Speaker 1: Hey, this is Stephen Ferdick.
Speaker 2: I'm the pastor of Elevation Church and this is our podcast.
Speaker 2: I wanted to thank you for joining us today. Hope
Speaker 2: this inspires you. Hope it builds your faith. Hope it
Speaker 2: gives you perspective to see God is moving in your life.
Speaker 2: Enjoy the message.
Speaker 3: Certainly a privilege for me to be able to share
Speaker 3: God's word with you, to name my name is Jonathan,
Speaker 3: out of the privilege of serving here as our Balentine
Speaker 3: campus pastor, and.
Speaker 1: Thanks for the love.
Speaker 3: And I say kind of feel the same way every
Speaker 3: time I get to stand up here.
Speaker 1: On one hand, I'm.
Speaker 3: So grateful to share God's word, but I just always say,
Speaker 3: for me, the greatest privilege is to be able to
Speaker 3: sit under the teaching of this house, under the leadership
Speaker 3: of our pastors, Pastor Stephen and Pastor Holly.
Speaker 1: And he asked me the other day, are you going
Speaker 1: to continue in this series?
Speaker 3: That's what I thought series, And I said that would
Speaker 3: be dangerous for me to attempt to follow that up.
Speaker 3: Is that not a masterful series that we just went
Speaker 3: through as a church. And I'm still trying to quantify
Speaker 3: and qualify what God's done in my heart through that
Speaker 3: through that series, it was so powerful and so profound,
Speaker 3: And so I'm so grateful for a pastor who gets
Speaker 3: alone with God in the secret place to bring us
Speaker 3: fresh revelation, fresh insight week after week. Can we thank
Speaker 3: God for our pastors together? And before I read our
Speaker 3: scriptures for today, I want to give a special welcome
Speaker 3: to our uptown campus, my old stomping grounds over there.
Speaker 1: Josh and Vic, we love you guys.
Speaker 3: Come on, let's thank God for our brand new facility in.
Speaker 1: Uptown and amazing. Okay, feel good to stand for a
Speaker 1: few more moments when.
Speaker 3: We read these scriptures. I've got a few, all right.
Speaker 3: I want to read an instruction. I want to read
Speaker 3: you a promise, and then I want to look at
Speaker 3: a story in the life of the disciples that I
Speaker 3: think is going to illustraight these principles for us today
Speaker 3: that I believe God wants to do something in our
Speaker 3: hearts through.
Speaker 1: So let's start with an instruction from.
Speaker 3: Scripture Galatians six'. Nine galatians six,' nine this is a
Speaker 3: familiar one. For you let us not become weary in.
Speaker 3: Doing good who's he?
Speaker 1: Talking to not?
Speaker 3: ME weary i know what it's LIKE to i know
Speaker 3: what it's like to be Weary when i've been trying
Speaker 3: to row through the storms.
Speaker 1: Of life but weary in. Doing good not us.
Speaker 3: Tired of, Doing good, he says let us not grow
Speaker 3: weary in, doing good for at the proper time we
Speaker 3: will reap a harvest if we do not. Give up
Speaker 3: touch your, neighbors said don't. Give up, all right that's
Speaker 3: an instruction. For, us now do not. Grow weary but
Speaker 3: if you find yourself in that, place today here's the.
Speaker 3: GOOD news i want to give you a promise from
Speaker 3: the very words Of our Savior in matthew. Chapter eleven it's,
Speaker 3: So beautiful and this one one Sentence that.
Speaker 1: Jesus says, he says.
Speaker 3: Come, to me all you who are weary, and BURDENED
Speaker 3: and i will give.
Speaker 1: You rest.
Speaker 3: Come, to me all who are weary, and BURDENED and
Speaker 3: i will give. YOU rest I see jesus just coming
Speaker 3: into the room bringing rest to sons and daughters who have.
Speaker 1: Been.
Speaker 3: Tired today touch, your neighbor tell him rest is on.
Speaker 3: The way rest is on. The way rest is on.
Speaker 3: The way, all right wiggle your legs for. A minute
Speaker 3: here's the.
Speaker 1: Long. One those that was just, Two verses mark.
Speaker 3: Chapter six this really interesting moment in the life of,
Speaker 3: the disciples The, Twelve apostles mark, Chapter six, verse seven
Speaker 3: calling the twelve, to him calling the twelve, to him
Speaker 3: calling the twelve. To him he began to send, them
Speaker 3: out two, by two and he gave them authority over.
Speaker 3: Impure Spirits so jesus, calls them and he, sends them calls.
Speaker 1: Sends them.
Speaker 3: That's important there's a rhythm to Walking. With god he,
Speaker 3: calls us he, Sends us he, calls us he. Sends
Speaker 3: us he gave them authority over. Impure spirits and these were.
Speaker 3: His instructions take nothing for the journey except, the staff,
Speaker 3: no bread, no bag no money in. Your belts in,
Speaker 3: Other words jesus is teaching them what our pastor told
Speaker 3: us a.
Speaker 1: Couple of, weeks ago. That obedience details.
Speaker 3: Follow obedience, he's saying don't try to get it all
Speaker 3: figured out, Right now i'm.
Speaker 1: Sending you and while you may not have all the details,
Speaker 1: figured out what did he. Give him he gave.
Speaker 3: Him authority as long as the Hand of god is on,
Speaker 3: your life it's all that you need for whatever situation
Speaker 3: he sends.
Speaker 1: You, into says.
Speaker 3: Don't worry about, all that take nothing for. The journey
Speaker 3: he's teaching them to live. By faith and whenever you enter,
Speaker 3: a house stay there until you leave. That town and
Speaker 3: if any place will not welcome you or listen, to
Speaker 3: you leave that place and shake off the dust from
Speaker 3: your feet as a testimony.
Speaker 1: Against them. Verse twelve look. At this it's so amazing
Speaker 1: what the.
Speaker 3: Apostles did then they went out and preached that people.
Speaker 3: Should repent they drove out many demons and anointed many
Speaker 3: sick people with oil and.
Speaker 1: Healed them.
Speaker 3: Incredible ministry we're gonna skip ahead a little bit after
Speaker 3: this is the Beheading. Of john the skip ahead the
Speaker 3: Beheading of John the baptist.
Speaker 1: Right here, it's important but let's go to.
