Mat 10:34-35 LITV
(34) Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.
(35) I came to divide a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a bride against her mother-in-law.
We think of Jesus as a peace-maker. We think of Him as non-confrontational, meek, maybe even timid. Nothing could be further from the truth.
What a statement! "I did not come to bring peace, but a sword."
As Christians, we think of Jesus as being our peace, and He is! But we have a somewhat flawed view of peace. Jesus was talking about Shalom - the Hebrew word for peace. Yes, Jesus was thinking Hebrew, even if it was being recorded in Greek. Shalom does not mean the absence of conflict, but rather that nothing is missing or broken. Wholeness. Nothing...is missing... or broken. Peace.
Think about it. That's not what we want when we ask for peace. But that's the peace that Jesus promises. Does that mean He doesn't provide rest from conflict? No! But when we ask for 'shalom', we are asking for the ability to sleep 'through' the storm. Good stuff! That is His promise to us, and yet, He said He didn't come to bring 'shalom' to the world, but the sword.
Jesus came to draw a line. The one side is for God, the other is for ourselves. Do we live for God? Or do we live for ourselves? The presence of the line brings the sword - conflict. It creates rifts in families, relationships with co-workers, friends, you name it. Can you see why Jesus did not apologize for this? It's the line that presents the choice that we must all make.
But realize this: no matter which side of the line we find ourselves on, there is conflict. Why not choose the side that offers 'shalom' in Him. The other side only offers death.
Showing posts with label rest. Show all posts
Showing posts with label rest. Show all posts
Friday, April 02, 2010
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Quiet
One of the most challenging verses in all of scripture to me:
Psa 46:10a
(10) Be still, and know that I am God!
I often struggle with finding quiet. When my girls are sick, everything I hear is a baby crying. I hear it when the cat meows. I hear it when the ice maker knocks. I hear voices in the fan. I simply must learn... to be still.
Stillness is not easy to achieve. Honestly, there is for me a discipline to reaching it, which is why I'm not so good at it. Turn off the blasted TV. Or... at least turn off the world. Replace 'noise' with God. That can mean a book, a praise song, or a sermon. It's a conscious effort to do this, but boy does it bring peace!
Seek righteousness. It begins in the mind. It's not unlike a diet. If you haven't won the diet war in your mind, you can give up losing any weight. Look what righteousness brings:
Isa 32:17-18
(17) And the effect of righteousness will be peace, and the result of righteousness, quietness and trust forever.
(18) My people will abide in a peaceful habitation, in secure dwellings, and in quiet resting places.
When I think of eternity, I often think of the endless praise service, or the party, or the breaking of bread with brothers and sisters and with the King. But I can guarantee this about the coming, fulfilled Kingdom of Heaven: it will be peaceful. There will be places of silence. There will be places of awe and reverence. It will be a kingdom of rest.
Psa 46:10a
(10) Be still, and know that I am God!
I often struggle with finding quiet. When my girls are sick, everything I hear is a baby crying. I hear it when the cat meows. I hear it when the ice maker knocks. I hear voices in the fan. I simply must learn... to be still.
Stillness is not easy to achieve. Honestly, there is for me a discipline to reaching it, which is why I'm not so good at it. Turn off the blasted TV. Or... at least turn off the world. Replace 'noise' with God. That can mean a book, a praise song, or a sermon. It's a conscious effort to do this, but boy does it bring peace!
Seek righteousness. It begins in the mind. It's not unlike a diet. If you haven't won the diet war in your mind, you can give up losing any weight. Look what righteousness brings:
Isa 32:17-18
(17) And the effect of righteousness will be peace, and the result of righteousness, quietness and trust forever.
(18) My people will abide in a peaceful habitation, in secure dwellings, and in quiet resting places.
When I think of eternity, I often think of the endless praise service, or the party, or the breaking of bread with brothers and sisters and with the King. But I can guarantee this about the coming, fulfilled Kingdom of Heaven: it will be peaceful. There will be places of silence. There will be places of awe and reverence. It will be a kingdom of rest.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
The Sabbath
Gen 2:2-3 HNV
(2) On the seventh day God finished his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made.
(3) God blessed the seventh day, and made it holy, because he rested in it from all his work which he had created and made.
