Bible Teaching

Calvary Temple Teaching Library

Entering Rest

Hallelujah! Amen! We've been having a good time in the study on refreshing ourselves again in the doctrine of divine healing. How many of you have been stirred in your hearts by what the Lord's been saying to us in these last sessions? Anybody that had some reviving of what our rights are? Not only what our rights are, but to have the right understanding as to why He's manifesting Himself, and that's for His glory. It's not just about us feeling better, but that God would be glorified in our lives. Tremendous work--I was watching something last night called The Miracles of Jesus and it was a program that was on about a "magician," trying to show whether or not these were illusions, magic, that Jesus was doing. It was an interesting study as it went along and talked about other miracle workers like Elijah. It showed him--kind of interesting. I don't know who put this thing together, but just some interesting things--showing the dead being raised, the multiplication of the loaves and fishes--which were really interesting special effects that they had and a lot of these different things. The conclusion--the guy looking at a lot of this was a professed believer that he believed that Jesus was the Son of God--his conclusion at the end of it was: these were not illusions. Of course, we knew that going in, but I thought it was interesting the way the program closed--whoever was the narrator, the one that put it together--said, "but how He did them and why He did them will remain a mystery forever." No, He says clearly in the Word of God that He did them that the Father might be glorified in the Son. Amen? That's what it's all about.

Jesus working in our midst is for the glory of the Father and all of these things are done not for the creature, but for the glory of the Creator. Everything in our society today we've been talking about is pointing toward creature-worship; we call it secular humanism. It's creature-worship. It's the worship of man, the deifying of man, his intellect, his ability to provide for himself, the re-establishing of the Tower of Babel. What a joke--when God came and visited during the Tower of Babel, when God came and brought destruction in the days of Noah, when His judgment was rained upon Sodom and Gomorrah--all three of those events together don't add up to the mess we have today. Jesus is coming. Amen? Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus. It's not long! How long is He going to let this go on--with men standing and mocking Him to His face?

I just got a little story the other day--an email that was sent to me--about a professor that came in to his class, threw his briefcase down, sat down on the platform and said, "As you all know and I've stated many times, I'm an atheist and today I want to come and challenge God in your midst," and he raised his fist and said, "God, I defy you and I demand that you show yourself and if you're real, I give you 15 minutes to knock me off this platform." The place went silent, everybody's watching. Ten minutes go by, nothing happened. Fourteen minutes goes by, nothing happens. A few seconds left and a man stands up in the class, walks down the steps--and just coldcocks the professor. When he comes to, he says, "What in the world are you doing?" He said, "Sir, I'm a Marine," and he said, "God was very busy protecting our troops that are fighting and dying to give you the freedom to make an idiot out of yourself, so he sent me." Secular humanism, calling good evil and evil good. We're seeing and living in a world where laws are being passed that will not allow us to speak the name of Jesus but protect homosexuality. I'm not going to get into politics--don't worry. What are we going to trust in these last days? The most powerful nation in the world is against you. This nation will not use its greatest force against Iraq or against Iran, but against Christians in their own borders. The power of law. See, it's not military weapons--it's law. The control of minds in our universities and the control of our rights. So everything is being taken from us; we're going to be made and demanded to bow our knee to the image of secular humanism. All of the laws that we've talked about--to speak the name of Jesus, to raise our children in the nurture and admonition in the Lord, to discipline our children according to the statutes of God--are being taken from us. Are we going to bow? Now, you can get worried about it or you can be excited about the hour that we're living in. Because--regardless of the intensity of this [spiritual] warfare--His grace is sufficient for us. Amen? Now here we are, just one little blip in the church of Jesus Christ, one little fellowship here that's insignificant. But it's not about the corporate church. The corporate church cannot muster the power in its numbers to withstand this spirit. That spirit is not going to be resisted by the accumulated faith of the corporate church--it's going to be resisted one individual at a time. Amen? What are you doing to put on the armor of God to prepare yourself in this generation against the spirit of antichrist, this spirit of secular humanism, this spirit that would trust in technology, microbiology, the promises of stem cell research? Are we going to trust in the stripes of Jesus for our healing, the greatness of our God for our provision? Are we going to labor in the Word of God and in prayer to enter into this rest that God has promised us? The thing that Satan is trying to do today is just to bring fear upon the church of Jesus Christ--to bring torment of mind, to discomfort us. We need to re-establish in our hearts that peace of God--that rest that belongs to the church--that in all things we are more than conquerors. Amen?

