Maintaining Our Rest

Hope you have been practicing your routine, finding rest for your soul and enjoying inexplicable peace!  This week we will add two more disciplines to our routine, one deals with our thinking (pondering pure thoughts), and the other involves our behavior (practicing the principles of the word). 

Maintaining our rest requires perpetually pondering pure thoughts: Finally brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things - Phil 4:8. This verse helps us to evaluate our thoughts.  We are encouraged to think good thoughts. If we start off with praise, work at portraying gentleness even when we may feel irritated, and we keep putting away worry and instead pray about everything, we have set the mental stage for pure thoughts.  However because of the way our minds work and how things happen even this is not enough.  In order to perpetually ponder pure thoughts we have to work hard.  In fact, the only way it will happen is if we bring every thought captive (Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ - II Cor 10:5).  This involves the elimination of inappropriate thoughts, one thought at a time.   I don't know about you but there are times I have to beg God to help me to think His thoughts.    My family wonders why I take such long showers.  WELL, those are the times I am in there asking God to please help me think His thoughts.  We don't naturally think like God (For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts - Is 55:8-9).  Ask the Lord to help you think His thoughts!      

The final key to maintaining our rest is practicing the principles of the word: Those things, which you have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you - Phil 4:9.  Paul modeled the way and exhorts  us to live according to the Word.  We are challenged to be doers of the Word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves - James 1:22.   Enjoying rest is only possible if we are committed to living according to the Word of God (And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect  of righteousness quietness and peace - Is 32:17 and 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 - Matt 11:29).  Obedience is God's love language ( If you love me, keep my commandments - John 14:15).    Our love for the Lord is not demonstrated because we say we love Him. We prove we love Him by our obedience (But take diligent heed to do the commandment and the law, which Moses the servant of the Lord charged you, to love the Lord your God, and to walk in all His ways, and to keep His commandments, and to cleave unto Him and to serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul - Jos 22:5)   

We maintain our rest and enjoy the peace of God and the God of Peace when we pray right, think right and have a desire to live right!

trying to think His thoughts,
Diane

p.s. This week work on thinking good thoughts.  Arrest every thought that does not line up with His thoughts. Ask the Lord to identify an area in which you are not walking in obedience and ask Him to give you the desire and courage to obey! 

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