Whether you are here in person or engaging from home, we are thankful you have chosen to worship with us today. If it is your first time, welcome! we would love to get to know you better. Would you consider filling out our Next Steps card and let us know you stopped by?

At Grace Family we focus our worship on Sunday to impact our lives every other day of the week as well. We also believe no one is perfect but everyone is welcome to worship God with us. So, no matter where you're from, what you've done, or what your week has been like, let's worship God and learn from His word together today.

Rest is a gift and a commandment from God.

Your relationship with God impacts your relationship with rest.

If you are working hard but your relationship with Jesus is in ruins, you are accomplishing nothing.

Real Rest is seeing ourselves as the objects of God's favor, grace, peace, and mercy.

James 4:7-8

"So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world."

Everyone wants to be close to God until He challenges the way they live.

Humble yourselves.

Resist the devil.

Wash your hands.

Purify your hearts.

Divided loyalty is an exhausting lifestyle.

How do we find rest in a closeness to God?

We need speed limits.

Luke 18:35-43

"35 As Jesus approached Jericho, a blind beggar was sitting beside the road. 36 When he heard the noise of a crowd going past, he asked what was happening. 37 They told him that Jesus the Nazarene[a] was going by. 38 So he began shouting, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” 39 “Be quiet!” the people in front yelled at him. But he only shouted louder, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” 40 When Jesus heard him, he stopped and ordered that the man be brought to him. As the man came near, Jesus asked him, 41 “What do you want me to do for you?” “Lord,” he said, “I want to see!” 42 And Jesus said, “All right, receive your sight! Your faith has healed you.” 43 Instantly the man could see, and he followed Jesus, praising God. And all who saw it praised God, too."

Following Jesus means allowing him to set the pace.

Jesus' ministry moved at 3mph

Love moves at a slower pace.

You can't follow Jesus and move faster than he does.

Being close to God means wrestling with God.

Genesis 32:24-28

"24 This left Jacob all alone in the camp, and a man came and wrestled with him until the dawn began to break. 25 When the man saw that he would not win the match, he touched Jacob’s hip and wrenched it out of its socket. 26 Then the man said, “Let me go, for the dawn is breaking!” But Jacob said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.”27 “What is your name?” the man asked. He replied, “Jacob.” 28 “Your name will no longer be Jacob,” the man told him. “From now on you will be called Israel,[a] because you have fought with God and with men and have won.”

Jacob had to stop running in order to submit to God.

Following God doesn't always mean easy answers.

Wrestling with God is a lot harder than restricting, dismissing, or rejecting God.

Doing is a great distraction from Being.

John 15:4-5

"4 Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me. 5 “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing."

What we produce is evident to everyone.

Remaining in Jesus is often a practice no one sees but you.

Your private you is more important than the public you.

Real Rest is living at a pace and in a place sustained by Jesus.

Challenges:

1. Go on a walk this week.

2. Wrestle more and run less.

3. What would cause you to stay close to Jesus?

Use the space below to ask a question and one of our pastors will get back to you!

Every week we spend time praying for your requests at our staff meeting. Submit your request below and we will be sure to pray for you this week!