Sunday, April 18, 2010

Everyone needs a break


As posted with some pictures earlier this week, we just got back from vacation.  We had a wonderful relaxing time.  Everyone needs a break.  Too many times we get too busy with our lives and our plans, that we don't take time for ourselves and for our families.   And often when we take these breaks, we are too focused on having a perfect family vacation.  Our vacations often mirror our regular lives, we overbook, we over schedule, which often leads to a stressful vacation. WHY?

I guess thats the one thing that my wife and I have done great at since getting married...we take our vacation and we enjoy.  We tentatively plan things out, but we don't get stressed out or overbook ourselves.  We take time for ourselves.  We oversleep. We eat at weird hours.  We make spontaneous decisions on our plans.  And we enjoy ourselves!

God offers us peace and rest.   He asks us for just one day a week.  But too often on our Sabbath day, we overbook it, and stress ourselves out.   God does not want that for us.  He wants us to STOP and have peace.  Throughout the Bible God gives us Peace and Rest.   My challenge for myself as well for you...STOP....REST....Have PEACE!

(Exodus 23:12) "Six days you shall do your work, and on the seventh day you shall rest, that your ox and your donkey may rest, and the son of your female servant and the stranger may be refreshed.

(Exodus 33:14) And He said, "My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest."

(Numbers 25:12-13) "Therefore say, 'Behold, I give to him My covenant of peace; {13} 'and it shall be to him and his descendants after him a covenant of an everlasting priesthood, because he was zealous for his God, and made atonement for the children of Israel.'"

(1 Kings 8:56) "Blessed be the LORD, who has given rest to His people Israel, according to all that He promised. There has not failed one word of all His good promise, which He promised through His servant Moses.

(1 Chronicles 22:9) 'Behold, a son shall be born to you, who shall be a man of rest; and I will give him rest from all his enemies all around. His name shall be Solomon, for I will give peace and quietness to Israel in his days.

(Job 34:29) When He gives quietness, who then can make trouble? And when He hides His face, who then can see Him, Whether it is against a nation or a man alone?;

(Psalms 94:12-14) Blessed is the man whom You instruct, O LORD, And teach out of Your law, {13} That You may give him rest from the days of adversity, Until the pit is dug for the wicked. {14} For the LORD will not cast off His people, Nor will He forsake His inheritance.

(Psalms 119:165) Great peace have those who love Your law, And nothing causes them to stumble.

(Proverbs 16:7) When a man's ways please the LORD, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.

(Isaiah 26:3-4) You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You. {4} Trust in the LORD forever, For in YAH, the LORD, is everlasting strength.

(Isaiah 30:15) For thus says the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel: "In returning and rest you shall be saved; In quietness and confidence shall be your strength." But you would not,

(Isaiah 32:17-18) The work of righteousness will be peace, And the effect of righteousness, quietness and assurance forever. {18} My people will dwell in a peaceful habitation, In secure dwellings, and in quiet resting places,

(Isaiah 38:16-17) O LORD, by these things men live; And in all these things is the life of my spirit; So You will restore me and make me live. {17} Indeed it was for my own peace That I had great bitterness; But You have lovingly delivered my soul from the pit of corruption, For You have cast all my sins behind Your back.

(Isaiah 54:10) For the mountains shall depart And the hills be removed, But My kindness shall not depart from you, Nor shall My covenant of peace be removed," Says the LORD, who has mercy on you.

(Isaiah 54:13) All your children shall be taught by the LORD, And great shall be the peace of your children.

(Isaiah 57:1-2) The righteous perishes, And no man takes it to heart; Merciful men are taken away, While no one considers That the righteous is taken away from evil. {2} He shall enter into peace; They shall rest in their beds, Each one walking in his uprightness.

(Ezekiel 34:25-26) "I will make a covenant of peace with them, and cause wild beasts to cease from the land; and they will dwell safely in the wilderness and sleep in the woods. {26} "I will make them and the places all around My hill a blessing; and I will cause showers to come down in their season; there shall be showers of blessing.

(Ezekiel 37:26-27) "Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with them, and it shall be an everlasting covenant with them; I will establish them and multiply them, and I will set My sanctuary in their midst forevermore. {27} "My tabernacle also shall be with them; indeed I will be their God, and they shall be My people.

(Matthew 11:28-30) "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. {29} "Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.{30} "For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."

(Luke 10:5-6) "But whatever house you enter, first say, 'Peace to this house.' {6} "And if a son of peace is there, your peace will rest on it; if not, it will return to you.

(John 14:26-27) "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you. {27} "Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

(Romans 15:33) Now the God of peace be with you all. Amen.

(2 Corinthians 1:3-4) Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, {4} who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

(2 Corinthians 13:11) Finally, brethren, farewell. Become complete. Be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you.

(Galatians 5:22-23) But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, {23} gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.

(Philippians 4:6-7) Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; {7} and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

(Colossians 3:14-15) But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. {15} And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful.

(1 Thessalonians 5:22-24) Abstain from every form of evil. {23} Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. {24} He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it.

(Hebrews 4:3) For we who have believed do enter that rest, as He has said: "So I swore in My wrath, 'They shall not enter My rest,' " although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.

(Hebrews 4:10-11) For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His. {11} Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience.

(Hebrews 13:20-21) Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, {21} make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.

(2 John 1:3) Grace, mercy, and peace will be with you from God the Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love.

(Jude 1:2) Mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you.

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