Christians have misunderstood - or ignored - the Sabbath, to some extent, since the time of Jesus. We all have questions. The Sabbath is important! Keep it! Yet... it is made for man, not man for the Sabbath. What does it mean to keep the Sabbath? How can I do it without being 'legalistic'?
Questions. To boot, this all falls under 'the Law' discussion which is a HUGE gray area to most Christians. We have lost much of our Jewish understanding.
First of all, the Sabbath (Shabbat) and 'a sabbath day' are not necessarily the same thing. If a Jewish feast day (hag; holiday) falls on a week day, then that day will be a sabbath day. Later in that week, Shabbat (Saturday) comes also. Two sabbath days in the same week, but only one Shabbat. Shabbat ('the' Sabbath) is always Saturday. Shabbat is equivalent to Saturday - in the Hebrew realm.
That said, can a sabbath be observed on a Sunday? Of course!
So how important is the Sabbath?
Exo 20:8-11 HNV
(8) "Remember the day of Shabbat, to keep it holy.
(9) You shall labor six days, and do all your work,
(10) but the seventh day is a Shabbat to the LORD your God. You shall not do any work in it, you, nor your son, nor your daughter, your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your livestock, nor your stranger who is within your gates;
(11) for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day; therefore the LORD blessed the day of Shabbat, and made it holy.
Obviously this is important! But what does it mean for us? We are not under the law, right?
Fortunately, we are not justified by the law (read Romans 3), but by another law of 'faith'. Does this mean we put aside the law?
I believe everyone would agree that we do not put aside 'You shall not murder' or 'You shall not commit adultery' or 'Honor your parents'. That would be ludicrous! So then, what shall we do with Shabbat?
Paul wrote,
Rom 14:5 HNV
(5) One man esteems one day as more important. Another esteems every day alike. Let each man be fully assured in his own mind.
and Jesus said,
Mat 12:5 MKJV
(5) Or have you not read in the Law that on the sabbath days the priests in the temple profane the sabbath and are blameless?
There is much I do not know about Shabbat. Do I believe it's important? Yes! Because God believed it was important. Does that mean I know how to observe it properly? Unfortunately, not really. When Jesus reminded the Pharisees that the priests in the temple were blameless even though they profaned the sabbath, He was not saying it was okay to profane the sabbath. Yet, there was MUCH importance placed on being a priest! Are you a priest before God? Anyone can be, if they are willing.
Another interesting tidbit... is that the land also was supposed to observe a sabbath. Every seventh year the land was to rest from plowing, sowing, and harvest. From the time Israel came into the Promised Land, they did not let the land rest. They ignored the land's sabbath for 490 years. After many warnings from the prophets, God told them that HE would rest the land. Since 490 years had passed, Israel owed God 70 years of Sabbaths. This was the length of Israel's captivity. For 70 years, Israel was denied a national existence.
Because of this, some teachers say that for every week we ignore a sabbath, God shortens our own lives by a day. Naturally, one cannot prove this, but in a culture where we value the 'get-ahead' mentality at all costs and above all else, this isn't such a stretch. He who dies with the most toys wins, right? Rest.
(2) On the seventh day God finished his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made.
(3) God blessed the seventh day, and made it holy, because he rested in it from all his work which he had created and made.
Christians have misunderstood - or ignored - the Sabbath, to some extent, since the time of Jesus. We all have questions. The Sabbath is important! Keep it! Yet... it is made for man, not man for the Sabbath. What does it mean to keep the Sabbath? How can I do it without being 'legalistic'?
Questions. To boot, this all falls under 'the Law' discussion which is a HUGE gray area to most Christians. We have lost much of our Jewish understanding.
First of all, the Sabbath (Shabbat) and 'a sabbath day' are not necessarily the same thing. If a Jewish feast day (hag; holiday) falls on a week day, then that day will be a sabbath day. Later in that week, Shabbat (Saturday) comes also. Two sabbath days in the same week, but only one Shabbat. Shabbat ('the' Sabbath) is always Saturday. Shabbat is equivalent to Saturday - in the Hebrew realm.
That said, can a sabbath be observed on a Sunday? Of course!
So how important is the Sabbath?
Exo 20:8-11 HNV
(8) "Remember the day of Shabbat, to keep it holy.
