Bill Johnson - Obeying Your Way to Great Faith
Thank you so much! It’s wonderful to see people, humans. I don’t think I’ve ever taken it for granted, but I know one thing: I never will. Having fasted from humans for a year was not near as fun as they said it would be. How many of you, this is your first time back in the building since the, uh, the whole thing? Welcome, welcome to all of you. Bless you, and to all of our online family—you know, something strange happened this past year. 'Strange' is probably the wrong word, but actually, it’s probably a good word. Just the awareness of our online family, because all of you were my family for a while, and we have people all over the world who connect with us. Goodness, I think there’s something like 500,000 on our Bethel TV subscription list. So there are people all over the world, and we’re just so thrilled. I love when I get to travel to meet so many of our online family, and it really plays a significant role in so many people’s lives. Anyway, I’m just happy, blubbering and running off at the mouth just because I’m happy.
So all the moms, please stand up: moms, want-to-be moms, however it works. Just get in, except for the guys—you stay down! I don’t care what Ben prayed; I don’t want that healed. I do not want that miracle. No, sir! Okay, recovery bill, focus, focus. Just extend a hand toward them, lay hands on these folks. We want to pray that this next season would be a season of fulfilled dreams. There’s an interesting verse where it says of John the Baptist’s dad, the angel spoke to him and said, «Your prayers have been heard.» The original language can be translated, «The prayers you no longer pray have been heard.»
So, Lord, we are praying for resurrected dreams—that You would empower dreams and that this would be a season of fulfilled dreams, a fulfilled purpose in every way—in fact, all of it with greater rest, not greater striving, but with greater rest—and that You would bless these wonderful women in Jesus' name. Amen, amen, amen. Alright, you can go ahead and sit down.
Oh, yeah, ever since I was a child, I’ve always had a fear of somebody being under my bed at night. So I went to a shrink and told him I had problems. Every time I go to bed, I think there’s someone under it. I’m scared. I think I’m going crazy. The doctor said, «Just put your life in my hands for a year. Come talk to me three times a week; we should be able to get rid of those fears.» I asked, «How much do you charge?» He said, «80 a visit.» I replied, «I’ll sleep on it.»
Six months later, the doctor met me on the street and asked, «Why didn’t you come see me about those fears you were having?» I responded, «Well, 80 bucks a visit three times a week is over twelve thousand dollars over the course of a year. My neighbor cured me for free! I was so happy to save all that money; I went and bought a truck.»
«Is that so?» the doctor asked with a bit of an attitude. «And how may I ask did your neighbor cure you?» I told him, «He told me to cut the legs off the bed; ain’t nobody under there now!» It’s so dumb; it’s just first-class dumb.
Alright, alright, Matthew chapter—excuse me, Mark chapter four. We’ve got several portions of Scripture I want to read today, so we’ll just kind of do our best. I’ve tried twice; I’m going to try again a third time, and the next service will be the fourth try. If I don’t get it by that time, we’re just going to forget it; I’m just going to go home. Alright, Mark chapter four.
There are, um, I usually— we’re going to talk a little bit about the parable of the seed and the sower, a pretty familiar parable. I want to talk about it because of one phrase that is found in Mark’s Gospel. I usually teach on this from Matthew’s because there are some other words that are used that are really helpful to understand what the Lord is driving at here. Parables are mysterious; they’re interesting because they were given both to illustrate truth and to conceal truth. The same story would hide truth from those who are not ready to obey and reveal truth to those who are ready to obey, and it’s the mercy of God to withhold insight, to withhold revelation from people who are not ready to obey. Because if He randomly just throws out increased revelation to everybody, He increases their accountability and their responsibility, and therefore increases their judgment.
So God actually withholds truth not out of punishment, but it’s divvied out, in a sense, according to the condition of the heart, and what you and I receive is actually up to us. You say, «Well, God is the one who reveals truth; He’s the one who leads us into truth,» and that’s absolutely true. But He’s already willed for us to step more fully into all that He’s made, and our process contributes to the outcome.
