Bethel Church Service | Dave Ward Sermon | Worship with David Funk, Haley Kennedy

Hello Bethl online family. Happy Sunday. Merry Christmas. My name is Tori. >> My name is Yan Matoss. >> And we are your host for this Sunday. We hope that you are having a wonderful Sunday wherever you guys are tuning in from. Whether it's from your car in your driving or whether it's in your living room.

We believe that tonight is going to be an amazing night for you. >> Yeah, you will. Even if you are in your bedroom, the Lord is there with you. So, and and I really believe, you know, Tori, we were praying a little bit ago and I felt such a joy of the Lord. >> Yes. >> So much joy.

And I really believe that this season, it's a season, you know, like even for those who are not even Christians or they don't they they don't think that they're Christians like that, but they celebrate Christmas, whatever they are, whatever country they are. >> But I really feel the joy of the Lord over this season because so many reconciliations happen. >> Yeah. in in this season, people giving presents to each other, like loving on each other, sitting at the table, and having chats that probably they they don't have or they didn't have for so many years. >> It's such a beautiful season, right? >> Honestly, I was thinking about that today.

Um, I love the Christmas season as I'm sure we all do. Not for the Christmas lights or not for the presents, but for the reminder of the gospel and the reminder of the gospel that he came to reconcile us back to him. And I actually specifically felt like as I was praying for you guys this afternoon, um I felt like there is people that need to be reminded of the hope in Christ and the hope actually in the message of the gospel of the Christmas season.

And that one that there's hope for your life, that there's uh good plans for your life, but also the reconciliation in family. Yeah. >> That he came to reconcile us back to him and also to reconcile us back to our families. And I feel like even this Christmas season, sometimes it can feel daunting as we go and we spend time with family, which sometimes it's just tough.

But I feel like there's actually that we need to renew our minds and renew our eyes that there's hope ahead for your families, that there's hope ahead for reconciliation. And I actually felt um I I felt like I had a word of knowledge for someone and I feel like you're driving down the road right now and that you've been having familiar thoughts of does my life matter?

Um is my life even worth it? and even do people see me? Do people recognize me? And it feels kind of daunting to even go into family right now because you feel maybe a little unseen by your family. But I'm here to tell you that the Lord sees you and that there's actually amazing plans ahead for you for 2026.

I felt specifically that you should, as cheesy as it sounds, but to get your hopes up um to get your hopes up for family and for family reconciliation and that the Lord sees you. >> Yeah. And also uh during this week actually I was driving uh to I was about to drop off my son at school and he was about to present in that week uh the little drummer boy here at BCS the Bethl Christian school and it was so beautiful because you know like coming from Brazil we don't normally we don't hear like these Christmas songs. >> Yeah. >> Or at least I never paid attention to that and then I started to to pay attention to the lyrics of the song like oh I'm a poor boy too. should should I play for him?

And I started to pay attention on that and the presence of the Lord just filled my car that me and my son both of us we were crying feeling the Lord's presence like I remember my son he turned to me he said wow dad six years old he said wow dad this is powerful >> and sometimes we might feel in this season like oh what what should what should I bring to the king that was born or what should I bring to my family or what how How could I demonstrate my love or my affection to the Lord or to the people in my family?

But just for us being present, 100% present, you know, like locking eyes, hugging one another, just saying some words, but especially to the Lord. I really feel that this season is a season of reigniting our love for the Lord and our surrenderess to the Lord. And even if you're in a season like, "Oh, I was hungrier before.

I used to to be more in in like on fire for the Lord." I really feel that the Lord, he wants to pour out his fire over us to give us like a like a a new hunger for his love, a new hunger to know him and to make him known.

So, if this is you, I really want to encourage you right now to just open up your hand or what Tori said, if you resonate with what she said already, open up your your your hands right now. I really believe that the Lord, he wants to pour out his love and his joy, not just over us, but over our families as well.

So, Lord, we thank you, God, because you're such a good good savior. You're such a good good son of God. You're such a good good redeemer. You know how to reconcile. You paid the price that nobody could pay ever. You paid the price to reconcile us back to the father and to reconcile one to another.

So Lord, we thank you Lord. We thank you. We thank you for pouring out your perfect love over each one of us >> in Jesus name. >> In Jesus name. Amen. >> Amen. >> Guys, we have an incredible service ahead for you. But before we dive into maybe some service stuff, I actually heard that you have a secret talent.

Oh, I heard that you do an amazing Mickey impression. Is that true? >> It is. >> Can you wish us a merry Christmas in your like Mickey accent? >> I can see that some memes will come out of this. >> Oh, please. I would love the memes to come out of this moment. >> But actually, before I even do it, it was the Lord who revealed that to me.

Honestly, I was having such a >> He loves to have fun, doesn't he? >> Yeah, he is. And you know, I was having a hard time with my son. I was like, Lord, I don't know how to connect with my son. >> Yes. And he said, "Oh, why don't you perform Miki's voice?"

