Podcast (crosstalk): Play in new window | Obtain | Embed
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Android |
“Religion comes by listening to, and listening to by the phrase of God” (Romans 10:17, NKJV). On this episode of the Radically Christian Bible Examine Podcast, Wes McAdams and Willie B. Williams delve into the profound idea of religion and its pivotal position within the Christian life. They handle the frequent struggles many believers face, equivalent to discouragement, cynicism, and a defeatist perspective, which might hinder their religion. The dialogue explores how these mindsets can restrict our understanding of God’s guarantees and our capability to witness His mighty works. Moreover, they sort out the essential situation of unity inside the church and the way a scarcity of religion can impede the physique of Christ from experiencing the oneness for which Jesus prayed.
They emphasize the significance of constantly feeding one’s religion by means of the research of God’s Phrase and meditating on his guarantees. They spotlight the need of believing in God’s capability to beat any impediment, whether or not it’s bodily, emotional, or non secular. The dialogue additionally underscores the connection between religion and love, emphasizing that true religion results in a deeper love for God and a better capability to bear all issues.
The visitor for this episode is Willie B. Williams, III, the evangelist for the North Colony Church of Christ. As a passionate and enthusiastic proclaimer of the gospel, Willie brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the dialog. His journey started with a humble church plant in his lounge, and thru unwavering religion, he has witnessed God’s mighty works unfold. Willie’s testimony serves as an inspiration, reminding listeners that religion can transfer mountains and that God’s guarantees are accessible to those that imagine.
Hyperlinks and Assets
Notice: Some hyperlinks could also be affiliate hyperlinks. Which means, for those who select to purchase one thing by means of these hyperlinks, we obtain a small fee at no additional value to you.
Transcript (Credit score: Beth Tabor)
Welcome to the Radically Christian Bible Examine podcast. I’m your host, Wes McAdams. Right here we now have one purpose: Study to like like Jesus. How do you reside a lifetime of religion? That’s what we’re going to speak about in at the moment’s Bible research. And simply to offer you a heads up, one in all my favourite elements of the dialog is close to the top once we discuss concerning the relationship between religion and unity within the church. My visitor at the moment is Willie B. Williams, III. He’s the evangelist for the North Colony Church of Christ. He is an effective pal and a passionate, enthusiastic proclaimer of the gospel.
I wish to begin at the moment by studying Hebrews 11:1‑6. It says,
“Now religion is the peace of mind of issues hoped for, the conviction of issues not seen. For by it the folks of previous obtained their commendation. By religion we perceive that the universe was created by the phrase of God, in order that what’s seen was not made out of issues which are seen. By religion Abel supplied to God a extra acceptable sacrifice than Cain, by means of which he was recommended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his presents. And thru his religion, although he died, he nonetheless speaks. By religion Enoch was taken up in order that he mustn’t see dying, and he was not discovered, as a result of God had taken him. Now earlier than he was taken he was recommended as having happy God. And with out religion it’s inconceivable to please him, for whoever would draw close to to God should imagine that he exists and that he rewards those that search him.”
I hope that at the moment’s Bible research is an encouragement to you, and, as all the time, I hope that it helps all of us study to like like Jesus.
WES: Willie B. Williams, III, welcome to the podcast, Brother.
WILLIE: Wes, it’s great to be right here.
WES: It’s great to have you ever. That is lengthy overdue. I’m so glad to have you ever, Brother.
WILLIE: Yeah, that’s my fault, however God provides grace. It’s a blessing.
WES: No, no, I’m simply glad it lastly labored out, so thanks a lot for being on the podcast. You and I’ve all types of nice conversations. I’m excited for different folks to get to pay attention to the knowledge that I get to take a seat at your toes and listen to on a regular basis.
WILLIE: You already know, it’s mutual, so… We each prefer to eat the bread.
WES: I adore it. I adore it. Properly, once we texted forwards and backwards about what we must always speak about, you introduced up the thought of religion, and I used to be so glad that you just did as a result of that is one thing that ‑‑ clearly, that is one thing that each Christian should be fascinated with on a regular basis, nevertheless it’s one which we’re significantly fascinated with at McDermott Street this yr, the place our theme is ‑‑ we phrased it as “Loving Loyalty,” however I’m attempting to assist folks to know that religion actually is about loyalty; it’s about allegiance; it’s about dedication. So I used to be so glad that you just introduced up the thought of religion, so let’s speak about religion. Notably, what passages or what concepts have you ever been fascinated with, meditating on which have moved you latterly?
WILLIE: I feel one of many issues ‑‑ I feel there’s a quote ‑‑ or there’s a saying about discovering God, proper? And so this man went to the deepest of the ocean, he went to the very best mountain, he searched all through all of the world in search of God, and what he failed to understand is that God was within the flower. And the thought behind the writing was that God is within the easy issues, and since you’re in search of the deep issues, you find yourself passing up God when, truly, he was proper there waving at you within the wind. He’s within the track of the birds. He’s within the wind of the timber. He’s actually proper earlier than us, however we’re in search of one thing so deep, and so typically we’re so aware of scriptures that we fail to understand how superior he’s in that textual content.
So there’s a scripture we quote on a regular basis. Lots of people comprehend it. Romans 10:17, proper? “So religion comes by listening to.” There may be no relationship ‑‑ matter of reality, earlier than you may have a relationship with anybody, there needs to be some remnant of religion. And so religion comes by listening to, which lets me know that my religion needs to be fed. It’s an organism; it needs to be fed. And so I began to meditate on one of many issues that causes many Christians, together with ourselves, as ministers, is we typically wrestle as a result of we’re good at feeding. We’re not good at receiving, or we don’t feed our personal religion. And so, you understand, as ministers, typically you should have so many Bible lessons, so many classes, you’ve gotten so many individuals asking you for recommendation or they wish to know what your ideas are. They need you to talk into each topic. They need you to talk on marriage. They need you to talk on demons and the afterlife and what occurs when you’ve gotten nervousness, and also you’re continually attempting to feed since you care concerning the folks, not realizing you give greater than you obtain. It’s a must to feed your religion, and religion comes by listening to.
