Trusting God: A Call to Missions and Faith
Summary
### Summary
Welcome, everyone. Today, I want to start by asking a question: How many of you believe that the Bible is the infallible, inerrant, and verifiable Word of God? If you do, then you know you can trust God's Word entirely, 24/7, 365 days a year. This belief allows us to look at everything in Scripture, from Genesis to Revelation, and say, "This is true; this is all that matters."
Proverbs 11:24 tells us that the wisdom of the world is not the wisdom of God, and God's wisdom always prevails. This truth is not just for individuals but for us as a church. Our church has always been missions-minded. Thirteen years ago, Pastor Bill came to this church, not even as an interim pastor but just to fill in for a couple of weeks. At that time, the church was struggling, with only about 12 people and a few hundred dollars in offerings. Despite the financial struggles, Pastor Bill insisted that 10% of the income be given to missions. This commitment has been faithfully upheld through the years, even during challenging times like the COVID-19 pandemic.
In 2020, despite the uncertainties brought by COVID, our church saw an increase in giving compared to 2019. This is a testament to God's blessings, which I believe are a result of our faithful commitment to missions. Our church is founded on two pillars: prayer and missions. Last year, we decided to increase our tithe from 10% to 11%, and God has continued to bless us abundantly.
The Lord has been dealing with me about transitioning from being a missions-minded church to a missions-driven church. The first-century church was all about missions, and this is what fueled the worldwide movement of Christianity. The apostles were missionaries who took the gospel to Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the ends of the earth, as instructed by Jesus in Acts 1:8.
Supporting missions is not just an opportunity but an obligation for the church. David Shibley, in his book "A Force in the Earth," states that any church not vitally involved in missions forfeits its biblical right to exist. This strong statement woke me up to the importance of missions. God was leading me to increase our missions giving, and I shared this with our church council. Initially, I thought about increasing our tithe to 20%, but after seeking God's will, we settled on 15%.
We made a formal resolution to tithe 15% to missions, and God has blessed us in ways we couldn't have imagined. Recently, someone came to me and gave a check for $45,000, which was more than the 4% increase we had committed to give. This was a clear sign that we were reaping generously because we had sown generously.
God's plan is always the best plan, and we must relentlessly pursue His will. This requires us to make a decision to choose God's way every time, even if it isn't our first choice. The best advice I can offer is to relentlessly pursue the will of God, and you will find it. This formula will never fail you.
In a recent church council meeting, we decided to pray about increasing our missions giving. After a powerful time of prayer, we unanimously agreed to increase our tithe to 15%. This decision was confirmed by the presence of the Holy Spirit, and we felt a strong sense of peace and clarity.
God has been asking me a simple yet profound question: "Do you trust me?" This question is not just for me but for all of us. Do you trust God with your family, health, career, and everything else in your life? The more we trust Him, the more we will see His blessings and favor in our lives. Trusting God requires us to surrender everything to Him, knowing that He will never leave us or forsake us.
### Key Takeaways
1. The Infallibility of God's Word: Believing in the infallibility of the Bible means trusting God's Word entirely, 24/7, 365 days a year. This belief allows us to view everything in Scripture as true and essential. Proverbs 11:24 reminds us that the wisdom of the world is not the wisdom of God, and God's wisdom always prevails. This truth is not just for individuals but for us as a church. [04:25]
2. Faithfulness in Missions: Our church has a long-standing commitment to missions, even during challenging times like the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite uncertainties, our giving increased in 2020 compared to 2019. This is a testament to God's blessings, which I believe are a result of our faithful commitment to missions. Our church is founded on two pillars: prayer and missions. [05:41]
3. Transitioning to a Missions-Driven Church: The first-century church was all about missions, and this is what fueled the worldwide movement of Christianity. The apostles were missionaries who took the gospel to Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the ends of the earth. Supporting missions is not just an opportunity but an obligation for the church. [07:06]
4. Relentlessly Pursuing God's Will: God's plan is always the best plan, and we must relentlessly pursue His will. This requires us to make a decision to choose God's way every time, even if it isn't our first choice. The best advice I can offer is to relentlessly pursue the will of God, and you will find it. This formula will never fail you. [14:00]
5. Trusting God Completely: God has been asking me a simple yet profound question: "Do you trust me?" This question is not just for me but for all of us. Do you trust God with your family, health, career, and everything else in your life? The more we trust Him, the more we will see His blessings and favor in our lives. Trusting God requires us to surrender everything to Him, knowing that He will never leave us or forsake us. [32:59]
