Part 3 – Dwelling in the Presence of the Lord – Are there Benefits?

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A family is a unit where without a doubt, there are great benefits for the members – those who have been born in the family or adopted therein.  For those who live (dwell) in it.  It is the first place we experience love, we belong; we have a home where we live together; we have a holistic support mechanism – it is a place overflowing with benefits.

In my childhood days, my family was one extra-large family, by virtue of it being extended.  The greatest benefit then was that I could eat from four different houses!  Waooh!  The chances of sleeping hungry were slim!  The support system was great – in household chores and in DISCIPLINE!  My siblings and I could be disciplined by any of our mothers!  There were many benefits – because we belonged, we dwelt. 

There are even more benefits in the kingdom of God for those who dwell.  These are spread all over His word (the Bible). This article, however, focuses on four different scriptures.

1.     Prosperity (Psalm 1:2-3)

I am certain that every human being desires prosperity – whether physically, emotionally or spiritually.  Prosperity in health, material stuff, relationships, emotional stability and most importantly, spiritually is an enviable status.  And people, both believers and non-believers will take risks just to achieve prosperity.  Besides knowledge and skill, people go to school in the hope that they will through these, achieve resources to facilitate their prosperity. The gospel of prosperity has been preached at home and beyond the seas – the much publicized Kanyari gospel of prosperity is not an isolated case. 

Why do many people kill while others flout the law of God and that of man in daily dealings at work – why is corruption such a big deal not only here at home (Kenya) about across many nation - the desire (and ultimately greed) to get wealthy or prosperous. 

Many people want to have their healthy insured, so they are assured of health prosperity.  And, as believers, we immerse ourselves daily in the word of God so we can prosper spiritually? 

All manner of prosperity is good, really good, when acquired in the right way.  And by itself it has great benefits (but that not for today).  And it is for this reason people will do all that it takes to be prosperous.

But has it ever occurred to you that prosperity is a benefit for those who dwell in the presence of the Lord?

"… are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season without fail.  Their leaves never wither, and in all they do, they PROSPER.”

Psalm 1:2-3

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Looking at the different phrases expressed in the above verse, we see the following attributes of Godly prosperity:

v They are like trees planted along the river bank … Such a tree for sure never experiences drought; the heat of the sun does not affect it.  And this is your benefit you who dwell – not to experience drought nor be scotched by the sun.

v Bearing fruit each season without fail.  They that dwell prosper continually.  They are productive at all times, and as it has been said over and over – in and out of season!  

v Their leaves never wither – The Lord God has made it His business to ensure that as the leaves of the trees planted near the riverbanks do not wither, so it is for those that dwell in His presence.  Withering may come in many forms – really all the challenges of life that you can think of, but the bible says, as long as you dwell, you will not wither.  The challenges will come, but you will overcome them as you get renewed in the presence of the Lord.

v And the Psalmist wonderfully concludes this part:  “And in ALL THEY DO, THEY PROSPER – ALL, not 80%, not 90% nor 10% or 20% - no, but in ALL they do – who? They that dwell in the presence of the Lord. 

My dear reader, let me just let you know that it is in God’s purposes, intent, and plan that All you do prospers.  You may have struggled with family issues, education, for you or your loved ones, finances, health, relationships; and really all that pertains life;, and for some reason you don’t seem to succeed.  God is assuring you today that as you abide in Him, and you give Him first priority in your life, all that you do shall prosper (succeed).  So take courage, rise from the place of discouragement and open a new page for holistic prosperity based on the word of God

2.     Stability

Everyone desires holistic stability, yet not all get to experience it leave alone live it.  Stability is a constancy, a firmness or steadiness (in the context of this article), in life.  It represents a balanced life in one’s spiritual journey.  If you are like me, I like to be stable, I like to be firm and steady – in everything I do or experience.  I like the assurance that it is well. 

Nevertheless, life’s course (pattern) does not always present itself in a stable manner.  Many times there are gray areas that one needs to walk to, and through, in order to determine, or really differentiate between the white and the black that constitute the gray. 

When it is supposed to be WHITE or BLACK and all you see is GRAY, you will not be stable.  Most probably, you will be anxious, sometimes confused.  And whereas it is the process of walking through the gray or into the gray that we learn to trust in God, God assures us that He wants nothing but stability for us!  And yes, Stability is God’s benefit for them that dwell in His presence.  They will be firm, they will be steady, they will be constant, not because of who they are, but because of their alignment with God – dwelling in His presence.

