Receive true rest and refreshing for your soul
03 September 2023
Pastor Lawrence
I praise You for You are a good God
Your heart is to bless me, touch me afresh, I meet every need in this place (Church)
My eyes are on You
Luke 12:32
“Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom."
His heart is to bless me
John 3:16
"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begottenSon, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."
My God is a God who is love
My God loves the world and every single person
God define Himself by His love for me
He is love, God loves me Every time think about him, His heart wants to love towards me. His love never change
Romans 5:8
But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Christ and Himself crucified => the wisdom and power of God
When God loves me, He gave
I can't help but give
Understand God's great love for me, only than I be able to love Him in return
God gave to man first, God loves man first
God gave man first, when He give, He gave me everything He could give, He gave me His only Son
Jesus have heart for people with disability, He wants to heal them
Those who have, must give to those who don't have
Those who are able, support those who are not able
Matthew 6:19-21
19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal;
20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.
21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Matthew 4:24
Then His fame went throughout all Syria; and they brought to Him all sick people who were afflicted with various diseases and torments, and those who were demon-possessed, epileptics, and paralytics; and He healed them.
Pastor Gabriel
Robert Young and James Strong are Bible Concordance
I remain young and strong when I read the Bible
Sing over my young ones
Sing hymns, Spiritual songs over my children
Zephaniah 3:17
"The Lord your God in your midst,
The Mighty One, will save;
He will rejoice over you with gladness,
He will quiet you with His love,
He will rejoice over you with singing.”
God will quiet me with His love, He will rejoice over me in singing
Father lavishes His love on me, quiet me with His love and rejoice over me with singing
Lord beautiful hymn to sing over my children
Let them hear the voices of mummy singing over them
Ephesians 5:18-20
18 And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit,
19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord,
20 giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,
Heart of thanksgiving
When I think I deserve more better treatment => a sense of entitlement
deserve => (origin Latin/French) Devoted to the service or someone who serve well/zealous
The only one who deserve the glory, honor, praise and my adoration and worship => Lord Jesus Christ
Matthew 20:28
"just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”
Mark 10:45
"For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”
The Son of man come not to be serve but to serve
He serve perfectly in actions, thoughts, motive, motivation
He is fully deserving all the honor and praise
Even I serve the Lord, know that He first serve me
He first came to love me, serve me and gave His life for me. I serve out of the revelation, out of the river flow
Hymns: What a friend we have in Jesus
Sleep alot but feels tire, besides quantity of sleep also quality of sleep. have quantity of sleep but feels tire
Psalm 4:8 (Psalm of David)
I will both lie down in peace, and sleep;
For You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.
Psalm to declare to one and another, declare to Lord
I know beyond the shadow of doubt, Lord is with me, I dwell in safety. Safety is not found in the world, safety is found in the Lord
Psalm 127:1-2 (Psalm of Solomon)
1 Unless the Lord builds the house, They labor in vain who build it; Unless the Lord guards the city, The watchman stays awake in vain.
2 It is vain for you to rise up early, To sit up late, To eat the bread of sorrows; For so He gives His beloved sleep.
House => Church/ Family
Good motive, responsible
Unless the Lord build the House, I labour in vain (Rise up early stress, worry and anxious. Sleep late stress worry and anxious)
It is the Lord who build the House
Psalm 127:1-2 AMP
1 Unless the Lord builds the house, They labor in vain who build it; Unless the Lord guards the city, The watchman keeps awake in vain.
2 It is vain for you to rise early, To retire late, To eat the bread of anxious labors— For He gives [blessings] to His beloved even in his sleep.
Lord gives beloved sleep
God gives me sleep also God gives me blessings in my sleep => double portion
Lord came to Solomon in dream, God gives Solomon understanding heart and much more
Solomon name given by his father (David)
Solomon means peace
God gave Solomon another name through Prophet Nathan, Jedidiah => Beloved of the Lord
Solomon have revelation that he is beloved of the Lord, he is able to enjoy sleep, God give him into his sleep, his sleep became blessings and while he sleep, God bless him
Feed on His word. Have revelation that I am beloved of the Lord
Know that I am beloved of the Lord, sleep becomes a blessing. While I am sleeping, God bless me
God gives to me blessings when I sleep
Psalm 127:3-5
3 Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord,
The fruit of the womb is a reward.
4 Like arrows in the hand of a warrior,
So are the children of one’s youth.
5 Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them;
They shall not be ashamed,
But shall speak with their enemies in the gate.
Restful child barring, restful parenting
I just have to be daughter to have blessings, to receive the inheritance
Behold look and see inheritance
To have inheritance, must have death
Jesus died on the cross so that I received inheritance
Do I see tree/ plants need to suffer to bear fruits? No
Fruits of womb, is a reward
He rewards me for trusting Him, for believing His promises and for using His grace that He gave me
Adam and Eve, plan/try your best to be fruitful and multiply
Genesis 1:28
Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply"
God says be fruitful and multiply => is a state of being children (parenting is a grace gift)
I can rest easy
My parenting can be restful
Parenting meant to be easy, light and restful
involve => to labour, to enter the rest
It is said of (Martin) Luther that, when he heard any discouraging news, he would say, "Come let us sing the forty-sixth psalm." -Matthew Henry
Hear discourage news, sing the 46 Psalm, declare the Psalm 46
Psalm 46:1-11
1 God is our refuge and strength,
A very present help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear,
Even though the earth be removed,
And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;
3 Though its waters roar and be troubled,
Though the mountains shake with its swelling. Selah
4 There is a river whose streams shall make glad the city of God,
The holy place of the tabernacle of the Most High.
