Be Lifted Up

The Inspirations | They’re Holding up the ladder

https://youtu.be/EPFdevFUqSg

You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.

Jeremiah 29:13 NIV

https://bible.com/bible/111/jer.29.13.NIV

Colossians 3:9-10

9 Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.

God Created the Sabbath for You

By Rick Warren

“Six days you shall labor, but on the seventh day you shall rest; even during the plowing season and harvest you must rest” (Exodus 34:21 NIV).

The Bible is filled with instructions about rest and recreation. In fact, it’s so important that God put it in the Ten Commandments—right up there with “Don’t commit adultery” and “Don’t murder.” He says that every seventh day, you have to take a day off. That’s how important a Sabbath is in your life.

Jesus said in Mark 2:27, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath” (NIV). In other words, God created this idea of you taking a day off every seven days for rest, recreation, worship, and restoration. It’s his idea, and it’s for your own benefit so you don’t burn out.

Yet in our modern society, people aren’t doing that. Even on their day off, they’re working. And even those who attend a church service go home afterward and go right back to work, trying to get all the stuff done that they didn’t get accomplished during their workweek. That’s not a Sabbath!

This is what it means to have a Sabbath: “Six days you shall labor, but on the seventh day you shall rest; even during the plowing season and harvest you must rest” (Exodus 34:21 NIV).

Even in your busiest season, there is no excuse not to rest. You may be a tax accountant, but you still have to take a day off in April. You may work in retail, but you still have to take a day off during the Christmas season. Even a farmer must take a day off in harvest or planting season.

What are you supposed to do on your Sabbath?

Rest your body. Sometimes the most spiritual thing you can do is to take a nap.

Refocus your spirit. That means you worship.

Recharge your emotions. Do something that restores and re-energizes you, like a hobby or a sport.

It doesn’t really matter which day is your Sabbath. It does matter that you are obedient. You may not rest when your spouse tells you to or even when your boss tells you to take a break. But you must rest because God commands it—and so you can give him your best.PLAY today’s audio teaching from Pastor Rick >>

Talk About It

What kind of difference does it make in your day when you get a full night’s rest compared to when you don’t get enough sleep?

What activities or responsibilities keep you from resting well?

How can you change the way you do your Sabbath so that you are honoring God with your rest?

And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.

— 2 Corinthians 9:8

Living Large

Adapted from the resource My Time with God Devotional - by Joyce Meyer

When I feel like my “get up and go” has got up and gone, I purposely stir myself up through aggressive expectation!

God is the God of abundance, the one who wants us to live a large, free, and full life.

Dare to have big faith, big plans, and big ideas, because God is able to do exceedingly, abundantly, above and beyond all that you can ever dare to hope, ask, or think (see Ephesians 3:20 AMPC).

It is time to start asking God to do greater things! Have great expectations!

Don’t be afraid to ask God for big things. The truth is that you cannot ask for too much as long as your heart is right and you are willing to not only be blessed by God, but also be a blessing everywhere you go.

The Bible says God is searching for those in whom He can show Himself strong (see 2 Chronicles 16:9), and it can be you if you are willing to believe. You don’t need a perfect performance to qualify for God’s best; just love Him with all your heart. Don’t settle for less than the best life that you can have.