Welcome to Day 2239 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.

This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom

Hebrews-6 Stop Churning and Start Resting – Daily Wisdom

Putnam Church Message – 05/21/2023 “Stop Churning and Start Resting” Hebrews 4:1-11 Last, we continued our extended series through the book of Hebrews in the New Testament. We learned that we should “Beware of a Hard Heart” caused by neglecting to follow God, which will prevent us from entering into His rest. Today in Hebrews 4:1-11 we will extend that thought as we learn how to “Stop Churning and Start Resting.” Let’s begin by reading today’s passage. Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it. For we also have had the good news proclaimed to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because they did not share the faith of those who obeyed. Now we who have believed enter that rest, just as God has said, “So I declared on oath in my anger, ‘They shall never enter my rest.’” And yet his works have been finished since the creation of the world. For somewhere he has spoken about the seventh day in these words: “On the seventh day God rested from all his works.” And again in the passage above he says, “They shall never enter my rest.” Therefore since it still remains for some to enter that rest, and since those who formerly had the good news proclaimed to them did not go in because of their disobedience, God again set a certain day, calling it “Today.” This he did when a long time later he spoke through David, as in the passage already quoted: “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.” For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken later about another day. There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; ¹⁰ for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works, just as God did from his. Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience. I’m convinced that if our civilization were to be uncovered by curious archaeologists thousands of years from now, they would see relics of an anxious society. Vacation destinations provide havens for those approaching the critical zone of “burnout.” Treatment facilities house countless victims of mental, emotional, and physical breakdowns. Therapists help calm the fretful, and physicians routinely prescribe antidepressants and antianxiety medications. Unfortunately, our generation is marked by all the ingredients of a society dominated by anxiety, including apprehension, uneasiness, worry, and dread. The word I like to use to describe it is churning. Like the churning of your stomach when you have severe intestinal flu. Churning keeps you awake in the wee hours of the morning, ruins your day by robbing you of focus, and drives some to the brink of dangerous despair. The only solution to churning is resting. When you think of “resting,” what kinds of images come to mind? How about sleeping in late on a lazy Saturday morning? An unhurried afternoon at the beach? Grilling burgers in the backyard with some friends? Perhaps a leisurely drive through the countryside or an overnight at a cozy cabin? Hiking in the mountains or fishing by a lazy river? These idyllic images are characterized by either low-stress, no-pressure, reduced-tension activities; or calm, serene, restful inactivity. Ahhhhhh. Our bodies and minds scream for these brief intermissions from the unending drama of life. The same is true of our souls, but unlike our bodies and minds that will break down and refuse to go on without rest, the outcry of the “inner person” is often drowned out by the bustle of busyness. But the good news is that spiritual rest is available. It doesn’t require us to fly to some tropical paradise, rent a mountain cabin, or pay a masseuse to work out the knots. As we learn in Hebrews 4:1–11, God has made provision for us to enjoy daily spiritual rest. The problem is; that seemingly few believers enter into that rest. 4:1 In the Old Testament, God had promised the people of Israel that they could enter and possess the land of Canaan, attaining rest from their wanderings and enemies. Instead of accepting His promise and responding in obedience, they resisted Him in hardness of heart and unbelief. They exchanged abundant joy and refreshing rest with generation after generation of anxious churning. What a tragedy! God offered them rest. They refused it. It is equally tragic that when God extends the same offer of rest to believers today, they often disregard it. Based on the consequences of unbelief described in last week’s message from 3:7–19, the author of Hebrews issues another invitation for his readers to stop churning and start resting (4:1–11), beginning with a warning in 4:1. The opening conjunction, “Therefore,” indicates that he is exploring a logical conclusion of his previous discussion of Israel’s failure to embrace the rest available to them. They had come so close to entering the Promised Land. They could literally see it! But instead of becoming emboldened by faith, by belief, they were filled with fear. But doesn’t Hebrews 4:1 say, “Let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it?” So the NLT puts it, “So we ought to tremble with fear that some of you might fail to experience it.” Yes, we must fear God with all honor, respect, and reverence. But, like the ancient Hebrews, we must not fear worldly obstacles flung into our paths. Instead, we fear God and keep His commands in faith/belief despite numerous distractions and obstructions. The “fear” mentioned in Hebrews 4:1 refers to a healthy respect for the dire consequences of faithlessness, unbelief, and disobedience to God (4:1) since the promise of entering his rest still stands. And grave danger looms for those who halfheartedly reach for rest or turn back at the offer, either by believing in other gods, self, or no god. But what kind of rest is the author of Hebrews writing about? Physical? Emotional? Mental? The author refers to a present reality available for believers—a spiritual condition affecting our inner peace, joy, and hope. This concept of a spiritual “place of rest” is explained in 4:2–8. 