My message today at NRN - Pause to LIVE Getting ready for a New Year!

Would you describe yourself as “too busy”? How would others describe you in that regard? Does the Christmas season tend to bring out the best, or the worst in you when it comes to busyness? Our culture prizes efficiency, work, and accomplishment. What we don’t value is rest. We tend to treat rest as laziness, as a waste of time. It’s been said that multitasking is a surefire way to make sure that you do many things poorly. Embracing busyness is the same. We feel productive, but the truth is that we are simply producing exhausted mediocrity. How would your life change if you learned to work from your rest? How important is rest to your life?

Today- I want to view three reasons to pause from our busyness:

Why Pause?

1. BECAUSE GOD DID NOT CREATE US TO LIVE THIS WAY

Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates.                         Exodus 20:8-10 (ESV)

2. BECAUSE “EFFICIENT” RELATIONSHIPS DON’T WORK

By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.                                         John 13:35 (NIV)

3. BECAUSE OUR MISSION REQUIRES IT.

Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.                                                Ephesians 5:15-17 (ESV)

HOW DO I LEARN TO PAUSE?

1.  NUMBER  YOUR DAYS

Teach us to number our days that we may gain a heart of wisdom.                                                                                      Psalm 90:12 (NIV)

At that time there was a man in Jerusalem named Simeon. He was righteous and devout and was eagerly waiting for the Messiah to come and rescue Israel. The Holy Spirit was upon him and had revealed to him that he would not die until he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. That day the Spirit led him to the Temple. So when Mary and Joseph came to present the baby Jesus to the Lord as the law required, Simeon was there. He took the child in his arms and praised God, saying, “Sovereign Lord, now let your

Servant die in peace, as you have promised.”                Luke 2:25-29 (NLT)

2. DO THE SAME  THINGS DIFFERENTLY .