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Thursday,
February 14, 2008
A Rested Development
Hebrews 4:1-3 Let us therefore fear,
lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should
seem to come short of it. (2) For unto us was the gospel preached, as well
as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed
with faith in them that heard it. (3) For we which have believed do enter
into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter
into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the
world. (KJV)
Let us fear or give reverence to the fact
that some fall short from entering into the rest of God because of simple
unbelief. Call it a surrendering if you would, where you surrender your
thoughts and cares unto the Lord and leave them there at the throne, then
proceed to walk in the works of God that He personally ordained for you
before the foundation of the world. Entering into His rest is not just
something that takes place at the end of our walk when we receive the
reward of inheritance, but rather it is a rest, an abode in the realm of God
where we are no longer telling Him how we think things need to be done, but
rather are now walking the path He has chosen for us before the foundation
of the world.
Isaiah 46:10-13 Declaring the end from
the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done,
saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure: (11) Calling
a ravenous bird from the east, the man that executeth my counsel from a far
country: yea, I have spoken it, I will also bring it to pass; I have
purposed it, I will also do it. (12) Hearken unto me, ye stouthearted, that
are far from righteousness: (13) I bring near my righteousness; it shall
not be far off, and my salvation shall not tarry: and I will place
salvation in Zion for Israel my glory. (KJV)
The Lord’s counsel will stand and has
withstood the test of time. It will endure forever and so will those that
come into agreement with it. Declaring the end from the beginning; I
compare that to buying a bag of seed from a store, they have a bright
colorful picture on the package of the completed plant, what the seed will
grow into. Now think of yourself in the same framework; God saw you
personally before the foundation of the world, saw what He made was very
good, which included you, and provided everything that was needed to make
you picture perfect in His sight. So just like the package of seed we
bought from the store, if you don’t take the time to plant and water the
seed and follow the instructions then the end result will not be what was
pictured. Rather than grow and mature in the things of the Lord many stay
trapped in the realm of the flesh because of unbelief, believing more in
the outward sight instead of allowing their inward vision to become
enlightened to the completed work God did on their behalf.
Philippians 1:6-11 Being confident of
this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform
it until the day of Jesus Christ: (7) Even as it is meet for me to think
this of you all, because I have you in my heart; inasmuch as both in my
bonds, and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, ye all are
partakers of my grace. (8) For God is my record, how greatly I long after
you all in the bowels of Jesus Christ. (9) And this I pray, that your love
may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment; (10) That ye
may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without
offence till the day of Christ; (11) Being filled with the fruits of
righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.
(KJV)
Remember it is God that began that good
work in you and only He can perform it, which means to accomplish or bring
it to a finish. Just like with the package of seed, He saw His creation
within you and what it would take to bring it to a finish. Now the question
is, will you allow Him to have His way with you so that you can grow up
into Him in all things and let this picture He had for you blossom and
develop into a full grown mature Christian? This was Paul’s prayer for the
people, not only to see them begin in the Lord but to continue to grow more
and more in the knowledge of God by no longer leaning to their own
understanding and limited carnal thinking. I have seen many people over the
years get all excited about someone giving their lives to the Lord and
accepting His plan of salvation, but that is just the beginning folks. It’s
not those that begin the race that receive the prize, it’s only those that
endure to the end that will be saved and receive the reward of inheritance.
In other words many get a glimpse and a picture of what the Lord intended
for them, but just like with the seed packages, how many will follow the
instructions and allow the seed to grow to maturity in the image and
likeness our Lord intended for it? God saw from the beginning the end
result and that everything He made was very good, but only those that are
able to see themselves in this plan of salvation having their spiritual
eyes enlightened will follow through to the end and stay within the
framework of God’s intended plan and purpose for their lives.
Hebrews 11:1-3 Now faith is the substance
of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. (2) For by it the
elders obtained a good report. (3) Through faith we understand that the
worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were
not made of things which do appear. (KJV)
What framework are you operating in
today? Are you still trying to conform to the things of this world or are
you allowing God to change and transform you into the things of His realm
and framework by the renewing of your mind? Are you more concerned with how
man portrays you and what is pleasing to people? Or are you seeing yourself
more and more being changed into the image and likeness of God, bearing His
resemblance and allowing His picture perfect plan of salvation develop? God
runs a tight ship and heaven is a high security area; and only those that
have the proper identification will be allowed access into it. Some day
when you leave this realm and enter into His presence you will need a
picture ID to enter in and only those that show God the picture He intended
for them will be given access and allowed into their eternal inheritance.
Only those that are able to show Him a spiritual ID with the family name
and resemblance will be recognized, a rested development; all others will
be rejected because of their lack of belief in His completed work, relying
more on their own ways and thoughts which are empty and vain.
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