“…Such people will stand firm forever.”

Psalm 15:5

3.     Safety and Provision

Like in the benefits described in numbers 1 and 2 above, safety and provision are great needs in a human being’s life.  Indeed, these are two of the most basic needs (shelter and food).  What a relief it is not to only know and be assured that God’s ensures that as we dwell in Him, he takes care of our safety and provision.  No one wants to live an endangered life, nor does anyone want to suffer hunger, for if they do, they will be incapacitated and thus not accomplish their daily pursuits.

The person described in Isaiah 33:14-15 (he that dwells in the presence of the Lord), has truly, a good deal for both safety and provision.  He will dwell on high – what does this mean?  He will be above others, he will be honored, he will lifted – above sicknesses, above calamities, above all manner of attacks (or challenges of life as mentioned elsewhere), and even when they come, God has a way of rescuing him (John 16:33).  Besides, this person, will the rocks of the mountains as their fortress of safety – who can conquer rocks and mountains?  It means that before your enemies get to find you and attack you, they first have to fight with the rocks and the mountains!

And in addition to the above, him that dwells in the presence of the Lord, “food will be supplied to them, and they will have water in abundance.”  Yes, abundance.  Not enough, not scarce, nor little, this is someone who knows no lack!  Their food and water are supplied in ABUNDANCE! 

Yes, this is your benefit; it is my benefit, as we choose to inhabit the presence of the Lord.  As we give Him authority and leadership in our lives, really giving him first priority in all that pertains our lives.  This, and other benefits outlined above are ours to enjoy. 

“These are the ones who will dwell on high.  The rocks of the mountains will be their fortress of safety.  Food will be supplied to them, and they will have water in abundance.”

Isaiah 33:16

There are more benefits – The Ultimate Benefit Package is coming up in Part 4 of the series, Dwelling in His Presence.  Do not miss it out!

Have you been blessed, inspired, encouraged, or wholesomely impacted by this article?  Please leave a comment.  Kindly also share it with someone else for the same effect.  Let’s allow the word of God to dominate.  

God’s peace and grace; Amen.

DWELLING IN THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD PART 2 - Who Can Dwell In The Presence Of The Lord?

From the previous part of this article, we have established that Sinners cannot DWELL in the presence of the all-consuming fire, the presence of the Lord!  It is a holy place, it is a holy ground.  This is evidenced in verse 14 of Isaiah 33 thus:

“The sinners in Jerusalem shake with fear.  Terror seizes the godless.  “Who can live with this devouring fire?” they cry.
    “Who can survive this all-consuming fire?”

Sin is an abomination to God – he hates sin, because He is a righteous God.  God is light; and darkness (representing sin) cannot overcome light, darkness cannot withstand light.  So, sinners tremble – they fear when they consider the presence of God where all there is, is an illumination of things as they are.  They fear the exposure that light brings, and since in the Presence of the Lord, the consuming (devouring) fire exposes sin, this is then not their abode.

As we have seen already, the Presence of the Lord is holy.  It is characterized by God and His attributes – love, joy, peace, goodness, serenity – an environment of Godliness.  It is God’s shelter; it is His secret place.  It is where God lives.  It is His glorious habitation.  King David, noted this about the presence of the Lord, “You will show me the path of life; In Your Presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” (Psalm 16:11)

For one to live in the Presence of the Lord, they have to be vulnerable.  They have to acknowledge that the presence of God is a better place than any other that they know, can think of or even imagine.  A place that cannot be traded with any other.  They have to relinquish their own will and surrender to the will of another – the Lord God – hence making Him the Lord of their lives.

When God created man – Adam and Eve, He placed them in the Garden of Eden – in His Presence.  Here, Adam and Eve would experience God’s goodness through a great relationship that knew no sin – no disobedience, nor other Lord, other than the Lord God.   But what do we see after Adam and Eve disobeyed; after they allowed the lordship of the serpent by obeying him instead of God? “… God banished Adam and his wife from the Garden of Eden….” (Genesis 3:23).

The Presence of the Lord is Holy! It knows no Sin.  It is righteous.  It is just.  It is Godly.

Adam and his wife’s case above is similar to Cain’s (their son) in Genesis 4.  When Cain’s sacrifice was rejected by God, Cain became angry and dejected.  However, God warned him against his anger, noting that sin was waiting to attack and destroy him, and that he must subdue it.  He did not.  Instead he schemed to kill his brother, Abel.  Thereafter, God banished Cain from His Presence (verse 14).

