Start in Rest
Start in worship: Spend a little time in worship before you begin the devotional.
Matthew 11:28-30 TPT “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace."
It all starts from rest!
In the first chapter in Genesis, God creates a powerful principal that we so often neglect. I believe this principal, like gravity, holds everything together and in proper working condition. What is that principal?
God worked for six days and then rested. No work. Just rest. But it gets even better.
His last day of rest was our first day of living. He ended with rest but invites us to start in rest!
Our week therefore begins from a place of rest. God has always been working so we can enter rest, grace, forgiveness etc. What a loving and generous God!
We live in a fast paced, you need to hustle, work is never done, society. Because of this, we often sacrifice important relational moments with God and others, to try to fulfill all the expectations we and others place on ourselves. Theologian Dallas Willard put it this way,
“Hurry is the great enemy of spiritual life in our day. You must ruthlessly eliminate hurry from your life.”
The writer of Hebrews declares “strive to enter rest”. Look at the words used: ruthlessly, eliminate and strive. These are not cushiony words that make it sound easy. These are forceful words declaring it will take effort and discipline, but it is the key to every other spiritual discipline.
In rest we will be embraced by God’s love and compassion which fills us with peace and joy. In rest we will see our need for forgiveness and our need to forgive others. We will have the time to be thankful and to live in gratitude as we slow down long enough to see all our blessings! Rest is the key and we can only find true rest as we watch and follow how Jesus lived His life.
This next month will be powerful but you will only truly find breakthrough if you approach these days in and through rest.
Consider a few of these questions:
- Do you struggle to find rest? Ask Holy Spirit why its hard to slow down and be still?
- What do you find the most difficult thing about stopping and giving God time everyday?
- What does it mean to strive to enter rest?
- What boundaries can you set up that will help you enter rest?
Fasting: Take a minute to consider and ask Holy Spirit:
- What will you fast? Will it be food, entertainment, coffee, sugar, etc. Remember, fasting isn't meant to be easy.
- When will you fast? Will it be one day a week or mulitple days. Will it be, for example, once a week for the month of January or for example, one full week of no coffee.
- It's important to remember that fasting without focused prayer is not hitting its purpose. To fast without prayer is just dieting.
Declaration: Say this outloud with conviction.
I consistently find a place of rest which allows me to live in peace and full of joy, excited for what the day is about to bring!
Prophetic Postcards: Category=Send this to a Church Friend
1. Pick one of the Postcards. 2. Ask Holy Spirit who this is for? 3. Look at the card and ask Holy Spirit for a prophetic word (from God's heart) or a word of encouragement for them (from your heart). 4. Click on the image, save the picture to your device. 5. Text or email the picture to them with your word.
Prayer Video (1 min) :Find a quiet place to sit and then watch the video below.
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Ascent Church