Finding Rest For Our Soul

Finding rest for our soul was the headliner as we met to find encouragement with each other.  I just want to say thank you to each of you for sharing so openly with myself and others.  And another big thank you for the commitment of confidentiality to protect each others "soft spot".  You are all amazing women! 

The last things we were to reflect on were Jeremiah 6 speaking of standing aside to ask for God's wisdom to guide us and the verse from Galatians speaking of how God will not be mocked - you reap what you sow.  If you have not read that please go back and do so before continuing with this post. 

We looked at these scriptures today to increase our understanding and strength in walking out what we believe:

Jeremiah 29:11-14(GWT) I know the plans that I have for you, declares the Lord.  They are plans for peace and not disaster, plans to give you a future filled with hope.  Then you will call to me.  You will come and pray to me, and I will hear you.  When you look for me, you will find me.  When you wholeheartedly seek me, I will let you find me, declares the Lord.  I will bring you back from captivity.  I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have scattered you, declares the Lord.  I will bring you back from the places where you are being held captive.

Acts 10:5-7 (NAS) We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ, and we are ready to punish all disobedience whenever your obedience is complete. You are looking at things as they are outwardly.  If anyone is confident in himself that he is Christ's let him consider this again within himself, that just as he is Christs, so also are we.

Isaiah 26: 1-4 (NAS) In that day this song will be sung in the land of Judah: "We have a strong city; He sets up walls and ramparts for security.  Open the gates that the righteous nation may enter, The one that remains faithful.  The steadfast of mind Thou wilt keep in perfect peace, because he trusts in Thee.  Trust in the Lord forever, for in God the Lord, we have an everlasting Rock.

Reading this portion of the scripture " I know the plans I have"  that is where we become misaligned with God's will.  We don't usually stand at the cross road by taking our own thought captive and compare it with Gods thought.  We spoke about the origin our our own limited thoughts and the saying which refers to comparing apples to apples.  When we have a thought, if we desire to substantiate it, we look for a like minded person (another apple). Likewise this does not work if you are comparing an apple to "nothing"

What happens if all we are doing is confirming a wrong thought.  In my opinion, the answer is, if we do not take our thoughts captive and we go the wrong way, all of a sudden we will find out that we are held captive by following that wrong thought into a danger zone.  Then a battle ensues.  If we do not have a thought other than an apple, then we have no helpful information in our midst.  Think of God's word as an orange.  All of a sudden we have to realize, the apple mentality isn't getting me to a better place. Then decide to change our thought to align with the orange. 

When we do this our soul may find rest, the battle is won....at least for a moment.  But in order for God to continue to grow us he has to weed all the saplings that are springing up to grow apple trees and plant orange trees. 

Psalms 118 pulls all these together:

Give thanks to the Lord for He is good; For His loving kindness is everlasting.  Oh let Israel say, "His Loving kindness is everlasting." Oh let the house of Aaron say, "His Loving kindness is everlasting." Oh let those who fear the Lord say, "His Loving kindness is everlasting."  Form my distress I called upon the Lord; The Lord answered me and set me in a large place, The Lord is for me; I will not fear.  What can man do to me?  The Lord is for me among those who help me; Therefore i shall look with satisfaction on those who hate me.  It is better to take refuge in the lord than to trust in man.  It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in princes.  All nations surrounded me; In the name of the Lord I will surely cut them off.  They surrounded me, yes, they surrounded me; In the name of the Lord I will surely cut them off.  They surrounded me like bees; They were extinguished as a fire of thorns;  In the name of the Lord I will surely cut them off. 
You pushed me violently so that I was falling, but the Lord helped me.  The Lord is my strength and song, and He has become my salvation.  The sound of joyful shouting and salvation is in the tents of the righteous, the right hand of the Lord does valiantly.  The right hand of the Lord is exalted;  the right hand of the Lord is exalted; the right hand of the Lord does valiantly.  I shall not die, but live and tell of the works of the Lord.  the Lord has disciplined me severely. but He has not given me over to death. 
Open to me the gates of righteousness, I shall enter through them, I shall give thanks to the Lord.  This is the gate of the Lord; the righteous will enter through it. 
I shall give thanks to Thee, for Thou hast answered me; Thou hast become my salvation.  The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief corner stone, This is the Lords doing; it is marvelous in our eyes.  This is the day which the Lord has made, Let us rejoice and be glad in it.  O Lord, do save, we beseech Thee;  O Lord, we beseech thee, do send prosperity!  Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord; we have blessed you from the house of the Lord; we have blessed you from the house of the Lord, The Lord is God and He has given us light; bind the festival sacrifices with cords to the horns of the altar.  Thou art my God, and I give thanks to Thee - my God, I extol Thee. 

"Give thanks to the lord, for He is good; for His Loving kindness is everlasting".

This is my prayer over us all today, and my praise unto our Lord God Almighty, for He alone is Good and His Loving kindness is covering us for ever!"

Till tomorrow,
Kisses,
Candace