Body

Devotions

The Rest of God

John Bailey

“Therefore, while the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us fear lest any of you should seem to have failed to reach it. For good news came to us just as to them, but the message they heard did not benefit them, because they were not united by faith with those who listened” (Hebrews 4:1-2, ESV).

This verse is referring to the ancient Israelite’s journey through the wilderness. When they came to the Promised Land, they sent 12 spies into the land. Only Joshua and Caleb came back with a good report; the other 10 spies gave a report of unbelief and disobedience. They poisoned the well with the children of Israel, and they refused to believe God’s promises to protect them. This is what God was speaking about when the writer of Hebrews said, “as he has said, ‘As I swore in my wrath, “They shall not enter my rest,”’ although his works were finished from the foundation of the world” (Hebrews 4:3). 

I believe that God has called us as his followers to live by faith! The only way that we can show God’s power in our lives and receive his promises like his rest is if we walk in his Holy Spirit, by grace through faith.  

If you don’t believe me, look a little further down in that passage. “For whoever has entered God's rest has also rested from his works as God did from his” (Hebrews 4:10). The only way that we can enter into God’s rest is if we cease from our own labors. 

Now this doesn’t mean that we come to a place of inactivity. I believe the life of the Apostle Paul testifies to this; he walked in the rest of God, and he also wrote two-thirds of the New Testament, took the gospel to much of the Roman Empire, and was a great church-planter. The rest he found wasn’t from not doing anything. It came from living in faith and in the power of the Holy Spirit. 

Our Christian life isn’t like “Well, God does his work, and I do the best that I can, and then God can produce something.” That’s not how it works. We must surrender our own understanding, strategies and creativity to God. He will do far greater things with his strategies and creativity than we could ever imagine. We simply must have faith.

John Bailey is the Vice President of World Challenge Inc. and the Founding Pastor of The Springs Church in Jacksonville, Florida. John has been serving the Lord in pastoral ministry for 35 years, ministering the gospel in over 50 nations, particularly as a pastor and evangelist in Cork, Ireland.

Go Tell the Brethren

David Wilkerson (1931-2011)

When Jesus appeared to Mary Magdalene in the garden by the tomb, she supposed that he was the gardener. Her heart was heavy and she cried out, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away” (John 20:15, NKJV).

“Jesus said to her, ‘Mary!’ She turned and said to him, ‘Rabboni!’ (which is to say, Teacher)” (John 20:16). Jesus knows the names of those who love him, and he called Mary by her name.

Jesus then told her, “Do not cling to me” (John 20:17). Jesus knew Mary was not going to let go of him. Her heart was crying, “I lost you once, but I’m never going to lose you again!”

It must have taken a lot of courage for Mary to heed Jesus’s words to her. You see, he told her he was going to be gone for awhile, and she should go to the others and “…say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father’” (John 20:17).

Mary quickly returned to the disciples who had returned home after seeing that Jesus was no longer in the tomb. These simple fishermen were gathered together in one room, perhaps cleaning their old fishing gear. They were not theologians, but they had been trained for three years at the Master’s feet.

It was Mary, however, who had the revelation! These men had to sit and listen to a woman who had heard from Jesus. Can you imagine the scene? “What did he say? What did he look like?” Mary answered simply, “All I know is I saw him, and he told me to come here and tell you something!”

I love to hear devoted men and women of God say the words Mary said: “I’ve heard from him, and I have something to say!” The cry of my heart every time I prepare to preach is “Lord, if you are not going to talk to me, I am not going to talk to them.” Like Mary Magdalene, we should all have a heart so given to the Lord that he gives us his mind and says, “Go tell the brethren!”

Unity in the Body

David Wilkerson (1931-2011)

I believe when Jesus washed the disciples’ feet, he was teaching a profound lesson on how to achieve unity in the body of Christ.

As Jesus approached Peter to wash his feet, the disciple drew back and asked in astonishment, “Lord, you aren’t going to wash my feet, are you? Never, never!” (see John 13:6). Jesus answered, “If I do not wash you, you have no part with me” (John 13:8, NKJV). Jesus was saying, in essence, “Peter, if I wash your feet, we have grounds for precious fellowship, a basis for true unity.”