In Hebrews 11:6, he says, nicely, “With out religion it’s inconceivable to please him, for he that involves God” ‑‑ God is mainly saying, I gained’t allow you to get near me until I see that you’ve religion. And typically I really feel, even typically inside the physique of Christ, that our religion is getting low, and I can level that scripture to sure folks they usually’ll be like, yeah, I do know that scripture, which implies they’re not listening to it as a result of we imagine we already comprehend it, however we don’t return and meditate and actually construct our religion. You then begin all the different scriptures about what religion does. And so right here’s an indictment on our particular person stroll, and right here’s an indictment because the church, as an entire, are collected. If we are saying we’re going to do one thing nice for God, you’ll hear laughter and sniggling and jokes as a result of we preach religion, however only a few folks have seen a mighty transfer of it. We speak about how God created all the things, and we cry over payments. We speak about how God ‑‑ he put molecules and atoms in flesh. He considered that. He thought that perhaps at some point I’ll reduce my pores and skin, and he thought concerning the mechanisms of the physique, the way it can heal itself with out exterior interference. I can break my leg and ‑‑ which I did once I was in faculty. I broke my leg, and the physician mentioned we are able to do surgical procedure. And I requested the physician a query. I mentioned, “Can it heal itself?” And the physician mentioned, “Hmm.” It was nearly like, nicely, sure, it may possibly. I mentioned, “Properly, let’s give God a shot.” I actually mentioned that once I was in faculty. I mentioned, “Properly, let’s give God a shot.” He mentioned, “Okay, we’ll simply put a forged on,” and I’ve been effective ever since. I run, no matter. My bone utterly broke, you understand, in half.
However, you understand, religion needs to be fed, and if religion isn’t fed ‑‑ so Romans 10:17, it’s such a easy scripture. It’s a scripture that’s repeated continually, however “religion comes by listening to,” which lets me know that religion can develop. Regardless that me and chances are you’ll worship collectively, we don’t have the identical stage of religion, and if we take a look at what religion can do, there could also be some issues which are accessible to me as a result of I hear and I’m continually listening to; you will have simply heard. And so typically there are some individuals who stroll away and say, “The phrase didn’t do something for me,” after which there’s one other individual that has a very completely different testimony they usually benefit from the phrase. They are saying, “Oh, God’s phrase is so highly effective.” It actually depends upon how ‑‑ you understand, there’s an i‑n‑g on the finish. Religion comes by hearing. You by no means cease. And in order that ‑‑ once we have been speaking, that resonated with me as a result of all the things we do needs to be executed on religion.
WES: Yeah. Man, that’s so wealthy. I like the way you’re framing it as a relationship with God, that religion is that this relational sort of dedication to God, and about this listening to. So many passages and concepts have been going by means of my head as you have been saying that. I used to be fascinated with how the pivotal scripture within the regulation, the one Jesus went to when he mentioned what’s a very powerful commandment within the regulation. In fact, he mentioned the second was prefer it, “Love your neighbor as your self,” however the first was “Hear, oh, Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one,” and in Hebrew, that first phrase “hear” is “Shema.” In my household, we are saying this with our children each evening. We attempt to say it each evening. We begin with that concept, “Hear, oh, Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one,” and that Shema concept of listening to is one thing that’s lively. It’s not simply listening to as in “I heard a noise exterior.” It’s pay attention. Hear to what’s being mentioned. Hearken to who your God is. Your God, Israel, is one, and also you shall love the Lord your God with all of your coronary heart and your soul and your thoughts and your power.
And also you’re so proper that we are able to hear, in a way, the preaching, we are able to hear the scriptures, we are able to hear the guarantees, however typically we’re not likely listening to them. And two folks may be sitting in the identical room and, in a way, they will hear the identical issues, however one is listening and the opposite one isn’t, and we’re not internalizing not solely the issues we’re instructed to do ‑‑ and I feel typically we now have diminished religion to guidelines we’re presupposed to comply with or a method we’re presupposed to stay, and that’s definitely part of religion ‑‑ or a part of the response of religion, perhaps I ought to say, however religion begins with who’s God.
And I like that you just mentioned, you understand, all of the issues that God has executed, each within the scriptures, the issues that he has revealed to us by particular revelation, however then there’s this basic revelation, how God has revealed himself within the created world. The way in which that he heals the physique ‑‑ the physique is created to heal itself. The way in which that God reveals himself within the flower. And also you’re so proper that typically we take a look at the issues that we’re going by means of and we are saying, “Properly, yeah, I do know God introduced down Goliath, and I do know God parted the Crimson Sea, and I do know God delivered the Israelites, and I do know God created this and God created that, however this downside that I’ve proper now, it’s too massive for God.” And we wouldn’t say it that method, however that’s primarily the best way we’re dwelling our lives.
WILLIE: And if we take a look at religion ‑‑ you had talked about one thing, the best commandment. The best commandment on the earth ‑‑ the best commandment on the earth ‑‑ can’t be achieved with out religion. You can not love God with all of your coronary heart, soul, and thoughts as a result of religion means that you can start the connection. I’m so glad that you just introduced up that scripture as a result of ‑‑ and we’re wrestling with this idea that religion comes earlier than love. If religion has to come back earlier than love, I can not love you with all of me until there’s first belief, as a result of I’ll by no means soar. I can love you intellectually. I can love your presents. I can love you in classes, however to meet that commandment, it’s important to soar off the ledge. It’s a must to love God with all the things. Most of us, we love folks on reserve, so I’ll provide you with this love, however you gained’t have entry; I’ll maintain again. And for those who say, “Hey, I assumed you liked me” ‑‑ I do. “However why did you retain that secret?” As a result of I don’t love you utterly.
