Thanksgiving (not the holiday)

1 Thessalonians 5:18

Few things are more important than thanksgiving in the life of a believer, not the holiday, but an attitude of thankfulness.

Nothing will go further in refreshing our spirits and renewing our hearts than giving thanks.

At the conclusion of his letter to the Thessalonians, the Apostle Paul says,

...give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. (1 Thessalonians 5:18 ESV)

“Give thanks in all circumstances” is also translated “In everything give thanks.” This command is strengthened by the phrase that follows, “for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”

Let’s consider a few other places where the Apostle Paul includes thanksgiving in his writings.

...giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, (Ephesians 5:20 ESV)

And,

...do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. (Philippians 4:6 ESV)

And,

And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. (Colossians 3:15-17 ESV)

In Ephesians, Philippians and Colossians, when he is giving instructions on how to live the Christian life, Paul says, “Give thanks.”  And in the passage above from Colossians, he says three times in three verses, “Give thanks.”  Give thanks. Give thanks. Give thanks.

Few things are more important than thanksgiving or thankfulness in the life of a believer. If we are going to let the peace of Christ rule in our hearts, thanksgiving must be a part of our daily lives. We must give thanks in every circumstance - from moment to moment. I am going to give you two solid reasons for giving thanks.

First, let’s refer back to 1 Thessalonians 5:18. Which says:

... give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. (1 Thessalonians 5:18 ESV)

The reason for giving thanks according to this verse is:

for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

The will of God for us is good. Romans 12:2 calls it “good and acceptable and perfect.” Psalm 34:8 challenges us, “Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good!”

If the fact that it is God’s will and He commands it is not enough to convince us to give thanks, there is another strong reason for giving thanks.

Let’s start our look at this second reason with a look at Romans 1:21. Romans 1:21 says:

For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Romans 1:21 ESV

When this verse talks about those who knew God, it is talking about all humanity. We can refer back to the Tower of Babel when humanity was united and felt confident that they could do anything. We can reference the modern age where humanity is confident that we can do anything. In either case, not honoring God as God or giving thanks to Him leads to futile thinking. 

As an example of futile thinking, I want to quote for you a passage from Isaiah.

To whom then will you liken God, or what likeness compare with him? An idol! A craftsman casts it, and a goldsmith overlays it with gold and casts for it silver chains. He who is too impoverished for an offering chooses wood that will not rot; he seeks out a skillful craftsman to set up an idol that will not move. (Isaiah 40:18-20 ESV)

They know not, nor do they discern, for he has shut their eyes, so that they cannot see, and their hearts, so that they cannot understand. No one considers, nor is there knowledge or discernment to say, "Half of it I burned in the fire; I also baked bread on its coals; I roasted meat and have eaten. And shall I make the rest of it an abomination? Shall I fall down before a block of wood?" He feeds on ashes; a deluded heart has led him astray, and he cannot deliver himself or say, "Is there not a lie in my right hand?" (Isaiah 44:18-20 ESV)

Some nations still have idols made of wood and stone, and some people consider themselves above such nonsense. However, according to Romans 1, modern secular people have progressed two steps further into futility than idols. According to Romans 1 the steps of futility are: 

1. Idols (Romans 1:21-23)
2. Serving lust or desires (Romans 1:24-25)
3. Perverted passions (Romans 1:26-27)

We are well into perverted passions. We have lost our moorings and do not know what or who we are. And it all started with not honoring God as God and giving thanks. 

All that is good comes from God. James 1:17 reminds us that every good and every perfect gift comes from God. God is the source of life. He is the source of light. He is the source of truth and goodness and justice. When we forget these facts, we turn to futility and foolishness.

The command of God and our need are two strong reasons to practice thanksgiving. 

What we have not talked about yet are the benefits. This is a series about refreshing, renewing and revitalizing our lives. Thanksgiving is vital to our spiritual life. Thanksgiving is a crucial part of our joy and it is foundational to our praise.

We have already talked about peace. Philippians 4:6-7 makes it clear that thanksgiving is a vital part of our peace. Without acknowledging God with gratitude, we cannot enjoy peace.

The word in Philippians 4:6 that is used for “thanksgiving” is “εὐχαριστίας” (eucharistias). This compound word is made by combining “eu”, which means “good”, with “charis”, which means “grace”. In other words, thanksgiving is recognizing or remembering God’s good grace.