So alright, let’s just go ahead and get right into Mark chapter four. Verse 13 is where we’ll start; this is where He begins to explain the parable. And He said to them, «Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables?» You know what? We’re just going to wade through this, so let’s read that verse again because I want to make sure that you catch this. He said to them, «Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables?» What is He doing? He just marked this parable of the seed and the sower as the key that unlocks all the other parables. Understanding this one actually positions you to understand all the rest. So it’s like a key parable that unlocks the rest.
It says when you understand this one—why is this one so critical? Why is this the one that sets the pace for the rest of Scripture? It’s because when you understand that the Word of God is not just something that’s spoken; the Word of God is actually a person. Then you realize that stewarding a word is stewarding a relationship. And when we realize that the entrance to the Word is actually the entrance of a person—the entrance of a person into a given place in our own hearts—then it changes our role from being people who are trying to analyze specific words to surrendering to a specific person.
Let’s read that again, then we’ll move on down through the story. Like I said, I do have quite a few passages that I want us to look at if we have time. Verse 13 again: He said to them, «Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables?» The sower sows the Word. So here, He’s likening the seed to the Word of God. These are the ones who by the wayside where the Word was sown. When they hear, Satan comes immediately and takes away the Word that was sown in their hearts.
Stop right there; we’ll just go through each verse. So when He talks about seed sown on the wayside, in Bible days, they planted crops differently than today. Today we plow a field and then plant the seed; in biblical days, they actually just threw out the seed and then plowed. When you had walkways that were heavily traveled on, they were so dense and so beaten down that the plow wouldn’t be able to turn the seed over. Those seeds literally just sat on top of the soil, and the birds would come along and take it away. Why? Because it was not planted in the ground itself.
The point is, Matthew’s Gospel emphasizes this: it says when the person didn’t understand the Word that was given to them, then the enemy came as a bird and stole the seed. Understanding was what enabled the seed to penetrate soil. What’s fascinating about this—I did a word study on Matthew’s version of this years ago—and I found that that word «understand» actually means learning that takes place through the five senses, learning that takes place through natural senses. What does that mean? It means that what God says has to be brought into practical human experience, or it is laid open for the enemy to steal.
So in other words, we can hear things; I’ll say caring for the poor. We can hear the message; we can all say Amen. We can do everything intellectually to make an agreement with that, but if it’s not brought into practical human experience, the life of that Word will actually be stolen. It has to bring me to action.
These likewise, verse 16, are the ones sown on stony ground, who when they hear the Word, immediately receive it with gladness. They have no root in themselves. It’s a fascinating phrase; I love that phrase, and I don’t know what it means, but I really like it. They have no root in themselves and so endure only for a time. Afterward, when tribulation or persecution arises for the Word’s sake, immediately they stumble.
Here’s an interesting thing: persecution, tribulation, and difficulties in life arise for the sake of the Word that was spoken into your life. The Word over your life needs to be opposed! I’m just here to encourage you. I’m just here to serve you well; that’s all. The Word of our lives honestly needs opposition. Why? Because you need options! If you don’t have options, there’s no basis for reward.
He can give you gifts randomly, but He wants to reward you because it’s the nature of a father. Those who believe must believe that God is, and that He is a rewarder. There’s an aspect of the Father’s nature that can only be revealed as He rewards a son and daughter for a right choice. When you have no options, there’s no basis for reward. So a Word spoken over your life—you’re going to see people healed, and great miracles are going to take place through your life. And the next month, a friend of yours is very sick and dying, and you pray for them, and nothing happens.
I’m not prophesying that; I’m just saying that’s life! Most of us have gone through that exact scenario. What’s the point? Am I going to believe what God said over my life, or am I going to lend my heart, my emotional strength, my attention to the Word that contradicts it? If I do in this one particular moment, I have given my authority to that which is inferior, and it undermines that which has all authority.
Verse 18: These are the ones sown among thorns—they are the ones who hear the Word, and the cares of this world… That word «cares» is made of two words—it’s the word «divide» and the word «mind.» The cares of this world are actually those things that divide the mind. Are you still breathing and everything alright? Just checking; it’s starting to scare me! Divide the mind.
