Where is your peace?

It seems that Philippians 4:6-7 just finds its way back to my life in the middle of every season i enter. It reads:

6 Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. 7 Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

So what do we know about this verse? We know Paul wrote it. We also know he wrote it while he was in prison for preaching the Gospel (Philippians 1:7, 13, 17). What does this have to do with you and I?

I have recently been going through a season of TRUST, meaning i have had to trust God for bigger things than ever before. I have been anxiously waiting for a breakthrough and move of God. Yesterday I spoke to someone i look up to and as i told him about how i am waiting for God to do something big he asked "Where is your peace? Is your peace in God providing or in God? Will you have peace only when He has come through for you or even in the process?"

This wrecked me. Paul could have dwelt on his need for a breakthrough (aka freedom from prison) but he dwelt on something better, the Peace of God. Truth is sometimes we get so caught up in the situation, in the "now" that we lose sight of what its all about, God. He has my best interest, He sees the bigger picture, He knows. My trust CANNOT be dependent on Him coming through for me, that isnt faith, but on the fact that He is STILL God even in my circumstances.

I now have peace, although the breakthrough hasnt come because my peace comes from the Lord not from some money i need, health i desire, or a call on my life.

7 Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

Through prayer and thanksgiving we receive His peace that is far greater than our answered prayer anyways! As we live in Christ Jesus our hearts and minds remain confident in this...WE WILL SEE THE GOODNESS OF THE LORD.

"My Peace is not dependent on a breakthrough but on the God that brings breakthrough"

-Henry Espinoza

In the Meantime...

Being ambitious is one of my bittersweet traits. Like many, i can quickly get caught up with "whats next" and miss out on where i currently am. To paint a better picture i have found a perfect passage.

45Immediately Jesus made his disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd....50 Immediately he spoke to them and said, “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” 51 Then he climbed into the boat with them, and the wind died down. They were completely amazed, 52 for they had not understood about the loaves; their hearts were hardened. 53 When they had crossed over, they landed at Gennesaret and anchored there.

To give you some context; Jesus sent the disciples somewhere, to their next mission, leaving behind what they had done in the past. The disciples get in a storm, everything is going nuts, the disciples are freaked out, scared, and lacked faith even WITH Jesus present. All they want was to arrive at their destination. Sound similar?

After hearing a sermon on this passage I was challenged with the question; What do you do when your not where you used to be, but your also not where your suppose to be?

The disciples had been sent out. Jesus was taking them to a new place. He has a destination for them. In the middle of the journey they find themselves in a storm. They are no longer where they used to be but they are also not where they are suppose to be. The passage presents 3 things;

1) Jesus steps in the boat and the storm calms.

- His presence in our situation will calm all storms of life

2)They lacked faith, hearts were harden (v.52) Yet STILL arrived

- You and your ability have nothing to do with God's faithfulness in the storm.

3)The only thing they did to get to the other side is stay on the boat.

-dont jump ship,even if your scared, just stay in the boat.

We sometimes want God to tell us when we are going to arrive, He simply says "When we arrive". What do we do once we leave where we used to be but are not where we are going to be. What do we do with the "meantime". There is only one thing we can do and that is, stay on the boat. This statement is more profound then we think. I doesn't mean that you wont get tempted to give up, you will, i am sure the disciples did, but don't give up!

In the "meantime" we learn about God's grace that keeps us (v.51), we learn about our own inability to get where God wants to take us without Jesus, and we learn that there is always a season where you aren't comfortable but He is with us.

I find myself in a rather interesting season as i suppose you do as well. You know God has something for you in the next season. You know God has prepared good things for your future. You have seen a vision of what God wants to do in your life. You have discovered your calling. Then God says "Ok, now endure the 'meantime' season."

I know, I know, it makes you want to pull your hair out. You have been waiting and waiting and God finally takes you out, gives you a glimpse of where you are going, but then places you in a "meantime" season. There is ONLY one thing that the disciples did to get to the other side. Or rather one thing they didn't do. They didn't jump ship. They stayed on the boat. No matter what season is headed your way, embrace this one. Today impacts tomorrow a whole lot more than you know. I leave you with this;

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

Philippians 4:6,7

Wake up in the morning feelin like Jeremiah

So despite the fact that the title is somewhat funny it is truly what is in my heart. I did wake up this morning with a new retrospect on the whole Proverbs 7:1 that states "My son, keep my words and store up my commands within you." And just wondered How does God's word, inside me, effect me?

I did wake up in the morning feeling like Jeremiah (haha). As i came accross the Book of Jeremiah Chapter 20 and Verse 9 something inside of me just clicked.