Let's talk about that just a little bit and we'll relate it to the subject that we've been dealing with. We're going to relate it to healing. We're going to relate it to the sovereignty of God, the different teachings that we've been on in the last couple of sessions. But I want to take just a little different look at this. Turn over to Hebrews for just a moment. In the book of Hebrews--the Lord speaks, of course--Hebrews Chapters 3, and 4--we'll be in those chapters for just a second. In Chapter 3, the Spirit says to us in verse 12, "Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God." Take heed, he says. Each one of you, make sure that you're not Peter: "O Lord, everybody else may forsake you, but not me." Take heed. We're all capable of defecting and denying Him. Amen? Every one of us is capable of that. There can be enough pressure put upon you to cause you to betray. Sometimes it's the pressure of just on-going physical ailments and you get worn out. The pressures of society and people railing on you and blaspheming. The pressures of natural family. That need to belong, that need to identity that's in every one of us--that's threatened and it causes this discomfort, this disease in our lives. The threat of death.

You go back periodically and realize it's not just the coliseum; it's not just the first century. Twenty-first century Christians are being killed around the world for their faith today--martyred. Some of the worst is in the Philippians, in some of the Middle Eastern countries. We sit in America fat and sassy. We haven't even begun to know what it means to be persecuted for His name's sake. But like so many Americans, "We're big and bad; we got our act together." You don't know what you are till you're put under pressure. Amen? You can have this image of yourself but you don't know what you are until the test comes. That's why James says, "Count it all joy when you fall into [different tests]; knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience" (James 1:2-3). Finish a test, come through it victoriously. Pass the test and then what does it do, does James go on to say? That it might prove what is--what? The perfecting of your faith. "Let patience have its perfect work, that you might be made perfect, mature, complete and entire--[say it]--wanting nothing." Don't be afraid of the tests, welcome them--they let you know what you are. They evaluate. What's the last test you've had? You haven't been threatened with death, possibly; but what's the last test you had--did you pass? Were you able to accept Jesus, His will, His Lordship--or did you crumble under the pressure of peers? You wanted to make them think you were cool as young people, so you went against your conscience; you went against the Word of God so you could be accepted of the group. You failed. You failed.

Your parents put certain requirements on you and you may have grudgingly done them, but go around and bad-mouthed them to your friends. "Oh, my parents." You failed. We could go on and on. Wives and their role, husbands and their role, the way we conduct ourselves in society, on the job, and compromises that we make. Doing things the way the world does it so we could get ahead instead of keeping our integrity, the glory of God and our testimony as a Christian; we failed. But we have this image of ourselves. But there's a principle that we need to grab ahold of, beloved. If the footmen have wearied you, how are you going to contend with the horses and the chariots? If we're not standing now, if we're not being victorious now, what are we going to do when things get tough? Now, we could kind of get discouraged, but that's not what we want to do--we don't want to get discouraged this morning--we want to stop, look and say, "Well, wait a minute, I've got an opportunity here now to pass a test and if I pass this test, the biblical principle is this: ‘to he that has shall more be given'" (Matthew 13:12). Amen? My faith will get stronger. I just need to make a right decision. I need to pass this test. I need to make this right choice--then it gives me power to make that right choice. Then I have power to make this right choice and the next thing you know, praise God--"A thousand are falling at my side, ten thousand at my right hand, but it's not coming nigh me," praise God (Psalms 91:7). Why? I'm passing tests, the little tests--the little foxes that kill us. "Well, this isn't that big of a deal."

