“REST PROMISED, REST RECEIVED, REST CELEBRATED, REST SHARED”?
BY: J.FARRELL FISHER, September 4-5, 2018
There is an anointed explanation to the title of this message and the subsequent Scriptures, validation of it found in Hebrews 4:9-12, “There remains therefore a rest to the people of God. For he that is entered into God’s rest, he also has ceased from his own works, as God did from His. Let us labor therefore to ‘enter into THAT REST’, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.
For the Word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”
The following statement came out of the old “Baltimore Sun” paper and was quoted in “The Encyclopedia of Religious Quotations”, edited and compiled by Frank S. Mead in Fleming H. Revell Company’s publication in 1965, p.446, that says: “Nations and men are much alike. They seldom appeal to God unless they are getting licked.” And “getting licked” by Satan, by the world, and by one’s own sin-nature is not the testimony of “overcomers” in and through Christ’s Presence within them AND His victory over everything we all have faced in our life-walk- tempted, tested, tried, and troubled by the world, the ‘flesh’, and Satan or his demons!
Charles Spurgeon was really wise, truthful, and on the true mark, when he once said: “Some temptations come to the industrious, but all temptations attack the idle.” Idle temptations, idle tales, idle-producing temptations, and idle troubles?” YOU BETTER BELIEVE IT!
Luke 24:1-17 is absolutely so amazing and so encouraging and so uplifting and inspiring! It says: Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they (the women in the previous chapter, and one named Joseph) came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which had been prepared, and certain others with them.
And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulcher. And they entered in, and found the body of the Lord Jesus. And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments; And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, ‘Why seek you the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen; remember how He spoke to you when He was yet in Galilee,
Saying, the Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again. And they remembered His words, And returned from the sepulcher, and told all these things unto the eleven (remaining), and to all the rest.
It was Mary Magdalene, and Joanna, and Mary the mother of James, and other women that were with them, which told these things unto the apostles. And their words seemed to them as idle tales, and they believed them not. Then arose Peter, and ran to the sepulcher; and stooping down, he beheld the linen clothes laid by themselves, and departed, wondering in himself at that which was to come to pass.
And, BEHOLD, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaeus, which was from Jerusalem about three-score furlongs (or 7 miles). It came to pass, that, while they communed together, and reasoned, JESUS HIMSELF drew near, and went with them. But their eyes were holden that they should not know Him. And He said unto them,
“What manner of communications are these, that you have one to another, as you walk, and are sad”? RESURRECTION MANIFESTATION AND RESURRECTION PRESENCE AND RESURRECTION UNVEILING OF ETERNAL TRUTH, AND YOU’RE SAD?! BUT…examine Luke 24:25-27, followed by Verses 29b-32:
Luke 24:25-27, And certain of them which were with us went to the sepulcher, and found it even so as the women had said: but Him they saw not. (But) Then Jesus said to them, “O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets: Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter God’s glory?” And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, He explained unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning Himself.
Then Verses 29b-32 tell us: “…And He went in to tarry with them. And it came to pass, as He sat at meat with them, He took bread, and blessed it, and having broken it, gave it to them.
And their eyes were opened, and they knew Him; and He vanished out of their sight. They then said one to another, ‘Did not our heart burn within us, while He talked with us by the way, and while He opened to us the scriptures?” AND THERE WERE THOSE WHO “RESTED” IN HIS LIVING AND ETERNAL WORD OF RESURRECTION LIFE, RESURRECTION POWER, AND RESURRECTION HOPE!
One might dare to ask: “Are YOU one who “lives” in the REALITY of His “promised rest”, OR are you still “struggling in ‘flesh’s, even best effort, but falling short’, which always happens to “strugglers” and not “trusters”!! It was Joseph Addison, in his writing, “Spectator” (p.215), that said: “What sculpture is to a block of marble, education is to the soul,” but ‘bodies’ that ‘try’ to carve out Christ are blinded to the reality one’s old sin-nature WAS “crucified with Christ”, and the only hope spiritually in earthly existence is accepting one’s death with Christ, but beyond that, ACCEPTING HIS FREE GIFT OF A NEW LIFE, A NEW HOPE, AND AN ETERNAL LIFE WITH HIM IN HIS KINGDOM THAT HAS ALREADY COME, AND IS FULLY ESTABLISHED!!