I was like, "I have no idea how to do that." And he said, "Oh, no, you can't." And then I was like, "All right, I'll I'll just try." And suddenly, it was in the morning. It was in the morning. And suddenly, I turned to my son like, >> "Good morning, son."

[laughter] Here we go. So, I want to wish you a merry special Christmas. >> There you go. >> That's actually spot on. That's amazing. [laughter] That's wild. The voice of Mickey himself, actually. >> See? Well, we would love to know where you guys are tuning in from. If you guys want to put it in the chat, we want to wish you guys a merry Christmas from wherever you're at. >> Yeah, I can see some Brazilians already right here.

I always have my people, my students from BSSM Portuguese. I see the Brazilian flag already. Oh, yeah. I see people typing in Portuguese. So, whatever you are connecting from, just type in the chat. It is from US. It is from out of US. Where are you connecting from? >> We would love to hear you to see well to see you.

Amazing. Well, tonight we actually are hearing from uh Dave Ward and we have Dave Funk leading worship this or tonight and we're so excited. What do you feel like the Lord is going to do tonight? I really feel that he's reuniting um he's reconnecting us to the love of the father like a good good father who is not just waiting for us to run back to him >> but like the prodigal son he was like this he he made up in his mind oh I'll go back in the father just came and washed over him in the middle of the road I really believe that this is what the lord is after he's after our hearts like never before that's what I feel >> isn't that the gospel >> it is Yeah, I I specifically actually feel like the Lord is going after mindsets.

And I saw that someone put it in the chat um that they have been hearing things or that maybe it just feels like there's a little bit of chaos over the mind. And guess what? He came to bring peace and to bring joy. And I feel like tonight um even as you're watching online that there's going to be clarity over your thought life, that there's going to be clarity even over your dreams.

That I feel like maybe some of you guys have been having a hard time falling asleep. that as you go to bed that um just chaos surrounds your mind. And I feel like the Lord is bringing peace and order over your minds, over your thought life, and over your dream life.

And I even believe that the Lord is actually going to reconcile dreams that you've been having nightmares. And the Lord is actually like tonight um it it stops. No more terrors, no more nightmares. That tonight is a night of peace over you, over your house, over your bedroom. >> Yeah. >> Yeah.

I felt also um stomach ache as well. And I felt something on the right eye. I don't know what it might be. Something is not right on your right eye. And right now, um, we want to even pray for healing right now. >> Yeah, let's do it. >> So, right now, Holy Spirit, we thank you because if you, if you, um, highlighted all these stuff is because you love, you heal because you love.

And right now, we commend and release healing over the bodies and over the souls right now, over the minds. Release the perfect peace of heaven, the shalom of heaven right now over the minds in Jesus mighty names. and all the cells of the bodies to be made new right now in the mighty name of Jesus. >> Yes, God. >> Lord, we thank you because you heal because you love. >> Yes.

And I uh I feel like um someone has a tumor on their back and I believe that even right now that the Lord is melting the tumor. So even if there's any cancer, any uh diseases in the body, we say be whole in Jesus' name that it is a season of miracles.

Let the Christmas miracle happen in Jesus name. Yeah. In the mighty name of Jesus. Do you want to perform anybody saying merry Christmas? >> You know, I don't know if I do. I know I put you on the spot, but I [laughter] don't I don't think I have that spiritual gifting.

So, we're just going to wish you a merry Christmas. >> Tonight is going to be amazing. We love you guys. Thanks for joining and tuning in. >> Enjoy the service. See you soon. >> Amazing. Bye, guys. >> Thank you. calendar. >> Good evening, church. Welcome, welcome, welcome. Woo!

This is the mighty crew here and our online church. We're so glad you're joining us tonight. Yeah, it's a beautiful season. Don't you love Christmas time? Are you ready for Christmas time? >> Yes. Yes. Yes. I was reading in Psalms and it says, "Those who look to him are radiant and their faces are not covered with shame."

And I really felt like even as we were praying tonight before the service that God is here to lift off any heaviness, anything that tonight when you leave this room and even those watching online that there would be an absolute tangible shift in your life because the King of Kings is here with us to encounter us tonight.

Isn't that exciting? So there's beautiful people around you. Why don't you stand and welcome them and bless them and tell them how radiant and glorious they look tonight. Yes, you're looking good. [screaming] Thank you, Holy Ghost. Bless, bless, bless. Thank you, God. So just put a hand on a neighbor and we are going to just step into worship.

Feel free to come up and just let's adore the King of Kings. We thank you, God. We thank you for all that you've done. We don't want to limit you tonight. We're going to come into your presence and ((music playing)) be like children. Children are asking for everything in this season.

And so we get to come as little children and just say, "Yes, Daddy. We magnify you. We look to you. We thank you that you make us radiant ((music playing)) and we are never put to shame when we look to you. Thank you, God. Thank you, Lord. >> ((music playing)) >> loving cornet wrapped in flesh.

((music playing)) Heaven [singing] meant to dwell ((music playing)) with us. Oh, what a mystery. ((music playing)) Oh, what a mystery. The sacred gift to break ((music playing)) the curse. The father's heart ((music playing)) revealed to us. Oh, what a joyous ((music playing)) thing. Oh, what a joyous thing. ((music playing)) Oh, come let us adore him. Oh, come let us adore him. Christ ((music playing)) the Lord.

