How to seek Him in the moment

Learn practical ways to seek Him in the moment, deepen your faith, and experience God's presence daily through simple, mindful steps.

Trevor H. Lund is the founder of Live LIGHT Academy at https://livelight.ca/ and the Creative Storyteller at https://revtrev.com 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.

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Today we’re talking about Walking in Obedience to the Risen Lord.

Why is it that every time we hear the word “Obey”, we instinctively want to rebel?

Tell me I’m not the only one.

I can’t be the only one to feel the need to push back or question anyone who tells me I need to obey?

Am I…?

I actually used that innate resistance when our kids were young to get them to do things.

I’d say, “You’re too small, you can’t do that.” Give them a challenge, say they can’t do it and they’ll prove you wrong.

Anyone with me on this? Come on, be honest. I’m not setting you up.

You’re not really looking forward to message on walking in obedience to the risen Lord because you know I can pull something out that you’re not doing and make you feel guilty for not obeying God in the way I say you need to.

When I saw this topic, I shook my head and rolled my eyes. I didn’t know how I was supposed to pull this off.

But the good news is, God reminded me of some things. And as I researched it, I got really, really excited.

Because I remembered the kind of God that God is and that obedience not what I instinctively thought it would be.

Let’s pray…

Let’s get excited about how God does things

We’re going to start with what Jesus told His disciples on the night He was betrayed.

John 14:15-21 “If you love me, obey my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him. But you know him, because he lives with you now and later will be in you. No, I will not abandon you as orphans—I will come to you. Soon the world will no longer see me, but you will see me. Since I live, you also will live. When I am raised to life again, you will know that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. Those who accept my commandments and obey them are the ones who love me. And because they love me, my Father will love them. And I will love them and reveal myself to each of them.”

Point one:

Obedience is our natural response to his supernatural love.

Because I love Him, I will naturally obey His commandments.

But what if they’re hard. Ah…they aren’t…

1 John 5:1-3 NLT Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has become a child of God. And everyone who loves the Father loves his children, too. We know we love God’s children if we love God and obey his commandments. Loving God means keeping his commandments, and his commandments are not burdensome.

That’s good to know. If all of us love God and love others—it’s easy to love people who love you. Now check out what else John tells us about those commandments…

1 John 4:19-21 NLT We love each other because he loved us first. If someone says, “I love God,” but hates a fellow believer, that person is a liar; for if we don’t love people we can see, how can we love God, whom we cannot see? And he has given us this command: Those who love God must also love their fellow believers.

Remember:

Obedience is our natural response to his supernatural love.

Point two:

His supernatural love allows us to love each other.

I know I love God because I love other people. His commands are not burdensome because it’s easy when people already love me AND He empowers us to accomplish every good work prompted by faith. (2 Thessalonians 1:11)

Wait…there’s more… Jesus told us…

Matthew 22:37-40 NLT Jesus replied, "You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: Love your neighbour as yourself. The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments."

Remember:

Obedience is our natural response to his supernatural love.

His supernatural love allows us to love each other.

Point three:

As we naturally respond to His love and love Him and love others we obey His commands.

Remember what perfect love is… Perfect love comes from God (1 John 4:8 …God is love.) And flows from us to others (1 John 4:19 We love because he first loved us.) It’s not something we work up in ourselves. It’s a response to love He has given us.

Do I need to make that clearer? Let’s go even earlier in 1 John.

1 John 4:7-12 Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God. But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love. God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins. Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other. No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is brought to full expression in us. (Made complete in us).

A few verses later he writes: Perfect love casts out all fear… 1 John 4:18

What does love look like when we seek Him?

And let’s not forget —how can you forget since I didn’t tell you—a chapter before he already wrote:

1 John 3:16-18 We know what real love is because Jesus gave up his life for us. So we also ought to give up our lives for our brothers and sisters. If someone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister in need but shows no compassion—how can God’s love be in that person? Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions.

Other translations say: let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.

Remember, He empowers us to accomplish every good work prompted by faith. (2 Thessalonians 1:11)

Also remember…

Obedience is our natural response to his supernatural love.

His supernatural love allows us to love each other.

As we naturally respond to His love and love Him and love others we obey His commands.

But there is a problem…

We need to remain in His love to love Him and love others with the love that comes from Him.

Look at what else Jesus tells us in John on the night he was betrayed.

John 15:5-17 NLT Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. Anyone who does not remain in me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned. But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted! When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father. I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love. When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow! This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you. 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. I no longer call you slaves, because a master doesn’t confide in his slaves. Now you are my friends, since I have told you everything the Father told me. You didn’t choose me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name. This is my command: Love each other.

Remember:

Obedience is our natural response to his supernatural love.

His supernatural love allows us to love each other.

As we naturally respond to His love and love Him and love others we obey His commands.

But… Point 4.

We will not remain in His love if we don’t obey what He empowers us to do.

When we don’t obey we lose our joy and hinder our producing of fruit.

He primes the pump by laying down his life for us and revealing his love personally to us.

We respond to this revelation by loving him more than our greatest love, our earliest love, our dearest love, and our nearest love. (Luke 14:26-27)

We love each other with the perfect love that comes from Him through us to each other. (1 John 4:18) He empowers us to accomplish every good work He’s already prompted us to do. (2 Thessalonians 1:11)

Seek Him and Remain in his Love and His Word

Our role is to remain in Him and have His spoken (Rhema ῥῆμα) word remain in us.

We get this in His presence. We get this by remaining in His love. It’s the very word of God, the very spoken word of God we need. He speaks as Holy Spirit illuminates the logos written word. You can read the word and not see Jesus, but when Holy Spirit illuminates the written word, the spoken word becomes real.

His voice should be clear when we read the word. But His voice is also clear in the gentle nudges we receive throughout the day. His sheep know His voice. As we obey the little nudges to call that friend you’ve been thinking of, or start a conversation with the person in front of you in the supermarket line—it’s like any spiritual disciple. The more you do use it, the more it grows and the less you use it the harder it goes.

As we obey the little nudges He gives entrusts us with more. When we don’t obey, we remove ourselves from His love and sometimes we can’t even feel his nudges until we stop and notice how longs it’s been.

You have been created to walk with God in the garden in the cool of the day. Do you know that you constantly need that connection with the nourishment of the vine. You know it’s true when you confess it’s been a while since you’ve felt and responded to his love and repent and do the things you did at first and respond to His love that has never left you. Nothing can separate you FROM his love. You can stop yourself from remaining IN His love.

We can’t love each other with the way he wants us to love each other without remaining in his love. Trust us. We’ve all experience serving people without the love of God and being served by someone who is not remaining in the love of God. We know what it looks like and feels like. Who has time for that?

What would it look it to seek Him and remain in His Love?

What would it look like to remain in His love?

This cannot be something you simply give mental assent to—an idea in our head or a sentiment in our heart. We need to work it out in the day-to-day of everyday? It has to be practical or else it is meaningless.

I mean I love that he loves me, but if it doesn’t make a difference in my life, I’m not responding to his grace. Don’t you want to say, “by the grace of God I am who I am and His grace to me was not without effect.” 1 Corinthians 15:10 And have the people closest to me agree with that. I want people to take note that I’ve been with Jesus without me having to point it out.

What would it feel like to seek Him and remain in His love?

What would it feel like to sense His pleasure on you and His joy over you—more and more—in the day-to-day of everyday?

I hope you know quiets you with His love and rejoices over you with singing. (Zephaniah 3:17)

You’ve heard me say it more than once…God is always with us—will you be with Him?

How can I seek Him and remain in His love?

How can you sense His pleasure on you and His joy over you—more and more—in the day-to-day of everyday?

That’s a great question.

Let me give you some tools to help.

I’ve made a tool of Ancient tools to help you SEE Him in the Moments.

They help you become more and more aware of Him. I’m not saying you have to do all of these at the same time. You can—it’s completely doable and they become enjoyable—but I don’t want to make you think you must.