Contrast that if you like to write your own footnotes, which is one of the main things that I do in my own study. Cross-reference this to the Sermon on the Mount, where Jesus said, «The eye that is single, their body will be full of light.» It’s a very abstract statement that Jesus made. If your body is single—the word there for «single» is made of two words, again, like this word «cares.» The word «single» is the word for the number one and the word «voyage.» The eye of the heart that is set on one voyage, one reason for being alive—that person, everything about them will come under the light of God.
So you contrast that «one voyage» to the «cares of this world,» the divided mind. So it says the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches—riches lie; they pretend to be something that they’re not. They’re useful tools; they’re horrible masters. The deceitfulness of riches, and the desire for other things choke the Word.
So here’s the deal: the way we live—we actually—I’ve already illustrated this in measure, but let me try it again. The Word of God is all-powerful. God spoke and the worlds were made! I mean, He literally speaks things into being, and that Word, which has all power, has been put into my heart. At this moment in time, I have the ability to give my heart to something that’s inferior, and because I am in authority—all of us are authorities—not titles now, but as followers of the Lord. People that God has given authority to have been given us the authority to choose what we’re going to feed our souls with.
So many people experience ups and downs emotionally because you consider things that are unnecessary. You entertain ideas and thoughts that are draining, and you’re constantly fighting a battle you weren’t designed for. When I entertain these things that are opposed to the Word of God over my life, I’m actually lending my authority to an inferior thing, and it chokes the all-powerful thing, which is the Word of God. That’s what it says: the desire for these other things choke the Word of God.
Verse 20: These are the ones sown on good ground; they hear the Word, accept it, and bear fruit—some thirtyfold, some sixty, some a hundred. Jump down to verse 24; actually, verse 23: If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear. What’s interesting—just the interesting phrase; it’s all through the New Testament. Jesus says, «If you have ears to hear, let him hear.» What is He saying? In the parable of the sower, there are four groups of people. They all heard, but only one of them heard. They all heard, but only one of them heard.
Three kinds of soil illustrate the person that hears with their ears only and not with their heart. The last one, because it was able to produce eternal fruit, heard with surrender. Humility and surrender are the conditions of soil that makes the Word of God fully effective.
So verse 24, He said to them: «Take heed what you hear. With the same measure you use, it will be measured to you, and to you who hear, more will be given. Whoever has, to him more will be given, and whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away.»
Look at verse 24 again: «Take heed what you hear. With the same measure you use, it will be measured to you.» To you who hear, more will be given. Oftentimes we see people that have a lifestyle of continuous revelation of Scripture, and we attribute it to a gift and not to a measure.
That was a really good point, a really good point! Oftentimes we see people flourish in revelation knowledge of Scripture, and we just assume that’s the gift that God has given them. Maybe, but maybe it’s the measure they set. Because He says whatever you have, more will be added. Measurements have two natures, two functions as I understand: one is quantity. A cup of flour, a gallon of gas—your children can’t ride this ride unless they’re this tall—there’s quantity and then there’s quality.
There’s a measurement of quality where you are on a line where all these apples are going by, and you pick all the ones that have brown spots, and the rest go into being sold. It’s quantity measurement. Quality, excuse me—you can take any person; let’s just say, um, who has a bench towards gossip. They just like gossip—that’s a measurement in their life. You always attract what you value. You can take that person, believe it or not, and stick them down at a business where there’s 100 people working there. They start this next week, and by the following week, the gossips in the business will already know who they are—not because they put a sign on their desk saying, «I love gossip,» but because there’s this unwritten attraction.
An attraction that the Scripture says you set the measure, it will be given to you. It’s true in the negative; it’s also true in the positive. When you have an appetite for that which God is saying, you will hear Him in the lyrics of a song in a store. You will have a friend call you on the phone with a dream. You will attract these things into your life because they are of value to you. There’s a measurement that has been set, and it will be tested.
You don’t have a measurement that includes off-color jokes, and what do you do in that moment when it is given? Reinforcing the measurement actually increases the supply. I’ve told you for years what I try to do with the prophetic words over my life: I review them when I work out—five or six days a week—and while I’m working out, I play prophetic words. Most of the time, I play prophetic words; sometimes I’ll play other things, but I have that going, listening. Why? Because I can’t afford to have thoughts in my head about me that He doesn’t have in His head about me. I only want to reinforce what He has declared.
