When you think of “rest,” perhaps you envision the serene image from Psalm 23: “He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul” (Psalm 23:2-3, ESV). Let’s explore the four aspects of rest using the acronym R.E.S.T.

Reflect: In the midst of life’s busyness, it is crucial to pause and reflect on God’s goodness and seek His wisdom. Psalm 1:1-2 encourages us to meditate on His Word day and night, finding insight and clarity through reflection.

Enter God’s Presence: Rest is not merely physical; it is also a spiritual state. Psalm 46:10 urges us, “Be still, and know that I am God” (ESV). By entering God’s presence through prayer and worship, we discover comfort and peace. Follow Jesus’ example of retreating to spend time with the Father (Mark 1:35).

Seek Guidance: True rest involves surrendering our burdens and seeking God’s guidance. Proverbs 3:5-6 reminds us to trust in the Lord wholeheartedly, acknowledging Him in all our ways. In doing so, we experience true rest as He directs our paths.

Trust in Him: Ultimately, rest is rooted in trust. Jesus beckons us, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28, ESV). By placing our trust in Him, knowing He cares for us and provides for our needs (1 Peter 5:7) we find genuine rest.

As Douwene and I embark on our journey to Ecuador, we view it as an opportunity to recharge and find renewal in the Lord. May we discover solace in the green pastures of His presence.

Knowing that Hollywood is not out to entertain us but to lead our families away from Christianity, we should actively monitor all worldly media entering our homes.

Be Watchful and Discerning: “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8 ESV).

Maintain Open Communication: “Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear” (Ephesians 4:29 ESV). Continually discuss the potential impact of media choices.

Implement Restrictive Measures: “If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away” (Matthew 5:29 ESV). Set up parental controls or content filters to limit access to worldly media.

Limit Media Choices to what is healthy: “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things” (Philippians 4:8 ESV). Always seek content that is edifying, inspiring, and aligns with biblical values.

Determine to Limit Media Consumption: “I will not set before my eyes anything that is worthless” (Psalm 101:3 ESV). Dedicate your time instead to activities that promote spiritual growth and strengthen your relationship with God.

Lewd Media is Detrimental to Your Spiritual Well-being: Job 31:1 (ESV) – “I have made a covenant with my eyes; how then could I gaze at a virgin?”

YouVersion – Get Involved in a Daily Bible Reading Plan: “I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you” (Psalm 119:11 ESV). Immerse yourself in God’s truth, equipping yourself with a solid foundation that helps discern and resist the allure of worldly media.

Friend, Are You Protecting Our Faith and Families by Guarding Against Worldly Media?

This past weekend was the Flying Pig Marathon, were any of you “brave” enough to endure the training and horrible weather conditions to compete in the race? As a great amount of training is needed for a marathon, so we must train diligently for the Christian life. Such training takes time, dedication, energy, and most of all, perseverance. We must all commit ourselves to the Christian life, but we must first know the rules as prescribed in God’s Word.

1 Corinthians 9:24-27 (ESV) “²⁴Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. ²⁵Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. ²⁶So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. ²⁷ But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.”

Winning a race requires discipline and dedication. We train ourselves to run the race of life, so don’t just jog a couple of laps periodically! Train diligently! Keep your eyes on Christ and don’t get sidetracked by “bad weather” or slowed down by the “weight of heavy shoes”. When we do this, we will win a reward in Christ’s kingdom.

Philippians 3: 12-14 (ESV) “¹³Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, ¹⁴I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”

Living the Christian life demands all of our energies. We have all done things for which we are ashamed, but because our hope is in Christ, we can forget the past and strain to reach the goal since we know Christ promises eternity with Him at the end of the race of life.

1 Timothy 4: 7-10 (ESV) “⁷Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness; ⁸for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come. ⁹The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance. ¹⁰For to this end we toil and strive, because we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe.”

As we must repeat exercises to tone our bodies, so we must steadily repeat spiritual exercises to be spiritually fit. Spiritual exercises of prayer, Bible study and worship will help you grow in faith and character. When we do this, we are living in accordance with God’s will and become more Christ like.