Speaker 3: Verse thirty so after, All this ministry says in verse
Speaker 3: thirty that the apostles Gathered around jesus and reported to
Speaker 3: him all that they had done. And, taught then because
Speaker 3: so many people were coming and going that they did
Speaker 3: not even have a chance, to eat he said, to
Speaker 3: them come away with me by yourselves to a quiet
Speaker 3: place and get. Some rest so they went away by
Speaker 3: themselves in a boat to a.
Speaker 1: Solitary place but here's.
Speaker 3: The problem but many who saw, them leaving they, recognized
Speaker 3: them and they ran on foot from all, the towns
Speaker 3: and they got there ahead.
Speaker 1: Of Them when.
Speaker 3: Jesus landed and he saw the large crowd he had compounded,
Speaker 3: on them he had compassion on them because they were
Speaker 3: like sheep without. A shepherd so he began teaching them.
Speaker 3: Many things he starts feeding them. Right there but, the
Speaker 3: apostles they have a little bit of a. Different response jesus,
Speaker 3: Had Compassion but verse thirty, five says by this time
Speaker 3: it was late in. The day so his disciples came
Speaker 3: to him, and said this is a, remote place and
Speaker 3: it's already. Very late send the people away so that
Speaker 3: they can go to the surrounding countryside and villages and
Speaker 3: buy themselves something. To eat but he, answered them you
Speaker 3: give them something? To eat, they said.
Speaker 1: That would take more than happy.
Speaker 3: Year's wages are we to go and spend that much
Speaker 3: on bread and give.
Speaker 1: It to them? To eat these, same apostles.
Speaker 3: Who just a few verses earlier were reporting all that
Speaker 3: they had Done, for jesus all they had done, And taught,
Speaker 3: now say are we to go and? Feed them interesting
Speaker 3: a right back to our key verse in verse, thirty
Speaker 3: one this Key phrase jesus said, to them come, with
Speaker 3: me by yourselves to a quiet place and get. SOME
Speaker 3: rest i want to talk to you today about, rethinking rest.
Speaker 1: Rethinking rest go ahead and. Be seated, you know.
Speaker 3: When you're One Thing pastor stevens taught is he's like when,
Speaker 3: you're preaching it's always important to think of a. Felt need,
Speaker 3: you know just what are the things that people are
Speaker 3: going through in real life that we experience on a
Speaker 3: human Level that god's word can connect to and.
Speaker 1: Speak to AND so i figure in a room, this.
Speaker 3: SIZE if i had a message, on hope there'd be
Speaker 3: a number of people who needed to hear a message.
Speaker 3: On hope or a message, on peace there'd be a
Speaker 3: number of people who would need to.
Speaker 1: Hear a message.
Speaker 3: On PEACE but i love that this Passage of scripture
Speaker 3: talks to those of us who find, ourselves TIRED because
Speaker 3: i think that hits ninety nine point nine percent of.
Speaker 1: The room HOW do i, know that because when you
Speaker 1: ask somebody how, they're doing what do they normally say?
Speaker 3: To you they just say they don't answer with a feeling,
Speaker 3: to say we've just, been. Busy busy anybody busy in
Speaker 3: the room, right now and we all got different levels,
Speaker 3: of busy and yet we all give this say what
Speaker 3: you've been? Up tough howthing has? Been, Going oh we've, been, busy, busy, busy.
Speaker 3: BUSY busy I was i've, mentioned Before but i've got, three,
Speaker 3: kids ten eight. And three and one of the things
Speaker 3: Me and anna we like to do is just go
Speaker 3: through our photo photo app and just look at. Old pictures,
Speaker 3: you know you like you see, These things, you're, like
Speaker 3: wow we thought they were, cute then and they kind
Speaker 3: of look a little funny at that stage. Of development
Speaker 3: but we love going through all these photos and old
Speaker 3: memories and, so LIKE once i, start going It's like
Speaker 3: i'm just going all the. Way BACK but i love
Speaker 3: seeing pictures of. MY family i love seeing other moments.
Speaker 3: IN life i came across this photo just the other
Speaker 3: day that kind of, reminded me as us preparing, this
Speaker 3: sermon look at this picture of a that's that's me
Speaker 3: and my pastor. RIGHT there, i know, it's crazy TWELVE
Speaker 3: years i haven't changed, a, bit unbelievable and that.
Speaker 1: That popped UP and, i go oh.
Speaker 3: My goodness and that was twenty thirteen and it's to
Speaker 3: bring him back all the memories of. THAT season i
Speaker 3: just showed Up At. Elevation church I'd Finished bible school
Speaker 3: And felt god out of calling on my life to
Speaker 3: build his church and to serve people and help them
Speaker 3: grow Closer. To CHRIST and i could not BELIEVE that
Speaker 3: i was getting to do ministry at A Churchlight. ELEVATION
Speaker 3: church i grew up in a real small Town, in
Speaker 3: Canada and i'd never seen anything, Like this so the
Speaker 3: fact that they would let me on the team was
Speaker 3: like unbelievable. To me AND so i remember us coming
Speaker 3: here with so much enthusiasm and so.
Speaker 1: Much excitement you can take. THAT down i don't have
Speaker 1: to leave that up the.
Speaker 3: Whole time i'm already feeling weird, about, It OKAY and
Speaker 3: i remember. That seat you remember that season. So vividly
Speaker 3: we Get To. Elevation Church it's january, Twenty Thirteen pastor
Speaker 3: stevens preaching a Series Called The new Rules. Of Resolution
Speaker 3: and january is always such a busy time in the
Speaker 3: life of. The church y'all are getting your, act together
Speaker 3: trying to get back in the rhythm of. Being here,
Speaker 3: every week people are coming to. The church it's always
Speaker 3: CRAZY and i remember in that first month turning to someone,
Speaker 3: and saying, it's, LIKE oh i.
Speaker 1: Was exhausted we were working.
Speaker 3: SO hard i know some of y'all think we Only,
Speaker 3: work sundays but there's more that goes on the making.
Speaker 3: Church HAPPEN and i remember, going like oh, my goodness
Speaker 3: this is, a lot and, they said, don't worry it's
Speaker 3: it's just a. BUSY season, i, said, okay cool it's
Speaker 3: just a. Busy season and then we get Through That
Speaker 3: january february season and we're gearing Up for Easter. At,
Speaker 3: elevation now, back then we didn't have all these permanent,
Speaker 3: facilities everywhere so we would run like, one thousand six
Speaker 3: hundred and fifty two worship experiences just to have space
Speaker 3: for everyone to bring, their friends bring their family to
Speaker 3: come here.
