Craig Clouston

 Complete Rest

September 18

Then I heard a voice from heaven say, “Write: Blessed are those who

die in the Lord from now on … they will rest from their labor …”

Revelation 14:13

“Can you imagine never having to deal with temptation again?” Phil asked

incredulously. “It’s almost inconceivable. But that’s exactly what Jesus means

when he says, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. Come and share in your

master’s happiness!’”

Phil was speaking at a teen conference, enlightening them on benefits of

living a sanctified life. “That means never feeling the need to give in to tor-

ment, never feeling the allure of premarital sex, never having to say no to drugs

because there won’t be any!”

“Do you really believe that?” one young man challenged. “I mean, like,

we’re really gonna live without temptation of any kind?” His skepticism was

shared by many nodding heads.

“Yes, I do believe it!” Phil said with a passion and assurance that tran-

scended their doubt. “Jesus said it, and I believe Him! If you believe anything

Jesus said, you have to believe it all.” He gave them a moment to digest that

and then said, “Jesus said, ‘Great is your reward in heaven.’ Complete peace is

part of the reward for living for Jesus! Don’t you see it?” He had them thinking.

“To live for Him here, saying no to evil and yes to righteousness, means when

we live with Him, there it will really be heaven!”

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Temptation has a way of making us believe we need what it’s selling right now!

But Jesus asks us to defer short-term self-satisfaction so that we may enjoy His

long-term eternal reward.

It’s not easy saying no when giving in would feel good for a while. And

that’s the catch: it only feels good for a while and then come the consequences.

To consecrate our life to Christ is not to say we will never fail. It means we

care enough to die to ourselves.

To refuse is to say we don’t believe in or want what Jesus says is waiting for

us: complete and utter peace.

Jesus said, “They will rest from their labor.” Labor means work. The oppo-

site of work means never having to fight against evil ever! Live for His rest!

Prayer

“Help me say no when temptation is near, Lord Jesus.

Thank You for Your promise of complete rest. Amen.”