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We who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. 1 Thessalonians 4:17 Jesus will take all His people to the Father’s house. He gives you His word on this, and He will do it in one of two ways. If you die before Christ comes, He will take you to the Father’s house without your body: “We would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord” (2 Cor. 5:8). You will receive a new body when He returns. If you live until Christ comes, He will take you to the Father’s house in the body, which will be transformed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye (1 Cor. 15:51). Either way, if you die before Jesus comes or you live until He comes back, it is Jesus who is taking you to the Father’s house. Paul tells us how: “The Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord” (1 Thes. 4:16-17). Jesus is coming back for us! It may or may not be in your lifetime, but He will surely come. What a day that will be. Come, Lord Jesus! Can you begin to imagine how Jesus will fulfil His promise to take you to heaven?

I go to prepare a place for you.” John 14:2 We are not to imagine Jesus working around the clock to get heaven organised before the second coming. If He can create the cosmos out of nothing with a word, then He can get heaven ready for believers with a single command. When Jesus says that He is going to prepare a place, it means that through His going, the place will be prepared. He is going to the cross; He is going to the grave. He is going to die; He is going to rise. And it is through His death and resurrection that He opens up the way for us to enter the glory of the Father’s house. Imagine you’re playing in the Rugby World Cup Final. You’ve just been passed the ball, and for a moment, the pitch opens up in front of you—there’s a real shot at a length-of-the-field try. The crowd is cheering and your heart pounds as you begin to run. But then you see them—massive defenders coming at you—their names are Law, Sin, and Death. Then there is another one—bigger, meaner, and uglier than the others—Satan himself. There is no way you can get past these guys. They stand between you and the try line, and you know that they will flatten you before you get there. But then—out of nowhere—a teammate comes running towards them. They are looking to take you out, but your teammate comes and takes them out, opening your way to the try line. This is what Jesus has done for us on the cross. “I go to prepare a place for you.” Sin and death can no longer keep you out! In your own words, what does it mean that Jesus went to prepare a place for you?

“In the world you will have tribulation.” John 16:33 Where do people get the idea that if you follow Jesus you can expect a life that is free from failure, disappointment, and loss? This is precisely the opposite of what Jesus Himself said. Jesus confronted His disciples with the realities of life: “In the world you will have tribulation” (16:33). Then He established their hope in another world: “I go to prepare a place for you” (14:2). If your hope is established in this world, you will be shattered by failure, disappointment, and loss. What are you going to do when you experience a loss that cannot be replaced in this world, a disappointment that remains for a lifetime, or a failure that changes the course of your life? Jesus is establishing His disciples in a faith that can stand through the misery of personal failure, the sorrow of gut-wrenching disappointment, and the pain of irreplaceable loss. But, in order to do that, Jesus must establish their hope in another world: “If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied” (1 Cor. 15:19). Here’s our hope: “In fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep” (15:20). Jesus’ answer to our failure, disappointment, and loss lies in the Father’s house. Don’t we have the Holy Spirit now? Doesn’t Christ say that the Spirit is with you and in you? Yes, and the Spirit is a deposit guaranteeing what is to come. Where is your hope? Is it based in this world or in the world to come?

“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?” John 14:1-2 When Jesus says, “Let not your hearts be troubled,” He is not saying, “I will make this world a better place for you. It will get better over the centuries.” Or “As you get older, the experience of failure, disappointment, and loss will recede.” This fallen world will always be what it is—a fallen world. With all its blessings and joys, our experience of life in this world is scarred with failure, disappointment, and loss. So, Jesus establishes our hope in another world. Sin, disappointment, and loss are woven into the fabric of this world. Any attempt to suggest that we can live in this world without them is naive at best. Grasping this truth will bring stability to your faith. Some Christians are thrown into confusion when suffering comes. They feel that since they have faith they should somehow be insulated from failure, disappointment, and loss. And when a crisis comes, they lose their moorings. The foundations of their faith are shaken. They lose themselves in questioning how God could allow this to happen. But Jesus is telling us that the world, as it is now, is not the way it will always be. He is preparing a much better place for us. How does it help you to know that this world is not all there is?