4:2–8 God doesn’t post warning signs without also posting directions. Immediately following the warning against falling short of the spiritual resting place God offers His people (4:1), the writer of Hebrews provides three guideposts that point God’s people toward the place of rest. We might call this the GPS for entering the place of rest. So, what does it take for believers to enter the rest God has for them? First, entering God’s rest takes the right formula (4:2–3). Now, I don’t want you to get the wrong idea here. The Christian life isn’t “three steps to this,” “five ways to that,” or “seven stages for getting from A to Z.” I don’t like formulaic approaches to the Christian life that obscure the fact that it is an exciting, dynamic relationship with the living God. However, in 4:2–3, we find a straightforward equation for entering into the rest God has for us: HEARING + BELIEVING = RESTING. The author of Hebrews clarifies that simply hearing good preaching doesn’t enable anybody to enter into spiritual rest—rest from fear, melancholy, or stress. In my experience, some of the best-taught, most knowledgeable people are sometimes the most anxious or tense people I’ve known. For example, the Israelites with Moses had heard the promise of entering the land of Canaan. Still, it did them no good because they failed to embrace (believe) the promises by faith (4:2). Had they truly believed, they would have acted with confidence. Similarly, Christians, having been called from their own spiritual Egypt of slavery to sin, can find themselves wandering in the wilderness because they fail to trust God to deliver them to the place of rest He established for them before the foundation of the world (4:3). Confidence comes through completely trusting God and resting in Him. If we ignore the formula (hearing + believing = resting), there will be no rest, only wandering. Because the principle of faith/belief undergirds everything God does in the lives of His people, failure to respond to His Word by faith/belief and failing to obey His commands by faith/belief will result in His discipline rather than His blessing (4:3). Second, entering God’s rest takes the right attitude (4:4–6). Hebrews 4:3 concluded with a statement that requires some reflection. I like the rendering in the NLT: “This rest has been ready since he made the world.” God’s rest was part of His creation and His Global Eden, which is already here, but not yet fully manifested. The author of Hebrews unpacks this for us by returning to the creation account in Genesis and one of the Psalms. The discussion of “rest” prompted the writer to think of God’s work of creating the world in six days before resting on the seventh day (Heb. 4:4; Gen. 2:2). Now God sits in His place of rest with open arms, inviting us to intimate communion with Him. He has completed the work for us in Christ so we can rest in Him. God never intended to enjoy a solitary rest from His labors. Instead, he flung open the gates of fellowship for all who would surrender their labors and striving and embrace His rest by faith and belief. However, the ancient Israelites didn’t get this. When they crossed the Sinai wilderness and approached the Promised Land at the southern border of Kadesh-Barnea, the Lord’s open arms were met with fear and trembling. They saw giants in the land, obstacles too great, and pitfalls too deep. Their lack of faith (belief) led to a failure to obey. They wouldn’t enter the land. In His frustration and anger at their unbelief, this is why God pronounced, “They shall never enter my rest,” (Heb. 4:5). Likewise, our weakening, waning, and waffling faith can do us in if we turn our backs on God and reject Him. The most insignificant obstruction in our path can look like an insurmountable barrier. The puniest critic of our faith can seem like an angry giant. But instead of fearing the things of this world, we should link arms with the Lord and let Him lead us (Ps. 23:4), “Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me.” According to the author of Hebrews (Heb. 4:6), “So God’s rest is there for people to enter.” All we need is to trust Him in His word and believe He will act on His promises. Third, entering God’s rest takes the right timing (4:7–8). These two verses are the main reason I understand the “rest” discussed by the author to refer to a present spiritual condition achieved in this life by faith (4:7). So God set another time for entering his rest, and that time is today. Not tomorrow, next week, or next year, because every day is today! We need to choose daily to dwell in His rest continually. When we hear His voice, we have a choice: harden our hearts in unbelief and disobedience, or soften our hearts in faith/belief and action. This is a constant, ongoing, every-moment decision—not a one-time event in the past or future. The Israelites failed to enter God’s