The best commandment on the earth is loving God utterly, however earlier than there may be love ‑‑ if you concentrate on any relationship, even when we simply look exterior of spirituality, if I’m going to like any person ‑‑ proper? If I’m gonna love you for who you might be ‑‑ and I’m not simply speaking about agape love as a result of I don’t must know your title to have agape like to you, proper? I like you thru Him. However let’s simply say, in a human perspective, I wished to actually simply love you wholly. Meaning your previous, your current, your future, your presents, your ups, your downs, regardless of the case could also be. The very first thing is, I’ve to pay attention. I’ve to start out asking you questions. I’ve to get to know you, and the one method that my belief and my religion may be constructed is that I’ve to be quiet and it’s important to share. In the event you refuse to share, then we’ll by no means have that stage of intimacy, and God needs to have intimacy with us.
And the rationale why we don’t shout about how nice the church is and the good strikes of God, like on the extent that I imagine we must always, is as a result of, someplace alongside the road, we’ve stopped listening to the great phrases of God. “Oh, he’s great. Do you know he did this? And do you know he did that?” Not simply within the Previous Testomony, however “Are you aware what he’s doing in my life? And are you aware I shouldn’t even be right here? I ought to have died. The physician mentioned” ‑‑ “Hey, are you aware ‑‑ I assumed my household was over; he restored.” “Are you aware my baby got here again to the church?” “Are you aware my mom received baptized?” Like our testimony ‑‑ I do know we don’t have testimony parts anymore, however I feel the aim of the testimonies was to remind folks God not solely did it for David, God not solely did it for Peter, God not solely was affected person with Thomas, God was affected person with me and he did it for me. And when your religion is constructed up, your relationship modifications. So that you don’t discuss to your spouse on Monday and say, “All proper, I’ll see you subsequent month.” So as to have a wholesome relationship along with your spouse, your husband, your kids, it’s deposits. It’s constant deposits that it’s important to make, and I feel that’s ‑‑ when it comes with studying and finding out God’s phrase, it’s deposits that we now have.
WES: As you have been speaking, I used to be fascinated with Psalm 1, and it is a nice introduction to the Psalms. It’s additionally an important introduction to the Scriptures and to the life of religion. The psalm says, “Blessed is the person who walks not within the counsel of the depraved, nor stands in the best way of sinners, nor sits within the seat of scoffers; however his delight is within the regulation of the Lord, and on his regulation he meditates day and evening. He’s like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf doesn’t wither. In all that he does, he prospers. The depraved or not so, however are like chaff that the wind drives away.”
So there’s that concept that if we wish to have this fruitful, wholesome life, we’re like a ‑‑ we now have to meditate on the regulation day and evening, and the extra we soak it in, the extra we drink it up, the extra we devour it, the extra we meditate on it and chew on it, we’re like a tree that doesn’t ‑‑ it doesn’t have seasons. There’s no like, nicely, it’s fall now so there’s no fruit on this tree. This tree is bearing fruit yr‑spherical as a result of it’s all the time ingesting in that dwelling water. And also you’re so proper; if we wish to have that type of life, we simply must continually be listening to and meditating on the guarantees of God.
WILLIE: It’s actually just like the physique. Many individuals are sick they usually begin to understand I’m going to the physician due to the meals that I eat, proper? So there are specific issues which are put in our meals. There are specific toxins in our meat, and so individuals are realizing they’re consuming so many energy per day. That is why their physique is having these reactions; you understand, their imaginative and prescient, their eyesight, their blood strain. And so one of many first issues, when any person will get sick, is they are saying, “You gotta change your weight loss program. You gotta change what enters in.” Any individual says, “My pc’s not working proper. It’s beginning to decelerate.” They are saying, “Hey, pay attention, you bought too many information. You bought issues which are lagging on ‑‑ it’s not in a position to run prefer it ought to due to the stuff that it’s being fed. You’re gonna must clear your laborious drive. You’re gonna must take away some weight.”
So you may think about, when folks get up within the morning, the very first thing they seize is their cellphone. They spend an hour on social media. I used to be telling some members, I mentioned, hey, an hour of preaching can by no means compete with three hours of Netflix, two hours of Instagram, three hours of TikTok, and an hour on Fb. Like, you understand, we might have Bible class and chances are you’ll preach your coronary heart out doing Bible class and lay out all the factors. It’s solely mental. It’s the meditative half. So I can learn the chapter. I inform some folks typically ‑‑ they are saying, “Hey, what are some ideas that you’ve in finding out the Bible?” I say, “Don’t learn for completion. Learn to swim. Learn to wallow in it.” They are saying, “Properly, what does that appear like?” And I’ve a scripture that I wished to learn. We have been speaking about simply dwelling in that abundance, dwelling in that victory of God. One of many scriptures that I take pleasure in is Mark 9. In Mark 9:23, “Jesus mentioned unto him, ‘In the event you can imagine, all issues are doable to him that believeth.’” What if, for the remainder of the day, I learn no different verses and I simply ‑‑ I went swimming in that one verse? Jesus says for those who would imagine, issues will now grow to be doable to you.
