Intimacy through Rest

God began to talk to me about INTIMACY. Throughout the month of May. As a church, we've been talking about the Life of a Believer using Col 3:1-10, Romans 8:16 and Romans 6. But God began to give me a new Dimension to the Life of a Believer in the Paradigm of Rest. The popular verses for rest are Heb 4:1-11 and Matthew 11:28-30 : Come unto me all ye that labor and heavy laden and I'll give you rest. It further goes to say take my yoke upon you and learn of me, for I am lowly and meek and you shall find rest unto your souls for my yoke is easy and my burden is light.

I became puzzled, for it became obvious that true rest only comes from taking up the yoke of Jesus, so I thought. Looking back at Hebrews 4 : Labour to enter into God's rest, I assumed taking upon the yoke is labouring to enter into rest. But those I've Known before, this is not where I am going... Tag along for an interesting Journey.

  

My curiosity led me to dig into my Dake's and I saw references to Rest in Isaiah 28:11-12 read yourself and discern what God says.

But I am writing to share what God showed me according to the Paradigm of rest.  I share my story!

I have always wondered about rest and it has been vague (I like to be articulate). I kept searching and groaning in the spirit, moreover being the chosen topic for Maturity School. God dropped Matthew 11:28 into my spirit but I it passed as insignificant. I didn't want to teach what didn't minister to me, my mind couldn't wrap at it, I could explain the literature (logos) but I couldn't find it applicable in principle. For one, taking up the yoke of Jesus appeared to be the undoing, so I read it over, prayed in the spirit and then began to search further! As I searched my eyes fell on Isaiah 28:9-12 and I had one of those Aha! Experience suddenly a light bulb flickered. This is what I learned;

I've been used to believing that taking the yoke of Jesus meant evangelizing, soulwinning. If you have being actively involved in winning souls, you would agree with me to say one of the ways to get yourself worried most is praying for souls, you sometimes feel without your prayer God can't do anything (Error). Not about to start another discussion.

What then is taking up the yoke of Jesus that gives rest? I will say it as Isaiah said it: For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people, To whom he said this is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet the world will not hear. Isaiah 28:11-12

What then is the refreshing: Direct reference to the stammering lips and another tongue (Worship), one of the ways we find rest is through spiritual exercises, but here it clearly spoke about tongues. If I will paraphrase; this verse seems to say through tongues and the ministry of the holy spirit will I  give the weary rest and refresh them. The world will not accept tongues as the rest. They will not hear it, they will abuse it, so therefore they can't benefit from it.

God began to broaden my mind and let me see that tongues truly refreshes, but not only tongues but every spiritual christian exercise, singing, worship and meditation when truly utilised brings rest. That's the secret of our rest. By seeking to know Jesus more we are chasing (Labouring for) hungering for rest.

David found so much rest through worship, no wonder the kings that preceded and succeeded him acted almost like mad men.

As we come together in church and gatherings with our brethren and lift up holy hands to worship and be enlightened we only show that we are interested in the yoke of Jesus! Whose Yoke when taking up brings rest, why is it that worship and praise does more in making one light in the mind than request making?...

I have not come to talk about abuse of worship or malfunction of it, I am aware that for some church is just a feel good experience their heart is not genuinely seeking (read the next article for that) because they are not surrendered, I am talking about typical busy christians who go to work and have a bad day, and become weary, who have tried things their own way and they need a break, they so desperately need help. To these people, worship (tongues, psalms, hymns, meditation, thanksgiving, adoration singing and making melody in the heart) brings rest. Our worship experiences must not be taken lightly they are meant to rest us.

  

N.B. We know that In Jesus is rest found, I am talking more on living a restful life a life free of worry. Engaging rest on a daily basis.

Saul and Solomon became irrational at the later stages of their life cos they didn't embody david's attitude towards worship. David was more restful than them.

We must endeavour to make new converts realise the importance of our gatherings. It's not Joblessness to go to church.

Watch Out for how to benefit totally from rest.