Years ago, I started my own business in web hosting, when that was a newish industry. I was studying in university at the same time, and had always been able to do both, until a server crashed during midterms. I didn’t let either midterms or my clients drop, I simply gave up sleep. It finally caught up with me, and I had to get out of my room and went for a late night walk. I eventually stumbled into a church, exhausted and scared that my business might not recover. I remember the minister listening, then suggesting, “get some rest…then consider, maybe God is trying to tell you something.”

I returned ready to solve my problems. I moved all the customers I could to one server. I ordered new server, then there was nothing I could do but wait. I could only rest.

I felt completely different when I woke up. I could study, I could write papers, I could think, I could fix the problems that caused the crash.

Rest is important!

An estimated 3.3 million Canadians age 15 or older have problems getting enough sleep, which may be affecting their health and quality of life.

A magazine of internal medicine summarized their research. The bottom line is: “sleep serves as an indicator of health and quality of life”
Lack of rest leads to more tension, depression, fatigue and marital strain, at least for women, according to one study of 1,500 women in rural Wisconsin.

And one medical publication found Middle-aged men who were at high risk of heart disease 50% less likely to die of a heart attack over nine years if they took frequent vacations.

We need rest, and we’re not just going to look at physiological reasons, but theological. That our need for rest comes from God himself.

Question: When was your longest stretch of sustained work with no day off? How did it impact you?

Ryan Sim - May 22, 2014

Thursday - Act On It - Pioneer People

Yesterday we studied the change in people who encountered the risen Jesus, or who encountered his first followers who spoke about him. 3000 people in one day became his followers! What will change us from busy, spiritually interested people into passionate pioneers of the gospel? We saw yesterday, Peter outlined some simple steps for those who heard his message: Repent, be baptized, and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Have you responded to Peter’s message yourself? It’s one thing to study it, and another to live it. It starts with repentance, is there something in your life that you know is your way of rebelling against God? Is there something you know God didn’t create you to do, but you’re doing it anyway? Something you know God would want his followers to do, but you aren’t? Is there a way you are missing the mark, and not being who God created you to be, by putting other things before him? This is called sin, and whatever that looks like in your life, now is the time to turn and go a new direction. In other words, to repent, and to change your heart and your actions. Here is a prayer you can pray to confess your sins, but be sure to make it specific in your actual prayer to God. Confess: Father eternal, giver of light and grace, we have sinned against you and against our neighbour, in what we have thought, in what we have said and done, through ignorance, through weakness, through our own deliberate fault. We have wounded your love and marred your image in us. We are sorry and ashamed and repent of all our sins. For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, who died for us, forgive us all that is past and lead us out from darkness to walk as children of light. Amen. Have you been baptized? If you’ve never been baptized before, never shown on outside what God is changing on the inside, this is your chance. Let me know and we can baptize you like April and her daughter a few months ago, which was a big celebration for our community. Finally, Peter says to receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit is God’s guidance and comforting presence in your life mission, which is to know and love God, and help others do the same. Challenge: Where do you find yourself? If you haven’t repented, pray the prayer above. If you haven’t been baptized, contact Ryan. If you have done both, then ask the Holy Spirit to guide your next step. Who can you tell about this important part of your life? Where’s he calling you to serve and love others? Take a step in faith. See you tomorrow, when we’ll spend some more time in prayer. See you then.

Related Topics: Baptism, Confession, Early Church, Holy Spirit, Pioneer, Repentence, Spirit, Transformation | More Messages from Ryan Sim | Download Audio

From Series: "Pioneer Story"

We read through the Book of Acts as a Pioneer Story for the church.

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