I am saying if you want to seek God and find him, you need to seek Him with all of your heart. That includes your decision, your emotions and your actions. These tools are actions that help us seek him and find him when we seek him with all of our hearts.

S.E.E. Him in the Moments Tool

S — Stop with Statio Psalm 46:10

E — Echo Creation with Selah Psalm 119:164

E — Examine your day with Examen Psalm 16:7

S — Stop with Statio

Psalm 46:10 “Be still, and know that I am God! I will be honoured by every nation. I will be honoured throughout the world.”

Statio makes use of those time-between times. When you’re waiting for to pick up someone or waiting for a meeting to start.

Statio invites you to stop, stand still, and become aware of God’s presence in these liminal moments. It is a deliberate interruption of daily busyness to reflect, pray, or wait patiently. It helps you embrace uncertainty, waiting, and transformation instead of rushing through them.

Statio cultivates spiritual attentiveness and openness to God’s work during these “in-between” times.

Tips: Ask Holy to make you aware of His presence every day. Remind yourself to be aware of His Presence. Before your scroll mindlessly - STOP Thank God for his presence and experience His Love.

STOP

S- Stop what you’re doing for a minute or two

T - Take a few deep breaths

O - Observe and re-collect—recognize you with God in this moment

P - Pray a breath prayer of thanks or help

Breath prayer- “Help me be with you.”

Does God want me to connect with Him in the times between times?

E — Echo Creation with SELAH

Psalm 119:164 (NIV) “Seven times a day I praise you for your righteous laws.”

SELAH encourages you to pause intentionally and echo the praise of creation by praising God Psalm 19:1-2

This practice helps you live fully present in God’s presence, recognizing His goodness and power in every moment. It’s more than being aware of His presence, it’s responding to his presence with praise.

By echoing creation’s continual praise, you align your heart with God’s, making worship a constant rhythm rather than a rare event.

Tips - set a reminder. Block out space on your calendar. Set notifications to interrupt your day. Start with Gratitude to God for something—it effortlessly leads to praise.

SELAH

S - Stop. Be still and know He is God

E - Exhale. Take a few deep breaths and remember who God is and what He has done.

L - Look to see the beauty and blessing of God around you in the moment. Be curious.

A - Ask God to reveal something you need to hear, see or think

H - Hear what God says in the moment

Naturally show appreciation for what He shows you. - Praise Him!

Should I make space in my day to praise Him more often?

E — Examine your day with Examen

Psalm 16:7 I will bless the Lord who guides me; even at night my heart instructs me.

This practice, adapted from a tool used by Jesuit priests, helps you become aware of God’s presence throughout your day.

By honestly reviewing your experiences, you learn where you followed God and where you need growth.

Examen encourages daily self-awareness and spiritual growth through prayerful reflection.

Tips - make it part of your evening rhythm. Ie. Run through it as you brush your teeth.

Practice EXAMEN

1. Be present - Centering prayer
2. Be alert - Review the day for God’s presence - Was I with you?
3. Be holy - use confession and repentance
4. Be trustful- for grace and forgiveness and that he is working all this together for good
5. Be mindful- reflect on tomorrow - How can I be with you?
6. Be grateful- what do you want me to feel gratitude for today?

Does God want me to examine my day with Him?

How I got focussed on His Love

In my prayer time I came across this reflection and—even though I wrote it—I found it helped me evaluate where I want to be.

http://revtrev.com/podcast/heart-reflection-podcast-i-love-and-serve-god-with-my-whole-heart-reflection/

I love and serve God with my whole heart reflection

I love and serve God with my whole heart. I love the Lord my God with all my heart, all my soul, all my strength, and all my mind. I love my neighbour as myself.

I decide to love and serve Him. I choose to be patient and kind. I am not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. I do not demand my own way. I am not irritable, and I keep no record of being wronged. I do not rejoice about injustice but I rejoice whenever the truth wins out. I never give up, never lose faith, am always hopeful, and endure through every circumstance.

I love Him with my actions. I obey Jesus and keep His commandments. I remain in His love. His perfect love casts out all fear. I love others and His love is complete in me. The Father loves me and they have come and made their home with me.

I love Him with my emotions. I love God more than my greatest love, my earliest love, my dearest love, and my nearest love. I love because He first loved me. I do not love the world or the things of the world. I know that love of the world squeezes out love for the Father.

I have given up wanting my own way, wanting everything for myself, wanting to appear important. The lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life have no rent-free space in my brain.

I have chosen and I show and I know that I love and serve God with my whole heart.

Reflection Question

Would others say I have been loving and serving God lately?

Conclusion

Matthew records the night Jesus was betrayed Matthew 26:20-25…all of them were greatly distressed and asked in turn “Am I the one Lord?” Judas didn’t call him Lord. He said “Teacher, am I the one?”

Who is Jesus to you?

Is he a good teacher or is he Lord of all? Is he Lord in the day-to-day of your everyday?

Will you make space to ask Holy Spirit how He wants you seek him and find him?

His spirit is calling you to seek him. Will you seek him with all of your heart?

These questions can help:

• Would others say I have been loving and serving God lately?
• Does God want me to connect with Him in the times between times?
• Should I make space in my day to praise Him more often?
• Does God want me to examine my day with Him?

Can I pray?

Ephesians 3:16-19 I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. 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.

Lord reveal more of your love and help us remain more and more in your love. Amen

Soaking

Can we spend time with God and experience more of His love?

Freedom From Fear

What if fear isn’t defeated by courage? What if courage needs fear to exist? Do you know love drives out fear? Learn how to use the perfect love of God to overcome any fear.

Trevor H. Lund is the founder of Live LIGHT Academy at https://livelight.ca/ and the Creative Storyteller at https://revtrev.com 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. Learn how to Know

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Read the Notes From Fear

Read Psalm 27:1-14

Can I pray?

At the wedding of our son and now daughter-in-law, I got to give a speech to welcome Rachel into our family. I had a lot of tears and trying not to cough giving it, so figured I wanted to use it again somewhere—it’s a good speech. Here it is for you.

Welcome Rachel into the family

When I dropped off the kids at school I would usually say “You are loved. Live loved. Have fun stormin’ the castle.”

That last part comes from The Princess Bride. When Fezzik, Indigo Mantoya and the mostly dead Wesley were leaving Miracle Max’s to go rescue Buttercup from Prince Humperdink and confront the 6-fingered man who killed Indigo Mantoya’s father.

Miracle Max and his wife are standing at the door waving and yells after them: “Have fun stormin’ the castle”. His wife asked him, “Do you think you it will work?” To which Miracle Max replies “It will take a miracle.”

I wanted to remind our kids that miracles happen—even when it looks almost impossible. So do what you need to do, for as long as you need to—no matter hard it is— because you never know what can happen until you try.

Live Loved

The first part about love, we worked out—and are working out— what that means. We’ve don’t have it all figured out.

In our family you are loved, so you can live loved.

We want to be patient and always try to be kind. We speak the truth to each other—in love—if we’re acting jealous or boastful or proud or rude. We do not demand our own way, but think of the interests of others. And we try not to be irritable, and choose to live unoffendable—we don’t want to keep any record of being wronged. We mourn injustice but rejoice whenever the truth wins out. We never give up on each other, we never lose faith in each other, we are always hopeful for each other, and have unbelievable tenacity in all of that.

We will pick up our sword and fight for you. We will lay down our life and die for you. We will sit in the dirt and cry with you. We’ll go to the street and dance with you…unless you’re dancing in the snow and it’s cold outside. I think we’ve already established that we’ll probably be inside making the hot chocolate… because real cold gets real old real fast.

How we Love God

Karen and I will always pray for you and will never give up. We want to be joyful in hope, patient in affliction and faithful in prayer. We’ll never stop praying and give thanks in all circumstances for you. Karen’s been praying for you, Rachel, since the day we knew Kian was going to be born. We pray for both of you every day, and thank God for you whenever we think of you.

