From Comfort to Abundance

I found in my short life that God is a good God. >> And he's never ever ever let me down. >> The truth is I've let myself down a few times. Anybody else? >> I've let myself down a few times, but I know this truth that God has never let me down. >> God is a God that I can rely on. In fact, that's what the word believe means. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved from the wroth that is to come. From the judgment that is to come, you'll be saved. Believe means to fully rely upon God. In other words, take yourself out of your keeping and place yourself into his keeping. That's a big deal. It needs surrender. But when we believe that way, God is able to do amazing things in and through our lives. And I'm grateful for the goodness of God in all the years that I've known him. In fact, from the age of seven, when I gave my life to to God and said, "God, I want you to lead my life. I want you to forgive me for the things I've done in my life that have not pleased you, things I know that are wrong. Thank you, God, that you've forgave me and you cleanse me from all of that unrighteousness." And today, I can declare God is a good God. Well, over the last uh month now, I've been trying to preach a word and not been able to do so. I'm not quite sure why. I've I've asked the Lord about this. Have I misheard you, Lord? Or is this for a season? Is this something you're wanting to do and it wasn't quite the right time? I'm hoping this morning it is the right time. And we will know as we get into this this morning. So, can we turn to the Bible in the Old Testament, Joshua chapter 1? This word is called from comfort to abundance and this is the third time I've tried to preach this word. So God help me this morning I pray in Jesus name. Joshua chapter 1 1-9 after the death of Moses the servant of God. God spoke to Joshua Moses assistant Moses my servant is dead. Get going. Cross this Jordan River, you and all the people. Cross to the country I am giving to the people of Israel. I'm giving you every square inch of the land you set your foot on. Just as I promised Moses, it is all yours all your life. No one will be able to hold out against you. In the same way that I was with Moses, I will be with you. I won't give up on you. I won't leave you. strength, courage. You're going to lead this people to inherit the land that I promised. Give it everything you have, heart and soul. Make sure you carry out the revelation that Moses commanded you. Every bit of it. Don't get off track either to left or right so as to make sure you get to where you're going. And don't for a minute let this book of the Revelation be out of your mind. ponder and meditate on it day and night. There's a thought. How important is the word of God to us today? The Bible, the word of God is everlasting. It will always be the truth of the word of God to us. And is as true today as it was when Moses was speaking to Joshua about going into the land. He speaks the same to us today. strength and courage. But listen, ponder and meditate on the word of God night and day, making sure you practice everything written in it. Then you will get to where you're going. Then you'll succeed. Haven't I commanded you? I love this. Not once, but twice have I not commanded you? Strength, courage. Don't be timid. Don't be discouraged. God your God is with you every step you take. We're living in such a a time in the history of of the world and in the history of this nation that it's hard to think of a time like it in our lifetime, isn't it? It's so uncertain, so worrying, so so difficult to know quite what is going to happen. And that's why it's so vital we rely on what God has to say to us. That we get the strength and courage not to be timid, but to pray and to believe God and to declare that God is the same yesterday and today and forever. And what God has done in the books of the Bible. God wants to do today. In fact, Jesus said, "Greater works than these you shall do because I go to the father." Listen, we don't need to be timid. We don't need to be afraid because God is our God and he is with us. He's a God that rebuilds and regenerates. He's a God who restores old ruins. He's a God that can make the community livable again. And that's part of our vision as a church. Isaiah 58:12, you'll be known as those that can fix anything, restore old ruins, rebuild and re renovate, and make the community livable again. Listen, God has laid that mandate upon us. Isn't that great news? >> Anyone? >> Thank you. >> I think it's amazing news. God's laid that mandate upon us. Listen, don't be timid, strength, courage today. Restore ruins, release life, make pray broken places whole again. And this is what I believe God has got for us in the 41st year of this church. 