Matthew 11:28 AMP
[28] “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavily burdened [by religious rituals that provide no peace], and I will give you rest [refreshing your souls with salvation].
God never leaves us in doubt as the the contents of the package we have access to if we come to Him. He tells us upfront, by the contents of His Word, what His life package entails. Just as God also makes an offer, so does the devil also make an offer. At no time is there a middle ground, because, by virtue of our natural birth, we have been born into sin. That is the natural order of things, and the start point of any discussion about what God offers, and what I can get. Until a man knows and admits he needs help, nothing in the verse above can help him. Until a man knows and admits that only God can help him, he will continue to run, chasing something he is not sure about, yet unable to attain it because it is not given by reason of bravery, strength, brain, influence or earnings. Nothing this world offers can secure for you that which only God offers.
To this day, man still runs, pursuing an image of success that has not been expressly defined, and he cannot stop because the natural man is never satisfied until he has been consumed or put to death. That is why the verse above is quite instructive for our focus today. The natural man needs to give way to the spiritual man. The natural man has to die, and the way there is through the offer that God makes in the verse above. God says 'Come to me'. It does not mention a man, a place or an idea. It is to God that I must come, and He will secure and guarantee for me that which only He can give. The other part of the invitation is that I can only come if I know I need help. God does not force Himself on me, or go against the exercise of my freewill. It has to be a choice made with the full realisation of what I am getting into, so I do not turn around and blame God for my choice.
The class of people in focus are those who are weary and heavily burdened. This could come from just being religious, following the practices and conventions of men, without a personal encounter with the power and presence of God. When such a man comes to God, there is a working inside of you that will then make the same practices now powerful and effective. The difference is the presence of God. I note that with rest, you do not get to stop serving, but service now flows out of a heart that is in tune with the presence of God. When God has secured the heart by salvation, He has secured that life's focus, application and presentation, and He can get it to do things in line with His commands. Please do not settle down, until you have settled your life account with God. His offer stands until it is withdrawn, either by death or His second return. Before it is too late, take up the offer. Your eternity will be glad you did. God's time of favour is here.
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