I just went and saw that movie--I don't remember what it was called, even right now--where this guy's in the museum and everything comes to life. I like that little part where all those little people tied him up like in Gulliver's Travels. It may seem small, but you get enough of them, they'll hold you down. Amen? The sins and the weights that so easily beset us. Listen--"take heed to yourselves, brethren." Do you know what kind of condition you're in? Take heed to yourself, examine yourself. Face it--become real. You look in the mirror--"Well, it's not that bad"--and you keep stuffing yourself in that same pair of pants. Next thing you know, it's shoehorns and WD-40. Own up! Buy a bigger pair of pants and start working out! Amen? I'm not talking to anybody in particular--I'm making an illustration here. (See, when I say things like that, you notice I don't look at anybody, just kind of--because they need to look in the mirror, so that we don't forget what manner of man we really are.)

We come to reality--we take heed and say, "You know, I need to do something about this." The Spirit says take heed, lest there be in any of us an evil heart of unbelief. Now, unbelief is evil. Unbelief is not just "Well, I don't have enough faith to get it done." Unbelief is evil. Now the word "unbelief" is unpersuadableness. God gives you all these opportunities, gives you revelation; a brother or sister speaks into your life and shares with you the different principles that are applied in this situation; and you were unpersuadable. You can't be persuaded off of your course, off of your will, to do the will of God. He says that's evil. In the process--look--it's called departing from the living God. Your will has become lord. We've been sharing with so many of our youth here and our young adults. Sometimes you young adults and you youth say, "Man, how come you guys keep picking on us?" Because some of your folks are beyond hope. They're going to just die in the wilderness, they've made up their minds; we're after you guys. Oh, we haven't given up on them, it's just for some of them, I've seen them coming around the mountain the thirty-ninth year. Forty years wandering in the wilderness--you know, like--change! "No, I'm doing it my way and they're in the same groove." Now the path they're on is up to their shoulders, all you can see is their heads going by in the same rut. "Bless God, this is my determined will." You're going to die in the wilderness. It's not too late for some of you old dogs, but I want to tell you something: we need to stay fresh, we need to be willing to change in a moment's notice. This journey that we're on does not allow us to get set--the glory cloud moves constantly, praise God. There's a constant state of flux in this Christian life and when the pillar moves, I'm moving; amen? I am moving!

There's a passage--it doesn't even fit here but it just came to my mind right now so I'm going to share it with you--that's been burning in my spirit these last months. It's over in Psalm 71, verses 17 and 18. These are my "Finish the Race" passages. I'm getting to that age where I don't have that much longer. Half to two-thirds of my life's over. Probably closer to two-thirds. But my "God [verse 17] has taught me from my youth, and hitherto have I declared thy wondrous works. Now [Lord] when I'm old and gray headed...forsake me not..." young people, this is what I'm doing. You think I'm after you and giving you a hard time, some of you young adults. This is the passion of my heart. "Forsake me not, [Lord], until I have showed your strength unto this generation and thy power to everyone that is to come." I want you to have what I've had.

I grew up with no natural encouragement, forsaken of my natural family because of my choice for Jesus. My parents disowned me. They took every dime of my inheritance away from me at that juncture--you all have heard my testimony--but I had Jesus. I lost my--I didn't lose it, I walked away from my scholarship. Lost my three-bedroom home, lived in my car, twenty dollars to my name--totally, 20 bucks is all I had left. You can see in my office back there if you want; in the glass case there's a Bible that I went and bought for 18 dollars. Now I'm down to two dollars and God. Hallelujah! I'm rich! Had no family, had no money, but I had an inheritance. God called me and separated me. I wasn't ordained yet in the natural, but God separates you when He calls you. When Hooky told me to stand up and prophesied over me in that service, I already knew that God had called me; and it was confirmed and I was set apart. There's an old Doug Oldham song that he used to sing--"We've come this far by faith, leaning on the Lord / trusting in His holy Word, He's never failed me yet!"

