Rest and Refreshing

But you,beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit (Jude 20).

My family and I are finishing a week of vacationing today. I am personally refreshed and I'm ready to get "back in the saddle." We all need times of rest. God programmed us physically to require it.

But we don't need physical rest by itself. We also need spiritual refreshing. I've taken time every day to feed on the Word. My spirit needs rest and my spirit needs food every day. I've also taken time to build myself up spiritually by praying in tongues.

Spritual strength can be built up and renewed just like natural strength. Waiting on the Lord gives spiritual energy. And praying in tongues brings spiritual rest and refreshing. This is the rest with which you may call the weary to rest, an this is the refreshing (Isaiah 28:12).

It's possible to take a week or two of vacation time and come back just as tired as you were before you left! That will happen if inward strength is not equally renewed.

F.F. Bosworth in his classic book Christ the Healer said, many Christians feed their bodies three hot meals a day and their spirit one cold snack a week! Do yourelf a favor and take care of the spiritual rest along with the natural rest you need this week. Feeding on the Word and praying in tongues will help renew the inward energy needed to live in stress filled world.

Smith Wigglesworth said pay attention to life's inflow. Outward service will dwindle if inward energies are not renewed.

I'm looking forward to coming back home and ministering this Wednesday night! I miss you all!