"But if I say, "I will not mention him or speak any more in his name," his word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones. I am weary of holding it in; indeed, I cannot." (Jeremiah 20:9)

When i read this i completely realized THIS is how i feel. For some reason after keeping His words, reading His words, digesting His words...i cannot keep them in! INDEED i cannot, there is something inside of me that will only be satisfied when i let these words out. I must speak up, i must shout forth His glory, i MUST! I dont wanna go on with repeating the same, so ill leave you with this; FIND his WORD, READ his WORD, LIVE his WORD, and something inside of you will just burst and you will not be able to contain it. You will HAVE to share it!

To all my interns, and all my friends

So the eight weeks are up, they are complete. The deluge Internship is over, or is it? I have said this many times and i will say it again. The deluge internship has JUST begun. We are to be tested and tried, to see what we have learned. We cannot afford to let go of what we have learned but rather we must tatoo it to our hearts. I wish i could write you all a letter but i have decided that my friend Peter has already done this for me. There is not much i can say after this:(emphasis on the BOLD)

2 Peter 1: 3-11

3His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 4Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.

5For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. 8For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins.

10Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall, 11and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

now i want to say something, but i cant its simple enough. If you aren't impressed, read it again. God has SERIOUSLY prepared GREAT things for us, but we must be EAGER.

I really can't say much, except for this:

I truly love all of you, some of you are easier to love then others (honestly) but nonetheless you are all AMAZING people. I know that God will be glorified through all of your lives. I pray that we all remain strong in the faith and that we never forget what God has called us to do. God bless you all, and i love you.

-Henry

God's Coffee

I recently Graduated High school and am currently embarking in a new adventure. Even though it has only been days, i still talk to all my best friends and have even spoken to one or two teachers. I wonder if years from now i will be able to get together with them and discuss life.

I came across a story of a group of alumni getting together to talk about their lives, this is how it went:

A group of alumni, highly established in their careers, got together to visit their old university professor. Conversation soon turned into complaints about stress in work and life.

Offering his guests coffee, the professor went to the kitchen and returned with a large pot of coffee and an assortment of cups - porcelain, plastic, glass, crystal, some plain looking, some expensive, some exquisite - telling them to help themselves to the coffee.

When all the students had a cup of coffee in hand, the professor said: "If you noticed, all the nice looking expensive cups were taken up, leaving behind the plain and cheap ones. While it is normal for you to want only the best for yourselves, that is the source of your problems and stress. Be assured that the cup itself adds no quality to the coffee. In most cases it is just more expensive and in some cases even hides what we drink.

What all of you really wanted was coffee, not the cup, but you consciously went for the best cups... and then you began eyeing each other's cups.

Now consider this: Life is the coffee; the jobs, money and position in society are the cups. They are just tools to hold and contain Life, and the type of cup we have does not define, nor change the quality of Life we live.

Sometimes, by concentrating only on the cup, we fail to enjoy the coffee God has provided us." God brews the coffee, not the cups...Enjoy your coffee!

Maybe today you find yourself in an overwelming situation. Maybe you are reflecting on your life and for some reason your not satisfied with what you have. Maybe you thought your life would be different. Maybe you are seeing other peoples lives and wishing it was your life.

God brews the coffee, and he has made sure it is EXACTLY what you need, perhaps you are paying too much attention to the cup. Think about it, without the cup is it still not coffee? Be grateful because God has given you life, something more than 500 people did not have today alone.

If you don't get everything you want, think of the things you don't get that you don't want." ~Oscar Wilde

IN HIS IMAGE

How many of you guys remember the days when you would come to church and as your parents went to the main santuary you went to sunday school? How many of you guys remember Noah's ark, Moises parting the seas, and Jesus doing miracles? How many of you guys remember Joseph and his really awesome jacket? (alright so maybe it was a tunic)

I have been able to read Joseph's life story in depth and with discernment in a way that leaves me speechless. Joseph was paralleled to Jesus did you know that? Check this out

Joseph: Jacob's favored son,

Jesus: God's one and only beloved son

Joseph: Had dreams of his reign

Jesus: KNEW about His reign

Joseph: Hated by his own brothers,

Jesus: Hated and crucified by His own people

Joseph: Rejected by his brothers,

Jesus: Rejected by the jews (His brothers)

Joseph: Was placed in a foreign land to serve,
Jesus: went to foreign cities to serve

Joseph:Tempted but refused potiphars wife

Jesus: Tempted but refused sins of satan.

Joseph: placed in a high position by egyptians(foreigners)

Jesus: Valued by gentiles (us)

Joseph: Became the solution to a famine (shortage in food)
Jesus: Became the solution to a famine (shortage of Hope)

Joseph: showed his people his dreams were right all along
Jesus: shall show the jews he was right all along

Amazing is not even close to describe how God does things. Now if you love literature like me, then THIS just blows you away. IF this hasnt then THIS should.

Joseph pleased God. God is Love therfore God wants us to portray love. Christ was the completion, the fullfillment, of God's love. He portrayed love like no one else and became a man that was created in God's image. God had many men who were amazing. They were placed in the bible because God saw HIMSELF in them and was PLEASED

[Genesis 1:27-31
So God created human beings in his own image.In the image of God he created them...Then God looked over all he had made, and he saw that it was very good!]

