Tag Archives: god gives rest

August 30, 2024 · 5:30 AM

Finding God’s Rest

In Genesis 8, Noah let a dove fly away from the Ark. Verse 9 says that the dove didn’t find a place to rest, so it returned to the Ark. You and I are a lot like that dove. We often leave the place God has for us in search of something more or better, but it eludes us. We need to be as wise as this dove and return the the place of refuge God has for us. He alone is where we will find rest for our mind, our body and our soul. All throughout the Bible He let His people know that they can find rest in Him. If you’ve been searching for rest, be still, know that He is God and He gives rest to the weary.

Here are some Bible verses on finding God’s rest:

1. I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep, and I will find them a place to rest. I, the Sovereign Lord, have spoken.

Ezekiel 34:15 GNT

2. And he said, “My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”

Exodus 33:14 ESV

3. Thus says the Lord, “Stand by the roads and look; ask for the ancient paths, Where the good way is; then walk in it, And you will find rest for your souls. But they said, ‘We will not walk in it!’”

Jeremiah 6:16 AMP

4. Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty.

Psalms 91:1 NLT

5. 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.

Matthew 11:29 ESV

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May 7, 2024 · 5:48 AM

Getting Some Rest

Did you know that humans are the only mammals to put off sleeping? We stay late, get up early and work ourselves to death. It’s no wonder the coffee industry will do more than $350 billion in sales in the US alone. The energy drink market is over $20 billion a year. We’re caffeinating ourselves to wake up and stay awake throughout the day because we’re missing rest. I’ve worked for a company that valued long hours. They wanted people in debt because it meant they had a reason to work. When we work so hard and rest so little, we can forget that God is our provider. I’m not against hard work or coffee or making a good living. We just need to be careful of what we’re sacrificing and what our motivation for it is.

Jesus worked hard too. He grew up understanding hard work as a carpenter. He carried that over into His ministry. He even got tired and exhausted from the work God called Him to. John 4:6 says that Jesus was tired and sat down next to a well to rest. That’s when He met the Samaritan woman. In Matthew 8, we read the story where Jesus was asleep on a boat. They had to wake Him up to calm the storm. He took time to rest even though He was about His Father’s business. He also trusted God to give He and the disciples their daily bread. Luke 8:3 tells us the names of several people who contributed to the Jesus to provide for His needs so He could minister. He was able to rest and trust God to take care of His needs.

Psalm 127:2 says, “It is useless to work so hard for a living, getting up early and going to bed late. For the Lord provides for those he loves, while they are asleep” (GNT). Don’t let worry or work continuously rob you of rest. God rested after a week of work and even made taking a rest one of the Ten Commandments. Our bodies and minds were not created to go 24/7. What is the motivation behind staying up late and working hours that are longer than normal? Is it the praise of people? Is it that you see yourself as your provider? It’s good to be a driven individual. Just watch your motivation. Man looks at the outside, but God is looking at your heart. You are to be a good steward of your time, your energy, your body and your money. Ask God to give you wisdom in how to be a good steward in all these areas and to trust Him to provide even when you sleep.

Photo by Leone Venter on Unsplash

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August 27, 2015 · 5:30 AM

The Importance Of Rest

I like to jokingly tell people, “I’m the busiest person I know.” My life, like so many people’s is full of coming and going. Home it seems is just the place you go to sleep at night. Between work, family, friends, and ministry life can get so busy that it’s hard to stop and eat. Most days you plow through work, answer emails, solve problems, get on conference calls, head home, go to a family event, or visit with friends or someone in need. Life is rarely quiet, but that’s just what we need.

Early in Jesus’s ministry, He sent the disciples out two by two. He gave the authority to cast out demons, to heal the sick, and to preach the Gospel. They went from town to town doing just that. Before long, Jesus was a household name in that region. People would come from miles around just to hear Him speak or to get healing for themselves or a loved one. Jesus and the disciples were finding it hard to take a break from ministry.

Mark 6:31 records an interaction between Jesus and the disciples that we can learn from today. It says, “Then Jesus said, ‘Let’s go off by ourselves to a quiet place and rest a while.’ He said this because there were so many people coming and going that Jesus and His apostles didn’t even have time to eat” (NLT). Sound familiar? Jesus lived a busy life just like you and I do. The difference? He understood the importance of rest.

The Blue Letter Bible defines the rest Jesus was talking about as, “To cause or permit one to cease from any movement or labor in order to recover and collect his strength.” Jesus gives you and me permission to take a break and to rest from our ministry and our busy lives. He knows that at times you need to go to that desolate, technology-free, communication-free place in order to recover and collect your strength. There is much work to do, but you’re going to need your strength to be effective in doing it.   

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