Promise for Today - Busier Than God

“It is useless for you to work so hard from early morning until late at night, anxiously working for food to eat; for God gives rest to his loved ones.” Psalm 127:2 (NLT)

God doesn't want you to accomplish everything all at once. He wants you to learn to pace yourself as he uses the circumstances of your life to help you mature little by little. While God is growing your business, he’s growing you. While God is growing your children, he’s growing you. While God is growing your career, he’s growing you. For you to grow, you have to learn to rest in God’s goodness.

Some people think God only smiles on them when they're working, praying, or doing “spiritual” things. But God also smiles on you when you rest.

If you’re a parent, and you’ve ever gone into your kids’ room and checked on them at night, you know the joy it gives you just to watch them sleep. Your heavenly Father enjoys watching you sleep and rest too. He created you to need rest. Even God rested! Are you busier than God?

The Living Bible paraphrase says, "Work six days only, for the seventh day is a special day to remind you of my covenant—a weekly reminder forever of my promises to the people of Israel. For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, and rested on the seventh day, and was refreshed" (Exodus 31:17).

God has taught me some things about balance—which I’ve had to learn over and over again since starting our church. Here’s what I learned: Resistance to rest is immaturity. Remember, Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither is the church nor anything else that is worthwhile.

Why did God rest and relax on the seventh day? It’s not because he was tired, because God doesn't get tired. He was modeling what he wants you to do: Stop work and relax. Keep a Sabbath, and rest in God’s goodness.

Talk It Over

What are your reasons for overworking at home, school, or work?

How is creating margin in your life a spiritual discipline?

Does your daily schedule reflect a priority to finish your to-do list or to grow spiritually? In what ways?

- by Pastor Rick

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Prayer:

Father,

         Jesus withdrew to pray and seek solitude in Your presence. Teach us this divine rhythm, to pause and find our quiet place. As we rest in Your love, we ask for renewal and clarity. Clear our minds of clutter and fill our hearts with Your peace, so we may rise with strength and purpose, ready to face each day with grace and understanding. In Jesus' Name we pray, Amen.

Advent - Day Six

From 21 Gifts of Advent by Janelle Keith

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 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.

Matthew 11:28-29 NIV

Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.

Psalm 91:1 NIV

The Gift of Rest

It was a season that I was unprepared for and wasn’t sure what it would look like, but I knew I needed it. Stepping away from a full-time job after 13.5 years was scary! I prayed the following day, “Lord, make me whole!” But the slower days ahead weren’t what I had signed up for.

Honestly, it felt good to sleep in past 3:45 am. That was my old wake-up call every morning for my drive into work. Sleeping more was one side benefit, but my expectations were high for this new chapter. I wanted more than a good fat nap. I also wanted to slow down, but I didn’t know how to find rest.

I worked hard to uncover my purpose in those days of transition. Working from home was a new kind of animal. I felt weak in slowing down, but I didn’t realize how worn out I really was. Emotionally, I was spent. The transition from a high public personality to a full-time writer was challenging for me. It felt so lonely and private. I can remember feeling so unproductive in my newfound season.

So I asked God for the joy in this rest time even though it felt like I was in an isolated prison cell. Was there any joy to be found in my new snail’s paced schedule? It was a couple of months before I realized that God was working on His time frame, not mine. I slowly began to regain a better trust for His timetable with His plans for me. The time I was experiencing was meant to slow down my mind and heart—to be still and know Him in rest.

Often we try to jump ahead of God or try to produce our own spin on an agenda that doesn’t include Him. I’m learning to trust God with every need, every move, and my heart’s desires. I am left in wonder that my Father, who has no needs, can anticipate all of mine ... no matter the season.

Advent reflection: We can trust God with every season. As we accept His plans, the timing of God is crucial to our rest. You can experience true rest in knowing God through the transitions throughout your life. Finding His rest is a treasure for every passing moment to trust God deeper.

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Prayer:

Father,

           Thank You for the mandate to find rest in Your presence. Help us to understand the difference between doing nothing and resting in You. Shine Your Light of Truth into every area of our hearts to expose the lies that we have believed and set us free from them. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Refreshed

The generous will prosper; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed.

Proverbs 11:25 NLT

Even though we have more ways to communicate than any other generation before us, isolation has disrupted our lives in ways we never imagined could happen in the 21st century. French philosopher Blaise Pascal wrote, "All of humanity’s problems stem from the man’s inability to sit quietly in a room alone." I don't know about all of humanity's problems, but I do know that quarantine and social distancing are taking a toll on people's relationships. 

While the world is calling for people to check in with and care for those within their sphere of influence, as Christians, we should be leading the charge. We are called to love as Christ loved and gave Himself for others. Are we?  Unfortunately, I have heard many say they themselves are weary of everything and haven't the energy to give to others. 

Have we let our relationship with the Lord languish, too? If we're not spending time with Him, in His Word, we won't be filled with anything worth giving to others. To that, I have to say, get plugged in again. Acts 3:19 tells us times of refreshing come from being in the presence of the Lord. I think I would have to amend Monsieur Pascal's statement to read, "All of humanity’s problems stem from the man’s inability to sit quietly in a room alone WITH GOD." The world needs to be refreshed. Let's get to it.

Prayer:

Father,

          According to Your Word in Acts 3:18, we repent and turn back to You so that our sins will be removed, and so that times of refreshing will stream from Your presence. Open our eyes to see those around us who are in need of being refreshed. Give us divine appointments. we pray. In Jesus' Name. Amen

 

Weary

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.
Galatians 6:9-10 NIV

We live in an age of instant gratification. People don't like to wait for anything. I know I don't need to belabor the point with a list of examples. We're all aware of it. 