Speaker 1: The Gospel.
Speaker 3: Over easter we are running, like hard we are. Running
Speaker 3: CRAZY and i remember getting to the end of that
Speaker 3: turn into someone being that was, a lot and, they said,
Speaker 3: don't worry it's just a. Busy season you See where
Speaker 3: i'm Going with it didn't take me long to realize
Speaker 3: that in ministry it's always a. Busy season not only,
Speaker 3: in ministry, in life it's always a. Busy season whatever,
Speaker 3: we're facing whether it's getting the kids back in the river,
Speaker 3: of school whatever situation we're. Going through, we THINK when
Speaker 3: i can just get through, this season what then it's
Speaker 3: going to be all calm. And collected then everything's gonna. Get,
Speaker 3: settled no you leave one busy season just to enter
Speaker 3: into another. Busy season touch your, neighbors say it's always a.
Speaker 3: Busy season it's always a. BUSY season i was the
Speaker 3: IDIOT because i grew up in a place where seasons
Speaker 3: meant a temporary duration. Of time there was, Four seasons
Speaker 3: but it turns.
Speaker 1: Out it was just a. Busy season would.
Speaker 3: Go on and on, and on and twelve, years in,
Speaker 3: guess what it's been a.
Speaker 1: Busy season it's always a.
Speaker 3: Busy season and when we think about this idea of,
Speaker 3: getting rest spiritual rest for, our souls we fall into
Speaker 3: this trap of thinking sometimes THAT if i can.
Speaker 1: Just get through, this season or.
Speaker 3: Like, the disciples if we can just get to the,
Speaker 3: other side then we'll get a chance.
Speaker 1: To rest so what struck me in.
Speaker 3: This passage of scripture with the with The twelve disciples
Speaker 3: Is That jesus is says he calls.
Speaker 1: Them, to himself and he sends. Them out two.
Speaker 3: By two, they leave and they're doing incredible things For.
Speaker 3: The lord they're healing, the sick they're, preaching repentance they're casting.
Speaker 1: Out demons they're being Used by god. IN them i.
Speaker 3: FEEL fulfilled i Feel like god. Used ME if i
Speaker 3: can just pray for someone and. Encourage them these guys
Speaker 3: are casting, out demons and they come Back to jesus
Speaker 3: and you can hear the enthusiasm in. Their voices they
Speaker 3: reported to him all they had done And. Taught jesus
Speaker 3: we took that sermon you gave up on that mount
Speaker 3: about how blessed are the poor and spirit blessed are
Speaker 3: the pure, and heart and we were teaching it, to
Speaker 3: people and they were repenting coming Into the Kingdom.
Speaker 1: Of.
Speaker 3: God jesus we were anointing sick people and seeing.
Speaker 1: Them healed they come.
Speaker 3: Back to jesus and The, reporting jesus look what we've done, For,
Speaker 3: you jesus look at all the things that we did in.
Speaker 1: Your name and yet.
Speaker 3: As exciting as, It was i've got to imagine that
Speaker 3: it must have also. Been exhausting do not grow weary in.
Speaker 3: DOING good i didn't know you could grow weary in.
Speaker 3: Doing GOOD but i found out that some of the
Speaker 3: Things that god has for us in, our life even
Speaker 3: though they're, good things can also leave us in a
Speaker 3: place of exhaustion when you're, pouring out, pouring out, pouring
Speaker 3: out and some of us are tired of the very
Speaker 3: things that we prayed And asked. God for things that
Speaker 3: once came into our life as a blessing now feel like.
Speaker 1: A burden why.
Speaker 3: Because we go from busy season to busy season to,
Speaker 3: busy season and wonder why.
Speaker 1: We're tired so.
Speaker 3: The disciples They're telling jesus what, they've done and it
Speaker 3: must have sounded like music to their ears when, he says,
Speaker 3: all right, great work, Great, work.
Speaker 1: Matthew, Great.
Speaker 3: Work peter now come away with me by yourselves to
Speaker 3: a quiet place and get. Some rest, oh great we're
Speaker 3: going to go to the. Other side is it going
Speaker 3: to Be? An airbnb is it going to Be? A
Speaker 3: hilton maybe it's the. FOUR seasons i don't Know how jesus,
Speaker 3: is rolling but they're excited to get some Rest. With
Speaker 3: jesus and yet when they get to the other side
Speaker 3: Of the Sea, of galilee what's waiting? For Them more
Speaker 3: ministry more, hungry people crowds of people who needs something
Speaker 3: from them after they just spent how long. Pouring out
Speaker 3: not ONLY that i mentioned that in, That time John
Speaker 3: the baptist, Is beheaded so not only could they possibly
Speaker 3: be weary of, doing good but they're also carrying the
Speaker 3: hard thing of having someone that they knew, get beheaded.
Speaker 1: And, they're wondering is this going to happen?
Speaker 3: To us and so we go through life not only
Speaker 3: carrying the good things that, are happening but the hard
Speaker 3: things that. Are happening and so often we find ourselves
Speaker 3: just out. Of breath come away, with me, by yourselves
Speaker 3: to a quiet place and get. Some rest and they
Speaker 3: get to the other side and there are crowds of
Speaker 3: people waiting To.
Speaker 1: See jesus jesus.
Speaker 3: Had compassion, on them But the apostles had a. Different
Speaker 3: RESPONSE and i wondered how they could go so Quickly,
Speaker 3: from jesus look at all we've done and taught in
Speaker 3: your name to send the.
Speaker 1: People away how.
Speaker 3: Did they go from look what we've done For, you
Speaker 3: god to get these people out.
Speaker 1: Of here we're tired and.
Speaker 3: We're HUNGRY now i know that's unique to, the apostles
Speaker 3: you've never been in, that PLACE but i was.
Speaker 1: Imagining for, a moment imagining for.
Speaker 3: A moment imagine you moved your family all the Way,
Speaker 3: To Charlotte north carolina to be a part of a
Speaker 3: church where you could See what god could do. Through
Speaker 3: you and, it's LIKE am i really going to go
Speaker 3: spend three hours On a? Sunday serving how do we
Speaker 3: quickly shift from one place to? The next how did
Speaker 3: that guy in that photo so quickly go FROM from
Speaker 3: i CAN'T believe i get to be here to a,
Speaker 3: DECADE later i found myself in a Place. Going GOD
Speaker 3: can i even do this? Any more it's possible today
Speaker 3: that some of us who feel like, we are that
Speaker 3: we are weak in, our faith may not.
