Rest in His Work!

Ruth 3:18
Then she said, “Sit still, my daughter, until you know how the matter will turn out; for the man will not rest until he has concluded the matter this day.”

God does not want you to “sweat”. Sweat here does not refer to your body’s perspiration, but your self-reliance or self-effort. God does not want you to believe that if you don’t do anything, nothing will happen. That may be true for someone without God in his life, but it is not true for you because you have God. And when He is in the picture, the God-factor changes everything!


When you are resting in God, He works for you. In fact, when He works, you end up with more. He is the one who is giving to you. It is not about you trying to give to yourself.


This was what happened to Ruth in the Old Testament. After laboring in the barley fields from morning to evening, she was able to glean one ephah of barley (Ruth 2:17), which was equivalent to a 10-day supply of barley. Certainly, this amount was a blessing to her.


But when she rested at the feet of Boaz, her kinsman-redeemer, and did not labor, she received six ephahs of barley (Ruth 3:15), which was equivalent to a 60-day supply! When Ruth sought her own blessing, she obtained only one ephah. But when she sought the blesser, she received much more.


Ruth’s blessings did not stop there. While Ruth rested and sat still as her mother-in-law Naomi had instructed, Boaz, who was the owner of the barley field, went to work, initiating actions, executing them and speaking on Ruth’s behalf. Right through it all, Ruth sat still and rested. Eventually, Boaz, the barley man himself, married Ruth. (Ruth 4) That meant no more measured wealth of six ephahs, but the yield of the whole barley field in total!


Boaz is a picture of Jesus, our heavenly kinsman-redeemer. When we rest in the Lord, He will not rest. He will work on our behalf. What do we do then? We just trust in and enjoy His love for us.


Beloved, stop striving and be at rest. If salvation, the greatest work, comes to us by resting in Jesus’ finished work, how much more will all the other blessings?


God Blessed you!!
Andrew

Ministers of Righteousness...... self righteousness!!

Much preaching and teaching happening today around the world has to do with ministers getting listeners to "live right" in order to recieve Gods blessing, and "live right" in order to avoid Gods jugement. This is contrary to the Good News of the Gospel which says that we are "made right" by simply believing the gospel.
The effortless glory in of believing the Gospel is that Right Believing = Right living.

When we get revelation of this amazing truth of what was accomplished by God through Jesus on the cross, we will automatically/accidentally begin to live right and overcome the things that we previously struggled with.

Whatever we give our attention to, to that will our hearts become receptive towards. If we give our attention to God and His Word, we will renew our minds to the exesting reality of who we are in Christ: A new creature, the righteousness of God, a co-heir with Jesus, a son.....
So, the more we focus on the Goodness of God, the more God concious we become.
On the other hand, when we incesantly focus on our shortfalls and sin issues, our hearts loose focus on God. This is the reason why preaching that focuses on behavioural modification instead of on the finished work of Jesus that earned for us as a free Gift, Gods righteousness for all who believe, is actually anti the Gospel.

Some would say that that is too harsh, well this is what Paul had to say:


2Co 11:13 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.
2Co 11:14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.
2Co 11:15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.

Here Paul says that there are ministers (even apostles), who, just as Satan appears as an angle of light - not TRUE light! - they too, are ministers that are preaching righteousness!! But its not a true righteousness. Its a self righteousness.
Outwardly, these ministers appear "holy" and are preaching a message that says "live Right", but that is NOT the Gospel! The Gospel has not: "live right" as its primary focus, it has: "Believe right" at its centre. Thats Grace!

If our righteousness had to do with our right living then it is no longer by Grace, its by self effort.
Salvation is a free Gift for all who believe. Paul ends that off by saying that their end will be according to their works!
Now, a good question to ask is, would we want our end to be according to our own works, or rather according to Jesus' work on our behalf.....
We'll take Jesus any day, right? Then lets be keenly aware to avoid a "gospel" of false righteousness that appears good but doesnt have Jesus at the centre.

For God so Loved the world...... When we realise that God loved us First, before we ever became aware of Him, then we'll see that all our own efforts to please God by living right are meaningless.
Stay focussed on the Gospel and our behaviour will soon follow suit - trust God!

God Blessed you!!