So Rachel—as we welcome you to our family—we are so glad we can celebrate with your family.

Address her family

You Givens and extended family and friends gathered here have had an important role raising a pretty incredible young woman. She is capable and caring and those are the highest compliments I can give anyone.

Thank you, Rachel for loving Kian.

We dropped off our 18-year-old son, in an isolated country on the other side of the world—before anyone knew anything about Covid. And we’ve been impressed with how quickly he’s matured into the capable and caring man that he is. We think you had a pretty big role in the transformation we’ve witnessed.

You both have gone through so much. We’re glad you had each other to go through it together. There is so much much more you’re going to go through…and you will get through it —together.

If I can leave you both with a blessing it’s this:
May you always have hearts to know God. May you grow more and more into who He has destined you to be, as you learn to know Him better and better.

If I can leave you both with something to work out in your day-to-day of everyday as you live your lives together it’s this:
The God of all hope will fill you with peace and joy as you trust in Him so you’ll overflow with hope by the power of Holy Spirit. So seek His presence always. Seek Him and find Him. Seek Him and know that you are loved!

So back to the reason we’re up here— to welcome Rachel to our family— I guess we need to make it official:

Rachel, You are loved. Live loved. Have fun stormin’ the castle.

____

Why Freedom from Fear only comes when we Love God

We’re going to look at living with Freedom from Fear and you might wonder why with that topic, I started with that story.

Don’t worry…it all connects.

The opposite of fear isn’t courage or faith.

There was a time I thought it was.

I can even remember stories I was told where it was the stated morality. “Courage rises up to defeat fear”. You can even hear it in the Psalm I read if you want to read it that way. I understood I needed to face fear head on. Suck it up, buttercup.

I come by it naturally. There’s even a word in Finnish that goes beyond simple persistence. It reflects a deep, almost stubborn will to push through hardship.

I did not know this word growing up. I’ve recently learned it. It explains so much of how I’ve lived my life. I bought a book to better understand it. The word is “Sisu”. It’s untranslatable into English, but it means:

Determination and grit in the face of adversity. Persistent courage and resilience beyond normal stamina. The ability to keep going despite challenges and setbacks. A mindset of taking action even when success seems unlikely.

I had no idea that’s what I was telling my kids to do when I said when I’d say, “You are loved. Live Loved. Have fun stormin’ the castle.”

Listen there is a place for dogged determinism even when success seems unlikely. But that’s when we talk about treating hardship as discipline.

When we’re talking about freedom from fear, we need to understand courage and tenacity doesn’t defeat fear.

You cannot have freedom from fear by trying hard to be courageous.

How can I say that?

The Problem

There’s a problem with thinking fear can be beat with a stiff upper lip.

The problem with thinking the opposite of fear is courage or faith lies is how it shapes your understanding and response to fear:

Courage and Faith Coexist with Fear

Courage and faith don’t eliminate fear; they exist alongside it. You can be afraid and still act courageously or have faith. They are responses to fear, not its opposite. (See Psalm 56:3) - When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.

It’s not courage without fear. You need to have fear in order to act courageously. If you don’t have fear, you’re just acting normally. No one ever says “You spoke so courageously when you spoke” to me, because I’ve been doing it my entire life and I pretty much authentic when I speak, so there’s not much I won’t say. But if something you haven’t done and you come up with fear and trembling and share what you think God’s given you to say, that could take a lot of courage.

What’s courageous for you might not be courageous for me; what’s courageous for me might not be courageous for you. The difference is when we do it in spite of fear.

Courage and faith co-exist with fear.

Misunderstanding Fear’s Root

If you see courage or faith as the opposite of fear, you might ignore the deeper cause of fear. You don’t get to the root. You miss out of God’s best for you. Without addressing that root, we will not fully overcome fear. (See 1 John 4:18) - There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.

Leads to Suppression, Not Healing

Thinking courage opposes fear can push you to suppress fear rather than understand or heal it. This can cause stress or breakdown over time because fear remains unaddressed. (See Psalm 94:19) When doubts filled my mind, your comfort gave me renewed hope and cheer.

Limits Emotional Growth

Seeing faith as opposite to fear might cause you to judge yourself or others harshly when fear surfaces. Suck it up buttercup.

It can create guilt or shame instead of encouraging gentle growth through love. (See Romans 8:1) So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus.

The Bible makes it clear the opposite of fear is Love.

Fear is often a lack of love or trust in God’s love.

Let me show you.

Love removes fear related to punishment.

1 John 4:18 NLT Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love.

God’s Spirit replaces fear with a relationship like a child to a father.

Romans 8:15 NLT So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.”

God’s love brings deliverance from fear.

Psalm 34:4 NLT I prayed to the Lord, and he answered me. He freed me from all my fears.

God’s Spirit empowers us with love instead of timidity.

2 Timothy 1:7 NLT For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.

The opposite of Fear is Love.

When you trust in God’s love, fear lets go.

Why does this matter?

In this life we will have reason to fear.

We are not in heaven yet. We live in a world that has yet to be redeemed, that groans—as in childbirth—waiting for the children of God to be revealed. We are walking with people who are being redeemed who groan with creation longing for that day. And we are surrounded by others who have no interest in being redeemed, and who only do good when it serves their self-interests. And don’t forget there’s a conquered enemy from eternity past—seeking to kill, steal and destroy.

It’s no wonder Jesus promised that there would be trouble. If they hated him, they will hate us.

But we can have no fear of bad news even when it comes. It doesn’t come from steeling ourselves and shutting down our emotions it only comes from seeking the Lord always and embracing His inconceivable love.

When you trust in God’s love, fear lets go.

What would it feel like?

How would your life change if you faced fear by choosing love every time?

You will have reason to fear…but you don’t have to respond in fear.

When you are filled with His love, you will not naturally respond to fear in fear.

The God of hope fills us with peace and joy AS WE TRUST IN HIM so that we can overflow with hope by the power of Holy Spirit.

Will you trust Him in His love?

When you trust in God’s love, fear lets go.

Start with understanding what God’s love is…

I guess we need to agree with what the love of God is

Understand God loves you…

As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him; Psalm 103:13 (NIVUK)

The enemy attacks fathers and families so it’s harder and harder to trust God as our good, good Father. But where our earthly fathers were never perfect—and some were downright evil—our heavenly Father is perfect and He shows us a love we can’t experience outside of Him.

Understand what his love is like…

Ephesians 3:17-19 NLT Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. 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.

Wide: Christ’s Love Embraces All

Christ’s love extends to every person, regardless of background, past, or status.

John 3:16-17 NLT “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.

Long: Christ’s Love Never Runs Out

His love stretches from eternity past to eternity future; it never fails nor fades.

Jeremiah 31:3 NLT Long ago the Lord said to Israel: “I have loved you, my people, with an everlasting love. With unfailing love I have drawn you to myself.

Deep: Christ’s Love Reaches Our Lowest Points

No sin, shame, or struggle can keep His love away; He meets us in our deepest need.

Romans 8:38-39 NLT And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.

High: Christ’s Love Lifts Us Up

His love not only saves us from our low points but also raises us up to new life and purpose.

Ephesians 2:4-6 NLT But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!) For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus.

How can you know and experience that love so you can walk in freedom from fear?

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

KNOW the heights and depths and breadth and lengths of God’s love Tool

Let’s read that verse in Ephesians 3 again…

Ephesians 3:17-19 NLT Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. 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.

K Kindness: Christ’s Love Is Compassionate and Gracious

N Nearness: Christ’s Love Is Always Present

O Overcoming: Christ’s Love Conquers All Obstacles

W Welcoming: Christ’s Love Invites and Includes Everyone

K.N.O.W. the Love of Christ

K — Kindness: Christ’s Love Is Compassionate and Gracious

Titus 3:4-5 — “But when the kindness and love of God our Saviour appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy…”

Wide: Christ’s Love Embraces All

Christ’s love is full of kindness, reaching out with compassion to everyone, even those who feel unworthy.