Speaker 1: Be weak we might just.
Speaker 3: Be weary we might just. Be weary and look what
Speaker 3: happens with. The, apostles well these crowds of people, show
Speaker 3: up Says that jesus, Has compassion but, the disciples they're
Speaker 3: trying to send the.
Speaker 1: People AWAY and i want to.
Speaker 3: GIVE you i wrote these down five signs that you
Speaker 3: might be. Spiritually spent five signs that your soul might be. Exhausted, today, evasion, isolation,
Speaker 3: projection exaggeration. And preservation let me break. It down they're
Speaker 3: all on the text.
Speaker 1: Right here.
Speaker 3: Real quick evasion it's when they said it's already. Very
Speaker 3: late evasion is when you start looking for excuses to
Speaker 3: get out of responsibilities before anything's even asked.
Speaker 1: Of you when you are at a place where your soul.
Speaker 3: Is tired i'm not talking about physically tired because you
Speaker 3: didn't get a good sleep. Last night i'm talking about
Speaker 3: being spiritually weary on. The inside you start avoiding the
Speaker 3: very god given responsibilities that he's brought into your life
Speaker 3: because he wants to, use you because he wants to
Speaker 3: do something. Through you he, starts saying it's already. Very
Speaker 3: late isolation is when they say send the. People away
Speaker 3: when you are, spiritually tired you become quickly disinterested in
Speaker 3: the concerns of others because it's very difficult to feed
Speaker 3: hungry people when you yourself.
Speaker 1: Are.
Speaker 3: Hungry, yeah projection it's when they said send them away
Speaker 3: so that they can get something. To eat projection is
Speaker 3: when you start forecasting your own deficiencies on other people as.
Speaker 1: An Excuse the bible never actually says that the people.
Speaker 3: Were hungry it says earlier that the disciples.
Speaker 1: Didn't get something, to eat so?
Speaker 3: Who's hungry the apostles send them away so they can
Speaker 3: get something. To eat that's when you start saying THINGS
Speaker 3: like i don't want to reach out.
Speaker 1: To them i'd hate to be. An, inconvenience no you
Speaker 1: don't want to. Be inconvenienced.
Speaker 3: Projection exaggeration it's when they said it would take more
Speaker 3: than half a.
Speaker 1: Year's wages how are they so good?
Speaker 3: At math they just added it up like, that, one,
Speaker 3: two three four five exaggeration when you start exaggerating what
Speaker 3: it's going to take to do the Things that god
Speaker 3: is asking you. To do and, with that the last one.
Speaker 3: Is preservation when they said are we to go? And
Speaker 3: spend when you are, spiritually tired when you, are exhausted
Speaker 3: when you are, missing rest the rest that Comes from
Speaker 3: jesus in, your life you start holding on to the
Speaker 3: Things that god has given you in order to be
Speaker 3: a blessing? To other are we to go and spend
Speaker 3: whether it's, your time, your energy or. Your talents the
Speaker 3: Opportunities that god brings into, your life you begin to
Speaker 3: see them as an expense rather than an opportunity to
Speaker 3: do Something for. His, kingdom, exaggeration, evasion, isolation projection. And
Speaker 3: PRESERVATION when i read this passage, of scripture it hit me.
Speaker 3: So deeply i'm TRYING to i want to tell You
Speaker 3: the lord gave me this message two years ago at
Speaker 3: a TIME when i needed it, so desperately and, IN
Speaker 3: fact i would not be here ministering this word to
Speaker 3: you today If the lord didn't give me this word.
Speaker 3: For me because all those THINGS that i just read
Speaker 3: to you in the response of the disciples out there
Speaker 3: about a decade of ministry, FOR me i found myself
Speaker 3: in that. SAME place i vividly remember ONE meeting i
Speaker 3: was in with one of our other campus pastors who
Speaker 3: was helping to lead our campuses with me at, the
Speaker 3: time and we were just brainstorming how we could do,
Speaker 3: more ministry impact. More people and with every single idea he,
Speaker 3: THREW out i had a reason for why we shouldn't
Speaker 3: do it or why it.
Speaker 1: Wouldn't work he's.
Speaker 3: All enthusiastic we could, do this we could, Do that
Speaker 3: and with everything, HE said i kept shooting down every idea.
Speaker 1: BECAUSE all i could think about is what it was
Speaker 1: going to. COST me i. Was empty we.
Speaker 3: Were coming off like it was that coming OUT, of
Speaker 3: covid all the residual frustration of that, let alone all
Speaker 3: THE things i was. Carrying MYSELF and i remember in,
Speaker 3: that meeting he looked, At me, he's like are, you?
Speaker 1: OKAY bro, I said.
Speaker 3: I think i just need, a vacation because we get
Speaker 3: like the, disciples do.
Speaker 1: Where we think that rest is somewhere.
Speaker 3: Out THERE when i can just get to the, other
Speaker 3: SIDE when i can just get to that, long WEEKEND
Speaker 3: when i can just get to, that VACATION then i
Speaker 3: can Just.
Speaker 1: Get i'll get a chance. To rest we go from.
Speaker 3: Season to SEE when i can get the kids out,
Speaker 3: of DIAPERS when i can get the kids out of,
Speaker 3: elementary SCHOOL when i can get, Them GRADUATED when i
Speaker 3: can get, this PROMOTION when i can sell, the BUSINESS
Speaker 3: when i can we, keep PROJECTING if i can just
Speaker 3: get to the, other Side then i'll get a chance.
Speaker 3: To rest And so i'm in THAT me, I go
Speaker 3: I think i just need. A vacation but it pointed
Speaker 3: out SOMETHING that i was carrying in my, own HEART
Speaker 3: that i had spent TEN years i was working Working,
Speaker 3: for god but was not Working.
Speaker 1: With god.
Speaker 3: And in all my doing, For, him remember because he
Speaker 3: calls you and he.
Speaker 1: Sends you he, calls you and he.
Speaker 3: Sends you and it was illuminating to ME because, i
Speaker 3: realized in my Busyness, FOR god i was rejecting that,
Speaker 3: first calling which was to Be with him and to
Speaker 3: receive rest for.
