Sunday, December 22, 2024

How to VALUE His Revelation

Explore How to VALUE His Revelation and how it transforms our daily lives. Discover practical insights for faith and everyday living.

Trevor H. Lund is the founder of Live LIGHT Academy at https://livelight.ca/ and the Creative Storyteller at https://revtrev.com He helps you give thanks with your whole heart https://revtrev.link/heart Check out https://revtrev.com/tv for past videos and live casts and https://revtrev.com/radio to subscribe to his podcast wherever you listen.

VALUE His Revelation

Listen to How to Value His Revelation

Listen to more episodes and subscribe where you listen to podcasts ~ https://revtrev.com/radio

Watch How to Value His Revelation

Subscribe and set notifications on YouTube ~ https://revtrev.com/tv

Read the notes for How to Value His Revelation

In the story of the nativity told by Luke, there was no room in the inn. We don’t know how many inn doors they knocked on. We don’t know how many people turned them away.

But, in hindsight we can agree that  the inn keepers who could not make room for Jesus did not experience the gift of Christ as much as they could have.

When we make room from God, it’s amazing what he can fill that space with.

Miracles happen in the moments. Make space for the moments. Value His Revelation

Can I pray?

Even if we know Miracles happen in the moments, and even if we want to Make space for the moments and try to value His revelation we have an obvious problem.

Problem

The problem is in the day-to-day of our everyday what we call “life” happens. We get so busy doing, that we forget we are human beings. We need to be and not just do.

The Bible tells us we need to “be”

Courageous  and strong (1 Corinthians 16:13)
Thankful (Colossians 3:15)
Kind (Ephesians 4:32 ) 
Holy  (1 Peter 1:16)
Alert (1 Peter 5:8)

And to “be” all of that we need to “be” we need to:

Be still and know He is GOD. (Psalm 46:10)

He Is GOD VALUE His Revelation

GOD… The immeasurable, immutable, Immanent, Omnipotent, Omniscient, Omnipresent Lord of Lords and King of Kings.  HE IS GOD very God. Creator of the universes and sustainer of the nothingness between quarks that make up protons and neutrons that make up atoms and the vast nothingness they contain.

Did you know almost all of subatomic world we can’t observe or understand so we call it “nothing”.

And in our solar system the sun is 99.8% of all the mass in it. All the planets in our solar system could fit snugly between the earth and the moon if we could line them up in a straight line. 99.999% of our solar system is the nothingness of space.

And one more thing…Approximately 27% of the observable universe is estimated to be made up of dark matter. This mysterious substance does not emit, absorb, or reflect light, making it invisible and detectable only through its gravitational effects on visible matter.

God created and sustains things beyond our observation and comprehension.

And He is here now.

Let that make your brain hurt.

Does this really matter?

We need His continual revelation in our life.

Romans 11:33-36 (NLT) Oh, how great are God’s riches and wisdom and knowledge! How impossible it is for us to understand his decisions and his ways!  For who can know the Lord’s thoughts?  Who knows enough to give him advice?  And who has given him so much  that he needs to pay it back? For everything comes from him and exists by his power and is intended for his glory. All glory to him forever! Amen.

How can we grasp any of that without Him first revealing it to us?

And to get more specific,  we need the continual revelation of His love in our life.

Ephesians 3:18-19 (NLT) And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.

How do we comprehend his uncomprehendable love?

I’ll tell you what I’ve learned…

Miracles happen in the moments. 
Make space for the moments. 
Value His Revelation

Story about His Revelation

Matthew 1:18-25 (NASB) Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah was as follows: when His mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be pregnant by the Holy Spirit. And her husband Joseph, since he was a righteous man and did not want to disgrace her, planned to send her away secretly. But when he had thought this over, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife; for the Child who has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a Son; and you shall name Him Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” Now all this took place so that what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet would be fulfilled: “Behold, the virgin will conceive and give birth to a Son, and they shall name Him Immanuel,” which translated means, “God with us.” And Joseph awoke from his sleep and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and took Mary as his wife, but kept her a virgin until she gave birth to a Son; and he named Him Jesus.

