Health Bible Study: Rest

Rest : Being at Peace

These days, everyone is running around? Pressure in work, family, school – Where is there time to rest?

Well, one should ask ”Why is rest so important?”

• The word REST is found 300X in the Bible,  and means to be still or be at peace
• Matthew 11:28-30   If it wasn’t that important, Jesus would have never mentioned it

• Physical and Spiritual Rest
• Psalms 23
• Physical Aspect with a spiritual application
• Exodus 20:8-11, Hebrew 4:2-11
• Spiritual Aspect – Resting with God
• Illustration: Imagine this couple with a great number of friends and they hang out with these friends every time that they are together. Well, eventually that couple is going to need some alone time to get to no one another more and strengthen the relationship right? God only asks us to be with Him always, but only singles out one day where He really wants that one-on-one time with us.

• Wait Priscilla, I can’t just take a day off? I need money, I need to do homework!
• Joshua 21:44    God’s Promise
• Enemies could be anything! Your mind, worries, bills, bosses, our habits…
• Daniel 2:1-19  Element of Trust
• Note: when Daniel went into vision, he fell asleep – the brother knocked out!
• If I was going to die because of a crazy King like Nebuchadnezzar, I would have ran, begged, cried,  gone into fetal position… but Daniel goes to bed…. Why? Because he knew God would keep him safe!
• Your physical and spiritual variables are intertwined. We trust in God to sleep, to rest in Him, and in turn, our bodies show more rest in how we are…. Its very sad when you see exhausted people with black under their eyes, they have worry wrinkles, and they’re like “Yeah, I’m Christian…” Are you sure?
• And it goes deeper: Sabbath is a physical manifestation of spiritual trust! Where we thank God that we don’t have to worries about the cares of this life.
• Studies have even shown that those that take a Sabbath rest, actually do better at work, at school, and better daily living performance.
• During the time that you sleep, the body starts to detox and creates hormones that help you to look/feel younger. Ladies, say goodbye to makeup and hello to sleep. 
• In fact, your heart actually beats slower on Saturday… Really think about it

• This is definitely something to pray over (myself included), because we get so involved in exams, in drama, in work that we forget how fragile we are
• If the Devil doesn’t make you bad, he makes you busy! Too busy to rest, pray, to build relationships....
• As you get older, sleep quantity is not as affected as sleep quality.
• TIPS – Go to bed early, wake early, don’t eat heavy foods at night, don’t eat late, don’t have ambient noise as you’re sleeping, pray, pray, pray…
• So if you start making healthy habits now, that better rest you will get later

• So, can we allow God to help us trust Him and rest – sleep and to give God His Sabbath as well?

Great Resources

Hey everyone! I know that it can get very frustrating sometimes having a Bible question and no one around to give an answer, or even putting a study/speech together but wanting more information. So here is a list of all the many resources that help me get to know more about the Bible and about the world around us. Enjoy!  ;)

Audioverse
https://www.audioverse.org/english/
Free sermons from some of your favorite speakers on dozens of topics. An amazing resource for any learning Christian. Can download for free as well!

Amazing Discoveries
http://amazingdiscoveries.org/media
Led by Wallter Vieth and Victor Gill, Amazing Discoveries is one of the most detailed resource sites on sermons, articles, and videos on today's society, Christianity, and archaeology. AD focuses much of its media on health reform, secret societies, and occult worship that is actually found in much of the church today.

Amazing Facts
http://www.amazingfacts.org/free-stuff.aspx
Amazing Facts. led by Doug Batchelor, has put together a free resource center full of Bible Studies, videos, questions and answers, and even a free Bible School! Its incredible! Check it out.

LightBearers/ARISE - An Evangelism, Discipleship and Training Ministry.
http://www.lightbearers.org/
A site featuring works from David Assherick, Nathan Renner, Ty Gibson, and Jeffrey Rosario to name a few. It is a great school with a ton of detailed materials on how to know and defend one's faith.

ARME Bible Camp
http://www.armebiblecamp.com/resources.html
Come see how an ARME of young adults are striving to spread the Gospel throughout the world! Great resources! Check out their Prayer Room resource as well.

GYC- Generation of Youth for Christ
http://gycweb.org/
Some of the most amazing and honest sermons I have ever heard pertaining to faith, creationism, Ellen G. White, and prophecy.

It Is Written
http://studies.itiswritten.com/
One of my all time favorite sites led by Mark Finley and Shawn Boonstra. It contains a load of answers to so many questions concerning God, Jesus, the Bible, all of it. Enjoy!!!

Experience at 8:55 PM

This experience happened my 2nd year of canvassing, first/second week I believe.

It was nearing 9 oclock and so we were running trying to finish the streets we were at. As I was nearing my last house, I noticed that the garage was open, and it was very dark inside. Suddenly, out of the blackness comes two dogs (a pit and a shepherd) running towards me. I thought they were going to attack, so I prepared to defend myself with my books (I know "don't damage the books"). I then noticed that they were wagging their tails and they actually turned out to be really sweet dogs and they followed me to the front door of the house I was at.When they woman answered, she shooed away the dogs and went on this mini rant about how her neighbors were gone and these were their dogs and she was fed up with everything. 

So I made quick friends talking to her about the dogs and her troubles then quickly handed her our book Peace Above the Storm, and her whole demeanor changed. She looked at the book and began to tell me how she had just finished a phone call where her family had told her that her father has Alzheimer. I then shared with her how Alzheimers runs in my family as well, and how when my grandfather died from Parkinsons, my mother and grandmother really had to pull together and that this book truly helped them. I remember she went inside with the book (always let them take the books with them - assuming their coming back of course), and she came back with the book and her checkbook. She sat down on her small bench and started to cry. I can't remember word for word what she said, but she was saying how God had answered her prayer and knew that she would need peace right now. She was clutching the book to her and kept saying "This is my book. This is for me." I held her hand and started crying with her and was able to pray for her. 

God was and is so good, and many times the circumstances may not seem divine, like those dogs. God's hand, however, moved so mightily and that was a beautiful experience for me that day. Bare in mind, these are not rare occasions, so many people have similar experiences. If you have experience where it didn't seem like God was there but then at the end everything made sense, feel free to share.  =)  GB!