### YouTube Chapters
[0:00] - Welcome
[04:25] - Faithfulness in Missions
[05:41] - Increasing Our Tithe
[07:06] - Missions-Driven Church
[14:00] - Pursuing God's Will
[32:59] - Trusting God Completely
Study Guide
### Bible Reading
1. Proverbs 11:24 - "One person gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty."
2. Acts 1:8 - "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."
3. 2 Corinthians 9:6-7 - "Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver."
### Observation Questions
1. According to Proverbs 11:24, what is the outcome of giving freely versus withholding? How does this align with the sermon’s message about missions giving? [04:25]
2. In Acts 1:8, what are the disciples instructed to do after receiving the Holy Spirit? How does this relate to the concept of a missions-driven church? [08:25]
3. What does 2 Corinthians 9:6-7 say about the attitude we should have when giving? How does this reflect the church’s decision to increase their missions tithe? [25:24]
4. How did the church’s commitment to missions impact their financial situation during the COVID-19 pandemic? [04:25]
### Interpretation Questions
1. How does the principle in Proverbs 11:24 challenge the conventional wisdom of the world regarding generosity and financial security? [04:25]
2. What does it mean for a church to be missions-driven rather than just missions-minded, as described in the sermon? [07:06]
3. How can the example of the first-century church in Acts 1:8 inspire modern churches to engage in missions? [08:25]
4. Why is it important to give cheerfully and not under compulsion, according to 2 Corinthians 9:6-7? How does this principle apply to the church’s decision to increase their missions giving? [25:24]
### Application Questions
1. Reflect on your own belief in the infallibility of God's Word. How does this belief influence your daily decisions and actions? [04:25]
2. The sermon emphasized the importance of being a missions-driven church. What steps can you personally take to support missions in your church or community? [07:06]
3. Think about a time when you had to trust God completely, as the pastor described. How did that experience shape your faith? [32:59]
4. The church council prayed before making a significant decision about missions giving. How can you incorporate prayer into your decision-making processes? [19:47]
5. The pastor shared a story about receiving a $45,000 check as a result of their increased missions giving. Have you experienced a time when God provided for you in an unexpected way? How did that impact your faith? [28:11]
6. The sermon concluded with the question, "Do you trust me?" What areas of your life do you find hardest to trust God with, and how can you begin to surrender those areas to Him? [32:59]
7. How can you cultivate a cheerful heart when giving, whether it’s your time, resources, or talents? What practical steps can you take this week to give more generously? [25:24]
Devotional
Day 1: Trusting the Infallibility of God's Word
Description: Believing in the infallibility of the Bible means trusting God's Word entirely, 24/7, 365 days a year. This belief allows us to view everything in Scripture as true and essential. Proverbs 11:24 reminds us that the wisdom of the world is not the wisdom of God, and God's wisdom always prevails. This truth is not just for individuals but for us as a church. When we anchor our lives in the truth of God's Word, we find a solid foundation that guides us through every circumstance. Trusting in the Bible's infallibility means that we can confidently navigate life's challenges, knowing that God's wisdom is always superior to human understanding. [04:25]
Isaiah 55:8-9 (ESV): "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts."
Reflection: In what areas of your life are you relying more on worldly wisdom than on God's Word? How can you begin to trust the Bible's guidance more fully today?
