Pastor Lephen Kumar 0:22

Hello everyone . It gives me such a joy to bring God's word to you , and I have a message that God has laid in my heart

Invitation to Rest from Matthew 11:28-30

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to share with each and every one of you . This devotion is taken from Gospel according to Matthew 11" 28 to 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 . Let's pray , Father God , we want to thank you for your word . Your word is so comforting . We want to thank you because we can find so much of peace and comfort in your word . Lord , I pray that you would talk to us , touch our souls and touch our spirits . In Jesus' name , we ask this prayer , Amen .

Pastor Lephen Kumar 2:05

Well , this is a message . This is a message that Jesus is talking to probably a large multitude of people who are going through a very tough time . And in fact , if you will read the preceding passage , Jesus has some very strong words of judgment upon few towns of Galilee , and then also , he is being confronted by the Pharisees in relation to the observation of Sabbath . So this particular part of the passage , that is , Matthew 11: 28- 30 , is kind of sandwiched between something which is very stressful and something that is very strong . And in midst of all these conflicts , Jesus is offering something that is very precious , that is , rest . And this morning the devotion is titled as come and rest . Come and rest .

Pastor Lephen Kumar 3:41

So it's there are few very fundamental things as far as rest is concerned . The

Understanding Our Need for Rest

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first thing is that every one of us we long for rest , that state of mind or that state of being where we just want not to be bothered by anything . You know the worries of this world . There are so many things happening to us in relation to our health , relation to our career , situations in workplaces , things in relation to our marriages , our finances , things within family , village , community , nation at large . There are so many things happening around us that might bother us , but every one of us we need rest . We need rest because there are so many things that bother us , and so it's fundamental that all of us we need rest .

Pastor Lephen Kumar 4:55

And the second thing is , rest can be situational or rest could be a lifestyle need . Some of us , we might be going through a certain patch in our life , um , a season in our life where we need , uh , rest . You know just an example something happened to our child , you know , child got sick and you know . Or there are health situations that are kind of bothering us , you know so , so that we we are in a situation where we need rest . So it could be situational , but for some people it could be even lifestyle issue . You , we kind of get stressed with anything , everything that has kind of become so deep and innate for us that we get anxious for almost everything in our lives . So we need rest from you know . You know the lifestyle stress . It's not just situational but it's lifestyle stress .

Pastor Lephen Kumar 6:09

So rest can be situational , that we are looking for some rest , some peace , which is situational . And then there are some who might be seeking rest as a lifestyle need , and the third thing is that there are . That rest simply means to be at peace with your own self , be at peace with others , be at peace with others and be at peace with God , and when that happens that is called rest . You are at peace with yourself , who you are and how God has created you and you are at peace with what's happening to others and what's happening to your relationship with others , and also you are at peace with God in relation to how God is functioning . God is superior being and we cannot control himed . We are not in conflict . That's the state of rest that God is , that Jesus is inviting us this today . What is it that that's bothering you today ? What is it that you're so much stressful about from the passage that we have read ? I'm just going to quickly bring five things which can help us to find rest in Jesus , because he is the

Five Ways to Find Rest in Jesus

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one who is inviting us to this rest .

Pastor Lephen Kumar 7:57

The first thing is we will find rest when we go to Jesus and be with Him . When you read Matthew 11: 28 , he says come to me all you who are weary and burdened . I will be , give you rest . Underline that phrase Come to me , come to me . So there's an invitation . We will find rest when we take that step of going to him Because it's an invitation . We are asked to come to him .

Pastor Lephen Kumar 8:38

When you read Mark 3: 13- 14 , it says Jesus went up on a mountainside , called to him those he wanted and they came to him . He appointed 12 , that they might be with him , that he might send them out to preach , that they might be with him . He is calling us for a fellowship with him . We will find rest with him when we go to him . When we go to him , God wants to spend time with us . And when storms hit us or situations in life that kind of bothers us . Most often , you know , we are distracted . We are distracted . We just want to go after the world , we want to go after the things that bother us . And this moment of the time God is just inviting us to find rest in him , to be still and just to know him that he's in control . And he just wants us to have that fellowship , just to be with him , just to remain with him , so that we can enjoy his presence .

