Aligning Faith with Action: Embracing God's Truths

And I wanted to share just some thoughts this evening around the whole thing about what do you believe? I've been thinking and grappling with this phrase, I want to be a believing believer. I want to be a believing believer. And it was A.W. Tozer who said this, what comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us. [00:10:59]

If I believe God is great, then one of the things I need to accept is that I don't have to be in control. And for Baptist ministers, those of you who are, I know all of us are, but those of you who are Baptist ministers, you are not in control of your church. It does not stop with you. God is in control, which means you don't have to be in control. [00:18:37]

If these beliefs become behaviours, and they're not just theories, one of the applications of God is great, is this, that my past is always turned to good. Romans 8:28, and we know that for those who love God, all things work together for good for those who are called according to his purpose. Who's in control? [00:22:00]

If God is great, one of the other behaviours and beliefs that we need to apply, and we've really focused on this over the last 24 hours, is nothing is impossible. Who believes that? Anybody believe that? Yes. But you know, if nothing is impossible, what is the behaviour that we have to apply to that belief that nothing is impossible? The behaviour is, we have to take risks. [00:23:22]

I was watching that scene, and I thought, I really felt God spoke to me, and said to me, 20 seconds of insane courage is a key to unlock your church. And I said, You need to be the one who starts to do that. So, Sam, we were talking about doing some insane courage things. We went on the streets together. [00:24:40]

If God is glorious, we don't have to fear others. We've already mentioned this quite a bit really that the fear of man is probably the greatest fear that stops us from stepping into the things that God wants to do in us and through us. That's why it's connected to that courage, you know, if I think about it rationally going on the streets and approaching people what's the worst thing that can happen well they can just say no. [00:41:34]

And part of that comes through, I think, in the way that we have to name and deal with disappointment. It's my humble opinion that most of us pull back from the impossible and from the supernatural and from praying for the impossible and from praying for the sick and for seeking to see God do something with his kingdom breaking in because we are stuck in a moment of disappointment. [00:51:06]

And we took it to the church meeting and said, you know what, we're really disappointed because God didn't do it in the way that we really thought he was going to do it. And there's lots of things that we must do that. Again, in my own life, I know that I would be not where I am today if I had not found a way to deal with disappointment. [00:52:57]

And for me, the revelation of Bill Johnson and what he carries, I know he's got loads of other faults, so please don't think I'm a Bethelite. You know, I'm old enough to understand stuff sometimes. I get really frustrated with some people who left my church because I read Bethel stuff. It's like, oh, come on! Anyway. [00:57:29]

And I want to carry that. I want to carry that truth that God is good, even in the bad circumstances of my life. Even in those times when life is so difficult. Even, you know, we laugh at the leadership team. All of us in the leadership team have all had a moment in our lives in our ministry where there's been blood on the carpet usually not actual blood although it's not been far off especially when the cabinet came up but but you know where we're in our churches or in our ministry it's just been so difficult for whatever reason and i'm not saying it's just it's the church's fault or the deacon's fault or that's probably our fault and but it's like it's so hard isn't it the circumstances are hard but in the midst of that the confession of us is god is good it's the cornerstone really and and there's so many scriptures that are there to um to reinforce it and i think i'll nearly finish with this one it says when we when god is good my my my confession is i will always have the resources i need to do what needs to be done. [00:58:34]

And the belief in the the goodness of god and i want this is one of the things i wanted to to finish with in terms of prayer is is if if god is good and and we believe in that my behavior is going to be over here to say actually i can dream big you i can dream big that the things that god has put in my heart and the things i'm seeking for and been carrying you know i i've been i know i had the privilege of of visiting anaheim vineyard when i when i was this is 1993 so i was in my 20s i had the privilege of sitting under john wimber's ministry in conferences i saw toronto come and go in the 94 i've been in the 94 i've been in the 94 i've been in the 94 i've been in the 95 and meeting for Make Way and March for Jesus. [01:00:00]

And I've been around over the last 20 years, those of us who have, in terms of revival and what God's going to do. And that's some of the disappointment we've had to work through because it hasn't quite worked out the way that it has. But I do believe, and I'm with Yinka, wherever he's gone, and others. Hey! [01:01:06]