Day 2: Faithfulness in Missions
Description: Our church has a long-standing commitment to missions, even during challenging times like the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite uncertainties, our giving increased in 2020 compared to 2019. This is a testament to God's blessings, which I believe are a result of our faithful commitment to missions. Our church is founded on two pillars: prayer and missions. This unwavering dedication to supporting missions, even in difficult times, demonstrates a deep trust in God's provision and a commitment to His command to spread the gospel. By prioritizing missions, we align ourselves with God's heart for the world and experience His blessings in return. [05:41]
2 Corinthians 9:6-7 (ESV): "The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver."
Reflection: How can you personally contribute to the mission work of the church, even in small ways? What steps can you take to support missions more faithfully?
Day 3: Transitioning to a Missions-Driven Church
Description: The first-century church was all about missions, and this is what fueled the worldwide movement of Christianity. The apostles were missionaries who took the gospel to Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the ends of the earth. Supporting missions is not just an opportunity but an obligation for the church. A missions-driven church actively seeks to spread the gospel and make disciples, following the example set by the early church. This transition requires a shift in focus from merely supporting missions to being actively engaged in mission work, both locally and globally. [07:06]
Acts 1:8 (ESV): "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth."
Reflection: What practical steps can you take to become more involved in the mission work of the church? How can you help your church transition from being missions-minded to missions-driven?
Day 4: Relentlessly Pursuing God's Will
Description: God's plan is always the best plan, and we must relentlessly pursue His will. This requires us to make a decision to choose God's way every time, even if it isn't our first choice. The best advice I can offer is to relentlessly pursue the will of God, and you will find it. This formula will never fail you. Pursuing God's will involves seeking His guidance through prayer, studying His Word, and being obedient to His leading. It means prioritizing His desires over our own and trusting that His plans are for our ultimate good. [14:00]
Proverbs 3:5-6 (ESV): "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths."
Reflection: What is one area of your life where you struggle to follow God's will? How can you begin to pursue His will more relentlessly in that area today?
Day 5: Trusting God Completely
Description: God has been asking me a simple yet profound question: "Do you trust me?" This question is not just for me but for all of us. Do you trust God with your family, health, career, and everything else in your life? The more we trust Him, the more we will see His blessings and favor in our lives. Trusting God requires us to surrender everything to Him, knowing that He will never leave us or forsake us. Complete trust in God means letting go of our fears and anxieties and placing our confidence in His faithfulness and love. [32:59]
Psalm 37:5 (ESV): "Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act."
Reflection: What is one area of your life where you find yourself holding back from surrendering to God? What would surrendering this area to Him actually look like in terms of daily habits?
Quotes
### Quotes for Outreach
1. "Do you trust God with your family? Do you trust God with the unsaved loved ones in your life? Do you trust God with your health? Do you trust God with your career? Do you trust God with your marriage? Do you trust God with... Do you trust God with the spouse or the person that you're asking to God to bring into your life so you can enter into a godly and a holy marriage? Do you trust him with all of it? And whatever it is that you may not trust him with, are you willing to trust him? Are you going to say yes to him? And I just want to say I'm here to tell you, folks, and this has been the story of my life, you can trust God." [37:29]
2. "When we put our burdens and we put it before the Lord what happens is when we do that he gives us peace when we need peace confirmation when we need confirmation he gives us clarity in the midst of cloudiness and uncertainty he brings clarity when we put these things before the Lord that's what happened in that time and and it and it's not just us it happens for anyone when we ask him if we humble our hearts the Holy Spirit will lead us to the places he wants to take us but we have to keep it before the Lord and in all of that we can always say always we can always trust him." [24:05]
3. "Do you trust me? Because if you want that, you have to. So what are we willing to surrender? What are you willing to surrender to God and trust that when you surrender that, that he's going to lead you to the safe place? That he's not going to lead you... that he's not going to leave you or forsake you. He's not going to let you down. He's never failed you and he won't fail you. It's the only formula that's assured success." [38:24]