Parents, what are we teaching this generation? We've talked about healing. We've robbed many of our kids from the doctrine of healing because of our unbelief, because of us leaning to medical science, and we need to get it back to them. We've robbed our kids of living by faith and trust because of credit cards in an affluence of society. We need to get back to trusting and believing God to meet our needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. I'm not even talking about not using these things; I'm talking about putting the emphasis on God--Amen?--as our source of letting them learn to trust and to walk by faith. Let them put their hand to the plow and strengthen them so that they don't move into this unbelief. "But exhort one another daily [verse 13 says of Hebrews], while it is called today, lest there be in any of you the hardening of your hearts through the deceitfulness of sin" (Hebrews 3:13). Verse 13's [an] important daily exhortation, provoking one another daily to love and good works. Stop getting ticked off at people that are trying to motivate you. "Well, why are you always judging me--why are you always after me?" Some of you young adults--what business is it of yours?--"I'm an adult, I can--man, why are you always after me--man, I've got liberties." It's our job--Amen?--to exhort you daily, provoking you unto love and to good works. Forsaking not the assembling of ourselves for the ability to edify, lift up hands that are hanging down, provoke unto love and good works. Why? Because the day's approaching. The day of the Lord's at hand. You can't see it? Look at this society today. Look at this generation that we're living in, calling good evil and evil good.

The passage goes on here in Hebrews and he talks about that need of provocation. "Today [verse 15] if ye will hear His voice, harden not your hearts..." (Hebrews 3:15). Everything that happens in God happens today. "Well, I'm planning to do this." We had one of young adults here just recently say, "Well, yeah, I know that, but I'm planning to make those decisions later, but right now, you know, I'm just kind of trying to sow a few of my oats." "Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee..." (Luke 12:20). There is no saying, "Tomorrow, I will go and do" such and such a thing, but if the Lord wills. Amen? You know that the Scripture teaches on this--listen to me, some of you young people who plan on becoming really committed tomorrow: "Take no thought for [tomorrow]... sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof" (Matthew 6:34). Today is the day of your salvation. One of the greatest errors made among professed Christians--people who say they believe in God--is thinking that they can set their own timetable. No man can come if they're not drawn by God. Will He always strive with us? God's merciful--I don't know how many more chances you're going to get; that's not the issue. Why would you even take a chance when it's today? Amen? The decision's today, he says. Now watch--as he goes on he encourages us. Hear His voice today and don't harden your hearts as they did in the provocation. We're going to talk about that aspect in just a moment as we go on into Chapter 4. For who was it that the Lord was grieved with, verse 17 says? "Was it not with them that had sinned, whose carcasses fell in the wilderness?"

"So we see [verse 19] that they could not enter in [to the promise] because of [what? their] unbelief." They were people that were not able to be persuaded. God kept trying to persuade them and they kept saying, "No, not now." We face it--whatever level we are--the different giants that are in the land. Parents, don't minimize the giant of peer pressure in your children's lives. We just blow it off and go--ppfft!--it's big to them, it's real, that's their world. But it has to be dealt with, doesn't it--biblically. But young people--are you not able to be persuaded? Your parents can't persuade you. Your pastors can't persuade you. The Word of God that's been taught to you can't persuade you. The Holy Spirit that's been dealing with your heart can't persuade you--to begin to make right choices for God and choose Jesus, be willing to be ridiculed by all of the neighborhood and all of the kids in the mall that are cool--and you're not willing to be identified with Jesus and take His reproach upon you, then you qualify to die in the wilderness because of unbelief. "Well, we're just teenagers; surely, he'll let us go till we're adults." No, God deals with every individual today. Today.

