The Bible says."Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and ALL these things will be added to you". First of all, what things are added to me? How do we obtain this place called the "kingdom of God"? What does that look like? The Bible says it is righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Ghost. There is only one way to an unemotional peace, joy and righteousness.. it is through entering into the REST of the LORD. (Hebrews 4)

In the past I have been to every kind of church type meeting where "power" gifts have been in operation, the "worship" has been a team (including myself) who work everyone into a place of "feeling good", and sounding "good", but, like the song says, "when the music fades" and I simply "come".... when it's all been said and done. We stand alone before Him and find we have patronized our Living God to satisfy our own self. How it must grieve HIM. (Let's just be honest)

A few years back the Lord spoke to me that HE was taking me to a foreign place called REST and I didn't know the language. It was not necessarily a compliment. He likened it to the Jewish people returning to the land of Israel and having to learn Hebrew. Most people go to a class for five hours a day, five days a week for five months. It is such a difficult language that many people have meltdowns while learning this. (I know there are other classes that are different times and lengths). I didn't know what it was going to take to get me to this place.

I would try to "explain" this to friends who were still in the frenzy of "their ministry" and they would get angry with me or tell people that I would be blackballed if I didn't come through the "church system". Well, I tried all of that and more and I didn't find Righteousness, Peace or Joy in the Holy Ghost that lasted past a service.

It took going to a ranch and laying it all down.. this thing I called " my ministry." I thank our Lord Jesus that He gave me the grace to do this.

After finally having enough of the realm of competition (which was in my soul flesh) we hit a deer one night while driving home after "ministering".

My body did a spiral into excruciating pain. This accident was the vessel of death to "my ministry". During this time the Lord Jesus taught me how to "rest" in Him. Denny would use a term that would make me so angry. "Just RELAX"!! I thought the Lord would pass me by if I didn't "do" all of these works. Boy, was I wrong.

For two long years I could barely function. I was way "up North" on a ranch in Northern Minnesota and riding in a car for more than fifteen minutes would make me so miserably in pain that I couldn't function for days. There were times that I felt as if I would be in a wheel chair. Where was the "Righteousness, Peace and Joy "in the Holy Ghost now?

There were no "close" church meetings that were "pumped up to make me feel good". The one fellowship of people we dearly loved were an hour away. Some kept in contact, but pretty soon we were forgotten or people began to treat us like we were backslidden. They didn't understand that I physically could not make the trip or it cost me three days. At one point I was in the hospital for 10 days and none of our church friends even came to see me.

It sounds like a poor pitiful me story, but, my friend it was the place that I learned this language called REST. I found that the Lord God did not need "my ministry" as it was at all.

My Lord was teaching me to "dance". I could never dance like others , like ballroom dancing. I felt clumsy, awkward and usually tripped over my partners feet. Well, during this time, the LORD began to teach me to follow HIM, it was a quiet place. A place where fear was driven out, because in this "secret", quiet place everything in my soul was very LOUD.

My assignment during this time was to "watch the sun rise, and watch the sunset". Wow! I realized that the God of the Whole Universe could hold the sun and moon in place without my "help"!! I began to see and hear and feel things that I would bypass because I was so busy trying to please HIM. Like the sound of the birds singing, a mother cat or dog teaching it's little ones how to hunt or play. This was PEACE, this was JOY.. I didn't have to earn a degree or dress in glitz. The Lord was teaching me HIS language. His leading has been the best ballroom waltz ever.

So, this place called "REST" ,( Hebrews 4) seems to be the place that has taught me about righteousness (only through Jesus, and what HE has done can I receive this), Peace (receiving what Jesus has done already, not by my "works or ministry"), and Joy (that I can't earn this free gift, thereby giving myself and everyone else a huge break) in the Holy Ghost!!

Hallelujah!! What a wonderful surrender! So, we exhort you today to "Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and HIS righteousness!"

May the Lord BLESS you and KEEP you.

From the Hills of Samaria!

JoAnna