4. "The fear of man lays a snare and what that means is this the the trying to get the approval of man trying to conform to men trying to think that what they think is important and you're trying to live your life to make sure you get their approval and all of that kind of thing there's a snare there's going to be a trip up there's going to be something that's going to snag you there's something where you're going to trip and it's not going to go the right way the fear of man lays a snare but whoever trust in the lord is safe praise the lord." [24:05]
5. "Do you trust me? It was like some weird movie that you've seen where there's these voices that people can't control. Or God, I don't even know if I've seen a movie like that or something like, I can't explain it. It was just the Lord, but it was, do you trust me? And so I finally was like, man, I guess I need to start answering this question because I'm not going to get this out of my head or my spirit or my heart. I'm not kidding you guys. It was just over and over. So I said, well, I guess I'm going to answer it. So what I did is I said, yes, Lord, I trust you. Yes, I trust you." [33:47]
### Quotes for Members
1. "So I believe this truth of that verse we just saw is not only intended for individuals, it's intended for us corporately as well, as a church. And our church has always been a missions-minded church. From 13 years ago, when Pastor Bill, wave Pastor Bill for those of you that don't know him, just put your hand up and wave. I think almost everybody does, but there's always some new folks. If you don't, he'd love to meet you. Good person to know, by the way. He came to this church, this church, not True Life Church, First Assembly. He came to this church 13 years ago, hard to believe, on Kingsley Avenue in Orange Park." [04:25]
2. "Now, remember, for those of you that know, and some of you that are a little bit newer, you may have known. You only heard it a time or two, so we're going to do it again. What are the two foundational pillars that this church has been founded on? One is prayer, and the other is missions. That's DNA. That is in the DNA of our church. So last year at about this time, I had approached our church council about the idea of prayerfully considering increasing our tithe from 10% to 11%." [05:41]
3. "The first century church that we now see is the worldwide idea the worldwide movement of Christianity started in the first century that church was all missions that's how it's that's what the church was the church was missions the entire world was a missions field you see it was fueled this movement of Christianity fueled by missions driven people not just missions minded missions driven everything they did when they got up in the morning till they went to bed at night was about missions now they may not have called it that all the time but that's what it was no one was a missions-minded church it was a missions-driven church it was a missions-minded church it was a missions-driven church it was a missions-driven church no one outside of jerusalem or a little bit of surrounding areas when jesus was resurrected knew about it they didn't have newspapers tv social media internet how is the world going to get out how would anybody but in jerusalem know unless people went and told them and here we are today that worldwide movement of Christianity is because of missionaries the apostles were missionaries they took the message of the gospel to jerusalem judea samaria and to the of the earth just as jesus instructed them to in acts 1 8 talked about that last week a couple of times in pentecost weekend you will receive power when the holy spirit comes upon you why you will be my witnesses telling people about me everywhere in jerusalem judea samaria and to the ends of the earth the apostles the disciples at the time and and then the people that were coming along with them they didn't know anything else any better but to just do what jesus said especially when the holy spirit fell on them on the day of pentecost and that was talked about last week how that power came upon them to allow them to go out and be the missionaries that they were the apostle paul if you study the apostle paul you'll know he completed three missionary trips that's what they called it he went on three different trips around preaching the gospel preaching jesus resurrected and crucified and resurrected planting churches doing all the things missionaries do that's what he did three different trips there's really a" [08:25]
4. "So we made a formal resolution of the church council after all of that and I'm sharing with you it was unanimous we will now tithe 15 percent the missions now we will also give other offerings and I just want to say here really quick this last week I was able to go to the district council a little bit down in orlando they it's an annual conference for the peninsula florida is a district within the assemblies of god and and we're of course the same as we've got church and so we were there and and and we were honored this church was honored uh in a luncheon there uh for us out of 355 approximately it changes you know but that's about what the number is 355 churches in peninsula florida assemblies of god churches 355 churches true life church your church because of your generosity is in the top 10 percent of giving to missions in the state of florida glory to god praise the name of the lord thank you god for allowing us to be that impactful and in fact we're in the top 10 percent it's a little bit higher than that but I didn't want to brag figured 10 was good enough and I'm not bragging I tell you man praise the lord