physical rest in the Promised Land because they lacked faith; they did not believe. And even though Joshua led the next generation into the Promised Land, the psalmist shows there was another, more excellent type of rest. Just as the ancient Hebrews could have stepped into the Promised Land and taken complete possession through their faith/belief, Christians today can find rest for their souls in the Lord Jesus at any moment—and every moment—of their spiritual life. So the invitation of Jesus still stands, which is two of the sweetest verses in the Bible, Matt 11:28-29, “Then Jesus said, ‘Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” Ahhh. Nothing is more peaceful than a soul at rest. 4:9–11 The same kind of rest God entered after His work of creation “remains” for us. All we need to do to enter that rest is surrender our anxieties—to take God at His word. Just as God created everything for us to enjoy during His “Sabbath rest,” He has done everything necessary to experience spiritual peace today. Think of it as a reserved seat at a great banquet. God has purchased and prepared the meal, set the table, and opened the doors. By sending His Son, He accomplished the work of salvation. /By sending the Spirit to dwell in us and empower us, He has given us the means of taking Him at His word. 2 Peter 1:3 says, “By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence.” The author of Hebrews then concludes this section where he began: warning his readers with the example of Israel’s failure to enter the “rest” of the Promised Land. With all the labor accomplished on our behalf and nothing required of us but belief, no one should fall short of entering spiritual rest (Heb. 4:11). Yet he also clarifies that even receiving a free offer requires a decision, a choice, an act of the will. He commands the Hebrew believers to “make every effort” to enter the rest available. This is stronger language than merely exhorting, encouraging, or persuading. The author of Hebrews knows that old habits die hard. Even though all believers should be eager to cross the border into the Promised Land and begin experiencing rest for their souls, our natural tendency—motivated by self-sufficiency, fear, and rebellion—is to linger at the line. But the author of Hebrews couldn’t be more direct in his appeal. He’s telling all of us today to stop churning, and to start resting. Application: Hebrews 4:1–11 Overcoming the Enemies of Rest Have you entered the rest that the author of Hebrews wrote about? Or are you still on the other side of the Jordan, wandering in the wilderness of worry about the future, regrets over the past, or frustrations with the present? Have you crossed into the promised rest, or are you pacing back and forth, biting your nails over the giant obstacles in your path of spiritual progress? The ancient Israelites saw several obstacles that frightened them and prevented them from embracing God’s promises and entering His rest. I can think of two main enemies that stand in the way of our entrance into the spiritual peace, joy, and hope that gives us rest in a weary land: panic and pride. The first enemy, panic, says, “You’re not going to make it!” When panic kicks in, we begin to see our problems as so big that not even God can handle them. But think about it: If our God can take the formless and void world of Genesis 1:2 and organize and fill it in six days, then He can organize your chaos and fill your needs in six seconds! So when panic looms on the border of God’s place of spiritual rest, resist it! Instead, enter into His rest today. Don’t wait until you’re overwhelmed. Romans 12:1-2 says, “And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.” (And I might add, restful.) The second enemy, pride, says, “You can handle your problems on your own.” When pride shows up, it convinces us that we don’t need God’s help. We don’t need His rest. With a little more effort, self-motivation, and personal endurance, we can overcome our struggles right here in the wilderness. But as Proverbs 16:18 tells us: “Pride goes before destruction, and haughtiness before a fall.” So, instead of succumbing to the specter of pride, release it! Enter into His place of rest. Don’t try to establish your own place of rest. To enter God’s rest today, replace panic and pride with peace. In prayer, offer God your fears, worries, pains, and problems. Do it now! God again set a certain day, calling it “Today.” He’ll make good on His promise and replace your fretting with resting. Then stand in that rest. Resist the temptation to go back, try to work things out on your own, or give in to this fallen world's chaos. Begin each morning with a new resolve to enter His rest. Lamentations 3:22-24 The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning. I say to myself, “The Lord is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in him!” So today, make it your choice to Stop Churning and Start Resting. Next, we will continue our series on our adventure through the book of Hebrews. The first section will last seven weeks and is about “Christ Is Superior in His Person.” Next week, the message title will be “Spiritual Surgery By a Sympathetic Surgeon.” So please read Hebrews 4:12-16 for next week’s message. Thank you for joining me on this leg of our Wisdom-Trek. I hope these verses have inspired you to actively embrace wisdom’s call and make her a daily presence in your journey. As we continue our journey, may we navigate life’s challenges with wisdom and grace. If