Notice daily moments where God’s kindness shows up—answered prayers, unexpected encouragement, or forgiveness. Gratitude opens the door for you to see this more. Feel grateful for what you notice and do something to show appreciation.

Ask Holy Spirit:
What do you want to feel grateful for in this moment?

N — Nearness: Christ’s Love Is Always Present

Psalm 34:18 — “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”

Deep: Christ’s Love Reaches Our Lowest Points

You are never alone; Christ is with you in every situation, offering His unfailing presence.

Practice inviting Jesus into your daily life—your joys, worries, and routines.

I know you're always with me, how can I be with you today?

O — Overcoming: Christ’s Love Conquers All Obstacles

Romans 8:38-39 And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Long: Christ’s Love Never Runs Out

Nothing can separate you from Christ’s love—not sin, fear, failure, or hardship.

When you face challenges or doubts, remind yourself of God’s promises and declare His victory over your struggles and that nothing can separate you from His love.

Do you need a promise for your situation? https://revtrev.com/promises

Ask Holy Spirit

How can I feel that your love is with me in this moment?

W — Welcoming: Christ’s Love Invites and Includes Everyone

Matthew 11:28 — “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”

High: Christ’s Love Lifts Us Up

His love welcomes you just as you are and invites you into a relationship with Him, no matter your past.

Respond to Jesus’ invitation by spending quiet time with Him—resting in His presence and sharing your heart honestly.

Remember…

I prayed to the Lord, and he answered me. He freed me from all my fears. Psalm 34:4 NLT

Ask Holy Spirit
What keeps me from regularly coming fully to Jesus?

When you trust in God’s love, fear lets go.

Challenge

Practical Steps to KNOW Christ’s Love

Kindness: Look for ways God has shown you grace and choose to show grace to others.

Nearness: Take moments throughout your day to acknowledge Jesus’ presence with you.

Overcoming: Memorize Romans 8:37-39 and speak it over yourself when you feel discouraged.

Welcoming: Accept Christ’s invitation by spending time with Him in prayer and worship.

Conclusion

In the next few moments you can ask Holy Spirit one or all of these questions. Or you can offer him your fear and receive from him his love. Make space to hear him quiet you with His love.

What do you want to feel grateful for in this moment?

How can I become more aware of Your nearness throughout my day?

How can I feel that your love is with me in this moment?

What keeps me from regularly coming fully to Jesus?

If I can leave you with the same blessing I left I left my kids with it’s this:
May you always have hearts to know God. May you grow more and more into who He has destined you to be, as you learn to know Him better and better.

If I can leave you with a challenge to work out in your day-to-day of everyday it’s this:
The God of all hope will fill you with peace and joy as you trust in Him so you’ll overflow with hope by the power of Holy Spirit. So seek His presence always. Seek Him and find Him. Seek Him and know that you are loved!

Can I Pray with You?

Ephesians 3:17-19 NLT

I thank you that you make your home in our hearts as we trust in you. I thank you that our roots will grow down into God’s love and keep us strong. And may we can have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep your love is. May we experience the love of Christ, though it is incomprehensible. Then we will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.

Listen to Holy Spirit

How to Align to Abide

AbideExplore what it means to Align to Abide in the presence of God. We discuss how this impacts our daily lives. Join us as we examine scripture and share personal stories of hope and renewal. Discover practical ways to embrace faith and let the resurrection guide your journey.

Trevor H. Lund is the founder of Live LIGHT Academy at https://livelight.ca/ and the Creative Storyteller at https://revtrev.com Check out https://revtrev.com/tv for past videos and live casts and https://revtrev.com/radio to salign abideubscribe to his podcast wherever you listen.

Listen to How to Align to Abide

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Read the Notes on How to Align to Abide

Do you know that we become like what we worship?

Maybe it’s better said “We become more like what we put our trust in.”

Look at where I get this from

*Psalm 115:4-8 Their idols are silver and gold, the work of human hands. They have mouths, but do not speak; eyes, but do not see. They have ears, but do not hear; noses, but do not smell. They have hands, but do not feel; feet, but do not walk; and they do not make a sound in their throat. Those who make them become like them; so do all who trust in them.

It’s a spiritual principle that we become like who we worship, or become like those we trust in.

The more we spend time with God, the more we become like Him. Technically, God makes us more and more like the Son He loves—who is the exact representation of the Father.

If you want to grow any fruit of the spirit, you need to spend time with God, who will grow Holy Spirit’s fruit in you.

What does living in the light of His resurrection mean to you?

For me, it’s abiding with Him, so I become more and more like Him.

When do you spend time with Him?

How do you spend time with Him?

I’ve noticed for me, it changes over time.

In this current season of you’re in what does it look like?

Before we get into all that…

Can I pray for you?

Pick a Rhythm to Abide

Seek Him Always, Seek Him and find Him, Seek Him and Live

Over the better part of the last year I have felt Holy Spirit drawing me to seek Him always, to seek Him and find Him, to seek Him and live.

What did that look like in the day-to-day-of-my-everyday?

Options for Rhythms to help Abide

Was it remembering Him in the times-between-times? The monks in the Middle Ages called this Statio. They’d come early to events just to have time to be aware God was already there.

Maybe that was how I could seek the Lord?

Maybe it was to have to praise breaks? Moments of Selah. David wrote he will praise God seven times a day. Seven is the number of completeness so it’s a poetic way to say “I will always praise you”. But I did have a time in my life where I set 7 alarms up on my watch and whenever they sounded I’d praise the Lord…it led to awkward and interesting conversations.

Maybe that was how I should seek the Lord?

What about Exemen? Exemen is a Jesuit prayer rhythm where at the end of the day you think about how you’ve been with God. Be thankful for that, but figure out where you failed and confess and repent so you can do better tomorrow. There may have been some mental flagellation—or self-flagellation for that matter—involved, but I didn’t think I needed to go there.

What I decided to try to Abide

I set my Reminders for different times in the day to remember to do all of these rhythms…

But I knew He wanted me to set the best part on my day apart for Him.

So my main focus was on—what I started calling—the Align to Abide Prayer. I developed it over that time. I found a prayer wheel that had 12 sections of 5 minutes each to make up a complete hour and I worked my own out of that.

Pick a time to Abide

I found I needed to do the prayer wheel first thing in the morning—after I stretched and took my morning meds. So I started getting up earlier so I’d have time on days I have early morning meetings. I’ve had to set my clock to 5:45 AM—I’ve trained myself so most days I can be up by then.

While I have the structure of twelve five-minute sections for one hour, some have permanently lengthened and others rarely take that long. On mornings I don’t have meetings, I can go longer than an hour. What I’m trying to say is that it’s not set, it’s a fluid time. I need to have grace for my self and commitments.

I’ve taken to calling this the Align to Abide Prayer Rhythm because it helps times of Selah and Statio and Exemen to naturally happen. I find when I align in the morning, it’s easier to be aware of His presence throughout the day and I naturally use those tools when I’m do.

The difference between religion and relationship

You can do what you do out of religion or relationship - motives matter. Maturity determines where you naturally default to…but all of us can slip anytime. Don’t think when you start doing something out of relationship that you don’t start doing it religiously.

I’ve often found the people who pride themselves on not being religious are the ones to act the most religiously. They hate it when I point it out to them. So I’ve learned to ask questions and tell my own stories.

For example:

It’s easy for me to tell when I’m doing something religiously or when I’m doing it to build my relationship with God.

When it doesn’t fit into my schedule to do something—that I’m doing religiously—I feel like I’ve failed, that I’ll never get it right, that I’ll never measure up.

However, when I use that same form to enhance my relationship with God—and I can’t do it for a day or even a season—I simply make space to do it or look forward to next time I can do it. It doesn’t matter if I do everything on the list or focus on a particular piece on any random day.

