Resting in Faith is the way forward
Sometimes we can, throughout our lives, be getting on with and focusing on what Father has asked of us and other times we can be in a place of going round in circles and getting no where fast. Have any of you ever been in these places? I know that I have. Have you ever given any thought to what you were doing when you were in either of these places? Lets just think about that.
I know in my case that the times I was going round in circles I was not using my faith and I was looking at my circumstances and talking and whining about poor old me, etc.
The times I was moving forward and achieving more were the times I was exercising resting in expectancy and using my faith.
Does this sound maybe familiar to some of you?
Hosea 4:6 (KJ)
My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because you have rejected knowledge.
(NLT:My people are being destroyed because they don’t know me.)
These are quite strong words, and they have made me think so many times, about the knowledge that God has for each of us, and through perhaps lack of understanding, teaching, and perhaps not spending time in His word, that we can miss out on so much that He tells us in His word about the plan that He has for our lives.
Jer. 29:11
I know the thoughts I have for you says the Lord (NKJ)
I know the plans I have for you says the Lord (amp)
Look at verse 13:
It says if you look for me in earnest, you will find me when you seek me. Seeking Him by reading His word, spending time with Him, meditating on the word and listening to the still small voice of what He is asking or advising us to do really helps us to know Him more.
Let’s read.
Hebrews 4:1-7
How do we enter His rest by constantly declaring the truth of His word over our circumstances. And we can miss out and keep going round those mountains when we let doubt in.
V 2 because as the word teaches us, we need to mix it with faith
V3, we need to believe it we can also miss it by unbelief.
To believe we also need to know who we are in Christ and confidently take the word by faith.
Ezekiel 3:1+2
Moreover, he said to me, Son of man eat that you find: eat this scroll and go and speak unto the house of Israel.
So,
I opened my mouth, and He caused me to eat that scroll.
And He said to me son of man cause thy belly to eat and fill thy bowels with this scroll that I give thee. then I did eat it and it tasted like honey for sweetness.
Jeremiah 15;16 (KJ)
Your words were found, and I did eat them; and Your word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of my heart; for I am called by your name O’ Lord God of Hosts
Jesus also told satan in the wilderness that man does not live by bread alone.
The word is to be as food to each of us to read digest believe and receive.
The word gives us knowledge wisdom courage strength and rest to live our lives with joy daily.
Deuteronomy 30:19 says choose life. Choose the word.
When we read and get taught the word, we can then labour, ponder and meditate on the word and seek Father for His revelation on it. Working from a place of rest gives us great confidence that Father has got everything in hand, and we can just get on with living our lives trusting Him.
How much time are we reading the word and choosing it say above some tv programme or career or serving in the church that seems to get in the way of just sitting and spending quality time with Him.
There are times when you hear from beautiful Christian people conversations of every detail what a tv programme is about yet if we ask that same person about what God is saying about something going on in their life, they brush it over or they can’t answer.
Luke 10
Now Martha received Jesus into her home, but she was too busy to listen to Him she was more concerned with doing stuff. And she even complained about her sister to Jesus.
Luke 10:39
and she had a sister called Mary who sat at Jesus’s feet and heard His word.
Are we so busy choosing to ignore the life Father has offered us what are we choosing?
Martha was to busy Mary took the time.
Ecclesiastes c3
Records the seasons we have in our lives so we know that stuff happens, and every day is different, God has told us that we will go though trials and tests and spending time with Him and reading the word prepares us. When we get busy doing like Martha then we miss out on what God has for us
God is word and Faith.
Satan is reasoning and doubt.
John 10:10
A thief comes to steal kill and destroy.
But I came to give Life – life in all its fullness.
First part teaches you about satan
Second part teaches us about what God has for us.
Are we living our lives in life full, or have we got why’s and doubts are we fully committed to what our father in heaven has for us and living accordingly.
Adam and Eve handed over their and our authority to satan.
However now we have the Holy Spirit living inside us to strengthen and give us courage to get through every day no matter what is going on in our circumstances.
I encourage each of us to take a step of faith and just do what the Holy Spirit is prompting you daily that could be visiting your neighbour cooking dinner for someone serving the homeless working voluntary in church giving financially to bless someone or buy them a bag of groceries. But all done through a place of rest led by the Holy Spirirt.
Faith is doing something from a place of rest that is led by the Holy Spirit and believing in God to work it out.
Faith is based on knowledge not personal ambition.
We can walk in it and be committed to God for the outcome.
Mathew 7:13+14
Because straight is the gate and narrow, is the way which lead us into life, and few find it.
Now many believe this scripture is about salvation and it is but it’s also about life. we can be saved and live our lives existing and waiting to get to heaven or we can use the word gain more revelation and live as though heaven were on earth right now.
The choice is ours lets choose life to its fullest.
Proverbs 8:34
Blessed is the man that hears me watching daily at my gates waiting at the posts of my door.
Ezek. 33:32
Indeed, you are to them as a very lovely song of one who has a pleasant voice and can play well on an instrument, for they hear your words, but they do not do them.
Father has so much more for each of us and His word also says we need to do according to the word. He wants to bless us abundantly we read that over and over throughout the bible and he wants us to spend time with Him just like Mary enjoying His presence and receiving all He has for us.