Wednesday, July 9, 2008

Sabbath REST

In the institutional church and world today the Sabbath is on Sunday.  We will not get into the discussion about what is the right day.  What we are going to discuss is what the Sabbath is!

In Gen 1 and 2 talks about when the Lord created the world and all in it.  One the 6th day He created man and the 7th day was a day of rest for Him and Man. This REST was intended to be never ending and everlasting Rest. Awe now we know that on the third day Jesus rose from the day and sat at the Right hand of God the Father.  There He sits in rest, interceding for us!

In Eph. 2 It speaks how we sit with Jesus at the Right hand of the Father.  There is our rest!  Resting with and in Him.  Coming to a complete rest is when we can put all of our selves, worries, ills etc in Christ and trust that He will lead and guide us on the path of life.

5 things that take us from that Resting Place in Christ.

1.       Emotions that trigger the past hurts, abuse, etc. If we can control those triggers and focus on the Lord's provision, He will come and fill those hurts with His mercy and grace! Eliminating the triggers! James 1;6But when you ask him, be sure that you really expect him to answer, for a doubtful mind is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.

2.       Secret Sin or sin in our present lives.  Habits of (drinking, cursing, smoking, over eating etc.)smear us with sin.  We need to be smeared with the blood of Jesus. That secret sin—putting on a false face of holiness and then go off in a fit of anger with the ones you love or those you keep company. Psalm 90:8 You spread out our sins before you – our secret sins – and you see them all

3.       Pride when we are defensive when an offence comes, when loving confrontation irritates us to defend our actions. Prov.16:18 Pride goes before destruction, and haughtiness before a fall. Depending upon self instead of leaning on Jesus or asking for help from a fellow believer. Proverbs 8:13 All who fear the LORD will hate evil. That is why I hate pride, arrogance, corruption, and perverted speech.

4.       Guilt/regrets are all the should have could have would haves in our lives. (Acts 13:39 Everyone who believes in him is freed from all guilt and declared right with God – something the Jewish law could never do.)  Our thoughts bringing us to those things we feel guilty about. Those things that we are secretly sorry for and replay them over and over in our heads. Scripture: we are justified in Christ Jesus!

5.       Accusations of those who we regarded as superiors or even friends.  James 3:5-6So also, the tongue is a small thing, but what enormous damage it can do. A tiny spark can set a great forest on fire. And the tongue is a flame of fire. It is full of wickedness that can ruin your whole life. It can turn the entire course of your life into a blazing flame of destruction, for it is set on fire by hell itself.Words of belittling, not good enough, smart enough, pretty enough, tall enough, kind enough. Those past and present accusations get played over and over in the battlefield of our mind

It is time come into the presence of the Lord.  When we do those things that hold us back from the intimacy will melt away. He wants from us. We hold the secret; it is up to us to recognize those things that come between us and our Lord.  When those things come to mind it is time to apply the Blood and the scripture to our past and make the step to freely trust Him and begin to live our new life in Christ! That is what He paid the price of death for. 

 

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