How do you rest in Gods love and acceptance?

[Ben Collyer]

if we obey he will love us

but others tell me that i dont need to do anything to be approved or recieve his love

 

[Jenniferdiana]

but others tell me that i dont need to do anything to be approved or recieve his love

Ok...i get it lol

 

[Gregory Thompson]

How do I rest in His love? Hmmm, I trust him to the degree of surrender and ... let him take care of it .... that thing making me "restless" ... I ask myself, do I want to whine about something I can't change, or do I want to rest, can't do both.
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Other people telling you how to live in exchange for social acceptance? Who cares, Trust God instead of man.
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Feel like something needs to change, and your words are the only thing that can make it happen? People tend to only listen to about 10% of everything you say, and usually it is the 10% that benefits them ... Trust God instead of worry, God listens to everything.
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We are born again by trusting Him, we continue to live this life by trusting Him, we enter His rest by surrender. In Philippians 4:4-9 it is alluded to in that God protects our hearts with a peace that surpasses understanding .. in a sense He protects our hearts from what we think we understand so we can have a sense of peace that surpasses the peace of mind when things just simply go our way. Ephesians 3:19 speaks of a love that surpasses knowledge, so this implies trusting Him in a way that the mind cannot grasp, so He can fill us with His nature that is out of this world and description is beyond words.
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That's more or less my thoughts on How I rest in God's Love. God may have another way to show you in this sense, but this understanding is developed by trusting Him in every little thing.

 

[GirdYourLoins]

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 tend to take a different approach to a lot of people. What it basically comes down to is that you are a worthless, complaining, insecure, horrible, sinful little man not worthy of Gods love and acceptance. Your righteous deeds are as filthy rags. But so is everyone else.

Once you accept that you will never be worthy of God and nothing you ever do will be anywhere near sufficient for you to deserve to be in the presence of and have a relationship with the righteous, perfect and Holy God, and that no one else ever will be as well, you are in the right place. You can than accept Gods love for who He is, not for who you are. Its not about you, its about Him.

No one is worthy and no deserves the grace of God. That's kind of the point. I expect you dont have any problem believing other people receive and rest in the love and acceptance of God (or you wouldnt have asked). They in no way deserve it more than you or me. Take comfort in Matthew 5:3-5. The only thing you can do is repent and ask Him to fill you with the holy Spirit and bless you. He will do it because of who He is, not because of who you are. There is no one who ever lived who deserves it more than you (or less) because none can do anything to make themselves worthy. Even the prophets, disciples, etc from the Bible only believed God in the strength they had. They just stepped out in faith after believing God.

 

[Celticroots]

if we obey he will love us

So we have to earn His love?

 

[Tigger45]

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?

Let me know if this helps Ben.

 

[Halbhh]

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

or am I confusing justification with fellowship?

Yes, we are saved by Him, but that's not the end.

How to enter His rest for you?

To enter His rest, He directly says that you and I must "take my yoke upon you". (see post #14 above for the passage)

 

[Halbhh]

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

It's always good to remember how we are saved!

But the OP question is about how to progress to enter His "rest" -- that's in Matthew chapter 11. (See post 14 for full passage quote)

 

[Cheylynn]

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?

Hello Ben, the question you raise is a good one and what we all encounter From time to time. It's a hard walk, to walk in the spirit and not in our flesh. You are looking, I believe for the answer in the flesh and why you are not settled. Now I believe that all we need to do in times like this is to be open and honest to God with our questions and with life. For it is only He that will satisfy you whether you get an answer or not. He gave me a word of encouragement when I was needing an answer to a question I had. The answer was not what I expected.

Due to the rules I cannot share here. I have it posted on my blog:

It is one of my most recent posts: 'I had a question for God'

Way Truth & Life

Blessings to you

 

[Halbhh]

So we have to earn His love?

No.

But...if you love Him, then you will keep His commandments --

"Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them." (John 14:21, but always read full passages )

 

[Halbhh]

How to enter His rest --

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.”

He says to you and to me -- "take my yoke upon you and learn from me....and you will find rest..."

 

[Ben Collyer]

How to enter His rest --

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.”

