Embracing God's Journey: Love, Encounter, and Transformation
Summary
In our journey of faith, it's essential to embrace the process and the wrestling that comes with it. We don't dictate how God moves; instead, we remain open to His ways. 1 Corinthians 13 reminds us that love is the ultimate pursuit, surpassing all spiritual gifts. Love is enduring, and as we mature, we learn to set aside childish ways while maintaining a childlike faith. This journey is about encountering God, meeting Him face to face, and allowing Him to transform us.
Encounters with God are not confined to the past; they are available to us today. However, we often limit ourselves by believing that such experiences are no longer possible. God desires an intimate relationship with us, and He reveals Himself in various ways. Our encounters with Him are meant to change us, to help us know and be known, and to equip us for His purposes. Yet, we must be cautious not to elevate the experience over the relationship with God Himself.
The ways we encounter God are limitless, as He is the ultimate Creator. Whether through scripture, nature, music, or the arts, God speaks to us in unique ways. It's crucial to manage the tension between our experiences and our expectations. We must not diminish our encounters or compare them to others. Instead, we should remain thankful and open to how God chooses to reveal Himself.
Our relationship with God should be multi-dimensional, reflecting His nature. It's not about seeking experiences but about seeking Him. We must trust Him in our journey, knowing that He knows us intimately and desires to encounter us in ways that are best for us. As we grow in our understanding of His love and presence, we become vessels through which others can encounter Him.
Key Takeaways:
- Embrace the Journey: Our faith journey involves wrestling with God and embracing the process. We don't dictate how God moves; instead, we remain open to His ways, trusting that He knows us intimately and desires to encounter us in ways that are best for us. [04:33]
- Love Surpasses All: 1 Corinthians 13 teaches us that love is the ultimate pursuit, surpassing all spiritual gifts. As we mature, we learn to set aside childish ways while maintaining a childlike faith, allowing love to be the beautiful prize for which we run. [03:25]
- Limitless Encounters: God reveals Himself in various ways, whether through scripture, nature, music, or the arts. Our encounters with Him are meant to change us, to help us know and be known, and to equip us for His purposes. We must remain open to how God chooses to reveal Himself. [09:00]
- Manage the Tension: It's crucial to manage the tension between our experiences and our expectations. We must not diminish our encounters or compare them to others. Instead, we should remain thankful and open to how God chooses to reveal Himself. [22:28]
- Seek the Person, Not the Experience: Our relationship with God should be multi-dimensional, reflecting His nature. It's not about seeking experiences but about seeking Him. As we grow in our understanding of His love and presence, we become vessels through which others can encounter Him. [56:13]
Youtube Chapters:
[00:00] - Welcome
[00:48] - Love's Endurance
[01:59] - Childlike vs. Childish
[03:25] - Faith, Hope, and Love
[04:33] - The Journey of Encounter
[06:01] - Knowing God Intimately
[07:51] - The Tension of Experience
[09:00] - Limitless Ways to Encounter
[10:53] - Recognizing God's Voice
[12:21] - Encountering God in Scripture
[14:40] - The Danger of Comparison
[16:06] - Encountering God in Nature
[18:17] - The Stretch of Growth
[21:24] - The Power of Imagination
[22:28] - The Risk of Discrediting
[24:29] - The Struggle of Faith
[25:23] - Dimensional Relationship
[26:16] - Beyond Time and Space
[27:10] - The Purpose of Encounters
[29:01] - Wrestling with God
[30:43] - Personal Journey and Struggles
[33:35] - Childhood Encounters
[36:11] - Worship and Transformation
[38:10] - The Tension of Experience
[39:38] - Seeking God in All Seasons
[41:51] - The Wrestle of Expectation
[43:45] - Trusting the Journey
[45:31] - Seasons of Revelation
[47:58] - The Power of Community
[49:46] - The Reality of Encounter
[52:23] - The Mundane and the Divine
[56:13] - Seeking the Person, Not the Experience
[59:19] - Being Present with God
[01:02:06] - Childlike Wonder and Awe
[01:04:40] - The Goal of Encounter
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
1. 1 Corinthians 13:8-13
2. Matthew 11:25
3. Psalm 42:1-2
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Observation Questions:
1. According to 1 Corinthians 13, what is the relationship between love and spiritual gifts? How does this passage describe the enduring nature of love? [00:48]
2. In the sermon, the speaker mentions the difference between being childlike and childish. What does this distinction mean, and how does it relate to our faith journey? [01:59]
