ARE YOU ANXIOUS
ABOUT MANY THINGS?
CONCERNED ABOUT
HOW THINGS WILL TURN OUT?
IS YOUR BODY LANGUAGE
TELLING YOU A HEART IDOL
IS AT WORK?
THEN THIS WEEK IS FOR YOU
HEBREWS 4 IS A HARD NUT TO CRACK
BUT OH THE RICHES WHEN YOU DO!
FOR HOW WE NEED TO LEARN THE SECRET
OF LIVING THE SABBATH REST
YOU WHO ARE STILL WITH US AND WILL PERSEVERE
WILL BE SO BLESSED!
I’m excited about the real help available to you this week. In my own life, I am living more of the Sabbath rest of Hebrews 4. There are two layers of rest — there is the cessation of work, and we are commanded to keep the Sabbath, who like God, worked six days and then rested. We will mess up our health and lives if we neglect the Sabbath Rest and never cease working. God designed us so that we need rest.
THE DEEPER SABBATH REST
But we all know it is possible to cease from work and yet not rest, because we are anxious. God is calling us to deeper Sabbath rest, one rooted in how we apply the Gospel to our daily lives. Do we really believe that we are loved in good times and in bad so that we can surrender to Him, the way a baby trusts a father so that he can surrender his little body and sleep?
THE GRAND ADVENTURE OF TRUSTING GOD
Why can we trust Him? It’s the Gospel — He loves us enough to die for us. We must repeat this to ourselves when we face stress and surrender our bodies, minds, and hearts to Him. He will do what is best –even if it might not seem like it at the time. I think specifically of several of you facing great stress and pray this lesson is of real help.
Let me give you a few examples from my life from the last two weeks where I experienced this deeper rest — and then I want to hear from you.
- When I spoke in Nebraska, I could tell right away from my peripheral vision that there was technical trouble with the visual presentation, which is always my nightmare. But I knew I’d done all I could — and that God was in control. I did ask God to keep me calm and to keep David calm as he scurried to fix it. (My daughter Anne said, “Mom — I thought you didn’t know because you were so calm!”) When the first video wouldn’t work, I was able to tell the women:”Please pray. We’ve had lots of spiritual warfare with Idol Lies. But God is in control — and He only gives Satan enough rope to hang himself.” A minute later it started working and the women cheered. Am I disappointed that the first fifteen minutes were not good, that the women were uncomfortable because of tech troubles? Yes. But I also know He has a plan and He did show Himself strong. And I rest in that.
- My septic tank motor broke this week, I was expecting guests who are in ministry, and I couldn’t reach my plumber. I feared my guests would be anything but blessed! I felt my body tensing up –saw that red flag. So instead of listening to my soul, I talked to my soul — for I know God loves me. I love the little chorus “He gave His life — what more could He do? Oh how He loves you…” God did give me peace, and in the nick of time, got the pump running again and it was a simple fix.
- I received a very angry letter from a relative a few days ago. I made the stupid mistake of making a cryptic political comment about misplaced hope on our family Facebook page that she took personally. It brought up memories to her of other things she didn’t like about me and she listed them. I admit, the letter hurt. But I was wrong — and I longed to humble myself and give her a genuine apology. And though I always struggle at first to forgive, it is always the gospel that reminds me how wrong I am to withhold forgiveness. Am I at peace with this relative? Not yet, but though that is troubling, I also am experiencing His peace and I do have real hope for reconciliation in the future. So I leave it there, and rest on my Father’s broad chest.
- I learned this week that I need to have surgery to remove my gall bladder this Tuesday. I had prayed they would be able to get me in soon both because of pain and upcoming speaking. They called and gave me Tuesday — the anniversary of Steve’s death. I could be very anxious, but indeed I am speaking to my soul, and I am in His hands. He loves me and I rest in that. That’s the Gospel truth that gives me the deeper Sabbath rest.
- Slowly — I’m learning to live the Sabbath rest. Every day — I long to live this secret — this secret I’m so eager to share.
Sunday/Monday Icebreaker
1. What stood out to you from the above and why?
2. Can you share an everyday example of surrendering to God in the last two weeks and experiencing His peace? Or not surrendering and experiencing continued anxiety or pain?
Monday-Wednesday Bible Study
Begin memorizing Hebrews 4:15-16. There is great assurance and comfort here.
