In this verse we find three assurances from God that enables us to rest in the Lord.

I know you by name: God tells us: He knows who you are, where you’re at and what makes you tick. God knows everything there is to know about you and He is in control of everything that will affect your life. We can rest in the assurance that an all-powerful, all-loving God knows us by name, and that means that we can resign as General Manager of the Universe and surrender control of our life to God.

You have found Favor with Me: God tells us that the smile of His favor is upon you. We can rest in the settled assurance of His unfailing love. We can “Cast all your cares upon Him because He really does care for you”

My Presence will go with you: You can rest in the assurance that God is with you and will never leave, never abandon you, God can never forfeit His faithfulness

People who have learned to rest in the Lord are not only assured that God is with them and will never leave them, but they are marked by a sense of His presence. When you spend time in God’s presence, you come away with the residue of His presence on you, the fragrance of God. Prayer is like sunbathing. When you spend a lot of time in the sun, people notice it. You look different. People know right away that you’ve been in the sun. Spending time in the presence of God also makes you look different, makes you act differently and people notice the difference right away. And the sense of His presence is marked by rest.

For some people being a Christian is WHAT THEY DO, but for others it is marked by WHO THEY ARE, to be around them is to be at rest. They are like a soothing medicine and refreshing breeze. They exude love, grace, peace and joy. People like that have hearts that go deep in God, the roots of their faith go down deep where they experience the nourishment of God’s presence. People find refuge under their branches and are nourished by the fruit of their lives.

Deep roots take time. You can’t live a hurried, frenzied lifestyle and expect to have roots that go deep in God. DOESN’T mean you have to QUIT your job and become a MONK. It DOES mean that you have to cultivate unhurried time in the presence of God

If you want to become like Jesus, it won’t come by simply imitating His behaviors. You can imitate a person’s mannerisms and behaviors without ever becoming like them. The way to become like someone is to hang around with them, spend time with them, fellowship with them. Over time, you will begin to think like them, act like them, talk like then, even look like them. The same is true in our relationship to God.

Motherhood is a rewarding but complicated calling and you will hear through these moms testimonies how the promises of God have impacted them.

The panel will consist of Nancy Geraghty, Sandy DelGrande and Sheila Fields, who all have a unique and compelling story to share. Moderating the panel will be Kathleen Temple. Join us for this special morning.

“Come to Me”
What do you naturally turn to when you feel stressed, exhausted, depleted? Food, shopping, TV, alcohol or pills…or some other form of escape? Isaiah reminds us that “Those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength.”

What people with overloaded lives need more than anything else is more time with God! “He strengthens us with the power of the Holy Spirit in the inner man” (Eph. 3:16). The antidote for overloaded lives is not a PLAN for time-management, not a PROGRAM for stress reduction, not a PHILOSOPHY for simplifying your life—the antidote is a PERSON! Ultimately, rest is found in a person—Jesus Christ. He is the Lord of the Sabbath. Sabbath points us beyond a day to a person, to rest in the finished work of Christ.

“Take my yoke upon you” (i.e. give up control)
The reason why many people are overloaded is because they have to control it all. They have to pull all the strings, micromanage every detail, and have a finger in every pie. They need to turn to Jesus and then put His yoke on. At first, this doesn’t sound like an antidote, it sounds like another burden, another weight.

A yoke joins two animals together as a team to SHARE the burden and LIGHTEN the load. A yoke is a symbol of partnership. Jesus is inviting us to partner together with Him in His purposes. Often, we keep trying to get Jesus to help us fulfill our plans, purposes and agendas. Instead Jesus invites us to partner together with Him in His plans, purposes and agendas.

The yoke is a symbol of giving up control. When you’re yoked with Christ you both move in the same direction at the same pace. And Jesus sets the direction and pace! When you’re going in His direction at His pace, you find rest for your soul. Who’s setting the direction and pace of your life, society or Jesus?

“My yoke fits you perfectly”
God has a custom-fitted plan and purpose for your life. His yoke is perfectly fitted for you to take you in the direction of God’s purpose for your life, at a pace that perfectly fits you. Jesus doesn’t take us all in the same direction or at the same pace.

Don’t try to wear someone else’s yoke. Don’t let others determine the direction or pace of your life, let Jesus do that. And don’t let world squeeze you into its mold, learn from Jesus and find rest for your soul.