So then, who can DWELL in the Presence of the Lord?

“The sinners in Jerusalem shake with fear. ‘Which one of us’, they cry, ‘can live here In the Presence of this all-consuming fire?’ “Who can live with this devouring fire?” they cry. “Who can survive this all-consuming fire?”” Isaiah 33:14 (New Living Translation).

 “Lord, who may abide in your tabernacle?  Who may dwell in your holy hill?” (Psalm 15:1 (New King James Version).

“Who may worship in your sanctuary, Lord?  Who may enter Your Presence on your holy hill?” Psalm 15:1 (New Living Translation).

Isaiah 33:14 is a proclamation that the sinners cannot dwell in the presence of the Lord.  It is too hot for them!  Who is this then that can dwell in the presence of the Lord?  It is not left for us to prescribe the attributes of this person, nor do we have to imagine what he looks like – the bible, thankfully presents to us such a person – HE WHO THAT DWELLS IN THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD.  What does he look like?  Here is he:

i.                    “Those who lead blameless lives and do what is right, speaking the truth from sincere hearts. Those who refuse to gossip or harm their neighbors or speak evil of their friends. Those who despise flagrant sinners, and honor the faithful followers of the Lord, and keep their promises even when it hurts.  Those who lend money without charging interest, and who cannot be bribed to lie about the innocent. Such people will stand firm forever.” (Psalm 15:2-5)

ii.                 ^“ Those who are honest and fair, who refuse to profit by fraud, who stay far away from bribes, who refuse to listen to those who plot murder, who shut their eyes to all enticement to do wrong—these are the ones who will DWELL on high. (Isaiah 33:15-16)

iii.               The Godly – “Surely the godly are praising your name, for they live in your Presence.” (Psalm 140:13.   The same verse in the Amplified version reads, “Surely the (uncompromisingly) righteous shall give thanks to your name; the upright shall dwell In Your Presence (before your very face).

iv.               “…those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand around with sinners or join in with mockers.  But they delight in the law of the Lord, meditating on it day and night.” (Psalm 1:1-2)

Just looking at the above scriptures, we see, and really confirm that the presence of God is founded on RIGHTEOUSNESS, which essentially is, having a right standing with God. 

Many people have been kept away from the righteousness of God because they have approached it from their “own righteousness” perspective, yet the bible tell us clearly that our own righteousness is as filthy rags – it can’t get us to heaven, it can’t give us a right standing with God.  It focuses on self – that is it!  I know I can do this; I am well able; I have what it takes; (the skills, the connections, the money etc.).  It is dependent on one’s reliance on themselves, as opposed to reliance (surrender and yielding) to God and His word.  Self-righteousness is a great limitation to God’s access to us.  Yet, it is God’s righteousness that provides a platform, an avenue; a pathway for one to be able to:

v Exchange their will for God’s will

v Shun wickedness

v Embrace the truth

v Be renewed in light of the word of God

Thankfully, we don’t work to get God’s righteousness; we just acknowledge him and allow a renewal and a turnaround of our way of life.

The initial step in dwelling in the presence of the Lord is allowing the Lordship of Christ Jesus in one’s life.  That way, He overrules the self as his Lordship takes over. 

^“That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” (Romans 10:9-10)

Acceptance of Christ and confession of His Lordship facilitates the process of one becoming a new creation altogether, and thus attaining the righteousness of God.    This is evidenced in 2 Corinthians 5:17 and 21 here below:

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new; For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” 

And voila, there we go – We have the ticket, the title deed to enable us access and DWELL IN THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD.  We can now dwell, we can abide in the presence of the Lord. 

You might be a believer; or maybe you have not yet made up your mind to believe in the Lord Jesus.  The pathway is open to us all!  Thank God.  It is not for a few of us! It is for everyone who is willing to hearken to the voice of God and become vulnerable to him.

King David, even after having a wonderful relationship with God, got to a time when he sinned before God.  He did not only commit adultery with Bathsheba, but he went ahead and organized for her husband’s death.  But these very acts and the responses thereof reveal to us his heart; and really, the kind of a heart that can dwell in the God’s presence, as revealed in this excerpt from Psalm 51.  

 “Have mercy upon me, O God, According to Your lovingkindness; according to the multitude of your tender mercies, blot out my transgressions.  Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.   For I acknowledge my transgressions, and my sin is always before me.   Against You, You only, have I sinned, and done this evil in your sight… Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.   Make me hear joy and gladness… Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.   DO NOT CAST ME AWAY FROM YOUR PRESENCE, and do not take your Holy Spirit from me.  Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me by your generous Spirit”.

