Stopping At The Wrong Place

Matthew 11:28–29 KJV (WS)

Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 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.

Introduction: Do you remember those late nights cramming for exams, drinking coffee to keep me awake and just running on caffeine to get me through the next day. 

Or I remember when you was a new mom and as much as you loved those late night feedings, holding that tiny newborn and rocking her gently, our nightly routine was leaving you more and more sleep deprived and exhausted.

You thought it would improve a bit when the children got older (Right), but then it was the rush of life and keeping up with schedules, not to mention worries of the day weighing you down more often than not.

Exhaustion, weariness, sleeplessness, constant tiredness…we’ve all experienced it.

Isn’t it encouraging to know that when I have nothing left to give physically and mentally, that God never tires and He gives me strength when we need it?

But remember:

We Can Not - Rest A The Wrong Time

2 Thessalonians 3:13 KJV (WS)

But ye, brethren, be not weary in well doing.

Rest - cease work or movement in order to relax, refresh oneself, or recover strength:

Stop - come to an end; cease to happen: (of an event, action, or process).

1 Kings 13:2 KJV (WS)

And he cried against the altar in the word of the Lord, and said, O altar, altar, thus saith the Lord; Behold, a child shall be born unto the house of David, Josiah by name; and upon thee shall he offer the priests of the high places that burn incense upon thee, and men's bones shall be burnt upon thee.

2 Kings 22:1 KJV (WS)

Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned thirty and one years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Jedidah, the daughter of Adaiah of Boscath.

2 Kings 22:8 KJV (WS)

And Hilkiah the high priest said unto Shaphan the scribe, I have found the book of the law in the house of the Lord. And Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan, and he read it.

I. How Can I Clean Up My Life

a. the temple is now our bodies

2 Kings 23:4 KJV (WS)

And the king commanded Hilkiah the high priest, and the priests of the second order, and the keepers of the door, to bring forth out of the temple of the Lord all the vessels that were made for Baal, and for the grove, and for all the host of heaven: and he burned them without Jerusalem in the fields of Kidron, and carried the ashes of them unto Bethel.

b. Crooked Sinful Priest Must Be Removed.

c. Voices that influence us to do wrong.

2 Kings 23:5 KJV (WS)

And he put down the idolatrous priests, whom the kings of Judah had ordained to burn incense in the high places in the cities of Judah, and in the places round about Jerusalem; them also that burned incense unto Baal, to the sun, and to the moon, and to the planets, and to all the host of heaven.

d. Immorality must be removed

2 Kings 23:7 KJV (WS)

And he brake down the houses of the sodomites, that were by the house of the Lord, where the women wove hangings for the grove.

II. What is the devil offers you the world, walk away..

1 Kings 13:7 KJV (WS)

And the king said unto the man of God, Come home with me, and refresh thyself, and I will give thee a reward.

1 Kings 13:8 KJV (WS)

And the man of God said unto the king, If thou wilt give me half thine house, I will not go in with thee, neither will I eat bread nor drink water in this place:

1 Kings 13:9 KJV (WS)

For so was it charged me by the word of the Lord, saying, Eat no bread, nor drink water, nor turn again by the same way that thou camest.

III. Leave This Place A Different Way

1 Kings 13:10 KJV (WS)

So he went another way, and returned not by the way that he came to Bethel.

a. don’t stop nor look back when you start your walk with God.

b. satan as a lion will seek to destroy you, keep it moving.