Jeremiah 29:11 ​  

                 Prayerline

​

 "RECLINING IN THE ARMS OF GOD

IN THE NAME OF JESUS!"

Matthew 11:28  Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Take y yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart; and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

 A minister had been searching for a definition of faith, and over times, he had not come up with a definition which suited him; which he felt comfortable with.  One time when he was on vacation and was out walking, and he saw this man just sitting in a lounge chair. So he asked him, “What are you doing?”  The man remarked, “I’m reclining!   The man leaped in his spirit:  “That’s it!  That’s a definition of faith that ministers and agrees with my spirit.  When we recline in a chair, you totally put all your weight and trust in that chair.  You don’t think about whether that lounge chair will hold you or think about whether it has a time limit like a parking meter.  You put your money In for a certain length of time and when the time runs out, the red light will flash letting you know that your time has run out and that you have to put more money in or the meter man will come around and give you a ticket.  Not so with God; not with Jesus.

When you put your weight on Jesus, when you put your confidence in Him, you have no worries.  You can depend upon Him for everything.  You put your trust in God.  You put your weight upon Him as He admonishes us in Matthew 11:28:  “Come unto me, ALL ye that are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”  He says, “Take my yoke upon you, and LEARN of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart; and ye shall find REST for your souls.  For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”  Come as little children to your Heavenly Father.

You may ask yourself, Why can I afford to let go and put ALL my trust and weight upon the Lord?  Because of who He is!  When Moses asked him in Exodus 3:13 and 14, “Who shall I say unto the children of Israel who hath sent me?:  God told him to tell them, “I AM THAT I AM hath sent me unto you.”  “The Lord God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath sent me unto you: this is my name forever and this is my memorial unto all generations. “

Jesus said in John 6:35-40, ’’I  AM THE  BREAD OF LIFE.  WHOSOEVER COMETH TO ME SHALL NEVER HUNGER, AND HE THAT BELIEVETH ONE ME SHALL NEVER THIRST.  Therefore, when you feel like you just can’t make it for one reason or another, just recline in the words of Jesus; take a rest from your labors.   

Being a new creature in Christ, you can afford to lie PROSTRATE:  lying down, taking it easy; RECLINING:  Galatians 4:7 tells you that, “I am no longer a slave (to sin, to those things which have had you shackled but a son, and if you are a son, then you are also an heir through God.  So you are free in Christ, blessed with EVERY spiritual blessing in the heavenly places.  Ephesians 1:3.

Can’t you just see that man in the lounge chair; lying back with his hands behind his head, with a smile on his face, legs sunglasses; crossed, because he knows in whom he believes; in whom he has put his confidence.  He’s not thinking about that chair falling, giving way because of his weight.  He knows on whom he has cast his weight; his cares of the world.  He knows the promises God has made to him; he knows what God says about him:

He knows that he can put his feet up and relax because he is saved!  Romans 10:9-10.  He has confessed his sins,,,,,,,, believed that Jesus is and is assured of eternal life; that he is blessed – Philippians 4:19 – kAnd my kGod shall supply all my needs according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus; that I am healthy – II Peter 2:24; that I am forgiven = Col 1:12-14;   Any concern that you have can be met through God’s promises in Christ Jesus.  Picture this:  Jesus is sitting on the right hand of the Father making intercession for you and for me.  Romans 8:34  So why would we not recline in God; in Jesus?  Why shouldn’t we “find peace and quiet; come to rest; sit back and take it easy;; put our feet up when we can go to the Word of God and find refuge for our souls.  God said that he puts his Word above his name Ps. 138b:…for thou hast magnified thy Word above thy name.  He has the assurance that God says that he is the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus:

So to you, Take it easy; relax; rest; take a rest; rest from one’s labors, take a breather; find peace and quiet; come and rest; sit back; put one’s feet up, recline, lie black, lounge, laze, go to sleep; doze,, take a nap; unwind; rest and be thankful. 

Read from Turning Point’s book, “In theWords ofJesus”, page 86 and 87 comes the following:

“That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you will have enough food to eat or enough clothes to wear…Look at the lilies how they grow.  They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are.  And if God cares so wonderfully for flowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, He will certainly care for you.  Why do you have so little faith?” Luke 12:22-28.

Jesus Himself RESTED in His Father in the Garden of Gethsemane, which begins in John 17:11-26. If Jesus could REST in His Father BEFORE FACING THE CROSS, how much more should we be able to REST IN HIM when we face the cares of this world. After all, He left us the Holy Spirit to strengthen us and carry us through any calamity we might face. 

To God be the Glory.  Amen.