So the only thing I know to do is to take those things that have been declared, that I believe are truly the Word of the Lord, are confirmed in my heart, and I review those things—not to make them happen, but to be the person that says yes. He doesn’t give out information to make us smarter; He’s not that concerned about our intelligence. He’s concerned about my Christ-likeness, and when He speaks, it’s always to change me, always to equip me, always to enable me, always to invite me. It’s always for profit—not for profit, but I’ll show you later.
So here He says, «Whoever has, verse 25, more will be given. Whoever does not have, even what he has shall be taken from him.» I love the Bible; I love my Bible. I love stuff like that! Even he who does not have, even what he has, shall be taken away—that’s not fair! Don’t talk to me about that. Our job is to read what He says and say Amen, and if it offends you, adjust—because He’s not changing! You do not want a God that fits your approval because you will have a mirror that reveals you. I do not read the Word to study the Word; I read the Word because it studies me.
It’s a relational journey; it’s living. There’s so many years of reading this, and I’m so thankful for faithfulness over time—it just pays off. You just got to understand there’s something about just doing the right thing for a long time that you just start cashing in on investments from 20 years ago. You didn’t like the investment 20 years ago, but you’re really going to like it 20 years from now. It’s like the guy who says, «The best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago; the second best time is now.» You just pay whatever price you need to pay because you’re investing into your future.
There’s something about this Word that just comes alive. I remember years ago, I was in the old Bethel over on Bacheli Lane. My dad was pastoring; I was in the library, and I was just starting to read the Bible for myself, as strange as that may sound. I hated reading anything—I liked pictures in my hunting magazines! But the reading part, I just wasn’t into. I remember just standing there talking to a friend, and I took a book off the shelf. I can still see it; it was small, white, kind of those embroidered-type or textured covers. I can’t remember which color was embossed, but I picked this book off and just opened it. I started to read, and I thought, «Man, this guy’s good!» I was reading and reading and reading, and at the end, I realized, «Oh, I was reading Scripture!» Because I wasn’t familiar with it; I was not familiar with these passages.
The point I’m trying to make is it was bringing life, and I could feel it take place. I could feel it. I thought, «Man, this is so good!» And then I kept reading, and I turned the page, and I thought, «Oh no wonder it’s so good—it’s actually God talking! That’s pretty cool!» When you go to a nice restaurant, and you get one of these amazing meals, you often have that meal with a very elaborate and sometimes complicated recipe and procedure to make that particular meal.
And probably for most of those meals, if you’ve ever been to one of those kinds of restaurants where you have that «aha» moment—like, «I just got born again again!"—after eating this meal, when you have that moment, the truth be told, if you were to see what was in the recipe, probably half the ingredients you would not eat on their own. Don’t just read the parts about Jesus that you like; read the parts that bother you. Why? Because it’s all put together into one amazing meal.
Alright, I just feel better having said that. Go with me to James chapter 1. James chapter 1—we’ve got a couple more verses here that I would like for us to read. I just feel this urgency; I don’t feel urgency in the sense of panic, but I feel urgency in the sense of opportunity to hear what the Lord is saying. Because we, it will be life to us in this next season: James chapter 1, verse 21: «Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness.» That’s a good plan right there. Lay that all aside, and receive with meekness the implanted Word which is able to save your soul.
And receive with meekness the implanted Word. The New American Standard, I believe, says, «In humility receive the Word implanted, which is able to save your souls.» Goodness! 500 years ago during the Protestant Reformation, for which we are very thankful, many wonderful things took place in that period of time. But one of the things that happened is they were breaking off from the Catholic Church, and I’m not trying to take sides—I’m just trying to say they were trying to break off from the Catholic Church to do their own thing.
It was a protest. And the Catholic Church believed in supernatural signs, wonders, and miracles, and so to make a distinction, they rejected miracles except for conversion. So salvation to the Protestant Church was an invitation to be born again. But the original language, which many of you have heard us use this word sozo around here for the last 20-some years, the word sozo is a word that actually means refers to being born again, forgiven of sin, but it also means deliverance from torment and healing of disease.