As the Holy Spirit goes on into Chapter 4, He said, "Let us fear, lest, [the] promise being left us of entering into the rest, [we] should...come short..." (Hebrews 4:1). We just did a teaching on the fear of God--are you afraid? I'm not talking about "we're totally backslidden." We're not talking to people that are on drugs and living a sexually promiscuous life and bound by covetousness. This is why people look at us as a fellowship so weird. Did anybody here realize people think we're weird? We're speaking up here and we're talking about sin and we're talking about unbelief. If a visitor was here, they'd probably think, "Dear God, what are these people--all-out drunks and druggies, sex and covetous!" No! Whenever the standard among you is perfection, we've always got something to change; amen? "Well, aren't we good enough?" Look at us! People marvel! We go to a basketball game and we come in as visitors with more people than the home team has. A couple of the young kids yesterday had a recital--a little piano recital and the manager of the store's like--"Are you kidding me?" The place was packed out. They're like, "Who are all these people?" "Oh, they're just family--these are my brothers and sisters." The guy kind of looks because you've got--like--black people, Pakistanis. What, you know, it's like...Who are you people? Look what we have! We are blessed family--love one another, faithful! But in the last days iniquity's going to abound, only the elect are going to make it. Amen? We've got to keep preparing ourselves--we're not good enough yet. We're doing a good job, but God's not finished with us yet.

So he says to us, there's a promise, there's a promise left of entering in to the promise land that life of victory, peace--don't come short of it. Don't come short of it. Now, what was it that caused them to miss out on the best that God had for them? "For unto us was the gospel preached, as well it was unto them: but the word preached to them did not profit them, not being mixed with--[say it]--faith in them that heard it. For we which have believed... [say the next phrase with me]--enter into rest..." (Hebrews 4:2-3). Are you at rest? Or is there still an anxiousness in your soul? You young people, there's that tendency as youth like a flea on a hot brick. "Gotta experience--I've got to do something." Well, that's some of the natural--as you get older, you'll be like us old people--mellow, just kind of laying back and taking life easy. But right now, you want to be running and moving and doing all these things. I'm not talking about even your activities; I'm talking about your spirit--are you at rest? Are you content that you're where God wants you? Are you living by faith? You're afraid you're going to miss out. You're fearful of what the future holds. There's a rest to the people of God. You're going to see in just a moment--the way to measure the presence of God in our lives is to be able to measure the peace you have in your heart. Are you at peace? "I'm not bothered by it, praise God!" Your hair's on fire. "Well, Hallelujah! I won't have to comb it tomorrow." Amen? There's a rest. "What about tomorrow?" Take no thought for the morrow. Parents, how uptight are you over your children's education? "Oh, my kid's got to go to college; they've got to get a good job." Your kid might do what my dad's kid did. My dad had all kinds of plans for my life. My dad got ticked when I walked away from it all, not knowing, like Abraham, where I was going. What are you going to do when your kid's one semester away from graduation and [he] says, "God just called me to St. Kitts to work with Pastor Elston [Tuckett]"? You know, those of us that are spiritual giants, live by faith--I guarantee you, the majority of you in this room would say, "Hey, wait a minute, [the] wisdom is: finish that last semester. God will understand." (Don't even look at me, because you're going to give yourself away. [Laughter])

Which mind are you living with? Who's guiding our steps? Are we at rest in the sovereignty of God, that He does all things well? What counsel would you have given when the Master walks up and says, "Come and follow me," and the man walks away from his business? Lucrative, no questions asked. I wonder if he had gone to 10 people for counsel what he would have heard. You want me to tell you? See, it depends on who you're getting your counsel from. If he had gone to a guy named Andrew, Andrew would have said, "That's good, man; come. Come follow me, Peter. I found Him" (A reference to John 1:40-41).

Have our minds been renewed, or are we under the influence of secular humanism, trusting in our wisdom [in] the natural, the status quo? Would there be a time to finish that last semester? Sure, there would. But what comes to your mind first? The Scripture says "the Word preached was not mixed with faith in them that heard it." For we which have believed enter into rest. If God's in charge, why do you need to figure it out? If God has an infinite plan, why do you think you can understand it with a finite mind? If He's the Shepherd, why are you trying to take the lead? Just the good old fallback--how have you done so far being in charge? "Well, I'm kind of like an accident waiting to happen." I have sworn that those who will not live by faith will not enter into my promise and my rest. Even though I've made this provision (and whosoever will, may come), those that will not be persuaded will not taste and enter in.

