1. Entering into God’s Rest
God’s Plans: Rest and Work

2. Hectic Lives Everyone is busy We often miss the important things
Friend from Estonia
We are often too tired to appreciate God’s goodness
We are often to rushed and noisy to hear God’s voice
Burdened, worried, anxious, stressed

3. God intends more and better for us
Experience God’s presence
Hear God’s voice
Enjoy God’s creation
Enjoy relationships
Enjoy work

4. Work Corrupted Work has been corrupted and cursed Wrong Perspectives
Genesis 3:7 Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat food from it all the days of your life.
Wrong Perspectives
Work-a-holic
early marriage experiences
Avoid all work
Only “Sacred” work is important

5. Changing our Perspectives on Work
God’s Perspective
Work is a good gift from God - Gen 2:15
God is working still - Jn 5:17
Whoever doesn’t work, doesn’t eat – 2 Thess 3:10
All honest work is honorable to God
Col 3:23 - Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord
Entering into God’s rest

6. God’s Solution: Sabbath Rest
God worked six days and then rested
He didn’t need to rest, but we do
Mark 2:27 - The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.
God’s Sabbath rest is both an attitude and a time period
Matt 11:28 - Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
Hebrews 4: There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works, just as God did from his.  Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest

7. Proper balance Proper balance between work and rest
Summer – kids “I’m bored”
Rest is necessary but only appreciated when work is done in the right way
God’s patterns:
Daily rest, daily time with God
6 days of work, 1 day of rest, time with others and God
Several yearly festivals – times of rest, celebration, with others and God
Wrong perspective leaves us in the wrong place
Bored and unfulfilled
Overworked and tired and needing a “rest/vacation” even when returning from vacation

8. Take Action Work unto God
When tempted to complain – thank and praise God for it instead
Remember what has been provided from the work
When tempted to gossip or say bad things about co-workers, boss, pray for them instead
When tempted to give up, ask God for help and strength to keep going