Refreshed and Ready

[0:00] A pastor's reflections, refreshed and ready.! Acts 3.19 While our needs and desires in this life are in many aspects of a temporary nature, God never diminishes or belittles those needs.

[0:53] He desires for us to keep them in the right perspective, but they are never marginalized or ignored. Even Jesus himself would succumb to the need for rest during his earthly ministry.

[1:06] Luke 8.23 But as they sailed, he fell asleep, and there came down a storm of wind on the lake. However, even though our needs are very real and very legitimate, the fulfilling of those needs may not always be what we would expect them to be.

[1:25] Yes, when we are hungry, we need to eat, and when we are thirsty, we need to drink. But Jesus said that there is another source of food and drink that we live by that is not physically taken in.

[1:39] Matthew 4.4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.

[1:50] John 4.14 In the same way, as our need for food and drink, God will never diminish our need for rest and refreshing.

[2:14] But the reality is that the solution for being tired may not be a cessation of work, but a reprioritizing of our work. God desires us to live a life of rest.

[2:26] Hebrews 4.10 For he that has entered into his rest, he also has ceased from his own works, as God did from his. But not a life of inactivity. Ephesians 2.10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God has before ordained that we should walk in them.

[2:46] That activity, however, stems not from working ourselves into exhaustion, but working ourselves into rest.

[2:57] Matthew 11.29 And 30 Take my yoke upon you and learn of me. For I am meek and lowly in heart, and you shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.

[3:11] God desires us to be those who are prepared and ready to work. And we do that not by taking long rests, but by entering into his rest and letting his life of refreshing enter into us.

[3:28] As we take upon ourselves the work of God, we must also take upon ourselves the spirit of God. Only God's spirit can accomplish God's work in God's rest.

[3:41] When we attempt to work out our own salvation, Philippians 2.12 Without the work of the Holy Spirit, we will get worn out and burned out. It is only when we let the rest and refreshing work of God motivate our work that we can then be refreshed and ready to enter into the work God has created for us.

[4:04] Philippians 2.13 For it is God which works in you, both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

[4:15] Today, don't wait until your work is finished to find refreshing. Recognize that since Jesus' work has already been finished, you can be refreshed right now.

[4:28] Amen. Amen. Father, I am so thankful that it is not by might nor by power that we accomplish your work in this world. And I am also so thankful that your work does not result in burnout and exhaustion.

[4:43] Thank you that the spirit of God is able to work in us to accomplish the work of God so that we might be refreshed and ready to lead others into the rest of God.

[4:55] Amen. Amen.