Pastor Bill Johnston began a new message series entitled “Adventures in Faith.” “Faith” is too often just an overused buzzword, with little meaning and even less impact. Real faith can impact every area of our lives, from the spiritual to the practical, the routine, and even the exceptional realities we face. Embracing A God-sized faith is to live life’s journey on the edge, the edge of the known and the unknown, the edge of safety or risk, the edge of self-confidence or God-confidence, the edge of a predictable future or a breath-taking adventure.
ADVENTURES IN FAITH: A GOD-SIZED FAITH
Message by Bill Johnston – September 2, 2018
Exodus 14:1-31, Joshua 3:1-17
Bill: “Faith is not an adventure unless it is God-sized, unless what is on your radar or what He’s asking you to do is bigger than you can handle, something that you can’t navigate on your own. Then it is a God-sized adventure.”
TWO EXAMPLES OF A GOD-SIZED FAITH
1. MOSES AND THE RED SEA – Exodus 14:16 Pick up your staff and raise your hand over the sea. Divide the water so the Israelites can walk through the middle of the sea on dry ground.
2. JOSHUA AND THE JORDAN RIVE – Joshua 3:12-13 Now choose twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one from each tribe. The priests will carry the Ark of the Lord, the Lord of all the earth. As soon as their feet touch the water, the flow of water will be cut off upstream, and the river will stand up like a wall.
OBSERVATIONS: A GOD-SIZED FAITH …
1. LEADS TO FORWARD MOTION AND SPECIFIC ACTION
Exodus 14:15-16 (Bill’s paraphrase) “Stop praying! Get moving. Pick up your staff. Raise your hand. Divide the water.”
2. MEANS YOU FOCUS ON GOD’S ABILITY
Hebrews 11:27,29a It was by faith that Moses left the land of Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger. He kept right on going because he kept his eyes on the one who is invisible…It was by faith that the people of Israel went right through the Red Sea as though they were on dry ground.
3. WILL TAKE YOU WHERE YOU’VE NEVER BEEN BEFORE
Joshua 3:3-4a …When you see the Levitical priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord your God, move out from your positions and follow them. Since you have never traveled this way before, they will guide you.
4. IS THE CONVICTION THAT GOD WILL WORK THROUGH YOU
Joshua 3:5 “Purify yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do great wonders among you.”
5. MEANS YOU MIGHT GET YOUR FEET WET
Joshua 3:15-16a It was the harvest season, and the Jordan was overflowing its banks. But as soon as the feet of the priests who were carrying the Ark touched the water at the river’s edge, the water above that point began backing up a great distance away…
6. PROVIDES EVIDENCE OF THE PRESENCE AND POWER OF GOD
Exodus 14:4 God said, “I have planned this in order to display my glory through Pharaoh and his whole army. After this the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord!”
Joshua 4:24 He did this so all the nations of the earth might know that the Lord’s hand is powerful, and so you might fear the Lord your God forever.
THINGS TO THINK ABOUT
1. Do I consider my journey of faith a routine or a God-sized adventure?
2. Where is God asking me for forward motion and specific action?
3. Is my faith journey taking me to a place I’ve never been? How am I responding?
4. When will I risk taking the first step forward in faith, knowing that I just might get my feet wet?
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