So when a person gets born again, the opportunity is there for them to be healed and for them to be delivered of any torment. It’s supposed to be one package. We’ve spent 500 years trying to crawl out of that hole that was dug for us so many years ago. I don’t say that in accusation or resentment; I say it to help clarify why we face some of the struggles that we face in our own maturity.
What does this say? In humility, receive the Word implanted, which is able to sozo your souls. Receive the Word in humility; receive the Word implanted. You know, you want to find an exciting read? Just take a proverb a day—a chapter of Proverbs every day—and just try to find every time it talks about health or healing, anything to do with physical strength. You will find a continual flow of information about the Word of God that impacts our health—our condition emotionally, mentally, physically, spiritually—it’s all connected.
Listen to this: «My son, give attention to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. Do not let them depart from your eyes; keep them in the midst of your heart.» Why? «They are life to those who find them and health to all their flesh.» What God says is health to all your flesh. «Keep your heart with all diligence; out of it flow the issues of life.» The book of Proverbs is, from one end to the other, talks about this life-giving Word that God gives to us.
But when you approach the Word as something you’re going to dissect instead of something that’s going to dissect you, we often study, looking for information to reaffirm what we believe instead of reading the Word to be transformed. It’s a living Word; it’s alive.
This is Jesus! Imprint parts of the recipe are: «For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son,» and another part of the recipe is: «If you don’t die, you can’t follow me.» It’s— that’s the way it is. «Pick up your cross, then come.» In humility, receive the Word implanted, which is able to save your soul.
Interesting! In 1 Thessalonians 2:13, he said the Word of God carries—the word it uses here is «effective.» It’s the effective word of God in your heart. The word for «effective» is the energy of God. So picture it this way: God’s energy—and He doesn’t run out. When it’s windy, He doesn’t shut it off. Fires don’t scare Him; the energy of God is contained in the Word that He speaks.
Here’s the deal: we had one of our guys sharing this morning—a great testimony! We had some students in Texas, and Joel Power gave this word of knowledge according to a lady and said, «Do you have a son? His name starts with the letter J, and God is healing something with his brain.» Come to find out, the son, as Joshua, has autism, has never spoken, and when she got home, he spoke in complete sentences and answered her!
Now you can say those words from now until Jesus comes home and have nothing happen, but when they originate in the heart of the father, and all of us want to say life-changing words. But first, you have to hear life-changing words. It’s the—you see, He’s got the heart to change, to shape the course of history, to change lives of people around us. He has the desire. He doesn’t lack the vision; He has already put everything in motion for there to be solutions. He’s just waiting for people like you and me to hear and then say what He’s saying.
Alright, Hebrews 4—we’ll make this our last portion of Scripture. Hebrews chapter 4, this is a contrast, a comparison between the New Testament Church coming into a place of rest—a place of absolute unity in Christ—and Israel trying to get into the promised land. So it has this prophetic imagery.
So listen to this: verse 2, «For indeed the gospel was preached to us as well as to them, but the Word which they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard it.»
Alright, two things I want to draw your attention to. Number one, He says the Word they heard didn’t profit them. What does that imply? Every time God talks to you, He wants you to profit. And don’t reduce it to a raise at work; it may include money occasionally, but it’s not about that. It’s about life! It’s about the life of God coming into us in a way where things just work; things function as they were designed to function.
So he said the Word did not profit them, «not being mixed with faith.» Look down at verse 6: «Since therefore remains that some must enter it, those to whom it was first preached did not enter because of disobedience.» Alright, just think with me: did they not enter because of disobedience or because they didn’t unite the Word with faith? Do you see what it says there? It says they failed to enter because they didn’t unite the Word with faith, and then it says they didn’t enter because of disobedience.
So what is it? Yes, two sides of the same coin! If you evaluate your faith, you’ll never do anything; it’s a wrong place to look. I cannot put any attention on whatever level of faith I have or don’t have. My only question is, what does He want me to do? Because I can always obey! You can obey your way into great faith. The question isn’t, do I have enough faith? The question is, what did He say to do? Am I supposed to act? Am I supposed to go? Am I supposed to give? Am I supposed to rest? Am I supposed to pursue? Am I supposed to fast? What am I supposed to do? That’s all I need to know because I think I can obey myself into great faith.