Pastor Lephen Kumar 10:06

Psalm 91" 1 , says whoever dwells in the shelter of the most high will rest , will rest . Underline that whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty , I will say of the Lord . He's my refuge and my fortress , my God , in whom I trust . And then , in Psalm 27 , verse 4 , David's Psalm , one thing I asked of the Lord . This is what I desire to dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life to gaze on the beauty of the Lord and seek him in his temple . So that's longing to have that fellowship with God , that desire , that strong urge to spend time with him . When he's openly inviting , he's saying come to me , he's giving that invitation . Why don't we go to him and be with him so that we can enjoy his company , enjoy this fellowship ?

Pastor Lephen Kumar 11:18

The second thing is , which is very important , rest is a fruit , an outcome of our relationship with God . So we get peace , we get rest . Our stress and anxiety comes down , goes down as a fruit , as an outcome of our relationship with God . Going back to that same scripture , Matthew 11: 28 . Come to me all who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest . Underline that phrase and I will give you rest . He will give . It's consequential , it's an outcome of come to me . I hope you're understanding . When we go to him , the fruit is that he gives us rest . It's just like we are in a storm , we are in a war and we want to be there . It's not possible to have rest there . We have to come out of that and be in the presence of God . Because he loves us and he wants to have our company . He wants to have our company . So rest and the peace we gain as an outcome of our relationship with him , the time that we spend with him .

Pastor Lephen Kumar 13:02

Romans 5" 1 to 5 , says this is Paul writing Romans 5 , 1 to 5 . Therefore , since we have been justified by faith , we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ . Through Him , we have also obtained access by faith into the grace in which we stand and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God . More than that , we rejoice in our sufferings , knowing that suffering produces endurance , and endurance produces character , character , produces hope . Hope does not put us to shame because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us . So because of that relationship , because we have that peace with God , because we relate with him , because of that relationship , so much of God's love is poured into us and more of God's love gives us that rest and peace .

Pastor Lephen Kumar 14:16

And the third thing we will find rest when we have God's way as our way . We will find rest when we have God's way as our way . Going back to that same scripture , Matthew 11: 29- 30 take my yoke upon you . Underline that phrase . Take my yoke upon you and learn from me , for I'm gentle and humble in heart , and you will find rest for your souls , for my yoke is easy and my burden is light . Underline that , for my yoke is easy and my burden is light . We will find rest when we have God's way as our way . So this is very interesting and I told you that example . You know that if you are in a war zone , it's very hard to find rest there , because what we are leaning on are things that kindle the storm , kindle the war , kindle the battle . That kind of triggers more battle . We have to come out of that war zone and be at a place where we can fellowship with God , where we can spend a meaningful time with him . It's not easy , it's difficult , but that's what God

Learning from Jesus Like Mary

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wants us to . God wants to see that happen in our life .

Pastor Lephen Kumar 16:01

One of the best example is the example of the prodigal son , which is recorded in Luke 15: 17- 20 . I'm going to read this for you . When he came to his senses he said how many of my father's hired servants have foot to spirit , and here I am starving to death . I will set out and go back to my father and say to him father , I have sinned against heaven and against you . I'm no longer worthy to be called your son . Make me like one of your hired servants .

Pastor Lephen Kumar 16:42

So he got up and went to his father . But while he was still a long way off , his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him . He ran to his son , threw his arms around him and kissed him . Do you see this ? He , when prodigal son , came to his senses . What is he realizing ? He's realizing that I need to leave this place and be with my father . Even if my father would treat me as a servant , I would rather prefer to be with my father . Isn't that amazing ? Isn't that amazing that when we are in relationship with God , we are in relationship with God , though God's ways are not that easy . We cannot probably agree with Him all the time , but even in that disagreement with God , when we trust Him as a creator , God as God who is sovereign , who can make a difference in our lives , and we make his way as our way , rather than asking him to follow us , if we follow him , I think we will find rest . We'll find rest Because we do not desire to be in conflict . And the fourth thing is we will find rest by learning from Jesus . We will find rest by learning from Jesus . Matthew 11" 29 take my yoke upon you and learn from me . Underline that phrase Learn from me , for I am gentle and humble in heart , and you will find rest .

