Posts

Entering the Rest of God – Through Striving?

/0 Comments/in /by

Making the Omer Count – Countdown to Pentecost

1 Corinthians 14:1 “Eagerly pursue and seek to acquire [this] love [make it your aim, your great quest]; and earnestly desire and cultivate the spiritual endowments (gifts), especially that you may prophesy (interpret the divine will and purpose in inspired preaching and teaching).”

The Greek word for earnestly desire implies the following: to burn with zeal; to be heated or to boil with; to be zealous in the pursuit of good; to desire earnestly, pursue; to desire one earnestly, to strive after, busy one’s self about him; to exert one’s self for one (that he may not be torn from me).

Notice that it uses the word “strive.” It’s the same Greek word word used in Revelation 3:19 “So be enthusiastic and in earnest and burning with zeal and repent [changing your mind and attitude].” A similar idea is conveyed in the Greek translation of Hebrews 4:11: “Let us therefore be zealous and exert ourselves and strive diligently to enter that rest [of God, to know and experience it for ourselves], that no one may fall or perish by the same kind of unbelief and disobedience [into which those in the wilderness fell].” The Greek word used in this passage is defined as: “to make haste; earnestness in accomplishing, promoting, or striving after anything; to give all diligence, interest one’s self most earnestly.” This Greek word is even more specific. It’s saying make haste, don’t waste any time, striving after accomplishing, with diligence – to enter the rest of God.

Yet, How does one enter this rest? The answer lies in the next verse: Hebrews 4:12 For the Word that God speaks is alive and full of power [making it active, operative, energizing, and effective]; it is sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating to the dividing line of the breath of life (soul) and [the immortal] spirit, and of joints and marrow [of the deepest parts of our nature], exposing and sifting and analyzing and judging the very thoughts and purposes of the heart. The answer? Connect the two verses: make haste to accomplish, striving after with all diligence and interest – to Enter the Word of God. Given the context you could say, Make haste, strive after, and give all diligence to running into His Sword!

Did you catch the definition for striving used in 1 Cor. 14:1? To exert one’s self for one (that he may not be torn from me). There are two kinds of faith in our lives. Active faith and passive faith. But guess what? There’s nothing passive about striving, being in earnest, being zealous, or having diligent faith. This kind of faith doesn’t suffer even the possibility of being torn away from the One – Who burns with fire. Which you can rest assured (no pun intended) Jesus is zealous for His Father, His kingdom, and for us. Since Jesus is zealous, in earnest, diligent in pursuing us don’t you think for a moment that He is not striving after. He is the Word and no One has strived more to enter, become, and be His Father’s Word. Remember Jesus only did what He saw His Father doing. Only said what His Father said. And as Hebrews 5:8-9 state: Although He was a Son, He learned [active, special] obedience through what He suffered and, [His completed experience] making Him perfectly [equipped], He became the Author and Source of eternal salvation to all those who give heed and obey Him,…

If you are going to make His Omer Count then you will recognize and realize – the Rest of God. Where will you find the “Rest” of God? The “Rest of God” will not be found simply in ceasing  from activity. Why? Because the “Rest of God” is the “More” of God. The “More” found in a pursuit of the Spirit, the Gifts (He is the Gifts), Holy Spirit Love, hearing and recognizing the ways God speaks. These are just a few.

Question is, Are you making haste, striving, being diligent, zealous, boiling over – for the “Rest of God”? Are you seeking to exert yourself that He will not be torn from you; that the “Rest” He has for you will not be torn away? Some may object that we could never be torn from God. There’s some truth in that but John 15 implies a different perspective. “If you abide in Me…If you can abide in Jesus then there is the great possibility that you may not. In fact John 15:4 in the NIV states: Remain in me, as I also remain in you. Are you remaining in the Rest of God?

Burning With Zeal, Sons of God, Volcanos and Earthquakes

/in /by

Micah 1:2 Hear, all you people; listen closely, O earth and all that is in it, and let the Lord God be witness among you and against you, the Lord from His holy temple.

What is going on? Have you read some of the headline news regarding global, seismic events? Scientists Give LAST WARNING as Mount Rainier Triggers a Chain Eruption Across the Cascades; Russia earthquake has caused a ‘parade of volcanic eruptions’; Scientists warn one of world’s supervolcanoes is awakening: ‘It will plunge the planet into chaos’

Why are these volcanoes and earthquakes being triggered around the world? Romans 8:19-22 states that there is a connection between mankind and earth: For [even the whole] creation (all nature) waits expectantly and longs earnestly for God’s sons to be made known [waits for the revealing, the disclosing of their sonship].20 For the creation (nature) was subjected to frailty (to futility, condemned to frustration), not because of some intentional fault on its part, but by the will of Him Who so subjected it—[yet] with the hope21 That nature (creation) itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and corruption [and gain an entrance] into the glorious freedom of God’s children.22 We know that the whole creation [of irrational creatures] has been moaning together in the pains of labor until now. Nature, earth, and all creation is linked to our freedom, as the manifest sons’ of God.

Jesus used nature as a sign symptomatic of His Return inMatthew 24:7-8: For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in place after place;8 All this is but the beginning [the early pains] of the birth pangs [of the intolerable anguish]. Are the earthquakes and volcanoes increasing because the birth pangs, or spiritual contractions of all creation are hearing the Voice of the Lord, the Living Word of God approaching? Question is, Are we listening?

Seven more signs are listed in Matthew 24:10-14: And then many will be offended and repelled and will begin to distrust and desert [Him Whom they ought to trust and obey] and will stumble and fall away and betray one another and pursue one another with hatred.11 And many false prophets will rise up and deceive and lead many into error.12 And the love of the great body of people will grow cold because of the multiplied lawlessness and iniquity,13 But he who endures to the end will be saved.14 And this good news of the kingdom (the Gospel) will be preached throughout the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then will come the end. What are the seven signs? Offense, Distrust or Unbelief, Falling Away from Jesus, Deceit, Love Grows Cold, Multiplied Lawlessness, AND the Gospel being preached to the whole world.

1 Peter 2:7-8 states: To you then who believe (who adhere to, trust in, and rely on Him) is the preciousness; but for those who disbelieve [it is true], The [very] Stone which the builders rejected has become the main Cornerstone,8 And, A Stone that will cause stumbling and a Rock that will give [men] offense; they stumble because they disobey and disbelieve [God’s] Word, as those [who reject Him] were destined (appointed) to do. What is Peter saying? A similar thing that Jesus is saying: To the believer – the one trusting in Jesus, and obeying His Word – Jesus is Precious. They love and adore Him. But to those who are not trusting, who do not consider Jesus and His Word Precious, they are getting offended; they are stumbling over the offenses; they are falling away from the Lord. Their love for Jesus, His Word, and others is growing cold. They have forsaken what they were destined and appointed to do. To become sons of the Living, Most High God! To become little Christ’s – little anointed ones running with His Vision; His mission. Is that the point that Jesus is making to the Laodicean church? So be enthusiastic and in earnest and burning with zeal and repent [changing your mind and attitude]. (Rev. 3:19) Another way of stating burning with zeal is to say you are boiling hot. Jesus is the Burning Man and those who draw near to Him will burn with His fire. Is this why earthquakes and volcanoes are increasing?

The Burning Man’s Approach is nearing and repentance begins with changed minds. Is your mind changing or have you been digging in your heels to an earth that is already shaking; already changing preparing to erupt? The sons of God are about to be revealed and the earth knows it. Question is: Will you be counted among their number? Are you listening?