so we've said we're going to give 15 emissions now I want to read to you from second corinthians chapter nine verse six remember this whoever so sparingly will also reap sparingly whoever so generously will also reap generously each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give not reluctantly or under compulsion for god loves a cheerful giver you know you can come to this church and never give a dollar you can come to this church and not ever give one minute of your time nobody's gonna ask you to leave we want you to leave we want you to leave we want you to leave because we have something for you we don't want something from you so I always say that and it's true this whole idea of everything we're talking about not just as individuals but as a church is about following god in obedience it's not about anything else it's about living the fullness of what god wants to do in your life so it's not compulsion and we shouldn't do reluctantly for god loves a cheerful giver and then it says this and god is able say able he is able to bless you abundantly so that in all things at all times having all that you need you will abound in every good work you want me to tell you what every good work is here's what every good work looks like it's not just stuff where you're serving others it is that but it's times where every good work you're called on as a parent to do every good work in your home you are called as a employee to do a good work in your workplace you're you're called in your life to do every good work when you're out in the public square and you've got somebody that you can talk to and just mention the name of jesus you have a opportunity to do things in every good work and what happens is he is going to bless you abundantly it also includes financial blessings too I'm not going to leave that out but I don't always want to major on that because it's only one of the many things that god will do in your life but he'll do that too I'm gonna tell you why in a minute I he's willing and he wants to bless you so this meeting we have is on wednesday night in the church office this meeting of our council that I've been chairing the following sunday that's just a few days later somebody came to me and said that they'd like to meet with me they had to leave town on tuesday they wanted to meet with me before that and I said okay so we wound up figuring that a good time to do it would be on tuesday morning and so because of where they lived and they were in the early part of the day I said well just come by my house come by christina that's fine I think she was already gone at that point to to work and and I just said come on in so and they came in and boy what a wonderful I'll never forget these this this moment it was wonderful they came over we discussed several things we talked about the goodness of god the faithfulness of god just just things of the lord we how god's brought us through things and seasons of difficulty his faithfulness I mean we were just sharing in fellowship we talked about how we both had had in our lives miraculous supernatural healings I had one they had one I mean the only god could have done miracle I've told that story before about me and I think we've told the other but it doesn't matter I'm not going to get into all of that but just we were sharing all these things and it was just a wonderful time a sweet fellowship is how I would call it and and then they said well we're here we just wanted to present to you and we wanted to give it to you in person this check for forty five thousand dollars I'm just sitting there and I'm just so thankful I'm like thank you so much I mean wow how generous and blessed you and I'm just I'm overcome with just thankfulness you know and I and and so I was" [25:24]
5. "Do you trust me? It was like some weird movie that you've seen where there's these voices that people can't control. Or God, I don't even know if I've seen a movie like that or something like, I can't explain it. It was just the Lord, but it was, do you trust me? And so I finally was like, man, I guess I need to start answering this question because I'm not going to get this out of my head or my spirit or my heart. I'm not kidding you guys. It was just over and over. So I said, well, I guess I'm going to answer it. So what I did is I said, yes, Lord, I trust you. Yes, I trust you. Yes, I do. Lord, I trust you. I'm going to trust you more now than ever. Yes, I see it. Yes, I understand it. I trust you. I trust you. And I will tell you, I'm saying it like that. I can't do it as much as I did. If I said it once, I said it a hundred times. And it was probably more than that. I'm telling you this is what happened. I'm like, yes, I'm saying yes. I answered in the affirmative. And here's why. He wanted me to walk through all of this, but to walk through that especially. Because he wanted me to mark that day. He wanted to mark me as a point in my spiritual journey where he says, Pastor Billy, Billy, whatever he calls me, calls me whatever he wants, you know this day that you can always trust me. There's never a time. Don't ever forget. So no matter what comes up. No matter. No matter what it is, find my will, step into it, and trust me. I got this. So I answered him. And I just want to tell you today, folks, that question that God challenged me with is a question that all of you need to answer. Do you trust me?" [33:47]
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