"Rest and Results"

The Special of the Day… From the Orange Moon Cafe…

"Rest and Results"

    In born again believers, still hearts lead to active hands and feet.

    "For he that is entered into His rest, He also hath ceased from his own labors" (Hebrews 4:10).

    "The Father that dwelleth in Me, He doeth the works" (John 14:10).

    ""But by the grace of God I am what I am: and His grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me" (I Corinthians 15:10).

     Were there ever two more busy laborers in the Lord's vineyard than the Lord Jesus Christ and His servant, the Apostle Paul?  In the passages above, both testified to a heart at rest - "He doeth the works… Yet not I, but the grace of God."  Such still waters nevertheless resulted in great activity, to the degree that regarding the Savior, the Apostle John declared, ""And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written" (John 21:25).  Yes, peace leads to both piety and practice.  Rest results in results, namely, the power of God revealed in those who still their hearts by realizing that ceasing from our own labors leads to the labors of God on our behalf.  

    A heart at rest increasingly sees the Lord Jesus as "the author and finisher of our faith" (Hebrews 12:2).  The vision of such grace results in loving gratitude and living motivation to honor our Savior and the sacrifice that made possible both forgiveness of sin and newness of life in Christ.  "We love Him because He first loved us" (I John 4:19).  No trusting heart that consistently considers the magnitude of God's freely given favor, based upon His execution of wrath against the Lord Jesus on the cross of Calvary, can fail to desire a life that requites such loving sacrifice on our behalf.  Such knowledge also empowers us as we realize the grace that began our relationship with God also provides the dynamic enabling that leads us to walk worthily of our Lord.  "Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear" (Hebrews 12:28).

    Rest results in results, righteous results that engage our hands and feet to work and walk for the glory of God.  The Lord Jesus and His servant Paul lived accordingly with hearts of peace that led to lives of piety and practice.  The same will be true in us as we "grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" (II Peter 3:18).  No other way exists that empowers a life of godliness - "I am the way" (John 14:6).  We need no other way.

"Then said they unto Him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?  Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on Him whom He hath sent."

 (John 6:28-29).

"God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work." 

(II Corinthians 9:8)

Weekly Memory Verse

    For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.

(John 1:17)