Rest into Work 1 Kings 17

I wanted to write this blog for all the busy bodies out there and also so that I can remind myself of these things. If you feel weary and heavy ladened or you feel like you have spread your self too thin or you feel like you are not bearing fruit or you feel just smothered in utter chaos. God has an answer for you: Rest. Rest in Him.

We were made to go from Rest into work, not work tripping into rest. When we go from work into rest we tend to ask God to fix us or help us, when really we should be going to Him in the beginning (try the mornings) and asking Him what he wants us to do for Him. He is on the throne. Once we spend time with Him in the morning we can then see Him throughout the day, and gain a greater awareness for truth. We can see Him as He is and as He made creation. We can see reality, once we spend time with Him resting in Him alone. Spending time with Him, is refreshing, we can see reality, see more gifts He is giving us in simplicity, and this is how we were made to live.

We need to spend time with him, so that we can also see and hear Him during the day. If we want to see God in our life, than we need to spend time with Him, if we want to walk with God in this life, than we need to go on walks with God.

Here is an excerpt from a book called the Passionate Life by Mike Breen and Walt Kallestad. This may help this post make more sense.

"God sends Elijah through a season of rest, before His major prophetic work. The true sign of godliness-imitating God- is to pattern our life after Him. And for God rest is vital...the commandment to keep the Sabbath holy is right up there with "Don't steal, kill, or commit adultery." In other words, being a workaholic is just as bad as being a murderer or adulterer. Rest is not optional if we are to walk in the lifestyle of a disciple. Since our first experience as created beings with our Creator is a day of rest, we must start from a place of rest to fulfill our calling to be fruitful."

Moses goes to a mountain to be with God.

Elijah retreats and hides.

John the Baptist goes in the wilderness.

Jesus spends thirty years before coming into his ministry, probably resting with the Father during that time and then even when He ministers He still spends time alone with the Father

All resting before ministry happens.

The Poem that Inspired "a Part of the Body Facing Circumstance"

"The Guest House" by Rumi

This being human is a guest house. Every morning a new arrival.

A joy, a depression, a meanness, some momentary awareness comes as an unexpected visitor.

Welcome and entertain them all! Even if they’re a crowd of sorrows, who violently sweep your house empty of its furniture, still, treat each guest honorably. He may be clearing you out for some new delight.

The dark thought, the shame, the malice, meet them at the door laughing, and invite them in.

Be grateful for whoever comes, because each has been sent as a guide from beyond.

All life flows from God Romans 8:28, Galatians 5:22-23

I was talking to my d-group yesterday and this is something they like talking about, so I thought I would share. Here we go.

All true goodness comes from God. It does not come from outside of Him. True love comes from Him. We sometimes laugh at things that are worldly, which is not true joy, its a mortal dying happiness. So when you experience a pure joy, you experience true life, you experience Him. So as we watch the leaves fall, or have a simple conversation that brings you life. We are meeting with God. The crazy thing is, He is not just limited to just a laugh. There is much more going on than one gift at a time. When you experience true goodness, you are experiencing a taste of who He is.

Enjoy Him

A Part of the Body Facing Circumstances Ephesians 1:22-23

Glorious day to you all!

Know that if you are in Christ, than you are part of His body and everything is subjected under His feet. So that means, everything that is not of God is under you. He has given you authority over these things, because His Spirit is in you. In John 15 and 16, Jesus is continually talking to His disciples and now to us. In 15, He talks about abiding in Him and the unity we have with Him. In 16:33 He says, "take heart for I have overcome the world." So in this continual monologue he is making it evident that if we are one with Him, we are now authoritators and overcommers. We are more than conquerors.

So as you read this, know you do not have to be under the control of your circumstance, though your flesh may be getting abused by your circumstance, your spirit is above those things. Evil that is under our feet only has power if we allow it to have power. Stand over those things and don't allow them to take control. The key here is Him, He puts us in our right place, below Him and above death. We were made to look at Him, not ourselves or our circumstances. We were also made not to have control, He is in control. So as a circumstance comes which may make us feel uneasy we should let it come, invite it as a friend, because Gods goodness always present in any circumstance. So let us look at Him to see the goodness He is giving to us! Enjoy every moment, even when facing fleshly abuse or a fallen world, He still wants us to see Him. He is in it for the process and gives us things to make us more like Him. James 1:2-4.