There IS such eternal difference between ‘fleshly existence’ and a “new-born Life in Christ”! I love what Michelangelo said: “Heaven-born, the soul a heavenward course must hold; beyond the world she soars; the wise man, I affirm, can find no rest in that which perishes, nor will he lend his heart to aught that does on time depend.” Do YOU understand that? “self-effort or Sovereign trust”, natural-life education or Spirit-birthed Presence of the Indwelling Christ, simply ‘self-seeking’ for religious reality or the Sovereign invasion of the soul allowed, as confronted, repenting and “resting” in His abiding Presence?
It’s amazing what Solomon wrote in the “Song of Solomon”, Chapter 2,Verses 1-4, speaking of the Promised Messiah’s saying related to, yes, Christ and His ‘soon-to-be- blessed church body and family of repentant, re-born friends’ through the blood of the Lamb of God: “I AM the rose of Sharon, and the lily of the valleys. As the lily among the thorns, so is My love among the daughters.
As the apple tree among the trees of the wood, so is My beloved among the sons (of true faith!). I sat down under His shadow with great delight, and His fruit was sweet to my taste. He brought me to the banqueting house, and His banner over me was love.”
There IS ‘life without God’, ‘life without the Son’, and ‘life without the Spirit’, the blessed three in one, that loves fallen humanity, and determined before the world was ever in its present state and even seeing the ‘fallen’ with a heart of love, compassion, forgiveness, and able to do abundantly above all we ask or think, wanting voluntarily, inspired by the Holy Spirit, to guide us into all Truth, and birth the Heavenly generations in the midst of unbelieving, unrelenting, yes, resentful folk who willfully resent, deny, and if known, oppose ‘amazing grace’, seeing themselves OK without the Savior and Lord!
But, in Isaiah, the prophet SAW the “last days” of existence apart from God and the “new days” of PROMISED “Resurrection Presence”, never to leave but to abound and be revealed in and through “new-birthed disciples” of “Amazing Grace”! Isaiah 1, God, concerned about ‘religious activity’ apart from “repentance and faith” in the Son’s finished work At and Through Christ’s sacrificial death, burial, and resurrection, that the “last days” of acceptable recognition of ‘trying’ without “TRUSTING” were over, done with, unacceptable apart from “blood Atonement”!! So Isaiah proclaimed, Verses 15-19, “And when you spread forth your hands (in ‘religious pretense’?), I will hide My eyes from you; yes, when you make many (fleshly-birthed) prayers, I will not hear you: your hands are full of blood.
Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before My eyes; cease to do evil; Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.
Come now, and let us reason together, says the Lord; though your sins be as scarlet (because YOU repent!), they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. IF YOU be willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land.”
In Luke 6:46 Christ Jesus said: “And why do you call Me, Lord, Lord, and do not do what I say?” Obedience IS NOT AN OPTION in the age of grace, mercy, and love of God – IT IS TRUE SALVATION’S EVIDENCE OF A “BORN-AGAIN- LIFE IN CHRIST ALONE”, not an imitation, not a pretense, not ‘trying’,but trusting His Word of the blessing of true repentance and the “Resting” in His finished work: “New birth, a new creation, a new thing, a new name, a new man, a new spirit, and, yes, according to Romans 6:4, it’s “walking in the newness of life in Christ”! Are you sure?