Welcome to Day: 2239

This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom

Hebrews-6 Stop Churning and Start Resting – Daily Wisdom

/: 2023

“Stop Churning and Start Resting” Hebrews 4:1-11

ng today’s passage on pages: 1865

 1 Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it. 2 For we also have had the good news proclaimed to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because they did not share the faith of those who obeyed.[a] 3 Now we who have believed enter that rest, just as God has said,

“So I declared on oath in my anger,

‘They shall never enter my rest.’”[b]

And yet his works have been finished since the creation of the world. 4 For somewhere he has spoken about the seventh day in these words: “On the seventh day God rested from all his works.”[c] 5 And again in the passage above he says, “They shall never enter my rest.”

6 Therefore since it still remains for some to enter that rest, and since those who formerly had the good news proclaimed to them did not go in because of their disobedience, 7 God again set a certain day, calling it “Today.” This he did when a long time later he spoke through David, as in the passage already quoted:

“Today, if you hear his voice,

do not harden your hearts.”[d]

8 For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken later about another day. 9 There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; 10 for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works,[e] just as God did from his. 11 Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience.

 

I’m convinced that if our civilization were to be uncovered by curious archaeologists thousands of years from now, they would see relics of an anxious society. Vacation destinations provide havens for those approaching the critical zone of “burnout.” Treatment facilities house countless victims of mental,/ emotional, /and physical breakdowns. /Therapists help calm the fretful, and physicians routinely prescribe antidepressants and antianxiety medications. Unfortunately, our generation is marked by all the ingredients of a society dominated by anxiety, including apprehension, uneasiness, worry, and dread. The word I like to use to describe it is churning. Like the churning of your stomach when you have severe intestinal flu. Churning keeps you awake in the wee hours of the morning, ruins your day by robbing you of focus, and drives some to the brink of dangerous despair.

The only solution to churning is resting.

When you think of “resting,” what kinds of images come to mind? How about sleeping in late on a lazy Saturday morning? An unhurried afternoon at the beach? Grilling burgers in the backyard with some friends? Perhaps a leisurely drive through the countryside or an overnight at a cozy cabin? Hiking in the mountains or fishing by a lazy river? These idyllic images are characterized by either low-stress, no-pressure, reduced-tension activities; or calm, serene, restful inactivity. Ahhhhhh. Our bodies and minds scream for these brief intermissions from the unending drama of life.

The same is true of our souls, but unlike our bodies and minds that will break down and refuse to go on without rest, the outcry of the “inner person” is often drowned out by the bustle of busyness. But the good news is that spiritual rest is available. It doesn’t require us to fly to some tropical paradise, rent a mountain cabin, or pay a masseuse to work out the knots. As we learn in Hebrews 4:1–11, God has made provision for us to enjoy daily spiritual rest. The problem is; that seemingly few believers enter into that rest.

4:1

In the Old Testament, God had promised the people of Israel that they could enter and possess the land of Canaan, attaining rest from their wanderings and enemies. Instead of accepting His promise and responding in obedience, they resisted Him in hardness of heart and unbelief. They exchanged abundant joy and refreshing rest / with generation after generation of anxious churning. What a tragedy! God offered them rest. They refused it. It is equally tragic that when God extends the same offer of rest to believers today, they often disregard it.

Based on the consequences of unbelief described in last week’s message from 3:7–19, the author of Hebrews issues another invitation for his readers to stop churning and start resting (4:1–11), beginning with a warning in 4:1. The opening conjunction, “Therefore,” indicates that he is exploring a logical conclusion of his previous discussion of Israel’s failure to embrace the rest available to them. They had come so close to entering the Promised Land. They could literally see it! But instead of becoming emboldened by faith, by belief, they were filled with fear.

But doesn’t Hebrews 4:1 say let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it? So the NLT puts it, so we ought to tremble with fear that some of you might fail to experience it.