We have an example of thanksgiving in the New Testament that shows how we ought to give thanks and also how rare it is for us to give thanks. The account is found in Luke 17.

On the way to Jerusalem he was passing along between Samaria and Galilee. And as he entered a village, he was met by ten lepers, who stood at a distance and lifted up their voices, saying, "Jesus, Master, have mercy on us." When he saw them he said to them, "Go and show yourselves to the priests." And as they went they were cleansed. Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice; and he fell on his face at Jesus' feet, giving him thanks. Now he was a Samaritan. Then Jesus answered, "Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine? Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?" And he said to him, "Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well." (Luke 17:11-19 ESV)

How is it that only one of the ten came back to give thanks?

As scandalous as this is, it is the norm. How many of us give thanks daily for the great salvation we enjoy - the forgiveness of our sins, our adoption as God’s children, our inheritance as saints? 

How many of us give thanks daily for the mercies of God which are new every morning? 

Have you ever wondered how we are to praise God? What does it mean to praise God?

Notice how the Samaritan leper praised God by thanking Him for what He had done. 

Praising God is more than repeating the words “praise God, praise God, praise God.” This is not wrong nor would I stop doing it, but it can become meaningless repetition if it is not connected to a heart of thanksgiving.

We praise God by telling what He has done. We praise God by thanking Him for what He has done. 

Psalm 100 is a Psalm of praise to God. In verse 4, it says,

Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name! (Psalms 100:4 ESV)

This Psalm, along with others, ties thanksgiving and praise together. We praise God by proclaiming what He has done. 

Consider also what Hebrews 13 instructs us to do:

Therefore let us go to him outside the camp and bear the reproach he endured. For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come. Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name. (Hebrews 13:13-15 ESV)

In this passage, our sacrifice of praise is explained as the fruit of lips that acknowledge His name. This is the key to our happiness, joy and fullness in the Lord. Notice also, it is the key to our joy in spite of suffering. These verses are talking about bearing the reproach that Jesus bore. 

1 Thessalonians 5:18 says to give thanks in all circumstances. This would include suffering. Another passage that points to how we can find joy in suffering is Romans 5.

Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. (Romans 5:3-5 ESV)

Thanksgiving comes from a heart that acknowledges what God has done. Thanksgiving is the foundation of our praise. When God gave the first commandment, “You shall have no other gods before me.” (Exodus 20:3 ESV), He attached to this command a recognition of what He had done. He prefaced this command with:

I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. (Exodus 20:2 ESV)

Do you want to have faith?

Do you want to have joy?

Do you want the peace of God to rule in your heart?

Then you must have a thankful heart. Faith, joy and peace all start with thanksgiving. These things grow with acknowledging the work of God in our lives. Telling others the wonderful things God has done for us requires that we first have hearts full of gratitude for what He has done. If we lack thanksgiving, we will lack fruit in our lives. 

Thanksgiving is so crucial that I will go as far as to say we cannot enjoy real peace, real rest or enter into the fullness of Sabbath without thanksgiving.

We must do as the song writer said and name our blessings one by one, and they are many.

Peace

John 14:25-31

Many things trouble us.

How about that Corona Virus?

Will I be able to pay the bills this month?

Will I have enough set aside by the time I reach retirement?

I wonder if this bump under my skin is something to worry about?

Will I pass the history exam tomorrow?

Will I get enough scholarships and financial aid to pay for college?

Will I be able to pay off my student loans?

Will I lose my job in this economy?

Will my basement flood in the rains this spring?

The worry list is endless and the list is as varied as we are as individuals. What I worry about may not worry you at all, and I may not have any clue as to what worries you. But, one thing we have in common, we live in a world full of trouble.

The Apostles were not strangers to trouble. Jesus spent His last night, the night that He was betrayed by Judas Iscariot, with His closest disciples. We call this time the Last Supper, and at this time Jesus told His disciples some important stuff. Some of it was scary.

Peter was told He would deny Jesus three times.

Jesus told all of them:

"Truly, truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me." (John 13:21 ESV)

And...