“and they will call him Immanuel,   which means ‘God is with us.

GOD is  with us.

In the day-to-day of our everyday - God is with us.

He cares about what you care about. He cares about who you are becoming. He cares about the dreams He’s given you. He cares about what and who He has entrusted to you.  He cares for you. 1 Peter 5:7

So the question becomes since God is with us…am I with him?

Miracles happen in the moments. Make space for the moments. Value His Revelation

What if?

What if you took the time to be in awe of God?

It could be in worship.

It might be in nature.

It may be when a new born grasps your finger.

It can happen when you’re deep in study of anything in the created world.

It can happen when the song plays on the radio or when you read a passage you’ve read hundreds of times before, but it becomes alive anew for you.

It can sneak up on you when you’re in conversation.

It should come to your mind when you’re in prayer.

When was the last time you were in awe of God?

It is the season for us to be in awe of God.

I’ve found the more I stay curious,  
the more I’m impressed with God. 
The more I am thankful
the more sense His presence. 
the more I expect to meet God,  
the more  I experience Him. 
the more I’m present in the moment,  
the more I’m aware of His immanence and transcendence.

Mindfulness is being present in the moment. Christian Mindfulness is being present in the moment and recognizing His Presence in the moment.

Imagine how to VALUE His Revelation

What would it  be like to have  peace and joy and hope at all times and every situation. What would it feel like to exchange your problems for His peace?

Did you know His peace should define you?

When the angels announced Jesus’ birth Luke tells us:

Luke 2:13-14 (NIVUK)  Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favour rests.’

It isn’t “peace on earth” like we so often abbreviate. It’s peace on earth to those on whom his favour rests.

The good news is that His favour rests on you.

It’s peace for you. It’s peace for me. In the darkness Peace is the light that shines. It’s us having peace at all times and in every situation that shows the brightness of our dawn to nations.

Anything that costs you your peace is too expensive.

We recognize GOD is with us… so miracles can happen in the moments; and I trust we want to make space for those moments. So how do we do that in the day-to-day of our every day?

How do we do that?

That’s a great question, I’m so glad you asked.

You and I need to VALUE His presence in our lives.

Holy Spirit descended on Jesus as a dove. Have you ever thought about keeping a bird feeling safe on your shoulder? That act of doing nothing to scare or surprise the bird is a good illustration for how we need to VALUE His Presence.

VALUE his Revelation

VALUE His Presence Tool

V – Verify God is always with you Psalm 139:7-10
A – Agree to treat hardship as discipline Hebrews 12:5-9
L – Learn to Lament Habakkuk 3:16-18
U – Understand how miracles happen in the moment Romans 12:1
E – Enjoy times of intentional and spontaneous worship Psalm 27:4

Let's unpack this....

V – Verify God is always with you

Psalm 139:7-10 I can never escape from your Spirit! I can never get away from your presence! If I go up to heaven, you are there; if I go down to the grave, you are there. If I ride the wings of the morning, if I dwell by the farthest oceans, even there your hand will guide me, and your strength will support me.

Practice His presence. It’s your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—that you place before God as an offering.

Do I know God is with me?

A – Agree to treat hardship as discipline

Hebrews 12:5-9 And have you forgotten the encouraging words God spoke to you as his children? He said, “My child, don’t make light of the Lord’s discipline, and don’t give up when he corrects you. For the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes each one he accepts as his child.” As you endure this divine discipline, remember that God is treating you as his own children. Who ever heard of a child who is never disciplined by its father? If God doesn’t discipline you as he does all of his children, it means that you are illegitimate and are not really his children at all. Since we respected our earthly fathers who disciplined us, shouldn’t we submit even more to the discipline of the Father of our spirits, and live forever?

How do you treat all hardships as discipline?

That’s a great question…

Don’t give God credit for the works of the one who comes to steal, kill and destroy. Know he’s working all things out for the good.

