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Do No Work: Beat Burnout, Find Inner Peace, and Strengthen Your Faith by Studying the Most Overlooked of the Ten Commandments
“The Sabbath doesn’t apply to me. That Old Testament stuff isn’t relevant anymore." If you’ve ever said that, you could not be more wrong. The first Sabbath occurred before there was Jew or gentile; after six days of creation God rested. And don’t forget that Jesus said, “The Sabbath was made for man” (Mark 2:27). Not, “The Sabbath was made for the Jew.” But even if you do believe the fourth commandment applies to you, how do you apply it to your life? It’s hard to stop and rest for an hour let alone an entire day. Besides that, busyness is a badge—if you’re not busy, you’re not trying. Sure, you might make it to church every Sunday, but while there all you can think about is the to do list you need to work on. Andrew Gilmore was in the same distracted at church, stressed out by his to do list, and unsure if the fourth commandment even applied to him. But a few years ago, he read the Bible cover to cover for the first time. As he made his way through the Old Testament he was struck by how many times the scriptures mention the Sabbath. In fact, the word “Sabbath” appears ninety-six times in the Old Testament, 154 times overall. He began asking, "How could something so prevalent not be relevant to my walk with Christ?” He concluded that, at the very lest, the Sabbath reveals something about the character of God and how He wants His people to live. So Andrew set out on a mission to uncover the meaning behind the fourth commandment. How does it apply to the Christian? How should one behave on the Sabbath? What does it mean to “work"? The deeper he dug, the more he realized just how important the Sabbath is. He compiled all of his findings over the course of two years to bring you "Do No Beat Burnout, Find Inner Peace, and Strengthen Your Faith by Studying the Most Overlooked of the Ten Commandments." In "Do No Work" Andrew gives a thorough examination of the Sabbath it’s origin, its application to Christians, and its ability to transcend the material world. This short book is crammed full of information, inspiring anecdotes, and even some theology. You’ll - The 2 steps required to beat burnout - 3 ways to get better rest - The real reason you don’t have peace - The most common Sabbath myth - What the Sabbath and heaven have in common - How to skyrocket your faith to levels you’ve never had before And more! Read the book Dan Miller (of "48 Days to the Work You Love" and "Wisdom Meets Passion") mentioned on his weekly podcast saying, "I love the concept.” And, “It’s really well done.” And find out what it means to honor God on the Sabbath. Apply the principles behind this book and you’ll reduce stress, draw closer to God, and have a much improved grasp on the Bible as a whole.
118 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 30, 2014
94 people are currently reading
70 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
February 14, 2018
I am attracted to teachings about the Sabbath - how to incorporate its riches into our lives without legalism. So I was interested in how Gilmore would handle it. I knew I was not going to love this book as soon as the author told me that after an unusually grueling work week, his urine smelled like Starbucks coffee. I get it that modern Christian authors see the need to be uncouth to be heard by this generation, but I find it more distracting than helpful.
The other nine commandments are more obviously still valid because they are moral laws, whereas most people see Sabbath-keeping as a cultural practice that separated the Jews from their Gentile neighbors. But Gilmore argues that Sabbath-keeping has both elements. It is a moral law in the sense that it requires us to care for our physical bodies, which are temples of the Holy Spirit. It is a moral law because it reminds us that our ultimate rest/salvation is in Christ and not in our own efforts. And finally, it is moral in that obeying it grows our faith in God as our provider.
Gilmore added a few ideas to my growing inventory of reasons for enjoying a weekly Sabbath.
The other nine commandments are more obviously still valid because they are moral laws, whereas most people see Sabbath-keeping as a cultural practice that separated the Jews from their Gentile neighbors. But Gilmore argues that Sabbath-keeping has both elements. It is a moral law in the sense that it requires us to care for our physical bodies, which are temples of the Holy Spirit. It is a moral law because it reminds us that our ultimate rest/salvation is in Christ and not in our own efforts. And finally, it is moral in that obeying it grows our faith in God as our provider.
Gilmore added a few ideas to my growing inventory of reasons for enjoying a weekly Sabbath.
January 20, 2018
This is a helpful little book. The more I read it, the more balanced I thought it was and the more I liked it.
