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[0:00] Rest in the Lord. That's my message today. Psalm 37 verse 7 says, Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for him.

[0:17] ! Fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass. Rest in the Lord.

[0:28] Let's pray. Lord, we thank you that we can rest in you, that our hearts can be encouraged through your word. Lord, that we can find that peace at this time and know your overpowering love.

[0:40] In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for him. The writer tells us that we can find a blessed rest in the Lord.

[0:55] It's easy to fall into the trap of overload, wouldn't you say? Life these days can be a rat race. People can be running helter-skelter on this vicious treadmill.

[1:06] And we live in these days today of worry, of fear, of stress and strain. Busyness in the rat race. The treadmill, if you like. Now I've heard it said that it's only the rats win in the rat race.

[1:19] So we don't want to be in the rat race. We'd rather be in that place of rest. In Mark 6 verses 30 to 31, it says, Even as Christians, we can get caught up in working, working.

[1:40] Take time out to rest in the Lord. Luke 10, 38 through 42, it says, Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village.

[2:06] And a certain woman named Martha received him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet and heard his word.

[2:17] But Martha was cumbered about with much serving and came to him and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone?

[2:28] Bid her therefore that she help me. And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things, but one thing is needful, and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.

[2:49] How do we rest, relax, let go, wait on the Lord? How do we find this calm assurance? We can rest in the Lord.

[3:00] Number one, because he saves. Some cannot rest because they lack forgiveness. There is a real and lasting freedom from guilt. It's not found in the bottle.

[3:12] You won't find it there. It's found in the Lord. In Isaiah 57 verse 20 through 21 it says, But the wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt.

[3:27] There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked. Without Christ, people are like the troubled sea, troubled, restless, unsettled.

[3:40] Mark 11, 28, our Lord says, Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

[3:51] Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

[4:04] It's so evident. Many are heavy laden these days with guilt, and with the power of sin, the burdens of life. Christ offers his peace for the soul.

[4:16] Will you wear his yoke? Be in submission unto him? The place to find rest is in Christ. There is a sweet rest and comfort in the Lord.

[4:29] Be still and rest in the Lord. We can know his overshadowing care and love. We can know a firm foundation, a place of trust and refreshment. We can rest in the Lord, because number one, he saves.

[4:45] Number two, we can rest in the Lord, because he satisfies. Some cannot rest because they lack contentment. You know, as the old song goes, I can't get no satisfaction.

[4:57] People are vainly tripping and turning to drugs, or sinful relationships, or strange religions and ideas, in that vain search for that elusive nirvana, or Shangri-La, looking for some higher level of income, some better lifestyle, some happier way to live.

[5:17] Meantime, they are depressed, dissatisfied. Yet they don't know the satisfaction that does come from knowing the one who designed and programmed us to be his.

[5:32] We can learn to be content. Paul said in Philippians 4, verse 11, Learn to trust him.

[5:45] Learn to be mindful of his care for you. Underneath, it says, are the everlasting arms. Even though the storms rage all around, we can find a blessed contentment, a true comfort from the scriptures.

[6:03] Scriptures such as Psalm 91, verses 1 through 10, He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

[6:14] I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress. My God, in Him will I trust. Surely He shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler and from the noisome pestilence.

[6:30] He shall cover thee with His feathers, and under His wings shalt thou trust. His truth shall be thy shield and buckler. Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night, nor for the arrow that flyeth by day, nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness, nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday.

[6:52] A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand, but it shall not come nigh thee. Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked, because thou hast made the Lord, which is my refuge, even the Most High, thy habitation.

[7:14] There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling. Friends, we can rest in the Lord. We can rest in the Lord because He saves.

[7:25] We can rest in the Lord because He satisfies. And number three, we can rest in the Lord because He stills the storm. Some cannot rest because they lack the peace of God.

[7:39] God renews us. He can bring peace to the soul. Peace to the soul torments it by demons. He can bring peace to the mind, torn by destructive thoughts.

[7:50] He can bring peace to the heart that is hurting and broken. He can bring peace to the troubled soul. It is in the midst of the storm that we can find Him and hear Him say, Peace, be still.

[8:11] Mark 4 verses 37 through 39 it says, And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full.

[8:23] And He was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow. And they awake Him and say unto Him, Master, carest thou not that we perish? And He arose and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still.

[8:40] And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. Will we turn to this one, the Prince of Peace, the peacemaker between God and man?

[8:54] Will we rest in the Lord? Do we know His salvation, His saving? It's not a trying, it's a trusting, it's not a do, a doing, but a done.

[9:07] He can still the storm about you. He can touch the wounded spirit and make you whole. Will you trust Him?

[9:18] We can rest in the Lord because He saves. There is a wonderful forgiveness you can know, personally know, every sin gone, all the guilt removed.

[9:29] We can rest in the Lord, yes, because He satisfies. As a believer, we can experience a soul peace, a rest in the Lord because of the contentment that He brings.

[9:39] There's a full and complete satisfaction, not from drugs or sin or strange philosophies, but in simple faith. Believing and knowing the One who loved us and gave Himself for us, who has the very best plan for us and the fulfilment that has an eternal dimension.

[10:01] What better way to live? He cares and He shelters us as our personal refuge and fortress. My God, in Him will I trust. We can rest in the Lord because He stills the storm.

[10:15] Whatever the turmoil, He brings His presence, the peace of God. Philippians 4, verses 6 through 7 says, Be careful for nothing but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving.

[10:33] Let your requests be made known unto God and the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

[10:45] Don't be anxious. Pray. Perhaps you find yourself in the midst of the storm. Turn to Him in the time of storm. It is there that you can find Him and hear Him.

[10:58] Say, Peace, be still and learn to trust Him more. Will we rest in the Lord? We cannot rest in Him if we do not know Him.

[11:10] True peace in God can only come as we give in and surrender to Him. Make peace with God today and know His peace in your life.

[11:24] Bless you. Be encouraged in that personal faith to know the peace that brings saving, the only peace that reconciles us to God is Christ in our part paying our price on the cross.

[11:42] Know His saving. Know that satisfying, that satisfaction, that completeness. Know that wonderful assurance that even in the storm He is your peace.

[11:55] Rest in the Lord. Thank you.