Trail guides and Perception.

OUR PERCEPTIONS of God's voice are often missing the mark. There is a volume receptor in our brains that is hovering ever so slightly above mute.

Let me restate.

We have this backwards idea of God interactions, and we are so good at perceiving antiGod in our daily lives.

We are so quick to notice evil and so slow to notice God.

We are so quick to see what’s wrong. Do not miss what’s right in the world.

Celebrate what’s right in the world.

I see God yelling, not whispering. He is screaming from the mountain tops, shining through the windows, and sowing seeds everywhere He goes… that, friend, is everywhere by the way.

We just don’t understand the fullness of His glory, and we often pass it by.
The reason: there is an Evil that is covertly distracting us. This evil doesn’t plainly speak “Hey. I’m over here; look at me so I can distract you. I’m distracting you!” The prince of this world has been a deceiver since the beginning of history; the beginning of History.

Distraction is Satan’s largest tool in battling the people of God.

Money, clothes, sex, appearances, cars, houses, sports, video games, movies, art. The normal stuff.

A different reality is proposed. A new normal.

Pay attention.

What about creation? What about the wind and the stars? The sky and the trees? The flowers and the bees? A human face? A puppy face?
These are normal, these are glory, these show off God himself. These represent a master artist. These are normal. God wants to show us his glory, it's all around you. Look! God is not silent. We just aren’t listening for the right voice.

Satan is quiet. He is lurking. He is waiting. He is stealthily distracting. Without being noticed he turns our eyes to lusting, our hearts to greed, our emotions to depression...

and we are lost because we think God is being silent

No.

He's screaming out goodness and glory to you.

Papa gives and gives.
He is good.
He is constant.

In fact, He is the King
of Glory.

God's love never fails.

Watch the sunset tonight. Feel the breeze. Talk to God. Be still. Listen.

In this moment now God will speak to you; but He waits for you to listen.
In this moment now God will reveal Himself; but He waits for you to look.
In this moment now the King of all creation waits for your love.

Your God is
a love addict,
a patient parent,
a best friend,

He is relational, not far off, not distant, but near.
Near. Here. There.

Let us rise up to the massive call on our lives to be amazing, incredible, purpose lead,
trail guides.

You heard correctly. Trail guides.

The apostle Paul directed the already spiritually active towards their “unknown God” idol (Acts 17). He pointed out that this unknown was the King of Kings, the God of all Gods. The men of Athens were merely redirected in their passion for worship.

Let us redirect.
Let us spend our lives pointing out the most beautiful pieces of this world.
“There, do you see that mountain? It’s so majestic, isn’t it? That is the glory of God. That is the art of Jesus.”

Forget the mess. Overwhelm your mind with the art. The love. The majesty.

Let us be eternal trail guides, leading people through the thick; pointing out the glory of God which manifests itself in His creation.

Watch the sunset tonight. Feel the breeze. Talk to God. Be still. Listen.