The style of writing is pretty casual and it had some moments of humor (more so in the second half). I thought some of the thoughts were a little disjointed with some abrupt transitions and I found myself wanting more in quite a few sections, but the author covers a lot of topics (albeit briefly) that really made me think.
The things that would keep me from whole heartedly recommending it is a lack of support for some of the arguments (although the size of the book obviously precludes copious explanation of every topic), the metaphorical interpretation of some scripture, and the abruptness between thoughts.
I did enjoy quite a bit of it, though, and I think it makes a helpful primer about the subject in a nice, bite-sized portion.
The author starts out by affirming that work is good and that it gives us purpose and provision. He reminds the reader that rest comes after work and that rest really only makes sense in conjunction with work. The fourth commandment is a command to work AND to rest. When we "take care of our work first...it frees us up to rest." He corrects the idea that burnout is a result of work and instead credits distress as the cause, writing that balance between work and rest is key.
He then speaks to many different considerations to think through regarding the Sabbath. What is it for? Should Christians still observe it? If so, how should they observe it? And so on.
He also discusses the role of the 10 commandments (and the OT law as whole) for Christians today. He makes a distinction between the laws that separated the Jews from the Gentiles (and distinguished them as God's people) from God's moral law and writes that "the Ten Commandments are only valid to the Christian inasmuch as they are moral" since there is no longer a distinction between Jews and Gentiles. Since the Sabbath predates the nation of Israel and indeed originates from God's own rest after creation, he proposes that there are "elements of morality embedded in its core."
Here are some of my favorite observations and points to ponder:
1. Our rest should still be purposeful. The goal is not to try to think of nothing, it's an opportunity to remember and worship. When God rested from his work of creation, He surveyed his work. "We should be imitators of God, surveying His awesome creations." Not only does taking time to observe creation inspire worshipful awe, but it helps us to realize how small some of our anxieties. It causes us to look beyond ourselves and our problems. It also reminds us that "our situation is temporary [but] God is eternal."
2. There's a distinction between "rest" and "do no work." We may not feel like we are exerting ourselves if our "moneymaking activities" are not strenuous (like working on a computer or catching up on paperwork), but we're not truly following the command to "do no work" if we're engaging in things that bring us money or further our career responsibilities (or if we're obsessing about them in our mind). "Do no work" implies that we rest from the responsibilities that could easily consume us because we believe that they provide for us in some way. Rest "means trusting in God - not the work of our own hands - to provide."
3. Resting from work is like giving a tithe of our time and attention. Again, it gives us the opportunity to trust God that he will provide in matters of time, not just money or physical needs. "If you don't have time to devote to Sabbath, then you're probably still living like a slave" to things that seek to master us like money, anxiety, pleasure, ambition, etc.
4. The Sabbath may have served to commemorate the freedom the Israelites had from Egypt (and the ability they had to rest, unlike their time in slavery) and it may have been intended to help keep them from "swapping one master [Egypt] for another [money, power, or prestige]." The author writes that when we practice the Sabbath it serves similar purposes: "reminds us of our freedom [in Christ] and prevents us from taking on new masters." It also points us toward our eternal rest.
5. The pharisees focused on what counted as work instead of the motive behind the "work." This is "one way a New Covenant believer can break the fourth commandment: attempting to use the law to justify oneself rather than relying on the blood of Jesus for salvation."
6. Neglecting the Sabbath may harm in various ways. The author writes, "It results in abuse of your body. It disrespects the sacrifice Jesus endured to set us free. It demonstrates a lack of faith that God will provide." I would also add that it robs us of dedicated time to remember and worship as mentioned in another part of the book. "The Sabbath transcends Judaism. It addresses both our physical and spiritual needs. So even if the fourth commandment isn't binding to New Covenant believers, the principles behind it are sound."
7. There are two types of commands (positive and negative). When Jesus said, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength" and to "Love your neighbor as yourself." he encompasses all of the "do nots" with one "do." Instead of analyzing everything we do to see if it fits in the "do nots" (like the pharisees who didn't think Jesus should heal anyone on the Sabbath), we need to focus on the "do" and the "do nots" will take care of themselves. "So if you want to truly follow the fourth (or any other commandment, ask yourself these two questions: Would my actions reflect a supreme love for my God? Would my actions (or inaction) mean loving my neighbor as I love myself?" Even though these questions are harder than, "Did I go to work on Sunday" they deal with our hearts, not just our actions.