Look to what God is doing, not to what’s left undone - any time of celebration, the enemy will want you focussed on lack.

Give up your "right to understand" so you can have peace that passes understanding.

Do I give God credit for the works of the one who comes to steal, kill and destroy?

L – Learn to Lament

Habakkuk 3:16-18 I trembled inside when I heard this; my lips quivered with fear. My legs gave way beneath me, and I shook in terror. I will wait quietly for the coming day when disaster will strike the people who invade us. Even though the fig trees have no blossoms, and there are no grapes on the vines; even though the olive crop fails, and the fields lie empty and barren; even though the flocks die in the fields, and the cattle barns are empty, yet I will rejoice in the Lord! I will be joyful in the God of my salvation!

We need to know He cares for us before we can cast our cares on Him. When we recognize GOD is with us, and realize his love and care for us… but it’s good to know we can use lament to get there.

Every time you go to prayer:

Lay out the problem – you can’t ignore it – but exchange your problem for His peace.

Don’t have a language to express yourself to God? No worries. Read the Psalms and find one that feels the way you do.

What if you don’t feel God is with us?

St. John of the Cross wrote about the dark night of the soul, when we can’t feel God is with us or doubt he is with us for a period of time.

In the time before the first Christmas it may have felt God was absent, that heaven was silent…but God came down, angels sang, stars shone.

He hadn’t stop thinking about us. He hadn’t stop loving us. He hadn’t abandoned us.

The same is true for you today.

Pour out your lament to him. Some of the best laments in Scripture are when people feel abandoned by God. They almost always put their trust back on God after they’ve poured out their complaint to Him.

Do I exchange my problems for His peace?

U – Understand how miracles happen in the moment

Romans 12:1 "I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship."

KNOW How Miracles Happen in the moment tool

K - Keep God’s Mercy in Focus

In view of God's mercy,

Recognize His power and willingness to act in your life. Remember that miracles are manifestations of this mercy. Reflect on past instances where you experienced His grace. If He did it before, He will do it again. If He did it for someone else, He’ll do it for you.

N - Negotiate Your Commitment

Offer yourself fully to God.

Miracles often occur when you are completely committed. This commitment opens you up to divine intervention and unexpected blessings. You need to trust God.

O - Operate as a Living Sacrifice

Align your life with God’s will.

When you live as a living sacrifice, you become receptive to miracles. Your faith is reflected in your actions. Living wholeheartedly means aligning your thoughts, feelings, and emotions with God's purpose.

W - Worship with Sincerity

True and proper worship involves trust and surrender.

When you worship sincerely, you create an environment conducive to miraculous events. Your heartfelt worship allows God's presence to move freely in your life.

Miracles happen in the moments.

Am I open to experiencing miracles in the moments of my life?

E – Enjoy times of intentional and spontaneous worship

Psalm 27:4

The one thing I ask of the Lord— the thing I seek most— is to live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life,  delighting in the Lord’s perfections and meditating in his Temple.

When we value his presence worship bubbles up.

Gratitude is the key.

Give thanks with your whole heart.  Enter His gates with thanksgiving.

Do I enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise?

Do I value His presence?

Challenge

Will you value His presence now? It doesn’t make sense to tell you

Miracles happen in the moments. Make space for the moments. Value His Revelation

…if I don’t give you time to value His presence now.

I realize that for some, this time may be the only time in the week that you can be still and know He is God.

Will you be still and know He is GOD?

Play music…

Will you be still and know He is GOD and His is here?

Reflection - VALUE His Revelation

Spend time being aware of His Presence

Wednesday, December 11, 2024

Sneak Peek of the In Your Heart Set Apart Christ as Lord Tool

Explore the In Your Heart Set Apart Christ as Lord Tool. Gain insights on spiritual growth and deepening your faith journey with this essential guide.