So He goes on and begins to encourage us further in verse 6, saying, "...therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief" (Hebrews 4:6). Now he's speaking two-fold here: 1) he's speaking of the covenant--the Abrahamic covenant--Israel and their failure to enter in, and 2) he's speaking of the covenant people in general who have rejected Messiah--the Lordship of Jesus. He tells us there is still a rest being provided--"Therefore there remains [verse 9] a rest to the people of God. For he that is entered into God's rest [this is the crux of the whole issue]--for he that is entered into God's rest, he also [say it with me] hath ceased from his own works" (Hebrews 4:9-10). Has ceased from his own works. Now, we've talked many times about this. There's nothing wrong with making a plan. There's nothing wrong with laying up in store. That's wisdom; the Bible teaches these principles--of the need and the effectiveness of productivity of work. The wisdom of taking of our abundance and saving up in abundance for the lean years. But at the same time, it says not to trust in--[what?] uncertain riches. We're trying to find that place where we're constantly obeying, walking in light--God's blessing, we're laying up, we're trying to be wise stewards, but we're not trusting in anything of our own ability to produce or what has been produced what we hold in our hands right now.

How does this relate to us on a daily basis where it's not just doctrine? Well, we can comprehend that somewhat in the material things. We can talk about the abundance of things and not to trust in them. We all know here not to trust in our savings accounts, in our mutual funds, in our employer. We doctrinally know that. Most of us would say--if I were to ask you--"No, I'm not trusting in that." The reason is because it's still there. Let it start going away, then you'll know where you are; until then you don't know where you are. So we can only measure ourselves by the tests that we're experiencing--the daily decisions that we're making to choose righteousness, to choose to live by faith, to choose against the natural, the secular--then we'll know that when these other things come, we'll be able to make the right determinations.

Ceasing from your own works--let's talk about that for just a second--ceasing from your own works. Some off you live of your ability to schmooze others' personality. Some of us live off of our ability because of the gift of gab, we're able to talk, convince people and move people through argument. Others schmooze. Others try to intimidate. Others are diligent at working. Others use womanly wiles. You look throughout the world and they do it constantly. How much do you fall back on these natural things? More than you'd like to? You see it around you all the time in the world, you look at it, it's so obvious and you laugh, "How could people be so gullible?" But what are we trusting in? Have you ceased from your own works from your own natural abilities? The way to find out is when you come under pressure. Because the first thing people do who are not walking in the spirit, the moment pressure comes, they fall back to what they do best naturally. For me at one time, the thing that I would fall back on if you really put pressure on me, I'd hit you. It just seemed to be a good solution to most situations. I still have that tendency and I know when I'm in the spirit. I know when I'm getting in the flesh because when I start feeling this, my tendency like yours is: if you push me, I'm coming at you. See, I don't understand retreat. But I found that when I'm in the spirit, you can come at me and smite me on the cheek--and I'm more than able to turn the other, listen and take your ridicule, your criticism, your attack and your insults of my mother. It's tough--right?--to handle your mama. But when you're dead, when you're in the spirit, we don't' fall back on the natural and the natural tendencies for the lust of things, the lust of power, the need of attention, the need to succeed, notoriety, whatever it is--we're all the same, beloved. There's not a person in this room that doesn't have those same appetites. They express themselves in different avenues to greater degrees, but every one of us--when we get out of the spirit--are afraid. Our fear causes us to either be aggressive or reclusive--self pity, or vaunting ourselves, boisterous, solemn--and it's all an expression of fear because we don't have the presence of God. But in my presence, there's fullness of joy, there's perfect peace. He said, "My presence [in Exodus] shall go with you and I'll have you experience rest" (Exodus 33:14). Are you at rest this morning? Is your spirit at rest this morning? Praise God, [singing] "it is well with my soul." Your hair's on fire--"Praise God, isn't God good." You know, even in the natural, people have the capacity.