5 God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved;
God shall help her, just at the break of dawn.
6 The nations raged, the kingdoms were moved;
He uttered His voice, the earth melted.
7 The Lord of hosts is with us;
The God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah
8 Come, behold the works of the Lord,
Who has made desolations in the earth.
9 He makes wars cease to the end of the earth;
He breaks the bow and cuts the spear in two;
He burns the chariot in the fire.
10 Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth!
11 The Lord of hosts is with us;
The God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah
It begins with "God is our refuge and strength", any trouble, He is the I am that I am, very present help
Challenge is real, physical condition, let them be subject to the truth of God's word
Trouble get ready to get trouble
God is here to deliver His children/ Beloved ones
Whatever I pray have come to pass, I will not fear, God is my very present help, fear leaves
No matter I am standing in in a mountain, sinking feeling or shaky ground, God tells me "BE STILL and know that I am God"
"Be still" => (Hebrew) Raphah => Relax, let go, weaken one's hold
not keep still and don't move at all, attention position
I holding on too tightly because this is my problem/responsibility/job, I hold on to it so tightly
Be still, Relax and let go
1 Peter 5:5
"...“God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.”..."
Therefore, humble myself, He will exalt me in due time
Define humility => Cast my cares upon Him
Casting all my cares on Him knowing that He cares for me
Let go of my anxiety, worries.
When I let go, let God, He is the one who delivers me => "Be still and know that I am God" means
Parenting, career so uptight about it and give me great stress. Challenges come along the way, hold on so tightly
Career when I know it is blessings from God, God opens doors for me, God is the one who gives me this job/ opportunity, God is the one who sustain and prosper me
My healing is found in rest/ relaxing
Resting in the Lord and His finished work
It is vain to wake up early and sleep late worrying
Healing is found in rest
Pastor Prince sermon => God at work and you at rest
Pray to have His way in my life
Philippians 4:6
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;
Philippians 4:7 the results
and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
God is working on my behalf while I rested in Him
When I rest, God works
Believe God for my very own breakthrough
Hymns similar to Psalm 46, "Be Still, My Soul"
Be still, my soul: the Lord is on thy side; Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain.
Leave to thy God to order and provide; In every change, He faithful will remain
Be still, my soul: thy best, thy heav'nly Friend Through thorny ways leads to a joyful end
Be still, my soul: thy God doth undertake To guide the future, as He has the past.
thy hope, thy confidence let nothing shake; All now mysterious shall be bright at last.
Be still, my soul: the waves and winds still know His voice Who ruled them while He dwelt below
NCC Song: Be still and know, o my soul, all is well, all is well
New Testament Mark 6:7, 12-13
7 And He called the twelve to Himself, and began to send them out two by two, and gave them power over unclean spirits.
12 So they went out and preached that people should repent.
13 And they cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many who were sick, and healed them.
Mark 6:30-32
30 Then the apostles gathered to Jesus and told Him all things, both what they had done and what they had taught.
31 And He said to them, “Come aside by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.” For there were many coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat.
32 So they departed to a deserted place in the boat by themselves.
Mark 6:31 Only right to be uncountable. When I serve Lord, He wants me to serve out of rest
When I serve Lord, know His heart is for me
After Mark 6:32 leads to feeding of 5000
Jesus multiplied the 5 loaves and 2 fishes
Serve Him out of abundance of rest, He first filled me with
Acts 3:19 NASB (2nd Sunday 8 January service)
Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord;
"times" => Kairos (theme of the Year Kairos Year of Right Time Right Place) => opportune time/ opportune season/ favourable moment
Only God can orchestrates Kairos for me
Only God can put me at right place right time
It's the presence of the Lord that gives this 'kairos' of refreshing. So there will be seasons of refreshing for God's people. ~Pastor Joseph Prince, "The Kairos Year of Right Time, Right Place" (8 Jan 2023)
God's people => Season of refreshing for me
Enjoy seasons of refreshing and continue to receive seasons of refreshing for my soul and my life
"Refreshing" => (Greek) anapsyxis (noun) => a cooling, refreshing
Paul to young Pastor Timothy, 2 Timothy 1:16
The Lord grant mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, for he often refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain;
"refreshed" => anapsycho (verb) => Etymology of 'anapsyxis'
=> to cool again, to cool off, recover from the effects of heat
=> to refresh (one's spirit), by fellowship, consolation, kindnesses
=> to recover breath, take the air, cool off, revive, refresh one's self
I need to be refresh
Time of refreshing can only come in the presence of the Lord
"Onesiphorus" => profit-bringer, profit-bearer
=> being fruitful
refresh those around me
Be someone who bear profit to those around me, refresh them
Proverbs 11:25
The generous soul will be made rich,
And he who waters will also be watered himself.
Proverbs 11:25 Berean Standard Bible
A generous soul will prosper, and he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed.
Generous => Barakah , bless
A soul that bless will prosper
Be generous of energy, tithings, strength, finances and I give
truly needful => introduce them the one who multiply 5 loaves 2 fishes and feed 5000
They receive the goodness of God, they will become fishermen, the circle go on and on
refresh => refresh, fellowship through kindness
Heaven spotlight shines on me, even in darkness, no-one see but God sees
Receive true refreshing for my soul
Refresh myself, refresh others, I will be refresh over and over again
Beautiful circle of God's grace, never ending time, season of refreshing in the presence of the Lord
No greater joy then being in His presence
True joy is found in the Lord, my soul will be restore, my mind will be renew
Thank you Jesus!
Amen!
