Jesus calls us to "Rest In Me"

April 28, 2015

Good morning, Youtube family.

We have something a little different to share with you this morning.

Ezekiel: Well, earlier this evening, when we began to quiet ourselves and come in, what we would normally do as we enter in to praise and worship, I would have a little service and Communion, as I've talked about before, spend some time in the Scriptures. But, the Lord had something different in mind. His whole attitude seemed to be that of quiet and rest and stillness.

Clare: Yeah...

Ezekiel: Wouldn't you say, when you began to settle in with Him - what was His countenance? What did He seem like?

Clare: We came into prayer around midnight, and He was very gentle, very quiet and peaceful.

Ezekiel: It took me a while to, kinda catch up to that, 'cause, we're just like anyone else - we're tuned to words and action, and something going on, something being spoken. I almost felt a little anxious for a while, even though I knew in my heart and my spirit that, "this is a good thing!" It was like, the very, very first thing that He gave me today - we re-released a song "Rest Your Head Upon My Heart" and I should have known from that, right away!

Clare: (chuckle) Hint, hint...

Ezekiel: I felt the Lord - sometimes His "word" to us, or His "words" to any of us are NOT words. His "doing" is NOT doing. It's just "be still, and Know that I am God."

Clare: Well, I was into worship and really in a quiet, restful place with Him. I had to take a nap around 3:00 in the morning, but I came back refreshed. And He was just so joyful, and so quiet - I was waiting for a message to share with you all, because that's how He usually works. But, He just kept smiling, and He didn't have anything to say. I thought, 'Oh, Dear! Have I done something wrong?'

But, he was smiling, so I must not have.

And I asked Him that, and He said, "No."

Then Ezekiel said, "I think I know what He wants to do tonight. He wants us to enter in to His Rest."

Ezekiel: Well, yeah. I kept getting all these different Scriptures on "cease from your striving" and "don't fear", "come away by yourselves for a while". One in particular was Psalm 37: "rest in the Lord, and be willing to wait for Him."

Clare: Oh, that was very strong - I felt that, too.

Ezekiel: Isaiah 30, He says, "In quietness and trust...gives you strength. We're just not used to being still and quiet! We've got that 30 second commercial mentality. I remember a church service once - just as an experiment, they asked everyone to leave their cell phone and their watch at the door. And the pastor promised he wouldn't go long. So, the people come into the service, they have their praise and worship...and nothing. Dead silence. And, immediately, people got uncomfortable. The pastor said, "It's okay. Let's just sit before the Lord for a minute." Well, two minutes. Then, three minutes. I tell you what, by the end of 10 minutes, people were pulling their hair out - they didn't know what to do! It was just the idea of, it's OKAY...not to do or be or act or perform! And particularly with the Lord - He just wants to comfort us, to heal us, to love us. Like a child at rest on his mother's knee, like the Psalms talk about.

Romans 8:15 says, "you have not received a spirit of Fear, but of adoption, whereby we cry Abba! Father!"

Daddy! How many times have you seen a little child climb up on his mom or his dad's lap, and just kinda have that baby "sigh"...? Maybe they don't even know any words yet, but there's something where they just rest - they feel so safe and secure against their father's heart, their mother's heart. And that's exactly where the Lord wants us, exactly where He wants us.

Clare: So, you think tonight the message was to be still and be peaceful and to rest in Him.

Ezekiel: Well, I even wondered, Lord? Is there something on Your heart and mind that is troubling You? Do You want us to comfort You? I even, at one point, saw myself dancing with Him in this beautiful palace, in this beautiful ballroom, as His Bride. He just seemed to have this peaceful countenance, like maybe you, out there - whoever you are. Maybe you just need to be comforted, maybe you just need Him to hold you. So...let Him hold you. Let Him hold you, let Him comfort you.

Other than that, the best I can say is there is a special place, there's a place away... I heard a pastor from India, once. And he talked about, "stay out of the water with the sharks. Get back in the boat - back in the boat with Jesus." It's His still, small voice - He's not in the thunder, He's not in the lightning - but when that whisper came through, the prophet hid his face, he knew it was the Lord. These are the things of gentleness. Quietness. Tenderness. Very, very fragile. And they're times to let yourself go, let yourself dream, let yourself hope. You can just hear the Lord breathing: Peace. Into your heart, and soul and mind.

Clare: I sensed that all night long - peace, rest in Me. Peace, rest in Me.

Ezekiel: The best I can tell you is, maybe find a place today or tonight, where you can get away from the phones, the computers - lock yourself up in your car or basement or somewhere. Maybe, light a little candle, put a little cheese and crackers aside and have a little love feast with Him - do something to set up an atmosphere of quiet and peace and rest. And I would say, keep your Scriptures there, that's fine, but avoid the temptation to jump into them and start reading. Because, then we're kinda putting that "desk" between the Lord and us again in a way. He comes to us in the Scriptures, but there's times when He wants to take His presence in His written Word and set it aside...and HE wants to be with you - the Living Word.

Clare: Thank you, Ezekiel.

Ezekiel: You're welcome.

Clare: And when we're feeling insecure or fearful, there's no greater place of security and safety than in the Lord's presence, and in His arms, and in the knowledge of Him - that He is with us. He is at our right hand and He will never forsake us. He's always there, to guide our footsteps and to protect us in everything that we do. And He'll NEVER allow us to be tried more than we can stand up under, with His Grace. He is Faithful, and He already knows how He is going to resolve whatever situation you're in. So, you can totally find comfort in His presence and enter into His rest and allow Him to work out all the circumstances. To bring the peace into your heart that you so desperately need.

And, you know? Regardless of the circumstances that we're going through, at any given time - the most valuable knowledge is still to know Him and to now His love for us. And that's the place where the greatest peace is, as well. So, let's bring our circumstance, our stress, our lives before Him, and just lay them at His feet.

Forge about them, and enter into His heart - just snuggle up close to Him and know HIM, because there is no greater knowledge in the whole universe, than the knowledge of our Lord, and His love for us.

One thing that came to me, just as I was about to finish up here and about to put this song on - you know we have this endless search for knowledge, as if this knowledge independently and of itself can save us. And I think the whole point of this evening with the Lord - 'cause I was here with the Lord for 6 hours (normally, I might panic and say, "Lord, aren't you going to give us a message??") But, the peace of the Lord was so strong, and His countenance was so sweet, that I realized: what He wants us to know is not the busyness and the activity to make us secure, or to teach us...He wants us to know HIM. He wants us to enter into His arms, and to His space - into His heart, and to know and experience HIM. That knowledge of knowing HIM is so far beyond anything that words can describe.

So, with that in mind, dear Family, I'm going to share this song with you. I pray that you'll take time today in a special way to be with Him, just to tuck into His heart. Just snuggle into His heart and experience His sweetness.

And the Lord Bless you.