How do you rest in Gods love and acceptance?

[Ben Collyer]

Yes! as some of you may know I sound like a broken record with my posts, but i really need to know how to rest in Gods acceptance of me, instead of striving to be accepted by others and to be liked, how can I just rest in Gods approval of me?

 

[faroukfarouk]

Yes! as some of you may know I sound like a broken record with my posts, but i really need to know how to rest in Gods acceptance of me, instead of striving to be accepted by others and to be liked, how can I just rest in Gods approval of me?

Hi, Ben. Faith is the operative principle. Hebrews 11 is a great reference.

 

[Ben Collyer]

Hi, Ben. Faith is the operative principle. Hebrews 11 is a great reference.

tell me more farouk!

 

[faroukfarouk]

tell me more farouk!

Have you read Hebrews 11?

Because an ongoing, personal, prayerful reading of God's Word in this way is how assurance of faith is more likely to come - rather than through some supposed, theoretical quick fix.

John's First Epistle chapter 5 is also about assurance.

 

[Tom 1]

Yes! as some of you may know I sound like a broken record with my posts, but i really need to know how to rest in Gods acceptance of me, instead of striving to be accepted by others and to be liked, how can I just rest in Gods approval of me?

I don't think that striving is necessarily a bad thing - it can be part of developing your sense of self as an individual and as a part of a Christian community. You can use that in figuring out more about yourself and other people in your church. Nobody is completely neutral in any social group unless they choose to be totally passive and disengaged.
Finding rest in God can come through getting to know him better, personally I'm finding working my way through the OT with some good commentaries that really break down the meaning of the narrative is a great way of developing a fuller understanding of God.

 

[AACJ]

Yes! as some of you may know I sound like a broken record with my posts, but i really need to know how to rest in Gods acceptance of me, instead of striving to be accepted by others and to be liked, how can I just rest in Gods approval of me?

A good starting point for demonstration purposes is to compare our relationship with God to the relationship existing between parent and child. Scripture also uses such parallel. (Romans 8:15; Psalms 27:10; I don't have time right now to look them all up)

So the relationship between parent and child is founded upon love and grace and reckoned according to birth; the parent unconditionally loves the child by virtue of birth. The child brings all weakness and failures to the covering of love found in the parent. In the eye of the parent, the child is perfect.

We are born again. That which is spiritual gives birth to that which is spiritual. Scripture makes it clear that the New Creature in Christ is spiritual. (1Cor. 2:15; John 3:6; 1 John 3:9; John 4:24; 2 Col. 3:17)

A Satanist does not have to worry about falling out of death and into life.

So if a Satanists can abide faithfully in death, then how much more has God made a way for you to abide second by second, minute by minute, month by month, year by year in life without having to fear falling from life back into death? (comparing spiritual things with spiritual things for perspective)

Pay attention carefully:

Christ did not come into the world so that your weaknesses and failures should be a cause to push you away from Him; rather, He came into the world so that your weakness and failures should be a cause to push you into His arms. That choice is yours.

“Take my yoke upon you and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light” (Matt. 11:28-30).

 

[Monna]

Hi again Ben.
I'm more than a bit slow when it comes to the music scene. Just recently I saw the music video "Love is a verb!" sung by John Mayer.
Reading your opening question, it suddenly dawned on me that in a similar way "faith is a verb" That is the bridge that explains a lot to people (like me) who can be confused by messages like "you are saved by grace through faith - and not your faith, but the faith given you by God" on the one hand, and the scriptures that tell us to "work out our own salvation" on the other,
Farouk is encouraging you to read the letter to the Hebrews, and especially chapter 11. What the letter shows is precisely that faith is a verb! All the "giants of faith" that it refers to showed that they had belief in the promises of God by acting on them. Abraham believed God (by leaving Ur and going to Palestine, by believing the unbelievable in getting 99-yearold Sarah pregnant, later obeying God in going to offer up Isaac - that very child of the promise - sure that somehow God would solve the obvious problem). And because of that active faith, he was accounted righteous by God.

Ben you cannot win God's approval by doing good works. He is love (as a verb) even to those who hate him. Everything you have came ultimately from him, including your life, moment by moment, your strength, your mind, your heart. You just have to realise that he really likes you as well. He delights in his people! He is overjoyed when you want to speak with him, when you open yourself up to him. He is just bubbling with longing to share with you the plans he has for encouraging and helping you to be all you can possibly be, to become the very "fullness of Christ" but still as Ben Collyer. For heaven's sake, Ben, His Son died for you, and if he did that, don't you get it that he has a lot more to give you - beyond your wildest imagination?

So. You're forgiven. You have the right to be called the child of God! Now live it. Make faith a verb. Not by doing all kinds of "good" stuff that you think up, but doing all the normal things in life (without committing the obvious sins) but doing them as if you're doing them for Him, with thankfullness and joy!

And keep your ear open to his instructions when they come for any special task. They don't come in an endless stream, but when they come, act on them. Talk to him continuously, read the scriptures and listen, so you get to recognise his voice. You don't have to win his approval - you, as a person, already have that. Now live it.