Look at Romans 6:4! “Knowing THIS, that our old man (old sin-natured, devilish-deceived, darkened life!) IS CRUCIFIED WITH CHRIST, that one’s ‘body of sin’ might be destroyed, that henceforth we should (no longer) be servants of sin, the sin-nature, or the old ‘Satan-deceived, Satan-bound’ imprisoned life in the sin-nature, but “new-born” through repentance toward God and faith in Christ’s finished work at the Cross and the empty tomb! In Him we’re “clothed with the righteousness of God Himself”! In Him we’re “baptized under His shed blood and raised to walk in newness of life”, and celebrating daily God’s very Word, Revelation 21:5-6, “Behold, I make all things new. And He said unto John, Write: for these words are true and faithful. And, again, He said unto John, “I AM Alpha and Omega; and I will be the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is (spiritually) thirsty of the fountain of the water of life freely.”
SO, do you hear, receive, trust, rest in, rely upon, accept the “new life, the eternal purpose, the power and presence of the Holy Spirit to Guide You into All Truth, submitting, surrendering, celebrating His promises of the Overcoming Life, victorious over Satan, over sin, over the world influences, and daily taking the sentence of death daily to the old man that the “new life in Christ” may be manifested victoriously day by day over His enemies and yours”?
THERE IS “THE REST”! THERE IS “THE RELEASE FROM THE OLD LIFE OF SIN AND DEATH”, AND THERE IS THE EVIDENCE OF NEW-BIRTH WHEN THE SPIRIT OF REJOICING BECOMES A WAY OF LIFE, AND REJOICING IN HIS PROMISE OF REMAINING, HIM WITH US AND US WITH HIM, EVEN AFTER DEATH’S DOOR HAS BEEN OPENED, BECAUSE:
“TO BE ABSENT FROM THE BODY IS TO BE PRESENT WITH THE LORD!!!” In the old Broadman Hymnal of 1940, published by Broadman Press, Nashville, Tennessee, is a hymn by Frank C. Huston, entitled, “It Pays To Serve Jesus”. It says: “The service of Jesus true pleasure affords, In Him there is joy without an alloy; It’s heaven to trust Him and rest on His words; It pays to serve Jesus each day.
It pays to serve Jesus whate’er may betide, It pays to be true whate’er you may do; It’s the riches of mercy in Him to abide; It pays to serve Jesus each day.
Tho’ sometimes the shadows may hang over the way, And sorrows may come to beckon us home, Our precious Redeemer each toil will repay; It pays to serve Jesus each day.
It pays to serve Jesus, it pays every day, It pays every step of the way; Though the pathway to glory may sometimes be drear, You’ll be happy each step of the way.”
My only comment? “Happy each step of the way”, OR “Blessed each step of the way?”
“Happy because you’re ‘poor in spirit’, OR because, acknowledging one’s poverty in spirit AND turning to Christ alone opens the Door to “richness in His abiding Spirit in you”!
“Happy because you ‘mourn over your spiritual condition without God’, OR because, having mourned, “God Himself comforts you”?
“Happy because you are independent, unteachable, wise in your own mental capacities, OR because you choose ‘meekness’, you learn God’s lessons on inheriting His blessings”?
“Happy because ‘you feel satisfied’ with a highly earthly mentality, OR because ‘hungering and thirsting after God’s righteousness, YOU ARE FILLED”?
“Happy” OR “blessed”? “Blessed are the merciful, for they obtain the mercy of God”! “Blessed are the pure in heart”, washed in the blood of the Lamb of God, “for they SEE GOD”! “Blessed are the peace-makers, for they’re then called, “children of God” ‘birthed by the Spirit’!”
“Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake; BECAUSE their citizenship is the Kingdom of Heaven on earth in their hearts!”
“Blessed they are when ‘fleshly men’ revile them, persecute them, speak evil against them falsely, honoring Christ and His kingdom-allegiance”! It’s the “heavenly calling” to:
“Rejoice, and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven; for so persecuted they the prophets which were before them.”
Hear me!! “In Christ”, as YOU let Jesus be Jesus in you and through you, you’re declared by Him to be “the salt of the earth”! You’re declared by Him to be “the light of the world”!