“If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.” John 14:23 The Bible speaks in several places about Jesus living in us. In Ephesians, Paul prayed that “Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith” (Eph. 3:17). And in Colossians, Paul spoke about “Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Col. 1:27). Knowing that Jesus is with you and in you by His Spirit, here are three encouragements to take with you today: 1. You are never alone. There is no greater truth than this when you experience loneliness. Jesus does not say, “I will visit you from time to time.” He says, “I will make My home with you.” Christ will be at home with you until you are at home with Him. 2. You are called to obedience. The truth of God’s presence in your life is the greatest incentive to holiness. When Paul had to deal with some folks at Corinth who had opened the door to obvious sin in their lives, He said to them: “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you?” (1 Cor. 6:19). “So glorify God in your body” (6:20). 3. You have strength for today. This is the truth that you need when you feel washed out, exhausted, and your own strength is gone. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is with you and in you! Which of these did you most need to be reminded of today?

“You know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.” John 14:17 Suppose you go to the doctor, and you are diagnosed with some serious condition: “This will need treatment, and there are two ways we can go. The first is surgery, but there is an alternative, and it’s noninvasive.” At this point, most people would be focusing on the second option. Most of us would like to avoid surgery, if at all possible. We want the noninvasive option, and if that’s not possible, then give us the minimally invasive option. We naturally think the same way about faith. We would like to have a minimally invasive faith. But notice what Jesus says here about the Holy Spirit: “He lives with you and will be in you” (14:17). Now that’s invasive! The Spirit of God will live with you and will be in you. What does a noninvasive faith do for you—believing that there once was a man called Jesus, that He was God, and that He rose from the dead? How does that make a difference in your life? How can that comfort you in suffering? How can that give you strength to face the world today? Jesus said, “The Holy Spirit will be with you and in you.” Jesus gave Himself for us on the cross. Jesus gives Himself to us by the Holy Spirit. We participate in all that Jesus has accomplished for us by the Holy Spirit. The work of Christ does indeed “invade” every aspect of the true Christian’s life. How have you seen change in your life since you became a believer in Jesus? Has this change been noticed by others as well?

“I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth.” John 14:16-17 How do we know the presence of Jesus in our lives today? In what way is He with us? And how exactly does He help us? After Jesus rose on that first Easter morning, He appeared to His disciples multiple times over a 40-day period. Then He was visibly taken up into heaven as the twelve disciples watched (see Acts 1). After He returned to the Father in heaven, the resurrection life of Jesus was communicated to the first disciples by “another Helper,” the Holy Spirit. Notice what Jesus says here about the Spirit: “I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper” (John 14:16). The disciples already had Jesus as their helper. But now Jesus is returning to the Father, so when Jesus talks about “another Helper,” He is telling the disciples that this helper will do for them what Jesus had done for them. This helper is the Spirit of truth and He will be with them forever (14:17). Jesus Christ has ascended to the right hand of the Father in heaven where He intercedes for us. But He is present with us by His Holy Spirit. When are you most aware of Jesus’ presence with you?

“Everyone who acknowledges me before men... Matthew 10:32 Obedience to Jesus here is not simply calling yourself a Christian. The hardest days of your life will be your greatest opportunity to confess Him. Here are five ways to confess Jesus: 1. Confess the glory of Christ in costly obedience The Bible tells the story of Mary pouring perfume on Jesus’ feet. Mary could not think of a better use for this treasure, so she poured it on Jesus, and in doing so, she confessed His glory. 2. Confess the presence of Christ in loneliness Paul writes from prison about friends who let him down (2 Tim. 4:9-11). But instead of turning his disappointment into bitterness, Paul confessed Christ: “But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me” (4:17). What are you going to do when other people let you down? 3. Confess contentment in Christ under financial pressure When Paul faced financial struggles, he might have said, “Why did Jesus allow this?” Instead, he used his need to confess Christ: “I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me” (Phil. 4:12-13). 4. Confess the sufficiency of Christ in sickness & pain When Paul faced “a thorn in the flesh” (2 Cor. 12:7), he pleaded with the Lord to take it away. But the Lord said, “No.” So Paul used his own pain to confess Christ: “[Jesus] said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me” (12:9). 5. Confess the sovereignty of Christ in sorrow & loss Job’s wealth was plundered, his children died, and his wife said: “Curse God and die” (Job 2:9). But Job said: “The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD” (1:21). Your confession of Christ in trouble will reverberate through heaven and hell forever. Is there an opportunity for you to confess Christ in your circumstances today?

“Everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven.” Matthew 10:32 If you only read this verse in isolation, it might sound like Jesus is saying that salvation is by works: “If you do this for Me; I will do that for you.” But this is not the message of the gospel. We are saved by the blood of Jesus, not by an act of confession. There is no redeeming power in confessing Christ. Redeeming power lies in the Christ who is confessed. This Christ becomes ours by faith, and our confession is one evidence of faith in the Christ who saves us. That is how we should understand the words of Jesus here and how we should understand these familiar words: “If you confess with your mouth, that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved” (Rom. 10:9). Redeeming power lies in the Christ who is confessed, not in the act of confessing. Jesus is not talking to unbelievers, but to His disciples. Notice, this whole chapter is about Jesus speaking to those who have already made a commitment to Him: Jesus “called to him his twelve disciples” (Mat. 10:1). This isn’t evangelism—calling unbelievers to confess Christ. This is for Christians. He’s challenging us. Jesus is not talking about something easy, but something hard. When you first hear this verse, it sounds like an easy thing to do. Here’s the Lord Jesus Christ, and what does He want me to do? “Everyone who acknowledges me…” (Mat. 10:32). So, that’s what we have to do—we have to acknowledge Jesus and accept that He’s the Saviour and say we believe in Him—nothing terribly difficult about that… until you consider the context. Are you tempted to interpret these kinds of sayings in the Bible as things you must do in order to be right with God? Why or why not?

“Everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.” Matthew 10:32-33 The word ‘acknowledge’ (or confess) in the Greek is homologeo. Homo means ‘one’ and logeo means ‘word.’ Put them together and it means “to be of one word,” or to say the same thing. Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life” (John 14:6). So, to confess Jesus is to say, “Jesus is my way and my truth and my life.” You believe it. You own it. You do not say, “This is what Jesus says, but I have a different view.” Or “I’m not so sure about that.” You say, “I follow Him as my Lord. I listen to Him as my Teacher. I trust in Him as my Saviour.” Maybe there was a time when you said to God “I’m done with you.” Maybe you made some kind of commitment that was the opposite of faith in Christ. What does this mean for you now? Peter denied Jesus three times, and afterward he wept bitterly. Then, after the resurrection, Jesus spoke with him. He did not say, “Peter, I’m sorry, but you’ve denied Me, so now I’m denying you.” He forgave Peter and restored him, not only to fellowship, but even to ministry. So, we can be confident that Jesus was not saying, “If you have ever denied Me, you are gone forever.” Jesus was saying: “If you continue to deny Me, I will deny you.” If the second part of the verse means, “If you continue to deny Me, I will deny you,” then clearly this is how we should understand the first half. Jesus was not saying “If you ever said that you believe in Me, then you’re okay.” He was saying, “If you continue to confess Me before men, I will confess you before My Father in heaven.” Jesus is calling us to a confessing life. Have you been denying Jesus? Are you ready to begin confessing Him?

"Everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven." Matthew 10:32–33 If you were to make a list of the greatest days of your life, you’d probably have a few to choose from. They would likely include graduations, weddings, birthdays, and retirements. But Jesus speaks here about a day so momentous that it will outshine any other day of your life. One day you will stand in the presence of God, and on that day, you will see the Son of God. You will hear His voice. He will speak to you. On that day, the Son of God will either confess you or deny you. To confess you means He will say to the Father, “This is [put your name here], and she belongs to Me.” To deny you means the Son will say to the Father, “This is [put your name here], and he has nothing to do with Me.” Every person will hear the Son of God say one of these two things. Jesus makes it clear that what He says about you then is tied to what you say about Him now: “Everyone who acknowledges me before men [that’s what you say about Jesus now], I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven [that’s what He will say about you then], but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven” (10:32–33). What are you saying about Jesus now with your thoughts, words, and actions?

Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. Matthew 4:19 For centuries Evangelicals have had a clear understanding of the message of the gospel. The message is the incarnation and the atonement. God became man in Jesus Christ. Christ died on the cross for our sins and broke the power of death by His resurrection. This Christ offers forgiveness of sins and peace with God, new life by the power of the Holy Spirit, and entrance, not into the hell that we deserve, but into everlasting joy in the presence of God. Evangelicals have also had a clear understanding of the mission of the gospel. The mission is to proclaim this gospel to people in every culture, inviting them to receive what Christ offers by coming to Him in faith and repentance, trusting Him as Saviour, and following Him as Lord. But there is an inherent offence in this gospel-the uniqueness of Jesus as Savior, the guilt of our sin, and the judgment of hell-nobody likes these things. Liberalism did not accept the inspiration and authority of the Bible, so it selected certain truths and discarded others. The message of liberalism is not the incarnation and the atonement. It is the fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of men. God loves you and we need to love each other. That's true, but you don't need an incarnation or an atonement for that. You don't need repentance and faith in Christ for that. There's no hell to be saved from in that. A new message led to a new mission. Liberalism changed the church's mission from individual salvation to cultural transformation. Instead of saying, "Our ministry is to lead people to repentance and faith in Christ through the gospel," they say, "Our mission is to change society." Jesus says, "I will make you fishers of men." God's method of changing society is to change the individuals who compose it. What is your response to the message and mission of liberalism?

Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. Matthew 4:19 Here are seven observations suggested by Jesus’ analogy of fishing. 1. Some people are really good at fishing, but anyone can do it. You don’t have to know much about fishing to catch a fish, and God gives some people special gifts of evangelism, but every Christian can play a part in drawing other people to Jesus. 2. Fishing requires great patience. You throw out a line or a net, and then you wait. Many of us have loved ones who we long to see won to Christ. Fishing requires great patience. 3. Fishing teaches how to deal with discouragement. The disciples had toiled all night, and they caught nothing (Luke 5:5). Anyone who enjoys fishing has a story like this. You haven’t caught anything today? Get up early and go out again tomorrow. 4. Christ invites us to come fishing, not go hunting. Some Christians sound more like hunters than fishers. But there is an art to fishing, and Peter gives us wise counsel: speak with gentleness and respect (1 Pet. 3:15). 5. The church is a fishing boat, not a pleasure boat. It’s easier to have a ministry that is about ourselves. But Jesus does not say, “Follow me and I will take you on a delightful cruise.” He says, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” 6. Fishing is hard and sometimes dangerous work. Have you seen the television programme Deadliest Catch? Fishing is one of the most dangerous jobs in the world. Read the book of Acts and you will see that pioneer evangelism is up there too. The best fishing is often done in the most difficult waters. 7. There’s great joy in catching fish. Have you ever seen someone looking miserable about a fish they just caught? Of course not! Catching fish is fun, and there is far greater joy in seeing a person come to faith in Jesus. Which of these observations is most helpful to you?

“Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Matthew 4:19 What did the disciples gain from three years of following Jesus? What will you learn from following Jesus that will make you effective in bringing people to Him? A new interest in people The disciples lived in a world of fish, nets, and boats. But Jesus brought them into a world of people. They didn’t like the crowds at first and wanted to send them away. They stood in the way of children and tried to stop people from other cultures from coming to Jesus. Yet, after following Jesus, these men gained a new interest in people. Peter, a fisherman, became a shepherd to the flock of God. Where did he learn this? From following Jesus. A new clarity about Jesus When Jesus calmed the storm, the disciples said, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?” (Mk. 4:41). After three years of following Him, Peter was able to say, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Mat. 16:16). But they still did not see that He must die for sins and rise again on the third day. They continued to follow Jesus, and on the day of Pentecost, Peter threw out the gospel net and the Spirit brought 3,000 souls to Christ that day (see Acts 2). A new confidence in God’s power Following Jesus, the disciples saw lives changed. They saw those who were possessed by evil spirits, set free; those who were sick with various diseases, healed. They saw what God can do, and their faith in Him grew. Ask God to increase your love for people. Ask Him to give you more clarity about Jesus. Or ask Him to increase your confidence in Him.