41 is significant. I want to preach on 41 because it's so significant. This is our 41st year as a church. Listen, after the wilderness experience came, the year 41 for the children of Israel, they crossed into the new land that God had promised them. After the year 40, they promised in they walked into the promise that God had for them. God wants to do amazing things. Come on. Can we let faith arise in our hearts? Strength, courage. Don't be timid because the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. I love that scripture. It's a scripture I memorized as a young child. I love the scripture. Don't be afraid >> because the Lord your God is with you everywhere you go. Well, we number one, we see the promise, not the problem. He said to the the to mo to Joshua, be strong and courageous for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go. Joshua had to face fortified cities, Jericho. He had to see Jericho tumble. That's an amazing story in its own right. Listen, God went before him. All he had to do was obey. You know, God calls us to do things that sometimes feel bizarre. Can you imagine walking around a fortified city for seven days and seeing the jeers of those inside that fortified city? By the way, the walls were thick. They they were impeneratable. They were amazing walls. They were laughing at the children of Israel walking around the walls. But there came the seventh day when they lifted up a shout and the walls came tumbling down. They found those walls by the way. They uncovered them some years ago that the people said this can't be possible. Walls 8 ft thick falling down just like that. Can't be possible. They found those walls in exactly the way the Bible uh depicts them. One section of the wall not fallen down. By the way, they didn't just crumble down, they fell outwards. And it shows in the in the in the findings of those walls that the walls have fallen outwards. Just as the Bible says, God's word is true. And so the fear that the people may have had facing giants and fortified cities and difficult situations, they had to rely on a God that promised to be with them just like he is with us today with all of the things that we have to face. We are fighting an evil enemy. See, our war is not against flesh and blood. It's not against people. It's not against uh bosses at work or colleagues or neighbors or people we bump into. It's not against people. It's against spiritual wickedness in heavenly places. >> Yes, sir. >> It's against the demonic world that seeks to kill and destroy. Praise God. Jesus has come that we might have life in all of his abundance. But there is an enemy that came to kill, steal, and destroy. Praise God that he is with us and he is for us. We're not waring against those things. We not need to recognize as we put on the full armor of God that we battle against these things in our attitudes. Joe and I were having a discussion about the things that we read or what the news tells us. And you know, she's right to say this because or what we see on Facebook or social media because the algorithms that we are led to to you know to actually view because of the algorithms behind it all. They keep viewing the same stuff all the time. They keep pushing that back at us to force us into a particular world view. BBC does no different. It's renowned across the world, but it's not unbiased. It talks about not being biased, but it's very biased. All the news outlets and all the papers have got an agenda. And we need to match what we are listening to and what we're hearing with the word of God. We need to challenge what's being said with what God's word says. And not be led down rabbit holes. >> We need to be the people of God. Listen, this land I'm off subject already. I'm sorry. This land needs the people of God to be the light and salt. Light that shines into the darkness and reveals all of the lies and the deceptions. Salt that that disinfects the evil of society. Who is going to speak truth if we don't? Who is going to declare the way if we don't? If we don't say this is the way that we need to walk in, if we go along with what our work colleague says without gently challenging those statements and bringing it back to what God says, your workplace needs you. Your neighborhood needs you. The people that you come across need you to be light that shines, that salt that disinfects so that the word of God can actually start to make a difference. What is the hope of our nation? My goodness, we know it's not politics. What's the hope of our nation? It's got to be the people of God rising up to be the people of God, bringing light and salt into our communities, our workplaces, and wherever we find ourselves. It's happened in history, right, more than once. God can do it again today. But he needs us. He needs us. Strength, courage. Don't be timid. Let's be the people of God. Let's go and make a difference wherever we find oursselfves. Let's build up the waste places. Let's restore the ruins. Let's be those that make a difference wherever we go. Praise God. Well, I'm well lost now. My second point was move with intentiality, not instinct. Move with intentionality, not instinct. Joshua 1:7, be careful to obey all the law. Do not turn from it to the right or to the left. Don't be diverted. Don't park in habits that aren't producing life. Keep focused on doing what God says. Be led by the spirit of God. Be intentional. It's not just what we see in 2026 in the 41st year. is what we choose to be intentional about. It's possible to see all sorts of good things, but what are we going to be intentional about? See, vision without action is imagination. >> However good that imagination may be, promise without movement is potential. promise with that movement is potential. Even if that potential is outstanding, how much potential do you have, we've got to get moving because however much potential we have, however good that is, we need to move with it if we're to see the promise. So, choose vision and action. Choose promise and movement. Living in our comfort zone. Living in comfort land encourages a lot of pac pacivity. A lack of response or perhaps even resistance. Living in comfort land means little to no change or effectiveness. But that's not what Jesus gave his life for. He didn't give his life for us to have a comfortable existence. In fact, if you know what the happened to the early disciples, it was anything but that. They went over the world preaching the gospel. All 12 of them, well, no, not all 12. 