Trevor Lund is the founder of Live LIGHT Academy at https://livelight.ca/ and the Creative Storyteller at https://revtrev.com He helps you live life with your whole heart https://revtrev.link/heart Check out https://revtrev.com/tv for past videos and live casts and https://revtrev.com/radio to subscribe to his podcast wherever you listen.

set apart Christ as lord tool

Listen to the Sneak Peek of the In Your Heart Set Apart Christ as Lord Tool

Listen to more episodes and subscribe where you listen to podcasts ~ https://revtrev.com/radio

Watch the Sneak Peek of the In Your Heart Set Apart Christ as Lord Tool

Subscribe and set notifications on YouTube ~ https://revtrev.com/tv

Read Sneak Peek of the In Your Heart Set Apart Christ as Lord Tool

So this is the "In your heart, set apart Christ as Lord" tool.

Is He Lord of my Attitude?

The first question we can ask ourselves is, "Is Christ Lord of my attitude?" My attitude reflects my emotions.

This is what the Bible says in Philippians 2:5-8: "You must have the same attitude as Christ Jesus had. Though he was God, he didn't think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up divine privileges. He took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to God and died a criminal's death on the cross."

Ephesians 4:21-23 states, "Since you have heard about Christ and have learned the truth that comes from him, throw off your sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception, and let the spirit renew your thoughts and your attitudes."

1 Peter 4:1-2 says, "Since then you have suffered physical pain, you must arm yourself with the same attitude he had and be ready to suffer too. If you have suffered physically for Christ, you have finished with sin. You won't spend the rest of your lives chasing your own desires, but you will be eager to do the will of God."

Finally, Romans 8:6 says, "Letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death, but letting the spirit control your mind leads to life and peace.”

Is He Lord of my Attitude?

Is he Lord of my emotions? Is Christ Lord of my attitude? Chuck Swindoll said, "I believe the single most significant decision I can make every day is my choice of attitude. It's more important than my past, my education, my finances, my success or my failures, my pain, what other people think of me or say about me, my circumstances or my position. My attitude keeps me going or hinders my progress. It alone fuels my fire or assaults my hopes. When my attitudes are right, there is no barrier too high, no valley too deep, no dream too extreme, no challenge too great for me."

So the question once again is, in your heart, have you set apart Christ as Lord? Is he Lord of your attitude?

Is He Lord of my Answers?

The next step is, is Christ Lord of my answers? We get this from 1 Peter 3:9-10: "Don't repay evil for evil. Don't retaliate with insults when people insult you. Instead, pay them back with blessings, for that is what God has called you to do, and he will grant you his blessing."

For scripture says, "I want you to enjoy life and see many happy days. Keep your tongue from speaking evil and your lips from telling lies." Proverbs 15:1 states, "A gentle answer deflects anger, but harsh words make tempers flare." Christ needs to be Lord of your answers.

When we talk about the heart being the seat of our emotions, decisions, and actions, answers reflect our decisions. We choose how we respond. An answer can come from our emotional level; it can be good or bad without passing judgment. However, when I decide to have my answers reflect God's answers, it’s powerful.

In your heart, is Christ set apart as Lord?

In your heart, set apart Christ as Lord. Is he Lord of your attitude? Is he Lord of your answers? The final question we can ask ourselves is, if Christ is set apart in my heart, have I set apart Christ as Lord? Is Christ Lord of my actions? This comes from James 4:17 and 1 Peter 3. James 4 states, "Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it."

Proverbs 84:11 says, "For the Lord our God is our sun and shield. He gives us grace and glory. The Lord will withhold no good thing from those who do what is right."

1 Peter 3 says, "Turn away from evil and do good. Seek peace and pursue it. The eyes of the Lord watch over those who do right, and his ears are open to their prayers, but the Lord turns his face against those who do evil.”

When I recognize Jesus is Lord…

When Christ is Lord of my life, he is Lord of my actions. He is Lord of my attitude. He is Lord of my answers. One day we will stand before him, and every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that he is Lord. The difference it makes if we do that now is that it will be a time of celebration. It will be a time of exaltation.