Unfortunately, many times that same impatience is carried over into our relationship with the Lord. We've all heard the humorous prayer, "Lord, I need patience and I need it right now!" We've forgotten that we are to wait on the Lord. We've allowed ourselves to get weary in well-doing. We've taken our eyes off God and His purpose in our lives and have begun to look only at what WE are doing; at what it is costing US in time and energy or resources. 

It's easy enough to do. I'm not here to accuse, but to encourage. If you are weary and just want to quit, let me remind you where we find the strength to continue. It is ONLY in the Lord. Isaiah 40:31 tells us,  But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.

Psalm 37:7-9 instructs us to Be still in the presence of the Lord, and wait patiently for him to act. Don’t worry about evil people who prosper or fret about their wicked schemes. Stop being angry!
Turn from your rage! Do not lose your temper— it only leads to harm. For the wicked will be destroyed, but those who trust in the Lord will possess the land.

Choose to trust the Lord and His Word MORE than the trials and circumstances in your life ...at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

Prayer:

Father,
           We pray Your Word in Psalm 27, We are confident that we will see Your goodness while we are here in the land of the living. We will wait patiently for You. We will be brave and courageous. Yes, Lord, we will wait patiently for You. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen 

Friends' Favorite - The Promise of Rest

Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.
Matthew 11:28-30 NKJV

We look forward to the weekend so we can sleep in a little. We work hard all week long and we just wanna rest a little. Rest for our bodies is easier to arrange than rest for our souls. Some of the longest nights we have are those nights when our minds won't shut down. If we could just learn to give it all to Jesus... Isaiah 26:3-4 tells us, You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You. Trust in the LORD forever, For in YAH, the LORD, is everlasting strength.

If I had a dollar for every time I heard someone today - just today - say, I'm tired, I would have enough money to take you to dinner at a great place and leave a generous tip for the tired waiter or waitress. As a child, one of my favorite songs we sang in church was the old hymn, "Come Unto Me," written by Charles Jones, based on our Scripture text for today. It was on page 20 of the old green hymnal. I loved it because we sang it fast and I could play the tambourine, but when I got older, I loved it because of its message. There's something about the promise of rest.

Our text in The Message Bible reads, Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly. Doesn't that sound wonderful? It is! It is our Promise of Rest from Jesus... written in red.

Prayer:

Father,
           Creator of heaven and earth, teach us how to rest in You. Teach us the unforced rhythms of Your grace. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Answered Prayer

For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins. Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall.
2nd Peter 1:5-10 ESV

I met a woman tonight named Lynn. She had a beat up truck, a worn out dog, and a Bible that seemed to be used as a makeshift folder. She was tired... no. She looked more beat up and worn out than the truck and dog combined. She'd pulled up to the gas pump as I was starting to pull away. She half-waved and I stopped and put the window down to ask, "How're you doing?"

My logical brain was begging for my attention, "Don't stop, you don't know if she's got a gun." "You're a sucker for a sob story." "You're not giving her anything." My heart won. As I pulled over, I prayed, "Father, let me say what You want me to say... and please don't let her have a gun..."

As I got out of my car and walked toward her truck, it dawned on me that she might be praying the same thing about a gun... "You see me?" she asked unbelieving. "You rolled your window down to talk to me?" and with my affirmative reply, she began to weep. "You stopped for me..." more tears.

And it pierced my heart. How many times has God stopped for me, seen me, talked to me when I didn't think He would or should...

I prayed with her, gave her what money I had, it wasn't much (normally, I never carry cash) and then we parted... she never did buy any gasoline. I don't remember any of our conversation or prayer except I mentioned the answers were there on her dashboard, pointing to her Bible, and she replied, "I always have that to fall back on." And it struck my spirit - how often do we use God as the back-up plan - something or Someone to fall back on... when everything else we've tried in our own strength has failed?

Prayer:

Father,

           Forgive us for the times we have failed to seek You first. Thank You for the opportunity to be Your hand extended. Thank You for continually teaching us and loving us enough to give us ample opportunities to love. Let us never forget how far You've brought us. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Do Not Give Up

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.
Galatians 6:9-10 NIV

We live in an age of instant gratification. People don't like to wait for anything. I know I don't need to belabor the point with a list of examples. We're all aware of it. 

Unfortunately, many times that same impatience is carried over into our relationship with the Lord. We've all heard the humorous prayer, "Lord, I need patience and I need it right now!" We've forgotten that we are to wait on the Lord. We've allowed ourselves to get weary in well-doing. We've taken our eyes off God and His purpose in our lives and have begun to look only at what WE are doing; at what it is costing US in time and energy or resources. 

It's easy enough to do. I'm not here to accuse, but to encourage. If you are weary and just want to quit, let me remind you where we find the strength to continue. It is ONLY in the Lord. Isaiah 40:31 tells us,  But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.

Psalm 37:7-9 instructs us to Be still in the presence of the Lord, and wait patiently for him to act. Don’t worry about evil people who prosper or fret about their wicked schemes. Stop being angry!
Turn from your rage! Do not lose your temper— it only leads to harm. For the wicked will be destroyed, but those who trust in the Lord will possess the land.

Choose to trust the Lord and His Word MORE than the trials and circumstances in your life ...at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

Prayer:

Father,
           We pray Your Word in Psalm 27, We are confident that we will see Your goodness while we are here in the land of the living. We will wait patiently for You. We will be brave and courageous. Yes, Lord, we will wait patiently for You. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen