The Contrast: Self-Effort vs. Rest - CD/DVD/MP3 Download

Just as there is a contrast between the law that Moses gave and the grace that Jesus brought, there is also a contrast between self-effort and rest. God only works on our behalf if we are resting; therefore, we must rightly divide what it means to be at rest on a spiritual level. Knowing the difference between working to get God to do something and having faith in what He has already done allows us to enter into the place of rest where He wants us to be, and to stay there. We are not made righteous in God’s eyes by our performance, but by our belief in Jesus Christ. We are the righteousness of God by faith, even when we sin, but many Christians do not understand this. We must move beyond the mindset that makes it difficult for us to believe that we could actually receive something from God without doing anything to deserve it. Stress and worry are signs that we are still in self-effort; the peace of mind from believing that we already have everything Jesus made available for us is the acid test that proves we are truly at rest.