So the question we need to consider is: Is Christ Lord of all? We will all have those moments. Have grace for yourself. Use this tool daily; ask yourself if Christ was Lord of that answer? Was Christ Lord of that attitude? Was that action done with Christ as Lord?

Feel free to use this tool; I hope it encourages you.

Next Steps

Check out the Live LIGHT with your Whole Heart Course - get the best price for course by going to https://revtrev.link/heart

Christ as Lord

Monday, December 9, 2024

What does God with us mean for our everyday ordinary lives?

Explore the meaning of "God with us" and how it transforms our daily lives. Discover practical insights for faith and everyday living.

Trevor H. Lund is the founder of Live LIGHT Academy at https://livelight.ca/ and the Creative Storyteller at https://revtrev.com He helps you give thanks with your whole heart https://revtrev.link/heart Check out https://revtrev.com/tv for past videos and live casts and https://revtrev.com/radio to subscribe to his podcast wherever you listen.

Listen to What does God with us mean for our everyday ordinary lives?

Listen to more episodes and subscribe where you listen to podcasts ~ https://revtrev.com/radio

Watch What does God with us mean for our everyday ordinary lives?

Subscribe and set notifications on YouTube ~ https://revtrev.com/tv

Read the Notes for What does God with us mean for our everyday ordinary lives?

Let’s read the Christmas story from Mathew:

Matthew 1:18-25 This is how Jesus the Messiah was born. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. But before the marriage took place, while she was still a virgin, she became pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit. Joseph, to whom she was engaged, was a righteous man and did not want to disgrace her publicly, so he decided to break the engagement quietly.
As he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. “Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit. And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”
All of this occurred to fulfill the Lord’s message through his prophet:
“Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us.’”
When Joseph woke up, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded and took Mary as his wife. But he did not have sexual relations with her until her son was born. And Joseph named him Jesus.
“and they will call him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us.

God with us

I don’t think we realize how offensive that is to some people. - How can the holy be so profaned?

I know we don’t always grasp how significant that is for us. GOD - the creator of all the universes, outside of time and space, the author of all things, the first and the last. GOD is with us.

Today I want to to know GOD is with us...

and I want to to be brave enough to ask yourself - “am I with him?”

God is with us…am I with him?

Can I pray?

What does GOD is with us” mean for us in our everyday ordinary lives?

How often do you take the time to be in Awe of God?

  • It could be in worship.
  • Maybe when you’re in nature?
  • Perhaps it’ when a new born grasped your finger.
  • It can happen when your deep in study of anything in the created world.
  • OR when the song plays on the radio or when you read a passage you’ve read hundreds of times before.
  • It can sneak up on you when you’re in conversation. It should come to your mind when you’re in prayer.

When was the last time you were in awe of God?

I’ve found

The more I stay curious, the more I’m impressed with God.

The more I am thankful,

the more sense His presence.

the more I expect to meet God,

the more I experience Him.

the more I’m in the moment,

the more I’m in awe of God.

  • Curious people are never bored. Bored people are rarely curious.
  • Thankful people have hope, peace and joy. It’s because they trust in the God of hope.
  • Stories happen in experience.
  • Miracles happen in the moments.

Let’s take some time to be in Awe of God. I’ve created a tool to help us VALUE His Presence

God is with Us…am I with Him?

Marvel at the mystery

The mystery you need to marvel at is God himself.

The one who spoke the universes into being, the creator of all. The one who thought up sub atomic particles and is outside of space and time. Who thinks in ways that we can’t ever imagine. Paul reminds us…

Romans 11:33-36 (NLT) Oh, how great are God’s riches and wisdom and knowledge! How impossible it is for us to understand his decisions and his ways! For who can know the Lord’s thoughts? Who knows enough to give him advice? And who has given him so much that he needs to pay it back? For everything comes from him and exists by his power and is intended for his glory. All glory to him forever! Amen.