Pastor Lephen Kumar 19:08

Learning learning is amazing . The more we learn , there are different ways we can learn . We can learn by reading the Word of God . We can learn by listening to others , experiences not just . Sometimes we just think that our experiences only matter . Yes , yes , that matters a but we can learn a lot from the experiences of other people , what they go through , how they deal with situations , when they go through difficult times in our lives . And here he's saying learn from me , learn from me . Saying learn from me , learn from me . We can learn a lot from the life and teachings of Jesus as recorded in the scripture .

Pastor Lephen Kumar 20:05

Luke 10: 38- 41 , says it's from the story of Mary and Martha . Luke 10: 38- 41 . As Jesus and his disciples were on their way , he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him . She had a sister called Mary , who sat at the Lord's feet listening to what he said , but Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made . She came to him and asked Lord , don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself ? Tell her to help me , Martha . Martha , the Lord answered you're worried and upset about many things , but few things are needed , and upset about many things , but few things are needed , or indeed only one .

Pastor Lephen Kumar 20:57

Mary has chosen what is better and it will not be taken away from her . Mary has chosen what is better . She has chosen to learn . Learn from Jesus , learn from Jesus , learn from Jesus . And I think learning should never cease . Learning should never come to an end . Can you take your situation , from what you are going through today , and take it to the Lord and ask him Lord , teach me your way , Lord , teach me , Lord , teach me , Lord , teach me . I want to learn , I want to learn from you , Lord , and the more we learn we will find that pain , that struggle , that difficulty that bothered us so much has actually , because of the learning has given us so much of rest , has given us so much of rest , and we all need rest . We all need rest . The fifth and the final thing is we will find rest when we know and accept the nature of God . We will find rest when we know and accept the nature of God . Going

Embracing God's Gentle Nature

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back to the same scripture , Matthew 11" 29 . Take my yoke upon you and learn from me , for I am gentle and humble in heart . Underline this phrase , for I am gentle and humble in heart and you will find rest . And you will find rest .

Pastor Lephen Kumar 22:50

One of the challenges that many of us we go through is having that picture of God that he's cruel , he's judgmental and he's out there to kill us . He's out there to give us trouble . I think many of us we need to come out of that understanding of God . He's a loving God , but understanding of God he's a loving God . If we , as parents , dad and mom , we are deeply hurt when our children are hurt , don't you think that creator God is more hurt when we go through difficulties and pain and struggle ? That's what Jesus is saying about himself , for I am gentle and humble in heart .

Pastor Lephen Kumar 23:45

Psalm 34: 8 , says taste and see that the Lord is good . Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him . Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him . Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him . It's very , very important to know God , to know that he's a loving father , to know that he cares for us , to know that he loves us , he cares for us , to know that he loves us , he cares for us , to know that he is with me . Emmanuel , God with us , he is with us , he is with us .

Pastor Lephen Kumar 24:29

Yes , all of us , we need rest , every one of us . We need rest , and Jesus is inviting us to him that we spend time with him and find that rest . We will find rest when we go to Jesus and remain with him , fellowship with him . We will find rest as an outcome , as a fruit of our relationship with God . We will find rest when we have God's way as our way . Some of us , we need to make that choice , that decision , completely surrendering our own selves to God , and say that , God , I just want to rely on your way and just to trust in him that he has good plans for us . We will find rest by learning from Jesus , and we can learn through the word of God , through the experiences of people , through spending time reading the word and praying . We will find rest when we know and accept the nature of God , that God is a loving God . He cares for us .

Pastor Lephen Kumar 26:00

Let's pray , Father God , we want to thank you so much for your grace upon our lives . We want to thank you because you're loving , you're caring , you're loving , you're caring . Lord , I pray if there is any listener today who is disappointed , discouraged , disheartened , going through so much anxiety and stress . Lord , I ask for your comforting peace . Lord , I ask for your strength . Lord , I ask you that you would hold their hand and lead them . I pray , Lord , that you comfort them . Lord ,

Closing Prayer and Blessing

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help us that we will grow in your love , grow in knowing you more and more . Be with every one of us . In Jesus name , we ask this prayer Amen , Amen . May God bless all .