Resting in His Presence
Mark chapter 4:35-41
Prayer-
Father today would you allow us to have rest in your presence. In the midst of anxiety and turmoil, would you allow us calmness maybe even in a storm. Allow us to sense that we are safely in your hands and your protection. I pray today that every single one of us has an encounter with you that is life-changing. I pray God that we can find healing in the time we spend in rest with you. In Jesus name!
Mark 4:35-41- Read form Bible
Introduction-
I want to tell you this morning that Jesus wants to give us and help us find rest in our lives. We are so busy that I believe sometimes we don’t know what we need and what we need seems like it is impossible to find or get. The older I get, the more I appreciate rest. Amen. There was a time when I did not need or desire naps. Now they are my best friends! A typical Sunday, I arrive here early in the morning before anyone is here and I begin praying and doing what is needed for service. A 1 1/2 hour service I have invested at least 20 hours of my week into. Used to be I could go and run around all day and sleep like a baby. The older I get, the more a nap is not only what I want, it is something I need. After getting some lunch, I get in my favorite chair and turn on a football game and usually 1-2 quarters later I watch the end of the game. One of my friends has said that you begin watching TV and then the TV watches you.
Jesus was exhausted, he was teaching and preaching, and His tank was empty. (Anyone been there) It says that he went to the back of the boat (stern) where he could stretch out and he grabbed a cushion. He did not nod off for a moment… He went to sleep.
While he was sleeping, a storm came
The winds picked up
The waves began to break over the side of the boat.
Some kind of a squall came up.
The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?”
When you grab a cushion and you go to the back of the boat where there would be some room- Jesus intentionally was resting.
Jesus said to his disciples- “Let’s go over to the other side.”
Jesus could rest because of that statement.
Jesus had already told them what they were going to do.
Jesus did not say, we are going in the middle of the Sea of Galilee and drown.
Jesus did not say that to get to the other side was dependent upon what the weather was like.
NO STORM WAS GOING TO ALTER THE PLAN THAT JESUS PUT IN PLACE.
THERE WAS NOT A BACKUP PLAN JUST IN CASE
“lets go over to the other side.’
He wanted to see if they trusted more what He has said or more the circumstances that were around them.
That will preach this morning
There are a lot of people that say they rest in the Lord but if you ask them, they do not know what that means- or they say one thing and their life isn’t living it.
To know what that means is to look to Scripture and see what is meant by it and follow the example given
Resting in the Lord (write down)
Mark 6:32- “So they went away by themselves into a boat to a solitary place.”
Resting in the lord is finding a place where you can get quiet with him and less distractions.
Isaiah 26:3- “You will keep in perfect peace those whose mind are steadfast, because they trust you.”
Resting in God and the peace that comes from God is found in steadfastness, and putting your trust in him.
It is like the game you use to play as a kid and you fallback and trust that your friend will catch you.
- It is everyday, everytime, putting your trust in Jesus that He will catch you.
Charles Spurgeon-
“Rest time is not a waste of time. It is economy to gather fresh strength… it is wisdom to take occasional furlough. In the long run, we shall do more by sometimes doing less.”
Augustine
“Thou has made us for thyself, O, Lord; and our heart is restless until it rests in thee.”
“Christ’s invitation to the weary and heavy-laden is to begin life over again upon a new principal- upon His own principal. “Watch my ways of doing things, he says, follow me. Take this life as I take it. Be meek and lowly, you will find rest.”
The disciples were to rest in the fact that Jesus spoke words to them.
He was resting, they can rest because what He said would happen will happen.
He said –Let’s go to the other side.”
It was a directive. Not an option.
Over 70 times the bible talks about resting in the Lord
If companies didn’t think we need sleep, there would not be so many mattress commercials on every few minutes- Stop counting sheep and get some rest in the Lord.
Sleeping on the job, sleeping in church, sleeping standing up, if you give some just a few minutes where they can get quiet, they will be asleep.
I wonder if the lack of physical sleep is why some lack spiritual rest- because if they do not know how to give themselves rest, how can they find rest in the lord
Illustration-
I laughed with Becky. I don’t need memory foam on my bed because every time I lay my head on the bed, my memory works fine. I need to find the off button! Amen. Amen. Find the off button.
Come to me and I will give you rest!
Number one-Rest in the Lord
Being in His presence
It is one thing to rest in Christ, but where we will see growth and we will see the power of God in our lives is to not only rest in him but to live in His presence!