Little children, yet a little while I am with you. You will seek me, and just as I said to the Jews, so now I also say to you, 'Where I am going you cannot come.' (John 13:33 ESV)

After telling them a few upsetting things like this, Jesus said:

Let not your hearts be troubled. (John 14:1 ESV)

Boy, talk about troubled hearts!

I find the Greek word Jesus used for “troubled” fascinating. It is the word “ταρασσέσθω” (tarassestho). This word is defined as follows:  to put in motion (to agitate back-and-forth, shake to-and-fro).

I get quite a picture from that word agitate. I think of stirring the pot, or shaking things up. This was their hearts, all shaken and stirred up!

This is our hearts when we are “troubled” about many things.

Good news follows bad news. The bad news is that we tend to be troubled by many things. The good news is given by Jesus. While talking to His disciples about these things, He said:

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. (John 14:27 ESV)

Saying “calm down” or “don’t let your hearts be troubled” is easy. But, if these words are not accompanied by something to replace or calm the trouble, they are of no value. They do nothing for us. But, when Jesus says “Don’t let your hearts be troubled,” He gives us further instructions, like, “Trust in God, trust also in Me.” Here in John 14:27, He says, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.” Now, here is something useful, He gives peace. He gave it to the disciples and He gives it to us. He has not taken it away, because He does not give as the world gives.

First, let’s look at what “peace” is. The dictionary, or Google, defines peace as: “freedom from disturbance; tranquility.”

“Freedom from disturbance: tranquility” just sounds good. I get a picture like this in my head: 

Sitting in a meadow or beautiful, quiet place without any worries or pressures seems to be the very thing peace is talking about. Psalms 23 says:

He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. (Psalms 23:2 ESV)

This is meant to be a peaceful image. The last thing a shepherd wants is for his sheep to be agitated. They aren’t dangerous like stampeding cattle, but they will definitely hurt themselves.

Jesus talks about two things that are not peaceful. He says, “Let not your hearts be troubled.” Troubled means agitated and this is the opposite of peace. Agitation refers to the worries and concerns of life. But, Jesus talks about one more thing that is the opposite of peace. John 14:27 says:

Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. (John 14:27 ESV)

“Neither let them be afraid,” fear is the second thing that is the antithesis of peace.

According to 1 John 4:17-18, fear is related to judgment and punishment. 1 John 4:17-18 says:

By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world. There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. (1 John 4:17-18 ESV)

The frightening thing about judgment is the punishment that comes after. If the judge does not pass sentence then there is nothing to fear. In telling us that perfect love casts out fear, John explains to us the source of fear. Fear and dread come upon us because of the certainty of judgment. The Bible tells us, “It is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment.” (Hebrews 9:27) God has made us with a conscience and part of that conscience is an innate or inborn certainty that we will be judged. This inborn certainty is what Paul is referring to in Romans 2:15 when he says:

They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them (Romans 2:15 ESV)

Ultimately, fear is related to the ending of life. Fear of monsters, fear of the dark, fear of heights are all tied to the fear of death. The fear of death is not so much the fear of the unknown, but fear of the certainty of judgment, although many of the unbelieving would deny this.

The agitation of worry and the fear of judgment rule the lives of the unbelieving. But Jesus has given us His peace. We can live in the tranquility of the green pastures and still waters that He leads us in.

John 14 points out the way to enjoy this refreshing of our spirits.

First, in answer to the agitation of worries, Jesus says, “Believe in God, believe also in me.” (John 14:1) It seems overly simple, but all of our worry and all of our anxiety comes back to this issue of trust. When Jesus addressed the worries of life in His Sermon on the Mount, He tells us not to worry because our Heavenly Father knows what we need. Consider what Philippians 4:6-7 tells us:

...do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7 ESV)

Do you see how the peace of God is linked to trusting God?

When Jesus said, “Let not your hearts be troubled,” His solution was “trust in God and trust also in me.”

The second issue covered by Jesus that keeps us from enjoying peace is fear. 1 John 4:18 already told us that the answer to this is love, but let’s consider this a little more. 