3. How does the speaker describe the various ways we can encounter God in our daily lives? What examples are given? [09:00]
4. What does the speaker mean by "managing the tension" between our experiences and expectations in our relationship with God? [22:28]
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Interpretation Questions:
1. How does the concept of love surpassing all spiritual gifts in 1 Corinthians 13 challenge or affirm the way believers prioritize their spiritual lives? [03:25]
2. The sermon suggests that encounters with God are meant to transform us. In what ways might these encounters change a person's understanding of their identity and purpose? [06:01]
3. What might be the implications of seeking God Himself rather than just experiences with Him, as discussed in the sermon? [56:13]
4. How does the speaker's personal journey of wrestling with God illustrate the broader theme of trusting God in the process of spiritual growth? [45:31]
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Application Questions:
1. Reflect on a time when you felt you were wrestling with God. How did that experience shape your faith, and what did you learn about trusting His process? [04:33]
2. In what ways can you actively pursue love as the ultimate goal in your spiritual journey, as emphasized in 1 Corinthians 13? What practical steps can you take this week? [03:25]
3. Consider the different ways God might be trying to encounter you in your daily life. How can you remain open and attentive to these encounters, whether through scripture, nature, or other means? [09:00]
4. How do you manage the tension between your spiritual experiences and expectations? What practices can help you remain thankful and open to God's revelations? [22:28]
5. The sermon encourages seeking God Himself rather than just experiences. How can you cultivate a deeper relationship with God that goes beyond seeking spiritual highs? [56:13]
6. Think about a recent encounter with God that you may have overlooked or undervalued. How can you acknowledge and appreciate these moments more fully in your spiritual walk? [13:12]
7. How can you become a vessel through which others can encounter God? Identify one specific way you can demonstrate God's love and presence to someone in your life this week. [06:01]
Devotional
Day 1: Embrace the Process of Faith
In the journey of faith, embracing the process and the wrestling that comes with it is essential. This journey is not about dictating how God moves but remaining open to His ways, trusting that He knows us intimately and desires to encounter us in ways that are best for us. As we navigate through life's challenges, we are called to wrestle with God, allowing these experiences to deepen our faith and understanding of His love. This process is transformative, leading us to a more profound relationship with God. [04:33]
Genesis 32:24-26 (ESV): "And Jacob was left alone. And a man wrestled with him until the breaking of the day. When the man saw that he did not prevail against Jacob, he touched his hip socket, and Jacob's hip was put out of joint as he wrestled with him. Then he said, 'Let me go, for the day has broken.' But Jacob said, 'I will not let you go unless you bless me.'"
Reflection: What is one area of your life where you feel you are wrestling with God? How can you embrace this struggle as part of your faith journey today?
Day 2: Love as the Ultimate Pursuit
1 Corinthians 13 teaches that love is the ultimate pursuit, surpassing all spiritual gifts. As we mature in our faith, we learn to set aside childish ways while maintaining a childlike faith. This maturity allows us to pursue love as the beautiful prize for which we run. Love is enduring and transformative, shaping our interactions with others and our relationship with God. It calls us to a higher standard, where love becomes the guiding principle in all we do. [03:25]
1 John 4:18-19 (ESV): "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. We love because he first loved us."
Reflection: Think of a relationship in your life where you can pursue love more intentionally. What practical steps can you take today to demonstrate this love?
Day 3: Limitless Ways to Encounter God
God reveals Himself in various ways, whether through scripture, nature, music, or the arts. Our encounters with Him are meant to change us, to help us know and be known, and to equip us for His purposes. These encounters are limitless, as God, the ultimate Creator, speaks to us uniquely. It's crucial to remain open to how God chooses to reveal Himself, allowing these experiences to deepen our relationship with Him and transform our lives. [09:00]
Psalm 19:1-2 (ESV): "The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge."