11 of the 12 actually died as martyrs for the faith. Just John the Beloved died on the aisle of Patmos in old age. It's not a comfort existence. We're called to be intentional in our followership to be on the way to embrace the truth and life that Jesus brings. And so we need to be intentional. We need to discipline ourselves with intentionality to move forward, to act, to to not sit back, but to be led by the spirit of God. Number three, trust God to multiply. Joshua 1 verse 10 and 11, Joshua took the leaders and instructed them, and the people were strengthened by his word. See, faith requires us to trust God. God is the only one that can bring multiplication. God is the only one that can provide miracles. And we need to trust him for all of that. It means us living trusting God to multiply what he places into our hands. What does God put into your hands? What are you good at? Because the likelihood is what you're good at is a gift that God has given you. What do you what do you got in your hands? Come on. Movement action. Let's do something with it. Because trusting God in what he has placed in our hands means that we can see amazing things happen. We can trust God to multiply. Number four, we can carry the miracle forward. Joshua 1:3 says, "Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon, I have given you." So, possession of the land, taking what God has promised us. We did the Christmas appeal, you know, couple of months ago now, and uh we gave out lots of gifts. What would have happened if the children receiving those gifts had just said, "Nah. Thanks, but no. Nice, but no. In order to possess something, we've got to receive it and we've got to own it. We've got to take it on board. Say, "This is mine. I'm receiving this." And when we receive it, when we possess something and when we take a hold of what God has given us, movement and stewardship are important. We do something with what God has given us and we steward it. We know how to use it in a way that will honor God. See, when you go back to the beaten of the 5000, which was a a story that Job brought a few weeks ago, in the story of the 5,000, 12 basketfuls were left over. But God didn't just leave those basket full of of food of abundance simply for admiration. It wasn't there just to be admired. What look what God has done. Look what God has done in my life. Look what God is doing for me. It's not admiration. God leaves it for evidence to carry on to feed others, to release it to others. what God has placed in us, he wants us to distribute that. >> If you think of the the whole idea of of oil being poured, when God pours out oil upon us, God wants to fill us. But once we're filled, how many of you know you can't get any more in? And so what God always has intended is what he blesses us with. He wants us to pour it out to others. And as we pour it out, God pours in. As we pour out, God pours in. We never re retain more than fullness, but we can be full all of the time because as we pour out, God is pouring in. And this is what God wants to do with what he's placed in our hands. He wants us to bless others so that he can pour more and more in. I don't know about you, I want to receive more. I want God to pour more in. How about you? Come on. We got to release the valve. We got to let it go. We got to give it out. We got to bless others with it. And the more we tell the testimonies of God's provision and miracles and blessing, the more faith is generated in us. As we pour it out, more faith is generated. God is doing something amazing. And he does does this because he wants us to become difference makers. And we make a difference by pouring out what God has poured in. And then we become, as our vision statement says, rebuilders and renovators, making the community livable again. Miracles, we want to see them, but that's not their purpose. It's not the purpose of miracles to be observed. They are meant to nourish, to equip, and to propel us to action. And I believe in this 41st year that God is taking us into, he wants it to be released into the streets, into the neighborhoods, into the youth. We want to see this place completely full and buzzing with young people on a Saturday night. We want to see that. Come on, let's go feed them. Let's go bless them. Let's go bringing the word of God and the love of God to them. And so we carry the miracle forward. And number five, and lastly, we step forward in deliberate faith. Joshua 1 vers9, be strong and very courageous, for the Lord your God goes with you. He will never leave you nor forsake you. Comfort says, stay where it is safe. Stay in the existing patterns