And, because you ARE “in Christ”, He says, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your GOOD WORKS, AND GLORIFY YOUR FATHER WHICH IS IN HEAVEN.”
I’m telling you: “If YOU are “in Christ” and “Christ is in you”, it is to be a daily life of singing the “Hallelujah Chorus”, rejoicing in, releasing, and moment by moment celebrating His Abiding Presence!!
Do you not remember what Romans 6:6-7 tells us? “Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with Christ, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth, we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin.” WERE “YOU” CRUCIFIED WITH CHRIST? If so, what does Romans 6:17-18 tell you? “But God be thanked, that you WERE the servants of sin, BUT you have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered to you.
Being then MADE FREE FROM SIN, YOU BECAME THE SERVANTS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS”, followed by Romans 6:22-23 which says: “But now being MADE FREE FROM SIN, and BECOMING SERVANTS OF GOD, you have YOUR FRUIT UNTO HOLINESS, AND THE END EVERLASTING LIFE. For the WAGES OF SIN IS DEATH; BUT THE GIFT OF GOD IS ETERNAL LIFE “THROUGH” JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD!”
“Best efforts” OR “Blessed Presence”? A “Self-Motivated Religious Expression” OR a “Grace-given, Christ-Resurrected-Presence In you and Through you”, Yes, “The Master-ing of Christ in you the hope of glory”? “A Self-Religious Will” OR “A Single Life Living Under the Sovereignty of God, the Savior’s Resurrection Presence, and the Holy Spirit’s Unending Power and Authority and Fruit Of Heaven’s Abiding Glory?”
Dare I tell you? Believe I will!! Romans 7:4-8:1 says: Romans 7:4 and following: “Wherefore, my brethren, you also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that you should be married to another, even to Him who is raised from the dead, THAT WE SHOULD BRING FORTH FRUIT UNTO GOD.
For when we were in the flesh (your old sin nature), the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death (spiritual death, spiritual separation from God, with ‘fruit unto death the “gift”(?) of Satan’!). BUT NOW we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein WE WERE HELD; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.
What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. No, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, You shall not covet. But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence (Or, ‘ardent, usually sensuous longing, or sexual desire, or lust.’). For without the law sin was dead.
For I was alive without the law once; but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died. And the commandment, which was ordained to life, I found it to be unto death. For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me.
Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good. Was then that which is good made death unto me? God forbid. But sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good; that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful.
For we know that the law is spiritual; but I (in my sinful nature) am carnal (‘fleshly’), sold under sin. For that which I do I allow not; but what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I. If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it
do it, but sin that dwells in me. I find then a law, that, when I is good. Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwells in me. For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh-nature) dwells no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.
For the good that I would I do not; but the evil which I would not, that I do. NOW if I do that I would not, it is no more I that would do good, evil is present with me. For I delight in the law of God after the inward man;
But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. O wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.
Romans 8:1-2 then declares: There IS therefore NOW no condemnation to them which are IN Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh (or old sin-nature), but after he Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life IN Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.”
Rev. E.A. Hoffman and Rev. J.H. Stockton, in the old “American Hymnal” of 1938, published by The Broadman Press, Nashville, Tennessee, wrote the hymn entitled, “Glory To His Name.” It says: “Down at the cross where my Savior died, Down where for cleansing from sin I cried, There to my heart was the blood applied, Glory to His name.
I am so wondrously saved from sin, Jesus so sweetly abides within; There at the cross where He took me in; Glory to His name.
Oh, precious fountain that saves from sin, I am so glad I have entered in; There Jesus saves me and keeps me clean; Glory to His name.
Come to this fountain so rich and sweet; Cast your poor soul at the Savior’s feet; Plunge in today, and be made complete ; Glory to His name.
Glory to His name,…Glory to His name;…There to my heart was His blood applied; Glory to His name.” What’s your song? “Glory to your flesh, your old sin-nature OR Glory to His name, my Lord, my Savior, my Master, who reigns in me and through me to glorify the God of heaven in my earthly redeemed temple of Resurrection Presence!!!