When we’re stressed, overloaded and fatigued, we view rest as a means of escaping the pressures. We think we need a vacation but usually, what we need is not a vacation but a spiritual realignment.
– We lose sight of what’s ultimately important and our priorities get out of whack
– We find ourselves tyrannized by the urgent, and end up marginalizing the ultimately unimportant
– We forget that there is a God in heaven—and it’s not us
– We forget that God is the source of our identity, value and worth—not our job
– We forget that God is the Creator, Sustainer, Provider and Protector

We need regular spiritual realignments including attitude realignments, priority realignments, value realignments, and perspective realignments. We need to be reminded of who’s God in our life and who isn’t. We need to be reminded of what’s central in my life and what isn’t. We need to be reminded of what’s ultimately important and what isn’t.

One of the most neglected automotive maintenance procedures is the front end alignment. Between potholes and curbs and bumpy roads, it’s very easy for the front end of our automobile to get out of alignment. And when the front end is out of alignment, the car is imbalanced, the tires wear unevenly, and the car pulls us in a direction we don’t want to go.
Because of the bumps and knocks that we experience in life, very often our attitude gets knocked out of alignment, or our priorities, or our perspective. We begin to live imbalanced lives, we’re worn out, and we’re being pulled in directions we don’t want to go.

Remember, the Sabbath did not originate with the Law of Moses, it goes back to the creation of the world. “God created the universe in six days and then rested on the seventh day.” Why? God didn’t stop because He was tired; He stopped because He was done! “It’s finished. It’s completed. It’s done.” And so God rested. God says: You can rest in the completeness of My work in your life. You can proceed to take dominion over the earth, but do it from a position of rest, trusting in the care, provision and protection of the God who created you. He is your Creator, Provider, Sustainer, Deliverer, Healer, Redeemer and Shepherd. He is the Source of your identity, value and worth. He is your Provider, He is your Empowerer, He is our Promoter.

No one would say they believe theologically that they are the Creator, Provider, Sustainer, Deliverer, Healer, Redeemer and Shepherd. But often times, we act like it! We think: “If I don’t do it, if I don’t hold it together, if I don’t fix it, change it, heal it, direct it, then who will? Every single thing—every single person—in my universe will totally fall apart if I sit down for even one minute and take a rest.”

The Sabbath rest is designed not only for physical and emotional renewal, but to remind us of this eternal truth: There is a God in heaven and He is not you! “Cease striving and know that He is God”

Good Friday provides an opportunity for us to commemorate Jesus’ sacrificial death on the cross.  Worship and drama will focus on the seven last words of Jesus. Pastor Ed will be bringing a short devotional message.

Child care will be provided for children up to age four. Join us as we reflect on the price Jesus paid on our behalf.

God enlightens the “eyes of our heart” so that we might know the hope of His calling, the riches of His inheritance, and the greatness of His power that works in us (Eph. 1:18). God speaks to those who cultivate a spiritual sensitivity to hear His voice. The Bible tells us also that we have “tasted the powers of the age to come.”

However, when we start exploring the spiritual realm, there are three dangers that we need to guard against: (1) spooky spirituality, (2) a super-less supernatural and (3) the lure of the spectacular.

Some people mistake spookiness for spirituality. People who were once perfectly normal, start acting weird and spooky—thinking that they look spiritual. The only truly spiritual person we find in the Bible is Jesus Christ, yet His demeanor and behavior was never weird or spooky.

Other people mistake the spectacular for the supernatural. They are always looking for signs and wonders, miracles and marvels. They chase after every revival that comes along in the hopes of “catching the fire.” Again, the only truly supernatural person we find in the Bible is Jesus Christ, yet His miracles were done quietly and without fanfare. The devil even urged Jesus to impress people with a demonstration of the spectacular, by jumping off the temple and having the angels catch Him before hitting the ground.

Perhaps the most dangerous of all the mistakes we make regarding the spiritual realm is to ignore it and to live our Christian life on a natural level, devoid of the supernatural power and provision of God. Many Christians live a “super-less supernatural,” life, i.e., you’re left with when you take the “super” out of “supernatural.” You might as well take the “Christ” out of “Christian.” The devil loves “super-less supernatural” Christians and churches. They are easy prey—they don’t take up the armor of God and they are ignorant of the schemes of the enemy. Consequently, they are easily deceived and continually defeated.

Join us on Sundays when we continue to explore this topic in the series: Unseen: Revealing the Spiritual…Releasing the Supernatural.

One way is the establish rhythms of rest in our lives. God considered it so important that we establish a rhythm of rest and renewal that He memorialized it in the ten commandments: “Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy” To keep the Sabbath “holy” means to set it apart from the rest of the week, put a boundary around it, and protect it from the rat race of life. God considered it so important that we set aside a regular time for rest and renewal that He made it divine decree. Why? Because God knows that for many of us nothing short of a divine decree will get us to take a day off and rest!

The Sabbath is God’s way of ensuring that the days of our lives don’t run together without a break—it’s God’s way of establishing a rhythm of rest and renewal in our week. You cannot keep up a non-stop relentless pace for long without burn-out and breakdown. Life was not designed to be a non-stop continuum. It’s designed to be lived in rhythms and cycles—daily rhythms, weekly rhythms, monthly rhythms and seasonal rhythms. According to Genesis, God put the sun and moon in the heavens to establish cycles and rhythms in nature.

We need to schedule regular breaks in our schedule for the purpose of renewal; if not, we’ll be working harder and harder and getting less and less results. Ecclesiastes 10:10 points out, “If the axe is dull from lack of sharpening, you have to exert more strength.” If you don’t stop and take the time to sharpen the axe, you’ll exert more and more effort and get less and less accomplished. Taking time to sharpen the axe is never wasted time! Taking time to sharpen your intellectual axe, your spiritual axe, your relational axe is essential to success.

If we are going to find rest in a high-pressure world, we need to put some boundaries around our schedule and establish some rhythms of rest and renewal – daily, weekly, monthly, and seasonal.

Our first bible study for this year is Made to Crave based on the book by Lisa Terkeurst.

Has food become more about frustration than fulfillment? The New York Times bestselling release Made to Crave is the missing link between a woman’s desire to be healthy and the spiritual empowerment necessary to make that happen. Author Lysa TerKeurst personally understands the battle that women face. In Made to Crave, she will help you:

• Break the cycle of “I’ll start again on Monday,” and feel good about yourself today.
• Stop agonizing over numbers on the scale and make peace with your body.
• Replace rationalization that leads to diet failure with wisdom that leads to victory.
• Reach your healthy goals and grow closer to God through the process.

This book is not a how-to manual or the latest, greatest dieting plan. Made to Crave is a helpful companion to use alongside whatever healthy eating approach you choose — a book and Bible study to help you find the “want to” in how to make healthy lifestyle changes.

Now, some of you may be thinking, “This isn’t for me, I don’t have an issue with food…” Made to Crave could very well be for you also. Is there something that keeps you from God? It may not be food, but is it busyness? Shopping? Alcohol? TV? Internet? Isolation? Anything that you turn to when you should be turning to God is a stronghold worthy of breaking. This study applies to all of these situations (and more) too.

We will be meeting Wednesday evenings from 7 – 9:30 pm starting January 16th. The study is 6 weeks long.

You will need a book and workbook for the study. If this is your first time participating in the study, and you need the materials, here are links to help you:

Book: Made to Crave Book
Workbook: Participants Guide

Please sign up by January 14. To sign up or for more information regarding finding the books or about the study, email Michelle or call the church office.

January 14

One of the most common metaphors of hope is the dawning of a new day. The light of a new day pierces the blackness, banishing the shadows of fear and despair and filling the heart with courage and renewed expectation. Zechariah, in his prophecy regarding the birth of the Christ, points out that it was one of the darkest periods in human history when a new day dawned:

“With the loving mercy of our God, a new day from heaven will dawn upon us [or, ‘the Sunrise from on high shall visit us’ NASB], It will shine on those who live in darkness, in the shadow of death. It will guide us into the path of peace” (Luke 1:78-79, NCV).

Zechariah is saying that the long night of spiritual darkness will soon come to an end, when the “Sunrise from on high” appears on the horizon. We do not know when it will happen, or how it will happen, but a new day will dawn and the light of an emerging day will dispel the darkness and reveal God’s loving mercy.

Hope is an active expectation, not a passive resignation. Hope is the expectation that what I desire may yet happen and the confidence that regardless of what happens, I will see the goodness of God revealed in my situation.

The hope of the righteous throughout the ages were realized in a child who was born in a lowly stable in the village of Bethlehem. The birth of Jesus was the dawning of a new day, filled with hope and glory.

During those dark times that you face, wait for the “Sunrise from on high” to burst forth upon the horizon. A new day from heaven will shine down on you, revealing God’s mercy and leading you into the path of peace, for the path of the righteous gets brighter and brighter when we walk in hope and expectation.

MOPS is a network of local moms who encourage, equip and nurture mothers. MOPS is for mothers with children as young as newborns through age six. Our speaker will be giving a testimony on Persevering in a Difficult Marriage.

Meet us at the church where mothers will enjoy a traditional English Tea with scones, sandwiches, and sweets. While moms relax and refresh, the MOPPETS program lovingly cares for their children.

A donation of $5 per meeting is appreciated. Email MopsMontclair@gmail.com
or call the church office, 973-746-0042, to register.