3. As vital background, Read Numbers 14:1-23
A. Describe the unbelief of the Israelites and how they treated Moses and Aaron.
B. Yet Moses still interceded for them — what did he pray and how did God respond?
This helps you understand that the section you are about to read in Hebrews should not cause you to leap to the conclusion that the Israelites were not saved from the penalty of sin. God forgave them. But they never entered “the deeper rest” that comes from trusting God in hard times, and God did take their lives as an example to us. Do not misinterpret this coming passage to imply we can lose our salvation. But we may indeed be saved from the penalty of sin and not experience the deeper rest He longs for us to know.
4. Read Hebrews 3:16-19 and answer:
A. Who heard the good news of the promised land but rebelled? Describe what their lives were like for forty years and how they died.
B. Numbers tells us that God forgave them — yet they lived miserable lives. What kept them from experiencing peace and joy?
C. Do you feel you are entering into the grand adventure of trusting Him? If so, how?
5. Read Hebrews 4:1-3
A. Now the author is talking in the present to us. How can you see that from verses 1 and 2?
B. Challenge question (and important) Do you see the word “gospel” or “good news” in verse 2? Describe a stressful situation you are facing and now explain how the gospel could help you face it and relax in your Father’s arms.
6. Read Hebrews 4:4-10
Now the author goes back to creation and how God rested on the 7th Day. Now, as Keller explains, God doesn’t get physically weary as we do — so what is He resting from? What it means, is that “He was satisfied with what He was doing — He said it was good.” That is what it means to go to the deeper rest. You must be satisfied because you have done what God wants you to do and then you surrender to Him the results. This word “satisfied” is also used in Isaiah 53:11 of Jesus — he was in anguish on the cross, but he was satisfied, for He won our salvation.*(How beautiful is this?)
In the same way, we must get rid of the “eternal murmur” of self-reproach. We are so often unhappy with who we are because we do not believe the gospel. Or we do not trust Him enough, after we have done our best, and repented of what we did poorly, to rest in His arms.
A. What did it mean that God rested, if not resting His body? (This is important — read above again if you are unsure.)
B. Meditate on Hebrews 4:9-10 for there is great assurance here. It also shows the deeper rest, by comparing our rest to the rest God felt. (He was satisfied.) This is important.
7. Read Hebrews 4:11-16
Rachael, on the Idol Lies video (now available on my website!) said “This is such a daily battle.” And it is. We are so prone to wander, to back away from God, and to not enter this deeper rest. There are some secrets to help us persevere in this passage.
A. How can you see it is a daily battle according to verse 11?
B. What is one tool that will help us enormously according to verse 12 — and why?
C. Hidden in verse 13 is the first part of the Gospel — expressing our great need. Find it.
D. Hidden in verse 14 is the second part of the Gospel — expressing God’s provision. Find it.
E. What other great tool is found in verse 16?
Thursday-Friday: Sermon
You will be so blessed by this Keller Sermon, The Rest-Giver. If you didn’t purchase the package, you can get it individually: Link
There is also a free sermon on Psalm 95, which is quoted in Hebrews 4, and Keller goes into Hebrews 4 at the end of this sermon: Link
7. Share your notes here.
Saturday:
8. What is your take-a-way and why?
*Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities. Isaiah 53:11
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6 B. Meditate on Hebrews 4:9-10 for there is great assurance here. It also shows the deeper rest, by comparing our rest to the rest God felt. (He was satisfied.) This is important.
9 So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, 10 for whoever has entered God’s rest has also rested from his works as God did from his.
Because God has rested from His work, we can also rest from our works. God gives us a Sabbath rest because He wants us to rest like He did. Dee is right. This is great assurance. We can stop working. God will do it. We do NOT have to fix things. We do not have to be in control. We can rest.
7 A. How can you see it is a daily battle according to verse 11?
He talks about striving and falling here, so it is evident that we have to work at it and that we can fall. Yep, that is what I have been doing – falling.
B. What is one tool that will help us enormously according to verse 12 — and why?
The Word of God is living and active. When we fail to stay in the deeper rest, the Word of God cuts into the quick of our soul and shows us how we are failing so that we can return into that rest again.
C. Hidden in verse 13 is the first part of the Gospel — expressing our great need. Find it.
The first part of the gospel is that we are sinful. We need the good news that Christ gives.
