Moses was pleading with God to go with him and Israel on their journey. God relented and said he would not only go with them, but provide for them rest and peace. As with Moses, God provides us with layers of peace. Personally, Relationally, Corporately and Ultimately. And only in God himself can we find the peace and rest we long for!
Sermons by Rob Cupp (Page 5)
In His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus is giving insight into how His Kingdom is different than what the audience had known and experienced. In Matthew 6:33, He summarizes the action we must take in light of all these Kingdom Insights: We must seek first the Kingdom of God and God Himself and then respond in faith!
God seems to always get a bad rap. An “act of God” is what we call a horrible disaster. It is a common belief that we better behave or God will strike us down with lighting or hurt us in some way. What if this perceptions were wrong? The Bible (In fact, God Himself In the Bible) sets the record right. God is Good. So, if He is Good, what are the implications for how we live daily.
When we believe the True Gospel that the Apostle Paul preached, The Holy Spirit comes to dwell in us. As we live life in submission to the Holy Spirit and keep saying “Jesus is Lord,” the fruit of God’s Character will come out of us. Spiritual maturity is just continuing to string “yes, Lord” after “yes, Lord” together in our lives!
In Galatians, Paul passionately contrasts a life of Faith that leads to being filled with The Spirit versus a life in the flesh that keeps you a slave under the law. For us today, God’s plan is for us to live in freedom, in The Spirit, and no longer be slaves to our controlling religious striving. We must trust all that God has said and walk in Freedom as Sons and Daughters of God.
Since the beginning, God has wanted to have close intimate relationships with His people. Even on Mt. Sinai, He was calling His people to a marriage-like covenant with Him. God is calling, but He allows the closeness of relationship with Him to be up to us. What type of relationship will you choose?
Jesus calls us to be more than just His students. He calls us to live out all that He teaches in our daily lives. People who do make the world better and are the real disciples of Jesus. To live this way, Disciples must prioritize Jesus before EVERYTHING else.
Throughout the Bible Jesus is portrayed as The Good Shepherd. In this well-known Psalm, we see many of the benefits of following Christ including living with Him in Heaven for eternity. To receive the benefits, we must see ourselves in the proper perspective and follow Jesus, The Good Shepherd, wherever He leads us.