Verse 11 and 12, we’ll wrap it up with this. I haven’t figured out how to end this message. I’ve got one more crack at it after this, and if it doesn’t work there, then I’m just going to quit and go home. You know what? If it does work, I’m still going to quit and go home.
Alright, verse 11 and 12: «Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience. For the Word of God is living and powerful, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intentions of the heart.»
Alright, let’s take that last phrase there. The Word of God is a discerner of the thoughts and intentions of the heart. That is not saying the Word of God helps you to discern the thoughts and intentions of another person. I heard somebody say recently that the Word of God does not enable us to discern the thoughts and intentions of another person. The Bible says no one can know your own heart; how in the world are you going to know someone else’s? You’ve got a full-time job wading through this thing to find out what’s going on in your own heart, and people come to all the time and say, «Oh, that person’s just trying to do this, or the reason they’re doing this is for the…» Oh, just shut up. You don’t know what you’re talking about!
Next time you want to do that, just look for the sign. There’s a sign there that says «No Trespassing.» Don’t go there; just stay away from that because it’s not legal territory for you to trample on. It’s just not!
«Well, I know the reason they did this.» No, you don’t; you don’t even know the reason! You think you know their reason. I’ve got to stop there!
Alright, so here’s the deal: the Word of God actually enables us to see our heart. That’s the whole point; it’s a mirror! You look at it, and you see things clearly—never to shame, but always to invite. He doesn’t expose to ridicule. It’s always to say, «That attitude there, that’s not going to work. That won’t last much longer.» You know, it’s kind of like when Moses could only go so far without doing the circumcision thing on his family; he couldn’t go any further until he took care of business.
He couldn’t go any further until he took his shoes off in that place. Sometimes you go as far as you can go, and you have to make a decision; and it’s the Word of God that makes things clear in our heart.
And I’ll end with this thought out of Romans 10:17 that I actually spoke to you about a few weeks ago, but it bears repeating: «Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.» Faith comes by hearing; hearing comes by the Word of God. This is what opens and empowers our capacity to hear the voice of God. It’s the voice that releases faith for the moment, but it’s this that keeps us accurate and central with what He’s saying.
Oh goodness, you know, I’m going off track here, but I’ve got a few minutes. So I can just make one more mess, and then I’ll feel good about my life! When the Lord speaks to you, it’s very affirming, right? I mean, there’s just that sense of affirmation. I mean, there is something that helps to build a sense of identity, purpose—all that stuff—just becomes clear when the Lord speaks.
He uses you; maybe it’s a word of knowledge; maybe you have this question you ask a person—it brings them into a breakthrough. It’s just affirming! The problem is we sometimes don’t know the difference between that feel-good affirming moment when God has spoken to us and the feel-good feeling moment when we have a desire that we’re hoping is God.
I’m not sure if I said that very well, but I know what I meant, and it was really good! There’s maybe somebody who will give you—they pray over you that you know, let’s just make it weird! You know, somebody’s going to give you a great inheritance; you’re going to have all this money or something, and, «Oh yeah! That’s got to be God!» Why? We can even quote verses to make sure it sounds like God, but what happens is that feel-good thing that we felt—we haven’t learned to distinguish between that which is born of the Spirit of God when He speaks to us and that which comes out of our own gratification.
And that’s what this does: it cuts! It says, «This is self-gratification. This is also feel-good, but it’s the will of God. It’s the Spirit of God. It’s your privilege to co-labor with the Almighty God! This is counterfeit; it’s inferior; it will only lead to death. This is life-giving; it brings life to you and everyone you influence.»
And the Word of God cuts! I think that was my third ending, and I’m pretty sure I’m going to stick with it right there.
Why don’t you stand and say this with me: I can obey my way into great faith. Make that statement with me: I can obey my way into great faith!
I remember, you know, I’ve told you before—I mean, I hated reading. I just—I never read the Bible until I was like 18. It was there; I remember a contest at vacation Bible school—if you memorized Scripture, you did enough of them, you got a candy bar or something. So I just randomly opened, found the smallest verse I could find, remembered it long enough to get in there and quote it, and after enough, I got a candy bar!
So my motives were completely pure—chocolate is chocolate!