2 Timothy 4: 7-8 (ESV) “⁷I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. ⁸Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.”

The Christian life is a fight against evil forces from the world around us and against temptation from within. If we stay true to God through it all, He promises a crown of righteousness in the end!

Like the apostle Paul, our goal should be to know Christ, to be like Christ, and to be all that Christ has in mind for us. With the single-mindedness of an athlete in training, we must endure the training and horrible weather conditions of the world around us to compete in the race of life. When we are with Christ, we will discover that it was all worth it!

One of the benefits of reading about Christians throughout history is you see how people overcame the temptations prevalent in their day. Many times, the temptations still remain in our society.

I was reading about a Christian woman named Fabiola, a wealthy Roman widow who decided to sell her possessions and live a life dedicating to helping the poor. She founded the first hospital in Rome and spent her days helping the destitute instead of enjoying the luxuries that she once possessed. After her death, Jerome wrote about her in one of his letters, extolling her as an example that all Christian widows should seek to emulate:

“In the day of prosperity she [Fabiola] was not forgetful of affliction; and, having once suffered shipwreck she was unwilling again to face the risks of the sea. Instead therefore of re-embarking on her old life, she broke up and sold all that she could lay hands on of her property (it was large and suitable to her rank), and turning it into money she laid out this for the benefit of the poor. She was the first person to found a hospital, into which she might gather sufferers out of the streets, and where she might nurse the unfortunate victims of sickness and want. Need I now recount the various ailments of human beings? Need I speak of noses slit, eyes put out, feet half burnt, hands covered with sores? Or of limbs dropsical and atrophied? Or of diseased flesh alive with worms? Often did she carry on her own shoulders persons infected with jaundice or with filth. Often too did she wash away the matter discharged from wounds which others, even though men, could not bear to look at. She gave food to her patients with her own hand, and moistened the scarce breathing lips of the dying with sips of liquid. I know of many wealthy and devout persons who, unable to overcome their natural repugnance to such sights, perform this work of mercy by the agency of others, giving money instead of personal aid. I do not blame them and am far from construing their weakness of resolution into a want of faith. While however I pardon such squeamishness, I extol to the skies the enthusiastic zeal of a mind that is above it. A great faith makes little of such trifles. But I know how terrible was the retribution which fell upon the proud mind of the rich man clothed in purple for not having helped Lazarus. The poor wretch whom we despise, whom we cannot so much as look at, and the very sight of whom turns our stomachs, is human like ourselves, is made of the same clay as we are, is formed out of the same elements. All that he suffers we too may suffer. Let us then regard his wounds as though they were our own, and then all our insensibility to another’s suffering will give way before our pity for ourselves.”

Jerome, Letter 77.6, translated by W. H. Fremantile et al.

We are all standing on the shoulders of those who came before us. Our faith is built on the foundation of their faith. They believed in God, even when it was difficult. They trusted in God, even when they didn’t understand everything. They obeyed God, even when it was costly.

We can learn a lot from the faith of those who came before us. We can learn to trust in God, even when we don’t understand everything. We can learn to obey God, even when it’s costly. We can learn to love God and others, even when it’s difficult.

Here are just a few examples of the faith of those who came before us:

· Abraham believed God when he promised him a son, even though he was old, and his wife was barren.

· David was a shepherd boy who defeated Goliath, the giant Philistine warrior.

· Chuck Gambill left his home in Texas and moved to the NKY area to plant a Church of Christ in this area.

· Ken Carter, Gene Harlow and Art Watson moved their families to this area and left their home church to lead the Summit Church of Christ.

Sir Isaac Newton, the famous English scientist, once said, “If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.” I stand on the shoulders of those who came before us, and I am thankful for their faith. 

Let us resolve to have the same kind of faith. Let us trust in God, even when we don’t understand everything. Let us obey God, even when it’s costly. Let us love God and others, even when it’s difficult.

I have a problem with a robin. Jilted at the altar, it keeps flying into its own reflection on my glass backdoor. If only I could point it in the right direction before it bashes its brains out on an illusion of happiness.

