Rest in the Promise

I am still waiting on the manifestation of certain promises God has made me. There may be a promise that God made you that you are still waiting on. The bible has countless stories of  people being given a promise that did not come immediately but one thing the stories have in common is that the promise was fulfilled. Hebrews 11: 36 (says) For ye have need of patience, that after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. The story of the Israelites leaving Egypt and spending 40 years in the wilderness is a perfect example of what not to do while waiting. From Exodus to Numbers we learn of how God performed miracle after miracle for his beloved Israel and of his desire to lead them to Canaan as he had promised Abraham. The older generation died in the wilderness and did not enter into the promised land because of unbelief. Could their unbelief have been the result of the lack of a personal relationship with God? Moses talked to God face to face but when the Israelites had a chance to become closer to God they distanced themselves and told Moses to tell them what God said (Exodus 20:19). Could their unbelief also be tied to their refusal to completely let go of Egypt and its idols?

Hebrews 3

15  While it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation.

16 For some, when they had heard, did provoke: howbeit not all that came out of Egypt by Moses.

17  But with whom was he grieved forty years? was it not with them that had sinned, whose carcases fell in the wilderness?

18  And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed not?

19 So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.

God says that those that come to him must believe that he is and that he is a rewarder of those that diligently seek him (Hebrews 11:6)...that's not asking too much; GOD IS.

God is not limited to time and if we are in him and one with him he is able to redeem our time and empower us to not be bound by time; he is well able to renew and restore. 

Isaiah 57

13 When thou criest, let thy companies deliver thee; but the wind shall carry them all away; vanity shall take them: but he that putteth his trust in me shall possess the land, and shall inherit my holy mountain;

14 And shall say, Cast ye up, cast ye up, prepare the way, take up the stumblingblock out of the way of my people.

15 For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.

16 For I will not contend for ever, neither will I be always wroth: for the spirit should fail before me, and the souls which I have made.

17 For the iniquity of his covetousness was I wroth, and smote him: I hid me, and was wroth, and he went on frowardly in the way of his heart.

18 I have seen his ways, and will heal him: I will lead him also, and restore comforts unto him and to his mourners.

19 I create the fruit of the lips; Peace, peace to him that is far off, and to him that is near, saith the LORD; and I will heal him.

Joel 2:25

And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpiller, and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you.

Sometimes the cares of this world hardens our heart and we resent the trials and tribulations that God uses to purge and mature us; we grow weary while waiting on our promise; but don't harden your heart. Rest is ahead....not the rest where we sit down and do nothing but the rest where the yoke is easy and the burden is light.

Hebrews 4

4 Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.

2 For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.

3 For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.

4 For he spake in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all his works.

5 And in this place again, If they shall enter into my rest.

6 Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief:

7 Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, To day, after so long a time; as it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts.

verse 9 of Hebrews Chapter 4 says

9 There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.

and 16 says

Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

We have access to the promises of God by being in the resting place. We must be careful not to forfeit the promise through unbelief and disobedience. God commanded us to have a Sabbath; a day of rest and in that day we gain access to the promises of God. 

Genesis Chpt. 1 

1.Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them.

2 2.And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made.

3 3.And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.

4.These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created, in the day that the Lord God made the earth and the heavens,

5.And every plant of the field  before it was in the earth, and every herb of the field  before

it grew: for the Lord God had not caused it to rain upon the earth and there was not a man to till the ground.

The provision was already there God only needed to speak so that we would be able to perceive and access it in this realm. We keep striving to do things out of our own strength when we should heed the word of the Lord to Zerubbable...not by might, nor by power, but by the Spirit of the Lord". (Zechariah 4:6)

Enter into God's rest.

Matthew 11

28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.