“I Will Give You Rest”

EVERY soul on earth desires peace. The “peace OF God” only comes through “peace WITH God.”

Consider:

“And the peace OF God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:7

“Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace WITH God through our Lord Jesus Christ:” Romans 5:1

Making Peace with God

Jesus beckons…

“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30

The Master beckons us to “learn of me.” In this He calls us first to “Come unto” Him and issues the promise of His “rest” to those who do – “ye shall find rest unto your souls.” Ever feel the need for true “rest” deep in your soul?

DO we not seek to use our own mind power to figure out how our lives will proceed and succeed? (Proverbs 3:5-6) Are we still wrestling with those things which concern and entangle us? Jesus calls us to come to Him and to rest in Him (Matthew 11:28-30). In our toiling, the prince of peace whispers to our hearts today, calling us forth to say with Him to the Father “not my will, but thine, be done.” (Luke 22:42) Dare you hand your will over to the Father today? Will you trust Him to do His bidding and bring about His perfect will in your life? With the cross in place, the LORD guarantees a raising up which will without fail yield divine results (2 Corinthians 4:10-12). Is our will and obedience involved in this equation? Yes. Let us “fight the good fight of faith” as we “labour therefore to enter into that rest.” (1 Timothy 6:12; Hebrews 4:11)

Beloved, just how many times do we toil instead of coming to Him? Are not pride and self-sufficiency at the root of our delay in coming to Him? How much we truly forfeit when we do not take everything to God in prayer! Father forgive us! How many times we “labour and are heavy laden” with suffering and sin and delay to confess it in repentance and receive immediate forgiveness and refreshing from Him who bled to instantly omit it all and clear our conscience! LORD Jesus quicken us to “come unto” Thee who is our blessed hope, life, and our salvation!

When we “come unto” Jesus we bask in the love of “the God of all comfort” who undertakes our cause because He promised that if we “Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you.”(2 Cor. 1:2-4; James 4:8) When we return to Him, casting off pride, unbelief, self-effort, and reliance, we are blessed to “learn of” Him, whereby we “find rest” deep in our hearts from the Savior whose “yoke is easy” and whose “burden is light.”

When we are coming to and learning of Jesus, we are learning His cross – to lay down our lives so He can raise US up for His glory! (2 Corinthians 4:10-12).

Repentance is the only way God forgives, cleanses, and refreshes. Repentance is required to touch the BLOOD of of Jesus and be saved!.

“Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;” Acts 3:19 

Jesus is saying “I will give you rest” and do My good pleasure in your life if you will “Come unto me.” Isn’t Jesus saying in effect: “Come to Me my beloved. I love you and want to conform your life to Mine and to ease your burdens in My love and grant rest to your soul, so come to Me and let’s commune. I want to work in your life but you must choose to come to Me for this deeper work and communion to transpire. Come before Me and I will continue that good work of conforming you into my image that I begun the day I saved you.”

He said “ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price.” (1 Cor. 6:19-20) The LORD saved us for His purpose and not ours and will He not cause our lives to be “conformed to the image of his Son” and “freely give us all things” needed to accomplish this when we come to Him?

“For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son…He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?” Romans 8:29, 32

Prayer to return home, coming to to Him afresh: Father, I thank You that You are a good God. I this moment come to Thee and to Jesus Christ my LORD and Savior. Bless me to know You deeper today LORD. I love You. I confess that I have not sought You as I should and ask You to forgive that sin and all other sins I have committed against You. Cleanse me and quicken me to make amends wherever needed, where I have offended others. Father, the name of Jesus, please cause Your holy love to overflow in my life onto others. Amen.

Pass This On!

LET’S LEARN GOD’S WORD TOGETHER – ONE TRUTH AT A TIME: This message was sent out to each person who is on our Moments For My Master e-mail devotional list. We would love to add you and have the privilege of nourishing your heart with God’s Word (1 Tim. 4:6). Sign up here.

The Rest of God: Resting to Build [podcast]