But I didn’t read—happy Mother’s Day, Kathy! Happy Mother’s Day to my mom and to my wife and all of you! Bless you. There are people all over the world that can’t have one of these.
Do you know? It only takes a conversation level—it takes 72 hours to read through the entire Bible from beginning to end. 72 hours is all! Most of us read at twice that; 36 hours—all it takes for most people to read cover to cover. It’s not complicated, but it is alive!
I feel like this next year could be a year of the Word. I don’t want to just announce something; we’ve got probably a thousand titles we could give to this next year, but this is one of them. As far as today goes, this is the one!
I may add to it next week, but I feel like this is the year of the Word of God. This is the year where I’m not just studying. I–I know I can do better, and I don’t mean this in an achievement way; I just—I know I can do better at preserving what God has spoken over my life. I’ve given my attention to it; I’ve valued it—but I want to extract more of that which He has spoken.
We have decisions as a staff constantly, and we’ll ask the question, «Alright, is there a prophetic word about this? What has the Lord said? What do we have?» Sometimes we’ll go back in history to a word we got 30 years ago from Dick Joyce, a wonderful prophet friend of ours.
But the point is: if you set the measure, you’ll attract it. You set the measure—this is what I value in my life; it will come to you. You attract what you value, and the Lord will speak to you, and five years from now, ten years from now, you’ll have a notebook of things the Lord has declared over your life that will be life itself to you. It will be bread for your soul—be stuff that you feed yourself on. You go, «I’ve got a hard decision to make— all I want is the will of God. Has He already spoken, or is He about to speak again?» That’s all I need to know: has He already spoken? If He has, then I’ve got to see what is it that He wants me to do.
We do this all the time, all the time! Yeah, when some years ago David Wagner spoke this word, some years ago Bob Hazlett spoke this word, and we compare our moment that we’re in with what was spoken. Sometimes it’s the highlighted verse; somebody will share in a staff devotional, and they’ll just say, «This verse stood out to me,» or «I had this dream last night,» or whatever. You have to steward those things—they’re not moments for temporary entertainment; they’re engagements with the heart of God.
I want to steward well what He’s said and what He’s saying, because His plans are beyond the reach of my imagination and beyond the reach of my faith! He’s already promised—that’s where He’ll work.
I just don’t want to miss my chance. I don’t expect to comprehend it. I certainly don’t want to direct Him; I just want to be involved. I just want to be in the room!
So Father, that’s what we pray. Put your hand on your own heart and hold your Bible out or do something. Father, we just pray this: let this Word, this wonderful, wonderful Word of God, that so much of the world can enjoy—because it’s illegal—in fact, I’m telling you folks, if we don’t get some things changed in our own country, this book is about to be labeled hate speech!
I don’t say that for panic or fear; I’m just saying we’ve got to be responsible—we’ve got to be responsible. Father, I’m asking that You would cause this that is so treasured all over the world to become alive again in us. Help us to represent You well with all that You’ve said. Amen!
I want to ask a question first, so no moving around. I know there’s always—when we have this many people in a room, there’s always a chance that we have somebody here who doesn’t have a personal relationship with Jesus, never been born again, don’t know what it is to be a disciple, a follower of Jesus—and yet you’re here today. I believe the invitation is here for you.
Those who are online, the invitation is there. Jesus says, «Come!» Literally, He says, «Come! All of you who are tired, you’re worn out, come! I’ll give you rest!» This invitation is here today for anyone in this room or online that would find themselves in that place and say, «Bill, I don’t want to leave the building until I know what it is to be a real, true disciple of Jesus.» If that’s you, I want you to put a hand up because we’re just going to pray for you real quickly. Just put your hand up high! I don’t want to miss you—right over here; excellent! Right over here is one—wonderful!
Jesus, thank You, Lord! Is there anybody else? I don’t want to miss you—don’t want to miss you!
Okay, won’t you help me out? We got a put your hand up again—over here! Go right over there and pray with this man and let him be filled with the presence and power of Jesus—forgiven of sin. Amen!
Chris, come on up! Those of you that are online, just put in the chat box; just let them know, «I want to know Jesus; I want to be forgiven of sin,» and someone—one of the pastors will get online and help you with this. Chris, come on!