He says to you and to me -- "take my yoke upon you and learn from me....and you will find rest..."

yes but how do you take his yoke?

 

[Halbhh]

yes but how do you take his yoke?

His yoke is an "easy" one. His commands are to love. Instructions on how to love well. Like forgiving.

To Love -- that's why it is not hard!

After you take it upon you and begin, then it is easy.

Here's why we can do it -- because of Him, because we believe in Him, and learn from Him, listening to Him, and then because of these it becomes easier to love others, even to forgive. And if you also pray as He said (the ways He instructed) when you are dealing with harder to love people, then you can get extra aid! I've had to pray for help to forgive some people, and that help came!

 

[eleos1954]

if we obey he will love us

The Lord hates sin, but loves the sinner. Jesus died on the cross to provide a way for a sinner to ultimately have perfect eternal life with Him.

John

16 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. 17 “For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.

Eternal Life ... or eternal death.

Romans 3

22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus ...

John 14

6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.

When one genuinely repents he receives forgiveness. When one accepts Jesus as their personal savior they begin living a new life, little by little (a lifelong process) as their knowledge increases by the leading of the Holy Spirit through the Word of God. Even so, we will stumble along the way.

It is about love. The Holy Spirit teaches us what love is.

John 14

15“If you love Me, you will keep My commandments"

His Holy Spirit indwelling in us begins changing us, our thinking, our actions, our emotions, our heart little by little, and our love for Him increases, and we begin to "obey" a better word perhaps "respond" . Understanding what Love is. God is love. We respond out of Love.

Ezekiel 36

26 And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27 And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.

2nd Corinthians 5

17 Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.

Mark 12

33 And to love him with all the heart and with all the understanding and with all the strength ...

1 Corinthians 13

13 So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

1 John 4

16 So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.

It's a relationship of Love.

Amen.

 

[Celticroots]

No.

But...if you love Him, then you will keep His commandments --

"Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them." (John 14:21, but always read full passages )

Yes, out of love, because we are saved, not to add anything to salvation or gain it. Thanks.

 

[Halbhh]

Yes, out of love, because we are saved, not to add anything to salvation or gain it. Thanks.

That's right! And...from that faith, we will listen to Him and follow Him, and begin to do as He tells us, and thus we build on the "rock" -- Matthew 7:24-27, and thus we can endure anything.

 

[Celticroots]

I think some people use “if you love me you will obey my commandments,” to mean we have to earn our salvation. It can be confusing imo.

That's right! And...from that faith, we will listen to Him and follow Him, and begin to do as He tells us, and thus we build on the "rock" -- Matthew 7:24-27, and thus we can endure anything.

 

[Halbhh]

Life is more of a struggle (more so than just the normal) and harder until we begin to do more fully what Christ commanded us to do. That's such a key moment -- to rely on Christ Jesus in faith, and thus begin to follow Him, doing as He said.

As we do more of what He tells us to do -- because of listening to Him in faith -- then even when the difficulties of life come, when enemies attack or illness comes, even here in this mortal life with its natural suffering, and inevitable mortal passing of this body -- even in these, we have a rest, peace and hope and love inside. Even as you are dying one day, you will be in His rest and peace and love then.

 

[Halbhh]

I think some people use “if you love me you will obey my commandments,” to mean we have to earn our salvation. It can be confusing imo.

I agree. Very often what people in those debates pitting faith against following/obeying Christ need is the profound aid of His words, such as in John chapter 15.

Sooner or later we all need that reading through a full gospel, really listening, and taking in all His words. This helps us get into that right place -- where we are able to bear fruit because we are abiding in Him. As He said in John 15, we cannot bear fruit except only through Him.

 

[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?

I don't know how much time you spend in God's word ... but something that might help you is go here: www.bible.com run some searches on words and/or phrases (easily done), like love, loving, loved ... run the a search on the "root" word and run a search on each of the words connected with the root word. When reading the passages, pay attention to the context (fully understanding). Give a lot of thought (and prayer) on what you read. When you do this some verses may or may not apply to what you are wanting to know right now. But many will. It's a good start. Spend a lot of time in God's word.

Always, pray before reading Gods word for the Holy Spirit to guide you in understanding.

God Bless.