brewster and the hymn "Ancient Words."  I love Lincoln Brewster because he has such great worship songs....especially on his live CD- it makes me feel as if I am there worshipping there with them!

 

14) Can you describe yourself in one word? 

 

Random...I  am so random. 

 

15) What is your favorite quote? (From someone other than Christ) 

 

"Walk softly and carry a big stick" for the humor of it... and also, "Keep your face to the sunshine and you will never see the shadow." Helen Keller

 

16) What is your favorite thing about this blog? 

 

The unity amongst us as sisters in Christ and the way Kaysie pulls us all together!

Happy New Year

In my quest to somehow encourage you this first day of a New Year, my heart kept taking me back to the God's Word in 1 Peter chapter 1. So I resolved to allow Him awaken your heart this new day, and let Him speak life into your soul through His powerful and living Word.

And Happy New Year to you all. Thank you for listening. 

  "Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed. As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: "Be holy, because I am holy."

    Since you call on a Father who judges each man's work impartially, live your lives as strangers here in reverent fear. For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God.

    Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart. For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. For, 
   "All men are like grass, 
      and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; 
   the grass withers and the flowers fall, 
       but the word of the Lord stands forever." And this is the word that was preached to you."

1 Peter 1:13-25 

 

 

Knowing Christ

What should be the goal of our lives? What should be the nucleus of all our resolutions, commitments, goals, and strivings? If our lives could have one mission - one focus - what should it be?

This morning as I spent time with God, I read in Philippians 3, which is one of my favorite passages. These verses were just what my heart needed to hear and believe, especially as I prepare to close off 2007, and renew my mind and heart for 2008.

Listen to God's amazing a restoring Word:

"But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted lost for the sake of Christ. More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and I count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ ... that I may know Him." Phil. 3:7-8, 10

Knowing Christ - that is where our heart should be. All the things I accomplished this past year, all my fleshly improvements, achievements, goals reached, and plans accomplished - I count them but loss in view of the surpassing and incredible value and worth of knowing Jesus Christ more everyday of my life. This is the meaning a purpose of our lives: knowing Jesus.

Another verse just came to mind:

"Thus says the Lord, "Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast of his riches; but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord who exercises lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things," declares the Lord." Jer. 9:23-24

Our boasting - our worth - comes simply from knowing God. That's what He cares about, is us knowing more about Him. In a world that boasts in wealth and riches, success and fame, the Christian is commanded by God to find his wealth in the knowledge of Christ. We are to be "attaining to all the wealth that comes from the full assurance of understanding, resulting in a true knowledge of God's mystery, that is, Christ Himself, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." (Col. 2:2-3)

Knowing Christ not only fulfills our purpose and meaning in life, but it brings hope and love, freedom and discovery in everyday. To live is Christ - we live to know, love, and live for Jesus. It's all about Him.

All I once held dear, built my life upon, All this worlds reveres, and wars to own, All I once thought gain I have counted loss, Spent and worthless now, compared to this

Knowing You, Jesus, Knowing You, There is no greater thing, Your're my all, You're the best, You're my joy, my righteousness, And I love You, Lord

Now my heart's desire is to know You more, To be found in You and known as Yours, To posses by faith what I could not earn, All-surpassing gift of righteousness

Oh, to know the power of Your risen life, And to know You in Your sufferings, To become like You in Your death, my Lord, So with You to live and never die

Graham Kendrick  www.grahamkendrick.co.uk

I love this song... such a beautiful prayer and heart's cry to Jesus. "Now my heart's desire is to know You more..." as the song says, is the echo of my heart for this New Year and all my life. And I pray right now for you, that this coming year would be overflowing with the knowledge of Christ in your life; that you would seek Him first, know Him first, and love Him first and foremost in your life. 

Remember, a bride always seeks to know her groom more; it cultivates their love for one another. It is the same with us and Jesus, our Heavenly Groom; we must know Him to love Him. If you desire to love Christ passionately with all your soul, get to know Him through His Word. Daily spend time with Him praying, reading, and abiding in Him. He will captivate your heart and kindle a faithful love for Him in your soul. Loving Jesus = Knowing Jesus

Cultivate Faithfulness

In our world and culture today, many are focusing on making their resolutions for the upcoming year; losing weight, joining gyms, spending more time with family and friends, cooking healthy, improving character traits that are lacking, even purposing to spend more time with God. And yet, to me, I think we as children of God, brides of Christ, and aliens in this world should have a different approach to the New Year and the desire to make resolutions.

 Introducing: Faithfulness

Our lives should consist of more than "resolutions" that are enthusiastically made but then lose their appeal after just a few weeks. Rather our lives should maintain a faithfulness to God in every moment of our lives - January 1st or October 17th (just a random date). We look into the world and see a delight in short-lived experiments rather than life-long commitments. But sadly, Christians seldom differ from non-Christians in their faithfulness; to God, spouse, children, other relationships, jobs, education, etc. We suffer greatly from the lack of faithfulness.

