Effie Darlene Barba

^{Hebrews 4: 9} There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.

¹⁰ For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his.

¹¹ Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.

¹² For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

¹³ Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.

¹⁴ Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.

Odd sentence, let us labour therefore to enter into that rest.  Labor to rest?  Perhaps in my life I have known a few people who work very hard at being lazy as though it were their job; but, I am certain that is not what this scripture refers to.  Remember the writer is speaking to the early Jewish Christians who are very familiar with their distant ancestors wandering in the wilderness for 40 years because their idleness drew them away from believing in God’s promises.  Their idleness had led to their bickering, worrying, and discontent with God.  They could not patiently, hopefully rest in the promises of God.  So this labor is referring to our diligently seeking to know Him more, to remain vigilant in prayer and to study His word so that we might know and rest in His promises.  We must cease from our own striving to do the work so that we might allow Him to work out His righteousness through us.  This is a matter of the heart and faith.  Do I truly believe that God has saved me and that He has provided for me His righteousness?  If so, then my actions will display that.  If I believe that God has conquered sin and set me free from it’s power, again I will rest in that promise and will not be burdened with fighting it in my own might-rather I will rest in Him, placing every temptation quickly at His feet.  If I believe that God has the best plan for my life, why would I ever fret or worry.  All of this is a matter of faith. I rest in His promises, if I believe He is the Creator of the Universe and that He provides for those who seek Him with all their heart.  My only labor is to continually cling to and seek to follow after Christ and His promises.  I am to continue to study His Word to show myself approved by God–because if I truly in my heart see Him as my greatest treasure; how could I do less than to seek to know Him more?.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YlVibpNfK-Q

Psalm 42: ⁷ Deep calleth unto deep at the noise of thy waterspouts: all thy waves and thy billows are gone over me.

⁸ Yet the Lord will command his lovingkindness in the day time, and in the night his song shall be with me, and my prayer unto the God of my life.

When all the questions of this world come over you like billow waves.  When you are striving so hard to "be all that you should be at work and home"  When the demands on you seem to be more than you can handle.  When the sounds in your own head are too many to go to sleep.  When the bills are more than the money coming in.  When all of life seems to overcome you.  Where do you turn when the darkness calls upon the darkness and the waves and billows seem to be pushing you under–you feel like you are drowning.  Remember this, the Lord will command his loving kindness in the day time to comfort you and in the night his song (a lullaby) to cradle you into a restful sleep will surround you as you remain in prayer to the God of your life.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MKSyFOsAp6c

^{Psalm 16 (AMP): 1} Keep and protect me, O God, for in You I have found refuge, and in You do I put my trust and hide myself.

² I say to the Lord, You are my Lord; I have no good beside or beyond You…

⁵ The Lord is my chosen and assigned portion, my cup; You hold and maintain my lot.

^{KJV 8} I have set the Lord always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.

⁹ Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope.

¹⁰ For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.

¹¹ Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.

Can you like David say, "Everything good and everything right in my in my life is you, Lord.  You are the one bright shining star in my life and because of that I can see all the other blessings through eyes which are enlightened by your Glory; recognizing my unworthiness for even the smallest of mercy, I am blessed because of you.  I have no good beside or beyond You."  My eyes remain fixed on the goal line (which is my Lord and Savior- Christ) as I run this race called life.  He is ever before me and at the same time he is there at my right hand upholding me so as to prevent my falling to destruction–ever whispering words of encouragement to prevent me from desiring to quit.  He makes my heart glad, He shares with me His Glory, and this earthly flesh (though tempted and tried within this world) can rest in the hope that my salvation was bought and secured by Christ.  He will not abandon me.  He will guide each step of my journey.  In His presence is fullness of joy.  I can rejoice, hope, and forever rest in my grace for today and my future grace which He has promised to complete in me. 

Hebrews 6: ¹⁷ Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath:

¹⁸ That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us:

¹⁹ Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil;

²⁰ Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oKNldb_g6Rc

Hebrews 5: ⁵ So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an high priest; but he that said unto him, Thou art my Son, to day have I begotten thee.

⁶ As he saith also in another place, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.

⁷ Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared;

⁸ Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered;

⁹ And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;

¹⁰ Called of God an high priest after the order of Melchisedec.

When Christ left His Father’s side to come to this earth to suffer, to be tempted and to die so that He could be the high priest who offered the final sacrifice for sin–one of His greatest pains was the horror of the separation from the glorious, brilliant presence of the Father.  We sometimes take too lightly the sacrifice it took for Christ to become human.  He continuously went before the Father in prayer each morning (an example well set for us)–He cried out to the Father from the Garden of Gethsemane because in His humanity He suffered the agony that a human would suffer.  Though He had the power to call legends of angels at any time, He chose to in humble obedience endure the mockery, the beatings, and the cross to offer salvation to the very ones who rejected Him.  Christ had never been disobedient; yet, where it says he learned obedience it is referring to the fact that in His humanity His obedience was put to the truest test and in that He remained obedient.  Though He was always perfect, His Glory and perfection were magnified by His enduring such temptation without sin. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EQ6QaZcPphM&feature=related

^{Hebrews 4: 12} For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

¹³ Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.

¹⁴ Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.

¹⁵ For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.

¹⁶ Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

God who sees the very depth of our hearts, who knows us more intimately than anyone else.  God who knows every blemish, every evil thought, every proud-filled moment, every desire that is within us still provided us a great High Priest who endured every temptation that we would ever face, who bore all the guilt that we would ever feel, and paid the price for our sin so that He might forever intercede for us. Breath that in for a moment.  Because of all He did we may come boldly to the throne of grace to find mercy and grace.  Worthy is the Lamb to receive all our praise, to be treasured above all other treasures.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=fvwp&NR=1&v=-G37jJwoecM