Speaker 1: MY soul i needed. This WORD and i want to.
Speaker 3: Show you What the lord taught me through this passage,
Speaker 3: of scripture because it's so Beautiful what jesus says to
Speaker 3: them in that.
Speaker 1: One phrase it gives us a formula.
Speaker 3: For REST now i know faith isn't, a formula but
Speaker 3: let me give you a formula.
Speaker 1: For rest. Jesus says i'm verse. Thirty one, he says come.
Speaker 3: Away with me by yourself to a quiet place and get.
Speaker 1: Some rest now look at this for. A minute come.
Speaker 3: Away with me by yourselves to a quiet place and
Speaker 3: get some rest by yourselves is solitude to a.
Speaker 4: Quiet, place silence silence plus solitude. Equal rest silence and solitude.
Speaker 4: Equal rest silence and solitude are two.
Speaker 3: Spiritual disciplines have you heard of the spiritual? Disciplines before
Speaker 3: spiritual disciplines are means by which we Connect with god
Speaker 3: and so coming to church, corporate worship this is a
Speaker 3: spiritual discipline you coming here On a, sunday morning worshiping
Speaker 3: with brothers and sisters in.
Speaker 1: The faith this is a.
Speaker 3: Spiritual discipline give yourself a round. Of applause you've done one.
Speaker 3: Already today Studying the Word of god is a spiritual
Speaker 3: discipline opening up his words so he can speak. To
Speaker 3: us or two, for two give yourself a round.
Speaker 1: Of, applause, yeah, yeah yeah.
Speaker 3: YEAH yeah i grew up in an amazing church where
Speaker 3: we learned, about worship we learned, about prayer we learned about.
Speaker 3: READING scripture i don't ever remember being taught about the spiritual.
Speaker 1: Disciplines of silence.
Speaker 3: And solitude but silence and solitude are the way that
Speaker 3: we experience the holy Rest.
Speaker 1: Of god not. Physical rest you can take a nap.
Speaker 3: For that but spiritual rest Or what jesus calls rest for. Our,
Speaker 3: souls now there is a difference between isolation. And solitude
Speaker 3: isolation Is when. I'm alone solitude Is when i'm Alone.
Speaker 1: With god it's what our pastor taught us a couple of.
Speaker 3: Weeks ago he Said that jesus would get Alone with
Speaker 3: god so that he could Align.
Speaker 1: With god solitude IS.
Speaker 3: When i get Alone with HIM so i can align.
Speaker 3: With him isolation leads, To loneliness solitude leads, To intimacy silence.
Speaker 3: And solitude in his book on, Spiritual Disciplines, richard foster,
Speaker 3: he said in silence we create an open empty space.
Speaker 1: Where we are free to Receive what god wants.
Speaker 3: To give, in solitude we come to know the Gentleness
Speaker 3: of god's presence and the strength of.
Speaker 1: His LOVE can i read it one more time? For
Speaker 1: you is? That good?
Speaker 3: Or what in silence we create an open empty space
Speaker 3: where we are free to Receive what god wants. To
Speaker 3: give in solitude we come to know the Gentleness of
Speaker 3: his presence and the Strength of. His love silence and
Speaker 3: solitude is the place that we Receive. From god see
Speaker 3: this Life with god. We live it's as it, should
Speaker 3: be as natural. As breathing you, breathe in you. Breathe
Speaker 3: out he, Calls you he, Sends you he, calls you he.
Speaker 3: Sends you because everything you Do for god was never
Speaker 3: meant to come from your. Own strength but it's an
Speaker 3: exhale of the Strength that he's.
Speaker 1: Given you, We inhale. We EXHALE but i.
Speaker 3: Wonder if some of us are, tired today if some
Speaker 3: of us are weary if some of us feel like
Speaker 3: we have nothing left to give because we're we're, breathing
Speaker 3: out we're, breathing out we're showing up for every. Other
Speaker 3: person and Yet when jesus gives us that call to
Speaker 3: come and be, with him we. Neglect It why because
Speaker 3: silence and solitude is. Incredibly uncomfortable i'm the type of
Speaker 3: person That if i'm driving three minutes to the, Grocery
Speaker 3: store i'm making a phone call JUST so i don't
Speaker 3: have to sit alone with my own thoughts for those.
Speaker 3: Three minutes silence and solitude is the key.
Speaker 1: To REST and I remember i was telling you about.
Speaker 3: THAT season i remember after that, This realization god speak,
Speaker 3: TO you i got to get Alone. With GOD and
Speaker 3: i remember taking a half day to just go and
Speaker 3: read my word. And PRAY and i know this sounds so,
Speaker 3: incredibly simple but it's so incredibly powerful when we can
Speaker 3: just get Alone with god for a. Little bit The
Speaker 3: things god can do in a. Moment unbelievable, He started
Speaker 3: he started convicting me because there ARE things i was
Speaker 3: blaming other people for FOR why i felt THE way,
Speaker 3: I did but it was THINGS that i was carrying on.
Speaker 1: The inside he started.
Speaker 3: Comforting me he started speaking, to ME and i, just
Speaker 3: remember in the stillness of, that moment be still and
Speaker 3: KNOW that I. Am god in the stillness of, That
Speaker 3: moment god speaking. To ME after i was just listing
Speaker 3: out all my complaint we started the worship experience.
Speaker 1: That they saying, thank you.
Speaker 3: Thank you think sometimes my prayer life looks, like, complaint,
Speaker 3: complaint COMPLAINT and I but god can handle. Those THINGS
Speaker 3: and i remember listing all my frustrations and just unloading
Speaker 3: my burdens on him and him just SAYING and i,
Speaker 3: love YOU and i Love you. Henry now and he
Speaker 3: calls silence and solitude the furnace, of transformation because, he
Speaker 3: says in, that place we can't hold on to, the
Speaker 3: scaffolding the things, we put the things.
Speaker 1: We guard our lives with to make us feel.
Speaker 3: Like something but, in silence, in solitude you're not, a
Speaker 3: mom you're not, a dad you're not, a boss you're not.
Speaker 3: An employee you are simply a son or. A daughter
Speaker 3: and it's in that place of being Alone with god
Speaker 3: that you can receive. What matters what's when he calls you,
Speaker 3: his son when he calls you his daughter and pours
Speaker 3: out his strength and love into, your life silence. And
Speaker 3: SOLITUDE and i think for some, of us Even, as
Speaker 3: christians we're doing all the right activities.
