EXHAUSTED?

"...times of refreshing come from the presence of the Lord" Acts 3:19

Last year (4th of July) my wife Debbie and I got some redneck style rest and refreshment in Terra Alta, West Virginia. We spent a couple of days with another couple at a nice cabin tucked deep in the woods. No phones, no other people, long walks, evenings around the fire in rocking chairs set on the front porch and good feeding.

One evening my friend and I were talking about how refreshing the weekend and our time alone with each other had been and I started to hear from the Lord. I told my friend Jim, that the next blog would have to be on exhausted people and how to stay energized and refreshed the Bible way.

So many people today are just too exhausted, lacking energy and the drive to do even the basic necessities of life. If they can take care of the basics, then they never have anything left over for the family or to enjoy God's great creation! The Bible has a few words to say about becoming refreshed!

When people come to me for counseling or I just happen upon those who gladly receive my spiritual input and their status or complaint is too tired, weary or exhausted, the first area I check is based on Acts 3:19 as stated above. My first question is "How is your time with the Lord?" I'm not talking about the time riding down the road in your car making a list of demands and requests of Him. I'm not talking about singing to Him in the shower or printing a few Bible verses on your Facebook entry for the day.

I'm talking about good quality, prime time spent alone with Him seeking His heart! I'm talking about the time when you enter His presence just to spend time with Him. You've entered His gates with thanksgiving in your heart, and climbed ever closer with praise, coming into his courts. Finally you've reached the throne room with worshiping God for Who He is, not what He can do for you!

Acts tells us that times of refreshing come when you arrive at that place. It means in His presence you get revived (Filled with His life once again) or you are able "to recover your breath." Peter and his crew awed the crowds because "they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus." Ac 4:13 The opposite is also true that when you do not spend time in His presence you run dry because you are running on flesh instead of the Spirit of God and His ability. Simple Bible truth is that you only get re-energized when you make the effort to get into His presence and stay for awhile, just to love on Him. When you leave, you walk away from that encounter with power and renewed strength.

Isa 40:31 declares that "...they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint." I want to run, work, minister, husband and father and not get tired nor faint! The Bible says that I need to spend time with Him, seeking Him, loving Him just because of Who He is!

Mt 11:28 "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls."

The Message says even more powerfully..."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. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you.

The Bible says that God "is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him." Hebrews 11:6. Those who work at relationship with Him are those who receive from Him!

The second reason I find that people are weary is because they have manufactured the events and happenings in their life strictly in the flesh. Our plans, purposes and pursuits have been originated from our own thinking and desires and therefore we must maintain whatever we have manufactured! Jesus says "...my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." Matthew 11:30 When we're yoked to Him (Follow His direction) life is so much simpler, easier and the burden is carried (Maintained) by Jesus! The same verse again is translated by The Message to read "Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”

John 3:6 "That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit." The fact remains that anything that is born (Manufactured by) of the Spirit originates only out of the presence of God. You are going to have to eliminate, or cut off those things which you have manufactured outside of God's will. They may even be Christian works or good social causes, BUT if He has not yoked Himself to the issue at hand, you will be playing God in that area of your life. It's exhausting to try and play God and to attempt to rule the affairs of your universe. Get into the presence of God, confess your sin, discover what His will is for your life, obey His Word and receive His ability to do that which He has commanded!

Thirdly, I'd like to remind you to take a day of rest and focus the day's activities around family and the Lord. Ge 2:2 "And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made." God wasn't exhausted, He was giving us an example and told us to honor this special day of rest. Exodus 16:23 "And he said unto them, This is that which the LORD hath said, To morrow is the rest of the holy sabbath unto the LORD:..."

If your tired, weary and exhausted then the first place to check is your time in His Presence! Make sure that everything that's on your plate is of God. Set aside a day of rest for you and your family!

The definition of insanity is "doing the same thing over and over again, expecting different results!" Why not try God's way and get refreshed in His presence!

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