One of many points that we now have ‑‑ we don’t have a useful resource downside within the church. We don’t have a communication downside. We might have, you understand, on a small stage. I feel one of many greatest issues that we now have in attaining nice issues for God is that we received discouraged alongside the best way. So the rationale why you give up faculty or the rationale why you give up on your loved ones, the rationale why you walked away out of your kids, the rationale why you give up on church, the rationale why you give up on God, the rationale why you give up your job are you simply actually ‑‑ you understand, there are some exhibits ‑‑ they name it The 600‑Pound Life ‑‑ and in the beginning of that present, everyone has a narrative that they instructed the place they grew to become ‑‑ it was some extent the place issues have been perhaps okay, nevertheless it was at some extent the place they gave up. I imagine one of many greatest instruments of Devil that he has constantly used, particularly to ministers, “I wish to discourage you. I wish to discourage you. I would like you to really feel so dangerous that you just stroll away, that you just let go. I would like you to give up on the ministry. I don’t care what your diploma is; you understand they’re by no means gonna hearken to you. You already know you’re gonna all the time be combating. You already know this church is rarely gonna develop. You already know sin will all the time be right here. You already know you’re not appreciated. You already know stuff retains taking place. Hey, what’s the purpose? It’s all the time gonna be like this. Hey, you understand that is all a facade. You already know no one’s life is actually being modified. You already know there’s been sin the entire time. You already know you’ve been getting up preaching each Sunday; you understand they’ve been sinning the entire time. You already know you actually wasn’t efficient.” And people messages get in our head and we begin feeling unworthy. We begin feeling like God can’t use us. We begin retreating. And, you understand, the apostle Paul says we have to come boldly to the throne. We have been supposed to come back up, however then what occurs is we received discouraged and we began to retreat.
And so think about if we fed our spirit. Think about ‑‑ for many who can be listening, think about you waking up each morning, and also you don’t miss a day and also you learn Mark 9:23, and Jesus mentioned, “In the event you can imagine, all issues are doable to him that believes.” The individual that doesn’t imagine, it gained’t be doable. There can be doorways which are closed. You’ll face some difficulties. However the Bible says for the one which does imagine ‑‑ as a result of for those who can imagine, you may endure the battle. In the event you can imagine, issues can flip round. In the event you can imagine ‑‑ chances are you’ll suppose no one ‑‑ none of your loved ones members are coming to Christ. You’ve been attempting for years, however for those who maintain believing ‑‑ the factor is, you simply can’t give up. Religion doesn’t can help you give up as a result of love ‑‑ religion will carry you to like, after which love bears all issues. In the event you don’t have religion, you’ll by no means get to like, and God is love, however with a purpose to please God, you could have religion. So when you’ve got religion, you may start your relationship with love, and after getting a relationship with love, love can bear all issues. It can endure all issues. Love can get you to the top. However for those who don’t have sufficient religion, you’ll by no means get to like, and for those who can by no means get to like, you may by no means get to God as a result of that’s who God is. And for those who can’t get to God, we’re most depressing. We’ll by no means make it.
So I like the thought of ‑‑ I feel typically if we’re in a state the place you’re feeling caught, you gotta return to these first rules, and I imagine a type of first rules is the place is my religion proper now? The place is my religion? You already know, how do I see God? Am I limiting God? And the rationale why I shortened my prayer final evening is as a result of, truly, my religion was getting low. The rationale why, after I completed my sermon, I ran to the automobile is as a result of my religion is getting low. And the rationale why I’m avoiding folks and I maintain saying I’m drained is perhaps as a result of my religion is getting low and I simply don’t really feel like I’ve ‑‑ I must go replenish. I must go discover an meeting and sit with God and refuel my tank. As a result of all issues are doable for those who imagine. Every part is feasible.
WES: Properly, to return to what you have been saying earlier about our tendency to scroll on social media, our tendency perhaps to binge‑watch a TV present or to perhaps even get on cable information and watch cable information nonstop ‑‑ I used to be fascinated with the best way that you just’re framing these concepts of religion and encouragement, this boldness, this confidence in God and what God can do on one aspect, and on the opposite aspect, you retain utilizing the phrase “discouragement,” and I can’t assist however take into consideration one thing that’s frequent, and we simply learn it in Psalm 1. However in Psalm 1 he says that this blessed man is the one who walks not within the counsel of the depraved, nor stands in the best way of sinners, and we’re fairly good about watching out for these. As Christians, we be careful for the depraved, we be careful for sinners. However the subsequent one says, “nor sits within the seat of scoffers,” and that’s the one I feel that we’re ‑‑ we’re simply oblivious to the impression and the affect of scoffers in our life, and social media is stuffed with scoffers, cable information is stuffed with scoffers, our personal thoughts and coronary heart is stuffed with scoffing. It’s cynicism. It’s this ‑‑ I used to be attempting to consider methods to make the sound, however this concept that ‑‑ “Come on. Come on, you understand higher than that.” It takes an idealistic view, a hopeful view, a assured view, a devoted view, and it says, “You already know higher than that. It’ll by no means work out. God won’t ever try this.” And we encompass ourselves by scoffers who discourage us, and we’re listening to them 90% of the day or 90% of the week, and perhaps 10% we’re attempting to make up for that with a little bit little bit of scripture or a little bit little bit of preaching, and also you’re proper; there’s a deficit of guarantees of God and the phrase of God in our life. There’s a deficit of listening to God and, as an alternative, we’re listening to the scoffers.
WILLIE: What we name being lifelike is known as a shot at religion. And so some folks conceal underneath the umbrella that “I’m simply being lifelike,” and I don’t wish to be lifelike; I wish to be devoted, since you may be lifelike after which God will allow you to reside on that stage, proper? However for those who’re prepared to boost your religion, for those who’re prepared to feed your religion, what isn’t doable for you may be doable for me.
