Does life feel hectic? Are you weary? Do you wonder how you can continue? Then join us below as we uncover how each of us can find rest in God, no matter our circumstances!
Promises of the Word:
From Genesis to the last verses of Revelation, God’s promises are written. Many of them we know—at least partly—yet, by examining God’s Word closer, we realize that His promises are more numerous and more wonderful than we could ever imagine!
“God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?”—Numbers 23:19
“In Jesus we hear a resounding ‘yes’ to all of God’s many promises. This is the reason we say ‘Amen’ to and through Jesus when giving glory to God.”—2 Corinthians 1:20 (VOICE)
Every one of our God’s promises is firm, and through the Blood of Yeshua—Jesus—we can access them!
God’s Promise of Rest:
When life is busy, and we are juggling a million and one things, rest can seem a distant dream. But it does not have to be…
When God created the world and everything in and around it, He did so in six days, saw that it was good, and then on the seventh day, He RESTED. There is something vital in this for us. Something that God has tried to teach mankind since He first created us. Because, as we know, God neither slumbers nor sleeps (see Psalm 121:3-4)… His rest did not consist of a nap or a day at the beach. His rest consisted of a pattern which He set in place for you and me… a pattern of His perfect will and plan for us.
When the Children of Israel were brought out of Egypt, God gave them the Ten Commandments. Now, Jesus, through His life, death, resurrection, and the power of His Blood, transformed our understanding and connection with these, grafting us in and showing how love answers each commandment. However, He did not negate the importance of them. Each of the Ten Commandments continues to hold a unique and beautiful purpose to this day, for everything God says holds power… then, now, and forever!
“So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.”—Isaiah 55:11
The fourth of the Ten Commandments reminds us to remember the Sabbath/Shabbat and keep it holy (see Exodus 20:8). God, essentially, tells us in this commandment to echo the pattern He put in place at the foundation of the world. One of holiness and rest. One where we turn to Him to find that which the world, at best, poorly supplies. Because by turning to God… keeping our eyes fixed on Him… the promise of His rest, which is better than hours of sleep, can be ours. Not because we are deserving of it, but because God loves us and desires our good. He rested at the dawn of creation so that we might find that rest in Him.
Our Father takes care of the birds of the air. He sees to their needs. And just as He sees to their needs, He sees to ours. In fact, He goes beyond this because to Him, you and I hold more value than any of the birds (see Matthew 6:26).
“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.”—Jeremiah 29:11
In life, it is easy for us to become too busy to rest. Work, family, chores, plans, worries, and a mountain of other things steal our time and leave us weary. Yet, God set aside for us one day a week so that we might rest! He commanded it and will make a way for us to prosper when we obey His Word…
Yet, how many of us truly use the Sabbath for its intended purpose? How often do we allow work, worries, and whatever else to steal our joy, our time spent with God, and the rest we find in Him?
The Sabbath/Shabbat serves not only as a time of rest, but of fellowship with God, our families, and friends. It is less a time for naps and more a time for spiritual refreshing. A time when we can turn off the news and our busy schedules to meet with God, returning to all He has for us.
We need God-appointed times to allow His thoughts to once again become ours. His heartbeat to direct our comings and goings.
“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
We may not always see the importance of it, but God knows us better than we know ourselves. He knew before we were that we would need rest. Physical, yes. But more than that, spiritual rest. Where our sights reset, where our focus returns to Him, and we are able to rely on our God.
By being intentional in returning to the rest God has set aside, we find peace. We open ourselves up to His guidance. And we find witness within ourselves that God loves us…
“And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done.”—Genesis 2:2
“For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it.”—Exodus 20:11
“Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him…”—Psalm 37:7
Accepting God’s Promises:
No matter which of God’s promises we need, it is important to not only believe but accept each one. Not because they will be broken forever if we fail to properly believe and receive them, but because God does nothing against our will! Because God created each promise intentionally, knowing we need them…
A single promise of God holds more power than anyone can fully understand. Yet, the power that comes when we accept one on top of another, on top of another… that changes our nature. For the better. Shaping us into His image, and preparing us for Kingdom purpose!
It is time to activate and believe God’s promises. To accept them and give them a place to reside daily…
We have to open our hearts. To desire God’s promises if they are to flourish.
Yes, God will never leave nor forsake us, even if we forsake Him… but do we honestly expect Him to move in power if we say, “no”? By opening our hearts, changing our habits and patterns to create an atmosphere for Him, and seeking Him and His Kingdom first, we can say, “yes”!
Seek God, and He will come. He will answer. And all of His promises will be ready to rest and flow through us!
If YOU would like to learn about the power of God’s rest, then click HERE!
If YOU would like to discover more about YOUR Godly strength, then click HERE!
If YOU would like to uncover how coming together as a threefold cord can release the glory of God on earth, then click HERE!
If YOU would like to find new ways to bring God’s hope and love to others, then click HERE!
