pray and rest

A Prayer to Catch Your Breath
By Max Lucado

“Six days do your work, but on the seventh day do not work, so that your ox and your donkey may rest, and so that the slave born in your household and the foreigner living among you may be refreshed.” Exodus 23:12 (NIV)

God designed time for rest to be taken daily and weekly. He told Moses and the Israelites, “Six days do your work, but on the seventh day do not work, so that your ox and your donkey may rest, and so that the slave born in your household and the foreigner living among you may be refreshed” (Exodus 23:12).

This was not a suggestion, recommendation or piece of practical advice. This was a command: Rest! Once a week let the system reboot. Once a week, let the entire household slow down. The Israelite who violated this law paid for the sin with his or her life.

Today the “death penalty” is still in effect, but it gradually comes from overwork, stress and anxiety.

The Bible doesn’t see rest as a sign of weakness or laziness, but as a mark of reverence. To observe a Sabbath day of rest is to announce, “God knows what I need more than I do. If He says to rest, I will rest.” And, as we do, our bodies and minds are refreshed.

Never has rest been more important. We move at too fast a pace and our adrenaline spigots seldom shut off. Racing for late-night flights and adding early-morning meetings, we’re stretched beyond our limits. High adrenaline output depletes the brain’s natural tranquilizers and sets the stage for high anxiety. Many of us learned to associate relaxation with irresponsibility, so we might need some rewiring.

These are some tips I’ve learned to try:

·      Don’t overdo it.Understand your limits. If you think you have no limits, then you have more than most people.

·      Once you reach your limits, stop. Don’t work until you drop. Find a pace of life that works for you, and stick to it.

·      Maintain regular breaks during the day. Naps are biblical.

·      Give your mind a rest from technology. Turn off, unplug, detach from social media, news and all the tech toys that deplete energy.

·      Learn to relax. To relax is to disengage and let go. An hour or daylong Sabbath is not the time to catch up with work. It is a time to entrust my work to God. After all, He worked for six days and then rested. The world didn’t fall apart. It won’t for me either.

God promised to supply the Hebrews with manna each day. But He told them to collect only one day’s supply at a time. Those who disobeyed and collected enough for two days found themselves with rotten manna. The only exception was the day prior to the Sabbath. On Friday, they could gather twice as much. Otherwise, God gave them what they needed, in their time of need.

Doesn’t each day have its share of challenges? Some of them repeat themselves over time; others are one-day specials.

I’ve learned the key to tranquility and true rest is to face today’s problems and no more, to treat each day like a self-contained unit. Here are today’s problems. Meet them with God’s strength. But I don’t have to start tackling tomorrow’s problems until tomorrow. I don’t have tomorrow’s strength yet. I simply have enough for today. And I can’t cross a bridge until I reach it.

So what to do?

Find a parking place for tomorrow’s problems. When they surface, write them down, and mentally drive them into a parking garage and leave them there.

Don’t over-stress your coping skills. Emotional energy is finite. Give yourself permission to say, “I will solve this tomorrow. By sunrise I will be replenished physically and mentally. Every day is a fresh start, so I will start fresh in the morning.”

Shut the gate on yesterday, and don’t touch the gate on tomorrow.

You no longer have yesterday. You do not yet have tomorrow. You only have today. Live in it!

Dear Lord, break me of the need to be busy pursuing a sense of self-worth. Make me secure in who You are and who You’ve made me to be, and as a result, teach me what it means to truly rest. Help me catch my breath. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Editor’s note: This content was adapted from the original article “Catch Your Breath” for Encouragement for Today

God loves you

God Loves You!

by Kenneth Copeland

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16

Something’s missing. You feel it. You know it. You trust God’s power. You know His promises. But inside you’re wavering. How can you be sure He’ll come through for you?

To answer that question, you need more than a knowledge of God’s power and promises. You need a personal relationship with Him. You need a personal revelation of His love.

“For God so loved...that he gave...” (John 3:16). And He gave and He gave.

Everlasting, unconditional, never-failing love. God’s love. Our natural minds cannot grasp it. Yet Paul prayed in his letter to the Ephesians that we might “know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God” (Ephesians 3:19). How is that possible? How can we comprehend the incomprehensible?

We can’t! At least not with simple human understanding. To know something as vast as the love of God requires a revelation from the Holy Spirit.

Revelation is comprehension imparted into our spirits from the Holy Spirit and transmitted into our minds. It doesn’t pass from the head to the heart. It must come from the heart to the head.

The story of Abram is a perfect example. When God first began to make promises to Abram, he didn’t understand God’s love. Until God approached him, Abram had worshiped the moon—and the moon had certainly never seemed interested in doing anything for him. Then Abram encountered El Shaddai, the greatest being he had ever known, and the first thing El Shaddai wanted to do was give to him!

God wants to give to you. It is His desire that every person know His vast love for them. If you’ve never known God’s unconditional love, start the new year off right—ask Him for a personal revelation. If you’ve never asked Jesus to be the Lord of your life, ask Him into your heart. You can pray like this:

“O God in heaven, I come before You and ask for Your forgiveness for my sins. Jesus, I ask You to come into my life and save me. I make You Lord of my life. I give myself to You. I receive You into my life. I am a believer. Thank You, Lord.”