“The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, A broken and a contrite heart—These, O God, You will not despise.”

An open heart to God, a heart that is willing not to cling to “self’ or hide from the presence of God – a heart that will surrender to God in worship, in repentance and in total reliance on Him – will dwell in His presence.  Sin casts one away from the presence of God. 

So, you might identify with David, either before the sin with Bathsheba or after he sinned with her.  Will you be vulnerable today – open yourself to God, with a contrite heart and dwell in His presence?  This, he will not despise.  His hands are outstretched to receive you.

And, yes, oh yes; there are benefits!  Great benefits of dwelling in the presence of the Lord!

Look out for Part 3 of this article:  “Dwelling in the Presence of the Lord – Are there Benefits?”

DWELLING IN THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD - PART 1

What Does It Entail?

To dwell is synonymous with:  to inhabit; to reside; to live; to settle.  Dwelling also means thinking, speaking, or writing at length about (a particular subject).  This article presents the subject of dwelling based on the above meanings.  The article is majorly anchored in Psalm 91.

Before DWELLING on Psalm 91, let’s deviate a little and look at Isaiah 33:14-16:

“The sinners in Jerusalem shake with fear.  Terror seizes the godless.
“Who can live with this devouring fire?” they cry.
    “Who can survive this all-consuming fire?”
 Those who are honest and fair,
    who refuse to profit by fraud,
    who stay far away from bribes,
who refuse to listen to those who plot murder,
    who shut their eyes to all enticement to do wrong—
 these are the ones who will dwell on high.
    The rocks of the mountains will be their fortress.  Food will be supplied to them,     and they will have water in abundance.”

In Psalm 91, the psalmist brings out the importance of dwelling (living, abiding, SETTLING) in the presence of the Lord.

Firstly, “He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall remain stable and fixed under the shadow of the Almighty [Whose power no foe can withstand].”

A person dwelling in a place, is not in a hurry to leave or depart from that place – they reside there – it is their residence; where do they leave their residence for?  As believers, we need to LIVE, TO INHABIT, TO SETTLE in the presence of the Lord, even in His secret place; a place where we are assured of who we are in Him; a place where our identify is affirmed.  We need not have any doubts whatsoever of our relationship with God.  We need to have a permanence perspective.  Our living in the presence of the Lord is not a trial and error relationship with him, nor is it a “come-we-stay” sort of engagement – We dwell – We live – We reside and We settle in the presence of the Lord.

Like in the case of marriage, God instituted it as a permanent relationship (till death do us part).  However, on many occasions, there are couples who are in “come-we-stay” relationships, yet this is not the way God intended it to be.  Why do such couples embrace this kind of a relationship?  It is because the relationship is based on a trial and error approach.  The couples have not chosen to dwell, to settle with each other.  They have not yet affirmed each other – there are areas that they are still watching and assessing to determine if they will truly embrace each other as spouse for life. As a result, a spirit (mindset) of permanence cannot be embraced easily. 

Verse 2 of Psalm 91notes that: “I will say of the Lord, He is my Refuge and my Fortress, my God; on Him I lean and rely, and in Him I [confidently] trust!”

A believer cannot make the Lord God their Lord (Master), their refuge or fortress if they don’t completely trust in Him.  If their hearts are divided – some thoughts are in another god (idol) – could be a job, an investment, a relationship or whatever else one esteems higher than God, and other thoughts are on God.  Some help is seen to come from a different source other than God, while other form of help is seen (and expected) to come from God! Dwelling in the Lord, in His presence, cannot be achieved if one is not certain of who God truly is.  However, as one completely surrenders and yields to the obedience of the Lord Jesus, it becomes easy to have him as the Lord over one’s life - a refuge and a fortress.  Dwelling in the presence of the Lord requires a permanence attitude – it does not work with a come-we-stay outlook.