However I like what you mentioned, that sitting within the seat and exposing ourselves to ‑‑ you understand, it’s wonderful. You may be surrounded round individuals who say that they imagine in God, however no one speaks the great works of God. I do know you’ve in all probability skilled it in addition to I’ve. Have you ever ever stood up in entrance of a church or a congregation and also you’re about to prepare to evangelise, however you pause for a second as a result of everyone seems unhappy? And also you attempt to type of go searching as like, is everyone okay? You nearly must look, like, the place’s the unhappiness coming from? And also you understand they’re carrying the world into worship. And have you ever ever seen, like typically midway by means of worship, folks begin waking up? Like folks ‑‑ you understand, it’s important to type of get it off. And what they don’t understand, simply even within the position of ministers, our job is to feed folks’s religion. It’s to take the phrase of God and feed their spirit and feed their soul. We’ve simply received to ensure that we don’t neglect ourselves after feeding ‑‑ you understand, feeding everyone.
However we additionally know, with the load and the burden, that for those who don’t have a gentle routine by yourself, our preaching isn’t sufficient. You’re not essentially ‑‑ you understand, we might report one thing and which may be a blessing, however they’ve received to have their very own routine. They’ve received to have their very own system of ‑‑ it’s important to feed your religion. It’s a must to feed your religion, and the altitude wherein you fly and the intimacy wherein you’ve gotten with God, and the assets of God are usually not accessible at sure ranges of religion.
I’ve this ‑‑ as we have been speaking, I had this imagery I wish to present. And so I can ‑‑ God has given me this a lot capability [illustrating]. He’s given me this a lot capability, however I used to be so busy this week as a result of I used to be working errands and I used to be caring for enterprise and I used to be serving to folks, I didn’t feed my religion. So I solely have ‑‑ despite the fact that I’ve much more room for religion ‑‑
WES: For these that may’t see Willie, he’s received ‑‑ for these which are listening and never watching, he’s received a water bottle that’s 90% empty, or solely 10% full, relying on the way you wish to phrase that.
WILLIE: And so with this little water, I’m over right here attempting to obey God, and I’ll have one other storm in my life that’s coming, and the following storm requires no less than a half. I don’t even have sufficient religion for my subsequent storm, and I’m a Christian. I don’t have sufficient religion to cope with the following assault as a result of I’ve been consuming my religion. And I feel what lots of people don’t understand about religion is that you just use religion each day, which implies it needs to be replenished. So I feel if we are able to begin religion like we take a look at our gasoline tank ‑‑ I want sufficient gasoline to make it from A to B. And if I make it to B, I’m gonna come again dwelling, which implies, on the finish of the day, I’ve used up a lot gasoline. We robotically know, within the subsequent day or two, I’m gonna must discover a gasoline station.
If we take a look at our religion the identical method, it’s important to feed your religion each day since you use it each day. Now, for those who determine to not learn your Bible on Monday, you in all probability gained’t discover it. And for those who don’t learn it on Tuesday, you’ll in all probability, you understand, begin to slip. By Thursday or Friday, you’ll begin to be a little bit bit extra carnal. It’ll be tougher to manage your ideas. Sure feelings will get out of hand. Little issues that you just have been in a position to simply type of transfer off your shoulder, abruptly, it’s tougher to cope with, and you then gained’t know what’s happening. You’ll say that you just’re being pressured or, you understand, any person asks you, “Hey, how are you doing?” And also you say, “Properly, I’m simply type of ‑‑ you understand, I’m okay,” however, actually, you’re not okay. Your tank is getting low. It’s time for an oil change and also you don’t understand it since you’ve gone 3,000 miles and you want to pull over, however you gained’t, you understand, otherwise you’re resistant for some cause.
WES: I’m glad you’re citing all of those struggles. And such as you mentioned, when folks come to worship they usually collect within the meeting, typically you may see it throughout their face that they’ve been coping with all types of issues by means of the week they usually’re struggling to see the realities that God is bringing to them by means of the gospel. And I feel that’s the best way that the Hebrew author frames religion, is that religion is that this capability to see the unseen, to see issues ‑‑ to see the world to come back, to see the age to come back, to see the dominion of God even whereas it’s nonetheless invisible to our bodily eyes, to our mortal eyes.
And so religion is that this capability to see what is actually actual. Dying is actual, sin is actual, injustice is actual, debt is actual, monetary wrestle is actual, however the guarantees of God are extra actual. They’re extra true. And so, such as you mentioned, our job as preachers, as evangelists, as these bringing the gospel, we’re attempting to assist folks to see the issues which are extra actual than the issues they will see with their eyes, extra true than the issues they will put their arms on and in order that they will get by means of these issues which are laborious, these issues that they’re battling. And such as you mentioned, the perfect we are able to do typically is whet their urge for food for these issues, however we now have to continually be feeding ourselves with the gospel. We’ve to be listening to the gospel, listening to the guarantees of God in order that we are able to set our minds on ‑‑ as Paul says in Colossians 3 and 4, set our minds on issues above, not the issues on the earth, as a result of these items ‑‑ they’re actual, and I don’t wish to diminish these issues. I don’t wish to make it look like the struggles that individuals cope with aren’t actual. In fact they’re. However the guarantees of God are extra actual. They’re extra stable, they’re extra lasting. These items are simply momentary they usually’re gonna fade away, but when we’re not feeding ourselves on the reality of the gospel, then we’ll be overwhelmed and distracted by and discouraged by the struggles that we’re coping with.
WILLIE: I feel once you mentioned these issues are actual ‑‑ these issues are actual, however when he says for those who would simply imagine ‑‑ I can see one thing that’s actual, however I can see the ability of God that can also be actual. So no matter I’m going through, proper, if it’s inside God’s attain ‑‑ there’s no illness, there’s no hassle, there’s nothing that Christians, or the physique of Christ, that we’re going through at the moment that God can’t blow our thoughts. We’ve settled again on attempting. Our prayers have shifted from “God, do a mighty work” to “Lord, assist us to make it by means of this week.” This week? “Lord, you understand, we’re simply type of holding on.” Holding on? He instructed us we had the victory, and the victory is in him.