(9) You shall labor six days, and do all your work,
(10) but the seventh day is a Shabbat to the LORD your God. You shall not do any work in it, you, nor your son, nor your daughter, your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your livestock, nor your stranger who is within your gates;
(11) for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day; therefore the LORD blessed the day of Shabbat, and made it holy.
Obviously this is important! But what does it mean for us? We are not under the law, right?
Fortunately, we are not justified by the law (read Romans 3), but by another law of 'faith'. Does this mean we put aside the law?
I believe everyone would agree that we do not put aside 'You shall not murder' or 'You shall not commit adultery' or 'Honor your parents'. That would be ludicrous! So then, what shall we do with Shabbat?
Paul wrote,
Rom 14:5 HNV
(5) One man esteems one day as more important. Another esteems every day alike. Let each man be fully assured in his own mind.
and Jesus said,
Mat 12:5 MKJV
(5) Or have you not read in the Law that on the sabbath days the priests in the temple profane the sabbath and are blameless?
There is much I do not know about Shabbat. Do I believe it's important? Yes! Because God believed it was important. Does that mean I know how to observe it properly? Unfortunately, not really. When Jesus reminded the Pharisees that the priests in the temple were blameless even though they profaned the sabbath, He was not saying it was okay to profane the sabbath. Yet, there was MUCH importance placed on being a priest! Are you a priest before God? Anyone can be, if they are willing.
Another interesting tidbit... is that the land also was supposed to observe a sabbath. Every seventh year the land was to rest from plowing, sowing, and harvest. From the time Israel came into the Promised Land, they did not let the land rest. They ignored the land's sabbath for 490 years. After many warnings from the prophets, God told them that HE would rest the land. Since 490 years had passed, Israel owed God 70 years of Sabbaths. This was the length of Israel's captivity. For 70 years, Israel was denied a national existence.
Because of this, some teachers say that for every week we ignore a sabbath, God shortens our own lives by a day. Naturally, one cannot prove this, but in a culture where we value the 'get-ahead' mentality at all costs and above all else, this isn't such a stretch. He who dies with the most toys wins, right? Rest.
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
What Does The Spirit Say Today?
Heb 3:7-11 Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says, "Today if you will hear His voice, (8) do not harden your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness, (9) when your fathers tempted Me, proved Me, and saw My works forty years. (10) Therefore I was grieved with that generation and said, They always err in their heart, and they have not known My ways. (11) So I swore in My wrath, They shall not enter into My rest."
What did the Spirit say hundreds of years prior?
Psa 95:7-11 For He is our God, and we are the people of His pasture, and the sheep of His hand. Today if you will hear His voice, (8) harden not your heart, as in the day of strife, as in the day of testing in the wilderness; (9) when your fathers tempted Me, tested Me, and saw My work. (10) For forty years I was grieved with this generation, and said, It is a people who go astray in their hearts, and they have not known My ways; (11) to whom I swore in My wrath that they should not enter into My rest.
Heb 4:11 Therefore let us labor to enter into that rest, lest anyone fall after the same example of unbelief.
What did the Spirit say hundreds of years prior?
Psa 95:7-11 For He is our God, and we are the people of His pasture, and the sheep of His hand. Today if you will hear His voice, (8) harden not your heart, as in the day of strife, as in the day of testing in the wilderness; (9) when your fathers tempted Me, tested Me, and saw My work. (10) For forty years I was grieved with this generation, and said, It is a people who go astray in their hearts, and they have not known My ways; (11) to whom I swore in My wrath that they should not enter into My rest.
Heb 4:11 Therefore let us labor to enter into that rest, lest anyone fall after the same example of unbelief.
Thursday, November 05, 2009
Keep It Simple
Mat 11:28-30 MKJV
(28) Come to Me all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
(29) Take My yoke on you and learn of Me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and you shall find rest to your souls.
(30) For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light.
I've been wrestling with my posting - of late. The reasons are many. For one, I have been over-inspired. Since my last posting, the prophetic time clock has moved forward. More pieces have fallen into place that have added resolution to the picture of Jesus' eminent return. There is more news screaming that it's here.... folks... it's literally time. Look up.
So, for no lack of writing material, I've written nothing because I've just been overwhelmed. Today's post is a passage that should help us in these stressful times. However, I'd like to speak about one part of the above passage.