After Jesus washed his disciples’ feet, he asked them, “Do you understand what I have done?” If they had understood the spiritual significance of what he had just done in taking away the stain and guilt of their sin, it would have produced profound gratitude in them.

What did Jesus do to you when he cleansed you? He wiped away all your guilt and made you clean and whole. He put joy in your soul and filled you with such love for him that you would follow him anywhere and do anything for him.

Beloved, that is the secret of unity. When you take up the towel of mercy for a hurting, fallen brother, you encourage him by embracing him in his hurt. By washing that person’s feet, you construct a firm foundation for true unity and glorious fellowship. You are made one by your common experience.

This message is for me as much as for anyone else. I have just recently come into this convicting knowledge of what foot washing is truly about. By God’s grace, I will take up the towel of mercy along with others and seek out those hurting ones whose feet need cleansing.

Jesus said, “If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. …If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them” (John 13:14,17). Now that we “know these things,” as Jesus said, we can do them. Are you willing and ready to take up your towel in love?

Gentle and Patient

David Wilkerson (1931-2011)

“And be kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you” (Ephesians 4:32, NKJV).

If you want to be kindhearted and take up the towel to restore a brother or sister, you do not need to know the details of how that person got dirty. Jesus did not ask his disciples, “How did you get such filthy feet?” He wanted only to get the dust off of them. His love for them was unconditional.

Likewise, those who walk in the fullness of Jesus Christ must have this attitude of love toward those with dirty feet. We are not to ask for details. Instead, we are to say, “Let me wash your feet.”

Too often Christians want to delve into all the gory details of a situation. They come to a believer who has dirty feet, saying, “I want to wash your feet. But first tell me, what happened? How’d you get so dirty?”

At some point in the story of failure, the curious comforter realizes, “Oh my, this is worse than I thought. I can’t get involved in this.” After a few more details, he comes to the end of his puny human mercy. He judges the person as too evil or beyond help, and he drops his towel and goes his way.

Beloved, you cannot wash feet in a judge’s robes. You have to take off your self-righteous garments before you can do any cleansing. Paul says we are to be gentle and patient with all people. “And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth” (2 Timothy 2:24-25).

Paul is saying, “You must be tenderhearted with everyone, willing to wash their feet. God will have mercy on them and deliver them from their sin.”

Devoted to Jesus

David Wilkerson (1931-2011)

Let me give you what I call “the devoted life for commuters and subway straphangers.” It is a simple way for busy Christians to lead a practical, deeply devoted life with nothing mystical about it.

Devotion to Jesus means trusting him alone to meet every need of your body, soul and spirit. It means giving up looking to any other person or source to meet those needs. Many single people say, “I’m sick of being lonely. I need a mate. If only God would give me someone!”  

No, a mate would never be able to meet such a need. In fact, a mate could possibly make you twice as miserable because you would have not only your own headaches but his or hers as well. Until Jesus is your focus, until you see him as your only true satisfaction, you will sink deeper and deeper into despair.

At one point, Jesus wanted to prove to his disciples that he was on top of any situation, so he called Peter to get out of the boat and walk on the water to meet him. Peter obeyed; and as long as he remained focused on Jesus, he was above everything, actually walking on water. However, when the disciple began to focus on his surroundings, he started to sink (see Matthew 14:28-31).

The lesson here is elementary. What do you do when you get that sinking feeling? Do you call out to a friend for help? Or do you keep your eyes focused on Jesus and cry out, “Lord, save me”?

The bride of Christ will be comprised of those who have given up trying to find help, comfort or satisfaction from anything on this earth. They have learned to depend wholly on the one they love to fully satisfy their every hunger and thirst.

Do you have this kind of walk with Jesus? I urge you to keep your eyes focused on your bridegroom. Expect his return at any moment and do not look to anyone or anything else to fulfill you.