I've shared the story with you and I can't remember who it was, whether it was Bell, or--I don't remember exactly who it was right now, but it was one of those great inventors--whether it was Ford. But his factory--his whole business was on fire and burning to the ground and they thought he would be devastated. One of his coworkers came and said "Are you all right?" and they were sitting there, this whole thing's in flames. He said, "Yeah, just sit here for a moment. You'll never see a fire like this again!" Take no thought for the morrow. You young people, God's put you right where you are today--to be taught, to be trained--not to become a personal success, but to be an integral living stone in the temple of our God. Wherever He wants to place you in this building called the church, and as Christians you have no right to choose. God will place you. Does that cause unrest--just that statement? "What do you mean I don't have any right to choose?" Just exactly what I'm telling you--Jesus is Lord. "What do you mean--I have to marry who God picks out for me?" Yes. "I have to work where God sends me?" Yes. "I have to say what God says?" Yes, it's called being a Christian. How many of you, just thinking about that, start causing a little anxiety? You're in unbelief. You didn't pass the test. How do we deal with this, then? Cease from your own works. What's the phrase that we've used for many of you young adults who have been--not looking for a life mate and not having a list in theory?

You see, as long as I have my choice already made, what have I done? I've negated--I've usurped the sovereignty of God. The only reason we would do that is because of the false assumption that God does not have our best interest in mind. I want to tell you something--He loves you, He is far more aware of what's good for you and what you really like than you even know. You see, I just think I like chocolate chip cookie dough, but God knows what I really like--chocolate chip cookie dough. But one of these days, there may be a new taste; it could be--asparagus-broccoli cookie dough. God may introduce it to me someday and say, "Take, eat," and I'll say, "Get behind me, Satan!" But if God gives it to me, I'm going to like it. Amen? I'm going to like it, because along with God comes the grace, the faith, the illumination to see it for what it is: the best. Amen? I just think I know. But I've chosen whatever God says to me, I'm doing it, praise God. I've ceased from my own labors of being in charge of thinking I know best. I'm not there a hundred percent, but one thing that the Lord has brought me through--especially in these last five years--as my experience has caught up with my theology, as it pertains to the sovereignty of God and that is that--whether it's in counsel or in course-setting for the fellowship--I really now know that I don't know. I can stand up before you and say, "Follow me, I don't have a clue where I'm going, but I'm following Jesus." Amen? I do know that I'm hot on Jesus' trail, but I don't know where we're going, I don't know which way he's going to turn. See, we assume we know which way God's going to turn next and we don't have a clue. But are you going to go? Are you going to go to St. Kitts with one semester left? Are you going to marry short fat and ugly instead of tall dark and handsome? Some of you guys are going, "Yeah, come on, preach it, Brother!" and the girls are going, "Get behind me, Satan!" Are you at rest that God's in control of your life, that His way is best for us, or are we in unbelief? An evil heart of unbelief of thinking we know what we're going to like. How would you know? How do you know? I think Greer likes me a little, some; if not, she is up for an Oscar. Who would have thought it? Who other than me would think I'm this cool? Where she is today was not on her agenda, and as she shares her testimony with me and others the perfect will of God and the rest, the peace--who would have thought it? Where are you today in letting Jesus be Lord? Young people, having your plans already mapped out for college and what you're going to do, how you're going to do it. Nothing wrong with making plans. Are you at peace today? Is Jesus Lord today? Are you today where God wants you? Where does he want you? Ceasing from your own labors. Ceasing from thinking you know best. Ceasing from the evil heart of unpersuadableness. Seeking counsel. Seeking to serve others instead of ourselves. All of these things that are indicators that we're at rest, we're not like the natural people trying to make our way, prove ourselves, vaunt ourselves--but the greatest among us servant of all, a servants heart, ceasing from our own works. We'll pick it up there tonight.