D. Hidden in verse 14 is the second part of the Gospel — expressing God’s provision. Find it.
Jesus has offered the sacrifice for our sins that we needed to be free. “It is finished”. There is no more sacrifice needed.
E. What other great tool is found in verse 16?
Prayer is what God gives us. We can come to him with confidence and “receive mercy and find grace in time of need.”
Diane,
I’ve been reading your posts and what you posted about Keller’s Worship sermon was especially powerful. I can see that it is really encouraging you, and I’m glad you shared it with us for our encouragement as well. I love the quotes you shared, like having to reassign the value of our lives to God – it’s the only way to joy.
Dee, I thankful your surgeries went well. Praying for your healing and strength.
Also, I didn’t realize October 16th was the date of Steve’s death. Wish I could give you a hug. I hope you don’t mind me sharing this, but October 16th is actually a special day for me. My firstborn came into the world that day. October 16th, 2006. He turned 6 on Tuesday, and is very excited about his birthday party tomorrow. 🙂
For those of you wondering how I am doing…well…I truly am trying to trust God and lean on Him. Things are very hard with my husband right now. Feeling very unloved and rejected by him. I feel like I’m losing hope about our marriage. I have to keep hanging onto the fact that my God is the God of the impossible.
Krista — you and your mother are pressing on in the face of such a storm. Our prayers are so with you.
And yes about days of death and days of birth. Steve’s funeral was on this day (Oct 20) and it was also our son John’s birthday – -and John said that was a good thing.
Praying for you today, Dee, as this is a hard one for you I am sure. And I appreciate your ongoing prayers for us. Yesterday was an especially tough one for Krista and today will be tough dealing with kids but also with adults from both sides of the family who are, of course, aware of the tensions. Also, it is a nasty rainy day so the party will have to be inside, so things will be chaotic. Oh, my, I am not a “party” person, even at the best of times! I am leaving soon to go and help Krista for the day.
Hope the party was a success!
I think that happens to a lot of people. When my dad died, he was buried on his granddaughter birthday (a teenager then) and my cousin’s birthday is 9-11, which wasn’t anything unusual untill that awful day.
Let everything fall into God’s hands..he knows best. Praying for you, Krista
Thank you all for your prayers. You are dear to me.
Time for take-a-ways. Did any of you experience the deeper rest? Would love to hear!
6. Read Hebrews 4:4-10
Now the author goes back to creation and how God rested on the 7th Day. Now, as Keller explains, God doesn’t get physically weary as we do — so what is He resting from? What it means, is that “He was satisfied with what He was doing — He said it was good.” That is what it means to go to the deeper rest. You must be satisfied because you have done what God wants you to do and then you surrender to Him the results. This word “satisfied” is also used in Isaiah 53:11 of Jesus — he was in anguish on the cross, but he was satisfied, for He won our salvation.*(How beautiful is this?)
In the same way, we must get rid of the “eternal murmur” of self-reproach. We are so often unhappy with who we are because we do not believe the gospel. Or we do not trust Him enough, after we have done our best, and repented of what we did poorly, to rest in His arms.
A. What did it mean that God rested, if not resting His body? (This is important — read above again if you are unsure.)
That He was satisfied with what he was doing.
B. Meditate on Hebrews 4:9-10 for there is great assurance here. It also shows the deeper rest, by comparing our rest to the rest God felt. (He was satisfied.) This is important.
Because of God’s sacrifice on the cross we now can enter the same rest as He did-we can daily be content, and satisfied if we have done our best, and repent in the areas we have not done our best-and rest in Him for the results.
7. Read Hebrews 4:11-16
Rachael, on the Idol Lies video (now available on my website!) said “This is such a daily battle.” And it is. We are so prone to wander, to back away from God, and to not enter this deeper rest. There are some secrets to help us persevere in this passage.
A. How can you see it is a daily battle according to verse 11?
He says to make every effort to enter that rest. There is this battle between our natural bend-to bend away from God yet at the same time the Holy Spirit gives us the desire to bend toward God-He faithfully gives us red flags when we are bending away-primarily in the Word! As Dee said our natures are prone to wander and I don’t know if this is good or bad but this battle inside me-this pull to bend away from God doesn’t shock me when He opens my eyes to my wandering. My heart is deceptively wicked-who could know it? Only Him and He is faithful to convict and to empower me to fight the battle but I must turn to Him when He convicts rather than backing away. Really what compels me to turn is the Gospel-is His jealous love for me.