On the other hand, a sinner who has not yielded to the obedience of Christ is not stable.  Indeed, they shake, they tremble with fear – they are afraid.  “Which one of us”, they cry, “can LIVE in the presence of this all-consuming fire?” (Isaiah 33:14).  Sinners do not have a fixed dwelling place – they are neither here nor there.  Today they pledge allegiance to one person or thing, and tomorrow to another.  This staggering attitude is also characterized in their thought system.  They don’t dwell on God’s thoughts (His Word).  Instead, they are always scheming evil. A person who does not embrace a life of integrity will always want to ensure that they say the same thing as they said to the other person.  They want to protect themselves; as a result, they tell a lie.  Is it only me, or have you been close to a person who while speaking on phone, they say that they are in a different place of town!  For example, you are in a restaurant having a serious meeting with a client, or just having a good time with a friend or a family member.  The person sited in the next table picks a phone call, and after the usual salaams, you hear, “Oh, I am in Nakuru, I will be coming to Nairobi this evening”.  You are sited right inside Java in Gallaria!  What do you make of that!

Sinners cannot DWELL in the presence of the all-consuming fire, the presence of the Lord!  It is a holy place, it is a holy ground.

Who can dwell in the presence of the Lord?  I will explore this in part 2 of this article.  In the meantime, enjoy the Lord’s presence. 

GOD’S REST IS ANCHORED IN FAITH

Rest is an important part of a human being’s journey of life.  Ordinarily, a time of rest enables one to rejuvenate, to refresh and to plan and organize for the next activity, the next undertaking – the next thing. 

And for the believer who hears this voice, hearkens to it and believes, the Bible further says, “For we who have believed do enter that rest….” Hebrews 4:3a.

For one to take rest, it means that they have been involved in something intensive, tiring – something that leaves one exhausted; sometimes strenuous, something that required a lot of attention, detail, energy – could be emotional, mental, physical, even spiritual.

What is rest?  Simply put, to rest is to relax.  We can look at rest from different angles; for example, from the physical perspective, when one rests, it means they cease doing what they were focusing on and take a break.  On the other hand, spiritually, to rest is to find peace and calmness in a situation and in life generally.  It also means to be of a sound and an undisturbed mind.  To rest in the Lord, in many occasions means to find ultimate place of no sin, to get to eternal life after the end of life here on earth. 

This article will focus on spiritual rest.

As noted earlier, just as in physical tiredness, believers can sometimes get spiritually exhausted, tired and almost lack spiritual power to move forward to the next level.  Different life circumstances such as sickness, loss of loved ones, lack, broken relationships, loss of business or a job, or any other unfortunate situation could lead to spiritual exhaustion.  A lack of a deliberate move to feed on God’s word and lean on him fully, could also lead to extreme exhaustion and to a larger extent, a turning back to the world.

The Bible in Hebrews 4:2 notes that:

“…but the message they heard did not benefit them, because it was not MIXED WITH FAITH (with the leaning of the entire personality on God in absolute trust and confidence in His power, wisdom, and goodness), by those who heard it.”

Whereas the scripture above was referring to the Israelites, it also carries a lot of meaning and impact for today’s believers.  Many are the people who on a regular basis, particularly on Sundays, get to hear the word of God.  In deed they fill churches, not only within our Kenyan borders, but worldwide.   They hear the word preached and as a result, many have a great deal of the knowledge it presents.  But unfortunately, they have not mixed this knowledge with faith – they have not personally relied, trusted and leaned on God’s power and wisdom to guide them in their daily lives.   And as such, it has very little, or no impact at all in their lives.  They live lives comparable to those who have no time for God, no place for God in their lives.

“As for those who didn’t believe, God said, ‘in my anger I made a vow; “They will never enter my place of REST.’””  This was God’s response to the Israelites who did not believe and for sure, did not enter the Promised Land.

Thankfully for us today, the door to spiritual rest – to spiritual freedom, to a life informed by and founded in the word of God – is still wide open.  And not only is the door open, but a voice continually calls, “Today, if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts.”  (Hebrews 4:7b).  And for the believer who hears this voice, hearkens to it and believes, the Bible further says, “For we who have believed do enter that rest….” Hebrews 4:3a.

It is not uncommon for a believer to find themselves engulfed in seemingly endless situations that present themselves as helpless and permanent, with one objective – blinding from the spiritual truth and ultimately causing spiritual blurredness. 

I have personally, on several occasions in my spiritual walk, experienced situations which, when I looked around, did a 360 degree overview of how to maneuver them, I felt helpless, distraught and to say the least, bound in that particular situation.  Looking at my abilities, capabilities, and generally my natural resources, it felt like I would never be able to pull through.  But, on the other hand, the good news is that, the minute, I turned to God and realized that He is my helper, my all in all, and as such fully trusted in him, I, without a doubt, and in the shortest time possible, found rest from the exhaustion, the weariness and the distraught that had been caused by the seemingly, helpless situation.

