Safe Dwelling

Psalm 4:1 - Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness! You have relieved me in my distress; have mercy on me, and hear my prayer. 

God is our protection. He listens to those called by His name when we call on Him. He will relieve us of our distresses. He also provides. I know I write a lot about these things. They are an important part of knowing Him and trusting in Him.

In Psalm 4 David is reminded that God does hear him when he calls out. He is praising God for the knowledge of these things. He speaks of being relieved in his distress. He is experiencing an attack by those who do not know God and live worthless and false lives (verse 2).

But David is fully aware that God hears him because he is considered godly in His eyes. He offers the suggestion that we can be angry with our enemy but we are not to sin but to continue a righteous life, trusting in the Lord for protection. This can only be as a result of our giving our lives to Christ and allowing Him to give us righteousness. This righteousness is not an arrogant thing. It comes from God; it is nothing we deserve, but through Christ's death for our sins, we can attain it if we truly put our trust in Him and allow Him to change our lives in the process.

Trusting in God means looking up to Him and not focusing on the situation. I heard someone on the radio the other morning say she drives past a field of sunflowers every day on her way to and from work. Sunflower heads follow the path of the sun throughout the day...their heads always looking up. She was reminded of the very thing I mentioned...staying focused on Him...all throughout the day. Praising Him and thanking Him for all things, all circumstances.

When we do that He will lift up the light of His countenance upon us (verse 6). When we maintain that focus on the Lord we cannot help but be filled with gladness (verse 7). Obviously, when we are filled with gladness we have peace and restful nights (verse 8). We are able to maintain contentment in our days, even when there is some distress. Remain focused on Him. Know He will not abandon you. Know He has you in the palm of His hand. And if you slip and allow the troubles to overcome, and they will, take your focus off the situation and look up. Trust that He knows what you're going through and has it all under control...if you trust in Him. Then you will find your peace again. You will again return to the dwelling of safety, knowing God has been there all along.

Psalm 4:8 - I will both lie down in peace, and sleep; for You alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety. 

Let Us...Enter In

Hebrews 4:1,11,14,16  - Therefore, since a promise remains of entering His rest, let us fear lest any of you seem to have come short of it...let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience...let us hold fast our confession...let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace...

Oh, the richness of these verses. I mentioned the other day about entering into God's rest. This rest I said is the presence of God. It's having faith in Him and trusting that He can be all we ever need.

The Book of Hebrews was a teaching to converted Jews, those who in that day received Christ as their Messiah. The reason it was written was to strengthen and encourage them in their belief because of the persecution they received when they converted. I could take a rabbit trail here, but I edited those paragraphs out! Phew, some of you might be thinking.

The message is for all of us, however. When we enter into relationship with Jesus, we enter into His rest. We are allowed access to God through Jesus Christ. We are allowed to enter into His presence without fear. We do not need to go through anyone else.

The scriptures above describe, first, anyone today who has heard the truth of Jesus and about God's rest, who have heard the Gospel preached but who may still be wary of entering in. The second part is not to let that understanding and entering slip by, like Israel did when they wandered for forty years in the wilderness. (More to follow.) Today people still avoid entering into God's rest, choosing Christ. Let the wandering cease. Enter in.

The third part of the scripture describes those who have entered into rest, who have received Christ, who have confessed Jesus and the importance for them to hold fast to this confession and continue in obedience to follow Him. The fourth part is also for believers...because we have received Christ we now have access to God. We do not need to fear entering into His presence. We receive mercy anew each day. And in so doing, His rest, His presence, His guidance, His help is always before us.

This is the rest we are given. Before we know Christ we are separated from God. There has been a separation since Adam and Eve. But God...gave us His Son Jesus that we might regain what Adam and Eve once had, communion with God.

This is knowing the truth and being set free. When we enter in there is a freedom we have. There will be a day when everyone will know the truth. Everyone will know one way or the other whether they have embraced Jesus or embraced the world's idea of diversity. 

As I see all that's happening in this world, I see where there is no rest because God is not always a part of the picture. I see what this country once stood for eroding completely. It no longer stands on the views of the founding fathers of God and country. Honesty, integrity and truth have been lessened, just as the Church has given in to the way of the world, choosing to water down the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The truth of Jesus is less harsh and more palatable to those people the Church wants draw in. No one wants to hear hard words. You've heard me say this many times.

But for those of us who understand the times, understand who Jesus is--for real--who stand by the truth of His Word, we have entered into His rest. This rest, His presence, is marvelous. If we continue in His rest the things of the world can aggravate or frustrate us, but we also can cling to the knowledge of the good things God has for us. 

This rest, again, is for everyone. It's all about entering into relationship with Christ and receiving Him. All it takes is asking Jesus. Asking and believing. No works are necessary. All He desires is you...first and foremost...you. He desires your allegiance to Him, your faith and trust in Him for all things in your life. 

When you give yourself into His rest, giving Him your faith and trust in Him, not the world, not your family, not your church, He will handle the difficult times. There is nothing we can do apart from God to make this world better. We trust God to take care of us individually. When the world around us crumbles, when governments fail, when life is not so secure as it once was, we can know without a doubt that our God has us securely in the palm of His hand and we can rest, assured of our future. 

Receive Christ and enter in--the foremost act of obedience. Then Jesus can be our bridge to God. He can be our mediator. He can receive our prayers Himself. We are allowed bold access to the throne of God through Christ Jesus to receive grace and mercy. His mercy and grace is new and available to us each day. All we need do is confess our allegiance to Christ. Confess Christ and enter in.

For some it is difficult to confess Christ. The world tells us one thing, which I myself believed once, you don't need God. It's all about you. But He tells us another thing, that it's not always an easy road to take following Him, that we might be alone in this walk, but it's well worth it in the very end:  Narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life and there are few who find it. (Matthew 7:14 ) 

There's another part of the scripture I started with where God is quoted saying, "So I swore in My wrath, they shall not enter My rest."  I left that out in order to emphasize it here. It's a quote from Psalm 95. It is a call to obedience. 

Psalm 95:7-11 -  Today, if you will hear His voice: Do not harden your hearts, as in the rebellion, as in the day of trial in the wilderness, when your fathers tested Me; they tried Me, though they saw My work. For forty years I was grieved with that generation, and said, "It is a people who go astray in their hearts, and they do not know My ways." So I swore in My wrath, "They shall not enter My rest."

This is the reference to their 40 years of wandering in the wilderness. God offered His people rest but in disobedience they failed to do so. Because they did not accept His rest, His presence, in time He offered it to another group of people...those who chose to believe in Christ. 

You will note in the Psalm Today, if you will hear His voice... that is what the Lord still says. Today is not too late. Tomorrow might be. Do not harden your heart. The world view is a hardened heart. It is the wide road to destruction. Don't wander in your wilderness another day but heed the voice of God. Don't enter into the same type of disobedience Israel did, but instead enter in to God's rest, His glorious presence.

Hebrews 4:11 - Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience...that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in the time of need.