Let Us Find Our Rest in Thee

ADVENT-DAY 4

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“hou hast made us for thyself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it finds its rest in thee.” St. Augestine
When I started studying and researching for this post, I was amazed at all the different "takes" on what resting in our Lord is.
First of all I was reminded that the word Sabbath actually means 'rest.'  If we want to physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually rest in Christ, then we must prepare for it. 
We should deliberately choose a day each week when we know it will be feasible for us to Rest from our normal daily routines.
This does not mean that we don't do any of them--some are quite necessary--but that we PLAN ahead and do as much of our work ahead of time SO that we can REST.  This rest should include things that we love, that give us joy--that help melt away the stress of a sin-sick world.
And, of course, we know that in the presence of God is where we receive real joy.  And real joy brings a soulful rest.  Dedicating some meditation time to Him and reading of His Word is a good, good thing.
Nehemiah 8:10 (hover)
Also, it is good to experience wholesome, uplifting conversations with your family and close friends about the faithfulness of God.
Deut. 6:7
And one of the main ways is corporate worship.  I hope that you have a home church where you feel loved, accepted, and valued.
To truly rest in Him, we must not give in to unbelief.  No matter how hard our circumstances or whatever grief we are bearing at the moment, we must NOT use that as a reason or an excuse to doubt the goodness and the sovereignty of God.
That is also one reason why corporate worship is good--we should build each other up and encourage one another.1 Thessalonians 5:11
And that boils down to faith of which we have all been given a measure of.
Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God.Romans 10:17 
I am only skimming the top of the surface here.  I encourage you today to look up scripture about resting in God, search out good articles on the internet.  
I read several that were really good--encouraging, uplifting, with SOUND biblical teaching.
We must know the Bible to know what sound, biblical teaching really is and how to be alert to material that is not 100% accurate in its teaching.
The only way we can truly do that is to spend time daily in His Word.
We can all be theologians.  In fact, I think it is safe to say that we all should be theologians!
I loved this article on finding rest in the Lord.

Blessings to you during this Advent Season!


© ALL ART, PHOTOGRAPHS AND TEXT PROPERTY OF ELIZABETH DIANNE UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED, 2008-2020





I love hearing from you. Email address can be accessed at top left of this page.

From Our Fears and Sins Release Us

DAY 3

FROM OUR FEARS AND SINS RELEASE US

Oh, to be released from our fears and our sins! Can you possibly imagine a better feeling than worshipping from a pure heart--a heart totally devoted to God through faith and obedience--a heart that has been circumcised from the filth of this world.

Yes, that's why He came--He wants so much for us to to released.  He never meant for us to be in bondage in the first place.  He created a perfect setting--the garden of Eden--He walked and talked in the cool of the evening with his most awesome creations--man and woman--created in His image.

But He not only wanted us released, He wanted us totally free and to do that He had to give us freedom of choice.

I have to admit, in moments of human frailty, I am often amused by people who say,   "How could a loving God permit such and such?"  A domineering, tyrant type God could have prevented it but we have a God Who loved us enough to give us a free will--the power of choice.  

And all the while the heart of the Holy Spirit is so grieved, so distressed and suffering to see some of the choices His most marvelous of creations make.  

But He will be here soon--our aching hearts, our grieving spirits, our regrets and judgments, our bitterness and sorrow, our most grievous sins will soon be covered because He prepared a way from the beginning to release us from our fears and our sins.

Hebrews 9:22

This Way was Jesus--the perfect lamb of God.  Without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness of sin and so it was that He had a plan.  A plan to save us from ourselves.  Oh, what love, what absolutely perfect, all-consuming love that He would place our sins upon His only begotten Son--that He should bear the weight of the whole world's sins and not only that but have His Father turn His back on Him.

I cannot imagine the grief of the Father, when because of his Holiness, could not look upon His Son carrying this weight.

Max Lucado says it best in his book No Wonder They Call Him the Savior. I will never forget the first time I read his description of God's suffering, I cried so many tears.  But I will save that for Lent.

This Baby turned King who would grow up and walk and talk among us must come first.

Won't you worship with me today?

Come thou long expected Jesus

Born to set thy people free

From Our Fears and Sins Release Us

Messiah, Lord, we worship Thee!

© ALL ART, PHOTOGRAPHS AND TEXT PROPERTY OF ELIZABETH DIANNE UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED, 2008-2022

Original photo by Amy Teague Photography, Tulsa, OK.  This photo was digitally altered in Waterlogue.

Born To Set Thy People Free

December 2

Born To Set Thy People Free

(written in 2020)

The words to this song!  Charles Wesley covered all the bases in the lyrics to this highly favored old Christmas song.

But sometimes we just don't get it! God wants us to be free! Galatians 5:1 says "It is for freedom that I have set you free." 

 Amazing, isn't it that God has to be redundant to get us to get it! And then sometimes we don't.  In our humans, we might be tempted at times to step in with a stick of dynamite to get our attention  BUT the Holy Spirit is a gentlemen and doesn't do that.  Most of the time He speaks in gentle whispers I think.