Father, we just thank you for your Word. We've come through these studies on the sovereignty of God and on divine healing. We've got young people here in our midst that are getting ready to graduate and college plans at hand. Young adults preparing to marry and others hoping for it. Husbands considering vocational changes. Wrestling with whether or not to buy that new home. If that wasn't enough, we get challenged with the doctrine of divine healing, am I believing God in my life daily for divine health, for healing and should I, shouldn't I. Just cease from your own labors. Stop trying to figure out everything and rest in God's love for you and He will give you rest. When you have peace and rest, it's because you know and have tasted His presence. "He's there and now I'm resting. As long as the Lord's here." You see, the storm doesn't bother me as long as the Lord's here. See, it wasn't even enough for the disciples to have Jesus on the boat, they wanted Him awake. As long as we know God's here and He's awake, then okay, I can handle this. I will never leave you nor forsake you. Take my yoke upon you and learn of me. I am meek and lowly. Take my yoke upon you and I will give you rest. [Are] you worn out--tired? Cease from your own labors; cast your care upon Him, He cares for you. Lord, make it real tonight or this morning to us and cause us to be able to cease. What do you do? Look, stop. Get in His presence, get in the Word, make that small decision that causes you to pass a test, and "to he that has will more be given." Thank you, Father, for your strength and your peace. In Jesus' name. Amen. Let's stand before the Lord this morning.

As Gary plays for us and we take just a moment to reflect on what God said to us. You see, some of you aren't at rest because you've already set your course and you're really anxious as to whether God will follow your commandments or not. You've already decided what you're going to do with your life and you're really kind of anxious because you don't know if you got God convinced yet. Whether you got God convinced of who that life mate's going to be. You see, some of you already have a lifestyle established--a dream established. Your lifestyle's already established in your mind. You've already made your first million; you already have your first Mercedes picked out. You are scared out of your skull that you're the one [whom] God might ask to go to St. Kitts, Africa or even Baltimore. Is it hitting home this morning? I want to tell you something and I'm going to speak it. You've heard it a hundred times and you've not believed it yet, but I'm going to tell you one more time: You will be more content and at peace in the will of God than in anything you have planned. If your whole plan comes together--you want me to tell you what the final verdict will be?--Let it all come together, forget that lousy Mercedes. We're talking Rolls Royce, Bentley, yachts, planes, mansions, jewels, furs, hammocks, beautiful wife, great kids, and I want to tell you the verdict from the man that has it all: vanity. It's vanity is what the wise man said. The whole duty of man: fear God and keep His commandments.

Let's sing it together and just worship Him this morning. Let Him change our hearts. Thank you, Jesus. Make it your heart's prayer. Make it a prayer to Him. Oh, we worship you, Lord. Oh, Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Father, give us that rest.

Just look around here, all you've got to do is look at a Dan Konczal--just a man with his work ethic, his CPA. He could be out there making boatloads of money and he's here, serving your kids. I don't think we could blow him out of here with nitroglycerine the peace, the rest. Look at Mike Gardner, a life given just to serving here on the grounds and the buildings, serving us as a people--perfect peace, just thrilled in the will of God. Others among us, decisions that have been made. I could go on and on, the decisions that people like Jim Kain have made and Kevin Spriggs--decisions made to stay here, to be able to serve as a deacon, to serve in working with the body of Christ, working with our young people. Big bucks, and some of us running around with dollar signs, seeming to think that's what's going to make us happy. You go talk to these people and ask what makes you happy. They'll tell you it's the will of God, it's the presence of God. I could go on and on and mention other names. But in His presence is fullness of joy and His right hand treasures evermore. Before you go, turn to somebody next to you and say, "Thank God for the rest." Amen. Go in peace, God's love go with you.

Back to Top | Audio   |   Purchase Audio   |   Bible Teachings   |   Print