This brief read gives a lot of food for thought. It didn't really satisfy me with enough support for the different concepts, but it gave me enough to start to think more intentionally about how I view the Sabbath, it encouraged me to pursue and honor God in how I handle the Sabbath and it opened some doors for further study.
The style of writing is pretty casual and it had some moments of humor (more so in the second half). I thought some of the thoughts were a little disjointed with some abrupt transitions and I found myself wanting more in quite a few sections, but the author covers a lot of topics (albeit briefly) that really made me think.
The things that would keep me from whole heartedly recommending it is a lack of support for some of the arguments (although the size of the book obviously precludes copious explanation of every topic), the metaphorical interpretation of some scripture, and the abruptness between thoughts.
I did enjoy quite a bit of it, though, and I think it makes a helpful primer about the subject in a nice, bite-sized portion.
The author starts out by affirming that work is good and that it gives us purpose and provision. He reminds the reader that rest comes after work and that rest really only makes sense in conjunction with work. The fourth commandment is a command to work AND to rest. When we "take care of our work first...it frees us up to rest." He corrects the idea that burnout is a result of work and instead credits distress as the cause, writing that balance between work and rest is key.
He then speaks to many different considerations to think through regarding the Sabbath. What is it for? Should Christians still observe it? If so, how should they observe it? And so on.
He also discusses the role of the 10 commandments (and the OT law as whole) for Christians today. He makes a distinction between the laws that separated the Jews from the Gentiles (and distinguished them as God's people) from God's moral law and writes that "the Ten Commandments are only valid to the Christian inasmuch as they are moral" since there is no longer a distinction between Jews and Gentiles. Since the Sabbath predates the nation of Israel and indeed originates from God's own rest after creation, he proposes that there are "elements of morality embedded in its core."
Here are some of my favorite observations and points to ponder:
1. Our rest should still be purposeful. The goal is not to try to think of nothing, it's an opportunity to remember and worship. When God rested from his work of creation, He surveyed his work. "We should be imitators of God, surveying His awesome creations." Not only does taking time to observe creation inspire worshipful awe, but it helps us to realize how small some of our anxieties. It causes us to look beyond ourselves and our problems. It also reminds us that "our situation is temporary [but] God is eternal."
2. There's a distinction between "rest" and "do no work." We may not feel like we are exerting ourselves if our "moneymaking activities" are not strenuous (like working on a computer or catching up on paperwork), but we're not truly following the command to "do no work" if we're engaging in things that bring us money or further our career responsibilities (or if we're obsessing about them in our mind). "Do no work" implies that we rest from the responsibilities that could easily consume us because we believe that they provide for us in some way. Rest "means trusting in God - not the work of our own hands - to provide."
3. Resting from work is like giving a tithe of our time and attention. Again, it gives us the opportunity to trust God that he will provide in matters of time, not just money or physical needs. "If you don't have time to devote to Sabbath, then you're probably still living like a slave" to things that seek to master us like money, anxiety, pleasure, ambition, etc.
4. The Sabbath may have served to commemorate the freedom the Israelites had from Egypt (and the ability they had to rest, unlike their time in slavery) and it may have been intended to help keep them from "swapping one master [Egypt] for another [money, power, or prestige]." The author writes that when we practice the Sabbath it serves similar purposes: "reminds us of our freedom [in Christ] and prevents us from taking on new masters." It also points us toward our eternal rest.
5. The pharisees focused on what counted as work instead of the motive behind the "work." This is "one way a New Covenant believer can break the fourth commandment: attempting to use the law to justify oneself rather than relying on the blood of Jesus for salvation."
6. Neglecting the Sabbath may harm in various ways. The author writes, "It results in abuse of your body. It disrespects the sacrifice Jesus endured to set us free. It demonstrates a lack of faith that God will provide." I would also add that it robs us of dedicated time to remember and worship as mentioned in another part of the book. "The Sabbath transcends Judaism. It addresses both our physical and spiritual needs. So even if the fourth commandment isn't binding to New Covenant believers, the principles behind it are sound."