It’s like this—I need to stretch everyday. When I don’t have time to stretch or forget a particular stretch, I will feel it in my body at some point in the day. When I feel it in my body, I make sure to stretch as soon as I can. Like this morning I forgot to stretch my shoulders and arms, so I did it in the office before the service. I don’t beat myself up about not stretching.

In the spiritual, I need to spend my best and first time of my day with God. When I miss it, or rush through part of it—like I forget to exchange my problems for his peace—I will notice it. I will feel it in my spirit and make sure I do that as soon as I can. I don’t beat myself up about it. His grace is sufficient. I apologize—sometimes confess and repent—and move on.

Working out of religion brings shame. Working out of relationship brings life.

Don’t get overwhelmed with Align to Abide

What I’m going to share today please realize I’m not saying, “This is what you need to do”.

I’m offering you tools to help you Seek Him Always. Seek Him and find Him. Seek Him and live!

Please don’t get overwhelmed by everything I’m going to tell you today. What I’m sharing with you has grown over the better part of a year.

I started with a this form and realized I’ve been in this dance with God for several years and was so excited to see how this piece fit that piece and how that tool supported this discipline and how this element really was that rhythm.

And my prayer lists have turned into praise and thanksgiving organically over time—if I showed you my petition and intercession lists you might think it’s ridiculous. But again, they’ve grown organically, over time as I’ve spent time with God he’s turned my heart towards people and situations. They get on the list.

My walk is not your walk, your walk is not my walk. We walk together the same path, but He directs our steps different.

And so in your notes you’ll find a lot of links. Please don’t get overwhelmed with them. These are available for you to fit into any part of your own rhythm.

So how do you walk in the light of His resurrection?

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

Let’s get into Align to Abide

Prepare to Abide

————————

Prepare your space

I start with music. I use an app…options…option coming

Why? See 2 Kings 3:15 Elisha said: "But now bring me a harpist." And while the harpist was playing, the hand of the Lord came upon him.

Prepare your mind

Never forget

Every Kingdom movement starts with prayer. —John Smed “Prayer Revolution”

————————

1. Centring prayer

Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. Colossians 3:1–2

My prayer

Lord give me the capacity to do the things that need to get done, the awareness of your presence to know I’m doing what you have for me to do, the assurance to know you empower me to accomplish every good work prompted by faith.

And the grace for myself if I can’t see everything I’d like to get accomplished in the time I’d like it to be done. I know and trust Your purpose for me will be fulfilled, so help me act and pray like I trust that you will finish your good work in me.

And help me have the grace for others—knowing that since you’ll finish the good work in me, you will finish the good work you started in them—so I can think of them ahead of myself. Thank you that You do all things well.

This ending piece is what I’d recommend:

My eyes are open and expectant for every treasure you have for me to find today. Thank you for being God with Us. Help me be with you today.

2. Daily Reflection

When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them? Psalm 8:3-4

Random reflections https://revtrev.com/reflections/

Abide with thanksgiving:
Thank you that when I call on you that you answer me and show me remarkable things I do not know Jeremiah 33:3

3. Give thanks and praise

Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. Psalm 104:1

Give thanks with your whole heart

I will give thanks to you, Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonderful deeds. Psalm 9:1

Give thanks with your whole heart Tool https://revtrev.com/feel-gratitude/

Turn your thanksgiving to praise:

Thank you that you are worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honour and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created. Revelation 4:11

Abide with thanksgiving:
Thank you I can always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is Your will for me because I belong to Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

4. Be Still and know He is God

“Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting” Psalm 139:23-24

To Abide you need to be still. Here’s a the BE STILL Tool https://revtrev.com/be-still/

Abide with thanksgiving:
Thank you that you understand so I can say: But when I am afraid, I will put my trust in you. I praise God for what he has promised. I trust in God, so why should I be afraid? Psalm 56:3-4

5. Confession and Repentance

* Don’t let those who trust in you be ashamed because of me, O Sovereign Lord of Heaven’s Armies. Don’t let me cause them to be humiliated,O God of Israel. Psalm 69:6

Two questions

Is there anything I’ve done or not done that would make those closest to me ashamed or humiliated—more than them just rolling their eyes?

Is there anyone I need to forgive?

TURN https://revtrev.com/turn/

Abide with thanksgiving:
Thank you for your promise that you will give me a new heart and put a new spirit in me; that you will remove from me my heart of stone and give me a heart of flesh Ezekiel 36:26

6. Pray Scripture

All the while, you will grow as you learn to know God better and better. Colossians 1:10b

Lectio Divina Tool and Verses https://revtrev.com/pray-scripture/

Thank you that the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. Hebrews 4:12

7. Ask Petitions

Yet you don’t have what you want because you don’t ask God for it. James 4:2b

Pray from Identity Matthew 7:9-11

Your identity is that you have a good Father who knows what you need, so you don’t have to keep babbling like the pagans because He enjoys giving good gifts to his children, but he wants you ask for what you eat and drink and wear because He wants you to know He takes care of you like the flowers and birds.

A. Remember to ask for…

If I have to work for it, I need to pray for it.

Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust him, and he will help you. Psalm 37:5

The possible stuff done His way is path the feeling his presence and pleasure.

B. Family’s Future

God’s will - have not because you ask not.

Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Philippians 4:6

Example:

Health and strength for myself and all my family members—may we all have strength for all of our days.

Give us hearts to know you and your hope and our inheritance in Christ and the same power that raised Jesus from the dead, which is available to us. May we always learn to know you better and better.

Bless the work of our hands. Empower every good work prompted by our faith. May all our plans succeed for your glory. Lead us in your ways.

I could have no greater joy than to hear that my children are following the truth. Draw them to Yourself. Cover them in the shelter of Your wing. May our children and their children return to their own borders. Settle them back in their own lands. May they find their boundaries lines are in pleasant places. Turn what the enemy meant for evil for good. Redeem them—they are yours. They have been bought with a price. They belong to you. The promise of the Holy Spirit is for us and our children and all who are far off. Don’t let them ignore your promise.

May our children and their children and their children—and all who believe because of them—receive the inheritance of our father and mother. You are with them in their coming and going and in their sitting and rising. Thank you that Your kindness to them will lead them to You.

May they seek Your face always. May they seek You and find You. May they seek You and live!

C. Commit my Plans

Dream with God, Stay on track with what He’s prompted me to do and for what I’m responsible for.

I cry out to God Most High, to God who will fulfill his purpose for me. Psalms 57:2

This verse realigned my perspective. I knew God would fulfill his purpose for me…He’s God. But that means I need to cry out to Him

My books, courses, resources, websites, social media strategies, book marketing strategies… He directs my steps - for example. I know I need to get the courses done first and then the books will help market them.

D. Commit my Commitments

Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans. Proverbs 16:3

Kingdom Way

5 Prayers to Praying For....

1. Believers would have a passion for the lost Luke 19:10
2. Believers would have a desire to return to Church Hebrews 10:24-25 and corporate times of worship ~ 2 Corinthians 3:18
3. Believers would experience the release of God’s glory in their personal, and corporate times of worship ~ 2 Corinthians 3:18, Psalm 22:3
4. Pre-believers would be drawn into the church because they feel God’s presence
   1 Corinthians 14:24-25
5. Believers would passionately desire to serve Matt 9:37-38

MCare

1 million souls by 2030

Abide with thanksgiving:
Thank you that you gave us parables so that we’d always pray and never give up Luke 18:1

8. Cast Cares

Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you. 1 Peter 5:7

CAST Your Cares Upon Him Tool https://revtrev.com/cast/

Abide with thanksgiving:
Thank you that You promise that You will rescue those who love You and that You will protect those who trust in Your name. Psalm 91:14

9. Intercession

May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Matthew 6:10

Pray from authority Matthew 28:18-19

Our Authority comes from Christ having all authority and teaching us to pray His Kingdom come and His will be done on earth as it is in heaven

A. Our Family

Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the guards stand watch in vain. Psalm 127:1

Our family, extended family, all the kids and significant others and future spouse, by name and by need.

