In this episode, I invite you into my own ongoing journey of wrestling with God’s presence and what it means for us as a church—where my lingering questions, doubts, and quiet moments with the Lord have led me lately. I share how I’ve been finding freedom from the old pull of performance, learning that God reveals Himself not through tactics or routines, but by gently showing us who He is. This isn’t a polished testimony, but an honest walk through scripture and personal story, as I seek language for what’s happening in my heart and in our community. If you’ve ever found yourself yearning for the real nearness of God—beyond striving, beyond pressure—I hope you’ll find some companionship and encouragement here.
Key Highlights
- Wrestling openly: What is God’s presence, really, and how do we talk about it without falling back into performance or striving?
- Sharing my own story of freedom from a “spirit of performance and religion”—and how this has been shaping Sundays and our wider community.
- Reflecting on a recent prompt from the Upper Room Conference—how their way of describing God’s presence nudged me to deeper biblical searching (without unpacking all their language).
- Digging into scripture—moving from the tabernacle to Solomon’s temple, and the repeated promise that God’s “name” and His manifest presence would dwell among His people.
- The phrase that changed everything for me: “My presence is the revelation of who I am.”
- Emphasizing why true worship means seeing and responding to Jesus as the Christ, the Lamb of God—the one with holes in His hands and feet.
- Contrasting knowledge and experience: knowing about God without presence produces pride, and an encounter without faith or revelation doesn’t produce lasting change—it’s the Holy Spirit who gives faith and stirs the real thing in us.
References
- 2 Samuel 7 (God’s promise to David to put His name in the house)
- 1 Kings 8 (The cloud and glory of the Lord at the temple dedication)
- Exodus 25, Exodus 40 (The tabernacle and God dwelling with His people)
- Romans 4 (Freedom from striving; righteousness through faith)
- Matthew 16 (Jesus as the Christ, the suffering servant)
- Luke 24 (Jesus revealed on the road to Emmaus)
- Upper Room Church, Dallas (upperroom.co)