7. There are two types of commands (positive and negative). When Jesus said, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength" and to "Love your neighbor as yourself." he encompasses all of the "do nots" with one "do." Instead of analyzing everything we do to see if it fits in the "do nots" (like the pharisees who didn't think Jesus should heal anyone on the Sabbath), we need to focus on the "do" and the "do nots" will take care of themselves. "So if you want to truly follow the fourth (or any other commandment, ask yourself these two questions: Would my actions reflect a supreme love for my God? Would my actions (or inaction) mean loving my neighbor as I love myself?" Even though these questions are harder than, "Did I go to work on Sunday" they deal with our hearts, not just our actions.
This brief read gives a lot of food for thought. It didn't really satisfy me with enough support for the different concepts, but it gave me enough to start to think more intentionally about how I view the Sabbath, it encouraged me to pursue and honor God in how I handle the Sabbath and it opened some doors for further study.
January 29, 2018
Great book
This book explains the heart of the Sabbath in easy to understand concepts. He warns against legalism while giving ideas on what observing the sabbath can look like for the believer this side of the Cross.
This book explains the heart of the Sabbath in easy to understand concepts. He warns against legalism while giving ideas on what observing the sabbath can look like for the believer this side of the Cross.
March 4, 2018
Thought provoking
This book will definitely affect how I spend my Sabbath. It has given me much to ponder. I will recommend it to others. The author backed up his thoughts with scripture and historical insights.
This book will definitely affect how I spend my Sabbath. It has given me much to ponder. I will recommend it to others. The author backed up his thoughts with scripture and historical insights.
June 14, 2020
Enjoyed this book!!!
I enjoyed reading this book. I chose it because of the title. I found that it was an easy, sometimes funny read but straightforward with Scriptures to support the title. I recommend this read!
I enjoyed reading this book. I chose it because of the title. I found that it was an easy, sometimes funny read but straightforward with Scriptures to support the title. I recommend this read!
April 12, 2018
This book was wonderful. It left me with a real feeling of peace.
September 30, 2018
A look into what it means to "Remember the Sabbath..." and how to rest.
May 2, 2019
Why a 3 star
I gave this book three stars because...
1. The writing is not professional
2. Though the author states he did research not much is cited
3. He reports reading through the Bible five times as a reason for expertise and credibility
4. The book lacks depth.
5. It is an important topic and he could have done much more.
I gave this book three stars because...
1. The writing is not professional
2. Though the author states he did research not much is cited
3. He reports reading through the Bible five times as a reason for expertise and credibility
4. The book lacks depth.
5. It is an important topic and he could have done much more.
December 17, 2019
Not as inspiring as I thought it would be.
This book had some good points and was a good reminder to focus on God and rest whenever possible, ideally once a week.
This book had some good points and was a good reminder to focus on God and rest whenever possible, ideally once a week.
February 20, 2016
Sound theology and quite helpful
Andrew did a great job of giving a sound theological base for his understanding as well as giving really good handles for how to approach going about setting up a Sabbath in your life. I have been doing Sabbath it he helped me understand even more what it is about. Highly recommend this book if you are stressed and don't k is how to rest
Andrew did a great job of giving a sound theological base for his understanding as well as giving really good handles for how to approach going about setting up a Sabbath in your life. I have been doing Sabbath it he helped me understand even more what it is about. Highly recommend this book if you are stressed and don't k is how to rest
January 23, 2017
Well Done
I believe that God, reading this book, would say, "well done, good and faithful servant," for the wonderful job this author has done in writing this book. He certainly has done his homework. I couldn't quite fit in the metaphorical references, however, but they did give me a way to look at the Sabbath differently.
I believe that God, reading this book, would say, "well done, good and faithful servant," for the wonderful job this author has done in writing this book. He certainly has done his homework. I couldn't quite fit in the metaphorical references, however, but they did give me a way to look at the Sabbath differently.
January 13, 2015
Excellent Read
I think this book gives you much to think about, especially when it comes to the concept of rest. Highly recommend.
I think this book gives you much to think about, especially when it comes to the concept of rest. Highly recommend.
May 30, 2016
Interesting to read this perspective on a topic that I have never given much consideration.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews