Holy over Hustle
To pray is to change. There is no greater liberating force in the Christian life than prayer. – Richard Foster
Over-spent
Holy over Hustle
Today the heart of God is an open wound of love. He aches over our distance and preoccupation. He mourns that we do not draw near to Him. He grieves that we have forgotten Him. He weeps over our obsession with muchness and manyness. He longs for our presence. Richard Foster
Jer. 2:32 Does a young woman forget her jewelry, a bride her wedding ornaments? Yet my people have forgotten me, days without number.
Jer. 30:21 I will bring him near and he will come close to me— for who is he who will devote himself to be close to me?
What we truly believe about God matters
Give our Lord the benefit of believing (Dr. Alicia Britt Chole).
“God you love me, you are here with me, you will never leave me.”
Interrupt Anxiety with Prayer
Don’t let your mind think about anything you haven’t prayed for
Memory locked in. Heart recovers (blood pressure) Increases Immunity
Sabbath
Genesis 2:3 And God blessed the seventh day and declared it holy, because it was the day when he rested from all his work of creation.
“In a delightful twist, ‘rest’ is a verb in this passage and ‘work’ is a noun.”
Holy means to set apart (different, special)
Make a Holy clearing with God
Romans 14:5 One person considers one day more sacred than another; another considers every day alike.
Mark 2:27-28 Then Jesus said to them, “The Sabbath was made to meet the needs of people, and not people to meet the requirements of the Sabbath.”
Set aside time of attention with God
God takes Sabbath seriously
Hardship was embedded in the Sabbath year experience
2 Chronicles 36:21 So the message of the Lord spoken through Jeremiah was fulfilled. The land finally enjoyed its Sabbath rest, lying desolate until the seventy years were fulfilled, just as the prophet had said.
Jeremiah 6:10 To whom can I speak and give warning? Who will listen to me? Their ears are closed so they cannot hear. The word of the Lord is offensive to them; they find no pleasure in it.
Listen “Sama” (Hebrew) speaks of undivided attention
Listening is a posture of attentiveness, which acknowledges the presence of another
Not listening is a posture of arrogance, which ignores the contribution of another.
Set apart a (holy) clearing in your week to listen
If we don’t do this, God may just unplug us through other means
Listen through God’s Word
Do not despair or be discouraged, O reader, that if they threaten your life or your possessions to ever stop reading the Bible for your soul’s health.
When Jesus interrupted my atheistic existence, the Bible was no longer a book: it was a Voice (Dr. Alicia Britt Chole).
Set apart a clearing for listening to God’s Word
Pray/ Read/ Listen
Lord you are my shepherd, I have everything I need. Lead me to your rest, Lead me to your peace
Carry a passage in prayer