of living. Abundance says, "Step into all God has promised." And so this 41st year of the church is a year to move from safe to bold, from familiar to abundant, from passive to active. And the great news is is that God will not abandon us as we move forward. God will go with us every step as we take them. God will be with us. He's promised never to leave us nor to forsake us. He will be alongside us. The the Holy Spirit, the pariclete, the one that comes alongside will go with us. He will walk with us. He will talk with us. Joshua crossed into the promised land. The disciples distributed uh food, loaves, and fish to thousands. And you and I can step into communities, into youth work, into restoration projects, and see God's multiplication work. Do you believe that? Come on, stand with me for a minute. I'm going to draw this to a close. You and I, if we're willing to step out of the comfort zone, out of comfort land to go to promised land, you and I, if we're willing to, we can step into the communities. Come on. Who's with me this morning? >> You can step into the communities. You can step into youth work. You might be 90 years old. You still could make a fantastic youth worker. When I was a little boy, we used to go to a a church, an annual church camp where probably 5,000 people went to. It was up in a little place called Fy in North Yorkshire on the coast. There was a man that had a vision to bring families together and he loved working with young people. And toward the end of his ministry, he was over 90 years old. Still young people used to flock around him. He started this this um event that is now called Spring Harvest. But it wasn't then, it became changed his name to Spring Harvest some years ago, but before spring harvest ever existed, Fly Bible Week. And he started this Fly Bible Week, but his main passion was young people. He was 90 years old when he had finished. And even then, young people flocked around him. You may be old, but you can attract and bless young people. I don't know why I'm looking over in that direction. >> So, who today will commit? Come on, let's just take a moment to make some bold heart decisions. Who will commit to one bold action this month that will stretch your faith beyond comfort? Who's up for that one bold move this month to stretch your faith beyond comfort? Who will trust God to equip and multiply and bless whatever you put your hand to? Come on, anybody today? Is there any amens in the house? >> I declare this is a year of deliberate faith. I declare this is a year to leave comfort behind and walk fully into God's abundance. I declare this is a year to step forward in deliberate faith. So as we close today, the 41st year is here. Who will stand with me and declare [music] this? Are you ready? We will stand. We will not not linger in comfort. Who will declare that today? Should we say it together? If you can say this, can you say it with me? We will not linger in comfort. We will not linger. Say it with me if you can say this today. We will not linger in comfort. We will not settle for what is safe. We will see the promise beyond the promise, beyond the problem. We will move intentionally and not by instinct. We will trust God to multiply. We will carry provision into action and will step forward in bold deliberate faith. Why can we do that? Because he is El Shadai, God Almighty, the allsufficient one, [music] the God of the mountain, the many breasted one, the nourisher. He is more than enough. And because our God is more than enough, we can move with confidence from comfort to abundance. Let's pray. Jesus, help us leave comfort behind and step fully into your abundance. Give us faith to see your promises, courage to act intentionally, and trust to believe for multiplication, and hearts to carry your provision into the world. Lord, let this year be marked by restoration, multiplication, and visible fruit. Amen. Just while heads are bowed this morning, can we just for a moment just while heads are bowed and [music] eyes are closed, this may be a day for you to say, "God, I want you to come into my life to forgive me for the wrong things I've done, to be my Lord and Savior." He's just a prayer away. I'm going to say a prayer and at the end of that prayer, I'm going to ask you to raise your hand if you if you said that [music] prayer and meant it so that I can speak with you afterwards. But this is a moment that could change the whole trajectory of your life. Let's say this prayer together. [music] Dear Lord Jesus, my name is Phil and whatever your name is, thank you [music] for dying on the cross for me 2,000 years ago. Thank you for that you have the power to forgive my sins as I believe upon you and I confess [music] them to you. I ask you to come into my life today. Be my Lord and Savior and help me to live my life for you in Jesus name. Amen. Just why heads are bowed and I go just for a moment. If you've said that prayered today, just where you are, just raise a hand. I'm simply going to acknowledge you and put it straight back down again. Thank you. Is there anybody else [music] today? One last call. Father, thank you for today. Lord, thank you for the one that's responded to you. We ask for your blessing to be upon them. Come into their life, Lord Jesus. I pray [music] in Jesus' name. Amen.