We’ve to get round sufficient believers as a result of ‑‑ there’s a e-book ‑‑ once I first began ministry ‑‑ I’m gonna let you know that once I first began ministry, I used to be so excited. You already know our story. It began in my lounge, and I didn’t know the way it was gonna develop or no matter. That is my first church plant. And we raised up sufficient cash to get out of my dwelling and we received right into a rented constructing, and we did the demolition as a result of we couldn’t afford contractors. So we did the demolition, sledgehammers, we did the portray. After which the little cash that we had put aside, they have been in a position to are available and put the roof ‑‑ the ceiling in and put some partitions up. We have been so excited. And so there was a preacher ‑‑ he’s handed away now, however there was a preacher that I had invited to come back ‑‑ after we completed opening, to come back do a gospel assembly, and I feel, after the second evening, I mentioned, “Hey, I type of simply wish to get some suggestions.” He mentioned, “Properly, let’s go throughout the road,” and throughout the road was like a McDonald’s. He mentioned, “Properly, let’s simply go throughout the road. We’ll discuss.” So we simply walked throughout the road, and I’m sitting within the sales space and he’s simply sitting there, and I’m sharing the imaginative and prescient. I’m saying, “Hey, I feel we are able to actually do some ‑‑ and that is the imaginative and prescient for this place.” And he’s simply type of me, and I’m pondering like, hey, I simply got here from the lounge. We got here from a lounge; now we’re in a constructing. Like, we’re an actual church now. We received chairs. You already know, pay attention, we received chairs. We ain’t sitting on my sofa no extra. Like we received chairs. I’m excited.
And he seems at me, after I shared the imaginative and prescient, and he mentioned, “Is that it?” I mentioned, “Yeah, that’s type of it.” I mentioned, “However it took a number of work.” He mentioned, “Please don’t get me improper.” He mentioned, “It took a number of work so that you can do ‑‑ for y’all to get right here, and I commend you for that.” After which he mentioned one thing I by no means forgot, and I pray that people who find themselves listening, they hear this, too. He mentioned, “However God is far larger than the way you’re speaking.” He mentioned, “There’s nothing improper.” He says, “Y’all can accomplish all the things that you just simply laid out.” He mentioned, “However what I wish to encourage you is, God is greater than that. He can do better work than this.” He instructed me to get a e-book. It’s referred to as To Dream Once more. I neglect the creator’s title, nevertheless it’s referred to as To Dream Once more, and it particulars a preacher or a church who received discouraged or no matter, and the church was simply present. They have been simply type of puttering alongside, they usually mainly received to some extent the place they wanted to dream once more.
I feel a few of us, we’ve stopped dreaming. We really feel like we’re too previous. We really feel like we now have made too many errors. We really feel like an excessive amount of stuff has occurred. A few of us, we really feel like our window has closed on us and we’re simply attempting to attend for Jesus to return. And we’re not realizing, if the Lord woke you up at the moment, there may be an task that he needs you to perform. In the event you nonetheless have breath in your lungs, there may be nonetheless a mighty work that God can nonetheless do by means of you. And a few of us, we now have ‑‑ I don’t know for those who’ve ever heard some Christians say, “Properly, we’re gonna let the younger folks try this now. I’m retired.” And I needed to inform them, you don’t retire from Christianity. Chances are you’ll shift your position; chances are you’ll make an adjustment, however you don’t retire. You don’t give God an excellent 30 years and say, “All proper. Okay, Lord, I’m prepared so that you can come get me.” No, no, no. If he wakes you up the following day, there’s nonetheless one thing that he needs you to perform, and it may be a mighty, great, stunning work within the Lord.
However to dream once more, I needed to take that imaginative and prescient and ball it up and throw it away. And he was proper; God was larger. You already know, I look again on that now. That was over 10 years in the past, and he was proper. God was a lot larger than I may have imagined. Matter of reality, to only do that may have been limiting God. There’s a scripture ‑‑ there’s one other scripture that involves my thoughts, which is Mark 11. Mark 11:22 and 24. “Jesus answered and mentioned to them, ‘Place confidence in God.’” Place confidence in God. Verse 24 says, “Due to this fact I say unto you, what issues soever you need, once you pray, imagine that you’ll obtain them and also you shall have them.”
What if, within the physique of Christ at the moment, we mentioned, hey, it’s time for a revolution. We imagine that earlier than the yr is out, we are able to carry a thousand souls to Christ collectively. Hey, we imagine that we are able to get this gospel ‑‑ they’re spewing ungodliness by means of the radio waves and thru the tv, and also you see all the things of filth underneath the solar that’s coming by means of the tube. Hey, what if we may begin a revolution and get this gospel out to all 4 corners of the world? What if we are able to remodel our metropolis? And as they mentioned, these males have turned the world the wrong way up. [Acts 17:6] They entered into town they usually mentioned we’ll by no means be the identical due to just a few people who actually believed in God they usually actually noticed the potential of God. They spoke it as a result of they believed it, and when God noticed that they believed, he gave them these issues that they requested for.
Jesus mentioned it like this in Luke 18:8, “Shall I discover religion? I’m wondering, once I come again, is anyone gonna imagine? Shall I discover religion on earth?” And I feel we’re worshiping God ‑‑ we’re worshiping discouraged. We’re worshiping God, however we’re worshiping him with limitations and restrictions, and we have to imagine once more. As Christians, we have to imagine once more. We have to dream once more. For everyone who’s listening, hey, return to the phrase of God and dream a much bigger dream for your loved ones. Dream a much bigger dream on your kids. Dream a much bigger dream on your well being. You don’t have to remain sick. You don’t have to remain on these tablets. God is a healer. God is a method‑maker. You don’t all the time ‑‑ you don’t must be in that monetary debt. God can ship you from that. That may be paid off. Hey, pay attention, you don’t must battle with these addictions or these temptations. Are you aware that God can ship you from temptation? There are some individuals who sit in our congregations week in and week out, pondering, “I’m all the time gonna must wrestle with this sin.” No. God can ship us from darkness, however we gotta imagine once more. We don’t must remix Christianity to include our weaknesses. “I like God, however I’m gonna must cope with this. I like God, however I don’t suppose he’s gonna ship me from this unhappiness.”