(29) Take My yoke on you and learn of Me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and you shall find rest to your souls.
Learn from Me, for (because) I am meek and lowly in heart. Stop. WHY is that a reason to learn from a teacher? How many teachers that you've been drawn to because they were meek? How many teachers sell their teaching because of the opposite? They are brash, they are arrogant, they are cocky, they are loud, they are ________?
Truly, in American English is it easy to read this passage incorrectly. Jesus says this: "Look at me. Do I look stressed out? Do I look afraid? Learn this from me and you will find REST." Wow! How can I do that when the economy is tanking? How can I do that if Israel attacks Iran and gasoline goes to $8/gallon?
The yoke of Jesus is simple.
Mat 22:37-39 MKJV
(37) Jesus said to him, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.
(38) This is the first and great commandment.
(39) And the second is like it, You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
When everything is done out of love, the load gets so much lighter, doesn't it? That's why fishing is rarely considered 'work'! If we can simplify our lives, and just get back to the basic - Love - with the love the Lord gives us - then we will find rest even in these perilous times.
(28) Come to Me all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
(29) Take My yoke on you and learn of Me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and you shall find rest to your souls.
(30) For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light.
I've been wrestling with my posting - of late. The reasons are many. For one, I have been over-inspired. Since my last posting, the prophetic time clock has moved forward. More pieces have fallen into place that have added resolution to the picture of Jesus' eminent return. There is more news screaming that it's here.... folks... it's literally time. Look up.
So, for no lack of writing material, I've written nothing because I've just been overwhelmed. Today's post is a passage that should help us in these stressful times. However, I'd like to speak about one part of the above passage.
(29) Take My yoke on you and learn of Me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and you shall find rest to your souls.
Learn from Me, for (because) I am meek and lowly in heart. Stop. WHY is that a reason to learn from a teacher? How many teachers that you've been drawn to because they were meek? How many teachers sell their teaching because of the opposite? They are brash, they are arrogant, they are cocky, they are loud, they are ________?
Truly, in American English is it easy to read this passage incorrectly. Jesus says this: "Look at me. Do I look stressed out? Do I look afraid? Learn this from me and you will find REST." Wow! How can I do that when the economy is tanking? How can I do that if Israel attacks Iran and gasoline goes to $8/gallon?
The yoke of Jesus is simple.
Mat 22:37-39 MKJV
(37) Jesus said to him, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.
(38) This is the first and great commandment.
(39) And the second is like it, You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
When everything is done out of love, the load gets so much lighter, doesn't it? That's why fishing is rarely considered 'work'! If we can simplify our lives, and just get back to the basic - Love - with the love the Lord gives us - then we will find rest even in these perilous times.
Wednesday, March 04, 2009
Need to Rest
People warn me - and others - not to do too much ministry at once because we might 'burn out'. That's an interesting topic, I think - burnout. I know that I've seen people burn out. First they fade and then they disappear, sometimes never to return.
God had a plan to avoid it. He called it 'Sabbath'. It's the 7th day - a day of rest. If we would just do it, we wouldn't burn out. So, should we spend that time reading or studying or... meditating? If you can rest while you do it, then yes. I'd argue that if meditation is work for you, you're probably not doing it right anyways.
For me, studying is fun, but it's work, too. I'd have to 'not' study on the Sabbath. The same goes for reading. I love to read but it tires me.
Beyond that, the premise of Sabbath is deeper than what appears on the surface. He told Israel to rest their land. Every seventh year, let the land rest. If we will do that, He will give us more than enough on the 6th day/year to last us through until the 8th day/year.
But we don't. And we burn out.
God had a plan to avoid it. He called it 'Sabbath'. It's the 7th day - a day of rest. If we would just do it, we wouldn't burn out. So, should we spend that time reading or studying or... meditating? If you can rest while you do it, then yes. I'd argue that if meditation is work for you, you're probably not doing it right anyways.
For me, studying is fun, but it's work, too. I'd have to 'not' study on the Sabbath. The same goes for reading. I love to read but it tires me.
Beyond that, the premise of Sabbath is deeper than what appears on the surface. He told Israel to rest their land. Every seventh year, let the land rest. If we will do that, He will give us more than enough on the 6th day/year to last us through until the 8th day/year.
But we don't. And we burn out.
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