Yes, we must fear God with all honor, respect, and reverence. But, like the ancient Hebrews, we must not fear worldly obstacles flung into our paths. Instead, we fear God and keep His commands in faith/belief despite numerous distractions and obstructions. The “fear” mentioned in Hebrews 4:1 refers to a healthy respect for the dire consequences of faithlessness, unbelief, and disobedience to God. (4:1),  since the promise of entering his rest still stands. And grave danger looms for those who halfheartedly reach for rest / or turn back at the offer, either by believing in other gods, self, or no god. (break)

But what kind of rest is the author of Hebrews writing about? Physical? Emotional? Mental? The author refers to a present reality available for believers—a spiritual condition affecting our inner peace, joy, and hope. This concept of a spiritual “place of rest” is explained in 4:2–8.

4:2–8

God doesn’t post warning signs without also posting directions. Immediately following the warning against falling short of the spiritual resting place God offers His people (4:1), the writer of Hebrews provides three guideposts that point God’s people toward the place of rest. We might call this the GPS for entering the place of rest. So, what does it take for believers to enter the rest God has for them?

(Bulletin Insert)

First, entering God’s rest takes the right formula (4:2–3). Now, I don’t want you to get the wrong idea here. The Christian life isn’t “three steps to this,” “five ways to that,” or “seven stages for getting from A to Z.” I don’t like formulaic approaches to the Christian life that obscure the fact that it is an exciting, dynamic relationship with the living God. However, in 4:2–3, we find a straightforward equation for entering into the rest God has for us: HEARING + BELIEVING = RESTING.

The author of Hebrews clarifies that simply hearing good preaching doesn’t enable anybody to enter into spiritual rest—rest from fear, melancholy, or stress. In my experience, some of the best-taught, most knowledgeable people are sometimes the most anxious or tense people I’ve known. For example, the Israelites with Moses had heard the promise of entering the land of Canaan. Still, it did them no good because they failed to embrace (believe) the promises by faith (4:2). Had they truly believed, they would have acted with confidence. Similarly, Christians, having been called from their own spiritual Egypt of slavery to sin, can find themselves wandering in the wilderness because they fail to trust God to deliver them to the place of rest_He established for them before the foundation of the world (4:3). Confidence comes through completely trusting God and resting in Him.

If we ignore the formula (hearing + believing = resting), there will be no rest, only wandering. Because the principle of faith/belief undergirds everything God does in the lives of His people, failure to respond to His Word by faith/belief and failing to obey His commands by faith/belief will result in His discipline rather than His blessing (4:3).

Second, entering God’s rest takes the right attitude (4:4–6). Hebrews 4:3 concluded with a statement that requires some reflection. I like the rendering in the NLT: “this rest has been ready since he made the world. God’s rest was part of His creation and His Global Eden, which is already here, but not yet fully manifested. The author of Hebrews unpacks this for us by returning to the creation account in Genesis and one of the Psalms. The discussion of “rest” prompted the writer to think of God’s work of creating the world in six days before resting on the seventh day (Heb. 4:4; Gen. 2:2). Now God sits in His place of rest with open arms, inviting us to intimate communion with Him. He has completed the work for us in Christ so we can rest in Him. God never intended to enjoy a solitary rest from His labors. Instead, he flung open the gates of fellowship for all who would surrender their labors and striving and embrace His rest by faith and belief.

However, the ancient Israelites didn’t get this. When they crossed the Sinai wilderness and approached the Promised Land at the southern border of Kadesh-Barnea, the Lord’s open arms were met with fear and trembling. They saw giants in the land, obstacles too great, and pitfalls too deep. Their lack of faith (belief) led to a failure to obey. They wouldn’t enter the land. In His frustration and anger at their unbelief, this is why God pronounced,  “They shall never enter my rest.” (Heb. 4:5).

Likewise, our weakening, waning, and waffling faith can do us in if we turn our backs on God and reject Him. The most insignificant obstruction in our path can look like an insurmountable barrier. The puniest critic of our faith can seem like an angry giant. But instead of fearing the things of this world, we should link arms with the Lord and let Him lead us. (Ps. 23:4). “Even when I walk through the darkest valley,  I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me.” According to the author of Hebrews (Heb. 4:6). So God’s rest is there for people to enter. All we need is to trust Him in His word and believe He will act on His promises.

