Tag: rest

April 4, 2025 – Ears to Hear, Hearts to Obey

Good morning, 

Today I awoke with Psalm 46:10 on my heart and mind.  “It reads, Be still and know that I am God.”  My attention was drawn to the “be still” part.  It means to abate, to cease, to leave or let alone.  He is saying to let everything else alone, cease from all that occupies and keeps us so busy, and takes all of our time and attention, and give it to knowing Him.  Know means to recognize by becoming acquainted with, comprehending, discovering and understanding; to become a familiar friend.  This can be accomplished by being still.  Yada is the word for “know” in Hebrew.  It literally means to transfer your attention, energy and time knowing God, instead of all that is going on around you.

It sounds simple, to be still, but really for most of us it is a challenge.  We live in a fast paced world.  For most of us from the time we wake up in the morning until we go to bed at night, we are in a rush.  Our sleeping pattern is even dictated to by this, “hurried life”.  This got me to thinking about Jesus.  He was not depicted as a “hurried” Lord.  He did great exploits by just being still.  He was often seen going aside to be still and know God, through prayer and worship.  He knew Father God better than anyone, yet, He was always being still by being in God’s presence.  Sometimes He was going fishing, other times He was walking along with his disciples teaching them about the kingdom; just, being still.  The scriptures don’t reveal that He was in a hurry to build His ministry.  He wasn’t a mover and a shaker by today’s standards, yet He accomplished more than anyone in history.  As I look at Jesus I see that it is okay, sometimes, to do nothing.  Even though He was doing the Father’s business, he did it in a state of rest.  He never had to prove who He was by what He was doing.  He did it with ease!  There is a lesson to be learned from the example of our Lord.  
Do you know that the cell is one of the most basic units of life?  It is also one of the smallest units of life in our bodies.  After a cell has divided there is a period of rest before anything else happens.  If cell division is about growth and transitioning, and it is, then growth and transitioning is also about rest.  I believe that before we can grow and go into our next transition, we must learn to rest or be still.  I realize that God has been trying to get me to be still, so new growth can take place.  I have fought it all the way, thinking that being still meant no growth.  Matthew 11:28 does not say, “Come unto Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest (until I give you your calling and My plans for your lives, then you must work like crazy until you have accomplished it!).  No!!! Let’s read on, verse 29 says, “Take My yoke upon you learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly of heart: and you shall find rest unto your souls.”  Now that sounds similar to, “Be still and know that I am God”, maybe, just maybe God will reveal more of His self to those who cease from so much busyness.  He really wants us to get to know Him in a quiet, peaceful frame of mind and heart.  Rest means to take intermission; recreation; to repose; to be refreshed and to take ease.  Rest for our souls, our minds, will and emotions, so that we can truly get to know Him.  Can you really do that?  Just get to know God and learn of Jesus, without making it some busy activity!  Yes, even Martha’s have to learn of Him by sitting at His feet, doing nothing.  Cells do it, they rest in order to continue growing.  Your transition or change could be waiting on you to enter into His rest.  “For he who has entered God’s rest (intermission; recreation; repose; to be refreshed and to take ease) has also ceased {be still} from the weariness and pain of human labors.” (Heb. 4:10)  Let us make our transition with ease.  Relax, be still and you will know!

Love,

Pastor D.

April 29, 2022 – Ears to Hear/Hearts to Obey

 I have kept you in the palm of My hand through many attempts from the enemy to try and kill, steal, and destroy your life.

 
Good morning,
 
    I have kept you in the palm of My hand through many attempts from the enemy to try and kill, steal, and destroy your life.  I know that some of My little ones have become discouraged and frustrated by the assaults and the war that seems as if it never ceases.  I have hidden you from the strong assignment to take you out before your time, and Mine.  I have planned for you a good and expected hope, something that you have longed for.  You have tried to accomplish the promise, by gritting your teeth and working in the flesh, by trying to reason out the plan I have.  Now, I encourage you once again to remember that My yoke is easy and My burden is light.  It is not to cause your hope to be deferred, so that your heart becomes weary and sick, no, it has always been to get you to put your trust in Me.  I do not want you to be looking in some distant future for a faraway promise, but being thankful for My everyday supply and care for you, the promises I have fulfilled!  It is because of My fathering heart that you wake up with the strength to arise and take the steps necessary to move toward your destiny, day by day, moment by moment.  I just want to be loved for Who I Am, not for what I can give you.  I want to be appreciated for what I Am doing, yet those gifts and tokens of My love, usually go unnoticed.  My desire is for My children to long to be with Me where I Am, so much so that night and day their cry is for Me to come and receive My beloved.  I desire your longing for the things of this world to become faint and barely noticeable compared to your longing for My Presence.  I wait and long for your whole heart to be like Mine.  There is no need or want that I will not fulfill for those who love Me, just because I Am worthy of your love.  My countenance towards you is one of longing for you to come closer.  I Am not angry or disappointed, I just want your wholehearted love from a pure heart, not one that is full of stipulations.  As if you can only believe My love for you is based upon the things I give and do for you.  I love unconditionally, that is how I must be loved too!   
     Do not worry about what you eat, or wear, your possessions, or, even your desires, for I Am your provider.  This is where the enemy launches his violent attack, when you are weak, tired, angry, discouraged, lonely, these are some of the open doors, for the devil is an opportunist.  He is looking for you to feel that I have neglected to watch over my Word concerning you.  That is why I beckon you to keep your mind stayed on Me, the place of peace and rest.  My Word is governed by the foundation of My love.  I want you to base everything that you do on the foundation of love as well.  This makes you an obedient lover, who does My word in love.  This is surely changing you from the inside and making you more effective outwardly.  So that you then become My poem of love, easily read by a dying and hurting world!
 
    "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." (Matt. 11:28-30)  
 
    "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end." (Jer. 29:11)  
 
    "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world.  If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.  For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.  And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever. (1 John 2:15-17)  
 
    "Come!" say the Spirit and the Bride.  Whoever hears, echo, "Come!" Is anyone thirsty?  Come!  All who will, come and drink, Drink freely of the Water of Life." (Rev. 22:17)

Love,

Pastor D.