The word rest brings many different thoughts to people
Some immediately think of sleep
Some a vacation
Some even think of Retirement
I want to look at why rest is important for the Human body
1 in 3 adults are not getting enough sleep according to a new study by CDC
The American Psychological Association says that one large factor of sleep deprivation is STRESS
WebMD lists stress as a factor in Heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and even alzheimers disease
No wonder rest is something people say they want
- Oct 3, 2021Rest
RestThe word rest brings many different thoughts to people
Some immediately think of sleep
Some a vacation
Some even think of Retirement
I want to look at why rest is important for the Human body
1 in 3 adults are not getting enough sleep according to a new study by CDC
The American Psychological Association says that one large factor of sleep deprivation is STRESS
WebMD lists stress as a factor in Heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and even alzheimers disease
No wonder rest is something people say they want
Look with me today to Matthew 11:27-30 to see what the scripture says about restFirst of all Jesus says “ALL things have been handed over to me by my Father”In vs 28 Jesus says “Come to Me” “Come to Me” doesn’t mean swing by for a minute. It means to live in Him. When we live in Christ daily we give Him everything. “All who are weary and heavy laden” are you tired, worn out, at the end of your rope? “come to Me” Jesus says and “I will give you rest” This isn’t a temporary rest. It’s not a day that you can sleep late or a vacation or even a day to just relax. This is permanent rest. He will give you rest by you living in Him daily. Vs 29 says “take my yoke upon you and learn from me” Jesus is telling you if you come to Him to live in Him daily He will give you rest by teaching you to give all your troubles to Him In order to take His yoke…..we have to let Him remove ours. “you will find rest for your souls” The burdens, the weariness, all this can be overcome if we allow Christ to remove our yoke and place His on us Again however, I want to remind you this isn’t a picture of a brief rest and then back to the grind This passage is showing us that Jesus wants us to live in Him and let Him be our Lord every day and night When we say Jesus come be my Lord, we have to let Him, every day“My yoke is easy and My burden is light”Doesn’t that sound much better than to be overloaded and burdened down? If you have never come to Jesus, He is calling you today, to give Him your life If you have asked Him to be your Lord already then strive to live in Him everyday, it is what He wants from us. Are you ready to Rest today?
- Sep 29, 2021Bible Study – Isaiah
Bible Study – Isaiah
- Sep 26, 2021First Place
First Place
- Sep 19, 2021Outside The Camp
Outside The Camp
- Sep 12, 2021We Will Never Forget
We Will Never Forget
- Aug 29, 2021The Cowardly Lion
The Cowardly Lion
This morning we are all keeping our eyes on the weather. Hurricane Ida is making her presence known
For most of us the words “Hurricane headed for the Gulf Coast” are words that bring fear
Goliath:
Over 9 feet tall
Armor weighed 125lbs
Spear was over 12 ft long
Spear head weighed 33+ lbsDavid:
Less then 6 ft tall
Still a teen
Used a sling and a rockI give you all this information because I want you to get a context of this story
The point I want you to take away from all of this is: “the battle is the Lord's”
How did David, a young teen, have the courage to face the giant with only a sling and a rock?!?
He knew he had the power of God on his side, and nothing is impossible for God!
God is described as the Lion of Judah
Why the Lion?
Because the Lion is the fiercest animal in the Kingdom
David showed the courage of the Lion because, in God, he had that same power
Understand this, when you accept Jesus as your Lord, you too are given the power to overcome the world
Believers today have been given that same power to overcome the world
Christians you have the strength of the Lion
I spoke with the children this morning about the cowardly lion from “The Wizard of Oz”
He was the King of the jungle but he lacked the one thing he needed most...Courage
How could this be?!? He was a lion!
Somehow, something had happened to the Lion, and he lost his courage and believed he was forever weak
This gave him a paralyzing fear
Believers, today we are walking around in this world in some paralyzing fear believing we can’t
The one thing that can change all that, is remembering this fact: "the battle is the Lord’s"
David could look at that giant and know that he physically wasn’t able to defeat him
But, he knew that, without a doubt, God was able and the battle was His anyway
As believers, we wonder sometimes how someone can say “I don’t need God”
Then we turn around and live our lives as if “we don’t need God all the time”
Most days we think "I got this on my own"
When trouble strikes, we call on God. "Ok God, I need you this time."
The fact of the matter is that apart from God we can do nothing – John 15:5
When we trust in our own strength, we run around like a cowardly Lion,
Afraid to engage people in conversation about Jesus
Afraid to take a stand for our Heavenly Father
Afraid to do the mission that we were given as Christians – Go and Tell
We are the offspring of the Lion of Judah! Stop being a cowardly lion and walk in the power of God!
You can’t do that if you don’t know Him
Would you like to know Him today?
