For only we who believe can enter His rest. As for the others, God said, "In my anger I took an oath:" 'They will never enter my place of rest,' even though this rest has been ready since He made the world. (Hebrews 4:3, NLT)
The word, "rest," appears at least 10 times in Hebrews 3 & 4. It seems to mean, "reposing, dwelling, a habitation.' It is from a root word which means, "cause to rest." Later in verse 11, the Holy Spirit commands us, "Let us therefore be diligent ('make hast, be eager, zealous,' be quick to) enter into that rest." This, my friend, is for the good of you and me.
The issue in our text is, Who does the "causing?" I simply cannot "cause [myself] to rest;" it is not within the isolated self to find rest of any kind, let alone, "His Rest." Man has searched and labored to enter some sort of rest since he was barred from the Garden, but, alas, it has illuded him always. Perhaps the most destructive powers of rest is the past, the things which, try as one may, he just cannot change. Forgiveness is not the issue; it's what that past reaped. But "labor" as one might, there is nothing you nor I can do to change that. And so, in the midst of that un-resting struggle, comes the beautiful, albeit not fully understood by any, admonition of our Father, "be diligent," or, "make haste, be eager and zealous," be quick to, "enter into that rest." Why not? As this world accelerates faster and faster to its own destruction, this is the greatest "state of being" in this life, to be in Jesus Christ, the Rest of God. Some refer to this, "rest," as, peace. But whatever the "definition," the Bible teaches us that we should not be as concerned with the definition, theology or teach-ability, as the "position" of rest in Jesus Christ.
Hebrews 4:9 tells us, "There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God...."(NIV). Yet in this chapter, we are told that people, "come short of," this Glorious Rest, "because of their disobedience." As you know, the Greek words for faith and obedience are from similar root words. One definition which I discovered this morning is, "the believing that leads to/proceeds from God's inbirthing of faith." If there is no "inbirthing," their is no birth. I can work, struggle, strive, pray, fast, be as spiritual as I think possible, yet it is all for naught without the "inbirthing" work of Jesus Christ. Everything and the only "thing" which gives me anything life-sustaining is the "inbirthing" of the Blessed Trinity in Jesus Christ=Rest.
So, this Monday, after the worst Steeler game in recent memory, this Monday, faced with new pressures, obstacles, health issues, financial struggles, rejections, unhealed memories, or whatevers, Jesus Christ, Himself the, "Sabbath Rest of" of our Father, is here, there, for all, for all time.
Father, in Jesus' Name, continually a, Thank You for Your Sabbath Rest, Jesus. Amen.
********************
Read of Very, Very Alarming Developments in Egypt: www.apf327.blogspot
The word, "rest," appears at least 10 times in Hebrews 3 & 4. It seems to mean, "reposing, dwelling, a habitation.' It is from a root word which means, "cause to rest." Later in verse 11, the Holy Spirit commands us, "Let us therefore be diligent ('make hast, be eager, zealous,' be quick to) enter into that rest." This, my friend, is for the good of you and me.
The issue in our text is, Who does the "causing?" I simply cannot "cause [myself] to rest;" it is not within the isolated self to find rest of any kind, let alone, "His Rest." Man has searched and labored to enter some sort of rest since he was barred from the Garden, but, alas, it has illuded him always. Perhaps the most destructive powers of rest is the past, the things which, try as one may, he just cannot change. Forgiveness is not the issue; it's what that past reaped. But "labor" as one might, there is nothing you nor I can do to change that. And so, in the midst of that un-resting struggle, comes the beautiful, albeit not fully understood by any, admonition of our Father, "be diligent," or, "make haste, be eager and zealous," be quick to, "enter into that rest." Why not? As this world accelerates faster and faster to its own destruction, this is the greatest "state of being" in this life, to be in Jesus Christ, the Rest of God. Some refer to this, "rest," as, peace. But whatever the "definition," the Bible teaches us that we should not be as concerned with the definition, theology or teach-ability, as the "position" of rest in Jesus Christ.
Hebrews 4:9 tells us, "There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God...."(NIV). Yet in this chapter, we are told that people, "come short of," this Glorious Rest, "because of their disobedience." As you know, the Greek words for faith and obedience are from similar root words. One definition which I discovered this morning is, "the believing that leads to/proceeds from God's inbirthing of faith." If there is no "inbirthing," their is no birth. I can work, struggle, strive, pray, fast, be as spiritual as I think possible, yet it is all for naught without the "inbirthing" work of Jesus Christ. Everything and the only "thing" which gives me anything life-sustaining is the "inbirthing" of the Blessed Trinity in Jesus Christ=Rest.
So, this Monday, after the worst Steeler game in recent memory, this Monday, faced with new pressures, obstacles, health issues, financial struggles, rejections, unhealed memories, or whatevers, Jesus Christ, Himself the, "Sabbath Rest of" of our Father, is here, there, for all, for all time.
Father, in Jesus' Name, continually a, Thank You for Your Sabbath Rest, Jesus. Amen.
********************
Read of Very, Very Alarming Developments in Egypt: www.apf327.blogspot
When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"
"Looking unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2