Helps me remember names and conversations. Absolutely a benefit I didn’t expect.

B. Who God puts on my heart…

For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives. Colossians 1:9

For friends, work, and church by name and by need

C. For our Country

I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them.Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity. 1 Timothy 2:1-2

I will pray God helps them. I will intercede for them. And give thanks for them.

Nations - Nation - Province - City

And work for the peace and prosperity of the city where I sent you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, for its welfare will determine your welfare. Jeremiah 29:7

Abide with thanksgiving:
Thank you that the prayer of someone—you’ve made righteous—is powerful and effective. James 5:16

10. Meditation

I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways. Psalm 119:15

Soul time app https://www.soultime.com/

Abide with thanksgiving:
Thank you that the words of my mouth and the mediations of my heart can be pleasing in your sight. Psalm 19:14

11. Bible Reading

Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. Joshua 1:8

100 Promises of God https://revtrev.com/promises/

Abide with thanksgiving:
Thank you that your promises are my my armour and protection Psalm 94:1

12. Journal with God

I will stand at my watch and station myself on the ramparts; I will look to see what he will say to me, and what answer I am to give to this complaint. Habakkuk 2:1

Journal with God Tool https://revtrev.com/journal

Abide with thanksgiving:
Thank You that You make known to me the path of life and you fill me with joy in your presence. Psalm 16:11

Final Abiding with Thanksgiving

Thank you I can be filled with joy, always thanking the Father. For you have enabled you to share in the inheritance that belongs to Your people, who live in the light. Colossians 9:11b-12

Conclusion of Align to Abide

I know this works. I feel His presence and want to be in His presence and have His peace and hope and joy at all times and in every situation.

They were getting me ready to leave the ward after my Cardiac Ablation Surgery and two nurses—I had gotten to know—were changing the dressing on each side. The one on the right was done and left. The one on the left was holding pressure on a possible hematoma when he noticed I had sprung a leak. He asked Karen the leave, put pressure on the right side and called the other nurse back. She took over and pressed harder and I started to feel like I’d be sick or pass out. They put me back on a drip and gave me some orange juice, so I started feeling better.

And I felt appreciation for this nurse. She was working overtime to make sure I could make it home as soon as I could. So I thanked her—she had been holding pressure the whole time. She replied “You’re far too positive for the situation you’re in right now.” I was lying in a pool of my own blood. I laughed and said, “I’m just glad it happened here and that you could help me rather than at home.”

It wasn’t a delusional laugh. I was at peace. I had His joy. I knew He was going to use this for His good.

It’s not my natural state...but is my supernatural state

I don’t get to that place naturally but I’m learning to get to it easily. I do that because I’m learning to abide in Him. Every day I’m making space to be with Him and hear from him.

It was the Wednesday before the procedure and in my quite time with God I had to confess I was concerned about “complications” from it all. I was asking AI about what to expect and asking God why I so concerned about such low numbers.

It turns out I had to confess I was trusting in a whole lot of other things instead of trusting in him. He reminded me of other times I have been through the fire and not been burned and through the flood and not been swept away and through deep waters and not been drowned because HE was with me. I felt him ask me if I would trust him regardless of complications? I decided I would—with his help. I think prayed “When I am I afraid, I’ll trust in you.”

I don’t get to that place naturally but I’m learning to get to it easily.

I don’t get to that place naturally but I’m learning to get to it easily. I need his presence always, so I seek His presence intentionally. I do it in the morning and it’s easier to feel His presence all day.

Since we live by the Spirit we need to keep in step with the Spirit. How do you let love and joy and peace and patience and kindness and gentleness and self-control grow in you? We cannot keep this as an idea in our head or a sentiment in our heart, we need to work out its implications into every area of our lives.

We can’t spout truism if it’s not true in our lives. Bumperstickers telling people the hope we have can be real pretentious if people don’t see the hope we have. Bible verses on walls are great, but if those promises aren’t lived out it becomes religion. Religion brings rules. Relationship brings life.

Our relationship with the resurrected Jesus means we need to abide in him.

People need to see the hope that we have. In His presence is fullness of joy. The God of all hope fills us with peace and joy as we trust in Him so that we can overflow with hope by the power of Holy Spirit. I don’t get to that place naturally but I’m learning to get to it easily.

The time I spend with Him—every morning I can with Him helps me to seek Him in the time between times. And praise Him in the moments of awe I see every day. It helps me to put all my plans into His hands. And keeps me on the path he has for me.

What will you do to be more aware of His presence in your life?

Has your heart said “Seek His Face”?

Have you replied, “Your face, oh Lord I will seek”?

Do you now how you’ll seek him in this season?

He’s is seeking for hearts that are totally devoted to him.

Application to Abide

Maybe there’s something you can add to your prayer time that will revive it for a season?

Maybe you’ve already thought “I used to do that, why did I stop?”

Maybe you heard something exciting you’d like to try.

All the tools are at all the links I gave you in the notes. If you go to the church webpage—after I have this message posted—all those links will be live. If you book mark it on your phone, you can work through whatever tool you’d to use.

Challenge to Abide

You really need to hear what God is saying to you. Don’t do what I’m doing because I told you about it.

Maybe God wants you to spend an hour each day?

Maybe you should set a time?

Maybe it’s a season to go deep in one aspect we’ve talked about.

If you ask Him, He will tell you. You will feel His pull. He’s seeking for you.

Seek Him always. Seek Him and find. Seek him and live.

Can I pray for you so you can Abide?

Lord give us ears to hear, hearts to know and hands to obey what you’re telling us to do. In the next few moments speak clearly and speak live.

Thank you you’re always with us. Help us be with you.

Listen to Holy Spirit’s voice.

What is He calling you to?

How to Walk in Surrender

In this message, we explore how to walk in surrender. We examine the themes of betrayal and submission through biblical narratives. Learn how these events can shape your spiritual journey. Join us as we uncover valuable lessons on trust and resilience. Discover how to navigate personal relationships while maintaining your faith. Tune in for thoughtful insights and practical advice on overcoming betrayal and fostering submission to God's will.

Trevor H. Lund is the founder of Live LIGHT Academy at https://livelight.ca/ and the Creative Storyteller at https://revtrev.com 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.

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In our series with the Road to the Resurrection, we are at Maundy Thursday - the night he was betrayed.

It’s also the night his disciples did support Him in prayer, the night he was deserted and the night he was denied. But we remember it as the night He was betrayed.

We’re going to look at how Jesus walked out that day and how we can walk in surrender to God.

Because When we adopt surrender we embrace His peace.

Can we pray?

There are three events on the night Jesus was betrayed that demonstrate how He walked in surrender that we are going to focus on today.

There’s more I can say, but I’m going to focus on three events that lead up to the other events.

The Washing of the Disciples Feet,

The Celebration of the Last Supper,

The Betrayal in the Garden.

These show us what surrender really is and how we can apply it in the day-to-day of our everyday.

1. Washing the Disciples' Feet

John 13:1-17 Before the Passover celebration, Jesus knew that his hour had come to leave this world and return to his Father. He had loved his disciples during his ministry on earth, and now he loved them to the very end. It was time for supper, and the devil had already prompted Judas, son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. Jesus knew that the Father had given him authority over everything and that he had come from God and would return to God. So he got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist, and poured water into a basin. Then he began to wash the disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel he had around him.When Jesus came to Simon Peter, Peter said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”Jesus replied, “You don’t understand now what I am doing, but someday you will.”

If you ever need a promise claim that one.

