R.E.S.T.

This is a facebook post from June 11.

This is what the Sovereign LORD, the Holy One of Israel, says: "Only in returning to Me and resting in Me will you be saved. In quietness and confidence is your strength." Isaiah 30:15

Last night when we went to church, I got to talk to several of my friends. All of these women know Jesus intimately and live free. God has been kind to them all! But all of them had a need last night, and I think what they all needed was quietness and rest.
When I asked my first friend how things were going, she said, "I feel like I am getting in the way. I am reading my Bible, and I am doing Bible studies, and I pray (NOTE: This beautiful lady's ministry is prayer. It is her lifestyle. She delights in this part of her life.), but I keep asking myself 'why am I doing this. Is it because they pressed my buttons?'"
Now I know that this lady's biggest enemy is and always has been self-condemnation. There is something inside of her that is always telling her that she is not doing it right. I told her to face Jesus and open her heart wide and tell Him that she is guilty and sorry for believing a lie that it is about her. She did. Then I asked her, "Do you want good things for these people?" She said, "Yes." So does God, so you are on the same side as your Creator. Then we went on to talk about how we cannot save anyone. It is not our job and it is not in our power. All we can do is speak the truth in love and pray. Then I asked her to face Jesus with her heart wide open and let Him hold her. She did.

Then the next lady I saw said, "I need to talk." Now, the LORD has done amazingly kind things for this beautiful lady. He set her free in so many ways, and He taught her how to fight battles herself. She doesn't need anyone to take her to Jesus, she just goes there. She shines with the love of God. But now she is having to deal with the enemies inside of her husband. Things are coming to the surface that he doesn't want to deal with. I think we all are or will be in this situation. I told her to face Jesus and open her heart wide and REST. I watched her body relax. I saw her countenance change. She let go of the striving and the struggle. We cannot make choices for other people. All we can do is speak the truth and love them. Then we have to let it play out. Whatever choices someone else makes will lead to consequences. We have to let those consequences play out. Let him do whatever he thinks he needs to do. Pray. Let God move. Be there with arms wide open when God gets through dealing with him.

The next lady I talked to is my dear, sweet friend. She is so beautiful - radiant. She loves God with every fiber of her being, and she is so free! But her sister was buried this week, and grief was washing over my friend in waves. We all have been there or will be there. But Jesus said, "Blessed are those who mourn for they will be comforted." Isaiah 61 talks about mourning. Jesus came to heal broken hearts, set captives free, and to comfort those who mourn. He came to give beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, and a garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness so that we will all be plantings of the LORD for His glory. So my friend turned her heart toward God to let Him fill her. When I got home, I realized that it is a SACRIFICE to God when we give thanks to Him and praise Him in the middle of our suffering. All I could think was, "Rejoice, and again I say, 'Rejoice!'" The LORD has done great things for us! My friend's sister is eating supper with Jesus. How cool is that?!?! But, can I tell you, one of the hardest spirits I have ever had to fight (other than religion) is sorrow. Yes, it is a spirit. And it is so easy in times of mourning to let sorrow consume us. If sorrow is in your heart, and you want to get rid of it, face Jesus and open your heart wide. Tell Him you are guilty of embracing sorrow. If you do this, that spirit will leave. Then begin rejoicing. Give God the praise He deserves.

Then when I got home another friend called. This lady is amazing. God has done such kind things for her, and He has filled her with such wisdom. But yesterday she had to ask her daughter and her family to leave. She found out they were using drugs in her house. She could not allow that, but her heart broke as she watched her daughter and her grandchildren leave. Then she said that if she reached out for her grandchildren, her daughter would use that to get what she wants. My friend said, "That's what I use to do." I then prayed for God to give her wisdom in how to deal with this situation, then I asked her to face Jesus and let Him hold her heart. She told me that there was confusion in there. I asked what kind of confusion? She said, "Anxiety and fear." I said, "Get them out of your heart. Tell God you are guilty and sorry for allowing anxiety and fear in." She did this, and the fear and anxiety left. Then I took her to Philippians 4:6. "Don't worry about anything. Instead pray about everything tell God what you need and thank Him for what He has done, and the peace of God which passes all understanding will guard your heart and mind in Christ Jesus." Then we went to God together telling Him that we need Him to protect her children and grandchildren. We need Him to turn their hearts like water toward Him. We need Him to send His kindness that leads to repentance - whatever that looks like. We need Him to stop the madness! And we went on and on. Then we began to praise God for His promises concerning our children. "All of our children will be taught by the LORD, and great will be the peace of our children." "I will fight those who fight you, and I will rescue your children." And on and on we went praising God.

So then I woke up this morning with Isaiah 30:15 on my mind. "Only in returning to Me and resting in Me will you be saved. In quietness and confidence is your strength." So I want to speak to us all.

Be quiet. Rest. Let God do what only God can do. Rejoice. The battle is not yours, it is His. R. E. S. T.
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Terri