There has to be a hunger for God! We have to get desperate enough to realize that without the Lord showing up that it would just be a service. Sing a song or two, hear a message of encouragement. Go home. Repeat.
Without the anointing power of God- We will not see what God intends for us each time we gather in His name.
I believe there will come a time when enough people will be in worship services hungry to see God move and revival will break out in this nation. There will be a cry out to God for more of Himself. There will be a desperation of getting ourselves into a right relationship with Him that will put us under His anointing instead of searching for His anointing.
I believe what Christians are longing for is the presence of God!
God is looking for people with a heart like David and people are looking for the presence of God and you put those two together and revival will break out.
I sense the Lord when we are here worshiping and one day revival will start and I say Lord let it begin in me! Amen! Let it begin in me.
It is not only about nickels and noses- people and money. It is about seeing the Lord bring rival because hearts are centered on Him and desiring to be in the presence of Almighty God!
People who are desperate for God to do something fresh and new want to move from casual and convenient to personally desiring to be in His presence and we cannot get enough of Him.
Jesus warns us that in the last days that hearts would grow cold. He says that the ones that were once on fire will let their lights go dim.
Those who want more than anything to be in the presence of God will say that I don’t want less of the Lord, I want more of the Lord!
Our prayer, our daily time with the Lord keeps us spiritually hungry with an appetite for more instead of falling away and wanting less.
God wants to fill us to overflowing with His Spirit and then pour us out into our communities and our work places and in our homes.
Operating in His presence is an intentional act from us that will bring a response from the Lord. (Repeat)
He desires to be involved in our broken lives and restore a right spirit in us.
Our attitudes if not kept in check can get funky from dealing with all the mess in the world.
We cannot do it in our own strength and we cannot do it alone.
We are better together- that is what I put on the sign out front-
We are better together and we need each other and we need the Lord’s anointing to be operating in our lives under the power of the Holy Spirit.
Operating in the presence of the Lord brings transformation-
It brings rest and peace you need and it gives you the strength to change what you cannot change in yourself.
Come on, hang with me just a moment longer- keys are given to those who have authority. You have a key to your house because it is your house. You have authority to go in and out. Without the appropriate key, you cannot get in without breaking in illegally.
When we are having spiritual problems connecting with the Lord, my question to you is do you have the right key!
Are you breaking in illegally or do you have a key?
It is only going to be well with your soul when the relationship is right between you and the Lord!
Our District Superintendent Rev. Kerry Willis favorite saying- Presence Matters Most. He ends every meeting, every time of prayer, he has it on all his letterhead he sends, on every email he sends. Does he think it is important to be in God’s Presence! Yes.
I am going to ask you to quiet yourself before the Lord for a moment this morning- to search your heart to find out if your heart is restless or resting. One is doing it your way and One is doing it God’s way.
I am wondering if you are willing for the Lord to speak to you while we are in His presence. What is it that He is saying to you this morning?
Is the very thing you are trying to hold unto, the thing He is saying to let go of?
Is the thing that you say to others you have control of, the very thing that He is telling you is out of control?
Are you this morning only hanging on by a thread and He is offering you a life-line?
If you would admit to God this morning that you are restless, I am going to ask you to bow your head and have a moment of conversation with the Lord and ask Him what is needed for you to be restored to a peace and assurance with Him and then do what He has told you.
For some, you will have to lighten your schedule. You are burning the candle at both ends and it is not working anymore.
God has taken a back seat and you need to regroup… today. Right now.
For others, it is getting plugged into a ministry because your light has been dimmed and you are not spending the time needed to have the right relationship with the Lord.
For some, you have never made it right with the Lord, you have never had that conversation about your soul and this morning for you, you need Jesus.
You need to confess your sins and ask for His forgiveness. Today will be your new day, the day that you have been waiting for.
Presence matters most! He is here this morning and He desires to give you rest and peace. The two things people are searching for and not finding outside of a relationship with the Lord.
Rest in Him and being in His presence!
Those that are resting in the Lord, please know that the Lord sees what you are going through and He desires to give you strength and power in His Spirit. Take this time to just call out to him.You are needing strength, He is here to provide what you need. I am opening up the altar for you this morning to spend a minute with Him.
Benediction and close/ as needed
Prayer- Today you are doing something fantastic. We are thankful for your presence and blessing this morning. You are doing a new thing! Holy Spirit you are welcome in this place!