“No,” Peter protested, “you will never ever wash my feet!” Jesus replied, “Unless I wash you, you won’t belong to me.” Simon Peter exclaimed, “Then wash my hands and head as well, Lord, not just my feet!”Jesus replied, “A person who has bathed all over does not need to wash, except for the feet, to be entirely clean. And you disciples are clean, but not all of you.” For Jesus knew who would betray him. That is what he meant when he said, “Not all of you are clean.” After washing their feet, he put on his robe again and sat down and asked, “Do you understand what I was doing? You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and you are right, because that’s what I am. And since I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other’s feet. I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you. I tell you the truth, slaves are not greater than their master. Nor is the messenger more important than the one who sends the message. Now that you know these things, God will bless you for doing them.”

When we adopt surrender we embrace His peace.

Surrender is not what the world tells you it is. It’ s not giving up to someone or something who is trying to bully you. It’s not the “loser” in the “winner and loser” zero-sum politics that some people like to play.

Surrender is demonstrated by Jesus: Jesus took on the role of a servant. He washed the feet of the one who would betray him, the ones who would desert him, the one who would deny him.

He flipped everything up-side down. You want to be the greatest you need to serve the best. It is not about you, it’s about the one who sends you.

The one who is sending you is God. The one you need to become more and more like is Jesus. He left you an example so you can follow in his steps.

* Surrender is a willingness to lay down your own desires for the sake of others.

It is choosing humility over pride and service over status.

Philippians 2:3-4 NLT Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.

Let’s continue the story in Luke and talk about the Last Supper.

⠀2. The Last Supper

Luke 22:14-23 When the time came, Jesus and the apostles sat down together at the table. Jesus said, “I have been very eager to eat this Passover meal with you before my suffering begins. For I tell you now that I won’t eat this meal again until its meaning is fulfilled in the Kingdom of God.”Then he took a cup of wine and gave thanks to God for it. Then he said, “Take this and share it among yourselves. For I will not drink wine again until the Kingdom of God has come.”He took some bread and gave thanks to God for it. Then he broke it in pieces and gave it to the disciples, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”After supper he took another cup of wine and said, “This cup is the new covenant between God and his people—an agreement confirmed with my blood, which is poured out as a sacrifice for you.“But here at this table, sitting among us as a friend, is the man who will betray me. For it has been determined that the Son of Man must die. But what sorrow awaits the one who betrays him.” The disciples began to ask each other which of them would ever do such a thing.

When we adopt surrender we embrace His peace.

I mentioned it’s Maundy Thursday. Do you know what that means?

"maundy" comes from the Latin word "mandatum," meaning "command" or "mandate".

It comes from Jesus instituting a new covenant at his last passover meal.

Have you ever wondered why we celebrate communion, but not foot washing? It’s because the Corinthian church got communion so badly that Paul needed to correct it. He wrote to them that he has special revelation that he received from the Lord that he reminded them of.

Paul had a special revelation from the Lord that communion was to continue until the Lord comes back. It’s how we regularly remember everything that changed at the cross.

Everything changed at the cross:

• Guilt was removed (Justification). Romans 3:23-24
• The price of sin was paid (Redemption). Romans 3:25
• Our sins were washed (Propitiation). 1 Corinthians 6:11
• We were made friends again with God (Reconciliation). 2 Corinthians 5:19
• We are no longer fallen (Identification). Ephesians 2:4-6
• Satan’s Rule Was Ended (Reclamation). Colossians 2:15
• The curse of the law was canceled (Expiation). Galatians 3:13

Why Celebrate Communion and Not Foot Washing

So we know the earliest church celebrated communion, and it was because God illuminated it to Paul that we know it’s for us until Christ returns and we celebrate what it represents with Him.

For the first 3 centuries the church gathered around table. So getting this right was so important. It wasn’t until the 4th century we started gathering around the Word.

On the other hand, from earliest time we understood washing each other’s feet meant submitting to one another in love. It is a way of life, not a ceremony…unless God gives someone a special revelation for a specific time.

Pick up the story

Let’s pick it up the story with Luke you’re not going to believe this. Remember, they were just asking each other which one of them could ever betray Jesus, next verse…

Luke 22:24-27Then they began to argue among themselves about who would be the greatest among them. Jesus told them, “In this world the kings and great men lord it over their people, yet they are called ‘friends of the people.’ But among you it will be different. Those who are the greatest among you should take the lowest rank, and the leader should be like a servant. Who is more important, the one who sits at the table or the one who serves? The one who sits at the table, of course. But not here! For I am among you as one who serves."

Now, two things could be happening. I think John was the last Gospel written and John wrote it when he was an old man. He could remember the events in a different order—we know this conversation happened on the night Jesus was betrayed.

But I know young men—I once considered myself young—and it’s totally reasonable for young men to go from “I’m not going to betray him” to “I’m the best one here.” And it’s completely natural for young men to be correct twice the same night for the same arrogance and misplaced trust.

So I don’t have a problem with John putting this correction when Jesus washed their feet and Luke putting it when they were on the way to the garden.

But you’d like to feel the eye of Jesus rolls. You’d like to imagine him slapping his forehead. When are these guys going to clue in?

But he doesn’t because what’s true for us is true for him.

When we adopt surrender we embrace His peace.

His disciples were so confident that they were still arguing about who would be the greatest. Remember Jesus sent them out to heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons and raise the dead. They came back rejoicing that even demons were subjected to them. They just saw the crowd wave palm branches and throw down their cloaks and shouted Hossana!

And even though Jesus was talking about dying, they thought he was just talking in riddles again or just saying things they couldn’t understand yet but maybe in time, they would understand it.

They knew the Messiah would come in power. And they knew Jesus was the Messiah. Therefore Jesus would come in power.

The logic holds.

The one who actually might have believed what Jesus said about dying was Judas Iscariot. Remember he went out to heal the sick and cleanse the lepers and cast out demons and raised the dead. He returned, with them all and all excited.

How did the devil prompt him? We’re not told. We know he kept the money bag and helped himself to it. There was something in him looking out for self.

But I wonder if Judas was the first to realize Jesus was serious when he said He was going to die. It would have shattered his belief in Jesus being the Messiah.

If he believed Jesus was going to die and knew the Messiah was going to come in power, then Judas hadn’t surrendered to God’s plan. So instead of embracing peace, he tried to take control.

Surrender is the opposite of trying to take control.

* Surrender is trusting God's plan, even when it challenges your understanding.

We know what to do when God’s plan doesn’t make sense to our thinking…

Philippians 4:6-7 NLT Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. 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.

When we adopt surrender we embrace His peace.

Let’s pick it up with Matthew…

Matthew 26:30-35Then they sang a hymn and went out to the Mount of Olives.On the way, Jesus told them, “Tonight all of you will desert me. For the Scriptures say, ‘God will strike the Shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’ But after I have been raised from the dead, I will go ahead of you to Galilee and meet you there.”Peter declared, “Even if everyone else deserts you, I will never desert you.”Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, Peter—this very night, before the rooster crows, you will deny three times that you even know me.” "No!” Peter insisted. “Even if I have to die with you, I will never deny you!” And all the other disciples vowed the same.

When we adopt surrender we embrace His peace.

I’ve learned the hard way to not argue with Jesus. I’m not saying “I don’t still do it at times.” I’ve learned His peace is more important than my will being done.

When I disagree with him—and yes, that still happens—I’ll find a Psalm that feels the same way I do and wrestle with that Psalm until I ultimately decide to agree with Jesus.

I guess I do it enough that I’ve created a webpage on my site with every Psalm of Lament grouped into emotions so I can find the one that feels the way I currently am feeling more quickly. https://revtrev.com/psalms/

Let’s move on to the Garden. I’ll move through Luke and Matthew’s accounts…

3. Betrayal in the Garden

Luke 22:39-42

Then, accompanied by the disciples, Jesus left the upstairs room and went as usual to the Mount of Olives. There he told them, “Pray that you will not give in to temptation.” He walked away, about a stone’s throw, and knelt down and prayed, “Father, if you are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.”

