From a Place of Reality

How can we be diligent to enter God's rest? By ceasing for striving for things by our own power that He has said are already ours by His. Freedom. Acceptance. Peace... By crossing obstacles WITH Him... and by our very desire to do His will. ALIGNMENT. That's the keyword.

God's ways are an expression of who He is and a core of who He is, is rest. Unfortunately, last week's sermon (Rest pt 1) did not record due to some technical difficulties. Fortunately, Part 2 includes a review!

God is always doing things. God is going to do things that are foundations for the things that he's going to do. Many times the things he does may not make sense to us. The things he has to give us are so overwhelmingly full of glory in His love for us, that we do actually have to be prepared, and the way we prepare is with childlike awe over His call on us, and His love over us in it.

Peace is REAL. It's not just a neat concept. It's a well-being that can't be touched by this world. Jesus IS the Prince of Peace.

Joy comes first. Joy creates room for God to put His fullness. With faith, we take Joy out of the place of the spirit and bring it into our reality to make a place for Him to put His fullness.

We're gonna get a little Sunday School, but Sunday School had it right. The first thing you learned is the last thing you need to know. "Jesus love me, this I know..." DO you know??

The Advent wreath represents the values of His Government, which are Peace, Hope, Love, and Joy. Faith is the currency. Faith is what you have to spend on His values. Hope is the joyful anticipation of a great coming good. It takes FAITH to CHOOSE to BELIEVE in HOPE.