Abraham was tested with Isaac. God wanted to see if he would sacrifice HIS son, HIS promise, HIS offspring. Harsh right? not at all!!!!!

God did the same thing remember? I have heard many people say:

"how can you serve a God that would ask someone to kill their own son?"

ummm how can you NOT serve a God that would do that for YOU?

When God saw that Abraham would kill Isaac simply because He asked him to He told him to STOP. Why? God had seen Himself in Abraham and was pleased.

God is ALWAYS looking for HIMSELF in US since that is how He created us. IN HIS IMAGE.

CHRIST was the fullfillment of that. Christ was God therfore God was pleased. The men mentioned in the bible were there because they reflected God because God saw it pleasing to His eyes that they would live a Godly life. My question is: Can God see Himself in you? My prayer for my life is that God may look at me one day and see HIMSELF and be pleased. How about you?

Into the Holy of Holies

Sweep me away

Sweep me away in your love,

where nothing else matters

Sweep me away

Sweep me away in your love,

where nothing else matters.

As this song played tonight at Elevate, my heart underwent some serious emotions. I am not an emotional guy, i am constantly in desperate need of only God and not some emotion that music can sometimes bring. This song was different though. I desired to find this "Love" . We often say we love God but the bible itself says in Matthew 15:8 "'These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. I came to terms with myself that it starts in the heart. You can say love, you can pretend to show love, but what is important is your heart. I am going to try to understand these lyrics.

The way i see it, we are asking God to sweep us away. In essence we are asking God to move us from the place we are at, emotionally, spiritually, and perhaps even physically. I have observed my mom when she sweeps the kitchen, and in some occasion (though not many) have done so myself. When i broom some dust i go back to parts already swept and do it again. Once I have gathered it all together i put it in the dust pan. Then it goes to where it belongs (not on my floor).

God on sweeping duty

1) retracing previous places

- Through my own experiences i have witness the hand of God having to go to places that i felt i had "fixed" and has had to give it one last swept to ensure that nothing has been left there.

2)Bringing everything together

- During cleaning time what you want to do is bring it all together so that you can put it in the dustpan all at once. What God does is He brings your family issues, economic situation, emotional crisis, insecurity, and all your terrible circumstances and puts them in a dustpan

3) Throwing out the trash

- This is the best part. Was the floor dirty? YES. Did things look bad? YES. Did it take a while? YES. Who's floor is now clean? YOURS IS!

The song does say specifically WHERE to sweep us away. In His Love! So this is where the question comes, What is Love?

To love something you have to hate something. Paul Washer once said something "I love babies, therefore i hate abortion". To accept something you refuse something else. Judah Smith once said "when i chose my wife to be my wife i accepted her and by accepting her i refused every other women on this earth". When we love God we hate the devil. When we love Jesus we hate what he was born to defeat, sin. Get it?

One of the most controversial books in the bible describes it perfectly:

Song of Solomon 8:6 Place me like a seal over your heart, like a seal on your arm; for love is as strong as death, its jealousy unyielding as the grave. It burns like blazing fire, like a mighty flame.

Love is as strong as death? What?!?! Jealousy as unyielding as a grave? What?!?!

It took me 7 days of bible study to understand Song of Solomon, i kid you not! It is a love that we don't comprehend. It is not made easy and it does not make sense. When your asking God to swept you away in His love you are asking him to let you undergo something that you are not going to be able to understand. GRACE and MERCY combined. You are telling God, take me to a place where nothing makes sense and enrich my body with an inexplicable love.

Where nothing else matters?

Do you understand that you are asking God to break your pride, your personal desires, your ambitions. You are telling God CRUCIFY my flesh and let my spirit REIGN. You are telling God, i want to see more of You and less of me in me! You are stating that you want to be in a place where God's presence is so great that your mind, body, soul cant even begin to wonder off about anything else. THIS is some crazy stuff. THIS is some Ezekiel, the Lord took my spirit, kind of stuff. This is some Holy of Holies kinda thing where it is you and the Lord. This is some "The Lord came down to where Abraham was in His tent" kind of stuff. You are no longer asking God for a feeling. You are no longer asking God for a new contemporary christian CD. You are no longer asking God for anything concerning you. You are telling God take me away, where i can be with you and you with me, and i will not need anything else because i will be with you. I dont know about you but that is NOT just "some song".

We are asking to enter the Holy of Holies. We are asking God to let us be one with Him, where nothing will make sense and it wont need to make sense. You are asking God to allow you to enter the tabernacle, pass the bronce alter, into the holy place, through the curtain and enter the Holy of Holies face to face with the ark of covenant where the Spirit of our living God will pour like never before. WOW! that is an overwelming stanza to sing. I want it, i desire it, i need it!

Think about the stanza. Tonight and every night my prayer is that He sweeps me away in His love where nothing else matters.