An Email From a Friend

I received an email from a friend a couple of days ago and every time I read it I can just sense pure joy. I went to visit him and he called me a, "lagniappe" which means an unexpected but welcomed gift. then he said this later in his email,

I imagine that this is what grace is: a lagniappe. So we spend the day and night receiving one lagniappe after another. Who needs Christmas presents?

What if we lived life in this awareness, that we are receiving a gift in every moment. What if we were still for a few minutes and recognized that their are multitudes of gifts that are being given to us, besides grace. Living in that awareness that there are more gifts being given to us than we can realize, should put a joy deep in our hearts and live life as it is...beautiful.

So know in the midst of a world that seems to be falling apart around you, there are many lagniappes still coming your way from God. Receive! Who needs Christmas presents?

Into the Silent Land

One of my favorite Pages I have ever read on identity and labels on the self

This is a conversation with a young man in a monastery trying to become a monk and a monk (Fr. Alypius) that already lives there.

Fr. Alypius- "You say you seek God, but a ray of light doesn't seek the sun; it's coming from the sun. You are a branch on the vine of God. A branch doesn't seek the vine; it's already part of the vine. A wave doesn't look for the ocean; it's already full of the ocean. Because you don't know that who you are is one with God, you believe all these labels about yourself: I'm a sinner, I'm a saint, I'm a wretch, I'm a worm and no man, I'm a monk, I'm a nurse. These are all labels, clothing. They serve a purpose, but they are not who you are. To the extent that you believe these labels, you believe a lie, and you add anguish upon anguish. It's what most of us do for most of our lives. In a secular world we call it our career. In monastic terms, we call it our vocation...You already are silent. I understand how there is a lot of noise and chaos swirling around. That's true of us all. But you, you are silence. You are the silence that is aware of the chaos. You are the silence that sees the chaos...silence and contemplation are concerned with what is deeper than thinking. Silence is always present." - Martin Laird Epilogue in Into the Silent Land

Keep it Simple Stupid John 15:13

God is good ALL THE TIME. He is the one for me, he gets all the glory. Seek Him first!!!

I don't know if a lot of you know this but I am in a relationship with Maeghan Keaton. It has been such a joy being with her this past year. I wanted to share some things with you all that God has taught me using her in just these past two weeks. If I told you all the things I have learned in this journey with her, this post would go for eternity. Words truly can't describe how God has used us both in each other's lives to know Him more and to let Him be glorified. We are apart of the body of Christ so we can learn from each other. She is experiencing things that I can learn from and vice-versa. "And the eye cannot say to the hand, 'I have no need of you'" So this is what I have learned from the Lord through my relationship with Maeghan these past two weeks

What God has taught me through my relationship with Maeghan...

1. to choose love and goodness...

there is so much life when i walk in faith to Love Him and others

2. He answers prayers

He answers our prayers better than I can dream up answers

3. I am one with God

It is my natural state to be one with the living water and bear fruit in season

4. Being real is beautiful

There is nothing better than open communication and being yourself

What God is still teaching me through my relationship with Maeghan...

1. A thankful heart creates a large avenue for love to be poured out

Hebrews 13:15-16

2. If I am being myself in my natural state, God and His angels rejoice more than I think

Hebrews 13:1-2

3. More awareness that I have every spiritual blessing is better than praying like I dont have every spiritual blessing in my reach.

Ephesians 1:3

I did not marry up, because we are not married, but I sure am dating up. We are both dating up (not tooting my own horn). What I mean by this is we are both undeserving of this beautiful wonderful life, but God's grace never ends. It's all because of God and his grace that I am in this. Thank you, Lord for Maeghan Iris Keaton.

For all you men out there, if you want to see real fruit in a relationship, follow in God's footsteps not in your girlfriends. No puppy dog boys following your girlfriends, only Christ following feet washers

I do not have everything figured out, not even close. I am weak and I do sin. I do know one thing though I am enjoying the journey with God and I am enjoying continually learning things in my life. This life is fun, not easy but fun.