The Theology of Resting in God

Brothers: We are halfway through our summer season. We have several rooms open the next three weeks, so please, take time to come to America's KESWICK and allow God to refresh and nourish your soul. Take advantage of our 25% Freedom Fighter discount: 732-350-1187

THE THEOLOGY OF RESTING IN GOD

Why are you fearful, O you of little faith? —Matthew 8:26

God has so often spoken to my heart through the devotional writings of Oswald Chambers. This devotional couldn't have come at a more precise time in my life -- but then isn't that just like Him!

When we are afraid, the least we can do is pray to God. But our Lord has a right to expect that those who name His name have an underlying confidence in Him. God expects His children to be so confident in Him that in any crisis they are the ones who are reliable. Yet our trust is only in God up to a certain point, then we turn back to the elementary panic-stricken prayers of those people who do not even know God.

We come to our wits’ end, showing that we don’t have even the slightest amount of confidence in Him or in His sovereign control of the world. To us He seems to be asleep, and we can see nothing but giant, breaking waves on the sea ahead of us.
“. . . O you of little faith!” What a stinging pain must have shot through the disciples as they surely thought to themselves, “We missed the mark again!” And what a sharp pain will go through us when we suddenly realize that we could have produced complete and utter joy in the heart of Jesus by remaining absolutely confident in Him, in spite of what we were facing.

There are times when there is no storm or crisis in our lives, and we do all that is humanly possible. But it is when a crisis arises that we instantly reveal upon whom we rely. If we have been learning to worship God and to place our trust in Him, the crisis will reveal that we can go to the point of breaking, yet without breaking our confidence in Him.

We have been talking quite a lot about sanctification, but what will be the result in our lives? It will be expressed in our lives as a peaceful resting in God, which means a total oneness with Him. And this oneness will make us not only blameless in His sight, but also a profound joy to Him.

I've been hit this summer with a number of storms. I needed to be reminded of this truth today. The hymn writer said: Stayed upon Jehovah, hearts are truly blessed -- Finding as HE promised: perfect peace and rest! -- Bill Welte is President and CEO of America's KESWICK

Digging Deeper: Proverbs 13; Psalms 87-88; Romans 13

Dig This Quote: It is grace at the beginning, and grace at the end. So that when you and I come to lie upon our death beds, the one thing that should comfort and help and strengthen us there is the thing that helped us in the beginning. Not what we have been, not what we have done, but the Grace of God in Jesus Christ our Lord. The Christian life starts with grace, it must continue with grace, it ends with grace. Grace wondrous grace. By the grace of God I am what I am. Yet not I, but the Grace of God which was with me. Martyn Lloyd-Jones

Determined Digging: Level 1:Isaiah 54:17; Level 2: Psalm 103:15-19

Determined Praying: If we are going to leave a legacy of faith, we must teach our children to pray. If we are going to see power in our churches, we must have men of prayer in the pulpits. If we are going to reach the next generation for Christ, fulfill the Great Commission, and change our culture in the process, we must be people who have learned to lay hold of God. -- Michael Catt