What God's Teaching Me 8/16/2009

It's fun how God starts revealing something to you and you begin to understand what He's trying to get across.

I'm impatient. If God says He's going to do something. I expect it to happen, now. As you have probably learned when God saying He's going to do something and when He actually does it are sometimes instantaneous but in most cases there is a period of time between His letting you know of something and it's actually happening.

In some cases He has done what He promised right away. In other cases I've waited 30 years for something to happen. God's timing is perfect. My timing is self centered.

Recently when I was going over some of the things God has been revealing and I asked Him why aren't these things happening yet. He said, "Die to self". My thoughts were: Huh? What?

Yesterday on 8/15/2009 God revealed to me what He was saying.

In the following I have written down some notes I took at our home group church meeting in Oakland, Florida.

Gene and Sherry May were visiting and Sherry shared some thoughts she had from Exodus 14:13.

The Israelites were murmuring and complaining to Moses when they were at the edge of the Red sea. They were asking, "Did you bring us here to die". In vs 13: But moses said to the people, "Do not fear! Stand by and see the salvation of the Lord which He will accomplish for you today; for the Egyptians whom you have seen today, you will never see them again forever." I imagine you know the rest of the story. If not read the rest of Chapter 14.

Sherry then shared the 3 things she got out of this.

1) DO NOT BE AFRAID. Never be afraid, no matter what is going on. No matter what you are going through.

2) STAND STILL. When God speaks to us we start, doing. We need to stand still. Be still and wait for God to move or listen for God to speak.

3) GOD KEEPS HIS PROMISE. God doesn't change His mind. He wants us to go forward believing He will keep His promise. All promises of God are FOREVER.

Then Gene asked, "Why do we do what we do or why did we do what we did?

In Deuteronomy 28:1-14 read the blessings and curses.

Gene then asked:

Are we doing what we are doing for the Lord from the heart? Or are we doing it from the Law? We are to DO because we are RIGHT WITH GOD; out of APPRECIATION, and JOY, because our GREATEST DESIRE IS TO SERVE GOD.

Gene continues with his version of the KISS principle: Keep It Simple Saints.

Faith is just acting like God is telling the truth. (In His Word - in His Promises).

Grace is a power that works ON OUR BEHALF.

Everything we do with God should be done with an attitude of gratitude and doing it in appreciation.

Do it because HE LOVES ME.

It is not ME striving to do for God, in my strength. But God working through me.

Gene then turned to Hebrews 2: 3 & 4.

God wants to bring us to a PLACE OF REST.

Hebrews 3:19 says: "And so we see that they were not able to enter because of unbelief."

Gene says, they thought it was too good to be true.

Lynne explaining: (In verse 16 you read the Israelites provoked God when Moses led them out of Egypt. God was angry with them for not believing (TRUSTING) Him. Thus they wandered in the desert for 40 years. Those who did not believe did not get to enter into His rest because of unbelief. His desire was to take them directly to the promised land so they could enter into His rest. But vs 19: "And so we see that they were not able to enter because of unbelief.")

Back to Gene: GOD wants us to be listening to His voice.

We are all products of our upbringing. We have been raised with the attitude that we can't really trust. As with the Israelites there will be obstacles as God leads us into our "land / promise". BUT GOD SAID..... There should be no debating what the Lord says.... "Therefore, let us fear lest, while a promise remains of entering His rest, any one of you should seem to have come short of it." You see, the Promised land was to be a place of rest. It took 40 years because of unbelief.

We are to mix faith with what we have heard and REST in God.

Hebrews 4:11: "Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall through following the same example of disobedience."

Let's face it, Resting in God doesn't make sense to our natural mind. We want to make it happen. We need to realize we can't make it happen..... BUT, we can TRUST (GOD) and LET IT HAPPEN. Cease from our own labors and enter into what God has promised us.

Our natural minds want to control what God is doing. God wants us to rest in Him. Lay back and watch all His promises come to pass. Watch everything come to pass. When Jesus said on the cross "It is finished" He was meaning THE PLAN OF GOD IS FINISHED.

AMEN means: I agree with God.

Trust God that His promises are real. There is no area that is not covered by His promises.

So what was God saying to me? "I have promised you specific things shall happen. Die to self by TRUSTING ME, I always keep my promises. Do not try to make things happen. Rest in Me, sit back and watch ME as I DO those things I have promised you."

I can't die to self by what I do. I die to self by RESTING in God as He fulfills His promises to me. ALL I HAVE TO DO IS TRUST HIM AND REST. Let go and watch Him work!

When He revealed this to me His peace came over me in such a way that I didn't want to get back to what was happening in the room. I wanted to stay with God soaking up His presence and peace.

Why do we try to do. All He wants is for us to BELIEVE, TRUST and WAIT!!!

Yes! AMEN! Thank you Father!!