B. What is one tool that will help us enormously according to verse 12 — and why?
His Word. I must meet with Him in His word-when I don’t it is bending away from Him. He is the word-His word is alive and it penetrates my soul and goes to the deepest parts of my wretched heart and pulls out things He sees that I can’t see. Along with conviction in His word He also brings great encouragement and comfort that I am His-so when I stumble I can repent and rest. Satan likes to keep me from resting-to go back to the mistakes and heap condemnation on me, yet the encouraging truth is that there is no condemnation brought against me from Satan or anyone for I am His sealed in His blood on the cross and raised to new life forever with Him.
This passage just came to mind: Romans 8: 31-39
What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written:
“For your sake we face death all day long;
we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
-When God reminds me of the Gospel and speaks to me like this He melts my heart to repentance when I am stubborn like a sheep bending away.
6 C. Hidden in verse 13 is the first part of the Gospel — expressing our great need. Find it.
I need Him to show me every lying, ugly layer in my heart for He sees it all! As Karla Faye Tucker said-I need Him to pull out the roots!
D. Hidden in verse 14 is the second part of the Gospel — expressing God’s provision. Find it.
OH OH..THIS IS THE BEAUTY! This is my comfort-this is what melts my heart! Jesus is my high priest-the one who has taken on my sin who stands before God on my behalf-and He can empathize with me as He has been tempted in every way as I have and will be..I am sealed in Him forever-I am free!
E. What other great tool is found in verse 16?
I can have a humble confidence even when I fail because I am His- wrapped in His robe of Righteousness! I am His and I can approach the throne of Grace with confidence that i will find mercy and Grace in my time of need.
This SO encourages me because it seems like I mess up every day-yet it doesn’t shock me that I do. The hardest part for me is I can SO EASILY pound on myself and listen to the hiss of the evil one who brings condemnation. So I know I can easily forget the Gospel in that moment..SO, yes this battle is daily-YET when I remember HE is faithful, He can empathize with my pain-yet he was without sin-but HE WILL ALSO BE A BALM TO MY SOUL WHEN I GO THROUGH THE PAINFUL PROCESS OF TURNING-He is my confidence. This helps me to enter His deeper rest.
It amazes me how as He helps me live this truth daily, I can look back at myself up against Him and smile and go, wow..ha-i really said that-I really thought that I could handle this-I really blew THAT up bigger than God?? I was anxious about that in light of eternity? oh my..YET my flesh can still bend-How I need Him daily to bend me back. 🙂
Love your humble heart, Rebecca.
Oh ladies so the deeper rest was present today! All three root idols attacked today all within hours! First control, our family visit time got changed at the last minute…my hubs decided we could go anyway…felt yuck in my body was able to take it to the cross. Got hit in face with football at visit attacking comfort, was able to take it to God and trust…then approval is always something with the other mother but I was confident in the Lord and His directives to us. So thankful. Doing ok after visit which I usually play over and over in head but today has been good. A deeper rest sort of day yet consequences not changed. He is so good!
great examples Angela–I have SO much to learn from you dear sister!
8. What is your take-a-way and why?
How do we find this rest amidst all the distractions around each of us, all the time? I admit it has felt nearly impossible lately to find the rest we are speaking of here. But I do believe the Word and He tells me I can have that rest now, today, in all of this. And it doesn’t mean my 10 minute bath of temporary escape. It’s a rest I can actually, somehow have when I don’t feel well and my parenting seems futile. How? Approach the throne of grace. And not just approach it, but with confidence, with faith. Believing He really is there, and will help me, and will give me all that I need. If it is not in the form of altering my current circumstances, I have to believe He will give me the tools I need to do what He asks of me despite the circumstances. The idea of not believing is just not an option—it is a black hole.
Dee said in God of All Comfort to remember His faithfulness in the past. Remember His promises, His character. Go to the throne. Ask Him for help.
One of my children has always struggled to ask—for anything; instead there is a lot of sneaking to get what is wanted. There has always been a strong desire to be in charge. So, we’ve been talking through that ALL weekend. And as I sit here now, I think—do I do that? Do I try to get on my own strength what I am so determined to believe I need? Instead of running to my Father, laying my head in His lap, and trusting Him to provide EXACTLY what I really need. Oh Lord, help me be a trusting daughter. Thank You, thank You for for Your endless supply of mercy and grace. Thank You for Your undying love and patience. I come to You now, and will come to You over and over—help me to run to You instead of ever trying to meet my needs any other way…or wallowing in self pity. You are always available—always ready to help me. Thank You Father.