Shouldn't we as Christians be setting the example of a faithful and loving bride waiting for her Husband to return? Aren't our marriages supposed to reflect the relationship of Christ and the church, especially in faithfulness? And to those of us who are single, aren't our lives of devotion and faithfulness to Jesus supposed to encourage curiosity as they wonder where we find our satisfaction, everlasting joy and unfailing love? We are losing our impact on the world because we struggle to remain faithful to God and to each other. We run from one thing to another looking for happiness in the wrong places - just like the lost. How can we recover? How can we reach the lost if we ourselves are too entangled in our unstableness and unfaithfulness to reach out in the power of a life lived faithfully for Jesus?

 Cultivating Faithfulness

 "Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness." (Psalms 37:3)

How do we begin to cultivate faithfulness? 

First I would say that a deep and steady relationship to the Lord is required. Daily spending time with Him, meditating on His Word, being devoted to prayer, and memorizing Scripture is a healthy recipe for faithfulness. There is no "list" on becoming faithful, only a present mind and correct attitude will help increase it. Just like in a marriage there is really no "10 steps to a great marriage", but rather an awareness of specific ingredients needed for a healthy relationship with your spouse. It is the same towards God. You must spend time with Him to know Him. You must talk (pray) and listen to communicate. Thinking about (meditating on) Him during your day will encourage deeper communion with Him. Naturally you will begin to memorize things about Him; you begin to know Him more. You become faithful.

  As your faithfulness increases, your life changes forever. Instead of seeking temporary happiness in other things or people, you run to the only God, the Faithful One, who embraces you in His arms of love and protection. When life gets tough and things happen you just weren't expecting, your faithfulness to God and His faithfulness to you will carry you through the fire. 

Faithfulness isn't easy. In fact, sometimes it is the hardest thing to do. But Jesus didn't say this ways going to be easy - it is hard. But His faithfulness is what makes this life so sweet. If we can remain steadfast and faithful to Him, He promises that we will be saved. (Mark 13:13) He will rescue us, like the Knight in shining armor that He is. How great is His faithfulness! 

 Remember the Faithful One

When I struggle in my faithfulness to Jesus, the one thing that grips me and holds my life, my very heartbeat, is HIS faithfulness. God is a covenant God - He won't let go, ever. He was the One who, dying on a cross, endured - was faithful - in the midst of the pain, blood and tears, suffering at the wish of His Father so I might be saved from the eternal death that awaited me. When He prayed until He sweated blood that the cup might be taken away from Him, but wasn't, He surrendered His will to God and was faithful, obedient unto death - for you and me. (Phil. 2:8)

How this knowledge gives us the encouragement and dedication to be faithful to Jesus. I hope, even in the midst of your resolutions, that you determine to be faithful to Christ no matter what happens this year, or in this life.

Let us be called the faithful.

"These will wage war against the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, because He is the Lord of lords and King of kings, and those who are with Him are the called and chosen and faithful." (Rev. 17:14) 

Commiting To God

"Commit your way to the Lord; trust also in Him, and He will do it. He will bring forth your righteousness as the light and your justice as the noonday." Ps. 37:5-6

Commit: to give in trust; to put in the hands or power of another; to entrust; to engage, to pledge. ~Webster 1828 

Continuing our study on these precious verses in Psalms 37, we come to this command of committing to the Lord. I think it is greatly appropriate that we read this command with the New Year right around the corner, for so many are making resolutions. What a great resolution to truly commit to our Lord in this upcoming year.

Committing is parallel with the command to trust, which we read about earlier. In fact, in this same verse, they are used side by side. Commit to the Lord; trust also in Him. To be committed is a long term agreement; serious dedication. You are placing something into the hands of Someone else to have power over, to take charge.

In the Christians life this is fundamental to our faith. Not only do we commit to Jesus at the moment of salvation, but it should be the characteristic of our daily relationship with Christ. When something happens we weren't expecting, we commit it into the hands on the Lord. Every morning when we awake, we commit this day to Jesus. When a loved one suffers and their comfort is out of our hands, we commit them to God in prayer.

How worthy is our Lord to be committed to!
"You are my rock and my fortress; for Your names sake You will lead me and guide me ... for You are my strength. Into Your hand I commit my spirit; You have ransomed me, O Lord, God of truth." Psalms 31:5

These are beautiful verses, for not only do they tell of David's commitment to God, but also God's worthiness to be trusted. God is a Rock. God is a Fortress. He leads and He guides. He ransomed us, and He is the truth we need in this hazy world. Therefore we can commit to Him - we can trust Him.

We read the promise in the verse (Ps 37:5). And ... He will do it.
God rewards our commitment to Him. He loves those who entrust their lives to Him. And we can know He is near...because the peace we receive after letting go of false control and committing everything to our Lord is just a glimpse of His pleasure in our trust in Him. Truly He handles our affairs and lives much better than our feeble little hands ever could. As His children we must commit to our Father and hold His strong and tender hand with a trusting heart.

Commit to God, dear child of His.