Now, walk by faith into His arms of love. Receive the revelation of His unconditional love for you. God really does love you.

Speak the Word

“God loves me so much that He gave His only Son for me. I believe in Jesus, therefore, I will not perish. I have everlasting life.” —John 3:16

Also, visit www.kcm.org/

walking in God's favor

You Are Highly Favored Because Of Jesus! by Joseph Prince

The Bible tells us that God has made us “accepted in the Beloved” (Ephesians 1:6). The “Beloved” here refers to Jesus and the word “accepted” in the original Greek text means “given special honor” or “highly favored.”

My friend, because you have Jesus who is God’s Beloved, and you are found in Him, you are also God’s beloved son or daughter, deeply loved and highly favored by Him!

Now, because you are highly favored by God in the Beloved, you can expect to have favor with your spouse, children, colleagues, clients and yes, even your in-laws!

When you speak, people listen. When you step into a room, it lights up. Everything you touch is blessed and increased.

Beloved, as the apple of God’s eye, expect good things to happen to you each day. Expect divine protection because His favor surrounds you like a shield. Expect every need to be met by the One who highly favors you. Expect good, because you are precious in His eyes!

psa. 44:3
The Race Is Not To The Swift

The world tells you that those with the qualifications, talents and experience get the jobs, promotions and high salaries.

My friend, though you live in this world, as God’s beloved child, you need not be limited by it. You have God’s grace—His unmerited, unearned, undeserved favor!

So even if you are not the smartest, strongest or best looking in the natural, God can still give you good success when you depend on His grace.

Instead of mulling over your “disqualifications,” be conscious of God’s favor on you. Smile and say, “God’s favor is all over me because of Jesus. I expect good things to happen to me today!”

Beloved, be conscious of His favor today. Believe it. Speak it. And you will experience it!

romans 8:16,17

It’s Time To Change Your Believing

I’m too young. I’m too old. I don’t have the relevant experience. They’re hiring only college graduates.

If you’re looking for a job and your mind is gripped by such thoughts, then you’re already defeated by your thoughts before you even step out to look for a job.

It’s time to change your believing!

A lady in her mid-fifties in my congregation, after hearing me share on this, changed her believing. She decided to put her trust in the Lord’s unmerited favor, got her résumé ready and sent it out by faith. That very week, she was called for interviews by two different companies, which led to two job offers! She picked one and has been gainfully employed.

Beloved, as God’s child, you are His heir and a joint heir with Christ. This means that you have the same unclouded favor that Jesus has. So step out in faith and expect His favor to open doors for you and give you the job or breakthrough you desire, regardless of your natural limitations!

deut. 28:8
Step Out By Faith Into Your Field Of Provision

In the Old Testament story of Ruth, we see a beautiful picture of what it’s like to walk in God’s favor.

Ruth, a Moabite widow, travels to Bethlehem with Naomi, her Jewish mother-in-law. Putting her faith in God’s favor, she sets out to find work gleaning in the wheat and barley fields. Because of her trust in the Lord’s favor, she ends up in the field of Boaz, a wealthy man of position in Bethlehem, and (unknown to her initially) a kinsman to Naomi.

As Ruth works in Boaz’s field, she sees plenty of grain and just picks it all up. It is the much-needed provision for herself and her mother-in-law. What Ruth doesn’t know is that Boaz has actually commanded his men to “let grain from the bundles fall purposely for her” (Ruth 2:16), because she had found favor in his eyes.

Isn’t it cool when Jesus, our heavenly Boaz, purposely commands the blessings on us, and tells His angels to drop them along our way? All we have to do is to go out into the “fields” and “pick them up.”

Beloved, because you have found favor in His eyes, the Lord is purposely dropping His blessings along your path every day. Like Ruth, all you have to do is to step out into your field of provision. With eyes of faith, see doors of opportunities opening before you. Have the courage to apply for that job or to go for that audition or much-needed holiday. Go forth and pick up those blessings the Lord has already laid before you. Your future is bright!

Get To Know Jesus More And More

The Bible gives us a secret to walking in favor and well-being in 2 Peter 1:2—“Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.” In the original Greek, it actually says, “...through the knowledge of our God and Savior Jesus Christ.”

So God’s unmerited favor and His shalom-peace (health, provision and total well-being) are multiplied in your life through the knowledge of JESUS. The more you know Jesus, the more you will be able to tap into the ever-flowing supply of His favor, healing and provision!

Beloved, every answer you need, whether it has to do with your finances, health, career or family life, is found in knowing more about Jesus in a personal and intimate way. I pray that every day, as you study the Scriptures or listen to Christ-centered sermons, the Holy Spirit will open your eyes to see more of Jesus—His beauty, His love and grace toward you, and His finished work at Calvary!

This article was created by Joseph Prince. Visit josephprince.com for more resources.