Speaker 1: And wondering why something is.
Speaker 3: Still missing it's because he, sends us but he also.
Speaker 3: Calls us he, sends us and he. Calls us, in
Speaker 3: fact it's actually the other way where he calls us
Speaker 3: and then. Sends Us in genesis, one Four when god
Speaker 3: is creating, the earth, that says this is so interesting.
Speaker 1: To me it says that.
Speaker 3: He created evening, and morning and he called it day evening,
Speaker 3: and morning and called. A day we would think morning,
Speaker 3: an evening that's how we think of. A day But,
Speaker 3: for god the day begins. With rest before you get
Speaker 3: up to, do anything the day starts. With rest so
Speaker 3: my work is an overflow of the REST that i Have.
Speaker 3: In him and at the beginning of, This passage jesus
Speaker 3: models it. For us it says that he calls them,
Speaker 3: to himself and he, sends them, calls them. Sends THEM
Speaker 3: now i know what, you're THINKING. Pastor jj it would
Speaker 3: be so.
Speaker 1: NICE if i could just take half a day to.
Speaker 3: Go pray and Read the bible and spend Time. With
Speaker 3: jesus but you don't know. The life we're not pastors.
Speaker 3: Like you we got real life. To do i've got
Speaker 3: Three kids i'm trying to take. CARE of i got
Speaker 3: a demanding job. Right now this IS what i wanted
Speaker 3: to show you from, the scriptures because if you find
Speaker 3: yourself in a place where, you're, life well what does
Speaker 3: it really look like for me to find these Moments
Speaker 3: with god in the middle of our? Crowded, lives remember
Speaker 3: crowds of people are waiting For. The apostle in the
Speaker 3: middle of our crowded calendars and crowded lives and. Crowded
Speaker 3: minds HOW do i find time to be Alone?
Speaker 1: With jesus and.
Speaker 3: This IS what i wanted to show you because look
Speaker 3: at This when jesus says, to them come away with
Speaker 3: me by yourselves to a quiet place and get, some
Speaker 3: rest and they get in the boat to go.
Speaker 1: To the other side Of the Sea. Of galilee the
Speaker 1: QUESTION is.
Speaker 3: I know that the disciples they didn't know what was
Speaker 3: waiting for them on the. Other side they, didn't know
Speaker 3: just like you don't know what's waiting for you on
Speaker 3: the other side of.
Speaker 1: This season just like, you're.
Speaker 3: Thinking MAN if i can just get but you don't
Speaker 3: know what diagnosis your mom might get on the other side.
Speaker 3: Of it you don't know what's waiting for you on.
Speaker 3: This side the disciples. Didn't know but the question Is
Speaker 3: did jesus know what was waiting for them on the,
Speaker 3: Other side and of course the answer, Is yes.
Speaker 1: Jesus knows.
Speaker 3: Jesus knows so was he tricking them when he said,
Speaker 3: to them come away with me by yourselves to a
Speaker 3: quiet place and get Some Red if jesus knew what
Speaker 3: was waiting for them on the other side Of the Sea?
Speaker 3: Of galilee was he tricking them when he gave them
Speaker 3: this invitation to come away and be with him for.
Speaker 3: A moment and this is What the lord showed me from.
Speaker 3: This Passage after jesus gives them, that invitation it says
Speaker 3: in verse. Thirty two so they went away by themselves in.
Speaker 3: A boat.
Speaker 1: I thought rest was. A place i found out that
Speaker 1: rest is in.
Speaker 3: A person i thought rest was a DESTINATION if i
Speaker 3: can just get. Over THERE but i found out rest
Speaker 3: is on. The way rest Is what jesus wants to
Speaker 3: give you as you are heading from one place to,
Speaker 3: the next from one season of life to.
Speaker 1: The next it says that they got in a.
Speaker 3: Boat together so the moment for the disciples to get
Speaker 3: rest wasn't when they would get to the, other side
Speaker 3: wasn't when they would get, a sabbatical wasn't when they'd
Speaker 3: finally get.
Speaker 1: A vacation the Rest that jesus.
Speaker 3: Wanted to give him was when he invited them into
Speaker 3: the boat so that they could rest on, the Way
Speaker 3: because jesus knew what was waiting for them on the.
Speaker 3: Other side jesus knew that there would be hungry people
Speaker 3: that he needed the apostles, to feed so he invites
Speaker 3: them into the boat so that they could receive from
Speaker 3: him all that, they need so that they could breathe
Speaker 3: in before they needed to. Breathe out rest happens on.
Speaker 3: The way HOW do i know this because look what
Speaker 3: it says in. The scripture it says that the people
Speaker 3: who were, standing there they, watched them and they followed them.
Speaker 3: On foot that Means that jesus and the disciples could
Speaker 3: have walked to where they. Were going jesus and the
Speaker 3: disciples could have ran along with all the other crowds.
Speaker 1: Of people And yet, jesus says come.
Speaker 3: With me in this boat for just a little while
Speaker 3: it says that they actually got to the other side
Speaker 3: Faster than jesus and.
Speaker 1: The apostles they were waiting.
Speaker 3: For Them so, jesus says let's take the slow way,
Speaker 3: over there just so you can. Take them get a
Speaker 3: moment to really catch, your breath because he wants to
Speaker 3: give you rest On the pay attention to the transitions in,
Speaker 3: your life the, transition moments because they are windows to Connect.
Speaker 1: With jesus jesus will show up in your life with.
Speaker 1: Little Boats richard foster.
Speaker 3: Calls this he calls them, little solitudes, little boats little
Speaker 3: Moments where god wants to breathe into you and give.
Speaker 3: You rest touch your, neighbors say don't miss, the boat
Speaker 3: don't miss.
Speaker 1: THE boat.
Speaker 3: I think we so often miss what the disciples miss
Speaker 3: because we think rest is somewhere. Out there but when
Speaker 3: we come to the Realization that jesus wants to give
Speaker 3: us rest on, the way we start looking for the.
Speaker 1: Little boats the, little boats the.
Speaker 3: Little moments throughout our day where we can Connect, with
Speaker 3: him those moments. Of transition That's why, david said in
Speaker 3: the morning and, the evening those are. Transition times, the
Speaker 3: morning it's not quite night it's not quite day transition times.
Speaker 1: For us to Connect.
