Be Thankful: He makes me lie down in green pastures
Be Thankful: He makes me lie down in green pastures
Psalm 23:2
"He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters."
God makes us rest!
Have you ever had a long week at work...and thought, "Yes, the weekend is here...I can rest." Only to have the busiest weekend ever?
This world is on the move...Everything needs to be done NOW!!!!
We have convenience dining, Fast Food, and Drive through!
We have Cell phones, Smart Phones, and Text messaging!
And Malls, Shopping centers, and Online buying!
This world is all about getting things and getting them fast!
Man...just thinking about the deadlines I have makes me want a vacation!
It is refreshing to know that God will make us rest!
After all, our bodies were created with a need for rest! And God instituted Rest!
Genesis 2:1-3
The Seventh Day, God Rests
"Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done. So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation."
God rested!
God doesn't need to rest, but He was teaching us that we need rest, we are not designed to be on the go 24/7!!!
God says this to Job, a man that pretty much every bad thing that you can think of, happened to him!
Job 11:18
And you will feel secure, because there is hope; you will look around and take your rest in security.
Jesus says this to us!
Matthew 11:28-29
"Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls."
Hebrews 4:1-4
"Therefore, while the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us fear lest any of you should seem to have failed to reach it. For good news came to us just as to them, but the message they heard did not benefit them, because they were not united by faith with those who listened. For we who have believed enter that rest, as he has said, 'As I swore in my wrath, "They shall not enter my rest,"' although his works were finished from the foundation of the world. For he has somewhere spoken of the seventh day in this way: 'And God rested on the seventh day from all his works.'"
Hebrews 4:10-12
"for whoever has entered God's rest has also rested from his works as God did from his. Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience. For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart."
Rest is not just from work. We were also designed for work...Subdue the earth (Genesis 1 and 2).
Rest is found in the Person of Jesus Christ!
Rest from Sin! This is the biggest Rest that we can ever have!
Because of Christ...His death (payment for sins)...and His Resurrection (conquering of sin), through His power...we are also "More than conquerors!" (Romans 8:37)
And we have "Rest" from sin...though this will not fully come about until the Resurrection of the Dead.
One other interesting Point.
We will be made...to lie down!
Sometimes it is necessary for the Shepherd to break the legs of the sheep. You see the sheep might keep wandering off (because the grass is always greener...away from Christ...Not...but like it or not, we do wander away.) And every time, the Good Shepherd brings the sheep back. But to keep it from wandering again, the Shepherd will break one of the sheep's legs. This is a kind gesture and is done to keep the sheep safe and give it rest.
Has Christ ever broken you?
It is painful to be broken, but it is always for good. We grow and become more like Christ as He gently performs surgery to repair our broken bone and open wound.
Are you resting in Christ?
Are you willing to let Him break you and grow you?
In Christ,
David
Psalm 23:2
"He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters."
God makes us rest!
Have you ever had a long week at work...and thought, "Yes, the weekend is here...I can rest." Only to have the busiest weekend ever?
This world is on the move...Everything needs to be done NOW!!!!
We have convenience dining, Fast Food, and Drive through!
We have Cell phones, Smart Phones, and Text messaging!
And Malls, Shopping centers, and Online buying!
This world is all about getting things and getting them fast!
Man...just thinking about the deadlines I have makes me want a vacation!
It is refreshing to know that God will make us rest!
After all, our bodies were created with a need for rest! And God instituted Rest!
Genesis 2:1-3
The Seventh Day, God Rests
"Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done. So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation."
God rested!
God doesn't need to rest, but He was teaching us that we need rest, we are not designed to be on the go 24/7!!!
God says this to Job, a man that pretty much every bad thing that you can think of, happened to him!
Job 11:18
And you will feel secure, because there is hope; you will look around and take your rest in security.
Jesus says this to us!
Matthew 11:28-29
"Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls."
Hebrews 4:1-4
"Therefore, while the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us fear lest any of you should seem to have failed to reach it. For good news came to us just as to them, but the message they heard did not benefit them, because they were not united by faith with those who listened. For we who have believed enter that rest, as he has said, 'As I swore in my wrath, "They shall not enter my rest,"' although his works were finished from the foundation of the world. For he has somewhere spoken of the seventh day in this way: 'And God rested on the seventh day from all his works.'"
Hebrews 4:10-12
"for whoever has entered God's rest has also rested from his works as God did from his. Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience. For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart."
Rest is not just from work. We were also designed for work...Subdue the earth (Genesis 1 and 2).
Rest is found in the Person of Jesus Christ!
Rest from Sin! This is the biggest Rest that we can ever have!
Because of Christ...His death (payment for sins)...and His Resurrection (conquering of sin), through His power...we are also "More than conquerors!" (Romans 8:37)
And we have "Rest" from sin...though this will not fully come about until the Resurrection of the Dead.
One other interesting Point.
We will be made...to lie down!
Sometimes it is necessary for the Shepherd to break the legs of the sheep. You see the sheep might keep wandering off (because the grass is always greener...away from Christ...Not...but like it or not, we do wander away.) And every time, the Good Shepherd brings the sheep back. But to keep it from wandering again, the Shepherd will break one of the sheep's legs. This is a kind gesture and is done to keep the sheep safe and give it rest.
Has Christ ever broken you?
It is painful to be broken, but it is always for good. We grow and become more like Christ as He gently performs surgery to repair our broken bone and open wound.
Are you resting in Christ?
Are you willing to let Him break you and grow you?
In Christ,
David
posted by Mark 1:17 at 12:29 PM
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