The word of God is “alive and full of power (making it active, operative, energizing, and effective); it is sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating to the dividing line of the breath of life (soul) and (the immortal) spirit, and of joints and marrow (of the deepest parts of our nature), exposing and sifting and analyzing and judging the very thoughts and purposes of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12) – (AMP)

Looking closely at the above verse, we see the following:

i.                 The word of God is ALIVE and full of POWER.  This simply means that it is living – it is not dead.  The bible in this amplified version explains this word further – it is full of power, therefore making the word active, making it operative, energizing and effective. 

ii.                 The Word of God is SHARPER THAN ANY TWO-EDGED SWORD … Some time ago as I was reading this very verse, I saw the word of God as the doctor that operates on a patient in a hospital theatre.  For such a doctor His aim is to restore life, and energize it.  He has to be one that abides by every detail so as to be effective at the end of the day.  The word of God is more thorough – it is way beyond what doctors can achieve.  Indeed, while our doctors do a thorough job at their operating tables, the word speaks of itself further and says, “it is sharper than any two-edged sword”.  Again I imagine of the operation tools used by doctors – and without a doubt they are good, precise and up to the task, but not beyond what the word of God does – it penetrates to the dividing line of the breath of life (soul) and (the immortal) spirit, and of joints and marrow (of the deepest parts of our nature)!  My Oh My!  I am awed! I am bare before the Word – my spirit, my soul and my body (the joints, the marrow), and literally the deepest parts of me – are known by the Word.  From this verse, I see the ease in which the Word does his work of separation!

iii.          God’s Word does the impossible – exposes and sifts and analyzes and judges the very thoughts and purposes of the heart.  Yes, this is the word, and just in case you have any doubts, I would like to remind you that “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God”.  (John 1:1).  Nothing is impossible with God.  Yes! God’s word is God Himself – no wonder he can expose and sift and analyse and judge our very thoughts and purposes.  How vulnerable are you to God?  Have you given him authority over your mind; and your purposes?  Can he alter your plans?  Can you bend your will in order to take his?

So How Do We Enter Our Spiritual Rest?

In addition to the voice calling and asking God’s people not to harden their hearts when they hear the call, God through His beloved Son, Jesus Christ, further calls us saying,

“Come to Me, all you who labour and are heavy-laden and overburdened, and I will cause you to rest. (I will ease and relieve and refresh your souls).”

Mathew 11:28 (AMP)

If you are like me, your spirit must be racing in joy and excitement just by the reading of the above verse – and I just like the way the amplified version brings it out.  I just want to enjoy the ease, the relieving and the refreshing of God in my soul!!!

As we introduced the topic of rest at the beginning of this article, we noted that for one to need rest, they must have been tired or have experienced some kind of exhaustion.  The Bible here tells us – come to me (to the Lord God)!  The call here is specifically for those who are in labour (toil, hard work, challenges, difficulties, unbelieve) – they are burdened by the struggles of this world – rebellion, drugs, adultery and fornication, broken relationships, lack of trust, sickness, and all manner of things that cause tiredness and a blurring that keeps one away from God, away from believing and trusting in God thus causing a spiritual separation from Him.  God extends his love and calls to all – including those who have given their lives to him, but they are burdened by worldly pleasures or other forms of challenges.  Some have prayed and asked God to intervene in their situations and this seems to be taking long.  Whatever the labour, whatever the burden is, God calls and says, “I WILL GIVE YOU REST.  I will cause you to rest.  I will ease and relieve and refresh your souls.

God’s intention of giving Christ is to rescue us from the destructiveness of the devil, thus easing, relieving and refreshing our lives.  He wants everyone to be eased, to be relaxed, to be refreshed so as to be able to believe in him and have a personal relationship with him – Thank God He is not calling and directing us to a third party!  He is calling us to HIM!  “Come to Me”, He says.  He wants everyone to have a personal relationship with Him. Will you draw near to him today?  Will you lean on him?  Will you confidently trust him and surrender your life to Him?  Will you allow him to operate on you; to expose and sift and analyze and judge your very thoughts and purposes so that you can walk in freedom and clarity in your life? 

It doesn’t matter what kind of labours you might be in right now, what kind of burdens you are experiencing, God is calling with an aim to ease you from these labours and burdens – Will you yield to the call today,

NOW and enter God’s rest?

YOUR FAITH IN HIM WILL OPEN A DOOR TO YOUR REST.

Blessings!