DCFC Online 19th December - 2022 Here we come - Ps Murray Tomlinson

2022 Here We Come
God’s Three Invitations.
A Little Time Out Ensures a Long Time In.
We have just come through 2020 and 2021, TWO YEARS of Major Worldwide Pandemic and Upheaval, and now we have Christmas and the New Year, almost upon us.  And following that we are Facing Down the Barrel of 2022, and saying to ourselves......”What will this coming year of 2022 bring for us all? None of Us Have All the Answers to these Questions.  BUT what we Can Do is Draw aside and take some time over this Busy Holiday Season, To Come sit at JESUS Feet, and Rest awhile.                                                                                                                                          

When the heavenly Choir announced the coming of Christ into our world, they Sang, .........                                                                                                                                              

Luke 2:14, Glory to God in the highest (heaven), and on earth Peace among men with whom He is well-pleased – AMP [Peace to all men and women on earth who please Him. – MESSAGE.]                                                                                                                  

And Peace To MEN. Jesus came to BRING PEACE into our shattered Lives.    
Ephesians 2:14 tells us, For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, (Jew and Gentile) and He has broken down the middle wall of separation.                                                                                                           John 14:27 Jesus spoke to His Disciples saying......... Peace I leave with you, My Peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.  Yet everywhere we see people who have NO PEACE. (They’re Stressed). The busyness of life, the pressures of life, the expectations put on By ourselves and others that we all experience, rob us of our Peace. Timelines, Deadlines, Reports, Meetings, and Negotiations,......these all keep us in the melting pot of life, and seek to rob us of our PEACE.
TODAY JESUS OFFERS US:- 
THREE INVITATIONS TO US THAT WILL HELP OUR PEACE.
HIS FIRST INVITATION . . . IS TO TRUST HIM
JOHN 14:1, Do Not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in GOD, Trust Also in ME.
Many people have troubled Hearts, BUT Jesus Invitation to Us is TO TRUST HIM. Can We TRUST HIM?  Every day we have Hundreds of Choices that we have to make. Will We be moved by what we See and Hear, or by what we Believe about Our GOD. Don’t Live by all the stuff on our NEWS Media Or by the Rumours that abound. Make a CHOICE to be influenced by Your INTERNAL FAITH, and not by EXTERNAL CIRCUMSTANCES.  GOD SAYS. . . . .
JEREMIAH 29:11, (NIV2011) 
11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 
GOD has plans for you to Bless You, and to give you a Hope and a Future. As you look down the Barrel of 2022, does your future give you HOPE?
When you lean into Him and Trust HIM, you will move into a Zone of His Assurance, and His Peace about your Future.
TIP ONE   Take care how you Plan your Diary. Sufficient  unto each Day is the Evil (or Pressure) thereof. 
Just BREATHE. Cut Yourself some SLACK. (Margins)
Don’t keep talking Yourself into Tension (Ie. I’ve got SO many things to do)
TIP TWO Don’t PRAY Yourself into Tension. Just Breathe. Just Relax and Enjoy your praying. Don’t be SO intense. Use His Word when you. (God knows the Bible. Psalm 146 has been a great help to me. When I use HIS Words my faith rises, and faith is the substance of things Hoped for. Heb 11:1  

HIS SECOND INVITATION . . .  COME APART AND REST AWHILE.
MARK 6:31, (NIV2011) 
31 Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” 
Come be with me by yourselves. COME APART.
What would it have been like resting with Jesus? HE Said….Guys….It’s OK to switch off
Occasionally. JESUS Said something similar to Busy Martha in, 
LUKE 10:40-42, (NKJV 
40 But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, "Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me." 
41 And Jesus answered and said to her, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. 
42 But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her."
Busy can sometimes be a badge of honour that many people wear. Sometimes we can think that the busier we are the more productive we are, and perhaps the more important we are. But the truth is that a lifestyle of being constantly busy, can simply make us feel overwhelmed, inadequate, and exhausted.
If we are going to enjoy the Journey, then we must ensure that BEFORE we get to the overload stage, we must take time to rejuvenate. Whatever the shape rejuvenation looks like to you, Watching a Sunset, walking along a Beach, or up in the quiet stillness of a Rainforest, or mowing your Lawn or riding your Bike, enjoying a Hobby, or relaxing with Family or friends, JUST DO IT.  Because when we Are Rejuvenated, then we will make better choices, and lead with greater clarity, grace and wisdom.
If we are constantly depleted, we will have No Reserves to fall back on when challenges or trials come. (We only feel like quitting when we have nothing more to give.) The more we have in reserve the longer we will be able to go.
Even JESUS took time away from the crowds and ministry to refresh himself, and if He needed to do this, how much more do we. 
EXODUS 20:8,Remember the Sabbath day of REST
Boxing Day was once a Day of Rest after the Christmas Celebrations. NOW it’s the commercial shopping bargain day of the year. Go Go Go!
We’ve created Light Bulbs. Now we can Stay Up till all hours of the night. We’ve done it to ourselves.
Sometimes we have to SWITCH OFF, if we want to rejuvenate. God meant for us to SWITCH Off Occasionally. 
TODAY Jesus Offers US the invitation to come Aside to a Q uiet Place and to BE WITH HIM and to Rejuvenate our Souls. Have you Found that Place YET ??? COME BE WITH ME BY YOURSELVES and FIND PEACE.

HIS THIRD INVITATION. . . . LET ME TAKE THE WEIGHT OFF YOUR SOULS.
MATTHEW 11:28,  (NIV2011) 
28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
There is a REST for the BODY, and there is a REST for the SOUL. And we need to Rest BOTH. JESUS is saying to Us. . . . . Don’t carry burdens you weren’t meant to Carry. 
GALATIANS 6:2, (NKJV) 
2 Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. 
Verse 5, says…. But at Judgement Day each one shall bear their Own burden and receive their Own reward.
Some Burdens can be lifted when we share them with others. (A burden shared is a burden halved)
ECCLES 4:9-10, says….  (NKJV) 
9 Two are better than one, Because they have a good reward for their labor. 
10 For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, For he has no one to help him up. 
In 2022 we need to stay, Connected to God, Connected to People, and Connected to Our Purpose. [To Grow, To be a Blessing, To Help Others, To Achieve my Personal Goals]
BUT there are ALSO Heavy Weights, that we shouldn’t have to Carry. Some of them we need to let God Carry for Us.
1 PETER 5:7, tells us,  (NKJV) 
7 casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. 
[Care =merimna=distractions, anxieties, burdens, and worries]  FOR HE CARES FOR YOU.
Casting has the thought of Letting It GO.
GOD IS ABLE to provide for our DAILY NEEDS and our SPECIAL NEEDS, And to Give us this day our Daily Bread.  MATTHEW 6:11.
SO His Three Invitations   ARE……
1, Come and TRUST ME
2, Come BE WITH ME AND REST AWHILE
3, Come LET ME TAKE THE WEIGHT OFF Your Soul
I don’t know what you are facing as you Launch into 2022.     
It may be a Family issue, a Health issue,
A Work issue, a Relationship Issue, or a FINANCIAL Issue OR Miriad of other things.
I Don’t Know what the Future Holds, BUT I Know who Holds the Future. And HE who Holds the Future …… CARES FOR YOU.
Trust HIM NOW !!!!
Roll your CARES Upon HIM. 
STEP OUT and REST FOR A WHILE, 
And Don’t Let Your Heart Be TROUBLED.