I wish to let folks know, for those who imagine in God, you don’t must stay in melancholy. And I do know there are some cognitive and medical issues which are happening, and I’m not right here to talk on any of these issues, and you will have issues which will have been prescribed, however don’t cease praying. Don’t cease praying. Don’t let a physician, don’t let a pal, don’t let anyone come to you and let you know that your marriage can’t be restored, your well being can’t be restored. Don’t let anyone let you know ‑‑ matter of reality, there are too many testimonies from people who actually heard messages that it was over, after which issues received rotated. God is a method‑maker.
WES: See, that is what I feel is so highly effective about believing the guarantees of the gospel, is that we maintain in each arms kind of the present age, the conclusion of sin and dying and illness and heartbreak and all of these form of damaging issues, however we additionally maintain, within the different hand, this hope ‑‑ not this wishful pondering, however hope, as in assured expectation that we all know that each one of these issues can be healed. All of these issues can be taken care of. We don’t know when. They might be on this second, they might be at the moment, they might be when Jesus comes once more, however all of these issues are gonna be taken care of. It’s not a matter of if; it’s a matter of when. And we’re not gonna cease praying for them to occur proper now. We’re not gonna cease praying for them and believing that God can do them proper now. I feel you’re so proper that we ‑‑ so many Christians have adopted form of this defeatist perspective and this cynicism concerning the present realities, and people issues have grow to be extra actual to them, larger to them than the realities of the gospel.
A type of issues that you just and I’ve talked about just lately is the unity of the church. The divisions that exist and the rationale that they exist is actual, and we’re all conscious of these issues. We’re conscious of the divisions that exist due to variations of opinion, but additionally due to ethnicity, due to a historical past of racism, due to no matter has brought on the divisions that exist, however we are able to’t undertake a defeatist, cynical perspective that claims, “Properly, that’s all the time the best way it’s gonna be. We’re by no means going to be unified. We’ll by no means get collectively.”
WILLIE: I’d say cease; don’t even feed that to me. Yeah, don’t even feed that to me.
WES: Proper. And we’ve received to imagine what you’re saying, that Jesus needs his church to be one. He prayed for his church to be one. The Spirit could make us one, so we’ve received to stay into that. Our scoffing and skepticism and defeatism is standing in the best way of the work of the Holy Spirit.
WILLIE: What if all of us began repeating ‑‑ as a result of there are phrases of religion. There are great phrases of religion, and it’s important to repeat that every day. It’s a must to communicate the phrases of religion. What if we began saying, “I like the church of Christ”? When was the final time we heard that? Folks don’t discuss like that. It’s type of like a ‑‑ we must always ‑‑ “Hey, I like the church of Christ and I like what the church of Christ is doing, and God is doing a mighty work by means of the physique of Christ at the moment. Hey, hundreds of souls are about to be saved.” I wish to let you understand, simply even the place we’re, there’s a mighty motion that’s taking place proper now, and I wish to let you understand individuals are getting enthusiastic about coming collectively. Persons are excited concerning the unity that’s within the church. Don’t let anyone let you know that the church is ceaselessly damaged or we’re so divided that we are able to’t do one thing. That’s a lie as a result of we’ve simply seen proof, not as soon as, not simply twice, however we’re seeing it on small ranges and on grand ranges, that, hey, we have been placing limits on God. God may have all the time executed this. We needed to imagine that that is doable and we now have to ensure that we don’t entertain messages. You don’t put oil and water in the identical ‑‑ it doesn’t combine. So when damaging speech begins being spewed, we now have to mark it, establish it, and say we don’t discuss like that on this place. This can be a place of religion. So the issues that’s happening within the physique of Christ at the moment, actually ‑‑ all of those obstacles of unity that we’ve been attempting to attain for years, it’s actually going to come back all the way down to a bunch of people who imagine that, truly, it may possibly occur.
Now, if I’m within the room and I don’t actually suppose it may possibly occur, I’ll go alongside, however I’m slowing the prepare down, as a result of I’ve realized, by means of my research, that God strikes by religion, not by proof. Thomas wished proof, however Jesus instructed him, yeah, you imagine since you noticed. You imagine since you touched, however blessed ‑‑ the blessing is within the religion, not within the proof. So there are some individuals who say, nicely, I’ll imagine it once I see it. God doesn’t transfer that method. God strikes by these teams who say, “Hey, I imagine God is transferring and I’m going to quiet the noise in order that I can hear.”
Once we was speaking at first about how religion comes by listening to, how many people are actually listening to what God is saying on this season? How many people are actually in tune for what he wishes for us to do? Look, as males ‑‑ for the lads, for his or her households, what number of husbands or head of households are listening to the voice of God? What number of of our ladies, who’re doing nice issues within the physique of Christ ‑‑ what number of of them are actually ‑‑ as an alternative of simply finishing tasks and actions, what if all of us, as brothers and sisters, as women and men, as the kids of God ‑‑ how many people are actually listening to and increase our religion for the following nice transfer of God, which I imagine is on this season?
However I additionally understand this. Simply because Joshua was able to go over ‑‑ God appeared and seen that he didn’t have sufficient believers to go over with Joshua, so you understand what he did? He preserved Joshua and he constructed up a brand new era of believers, and when that new era grew and have become sturdy sufficient, then God mentioned, “It’s time. Now it’s time to go over and take what I’ve been promising you.” Right here’s the unhappy factor. God’s guarantees have been accessible for us. They’ve been accessible. God is an excellent father and he needs to bless his kids. He doesn’t withhold his presents and he doesn’t have the benefit of seeing us missing. The church is the sunshine of the world. The church is the physique of Christ. We’re the sunshine of the world. God’s not attempting to cover that mild. He needs that mild to shine vivid, however he strikes on religion.