I love this, Elizabeth. “The idea of not believing is just not an option—it is a black hole.” It applies to my situation – which is desperate and I have such a heavy heart – but I must cling to Jesus. “Where shall we go? You have the words of eternal life” as Peter said so long ago.
OH I PRAY SOME OF YOU WILL LISTEN TO THIS! (sorry–a bit excited) I just found this Tim Keller short video “Joy in Suffering”–oh-oh–I think many of you will enjoy, and it’s only a 4 minute clip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3GMbQME6nuE
..now I’m going to try to find the remaining portion, it says it comes from his sermon The Search for Happiness.
Thank you, Elizabeth!
Thanks, Elizabeth. SO GOOD, and so timely (just got up to take pain reliever). What encouragement!
This is great– will listen in the morning.
Elizabeth, Can’t wait to listen to this! I plan on doing that today! 🙂
6. A. What did it mean that God rested, if not resting His body?
God was satisfied with what He had done.
7. A. How can you see it is a daily battle according to verse 11?
Disobedience and therefore failure are daily (momentary) possibilities. We are sinful and entirely incapable of perfection on our own.
B. What is one tool that will help us enormously according to verse 12 — and why?
God’s word…the word of God will expose our heart and its desires. God’s word provides clarity in even the most complex, intricate circumstances. God’s word provides truth.
C. Hidden in verse 13 is the first part of the Gospel — expressing our great need. Find it.
“He is the one to whom we are accountable”…for the believer, Jesus will provide all that is needed to cover our weaknesses and shortcomings. The unbeliever will be accountable to the law.
D. Hidden in verse 14 is the second part of the Gospel — expressing God’s provision. Find it.
Jesus is our great high priest…He will stand with believers before God’s throne. For the believer, God will see the righteousness of Jesus rather than the believer’s sin.
E. What other great tool is found in verse 16?
Confidence…confidence in Jesus and His atoning sacrifice for me.
Good answers, Nanci.
take-aways (just lost what I wrote!).
1) I want to do this study when I’m feeling better.
2) I believe there is A LOT to the word “satisfaction,” i.e., God’s satisfaction (rest) meant much more than I often attribute to the word. When I think of someone satisfied with my work, I think (that they think) I’ve finally met their minimum criteria, that my work is “just okay.”
When I think of God’s satisfaction, I imagine a foodie who is satisfied (not stuffed) with the best gourmet meal, truly ENJOYING the fresh, intricate flavors, textures, smells, shapes, and sometimes even sounds. Because God isn’t limited by human senses or by my understanding of “spiritual rest,” I belief that God’s rest on the 7th day was AMAZING! In fact, it may even be the opposite of my recent rest, sick in bed/exhausted. His satisfaction involved a degree of engagement with what he created because what He created was good and very good! I’m pretty impressed with creation, but I am limited both by my limited comprehension and the effects of the fall on creation.
When I think of my experiences of nature, I realize that rest definitely is not boredom.
Yes, I think it was the opposite of your recent rest. Praying you will feel better!
7. Share your notes here. (Tim Keller Sermon)
The first way rest is used: We are in a culture of performance. I can relate to what Keller is saying. I can so easily clean my home and if it isn’t perfectly clean, if there is one area of disorganization with papers or something it is hard to be content with the work that I was able to do. Also with singing. If it isn’t done well or done perfectly, I am not content. God has me in a season with four boys and a busy husband where it is impossible to have everything organized and perfectly clean all the time, and I don’t have time to really get songs down like I used to. I am learning to do my best and be content with that and rest in Him but I have to keep going back to the Gospel because I can easily forget when something happens!
When I truly rest I am free-I am no longer a slave to my work.
The second way to rest is used: God resting from all His work. God can’t get tired like we do-he never gets weary physically or emotionally. When God rested he was satisfied with what he was doing. He said it is good, it is finished. He was pleased with what he was doing and satisfied with what he had done so he put it down.
External rest from labor is not all I need, there needs to be a deep inner rest.
