Tag: Matthew 11:28-30
Repentance and rest!
Scripture reading for August 1st: Jonah, Matthew 11
Matthew 11:20-22 “Then He began to denounce the cities where most of His mighty works had been done, because they did not repent. “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. But I tell you, it will be more bearable on the day of judgment for Tyre and Sidon than for you.”
Jesus called out those who were hard-hearted and resisted His Gospel message of faith and repentance preached with signs and wonders and significant miracles. The people saw the miracles and heard God’s call to repentance, but they resisted. Jesus said that the wicked cities of Chorazin, Tyre, and Sidon would have repented if those works were done in them. He stated that it would be more bearable for them on Judgment Day than for those who saw Jesus’ miracles and heard His message. Jesus called them to come to Him and find rest for their souls from the heavy yoke of sin and coming judgment.
Matthew 11:28-30 “Come to Me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”
Prayer: Father God, Thank You for sending Jesus, Your Son to draw us to repentance and faith and to show us Your heart of love for lost and hurting man. I have found the rest of coming to Jesus Christ and following Him. His yoke is easy and His burden is light! Use me today to share the Good News and call all to find rest in following Jesus Christ! Judgment Day is coming and our Father wants all saved!
Jonah 3:3-5 “So Jonah arose and went to Nineveh, according to the Word of the Lord. Now Nineveh was an exceedingly great city, three day’s journey in breadth. Jonah began to go into the city, going a day’s journey. And he called out, “Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!” And the people of Nineveh believed God. They called for a fast and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them to the least of them.”
Rejoicing in Rest!
Scripture reading for October 16th: Matthew 8-11
Key Scriptures: Matthew 11:28-30 “”Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
God had called out to His people through the prophets inviting them to find rest in Him. But the Jews rejected the invitation. Now Jesus called out to all those who were burdened by a load of guilt and sin as well as with the burden of religious rules and lack of knowledge of God. He invited all to come and learn from Him the way of grace and salvation. The desired rest was available and through the gentle and humble Jesus it would be provided to those who would receive!
Rejoicing to choose rest: Through Christ, we walk in the ancient path of obedience and find rest! “This is what the Lord says: “Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls. But you said, ‘We will not walk in it.’ I appointed watchmen over you and said, ‘Listen to the sound of the trumpet!’ But you said, ‘We will not listen.'” (Jeremiah 6:16-17)
God our Rock of rest!
Scripture reading for June 15th: Psalms 61-65
Key Scriptures: Psalm 62:5-8 “Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from Him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; He is my fortress, I will not be shaken. My salvation and my honor depend on God; He is my mighty rock, my refuge. Trust in Him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts to Him, for God is our refuge.” Selah
David encouraged himself in the Lord. He had healthy self-talk and healthy God-centered worship! We find him confessing rest in God alone in this psalm (vs 1) and then commanding his soul to find rest in God alone! (vs 5) He declared that God was his only hope of salvation and honor and his refuge! He encouraged all peoples to make God their refuge and cast their cares on Him!
Jesus calls us to rest in Him: “Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)
Rest for our journey!
Scripture reading for January 15th: Matthew 11
Key Scriptures: Matthew 11:28-30 “Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”
Many religions call for their followers to “work, work, work!” There are rules to keep and rituals to follow in order to please deity. Sometimes followers get tired and weary of all the works and rules and really never know when they have done enough to insure that they please their ‘gods.’
But Jesus did miracles of healing and provision proving who He was and how much God the Father loved people. He only asks His followers to believe on Him and follow. He invites all to come and rest in what He has done for them by paying for their salvation and fully pleasing God the Father by His own complete obedience. He asks His disciples to come to Him and learn about His heart to love and serve by receiving the Holy Spirit. Following Jesus is like rest for weary souls compared to the “work, work, work” of religion. His yoke is easy and His burden was light!
Observation for over-comers: Stay away from the religion of works! Rest in Jesus and learn from His humble and gentle heart of loving service. “My soul finds rest in God alone, my salvation comes from Him.” (Psalm 62:1)
God questions Job!
Scripture reading for June 2nd: Job 38-39
Job had been longing for an audience with God so that he could state his case. His friends had accused him of harboring sin in his life and being under God’s punishment. They had tried to define God’s ways and actions to him but Job needed to hear from God Himself! Job had maintained his integrity and faith in God but had lots of questions. Finally, Job got the desire of his heart!
God appeared to Job out of a storm or whirlwind. (Job 38:1) God’s first question was: “Who is this that darkens My counsel with words without knowledge?” (Job 38:2) I believe this was a word of rebuke for all of Job’s friends, particularly the last speaker, Elihu. (He claimed perfect knowledge in Job 36:4.) But God was also there to correct Job’s understanding!
The next four chapters are filled with questions that only God could answer. There are about seventy questions concerning the world God created and the animal kingdom. Job’s questions about why he was suffering were never answered. God only showed Job through these questions that He was in control and knew more about creation than we do. He implied that we do not need to know everything while here on earth. Just knowing God and his great power and total authority over all creation should give us hope and peace.
When it comes down to it, God’s wisdom and understanding make us look small indeed! To think that this God who created the vast heavens and unique earth would care about man is difficult to understand. I am humbled and amazed that God would come to Job and personally talk to him! It reminds me of Jesus Christ when he said: “Come to me all you who weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30) God is humble too! He stoops low to speak to us and teach us about Himself. We are blessed to learn and to hear His voice!
God speaks to Job!
Scripture reading for June 2nd: Job 38-39
Job had been longing for an audience with God so that he could state his case and find mercy. His friends had accused him of harboring sin in his life and being under God’s punishment. They had tried to define God’s ways and actions to him but Job had needed to hear from God Himself! Job had maintained his integrity and faith in God but had lots of questions for God. Finally, Job got the desire of his heart and it turned out differently than expected!
God appeared to Job out of a storm or whirlwind. (Job 38:1) God’s first question was: “Who is this that darkens My counsel with words without knowledge?” (Job 38:2) I feel that this is a strong word of rebuke for all of Job’s friends, particularly the last speaker, Elihu. (He claimed perfect knowledge in Job 36:4.) God was also there to correct Job’s understanding as well!
The next four chapters are filled with questions that only God can truly answer. There are about seventy questions about the world that God created and about the animal kingdom. God never answers Job’s questions about why he is suffering. He never tells Job his purposes for allowing the suffering. God only shows Job through these questions that He is in control and knows more about creation than we do. He implies that we do not need to know everything while here on earth. Just knowing God and his great power and total authority over all creation should give us hope and peace.
When it comes down to it, God’s wisdom and understanding make us look small indeed! To think that this God who created the vast heavens and unique earth would care about man is difficult to understand. I am humbled and amazed that God would come to Job and personally talk to him! It reminds me of Jesus Christ when he said: “Come to me all you who weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30) God is humble too! He stoops low to speak to us and teach us about Himself. We are blessed to learn and to hear His voice!