Matthew 26:40-42

Then he returned to the disciples and found them asleep. He said to Peter, “Couldn’t you watch with me even one hour? Keep watch and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak!”Then Jesus left them a second time and prayed, “My Father! If this cup cannot be taken away unless I drink it, your will be done.” When he returned to them again, he found them sleeping, for they couldn’t keep their eyes open. So he went to pray a third time, saying the same things again.

Luke 22:43-44

Then an angel from heaven appeared and strengthened him. He prayed more fervently, and he was in such agony of spirit that his sweat fell to the ground like great drops of blood.

Matthew 26:43-46

Then he came to the disciples and said, “Go ahead and sleep. Have your rest. But look—the time has come. The Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Up, let’s be going. Look, my betrayer is here!”

When we adopt surrender we embrace His peace.

Jesus pointed out to his disciples that prayerlessness leads to temptation. He prayed through because he knew what he had to endure.

Do you let prayerlessness lead to temptation?

We have no idea what he was going through. On a spiritual level—what was it like to take the sins of the whole world on himself? We’ll never know.

We have lost the significance of the cross for the ones who experienced first hand.

I was going to buy an oversized guillotine around my neck to show you how ridiculous it is. I was shocked and a bit horrified at the selection of guillotine necklace on Amazon—and you should see the suggestions it’s giving me know.

So maybe let me explain it a different way.

Did you know what the earliest image of Jesus on the Cross is?

It’s this one. It’s graffiti from the 1st century…

Can you see it? Here it is cleaned up…

Can you read Latin? I can’t either. Here it is in translation

“Alexandro worshiping his god.”

This graffiti was probably created to make fun of “Alexandros,” a Christian, by implying that he worshiped a “donkey-headed” God. The inscription that accompanies the image indeed reads: “Alexandro worshiping his god.”

The fact that “Alexandro’s God” is being crucified makes it even worse, as during the 1st century crucifixion was a punishment reserved for serious crime offenders.

It was the worst of the worst. Proper Roman citizens wouldn’t even say the word crucified or crucifixion in public. It was not a topic talked about. It was certainly not something celebrated…

…Christians did not celebrate the cross in images until the 5th century — 100 years after Constantine outlawed crucifixion as a punishment in Rome. It was out of use for 100 years before we see it become more common in Christian iconography.

We don’t understand the Cross like those who saw Jesus on it did. We don’t understand the pain, the humiliation, the degradation. Jesus sweated—as it were—drops of blood.

Hematridrosis

Hematridrosis is a condition which the capillaries surrounding sweat glands rupture due to extreme physical or emotional stress. Blood mixes with sweat, causing the person to sweat blood.

Has that happened to you? It hasn’t happened to me. I can never know what Jesus went through in the garden. I’m glad there was an angel there to help him.

We can’t

• understand the spiritual side.
• comprehend the physical pain.
• grasp the societal shame.

But we know Jesus showed us a life of surrender when he showed us his anguish in the Garden.

Surrender is not giving in to the turmoil.

* Surrender is aligning your heart to God’s will.

Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.

When we adopt surrender we embrace His peace.

Judas led a crowd with men with swords and clubs to the garden and signaled to them who Jesus was with a kiss.

Jesus asked who they were looking for and they told him and he send “I am he” and they fell back. And he said, “Take me, and let these guys go”, so they reached for him and Peter took a sword and cut off the ear of the high priests’ servant.

Jesus healed the servant and told his disciples to stand down. And they scattered.

Can Jesus give us any better example than that, showing us…

When we adopt surrender we embrace His peace.

Jesus went like a lamb to the slaughter while being a lion on a throne. He didn’t answer his accusers or debate what they were saying about him. He wasn’t surrendering to them. He was surrendered to the will of his Father.

There’s more to this night, but we’ll leave our look at it here.

Feeling Hopeless

When I was in Seminary I had a professor who said, “The only service people should leave a little bit depressed by, it’s a Maundy Thursday Service.”

You get it don’t you?

To leave feeling what the disciples felt would be to leave hopeless, ignorant of what was coming.

Does it matter?

We’re all going to have times in our life when our hope has been misplaced or our plans have been disrupted or all of sudden our world stop making any sense.

What do you do when your trust has been lost?

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

That’s why I’ve developed the How to Walk in Surrender Tool.

How to Walk in Surrender Tool

You’re going to have to lay down and DIE

D - Direct your hope on the One who can’t disappoint Hebrews 12:2

I - Insist on agreeing with His promises Psalm 91:4

E -Exchange your problems for His Peace 1 Peter 5:7

Let’s unpack this…

D - Direct your hope on the One who can’t disappoint

Hebrews 12:2 …fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Remember: Surrender is trusting God's plan, even when it challenges your understanding.

When our hope is in any else but Jesus, our hope will lead to disappointment. You know this true, because you’ve had disappointment—in relationships, in health and in what you receive for what you do. The battle for hope is the battle for identity and these three areas are where we are always attacked. If your hope is in any of them, you will be disappointed.

But your hope can be in Jesus. You know the difference that makes. If you don’t you need to. Ask Holy Spirit how to do it. I have some tools that can help.

Is my hope in Christ alone?

I - Insist on agreeing with His promises

Psalm 91:4 He will cover you with his feathers. He will shelter you with his wings. His faithful promises are your armour and protection.

Remember: Surrender is a willingness to lay down your own desires for the sake of others.

We are transformed by the renewing of our mind. That renewal comes from reading the Word that reads us. It is living and active and It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires. Let him show you what His promises are for you.

There are 8,810 promises of God…

Promises of God - https://revtrev.com/promises

Do I hold on to His promises?

E -Exchange your problems for His Peace

1 Peter 5:7 Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.

Walking in Surrender does not mean not asking God to make it easier for you. It’s understanding that prayer can keep you from temptation.

Remember: Surrender is aligning your heart to God’s will. You do this in prayer.

You exchange your problems for His peace. Work through the CAST my Cares Upon Him Tool…

CAST my Cares Upon Him

C - Centre in on His care for you 1 Peter 5:7

A - Agree with a Psalm that feels like you do Psalm 62:8

S - Set your focus on gratitude Philippians 4:6-7

T - Take ahold of some promises Psalm 91:4

Do cast all my cares on Him?

When we adopt surrender we embrace His peace.

Review…

How to Walk in Surrender Tool

You’re going to have to lay down and DIE

D - Direct your hope on the One who can’t disappoint

Hebrews 12:2 Is my hope in Christ alone?

I - Insist on agreeing with His promises

Psalm 91:4 Do I hold on to His promises?

E -Exchange your problems for His Peace

1 Peter 5:7Do cast all my cares on Him?

Conclusion

We’re going to close in Communion and continue in communion after the service is dismissed.

Put on the music as we prepare to take communion.

Paul tells us

1 Corinthians 11:23-34 For I pass on to you what I received from the Lord himself. On the night when he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took some bread and gave thanks to God for it. Then he broke it in pieces and said, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way, he took the cup of wine after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant between God and his people—an agreement confirmed with my blood. Do this in remembrance of me as often as you drink it.” For every time you eat this bread and drink this cup, you are announcing the Lord’s death until he comes again. So anyone who eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord unworthily is guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. That is why you should examine yourself before eating the bread and drinking the cup. For if you eat the bread or drink the cup without honoring the body of Christ, you are eating and drinking God’s judgment upon yourself. That is why many of you are weak and sick and some have even died. But if we would examine ourselves, we would not be judged by God in this way. Yet when we are judged by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be condemned along with the world. So, my dear brothers and sisters, when you gather for the Lord’s Supper, wait for each other. If you are really hungry, eat at home so you won’t bring judgment upon yourselves when you meet together. I’ll give you instructions about the other matters after I arrive.

Let’s examine ourselves in this moment.

Ask God if there is any reason that those who trust in Him would be ashamed because of you, Is there any reason you can cause them to be humiliated. (See Psalm 69:6)

If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth.  But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.  1 John 1:8-9

Thank you for the promise:

“I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh” (Ezekiel 36:26)

Dismiss to fellowship