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Category: Fishers of Men

Published: Tuesday, 15 September 2009 23:55

Written by Mark Neddeau

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Isaiah 14:7  The whole earth is at rest and is quiet: they break forth into singing.

Recently I have been going through a number of seemingly independent battles all at once.  From my job to my finances, our vehicle, our prayer life, it all seemed to be under attack at once!  It happens that way sometimes, and you hear good preaching to encourage you but the fighting doesn't let up.  I began to seek God and ask for his guidance and help.  Then our pastor's annual anniversary services came up.  Though we are some distance away and do most of our work long distance, my wife and I determined to go.  We wanted to be fed.  The word was coming to us, we were posting, praying and helping others, but something was missing.  Then the word came to me:  REST.  God was calling us into rest.  I decided to find out just what God was bringing us into and how it applied to our lives.

The whole earth is at rest and is quiet.  God told me that my body was wearing out, I was staying up through the night many times struggling with things that weren't changing.  My mind was wearing out; I was wrestling with things that I should be giving to God.  My heart was wearing out; I was having chest pains regularly and that was causing me more stress, and stealing my peace.  My earth (body) was not at rest and definitely not quiet.  Your mind and body are one.  They are formed from the clay of the ground and given life by God.  When they are not in sync with His spirit you are not at peace.

Synonyms for rest in this case can be STOP, HALT, or STAND STILL.  The rest in the above scripture comes from the word Manowach -- quiet or settled spot, from the root word nuwach -- to rest or settle down.  We know that but follow this chain of thoughts.  Rest can mean an intermission, to refresh, take your ease, repose, cease, put to rest or find a resting place.  You need a time to find rest.  Peace and rest go hand in hand.  When you are at rest you are at peace, and when God gives you rest he also gives you peace.  He sets your enemies off you for just a moment, he rewards and renews you.  Rest implies quiet.  Finding or being given a moment of silent refreshing and reflection to collect oneself is essential to being at rest.  You need to be restored to fighting prime, to recover your strength for the battle or journey.  You need to recapture your vigor and your life.  It also means you need a secure place to do it.  You need a sheltered place, protected from the enemy, where you can regroup and refocus.

REVELATION 21:1 - 4 talks about the ultimate rest.  The very reward, the final reward we are struggling toward!  This is the very thing that defines rest.  The wiping away of blood, sweat and tears.  We need that rest now.  We need to know that while we aim for the rest of Revelation we have a rest right now!  Daily, weekly, monthly rest.  You need to take a moment when you take stock of your situation.  Rest gives you that moment when you can read the situation, take a breath and understand some things.  Here is what God shared with me in this:  RECALIBRATE MARK.  RECALIBRATE AND REALIZE YOU HAVE HOPE AND YOU ARE NOT DEFEATED.

2 Corinthians 4: 8 - 9   We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;   What a good word!  Thank you Jesus!  Troubled and perplexed and persecuted and cast down.  Yes to all four.  In this life we will find ourselves in that state.  It is time we were honest with ourselves and realized that even as Christians we will have these times in our lives.  There are so many areas of life where these things can affect us.  Personal, financial, mental, marital and so forth.  But it is time to have faith in the knowledge that circumstances do not define you or limit God!  But in all these times, all these attacks we are NOT distressed.  We are NOT in despair.  We are NOT forsaken.  We are NOT destroyed.  WE ARE NOT!  God is giving us (me) this moment, this time to reflect and count the cost.  To take stock of what we (I) have and not what is being attacked.  How do we do that?  How do we adequately and correctly take stock?  We act like Solomon.  1 King 3 talks of Solomon's prayer.  He prayed for understanding to discern good and bad.  Proverbs tells us that wisdom is the principal thing.  You might ask "What does wisdom have to do with this?"  Understanding in this case means knowledge of or familiarity with a particular thing; skill in dealing with or handling something.  In this case REST. 

Your understanding will bring you the skills to know when you have entered rest.  Sometimes we are going so fast, things are so heated and hard, we cannot even acknowledge when rest has been offered.  Learn to slow down and be aware of God pulling you aside and sheltering you.  Learn when you need to stop fighting for a time.  Let God do it and rest.  Your understanding teaches you how to know WHY you are in rest.  Rest comes for various reasons.  Sometimes to shut your mouth and stop the damage that is being done by your struggle.  Sometimes it is to let you be refilled and revived because you are just emptied out.  Sometimes it is so someone can catch up to your spirit.  You have been pouring so much out that they are trying to digest everything you are giving out.  Finally, Understanding gives you the skills to take full advantage of the rest!  To get the most of your rest and come out swinging and full and refreshed.  So many times our rest is nothing more than sitting and panting.  Never truly getting refreshed, just pausing until the next hit comes.  In that case you are constantly in a state of panic, reaction, fight.  You cannot win if you are always defending and reacting.  You need to learn how to take advantage of rest and shift your strategy!

Psalms 37:7 tells us to wait patiently for the Lord.  Wait patiently.  Your faith must rely on God's timing.  You must be trained in how to just sit and rest!  Just take church.  When you are a preacher, or a lay teacher you so often waste your rest because God pours in and you keep pouring out!  LEARN HOW TO HOLD IT TO YOURSELF AND APPLY IT FOR YOU before you can share it effectively with others and still come out in force!

Shalome - Peace and wellness, happiness, peaceful, healthy.  This is the rest you will find when you take time to REST in God.  Your moments will become precious and focused.  You will begin to recognize resting moments.  You will be more effective in moving by not wasting your efforts and not wasting the refreshing!  God wants to give us peace and rest.  God wants to fight our battles by teaching us how to rest in him. 

So, here I am.  When my whole earth (all that is ME) is at rest and quiet, and I have learned how to be still and know that HE is God, I will break forth in singing!  I will rejoice in the victory and refreshing that he gives me, and I will walk in peace.  Thank you Jesus for your rest!

In Love,

Elder Mark

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