The Jesus Way: Day 7 - Pastor Josh Shook

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"Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to Me. Get away with Me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest.  Walk with Me and work with Me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you.  Keep company with Me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly."
Matthew 11:28-30 (MSG)

How can I live life the Jesus Way? It begins by responding to an invitation. Remember the invitation Jesus extends to you! It is the greatest honor and privilege given to man!  And it is a personal invitation.  Jesus didn’t come to start a religion.  He came to offer us a relationship with God.  He said, “Come to Me.”  Have you come to Christ?  I’m not asking if you’ve come to church or Bible study.  In fact, there were many religious scholars in Jesus’ day who had done both and were still weary, worn out, and burned out on religion but didn’t know what else to do or where else to go. Some even thought their knowledge of Scripture would save them, yet they felt overwhelmed and empty!  To them, Jesus said, “You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about Me, yet you refuse to come to Me to have life.” John 5:39-40 (NIV).

 “Come to Me,” Jesus says.  Come to a person, not a principle or program.  Come to Me. This is intimately personal. He is the Way. The Way is a person – Jesus Christ! 

The very God who made you longs to share a relationship with you.  You were made by God, and you were made for God.  Have you come to Him?  Even the invitation of God in the Old Testament was the same.  In Isaiah 1:18 (NIV), God says, “‘Come now, let us reason together,’ says the LORD. ‘Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.’”  

Whether it’s running from God in sin or trying to catch up with God through good works, both will wear you out.  If you’re tired, worn out, burned out on religion, come to Christ.  He invites you now.  Read His personal invitation to you again: “Come to Me. Get away with Me and you’ll recover your life.  I’ll show you how to take a real rest.  Walk with Me and work with Me – watch how I do it.  Learn the unforced rhythms of grace.  I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you.  Keep company with Me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” This is the Jesus Way!

Who would possibly turn down an invitation like that? Jesus offers you real rest! His rest isn’t inactivity, but activity with His power in you! Let Him teach you the unforced rhythms of grace. Learn to walk with Him and work with Him day by day. Keep company with Him, and you’ll learn to live free. He’ll transform your life from overwhelmed to on purpose! The Bible is our owner’s manual for life, but don’t forget that we have a personal guide to help us understand it and live it. That guide is Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit. Come to Jesus daily and ask Him to help you understand and apply His word.

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To read this devotional online or catch up on past ones, visit https://kerryshook.org/blog.

Another important part of your daily devotional is spending time with God in prayer. The Woodlands Church Prayer Board lists prayer requests submitted by our members and provides a way to send them some encouragement by using a button on the page to let them know that you prayed for them. Whether you use the Prayer Board, or pray from your heart, the goal is to build the habit of incorporating prayer into your quiet time.

Need prayer yourself? Let us know by submitting a prayer request on the Woodlands Church Prayer Board.