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Rest, After the War Josh. 11:23 There are many people today who ask why do these things happen to me. I try to live right, pay my bills, be good to my family but there are still things that happen that I don't understand. Did you ever think that in each of our lives as in the life of Israel there is a time for war and a time for peace or "rest." Review the time from crossing the Jordan until the time of peace. Solomon said there is a time for all things ( Ecc. .3:1-8). May I be bold enough to suggest to you that the reason we try to live right and have problems doing so is that we are still in a war time. The Christian is in a war with evil and the battle will be fought as long as we are standing for the way God would have us to live. Are you tempted to do wrong when you know deep in your soul it is wrong to do so. You are in a war with evil. Who we yield to is the winner. Giving in to temptation is another way of surrender. During a war the person who surrenders to the enemy ends up doing what the enemy wants them to do and has very little to say about it. Paul tells us in Eph. 6:12, We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against rulers of darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Satan uses anyone he can to destroy the life of a Christian. He starts on us very young and works on our desires. He takes advantage of different conditions we get into. He works any area of our lives that we permit him into. Paul tells us to put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day. Has there been any evil days come to your life yet? Stand therefore having your loins girt about with truth, and having the breast plate op righteousness and your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace. There are three great truths here: loins, the region of strength, the life and future of every man. Breast, the source of emotions. Feet shod, the word shod suggests permanent fastening or simply saying the direction of our feet should lead in the direction of the gospel of peace. The gospel of peace causes us to live daily in peace even though war is raging all around us. There are many today that are losing the war and it is costing them their lives, their decency. They live a life of guilt and shame instead of being proud of themselves. Why not fight a good fight now and enjoy the day of rest when it comes? Jesus Christ, the King of the day of rest, has made provisions that each of us can win every battle we fight and we can have victory now and when the day of rest gets here we can have joy unspeakable. This all begins when we see ourselves as we really are. We are lost without Jesus. He wants to save us today. Romans 10:13. |