Discover Life - Experiencing God with Brock @ RWC Brock MacDonald

Proverbs 29:18
Without a prophetic vision, people cast off restraint.

Ask for your adventure. Listen. Write. Share. Chase.

A tree gives glory to God by being a tree. For in being what God means it to be it is obeying [God]. It “consents,” so to speak, to [God's] creative love. It is expressing an idea which is in God and
which is not distinct from the essence of God, and therefore a tree imitates God by being a tree”
- Thomas Merton.
Questions
Tree
1. Do I know what has God made me to be? Generally - as a person? Specifically to me?
2. Am I focused on that? Passively growing? Ignoring? Opposing?
Steel
3. Self Maintenance. What are some causes of grit in my life? What loosens my connection with God?
4. How can I stay oiled up?

‘Idols’ - things we look to other than God to control our lives. A thing higher than it should be. *

Our brokenness leads us to make something else God in us The Ultimate.

What’s your comfort?

Think: When are you most fragile? Rejected? Misunderstood? Isolated? Shamed?
What do you comfort yourself with? If you don’t experience God in that, it might be your idol - aka addiction. A comfort that you need. -

*
- reminder - the goal of your life - is to know God & love people. He has stuff he wants to do with you too, these 3 are your life’s calling- your destiny - your purpose. Know God, love people, and do the stuff he made you to do.

Old man, Augustan said “We must empty ourselves of all we are full of so we can be filled with all we are empty of.”
Give all your worries and cares to God because He cares about you. 1 Peter 5:7

What’s your ultimate Goal? Does it honour & Love God? Does it include him?
- if not, you should stop chasing this - it’ll break you and the people around you.
How do you cope with life? Does it honour & Love God? Does it include him?

Script.io

Consider your calling. What are you doing with your life? What are you focused on?
People ask what you’ll do with your life. Probably go to school. Get a job. Yeah. Is that what you want to be remember for? Sure new how to make a good burger. Or code. Or edit. Or speak.

You are not average. Not the norm. Don’t try to be. The norm is missing the point. They are collecting napkins from all the different restaurants at wonderland, trying to get one of each. Not the point. Wonderland is about the rides. And food. With friends. Not napkins.

Life is not about popularity. Or grades. Or money. Or followers. Or romance. Or fitness.
- these things are tools. Don’t be a tool collector. Be a builder.
- The thing we build is relationship.
- The most important one is God. And then the people he gives you.

Is your life about stuff? I like stuff. But if my life is only as nice as my stuff, will people be happier when I’m gone, so they can have my stuff? Gotta find a better focus.

Or is your life about people. Fitting in. Being cool.

We have a fear of being lonely. A desire to be accepted. These are normal, good things, like hunger is a healthy warning. Food needed soon. Tired. Need rest soon. But if we satisfy it the wrong way, it messes us up. I eat too much. I don’t want to ever feel hunger. Maybe you hate feeling tired. So you caffeinate or stimulate.
If you fear being lonely, so you try to fit in with the majority. (The majority is headed the wrong way. Broad path leads to hell) don’t follow the crowd.

These good desires are meant to be mostly satisfied in God. He is always with you. You don’t have to feel lonely. He also wants you to be with people, it’s not just you n Jesus in a desert island for ever. But mostly God. Without God, it’s like trying to fill up on just soup. Fills you up for a minute. But soon, you’ll need some substance.

He accepts you. Jesus was perfect. And said we can have his marks if we follow him. Perfection. Not based on my performance. I’m accepted. And God is proud of my efforts to become like him.

There’s life to be found here guys. He understands you. He cares. He doesn’t leave.

Be with him.

So your life. Is there space for him? Pause app. Bible reading. Think about dedicating a time n space to him. Make it special. He wants to meet you.

He’s waiting for you. And as we wait for him, we become like him.

This is a huge part of your life’s calling. Figure it out on the way.

A boss I had, he always said it’s fixing the plane while we’re flying. No getting it perfect first. Invite God into this moment. Right now. And before bed tonight. Into your meals. Into your class. Your next game. Next reel. Next chat. Next problem. Next fight.

He’s calling you to chase him. Will you?

Ask.
Seek.
Knock.

A retelling of the parable of the 10 virgins. Also get the cool prayer app - Pause - by Ransomed Heart

Sleep
Bees don’t sleep. Or play. Just work. Die in 7 weeks.
We need sleep. What if we don’t sleep?
- High blood pressure
- Diabetes
- Heart attack
- Heart failure
- Stroke
- Depression, temper, anger
- Obesity
- Lowered immune system

So schedule sleep. Have a bed time.
Note what you consume before bed - avoid uppers and downers.
Uppers: Caffeine, sugar, hunger, screens, exercise. 30 mins of no uppers in your system before sleep.
Downers: Alcohol, over fed, pot. These things make us drowsy but disturb and inhibit rest.

Try to limit naps - more than 30 mins & you’re cutting in to tonight’s/tomorrow’s rest.

Some exercise & fresh air during the day will help you sleep better & faster.

Screens out of the bedroom.

Make a routine -
* Have a Snack
* Brush your teeth, wash
* Read a story
* Journal
* Stretch
* Pray

The activities help some, but the routine itself helps most. Your body will know what’s coming through habit.

Take control of your life via habits & routines.
- don’t make them so elaborate that they’re easily disrupted.
- Be resilient - anti fragile - able to deal in a variety of circumstances.
Take control of your mind - anxious thoughts come. It can feel overwhelming. Don’t let anxiety rule your life. There’s freedom to be found in following Jesus, even in to sleep.

“It’s in vain that you rise early & go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil, for he gives to his beloved sleep.” Psalm 127

- God wants to give us rest. He loves you.He wants you to have rest. sleep. that’s his plan.
* What’s in the way of it? I find when I’m tossing and turning, is not the time that I can pray and clearly understand lol.
* Follow him in to life. Receive his gifts.
* Fight against the things that would get in the way. Satan wants to ruin your life. He’s a liar and killer. Don’t trust him.

Military sleep system
1. Find a place & get comfy - 30s
2. Relax your face & breathe
3. Relax your arms & breathe
4. Relax your legs & breath
5. Think of still, peaceful thoughts - 30s
Rest - Soul Charge
What’s missing in your life?
* Think SOUL - learning, feeling, relationships - fill in gaps & holes.
* Do you miss your friends? Message them. Call them. Hang out. Family? Do something with them.
* Emotionally spent? Do low key stuff. Down? Get a pick-me-up
* School Boring? Learn something cool. Or read a fun book.


Sabbath
Sabbath was made for man, not man for sabbath.
The first day was a holiday. Holy Day. Re-think what a holiday is, a holy day.
* It’s a chill out at the park. Pray as you watch your favourite show - if you can’t pray during your favorite stuff, ask why? Is it doing good for you?

How to sabbath?
* make a time to chill. W God.
* Try to get all your chores done.
* Don’t feel bad if you have to do something anyway. They still fed their animals and did whatever they had to, but focused on chillin. Sabbath means ‘sit’ rest, dwell - think of the goal as hanging out. If anything comes up, deal with it, and get back to chillin.
* Make some tasty food - explore this idea that Jews worship by eating.
* John Mark Comer - Garden City - great book - his family starts off sabbath by making a HUGE cookie and dumping a tub of ice cream on top, and eating it all together. Let’s do that!