WES: And a lot of it’s simply believing that that’s true, that the church is one. The Lord our God, he’s one, the church is one, the church is the sunshine of the world, the church is the salt of the earth. If we imagine that that’s true, we don’t must make it true. Jesus has already made it true. The Holy Spirit has already made it true. We simply must stay into it. We’ve to imagine that it’s true.
WILLIE: Say that once more. I like that.
WES: Yeah. We don’t must make this true. This isn’t by works. It’s not by our personal efforts. We merely imagine that the guarantees of God are already true and we stay into them and we stay them out even when it appears ridiculous, even when it seems like individuals are us, pondering, “What on the earth are you folks pondering? You’re silly; you don’t perceive what you’re doing.” That’s what religion has all the time appeared prefer to the scoffer. That’s what it’s all the time appeared prefer to the unbeliever. It all the time seems like we’ve misplaced our minds, however we merely imagine that the guarantees of God have been true, are true, and can ceaselessly be true.
WILLIE: Take a look at what you simply mentioned. Me and you might be already unified by the gospel of Jesus.
WES: That’s proper. That’s proper. Amen.
WILLIE: We don’t must do something this night. This dialog isn’t for us to get collectively. That’s what the world is attempting to do. However for those who’ve obeyed the gospel, we’re already unified. The issue is we now have not acknowledged what has already been given to us, which is unity. Scripture tells us we have to battle to protect it, nevertheless it has already been given to us. So then our dialog isn’t what can we do to come back collectively, as a result of we’re already collectively in Christ. Then our query is, how do we wish God to make use of us? Lord, I wish to take away all the things in my coronary heart ‑‑ Lord, I wish to take away all the things in my spirit that’s hindering you from utilizing us. So we’re solely coming collectively to wish, to empty ourselves in order that the Lord may be stuffed in us to do his great ‑‑ and he says, “and better works will they do.” He mentioned, “You suppose I’ve executed one thing? Better works that they are going to do to those that will imagine.” We’ve to be ‑‑ are we actually believers? And when an individual is known as a believer, then it’s actually ‑‑ when the church believes, it is sort of a man that units himself on fireplace. The world will watch and are available to see him burn. When any person’s on fireplace, you may’t assist however look and stare. You don’t even wish to stare, however you may’t assist however look and stare and say, “What’s that fireside?”
I had a gentleman one time posted a lesson or sermon. He mentioned, “Hey, I respect the fervour.” It’s extra than simply ardour; it’s religion. Ardour dwindles. I can get enthusiastic about God, after which I get some dangerous information. Any individual might go away. My religion doesn’t disappear due to tragedy. Truly, tragedy intensifies it. If I am going by means of hassle ‑‑ you see stars at evening. If I’m going by means of a darkish season in my life, you’re gonna see the celebs as a result of stars shine brighter within the evening. So I inform folks, I say, hey, I imagine in God not simply due to what I learn. Everyone has an affidavit. I’ve an affidavit. I’ve seen some darkish moments. It was God that introduced me by means of. Now, if he can carry me by means of that, you may’t inform me about nothing else. If I’ve seen the darkness and if I’ve seen evil, and God delivered me once I was at a spot the place I assumed I had no extra hope and he gave me hope, he set me again on my toes, he put me in locations that I don’t should be in ‑‑ I’ve no enterprise representing him, and he allowed me ‑‑ because the apostle Paul mentioned, I used to be the chief of sinners. I shouldn’t even be doing this. And for God to have sufficient grace and mercy to increase to me, how ‑‑ if God gave me that a lot grace, how am I not gonna be forgiving to any person, present grace and mercy to any person? How will I withhold the goodness of God? Why gained’t I communicate it on each nook? If he introduced me out of that lion’s den ‑‑ anyone who’s ever been in a spot the place you thought it was over and God allow you to see one other day, it is best to come out of that lion’s den saying, “For the remainder of my life, I’m going to inform folks about Jesus Christ. I’m going to inform folks concerning the great works of God. I wish to inform folks about how he makes a method in deserts and the way he brings rain in a drought, how God could make a bridge over troubled waters, how God can take away the storm and can help you see the solar once more.”
There are such a lot of individuals who lived in melancholy for therefore lengthy, and God got here by means of and allow them to see the solar. Some folks thought they have been by no means gonna chuckle once more. Some folks thought they have been by no means gonna really feel pleasure once more, and now they’re sitting in a season of their lives they usually’re laughing they usually’re laughing, saying, “I by no means thought I’d have these feelings.” I imply, God is so superior, and he’s doing his work by means of the church. And I like what you simply mentioned. We’re not working to be unified; we’re unified. We simply must establish the voices of Devil that’s attempting to persuade us that the hurdle is just too excessive. The hurdle isn’t too excessive. Actually, no matter we wish to accomplish within the physique of Christ, if we undergo the desire of God, that factor is already executed.
That’s what religion ‑‑ that’s how religion talks. Religion has a language. That factor is already executed. Souls will already be saved. I’m excited. Matter of reality, I’m excited even now. There’s a research I’m presupposed to have. Any individual’s gonna get saved this week. Like God is transferring and we received to speak like that. We received to speak like that extra. That’s why I like conversations like this as a result of it makes me wish to even get again to work, and iron does sharpen iron. We’ve received to have irons within the room.
WES: Amen. Properly, Brother, thanks for this dialog. You’ve lit me on fireplace. You’ve inspired me, and, Brother, I thanks on your religion. I thanks for the work you’re doing within the kingdom.
WILLIE: Bless you, as nicely.