 

Third, entering God’s rest takes the right timing (4:7–8). These two verses are the main reason I understand the “rest” discussed by the author to refer to a present spiritual condition achieved in this life by faith. (4:7). So God set another time for entering his rest, and that time is today. Not tomorrow, next week, or next year, because every day is today! We need to choose daily to dwell in His rest continually. When we hear His voice, we have a choice: harden our hearts in unbelief and disobedience, or soften our hearts in faith/belief and action. This is a constant, ongoing, every-moment decision—not a one-time event in the past or future.

est verses in the Bible, Matt: 11:28

4:9–11

The same kind of rest God entered after His work of creation “remains” for us. All we need to do to enter that rest is surrender our anxieties—to take God at His word. Just as God created everything for us to enjoy during His “Sabbath rest,” He has done everything necessary to experience spiritual peace today. Think of it as a reserved seat at a great banquet. God has purchased and prepared the meal, set the table, and opened the doors. By sending His Son,/ He accomplished the work of salvation. /By sending the Spirit to dwell in us and empower us,/ He has given us the means of taking Him at His word. 2 Peter 1:3 says, By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence.

The author of Hebrews then concludes this section where he began: warning his readers with the example of Israel’s failure to enter the “rest” of the Promised Land. With all the labor accomplished on our behalf and nothing required of us but belief, no one should fall short of entering spiritual rest (Heb. 4:11). Yet he also clarifies that even receiving a free offer requires a decision,/ a choice, / an act of the will. He commands the Hebrew believers to “make every effort” to enter the rest available. This is stronger language than merely exhorting, encouraging, or persuading. The author of Hebrews knows that old habits die hard.

Even though all believers should be eager to cross the border into the Promised Land and begin experiencing rest for their souls, our natural tendency—motivated by self-sufficiency, fear, and rebellion—is to linger at the line. But the author of Hebrews couldn’t be more direct in his appeal. He’s telling all of us today to stop churning, and to start resting.

APPLICATION: HEBREWS 4:1–11

Overcoming the Enemies of Rest (Bulletin)

Have you entered the rest that the author of Hebrews wrote about? Or are you still on the other side of the Jordan, wandering in the wilderness of worry about the future, regrets over the past, or frustrations with the present? Have you crossed into the promised rest, or are you pacing back and forth, biting your nails over the giant obstacles in your path of spiritual progress?

The ancient Israelites saw several obstacles that frightened them and prevented them from embracing God’s promises and entering His rest. I can think of two main enemies that stand in the way of our entrance into the spiritual peace, joy, and hope that gives us rest in a weary land: panic and pride.

The first enemy, panic, says, “You’re not going to make it!” When panic kicks in, we begin to see our problems as so big that not even God can handle them. But think about it: If our God can take the formless and void world of Genesis 1:2 and organize and fill it in six days, then He can organize your chaos and fill your needs in six seconds! So when panic looms on the border of God’s place of spiritual rest, resist it! Instead, enter into His rest today. Don’t wait until you’re overwhelmed. Romans 12:1-2 And so, dear brothers and sisters,[a] I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him.[b] 2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. (and I might add, restful.)

e wilderness. But as Proverbs: 16:18

To enter God’s rest today, replace panic and pride with peace. In prayer, offer God your fears, worries, pains, and problems. Do it now! (7) God again set a certain day, calling it “Today.” He’ll make good on His promise and replace your fretting with resting. Then stand in that rest. Resist the temptation to go back, try to work things out on your own, or give in to this fallen world's chaos. Begin each morning with a new resolve to enter His rest. Lamentations 3:22-24

The faithful love of the Lord never ends![b]

His mercies never cease.

23 Great is his faithfulness;

his mercies begin afresh each morning.

24 I say to myself, “The Lord is my inheritance;

therefore, I will hope in him!”

So today, make it your choice to Stop Churning and Start Resting.

Next Sunday, we will continue our series on our adventure through the book of Hebrews. The first section will last seven weeks and is about “Christ is Superior in His Person,” Next week, the message title will be “Spiritual Surgery By A Sympathetic Surgeon.” So please read Hebrews 4:12-16 for next week’s message.