“Whoever comes to me I will never cast out.” John 6:37 Jesus says, “Whoever comes to me I will never cast out.” Not now, not in the future, not ever. Not only is this a marvellous incentive for sinners coming to Christ, it is a wonderful assurance for believers who have come to Christ. “Whoever comes to me I will never cast out.” The Son will not cast out any who come. They are the gift of the Father. That is why they’ve come. The Father never gives unwanted gifts. The Father gives them, and the Son keeps them. Do you ever wonder if Christ will tire of you when He sees how weak your faith is? Never! Do you wonder if He might lose interest when He sees how slow you are to change? No! Never! You need to hear this when you have fallen into temptation and Satan says, “Well, there’s not much Christ can do with you now.” Look to Christ. He says, “I will never cast you out.” There will never come a time when He will say, “I am done with you.” No! Never! What happens if you get Alzheimer’s at the end of your life, and you get confused, and you’re not clear about your faith? Do you think you could be lost? No! Never! “All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out” (6:37). What do you most fear would cause God to turn away from you? Tell Him and reflect again on Jesus’ words here in John 6:37.

…I will never cast out. John 6:37 When you move toward Jesus, He is there for you, ready to receive you. He won’t drive you away. The word comes is in the present continuous tense. “Whoever is coming.” “Whoever is on the way.” Think of the prodigal son on his way home. He hasn’t arrived yet, but he’s on the way. If you are stirred with some sense of your own need today, if you feel drawn to Christ, you can be sure that the Son of God sees you coming. His arms are stretched out to receive you. He says to you, “I won’t drive you away.” You have every reason for hope in Jesus Christ today. Use this as an incentive in coming to Jesus. We don’t know how fast the prodigal son walked back to the Father, but he may have walked slowly. He probably expected a long lecture on wasted money and wasted years. Maybe that’s one reason he stayed away so long. But now he is desperate, so with his head hanging he begins the long trudge home. Put yourself in his shoes. You expect to be raked over the coals, and you hear a voice calling your name. You look up and your father is running toward you—his arms reaching out, tears running down his face. When you see that, you will run too. When you see the love of God, you will gather the courage to repent. As you come to Christ, look ahead of you. You will see the outstretched arms of Jesus. “Whoever comes to me I will never cast out.” Once you have come to Jesus, look back and see, look back and see the eternal love of the Father, who gave you and drew you to the Son. “All that the Father gives me will come to me” (6:37). Do you need to look ahead or look back today?

“Whoever comes to me… John 6:37 The first camera was on God the Father who gives certain people to His Son. The second camera is focused on the sinner who is coming to Jesus. Jesus invites all people to come to Him: “Whoever comes to me…” You cannot get more inclusive than that. The great truth that the Father gives certain people to the Son never excludes a person who wants to come to Christ. If you have an interest in coming to Christ, you can take that as a sure sign that the Father is working in your life. Those who come to Jesus see something great in Him. John Bunyan wrote a whole book on this one verse. He asked the question: What have you found in Christ? Bunyan’s point is simple. Those who come to Christ are drawn to Him. That means that we see something in Him that is compelling to us. The world sees little of value in Christ, but to us who believe, Christ is the treasure in the field, the pearl of great price. What have you found in Him? Bunyan makes this point: What Abraham found in Christ made him ready to leave home and go to another country. What Moses found in Him made him glad to give up the comfort of a palace in Egypt and suffer with the people of God. What Daniel found in Him made him live with integrity in a godless world, even when it meant being thrown in a den of lions. What have you found in Christ? Coming to Christ involves seeing something in Him that draws you. You see a love that compels you, a purity that draws you, a glory that lifts you. What you see in Christ weans you from your sins. It makes you tired of living for yourself. You find yourself saying, “I want to be holy. I want to be forgiven and at peace with God. I want to live for Christ and give my whole life to this Saviour who loved me and gave Himself for me!” What have you found in Christ?