- Aug 25, 2021Bible Study – Isaiah
Bible Study – Isaiah
- Aug 22, 2021God Knows You
God Knows You
Psychologists say that, as a people, we typically only allow a few people to truly know us
That means that, we show most people what we want them to see instead of our true self
This includes close friends and family as well
As a result of that behavior, we sometimes believe that we can do the same thing with God
If we only behave a certain way around our church or our friends, surely God will believe this is how we are truly.
In fact, sometimes we try so hard to convince others that we believe the lies we tell ourselves
However, there is only one truth of who we are, and I promise you, God Knows you
“You have searched me and known me”In other words, God has looked in all our hidden places, and He knows us intimately
He knows us fully and completely, better than we even know ourselves
Look at vs 5-6This means that God has us grasped in His hand. He didn’t make us and leave us.He is protecting us from every side and He wants us to grasp that fact
The next several verses say; where can I go from your Spirit? The answer is nowhere
In other words, God is always with us. No matter what we get into, He is there
Sometimes, people believe that they have just strayed too far and God can’t reach them
There is no place too dark for God to reach you. God knows you completely and He loves you.Why?
Why does God love me and why does He care?
God hand-made you personallyWe aren’t a mold that a factory uses to mass produce things
God spent time individually making every person in this world. He made us with His love.
“And my soul knows it very well”
The reality is, that deep down we know that God made us and He loves us
However, we allow ourselves to believe the lies of the world
Satan and the world say that you are better than God and you don’t need God
Those are all lies and truly our soul knows it, if we listen
God made you to have a relationship with Him
For everyone of us, this should be our prayer dailyAs humans, we lie, and we lie even to ourselves, but God Knows you
He is always with you no matter where you go
Won’t you give yourself to Him today?
- Aug 18, 2021Legacy
Legacy
- Aug 15, 2021Bible Study – Isaiah
Bible Study – Isaiah
- Aug 15, 2021Beware Of Imitation Armor
Beware Of Imitation Armor
We live in a world where Satan is the Prince of this worldThat means that everyday Satan and His army are trying to defeat God’s childrenHe knows he can’t snatch us out of God’s handSince satan knows there is no way he can get you, he tries to make you ineffectiveHow does he do that?He attacks you on every front that he can, to find a weakness to make you confused and hurtIf he can do that, you stop working for God and spend all your time worrying and upsetPut on the full armor of GodI want you to understand that this armor has to be God’s armor otherwise it doesn’t workLet’s look at what God’s armor includesGird your loins with TRUTHEverything satan does is calculating and he will try to convince you to use imitation armorHe says what is truth, isn’t that relative to each person. Your truth can be whatever you want it to be.Put on the breastplate of RIGHTEOUSNESSImitation armor doesn’t work. Just ask the Army.Do you really want to protect your heart with imitationsGod’s armor is actually impenetrableShod your feet with the preparation of the Gospel of PEACEThe military spends millions of dollars on boots. They understand that if a soldier’s feet are injured the soldier is immobilizedIf satan can immobilize us, he gets a win because how many others won’t hear the gospelThe imitation we rely on is that someone else will goWhen you put on the full armor of God satan is defeated and the Gospel is spreadThe SHIELD of FAITHThis shield is able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil oneWhat if your imitation shield was hit by one of satan’s arrowsThe imitation shield is believing that satan isn’t going to bother youSatan deploys many demons throughout the world and we are all in danger of a satanic attack at any timeThe HELMET of SALVATIONThe biggest thing that satan does, is try to tell you that you are not saved and unworthy to be savedWhen you know that you have received salvation hold onto that hardMake sure that you are sureOne way to continually live in salvation and battle the evil one is to use the SWORD of TRUTHThere is no substitute and imitations will failA good soldier spends a lot of time making sure their weapon is in great condition and ready always for battle.When is the last time you cleaned your weapon and gave it a good inspectionSatan will throw every kind of imitation at you and if you put on imitation armor you can’t battleAccept no substitute, only use the armor of God!Now the question is do you know Him in order to receive that armor? - Aug 8, 2021Workmen For God
Workmen For God
During these crazy days, it is easy to get lost as to your real purpose in this world.
We are seeing Covid increasing at rapid levels once again and many hospitals are filling up
In fact, one of my High School classmates, Bubba Wood, needs your urgent prayers today
He is in ICU waiting for a respirator, which he desperately needs
When people are scared of death, they are usually more receptive to the Gospel
Therefore, we need to be ready to show people the truth of the Gospel
How can we make sure we are ready to share?
Look with me to 2 Timothy 2:15 NASBKJV says: "Study to shew thyself approved"Be approved as a workman for Christ
How are we workmen for God? Look back to vs 10-14I want us to break down each of these versesNow think about all these things in the context of being workmen for ChristHowever, there is a trap that we need to avoid
We spend years serving our earthly bosses in jobs, trying to do our very bestIf we are lucky, we might make a difference or we might be remembered for a few years
Think about this, if we are good workmen for God, the outcome is the population of heaven will grow.
There will be people that change their final destination from Hell to Heaven because we worked for God
Are you a workman for God today?
Do you know Him in the first place?
Do you want to?
