Firstly, a big thank you to everyone who booked into RiverFest. When we started to plan this event my faith goal was for 320 people. I’m delighted to say that a little more than 320 of us are going away together for a wonder-filled weekend in July.
The God who loves to bless continues to pour out His blessing abundantly. I am already blessed in the planning. All those who go will be blessed through our love for one another and the powerful ministries of Dary Northrop and Carl Wills. The whole of River will be blessed as our churches are filled with the fresh inspiration and energy the weekend releases. And our communities will be blessed because we’ll love them more deeply and bring more of heaven to earth. Please pray for the final preparations and that the weekend will be filled with wonder as we all come face to face with the God who loves us.
The Holy Spirit keeps me meditating on Hebrews 11:6, “Without faith it is impossible to please Him”. I feel His encouragement to step out in faith and to adventure with Him. Not to settle for past victories or to live safely within the bounds of previous experience. He is challenging me to fresh faith and I believe He is encouraging us all to grow in faith. It doesn’t matter how much faith we have, but is it exercised? Like Peter stepping out onto the water, are we stepping out into the unknown, trusting He has spoken?
When I first came to trust in Jesus, to pray aloud required fresh faith, to hold my hands up in worship felt uncomfortable, to tithe my income challenged me, to tell someone how wonderful Jesus is was awkward and to speak in tongues seemed an impossible dream. Later, saying yes to lead a small group required new levels of faith and trust in the Lord. But Living by Faith: Colin Barnes with each new step of faith, Father kept meeting me and encouraging me and the Spirit kept drawing me on. Now for me to pray spontaneously in tongues and to twirl about in worship is natural. Now I walk in the realm of faith required to lead the whole of River. My point is that each new step of faith is scary. It requires us to step over fear and into the uncertain, to trust we won’t sink and that His unseen hand will hold us up.
Another aspect of faith is that it requires us to do things that only make sense if there is a God who loves us and is asking us to do them. If we only do what good sense dictates or take the routes others expect, that is simply wisdom. Wisdom is good, but it is not faith. Sometimes, living by faith means doing something that wise people might think strange or foolish. On the other hand, some people think that faith normally requires us to act strangely, but always choosing the less wise option is not faith, it is foolishness! The question for each one of us is: What will I do today, whether wise or foolish, that I am only doing because I believe He has spoken? That is living by faith!
As a leadership we believe God has called us to become an apostolic resource centre. That’s why we’ve restructured ourselves around becoming a regional network and set a budget £20k greater than last year’s. The good news is that God is already meeting us in this step of faith and I have been weeping in gratitude at your generosity and His faithfulness. Firstly, The Pastures, a church in Wycombe, is seeking to join Pioneer linked through River. Secondly, we’ve had some incredibly generous gifts recently, giving us confidence we will meet this year’s budget and can look to employ a youth leader!
He is faithful and will be glorified in us as we step out. So let’s continue to take steps of faith based upon His goodness and His upward call in Christ Jesus!
The God who loves to bless continues to pour out His blessing abundantly. I am already blessed in the planning. All those who go will be blessed through our love for one another and the powerful ministries of Dary Northrop and Carl Wills. The whole of River will be blessed as our churches are filled with the fresh inspiration and energy the weekend releases. And our communities will be blessed because we’ll love them more deeply and bring more of heaven to earth. Please pray for the final preparations and that the weekend will be filled with wonder as we all come face to face with the God who loves us.
The Holy Spirit keeps me meditating on Hebrews 11:6, “Without faith it is impossible to please Him”. I feel His encouragement to step out in faith and to adventure with Him. Not to settle for past victories or to live safely within the bounds of previous experience. He is challenging me to fresh faith and I believe He is encouraging us all to grow in faith. It doesn’t matter how much faith we have, but is it exercised? Like Peter stepping out onto the water, are we stepping out into the unknown, trusting He has spoken?
When I first came to trust in Jesus, to pray aloud required fresh faith, to hold my hands up in worship felt uncomfortable, to tithe my income challenged me, to tell someone how wonderful Jesus is was awkward and to speak in tongues seemed an impossible dream. Later, saying yes to lead a small group required new levels of faith and trust in the Lord. But Living by Faith: Colin Barnes with each new step of faith, Father kept meeting me and encouraging me and the Spirit kept drawing me on. Now for me to pray spontaneously in tongues and to twirl about in worship is natural. Now I walk in the realm of faith required to lead the whole of River. My point is that each new step of faith is scary. It requires us to step over fear and into the uncertain, to trust we won’t sink and that His unseen hand will hold us up.
Another aspect of faith is that it requires us to do things that only make sense if there is a God who loves us and is asking us to do them. If we only do what good sense dictates or take the routes others expect, that is simply wisdom. Wisdom is good, but it is not faith. Sometimes, living by faith means doing something that wise people might think strange or foolish. On the other hand, some people think that faith normally requires us to act strangely, but always choosing the less wise option is not faith, it is foolishness! The question for each one of us is: What will I do today, whether wise or foolish, that I am only doing because I believe He has spoken? That is living by faith!
As a leadership we believe God has called us to become an apostolic resource centre. That’s why we’ve restructured ourselves around becoming a regional network and set a budget £20k greater than last year’s. The good news is that God is already meeting us in this step of faith and I have been weeping in gratitude at your generosity and His faithfulness. Firstly, The Pastures, a church in Wycombe, is seeking to join Pioneer linked through River. Secondly, we’ve had some incredibly generous gifts recently, giving us confidence we will meet this year’s budget and can look to employ a youth leader!
He is faithful and will be glorified in us as we step out. So let’s continue to take steps of faith based upon His goodness and His upward call in Christ Jesus!
No comments:
Post a Comment