Tag Archives: Rest

How to Live in A Society Of Broken Hearts

Posted by D.L.Fuller on

walking on broken glass

Life on earth is traumatic. Sin creates debt, and the hearts of everyone have been heavily taxed. There is a saying, “Hurt people, hurt others.” We have all been impacted by the rejection, hate, envy, covetousness, strife, and contentions flowing from the broken hearts. The lifestyles of extremism in the world today are a symptom of this broken. The failed attempts to self-medicate and to compensate for the weary heart is evident in the cries for more…more…more. Ecclesiastes 4:1-2:

“So I returned, and considered all the oppressions that are done under the sun: and behold the tears of such as were oppressed, and they had no comforter; and on the side of their oppressors there was power; but they had no comforter. Wherefore I praised the dead which are already dead more than the living which are yet alive.”

The grace of GOD has provided a balm for our hearts, a peaceful and soothing ointment poured from above, the Comforter. Yeshua the Christ said, “Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.” (John 16:7) The Holy Spirit, also known as the Comforter, has been sent from Heaven to console us. Comforter consoles us by fortifying our faith and hope, through bringing us to a deeper knowing of the Father’s love. Our hearts were made for the infinite love of the Father. The re-introduction of this holy knowledge to our hearts brings healing and restoration. This heart restoration gives us a greater capacity to be patient, hopeful, kind, merciful, compassionate, and empathetic. I have found when I become lacking in any of these virtues, it is only a sign that I am I need more time in communion with the Holy Spirit. The commune with the Holy Spirit in prayer, in meditation, and in studying the Word. Lately I have found meditation to be one of the most effective ways to restore my well-being. Yahweh tells us in Psalm 46:10,

“Be still, and know that I am GOD: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.”

In the age in which we live, there is a lot always going on around us to keep our minds occupied and running. Even when we are physically still, our minds are often far from at rest. I love this 10th verse of Psalm 46 because it gives special instruction on how we are to be still. We are told to holt all things and focus our consciousness on the knowledge of GOD. When I meditate, rid myself of all other thoughts and focus in on the awareness of who and what GOD is to me as His child. I focus on His face in the person of Yeshua. I focus on His beauty seen through His glorious creations. I focus on His loving essence revealed through His laws, precepts, and counsel. It is here that I find a rest like no other place. If I do not prioritize this time and seek it with intentionality, I will never slow down long enough to give my mind, soul, and heart time to rejuvenate.

The drive for bigger and better things, greater success and acceptance, more sensory stimulation is displaced desire for the comfort that only GOD can provide. The ministry of the Holy Spirit can be seen most clearly in the nurturing care of a loving mother. Her main focus is the well-being of everyone in the family. Proverbs 4:23 says,

“Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.”

The sin, along with many of the other faults in our life, will continue to plague us, until our broken hearts are renewed. Yeshua says in Matthew 11:28,

“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”

This rest is the promise of comfort that comes through the ministry of the Holy Spirit.

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What are you hungry for?

Posted by D.L.Fuller on

Often times when a woman is pregnant, she gets strong cravings for particular things to eat. These cravings are believed to be linked to nutrients her body needs to support the baby she is carrying. The more she understands the root of the cravings, the better she is able to make selections to adequately nurture the life with in her. There is a similar dynamic that occurs in the life of everyone in regards to their cravings and desires. We really need to understand the root of our desires to ensure we make choices  that result in promoting life within us.

Many religious orders encourage the practice of ignoring desires in order to live spiritually but I have come to understand that all desires are rooted in a spiritual need. A characteristic of true spiritual living is having an understanding of the true root of our desires. Just resisting or ignoring desire does not lead to a peaceful existence and neither does simply indulging. People often try to satisfy spiritual cravings with physical things. This is an issue because physical things can never fill the need created by a spiritual deficiency. In fact, trying to fill a spiritual need with physical things will always lead to over indulgence, because no amount of a physical thing will satisfy a spiritual need. If you wanna a picture of what I am saying, just look around at all the areas of addiction today. In our day we have drug addicts, sex addicts, pornography addicts, food addicts, shopping addicts, gaming addicts and working addicts to name a few. These are so common, if you are not one of the addicts just mentioned, you have a family member or close friend that is. All of these appetite disorders are rooted in spiritual deficiency.

The Samaritan woman that met Yeshua at the well had five previous husbands and was currently involved with a man that was not her husband. This sounds to me like a person with a need yet having some serious issues trying to get that need met. Obviously men were not the solution to the need she had, yet it appears she was on her way to a sixth husband. When you don’t understand the root of your desires, that is, the real root behind the desire, it is easy to get into some vicious cycles. Yeshua told the Samaritan woman, “If you knew the gift of God and who you were talking too, you would have asked him to fill the thirst you have been trying to fill all these years and he would have given you living waters that would have truly satisfied you.” That is my paraphrase and translation, for the actual account, read the book of John chapter 4. Yeshua went on to tell the Samaritan woman that the water he offers becomes a well of life with in you which springs up to satisfy thirst forever. There are many people in relationships today that are destined to fail because each is looking to the other to satisfy thirst that can only be filled by Yeshua the Savior, also known as Jesus Christ. The living waters that Yeshua offers can break the cycle of addiction and set your appetites in order.

We are spiritual beings, created with an infinite capacity for the knowledge of GOD and it is only when we are in relationship with GOD and learning of Him daily that we are satisfied. Any disconnect in that relationship automatically creates a void that will surface in the flesh as an appetite for something. The Disciples would often badger Yeshua telling Him he needed to eat something and He would tell them, “I have meat that you know not of.” He was full spiritually! While in physical form, whenever Yeshua felt any appetites arising, He would set himself apart and spend some time communing in the Spirit. We need the Holy Spirit with in us giving light so we can discern the root of the motivations that drive us from time to time.

Physical things are only a shadow of the spiritual things we really need. YES…we need companionship, food, and recreation but we need them in the context of spirit and truth. Our Creator intended for us to have pleasure but in the context of life not death. One of my mentors, Edwin Louis Cole once said, “Boundaries are to protect life, not to limit pleasure.” A lot of the perversions we see today stems from man’s attempt to solve his own problems; destructive self-medication.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths. (Prov 3:5-6)

The one that created you knows what is best for you. Trust Him with your life and He will lead you to freedom and fulfillment instead of bondage and disappointment. Make a determination today, to reconnect with GOD through submission to the Word. Yeshua saves.

Psalm 145:14-19

14 The Lord upholds all who fall,
And raises up all who are bowed down.
15 The eyes of all look expectantly to You,
And You give them their food in due season.
16 You open Your hand
And satisfy the desire of every living thing.

17 The Lord is righteous in all His ways,
Gracious in all His works.
18 The Lord is near to all who call upon Him,
To all who call upon Him in truth.
19 He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him;
He also will hear their cry and save them.

When the Going Gets Tough…Rest

Posted by D.L.Fuller on

lion in the breeze 3

The commandments of God are an expression of His confidence in us. He would never demand anything of us that He did not first equip us for. He gives the command and He also gives the instructions to fulfill them. Our part is to obey and trust Him with the whole process. He knows us better than we know ourselves. Never lose confidence in His goodness, for He will never give us more than we can bear. When we feel overwhelmed it is an indication that we are more focused on the whole task instead of the instructions for the current moment. Yeshua instructs us to take His yoke upon us and then we will find rest. As long as we move at His pace we barely feel the weight, but when we try to move ahead of Him that is when we get a taste of all He is bearing for us. When we feel overwhelmed it is our queue to check our pace and get back in step with God.

 

Matt 11:28-30

Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”