1 Kings 19:11-12 (hover to see scripture)

 It may not be the best analogy but the last year of COVID quarantining has made freedom so much more meaningful. There are many of us who have had to quarantine for 14 days or so if we have been near someone who got COVID. 

 Many of us have severely curtailed the activities of our lives in order to make the world a little bit safer place--to somehow be "free" of this virus that has devastated our planet.

But the freedom of the immortal spirit is what God wants for us.  

John 8:32

The truth shall set you free.  Jesus says that He Himself is the Way, The Truth, and The Life.

It doesn't seem logical to me to accept part of what He says and not all of it.  Some religions say they believe that Jesus was a great prophet but not the Messiah and the One and Only True Way to the Father.

 Was He a pathological liar or God come in the flesh.  In faith I believe that He is Who He said He is.  Would a great prophet deliberately lie?  I think not!

So, friend, today, let's wait with hope for this baby turned King who makes it very clear that freedom is what He wants for us. 

A bit of trivia--Did you know that Charles Wesley, the writer of the lyrics of this song, wrote over 6500 hymns and was one of 18 children.  He was also the younger brother of John Wesley.

BORN TO SET THY PEOPLE FREE!

GALATIANS 5:1

Today, my friend, I pray that you are free.  John Piper says that he believes only Christians can truly be free, and I agree with him.  

I am including a link below to tell you how to accept this precious babe, born in a manger, babe yet God.  No words came from that tiny baby's mouth, but the very breath of Him had flung planets all across the starry skies.

And now He used one of the very things He created to announce His birth, a brilliant star that led the way to the place of His birth in a lowly manger in Bethlehem--God come in the flesh as Jesus!

These words do not make sense to one who has not experienced God but once you choose to make the decision to use the gift of faith that He has given you, it bears witness to your spirit.

You may not be able to explain it all yet, but in your spirit you KNOW that it is true.

Oh, I am getting so excited just telling you about Him.  The anticipation swells as my heart prepares to accept Him all over again.

Won't you accept Him also?  And welcome Him into this enslaved world.  He is the only one Who can make living here a true event of freedom.

I invite you to spend time worshipping Him today.

Sing together with me and all the angels and mighty hosts of heaven--

 

Come Thou Long Expected Jesus

Born to Set Thy People Free!

How to. Accept Jesus

© ALL ART, PHOTOGRAPHS AND TEXT PROPERTY OF ELIZABETH DIANNE UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED, 2008-2022

I love hearing from you. Email address can be accessed in right hand column.

Come Thou Long Expected Jesus

December 1

And so we wait. Not as one waits for his third meal of the day but one who waits as if they have not eaten in days. We ache with pangs of true hunger for a Savior to come and satiate our sin-scarred world. 

 We wait as one waits for her bridegroom, preparing herself mentally, physically and spiritually--all the while longing for the one who will finally complete her--will comfort her in times of distress and rejoice with her in times of great abundance. 

 We wait as a watchman waits for the dawning--for that first glimpse of saffron sun on the horizon that tells him all is well. The night is over and the new light has come. 

 We wait as one without any pride, who is totally vulnerable and knows they are destitute without a Savior. I cannot be good enough. I cannot buy my salvation. I must receive this gift with a heart of acceptance and total dependence on Him knowing that He is the only Way to the Father. 

 Come, thou long expected Jesus. 

 Come and fill us with thyself 

 Come to earth and walk where we walk 

 Come and give us second birth. 

© ALL ART, PHOTOGRAPHS AND TEXT PROPERTY OF ELIZABETH DIANNE UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED, 2008-2022

Our New Supreme Court Justice

Listening to Amy Coney Barrett during the hearings for her nomination to the Supreme Court,  I was amazed at her knowledge, composure, quiet spirit, and succinct answers to senate members' questions.

If she were a professor at our local university, I would sign up tomorrow for a course under her even though studying law has never been a great interest of mine.

I have been doing some research lately and came across a couple of articles that I think you might like.  The first is from the Gospel Coalition website.  Here is a link.

Also, in that article it is said that she is a member of People of Praise.  That sounded so interesting to me because I believe that God is all worthy of every praise.  I wanted to learn more about them so went to their website.

What I read was the most uplifting description of an organization I think I have ever read.  It reminded me so much of the description of the early Christian church in Acts.  Here is a link to that article. 

I hope you are having a great Black Friday.  I got out just for a little while to buy myself a new laptop.  I had been saving for several months.  I bought it online and went to Best Buy curbside pickup to get it.  It was the best shopping experience I think I've ever had.  I drove straight into a parking space, let them know I was there and had my new laptop in less than 5 minutes.  Wow!  What a blessing!

I am also getting excited about advent.  I want to write my own someday but I don't have a clue about how to get started.  I am doing a lot of research on that and praying about it also. 

 

© ALL ART, PHOTOGRAPHS AND TEXT PROPERTY OF ELIZABETH DIANNE UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED, 2008-2020