Preparing for Rest

 

Preparing for Rest

Hebrews 4: ⁸ If Joshua had given the people the rest that God had promised, God would not have spoken later about another day. ⁹ As it is, however, there still remains for God's people a rest like God's resting on the seventh day. ¹⁰ For those who receive that rest which God promised will rest from their own work, just as God rested from his. ¹¹ Let us, then, do our best to receive that rest, so that no one of us will fail as they did because of their lack of faith.

 

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“There has got to be more to life than this” I thought to myself. I went to work, ran into a bunch of conversations that were exhausting, came back to my apartment and flopped on the couch. “Is this it?” “Am I going to do this the rest of my life?”

 

• I was living to work and working to live.
• I had fallen into a rut and could not see much purpose in what I was doing.
• I worked hard trying to live but I still ran into problems.

 

Paul, the assumed writer, compares the old covenant to the new. He mentions Joshua as a representative to the old covenant. If Joshua provided the rest that GOD promised, then there would be no need for another covenant. BUT GOD spoke of a different rest.

 

My Observations

• JESUS is my refuge in whom I place my trust.
• JESUS is who I can go to when I am not feeling rested.
• JESUS is my Savior and one day I will receive the rest promised to me.

 

After a trial, I feel relieved. I mean, I can breathe out and finally get rest from what I was worried about. This feeling also applies to following JESUS. As difficult as it is to live fore HIM, telling others about HIM and being an example for HIM, one day I will be with HIM to receive rest.

 

No more worries, no more troubles, no more fears, doubts or worries. Pure rest. This rest comes to those who believe that JESUS is the only one who can provide the rest. HE died for the sins of humanity and was raised from the dead. HE went to prepare a place for us so we can rest from the work we do for HIM today. I look forward to this rest and will continue my “work” until then.

 

Challenge

• What work is the writer referring to?
• Have you ever wanted some rest but could not find it?
• Will you place your trust in JESUS so HE will give you what HE promised, namely rest from being weary?

Someone Special

Someone Special

Acts 7: Then the high priest said, “Are these things so?”

² And he said, “Brethren and fathers, listen: The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Haran, ³ and said to him, ‘Get out of your country and from your relatives, and come to a land that I will show you.’ ⁴ Then he came out of the land of the Chaldeans and dwelt in Haran. And from there, when his father was dead, He moved him to this land in which you now dwell. ⁵ And God gave him no inheritance in it, not even enough to set his foot on. But even when Abraham had no child, He promised to give it to him for a possession, and to his descendants after him. ⁶ But God spoke in this way: that his descendants would dwell in a foreign land, and that they would bring them into bondage and oppress them four hundred years. ⁷ ‘And the nation to whom they will be in bondage I will judge,’ said God, ‘and after that they shall come out and serve Me in this place.’ ⁸ Then He gave him the covenant of circumcision; and so Abraham begot Isaac and circumcised him on the eighth day; and Isaac begot Jacob, and Jacob begot the twelve patriarchs.

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Finally invited to a party and allowed to go, I went with excitement. I played, ate and really enjoyed myself. But suddenly I felt I had to go to the bathroom. I did not know what to do.

I mean I was at someone else’s house and did not know who to ask. I decided I could make it back to my house a couple of blocks away. I shuffle ran but I did not make it without the dreaded accident. When I got home, I removed the wet pants and hid them at the bottom of the dirty clothes.

• Many times I have felt embarrassed.
• Many times I have felt incompetent.
• Many times I have felt less than everyone.

Stephen was singled out because of his love for the LORD. Instead of addressing the lies told about him, he talked about history. He spoke of ordinary people who seemed to do extraordinary things. But they did daily things and GOD was the one who made the daily special.

• GOD wants me to have simple faith.
• GOD wants me to just be who I am, knowing HE made me.
• GOD wants me to simply speak about HIM and HE will make the words special.

Being special is easy because GOD sees everyone HE created as special. HE cares on an individual level that no one else can do. HE knows my downfalls and the things that makes HIM swell up with joy. I am grateful JESUS died specifically for me and is alive saving all who believe in HIS power.

• Do you think you are not special?
• Are you trying to be special on social media or in crowds because you are, in reality, insecure?
• Will you accept GOD’s love by believing in JESUS who cares deeply specifically for you?
• Will you also know you are special and only you can reach “that” person for JESUS?

Old and New

Mark 2: ¹⁸ The disciples of John and of the Pharisees were fasting. Then they came and said to Him, “Why do the disciples of John and of the Pharisees fast, but Your disciples do not fast?”

¹⁹ And Jesus said to them, “Can the friends of the bridegroom fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them they cannot fast. ²⁰ But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast in those days.²¹ No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; or else the new piece pulls away from the old, and the tear is made worse. ²² And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; or else the new wine bursts the wineskins, the wine is spilled, and the wineskins are ruined. But new wine must be put into new wineskins.”

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“You’re doing that the old way” someone said to me. They quickly showed me the “new” way of doing things and while it was pretty good, there were still some remnants of the old way that still needed to be done. I learned the new way but respected the old way because it had a solid foundation.

• Sometimes I think I can throw away the old for the new.
• Sometimes I think I need to do only new stuff because the old no longer has purpose.
• Sometimes I think I need to change because it is time to change.

JESUS’ disciples faced criticism of not following deep tradition of the Law of Moses that the Pharisees and even John’s disciples were following. Since HE made the laws in the first place, HE knew how they applied and why.  JESUS explains the law to me.

• JESUS says to me “The law is MY first covenant but I AM the second.”
• JESUS says to me “I wiped away all of your sins in a way the Law could not.”
• JESUS says to me “I AM the only way, the truth and the life.”

But what about the law? JESUS addresses the need to continue to love the Law while recognizing the second covenant, namely HIM. HIS disciples did not need to fast while HE was there, but would need to when HE would be murdered. 

JESUS wants me to not throw away the Law in lieu of HIS resurrection rather respect why HE made the Law in the first place. HE wants me to follow the “heart” of the Law and the application won’t become sterile and traditionalized. JESUS wants my heart.

• Are you trying to follow GOD out of habit?
• When is the last time you were led by GOD out of the SPIRIT?
• Can you look at the Law of Moses and apply it with the leading of the HOLY SPIRIT today?