We rest in order to honor His image in us. Stilling the internal murmur of self reproach. Deep rest is being at rest with who you are. We don’t need to prove our self, unhappiness with who we are, working to prove ourselves to others. We will be slaves to our own expectations and others if we don’t deal with this.
The third way rest is used: Present tense-believing the Gospel brings you into that deeper rest. This is the rest we really need.
How do we do that? There is a horrible detail we will have to go through to enter this deep rest. Verse 12 the word of God is like a sharp sword and it penetrates everything. It will show me my real motivations, the real reason I do everything. When you get to that level you will feel naked before God-feel stripped, feel everything has been uncovered and laid bare-literally means naked. It is an ordeal I will need to go through-spiritual nakedness. The Word of God can reveal this. Genesis 3-Adam and Eve were naked and it wasn’t a problem. They were absolutely at rest-satisfied with who they were and it was good. But the minute we turn from God and be our own saviors and Lords at the deepest level we know we are radically unfit for the job. As a result we experience an inadequacy, not being right, acceptable..a deep feeling of spiritual nakedness-they covered up with fig leaves.
Deep down inside we know there is something wrong with us-a deep restlessness-(I know there is something wrong with me so I work hard to fix it like having a perfect home because I feel like as a mom I fail if it is not. This is a fig leaf!)
There is nothing wrong with work, but it is wrong if the reason is to feel like I am alright that will kill me because I will never ever be satisfied. When it is self justifying I will never be able to lay it down and say it is good. When you give to the poor so you can get a self image to be a good person, then it is selfishness-you are doing something for yourself more than for the poor.
What is keeping you from God’s rest is not your sin, but your good looks. The real problem is to repent for the reason you are doing everything right. It is your damnable good works that is keeping you from Him.
How do we get there to a deeper rest? The Author of rest. Everything is ‘laid bare’ before God-Go to Jesus, our high priest He was the sacrifice-he was cut off from the land of the living-radically stripped naked on the cross-he was stripped naked so we could be clothed in His righteousness. He was cut off from His source of rest so we could have rest. He was cut off so we could be brought in and when he died he said it is finished-What is finished? THE WORK OF EVERY HEART A HUMAN IS TRYING TO DO-SELF JUSTIFYING WORK, HE SAYS, I HAVE DONE IT. He says, come to me..not go to that to be justified with that type of work, come to Him.
We must keep going back to the Gospel. It is like a fire in our life. When my default mode is to forget the gospel and go back to self justification-I need to go back to the fire and remind myself who I am.
8. My takeaway..
This will be short-not wordy-AMAZING, EH?? 😉
-Just yesterday I found out I am singing lead on a song on worship team this morning and the song is a tad too high on the bridge which needs to be belted out. We don’t have time to change anything. I have sang it before but almost lost my voice when it was over. In the past I would have worried. Now things have changed and God has helping me to rest-I am more relaxed and learning when things like this happen to go back to the cross and remind myself of who I am. This gets much smaller and He gets bigger-and then when I sing I just let go and sing to Him..I want to feel His pleasure like in Keller’s sermon about Eric Liddell.
Be praying for you, Rebecca!
Thanks so much! Just got done rehearsing..they have it in a Higher key than I thought! I sound like a cat getting it`s tail stepped on. 🙂 resting..
It ended up going well, but even if it didn’t, it was so sweet trusting God and resting in him.
While I haven’t been commenting much I have been doing the study. This past week I have had less anxiety and obsessive thinking, finding more peace at my work by allowing the truth that He is my rest to sink deeper into my heart. When I find myself dwelling on negative thoughts I start singing hymns or speaking what I KNOW to be the truth of Christ (to myself of course) and using it as a time of worship instead of self defeat.
Dawn
I have been doing the same. I can honestly say it has been a rough week. The devil has been working so hard and so clever…I don’t even realize I’m listening to his lies until it seems too late. But The Lord is merciful and this image, of a father holding his child is something I will hold on to always.
Sorry for my delay…I listened to the Keller sermons late last week but didn’t have pencil and paper in hand. I needed to sit and re-listen taking notes. Thus far this morning I have re-listened to the first sermon, “The Rest Giver” and have taken 6 1/2 pages of composition journal notes :). Oh I am SO thankful to God for Tim Keller’s preaching and teaching…the metaphor of the gospel being like a warm fire in a cold house just grabbed me…I pray to keep returning to the warmth of the fire.