I want to point out something intriguing in Jesus’ words to His disciples. He says:

And now I have told you before it takes place, so that when it does take place you may believe. I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming. He has no claim on me, but I do as the Father has commanded me, so that the world may know that I love the Father. Rise, let us go from here. (John 14:29-31 ESV)

Notice that Jesus says that the ruler of this world has no claim on Him. The ruler of this world is also known as Satan, or the accuser. In Zechariah, he is seen accusing the high priest (Zechariah 3:1). Satan had nothing He could accuse Jesus of. Jesus was the sinless, spotless lamb of God. This was simply because as Jesus says in John 14, “I do as the Father has commanded me, so that the world may know that I love the Father.”  Jesus does what the Father tells Him because He loves the Father. Because He does what the Father tells Him, He has nothing to fear.

Earlier in John 14 Jesus tells His disciples:

Jesus answered him, “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. Whoever does not love me does not keep my words. And the word that you hear is not mine but the Father's who sent me.” (John 14:23-24 ESV)

In verse 15 of this same chapter, Jesus also says, “If you love me, you will obey what I command.”

If we were perfect in love, we would have nothing to fear in the judgment. However, since none of us is perfect in love, how can we have nothing to fear in the judgment? How is it that Jesus has given us His peace?

1 John 1:7-9 answers this question.

But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:7-9 ESV)

“The blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.” Because Satan had nothing on Jesus, He has nothing on you and me if we have called upon Jesus to save us.

Two of the burdens the world puts on us are worry and fear. Jesus promised that if we come to Him, He will give us rest. 

Why do we continue to live in worry and fear?

Come to Jesus and experience times of refreshing!

He is the answer.

Trust Him because He cares for you and knows all your needs.

Trust Him because if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. We have nothing to fear. If God is for us, who can be against us? (Romans 8:31)

This is the promise of God concerning peace:

...do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7 ESV)

Sabbath

Genesis 2:1-3

Titus 3:3 says:

For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another. (Titus 3:3 ESV)

This verse describes the condition of humanity. Most of us do not like to be described as foolish, led astray and slaves. However, our society reflects the facts of our foolishness and slavery. Our world also reflects the malice, envy and hatred of which this verse speaks. 

Our world is rapidly changing. Technology is one evidence of rapid change. Cell phones, televisions and computers grow in capacity, speed and function with every new model. However, this growth in technology has not relieved us of our foolishness and has only increased our slavery to various passions and pleasures. We cannot solve our problems. Conditions seem to go from bad to worse.

But there is hope! Titus 3:4-5 says:

But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, (Titus 3:4-5 NKJV)

In His kindness, God saved us. He has saved us from our foolishness and slavery. Notice here in these verses that it says this salvation is accomplished by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit. 

There is a theological definition of regeneration, but let’s just consider the common definition of regeneration:

the action or process of regenerating or being regenerated, in particular the formation of new animal or plant tissue. (Google)

And, let’s do the same for renewal. The common definition of renewal is:

the replacing or repair of something that is worn out, run-down, or broken. (Google)

If we have been saved, if we have been renewed, then why do we find ourselves still trapped by foolishness and slavery to passions. Why aren’t we living lives of renewal and peace. Jesus said:

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. (Matthew 11:28 ESV)

The world lays heavy burdens on us - more than we can carry. 

Concerns about money stress us out. Concerns about children, education, jobs and the future weigh us down. 

Luke gives us an account from the ministry of Jesus. In Luke 10, Luke tells us Jesus was traveling and large crowds were following him. When Jesus entered a certain village, a woman named Martha invited Him into her home. She worked hard at her preparations, but her sister Mary sat at Jesus’ feet listening to Him. Finally, tired of doing all the work herself, Martha went to Jesus and said, “Master, tell my sister to help me with the work.”

Jesus replied:

Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things. (Luke 10:41 ESV)

Many of us are like Martha. We are anxious and troubled about many things.

One of the results of sin in our world is life sapping stress and anxiety. Jesus said:

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. (Matthew 11:28 ESV)

Without the rest that Jesus is talking about, we all labor and are heavy laden. Laden means heavily loaded or weighed down. Jesus is promising to deliver us from the crushing burdens of our lives. Part of our salvation, part of our renewal is delivery from these crushing burdens. As children of God, we have rest, restoration and refreshing available to us. Hebrews tells us:

So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, (Hebrews 4:9 ESV)

I am doing a study on rest and renewal, and I invite you to join me on this journey. I am calling it “Refresh.” When I see words like regeneration and renewal, which are part of our salvation, I think of times of refreshing. Just as Peter preached:

Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, and that he may send the Messiah, who has been appointed for you—even Jesus. (Acts 3:19-20 NIV)

This is what we need - times of refreshing!