Reflection: Reflect on a recent moment where you felt God's presence in an unexpected way. How can you remain open to encountering Him in new and diverse ways today?
Day 4: Managing the Tension Between Experience and Expectation
Managing the tension between our experiences and expectations is crucial in our faith journey. We must not diminish our encounters with God or compare them to others. Instead, we should remain thankful and open to how God chooses to reveal Himself. This requires a balance between embracing the experiences we have and trusting that God knows what is best for us. By managing this tension, we allow God to work in our lives in ways that are unique and transformative. [22:28]
Isaiah 55:8-9 (ESV): "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts."
Reflection: Consider an expectation you have of how God should work in your life. How can you release this expectation and trust in His perfect plan today?
Day 5: Seek God, Not Just Experiences
Our relationship with God should be multi-dimensional, reflecting His nature. It's not about seeking experiences but about seeking Him. As we grow in our understanding of His love and presence, we become vessels through which others can encounter Him. This journey is about knowing God intimately and allowing His love to transform us and those around us. By focusing on the person of God rather than the experiences, we deepen our relationship with Him and become more aligned with His purposes. [56:13]
Jeremiah 9:23-24 (ESV): "Thus says the Lord: 'Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the Lord.'"
Reflection: In what ways can you prioritize seeking God Himself over seeking spiritual experiences? What changes can you make in your daily routine to focus more on knowing Him?
Quotes
"It's okay to be on a journey. It's okay to wrestle with God. Here's the thing, I don't get to dictate how he comes and how he moves. 1 Corinthians 13, I want to read verses 8 through 13. And how many of you know who is love? God is, right?" [00:00:00]
"So really when we read this, it's part of his description of love, and we know that the person of love resides in us, and so we become love as well. But in verse 8, and I am going to read this from the Passion Translation. Don't worry, I will read some other things from other translations. But verse 8 says, love never stops loving." [00:00:17] (24 seconds)
"It extends beyond the gift of prophecy, which eventually fades away. Now, has it faded away yet? You're not sure. Okay. No. It is more enduring than tongues, which one day fall silent. Some might even say it's already fallen silent. Okay. Anyway, that's not for today. Love remains long after words of knowledge are forgotten." [00:00:41] (35 seconds)
"Our present knowledge and our prophecies are but partial, but when love's perfection unlocks, it is not forgotten. When love arrives, the partial will fade away. How many would you agree, like prophecies and all these things, they're partial. We get pieces of things. How many of you know in a room like this, we're all seeing and experiencing at a partial level?" [00:01:04] (31 seconds)
"That's why there's something beautiful about a prophetic people, a prophetic company that is sharing what they're seeing, experiencing, and we're watching what the Lord does with that picture. It says, when I was a child, I spoke about childish matters, for I saw things like a child and reasoned like a child, but the day came when I matured. So there comes a day, right?" [00:01:47] (31 seconds)
"And I set aside my childish ways. Do you realize there's a difference between childlike and childish? What this is talking about is childish, not childlike. So there is a tension in all things related to the kingdom, okay? Let's never forget that. And so sometimes we're trying to do away with all childish things and all childlike things, and we're supposed to put away childishness, but remaining like a child, childlike, okay?" [00:02:18] (35 seconds)
"We've been talking about encounter. What is encounter? Why is encounter important? And when we go back through the scriptures, we see all kinds of examples of encounter. Crazy wild stuff. And I think there's this thing sometimes with us that we struggle a little bit, that we start to believe that the things that we see in scripture happened way back then." [00:03:45] (22 seconds)
"And so, you know, what's the point of an encounter? You know, that word means to meet face to face. And we see this all through scripture. You know, actually, in the Hebraic language, what it meant was mouth to mouth. Whoa. That's pretty intimate. Actually, if you want to go a little farther, you know, when it talks about to know, like he knows us, he wants to know us, he wants us to know him, like all through scripture, that word is yadah. Yadah." [00:05:12] (36 seconds)
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