Understanding the Sabbath
Today’s Focus: Characteristics of Rest for the Soul Part 2: Establishment and Happiness
Scripture: Genesis 12:8,9; Proverbs 15:15
Greetings Kingdom Citizens
Today we will look at two more characteristics of those who have found rest for their souls. The next characteristics is that the person is secure and established. Let’s look at this set of scripture:
Genesis 12:8,9: And Abram said unto Lot, Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee, and between my herdmen and thy herdmen; for we be brethren. Is not the whole land before thee? Separate thyself, I pray thee, from me: if thou wilt take the left hand, then I will go to the right; or if thou depart to the right hand, then I will go to the left
Abram (Abraham) did not want there to be any strife between him and Lot and so he let Lot pick the land he desired first because Abram understood that he was in the hand of the Lord and this is a secured and established place. The Lord was leading Abram and he knew that the Lord would give him whatever he needed. But look at verse 8, Abraham did not want there to be strife so Abraham was a man of peace and tranquility. He was also a man who was satisfied, content and non-competitive. When we are secure and established in our souls then we come to the state of rest which manifest these qualities of peace, tranquility, satisfaction, contentment and a non-competitive state. When we look at the state of the world today, we see the complete opposite and many will in some cases step on their own brothers to get to the top. This competitive state is not of God and hence your soul is never at rest for fear of someone coming for the position that you are in.
This brings me to the next characteristic which is one who is happy. Look at this scripture:
Proverbs 15:15: All the days of the afflicted are evil: but he that is of a merry heart hath a continual feast.
When we look at the state of the world, people are not happy and are heart-broken. This realm of competition and comparing has made many people unhappy due to their failing to reach their desired goals. Hence their soul is sad and at a constant state of stress to achieve their goals. To be non-retaliatory is to experience true happiness. There are things that will come upon us to try to take that happiness away but if we are secure and established in our souls then we do not seek retaliation but seek the Lord to take care of the situation. We are not in competition with out brother but we present reconciliation to our fellow man so that they may see the Lord and be reconciled by Him to the House of God. Truly we rejoice over the one that decides to come home.
In demonstrating these three characteristics:
Ruling in the midst of our enemies
Establishment and Security
Happiness
Our souls will find rest. In the next message we need to take a look back at the Tripartite elements of mankind and get some understanding to how we come to this rest of the soul. This all sounds easy but there are things we must understand in order to make this a reality.
Peace, Love and Grace from the Father,
Calvin Calhoun, Jr.