Speaker 3: With GOD and i want to encourage you brothers and
Speaker 3: sisters that in your Rhythm, with god don't grow weary in,
Speaker 3: doing good but look for the little moments throughout your
Speaker 3: day to simply Breathe in his, holy rest to breathe in,
Speaker 3: his faithfulness to Breathe in.
Speaker 1: His goodness this can.
Speaker 3: Look like, for me it looked like pulling in the
Speaker 3: driveway and taking three MINUTES before i walked in the
Speaker 3: house just to unload the burdens of my day SO
Speaker 3: that i could move from one moment of ministry to
Speaker 3: the ministry that happens in my home and FEEL like
Speaker 3: i actually had something to give.
Speaker 1: Little moments. Little moments.
Speaker 3: And for those of us who, feel, Like ah i'm just,
Speaker 3: So busy i'm just, so busy how is It, that
Speaker 3: jesus who was perfect and only had three years to,
Speaker 3: do ministry knew how to prioritize Time. With god, in
Speaker 3: fact right after he feeds the, five thousand you know what.
Speaker 3: He does he goes up onto a mountainside. To Pray
Speaker 3: because jesus knew the importance of getting Alone with god
Speaker 3: so that he could Align with god and Receive. From
Speaker 3: god and what makes us so arrogant to think That
Speaker 3: it jesus needed to get Alone, with god that we
Speaker 3: can somehow make it through, this life that we can
Speaker 3: somehow fulfill the Purposes that he has, for us that
Speaker 3: we can somehow do all the Things that he has
Speaker 3: in his heart without us taking.
Speaker 1: Time to really Receive. From him so.
Speaker 3: THE way i, pictured it THE way i pictured it
Speaker 3: is like we're sometimes going through life on, one foot,
Speaker 3: just SAYING if i can just get to the other
Speaker 3: side Of the Sea, of Galilee then i'll get a chance.
Speaker 1: To rest and.
Speaker 3: We're doing everything that we Can for god, like this
Speaker 3: and we're wondering sometimes why we're. So tired we're wondering
Speaker 3: sometimes why. We're shaky we wonder sometimes why it feels
Speaker 3: like we're out. Of BREATH and i think it's because
Speaker 3: we haven't learned how to rest on, The way rest on,
Speaker 3: the way rest on.
Speaker 1: The WAY so.
Speaker 3: I pictured you getting your stability back and your strength Back,
Speaker 3: because jesus it says that he, called them and he.
Speaker 1: Sent them, he calls He sends galatians five. Twenty five
Speaker 1: so since.
Speaker 3: We live by, the spirit let us keep in step With.
Speaker 3: The spirit there's a cadence to Walking. With god and
Speaker 3: it looks like, breathing in, breathing out, breathing in. Breathing
Speaker 3: out it looks like not hopping on one foot from
Speaker 3: one place to, the next from one season to, the
Speaker 3: next from good news to, bad news from response with
Speaker 3: one season to. The next it looks like finding the
Speaker 3: Rhythm of. God's Grace and he calls you and he.
Speaker 3: Sends you he calls you and he. Sends You so
Speaker 3: i'm gonna heal The, Sick lord BUT sometimes i need
Speaker 3: to come to you because there's places in my LIFE
Speaker 3: where i. Need Healing and i'm gonna feed The. Hungry
Speaker 3: GOD but i need you to be my bread. Of
Speaker 3: LIFE so i need you to speak. TO me i
Speaker 3: need your word in. MY life i need. Your Strength
Speaker 3: and i'm gonna. Comfort, Others god i'm gonna. Do it
Speaker 3: i'm gonna show up. For them i'm gonna sit with
Speaker 3: them in the hard places of. Their Life But, holy
Speaker 3: spirit would you comfort me in my? Life too and
Speaker 3: suddenly it doesn't feel like. We're straining suddenly it doesn't
Speaker 3: feel like we're limping around, as believers but it feels
Speaker 3: like we're going from strength, to strength glory, to glory
Speaker 3: Because when god sends a little boat into, your life
Speaker 3: don't miss the opportunity to get alone. With him he
Speaker 3: knows what, you, need disciples and he knows that if
Speaker 3: you're hungry because you haven't a chance.
Speaker 1: To eat he can make food out. Of nothing he can.
Speaker 1: Feed you.
Speaker 3: It's the place to receive silence, and solitude and as
Speaker 3: uncomfortable as it, can be because often it's in that
Speaker 3: Place where god strips away the layers of our life
Speaker 3: that we used to keep some fabricated version, of ourselves
Speaker 3: it's actually the furnace of transformation because it's the place
Speaker 3: where we receive our strength as we are reminded of
Speaker 3: who we really Are. In christ we got to learn
Speaker 3: how to rest along. The way if you've been coming
Speaker 3: to this church for, A while i love the message
Speaker 3: that you'll hear over and. Over again it's actually our,
Speaker 3: mission statements See what god can do. Through you it's
Speaker 3: this underlying belief that we carry that no matter what you've,
Speaker 3: been through no matter what your, past Is that god
Speaker 3: wants to. Use you god wants to. Use YOU and
Speaker 3: i believe that with my.
Speaker 1: Whole heart.
Speaker 3: And Yet what I've found i've needed in my life
Speaker 3: the most is the reminder of not Only does god
Speaker 3: want to, use me but to Know that god also
Speaker 3: wants to be.
Speaker 1: With me did you, know that Child, of god that
Speaker 1: he wants to be. With you some of.
Speaker 3: Us think that he he just wants to use us for,
Speaker 3: His Glory but god wants to be, with you and in,
Speaker 3: that place he wants to give you everything that you
Speaker 3: need to walk out the Purposes that he's called, for
Speaker 3: You because he. Loves you the first ministry is To,
Speaker 3: the LORD and i don't want to go through LIFE
Speaker 3: saying i did all these things in. Your name and,
Speaker 3: he SAID but i never knew you because you never
Speaker 3: got in the boat and sat still enough long enough
Speaker 3: for me to get to.
Speaker 1: Know you be still and KNOW that I. AM god.
Speaker 3: I want to just as we close this, service today
Speaker 3: take a moment to just pray for those of you
Speaker 3: who maybe find yourself in a place where you're, facing
Speaker 3: burnout you're facing, spiritual exhaustion where you almost feel like
Speaker 3: you wonder if you're losing. Your faith you're not losing.
Speaker 3: Your faith you're not losing. Your faith you're not walking Away.