“All that the Father gives me... John 6:37 Jesus speaks about believers as the Father’s gift to Him. The Father gives people to the Son. The people who are given to Christ come to Him. Who are these people the Father has given? How do we know who they are? They are the ones who come to Him. They come because they are given. How do these people come? “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him” (6:44). The Father gives certain people to Jesus. He draws these people to Christ, and they come to Him. How many who are given to Jesus actually come to Him? All of them! “All that the Father gives me will come to me” (6:37). Nothing can stop these people from coming to Christ. We get used to working with percentages. How many contacts turn into sales? How many students end up graduating? How many aeroplanes arrive on time? It is a common practice for airlines to overbook their flights. The logic is simple. In any group of a hundred people who have tickets, there will be some who, for various reasons, don’t make it to the airport. The airlines assume that a certain number of people will drop out. If we ask how many of the people God gives to His Son actually come to Him, the answer is: 100 percent. On the last day, Christ will stand in the presence of the Father, and He will say, “Behold, I and the children God has given me” (Heb. 2:13). Jesus is not saying, “I’ve got most of them.” He is saying, “I’ve got all of them!” If you have come to Christ, you can have complete confidence in Him. He goes on to say that He will, “lose nothing of all that [the Father] has given me” (6:39). How certain do you think Jesus wants us to be about this?

“All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out.” John 6:37 These are among the greatest words ever spoken by our Lord Jesus Christ. They take us to the heart of our salvation. Perhaps this simple illustration will help you to see why. One of the joys of watching football on television is that you see more than you would see if you were at the game... and it’s often warmer. When your team scores a goal, the replays show you what was happening from various points of view, so that you get a fuller picture of all that was going on. You see the play. Then you see it from the reverse angle. Then you see it from the camera on the goal line. You are looking at the same event, but the different camera angles give you a fuller picture. Placed together, they show you things that were happening in the play that you would have missed if you only saw one angle. This verse gives us three camera angles on the one event of our salvation. One camera is trained on the activity of God the Father: “All that the Father gives me...” A second camera is turned toward the sinner coming to Christ: “Whoever comes to me...” And a third camera is focused on Christ receiving the sinner: “I will never cast out...” The Father gives, the sinner comes, and the Son receives. These are the three great movements of our salvation. Viewing these pictures side-by-side will help you to see more clearly what God has done for you in Jesus Christ. Which of the three camera angles are you most familiar with?

“Come to me... I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you... and you will find rest for your souls.” Matthew 11:28-29 When Jesus says that you will find rest for your soul, He doesn’t mean sleep. He’s saying, “I will put an end to your inner turmoil. Bring your hurts and fears, your regrets and disappointments, your anxieties and your inadequacies to Me. Bring the pressures and troubles of your life to Me. I will give you peace that passes understanding. My peace I give you.” This rest is Christ’s gift. It is not a process. It is not like a prescription or a formula that could be obtained from different sources. It is the gift of the living Christ to you. J. C. Ryle in his book Old Paths says, “Rest such as this is the privilege of all believers in Christ. Some know more of it and some less; some feel it only at distant intervals, and some feel it almost always; few enjoy the sense of it without many a battle with unbelief, and many a conflict with fear. But all who truly come to Christ know something of this rest.” Let the weight of your burdens draw you to the Saviour today. As your load becomes heavier, you have more reason to come to Him. The wearier you become, the more you need to yoke yourself to Christ. This is a marvellous way to view the pressures of your life. Use them as a reason to draw near to Christ today. Will you take the Saviour at His word today? Will you come to Him and receive what He offers?