 

[eleos1954]

Yes! as some of you may know I sound like a broken record with my posts, but i really need to know how to rest in Gods acceptance of me, instead of striving to be accepted by others and to be liked, how can I just rest in Gods approval of me?

***
Romans 8

10 For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.

1 Corinthians 13

7 Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

God Loves you unconditionally. God is Love … rest in His Love.

God Bless.

 

[Ben Collyer]

***
Romans 8

10 For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.

1 Corinthians 13

7 Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

God Loves you unconditionally. God is Love … rest in His Love.

God Bless.

I dont know how to rest in his love!

 

[com7fy8]

how can I just rest in Gods approval of me?

First . . . I do not assume that our Heavenly Father approves of me!!

Hebrews 12 is very clear how we need to seek our Father for His correction . . . real correction to have the character of His love making us like Jesus who is so approved by our Father By becoming gentle and humble and quiet in His love, this is approved.

"rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God." (1 Peter 3:4)

I just offer myself to Him, for Him to do what He wants with me. I don't need to be criticizing myself and guilt-tripping myself < this does not bring me to be sharing with God in His love; instead I need to depend on Him to do all He pleases with me . . . and all of us in Jesus.

But yes our Father does love us; but loving us includes God truly correcting us to be like His Son > Hebrews 12:4-11.

 

[eleos1954]

I dont know how to rest in his love!

Because you love Him and He Loves you unconditionally ... you ARE "approved, believe it." Stop focusing on "obtaining His approval" you've already got it. You got "approval" the day you accepted Him as your Savior and believed it. Focus on His Love. Continue in prayer and reading His word daily.

***

2nd Corinthians 4

16 Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. 17 For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, 18 while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.

Philippians 4

8 Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.

Romans 15

13 Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen

 

[Willing-heart]

Yes! as some of you may know I sound like a broken record with my posts, but i really need to know how to rest in Gods acceptance of me, instead of striving to be accepted by others and to be liked, how can I just rest in Gods approval of me?

"We don’t understand what it means for God to love us, we really don’t! In John 15:9, Jesus said “As the Father loves me, I love you. Abide in my love.” How am I suppose to comprehend what it really means for God the Father to love God the Son who both co-existed before eternity, before the foundation of the universe? I am convinced we are not skilled to comprehend the depth of the love of God for us, at least not on this side of heaven."

What is Love?

 

[Monna]

I dont know how to rest in his love!

Maybe you're trying to hard?

Jesus said "“Come to me, all of you who are struggling and burdened, and I will give you rest." (Matt. 11:28)

Have you asked him to give you rest?...as this verse suggests that it is He who will give it to you.

 

[Halbhh]

Yes! as some of you may know I sound like a broken record with my posts, but i really need to know how to rest in Gods acceptance of me, instead of striving to be accepted by others and to be liked, how can I just rest in Gods approval of me?

His Rest -- Matthew 11:29 (and see the complete passage below)

It happens to you because you have come to Him in the way He says -- 'take my yoke upon you and learn from me' -- that way, by learning from Him and taking His yoke, that is doing as He says. You learn what He says (to do) by trusting like a child, and learning as a small child trust and learns, looking and listening, hearing His words. They are the words He says in the gospel accounts, said to you, so that you would listen and take them in; so to enter this rest you must read and listen to His words and do them. This will include to love God with all of your ability and strength. To forgive those, any, whom you have something against. To love your brothers and sisters. These things can be hard to do until you are trusting in Him, and praying as He said to pray for aid, keeping your focus on Him, listening to His words, and then they become much easier.

25 At that time Jesus said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. 26 Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do.

27 “All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.

28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

 

[Jenniferdiana]

John 15:10..

 

[Jenniferdiana]

By obeying him...when we do what he tells us to do and listen to him we will be approved by him and feel accepted..its hard to explain but in my heart i get it.. lol ben i hope you figure this out..i really want to explain it but i cant..

 

[Ben Collyer]

By obeying him...when we do what he tells us to do and listen to him we will be approved by him and feel accepted..its hard to explain but in my heart i get it.. lol ben i hope you figure this out..i really want to explain it but i cant..

I thought we were already approved by him on the cross?

or am I confusing justification with fellowship?

 

[eleos1954]

I thought we were already approved by him on the cross?

or am I confusing justification with fellowship?

At the cross sin and eternal death were defeated by Him. By His death that we may receive salvation (eternal) life if we repent and accept Him as our personal savior.

Romans 6

23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Right now we are to get the Gospel out to as many as possible until his 2nd return.

When you repented and accepted Jesus as your personal savior ... you were saved or "approved" as you are using this word.

Justification by faith

Galatians 2

20 I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

God Bless

 

[Jenniferdiana]

if we obey he will love us

 

[Jenniferdiana]

Wait...what do you exactly mean rest in his love? I think im thinking about something completely different..this is the only one i thought of matthew 11:28