Speaker 3: From him you've just, Grown tired and if you find
Speaker 3: yourself in that place today where, YOU'RE like i don't
Speaker 3: KNOW if i have bread to. FEED anybody i need.
Speaker 3: BREAD myself i. NEED rest i need rest for. MY
Speaker 3: soul i remind you of the Words, of jesus, who
Speaker 3: says come to me all who are weary, and BURDEN
Speaker 3: and i will give. You rest rest is not found in.
Speaker 3: A place rest is found in. A person would you
Speaker 3: take a moment. AND stand i love IT when i
Speaker 3: look around, THIS room i see so many PEOPLE that
Speaker 3: I know god is using in an, amazing way and
Speaker 3: you're carrying.
Speaker 1: So much.
Speaker 3: IT'S amazing i think it's because you've learned how to
Speaker 3: catch your breath along, the way to, breathe in to,
Speaker 3: breathe out learn how. To rest for some of, us
Speaker 3: today maybe we're in a place where we've, been neglecting
Speaker 3: the secret Place where god.
Speaker 1: Wants to fill us in this. SIMPLE message i know, it's.
Speaker 3: Simple but it was powerful for me at a TIME
Speaker 3: where i, needed IT because i don't KNOW where i
Speaker 3: would be right Now if god didn't speak this to
Speaker 3: me and remind me that the first calling is that calling.
Speaker 3: To Himself and i've learned to embrace what it means to,
Speaker 3: take time even if it's just for a few moments at,
Speaker 3: a time to connect, with him to be alone with
Speaker 3: HIM so i can align. With him and for someone
Speaker 3: who feels like they're holding so much right now and
Speaker 3: you feel shaky and you feel weak and you don't
Speaker 3: know if you can GO another i want to pray
Speaker 3: For The holy spirit to strengthen you. Right now but more,
Speaker 3: THAN that i want to Pray that god would stir
Speaker 3: up a hunger in your heart for, His Presence that
Speaker 3: god would stir up a desire in his heart to
Speaker 3: come back to your, first love to be with him
Speaker 3: in that place so that he can, fill you so
Speaker 3: that he can, strengthen you so that he can.
Speaker 1: Feed you.
Speaker 3: If that's, you TODAY and i really want to Know
Speaker 3: who i'm specifically. Praying FOR and i know we've got
Speaker 3: people joining us at other campuses and people joining, us.
Speaker 1: Online but even in the room where you are in, the.
Speaker 3: Chat let us know if that's, you today you find
Speaker 3: yourself where, YOU'RE like i don't Know if i'm. GIVING
Speaker 3: up i don't Know if i'm quite, there YET but
Speaker 3: i feel myself. Growing weary no one, Walks away no one.
Speaker 3: Gives up just in a moment, like that you. Grow
Speaker 3: weary you grow weary because, you're doing, you're doing, you're doing,
Speaker 3: you're doing but you're neglecting that the little Boats.
Speaker 1: That he's sending you so that you can be, with
Speaker 1: him be. With him if you.
Speaker 3: Find yourself in, THAT place i want to pray specifically
Speaker 3: for you. Right now just raise your hand up in,
Speaker 3: the AIR and i want to Pray that god would
Speaker 3: stir up a hunger for. His, presence yeah, Thank, You
Speaker 3: lord Thank.
Speaker 1: You.
Speaker 3: Lord yeah someone, over here you're on the verge of.
Speaker 3: Giving up, come on put your hand in. THE air
Speaker 3: i want to pray.
Speaker 1: For, you, yeah. Yeah YEAH so.
Speaker 3: I declare the Promise of matthew eleven, over you the Words.
Speaker 3: Of jesus come to me all who are weary, and
Speaker 3: BURDENED and i will give. You, rest jesus your yoke,
Speaker 3: Is easy your yoke. IS easy i pray for, MY
Speaker 3: brother i pray for. MY sister i pray for everyone
Speaker 3: who's in that place right.
Speaker 1: Now where they've been going, through it going.
Speaker 3: Through it they've been carrying all the things that you've
Speaker 3: called them, To, carry lord but it feels sometimes like
Speaker 3: they can't take, another step that they can't take, another
Speaker 3: breath like they're. COMPLETELY underwater i want to pray for them, Right,
Speaker 3: now GOD and I Ask holy spirit that you would fill,
Speaker 3: their breath that you would fill their lungs with the
Speaker 3: strength of.
Speaker 1: Your Wind.
Speaker 3: Holy spirit, right now, Come Quickly, holy spirit and. Strengthen
Speaker 3: them strengthen them in their. Feeble, needs god that they
Speaker 3: would not give up or. Grow, weary God, AND lord
Speaker 3: i pray that you would open up. Their ears open
Speaker 3: up their ears to hear your voice calling them into the.
Speaker 3: SECRET place I hear, god saying, over you come away.
Speaker 3: With me come get in the boat. With me let's
Speaker 3: take a. LITTLE while i want to, FEED you i
Speaker 3: want to speak. TO you i want to. COMFORT you
Speaker 3: i want to. Strengthen you there's THINGS that i have
Speaker 3: in my heart for YOU that i still want to,
Speaker 3: show you and there's things you're going INTO that.
Speaker 1: I want to equip. You For, so god open up
Speaker 1: their ears to hear your.
Speaker 3: Voice, and god as, you Say, come lord our, Response,
Speaker 3: is lord we want to step into that boat.
Speaker 1: With you and be. With, you god be. WITH you i.
Speaker 3: Speak against every scheme of the enemy that would come to. Discourage,
Speaker 3: THEM god i declare over them that they're, not wicked they're. Just.
Speaker 3: Weary GOD but i thank you that the Strength Of
Speaker 3: almighty god is coming into their life. Right, Now god,
Speaker 3: so brothers, so sister do not, grow weary don't. GIVE
Speaker 3: up i Pray that god would give you rest for.
Speaker 1: Your, soul.
Speaker 3: Hallelujah hallelujah thank you for.
Speaker 2: Joining us special thanks to those of you who give
Speaker 2: generously to. This ministry is because of you that this ministry.
Speaker 2: Is possible you can click the link in the description
Speaker 2: to give now Or visit elevationchurch dot org slash podcast
Speaker 2: for more information and if you enjoyed, the podcast you.
Speaker 2: Can subscribe you can share it with. Your friends you
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Speaker 2: church thanks again. For listening god. Bless you