We need to see him as our father, as our friend, as as the one who sticks closer than a brother, and we’ll talk about that in a moment. All these things that we can relate to, because that's how he expresses himself to us and scripture.

But also, remember, writer of Hebrews says

Hebrews 12:28-29 (NIVUK) Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our ‘God is a consuming fire.’

That's the otherness of God that we need to keep in balance. That’s the otherness of God we need to embrace. The unknowable God who has made Himself known. Don’t not let that hurt your brain.

That is the GOD who is with you.

The GOD who is with you is also seen in the person of Jesus Christ. The unknowable One who has made Himself known.

Jesus says,

“Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father.” John 14:9 (NLT)

That’s because Jesus was the exact representation of the Father.

He only did what He saw the Father do

For I have come down from heaven to do the will of God who sent me, not to do my own will. John 6:38 New Living Translation (NLT)

He only said what He heard the Father say

I don’t speak on my own authority. The Father who sent me has commanded me what to say and how to say it. And I know his commands lead to eternal life; so I say whatever the Father tells me to say.” John 12:49-50 New Living Translation (NLT)

So let’s spend some time looking at Jesus so we can see the unknowable God who has made himself known more clearly.

How are Jesus and the Father Alike?

Jesus – Liked to Party

The Son of Man, on the other hand, feasts and drinks, and you say, ‘He’s a glutton and a drunkard, and a friend of tax collectors and other sinners!’ But wisdom is shown to be right by its results.” Matthew 11:19 (New Living Translation)

The Father – Rejoices Over You with Singing

For the Lord your God is living among you. He is a mighty savior. He will take delight in you with gladness. With his love, he will calm all your fears. He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.” Zephaniah 3:17 (New Living Translation)

Jesus – Loved His Friends

There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. John 15:13-14 (New Living Translation)

The Father – Calls You The Apple of His Eye

Show the wonder of your great love, you who save by your right hand those who take refuge in you from their foes. Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings Psalm 17:7-8 (New International Version)

Jesus – Didn’t Come to Condemn

God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him. John 3:17 (New Living Translation)

The Father – Is Not Angry with You

“Just as I swore in the time of Noah that I would never again let a flood cover the earth, so now I swear that I will never again be angry and punish you. For the mountains may move and the hills disappear, but even then my faithful love for you will remain. My covenant of blessing will never be broken,” says the Lord, who has mercy on you. Isaiah 54:9-10 (New Living Translation)

Jesus – Healed All Who Were Oppressed by The Devil

And you know that God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. Then Jesus went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. Acts 10:38 (New Living Translation)

The Father – Forgives ALL Your Sins and Heals All Your Diseases

Let all that I am praise the Lord; may I never forget the good things he does for me. He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases. Psalm 103:2-3 (New Living Translation)

Jesus is the exact representation of the Father. He is perfect theology. If you want to know the Father, you need to know His Son.

This is the GOD who is with us.

The unknowable One who has made himself known.

He’s revealed Himself with Love and Joy and Peace and Patience and Kindness and Goodness and Faithfulness and Gentleness and Self-Control.

This is the GOD is with us…

That’s amazing and humbling and empowering

And He’s given you His Spirit…

Romans 8:15-17 "The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, 'Abba, Father.' The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ."

GOD is with us…

We don’t only Marvel at the mystery and be in Awe…we need to embrace the mystery of what being in relationship with him means.

This is what I mean by wanting us to ask ourselves …AM I WITH HIM?

God is with us…am I with him?

TO be with Him I need to allow the marveling at the mystery lead to embracing the mystery.

What do I mean by that?

Isaiah prophecies Isaiah 60:1-3 (NIVUK) ‘Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you. See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the Lord rises upon you and his glory appears over you. Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn.

If there is one thing I’ve learned during this season that we are in, it’s that we need peace and joy and hope at all times and every situation. The world needs the peace and joy and hope that’s only available to us.

God’s Peace is only available to us

When the angels announced Jesus’ birth Luke tells us:

Luke 2:13-14 (NIVUK) Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favour rests.’

It isn’t “peace on earth” like we so often abbreviate. It’s peace on earth to those on whom his favour rests.

It’s peace for you. It’s peace for me. In the darkness Peace is the light that shines. It’s us having peace at all times and in every situation that is the brightness of our dawn that nations come to.

To have that peace, we marvel at the mystery and then embrace the mystery that is God himself. We recognize God is with us… and we do what we can to be with Him at all times and in every situation.

How do we do this? We…

Trust in the God of all Hope…

You and I are in a divine dance with the creator of all. That dance takes us to places we’re not comfortable with and entrust us with gifts we’re not able to steward without Holy Spirit’s help.

In order to trust God, we need to embrace the mystery. Three tips I have for you are:

Three tips to trust God

1. We need to give up our right to understand so that we can have the peace that passes understanding.

2. We need to Live Unoffended at God

3. We need to look to what He’s doing and not to what’s left undone.

Let me unpack this

1. We need to give up our right to understand so that we can have the peace that passes understanding.

When we're faced with situations we don’t want to be in, we often ask God why.

Far too often it's the why of accusation, not the why of searching it out.

“Why did my prayers not get answered” vs “What do you want me to learn?”

We’re promised peace that passes understanding, but we want to demand understanding.

We need to give up our right to understand so that we can have the peace that passes understanding.

What does scripture say? (Phillipians 4:6-7) Worry about nothing. Pray about everything and be thankful.

Phillipians 4:6-7 (NIVUK) Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

- Worry about nothing. Pray about everything and be thankful.

2. Live Unoffended at God

God has never promised us that we won’t have trouble. He never said things wouldn’t go our own way. Instead Jesus said we have trouble… and in that trouble we could have peace.

John 16:33 (NIVUK) ‘I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.’

We will all have seasons that don’t seem to make sense. John was in jail when Jesus was saying he came to set prisoners free. Jesus didn’t say why John was in prison, only that he’d be blessed if he didn’t get offended his life didn’t make sense to his theology.

All of us will have multiple seasons when our life doesn’t make sense to our theology. If we don’t, our understanding of God and his will is really bad. We need to embrace the mystery of God himself live unoffended with him.

3. We need to look to what He’s doing and not to what’s left undone.

Phillipians 4:8-9 (NIVUK) Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me – put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

It our choice and - Holy Spirit enable us to do this - to think about the good things of God when we find ourselves in trouble. And the benefit of thinking this way and living this way is the peace God has for us.

Paul and Silas started to worship while they were in prison.

Will you praise him in the storm?

GOD is with us…am I with Him?

Do I insist on understanding and not have the peace that passes understanding?

Do I live offended at him?

Am I looking to what’s left undone?

The good news is, you can start afresh today.

You can have peace at all times and in every situation.

Marvel at the unknowable One who has made himself known.

Embrace the mystery of God when life doesn’t make sense.

Seek peace and pursue it.

May you have peace at all times and in every situation.

Conclusion…

I came across one writer who suggested that we can replace “believe in” with “embrace the mystery” in the Nicene creed. I want to read this before I close in prayer.

We Embrace the Mystery

We embrace the mystery of one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen.

We embrace the mystery of one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one being with the Father. Through him all things were made. For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven: by the power of the Holy Spirit he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary, and was made man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again in accordance with the scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end.

We embrace the mystery of the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father. With the Father and the Son he is worshipped and glorified. He has spoken through the prophets.

We embrace the mystery of one holy universal and apostolic Church.

We embrace the mystery of one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.

We embrace the mystery of the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen

Will you marvel at the mystery?

Will you embrace the mystery?

God is will you…will you be with him?

Can I pray?

I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. Ephesians 1:17-21 (NIVUK)

What I’ve taught on Holy Spirit

Check out my messages and blog posts on Holy Spirit. I’ll keep this updated. Let me know if there is a specific topic you want covered in the comments.