God is Love

Peace Beyond Understanding.

As my brother Vince and I were praying in the car, I totally tripped out. Just moments ago we were talking about certain struggles of: school, ministry, and everything else, trying to balance our crazy schedules. But as we were praying, he prayed “God you provide peace that surpasses understanding.” Woah.

Philippians 4:6-7 “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.”

I’ve read that verse, memorized that verse, even taught on that verse but for some reason the simplicity of it just hit me. Peace, that surpasses understanding. It was a beautiful moment of God giving me a fresh revelation! God isn’t saying here that the more you pray, the more you will understand, on the contrary, the passage says nothing about in the end how much we will understand. However, he promises 4 things.

• He promises to us a peace that goes beyond understanding
• He promises to guard our hearts
• He promises to guard our minds

And the best promise “in Christ Jesus” that God would do all these things IN Christ.

This was and continues to be such a beautiful revelation for me. So often we look in the wrong places for certain things we want. For many, in chaos we search for peace. For some, in sorrow and despair we search for hope. But the beauty of the passage is the idea of the theme, or the center piece: Jesus.

He Himself is better than understanding. There continues to be moments and situations for ALL of us that absolutely Do.Not.Make.Sense. I humbly admit I am in some ways completely lost right now. But in Philippians it doesn’t talk about how I will eventually understand, maybe I will, but even if I don’t, the scripture promises the overwhelming promise of Peace found IN Jesus that surpasses any “security of understanding”

In a society where “knowledge is everything” where education, stable income, and a roof over your family’s head provide security, that as long as you understand where you’re going you’ll be okay, I say that is not what my bible says.

“More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ” - Philippians 3:8

Brothers and sisters, all this to say: It’s not about understanding the situation you’re in, but just look up and seek His face, He is better. This was Paul’s Final Exhortation, it was urgent for the church in Philippi as it is for us today, that when we pray according to His will, He will guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

“Take it all, take it all, Just give me Jesus”

10.28.11.

GRACE.

This was my vision of Heaven.

10.14.11. @ Reality Adorn

The 2nd set of worship had just started and something inside of me was different. It was more than a feeling, but a knowing that something was about to happen. As I got on my face before the Lord, I sort of blacked out and had an “out of body” experience as I, a wretched sinner, was in this place called Heaven.

I opened my eyes and instantly knew I was there from reading about the visions of Heaven in both Revelation and Isaiah. As I looked over and around I saw angels everywhere flying to one place, then I looked into the direction they were heading. Then over this hill I saw a massive amount of people, most I had ever seen in my life gathered in one place and then it HIT ME. I saw just a glimpse of the Father’s enormous throne and instantly fell on my face just as it occurred in Isaiah.

It’s one thing to say He is Holy and we are not, but dang… He is perfection. I could hear the people crying and worshipping Him with all that is within them, I got to hear the booming echos of the Angels cry out to Him, while still covering their eyes, their bodies, and their feet in the presence of His holy majesty. But suddenly I became confused… Jesus wasn’t there.

I was barely able to look to the right of the Father’s throne (it was impossible to look directly at Him) and there was Jesus’s throne, but no Jesus. Then I got another glimpse of the residue of the Holiness of God and my face fell again, and I trembled. I so desperately wanted to join my brothers and sisters in worship but there was no way. Never in my life had I seen clearly how wicked and wretched I was. As I continued to tremble a hand came and touched my shoulder. I looked up and it was Jesus.

He said to me “Come follow me, I will bring you to my Father”
And I began to weep. Before I could even react I just began to weep. Jesus repeated himself a second time in the most confident yet gentle voice I had ever heard in my life, “Come, follow me, I will bring you to my Father”

Within the weeping, (still faced down) I began to tell Jesus

“I can’t Jesus i’m sorry, I just cant. I am so filthy, how can I stand before HIM?”

Jesus repeated himself a third time and more passionately

Then I cried “Jesus you don’t even understand, I hide SO much from you. I say im happy and solid but im broken all the time. I say I live for you but I also live for myself. I pretend to be selfless but I am soo selfish. Jesus you freed me from my addictions yet the temptations continue to surround me. I say I love you but I still do the same rotten things that tear me apart inside. I CANNOT COME WITH YOU”

As I was speaking the weight of my sin was unbearable, I felt like I was about to be crushed and I know I fully deserved to be..

But then He took my face, lifted it up, and showed me the hole in His hand and spoke with all the authority in heaven “I paid for everything.”

At that moment He took my breath away. Again, it’s one thing to say it, but at that moment I believed like I had never before, He. died. for. me.

I began to wipe away my tears, got up, and followed Him, and then I woke up.

“I am more wicked then I dare to realize, Yet I am more loved than I could ever possibly imagine”

God is Love.