According to Google, to refresh means to “give new strength or energy to; reinvigorate.” Don’t you want new strength and energy?

The results of our repentance are our sins being wiped out and times of refreshing from the Lord.

When you are weary, when you are tired and worn out, the first thing you need is rest. The best example of this is sleep. Our bodies require sleep. Missing just one night of sleep has physical effects equivalent to a blood alcohol concentration of 0.10 percent, which is above the legal limit for driving.

Rest is so important that God put it in His law that we are to rest one day out of seven. When God gave Israel the laws by which they were to function, He put taking one day off in seven on the same level as lying or murdering. Rest is that important. Rest is so important that God included it in the national laws of Israel.

Refreshing starts with rest.

So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, (Hebrews 4:9 ESV)

The Bible begins by teaching us about rest. Genesis 2:1-3 says:

Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done. So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation. (Genesis 2:1-3 ESV)

Do you think that God got tired?

I hardly think so!

God did this as an example for us to set up the pattern. God could have created any type of universe He wanted, and He created this one, and rest is an essential part of it.

The people in the New Testament known as Pharisees are examples of the perfect practice of religion. They had rules to help them keep from breaking the rules. For example, to put up boundaries around the Sabbath, they added extra rules. Such as, they said a Jew could travel 2,000 cubits from one's house on the Sabbath without breaking the Law. This limit was set by the rabbis because of a statement found in Joshua 3:4 that the people were to follow the ark at this distance during their march in the wilderness. When these Pharisees confronted Jesus about doing something that they considered to be against their Sabbath rules, Jesus said:

The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. (Mark 2:27 ESV)

In this confrontation with religious rule keepers, Jesus teaches an important concept about the Sabbath. The Sabbath was established by God for our benefit. If one examines the Ten Commandments, he/she will find that all of them are for our benefit and protection.

God knew that sin and greed would drive men to ignore the need for rest and refreshing so He built it in to His law. 

I am not saying that if you lack a day of rest in your life you are sinning. What I am saying is that if this world was not broken by sin, everyone would enjoy one day in seven as a day of refreshing. 

For your health, the health of your family and the productiveness of your life, to be all that you were meant to be, you must learn to put into practice the principle of Sabbath in your life. 

The rest part of it is simple. We all need to have one day in seven that is a change of pace day. This is not a burden of service you must do for the Lord. It is something you must do for your own sake. Make time to rest. I called this a change of pace day, because a Sabbath rest is not doing nothing, it is rather taking a break from the toil that consumes our life the other 6 days of the week. 

Another key concept of Sabbath is acknowledging the Lord.

There are those who view attending church as a service they do for the Lord. The idea is that going to church is a good deed and counts for some kind of brownie points with God. 

Nothing could be farther from the truth.

Church is designed to be a time of refreshing. We are renewed when we worship the Lord, fellowship with each other and cast our burdens on the Lord. Refreshing! Isn’t it? 

The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. A Sabbath rest is taking a break from the toil that consumes our lives, and it is also acknowledging that the world and my life is not going to fall apart if I take a day off. This includes acknowledging that God cares for me. 1 Peter 5:7 says:

Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you. (1 Peter 5:7 NLT)

This is what acknowledging God does for us. It gives us rest from our heavy burdens. Jesus taught saying:

“That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? “And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith? “So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.” (Matthew 6:25-33 NLT)

This sermon fits the idea behind Sabbath. We can rest in the gracious hands of a loving Father. Consider this question from Jesus: “Why do you have so little faith?” 

The end of chapter 3 of Hebrews talks about the children of Israel who left Egypt with Moses. That whole generation did not enter into the Promised Land because of their unbelief. Hebrews 3:19 and 4:1 say:

So we see that because of their unbelief they were not able to enter his rest. God’s promise of entering his rest still stands, so we ought to tremble with fear that some of you might fail to experience it. (Hebrews 3:19-4:1 NLT)

The children of Israel failed to enter the rest God promised because of unbelief, and it is unbelief that will keep us from the rest God has for us.

The Sabbath is not a burden to be carried. The Sabbath is a blessing to be entered into. Take a new view of the Sabbath and immerse yourself in the joy of being refreshed!