Fortunately, as believers, we have five ways the Bible P.O.I.N.T.S. our lives:

Firstly, we should P=proclaim the authority of the Bible, emphasizing that it is the Word of God, and use it to teach, reprove, correct, and train others (2 Tim.3:16f).

Secondly, we should O=obey the Word of God and follow Jesus’ commands (Js.1:22).

Thirdly, we should I=illuminate our path with the Bible, using it as a light to navigate life’s uncertainties (Ps.119:105).

Fourthly, we should N=nurture our faith with the Bible, studying and meditating on it to grow our understanding of God (1 Pt.2:2-3).

Finally, we should T=teach the Bible to others, as Jesus instructed us to make disciples of all nations (Mt.28:19f).

Friend, are you caught up in your own reflection, i.e., desires of the flesh (drunkenness, divisions, enmity, envy, fits of anger, idolatry, impurity, jealousy, orgies, rivalries, sensuality, sexual immorality, sorcery, & strife)? Or are you POINTED towards Christ’s reflection, i.e., fruit of the Spirit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control)?

I was glad when they said,” Let us go to the House of the Lord.” Psalm 122:1

Do you look forward to worshipping with the Saints each Lord’s Day; singing praises, talking with God, observing the Lord’s supper, and hearing God’s word shared and applying it to your life? Maybe there is someone you look forward to seeing on Sunday that encourages you and helps you face the week.

Last week in our Sunday night small group study in Mark 4, Jesus gave us the parable of the sower, who spreads the seed {God’s word} on 4 different soils. One of the soils was the thorny ground, where the seeds were choked out by the cares of the world. Are we too busy to go to Church?  Do we let the busyness and noises from the world keep us out of church? Jesus said in Mark 4:18-19: And others are the ones on whom seeds was sown among thorns, these are the ones who have heard the Word, and the worries of the world and deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things enter in and “CHOKE” the word, and it becomes unfruitful. Do you recognize this person? This person is not an evil person, but maybe he/she has a priority problem! Sometimes we allow distractions into our lives that take precedent over what should be truly important to us.

Brothers and Sisters, don’t forsake your chance to study, praise, and worship with fellow believers. 

Come to Bible study and worship on Sundays. Arm yourself with the word of God. Be encouraged by others and be an encouragement to them.

Join a small group in your area that meets on a Sunday or Monday. These small groups are Bible studies that have 10-15 people to discuss God’s word; all are currently studying the Book of Mark. It is a time for great fellowship, good discussion, and a chance to ask questions.

There are classes for everyone on Wednesday night at 7pm- kids, teens and currently Robert is teaching the adult class on the disciplines of being a Christian. 

For the last two and a half years we have a Zoom Bible study that starts at 9 am every Monday through Friday and goes for 15 minutes. What a way to start your morning in prayer and in God’s Word. Let Billy or Neville know if you would like to try it out and we can send you the link.

So let us encourage one another! 

We will be looking for you.

Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another, and all the more as we see the Day approaching! Hebrews 10:25

God has called us to engage with our culture, reach the lost, participate in missions, and extend grace to others as we live out our faith. That is precisely what our Gospel Meeting, with Matt Cook, is intended to do.

To prepare your heart consider verses like Colossians 4:5-6, which urge us to be wise in our conduct towards outsiders, making the best use of the time, and speaking with grace. Or 1 Corinthians 9:22-23, where Paul explains that he becomes all things to all people so that by all means, he might save some.

During the meeting, we should take advantage of the opportunity to build relationships with others by engaging in conversation before and after the event. We should be culturally aware and open-minded as we seek to understand different perspectives and backgrounds. We should actively participate in the meeting by listening attentively, taking notes, and engaging in discussion.

Most importantly, we should use the meeting as an opportunity to share the gospel with those who need to hear it. By intentionally inviting friends and family who do not yet know Jesus, we can play a crucial role in introducing them to the good news of salvation. Let’s commit to sharing the gospel in a compelling and respectful way, and trust that God will use our efforts to draw others closer to Him.