For he alone is worthy. For he ((music playing)) alone is worthy. Behold ((music playing)) the lamb of righteousness. Let ((music playing)) every heart and tongue confess. Let him rejoice. Let him rejoice. ((music playing)) Remaining no accusing voice. His ((music playing)) resurrection power in us. Triumph in Jesus name. Triumphant in Jesus name. ((music playing)) Oh come, let us adore him.

Oh come, let [music and singing] us adore him, the Christ the ((music playing)) Lord. For he alone is worthy. For he alone ((music playing)) is worthy. Oh, you are worthy. >> ((music playing)) >> So sing of the good news ((music playing)) the heavens have open. Let ((music playing)) all creation praise you. We'll sing. We'll sing of your goodness. ((music playing)) Oh God is salvation.

Let all creation praise will sing. ((music playing)) Sing of the goodness. The heavens have open. Let all creation ((music playing)) praise you will sing. Sing of his goodness. The God ((music playing)) of salvation. Let all creation ((music playing)) come. Let us adore him. Oh, come ((music playing)) let us adore him. Christ. For he ((music playing)) alone is worthy. For he alone ((music playing)) is worthy.

Forever worthy. Sing. Oh come let us adore him. ((music playing)) Oh come let us adore him Christ ((music playing)) for ((music playing)) he alone is worthy. For he alone is worthy. ((music playing)) Worthy. You are ((music playing)) worthy worthy. Oh come let ((music playing)) us adore him. Christ the Lord for he ((music playing)) alone is worthy ((music playing)) Jesus. ((music playing)) You are worthy. You are worthy.

((music playing)) Tonight we remember humbly you came to save, to heal, to deliver, to redeem. ((music playing)) You are worthy. And Jesus, you are able. ((music playing)) You're able to save, to heal, deliver, redeem. ((music playing)) You are worthy. We remember and we give you thanks tonight, Lord. ((music playing)) Who else is able? No one else is able.

((music playing)) [singing] Only you, Jesus. >> ((music playing)) >> can save, can heal, can ((music playing)) make right, can make new. We remember and ((music playing)) we say thank you Lord. The perfect plan of ((music playing)) the father in a manger before us. ((music playing)) The perfect plan of redemption. ((music playing)) Lord, you are worthy. We remember. ((music playing)) Thank you. Thank you for coming, Lord.

Thank you. Let's just say thank you. Thank ((music playing)) you, Lord. Thank you, Father, for sending a son. Thank you. Thank you. ((music playing)) Come let us adore him. Oh come let us. ((music playing)) >> ((music playing)) >> Christ for heal is worthy for he is worthy for he is worthy. Heat. ((music playing)) Heat. ((music playing)) Heat. Heat. ((music playing)) >> ((music playing)) >> Christ ((music playing)) the Lord.

We'll praise your name ((music playing)) forever. We'll praise your ((music playing)) name forever. >> We'll praise ((music playing)) your name forever. the Christ. ((music playing)) ((music playing)) We remember and we respond to you. ((music playing)) You are worthy. ((music playing)) You are worthy. You are worthy. We receive our king. We receive ((music playing)) our king. We receive our king with thanksgiving ((music playing)) and praise.

We receive our king. ((music playing)) Oh come let us adore. Oh ((music playing)) come let us adore. Oh come let us ((music playing)) adore. receive ((music playing)) our king. >> One more time. ((music playing)) Oh come let us adore. Oh ((music playing)) come let us. ((music playing)) Oh come let us follow Christ the Lord for he alone is ((music playing)) worthy for he alone ((music playing)) is worthy ((music playing)) for he alone. is ((music playing)) worthy of Christ.

((music playing)) ((music playing)) Heat. ((music playing)) [singing] Heat. ((music playing)) We ((music playing)) ((music playing)) ((music playing)) Heat. Heat. ((music playing)) >> ((music playing)) ((music playing)) >> In the darkness ((music playing)) we were waiting without hope and without Till from heaven ((music playing)) you came running. There was mercy in your eyes. To fulfill ((music playing)) a law and promise to a virgin came the ((music playing)) word. From a throne of endless [singing] glory to a cradle in ((music playing)) the dirt and lift up ((music playing)) praise.

Praise the [music and singing] father. Praise the son. Praise the ((music playing)) spirit. Three in one. God ((music playing)) of glory, majesty. [music and singing] Praise forever to the king of ((music playing)) kings. to reveal the kingdom ((music playing)) coming and to reconcile [singing] the lost to redeem the whole creation. You did not despise [music and singing] the cross for even your suffering. You saw to the [music and singing] other side knowing this was our salvation.

Jesus for sake he died. So praise ((music playing)) the father. [singing] Praise the ((music playing)) son. Praise the spirit. Free in one. ((music playing)) God of glory. Majesty, ((music playing)) praise forever to the King of Kings. ((music playing)) In the ((music playing)) morning that you rose, all of heaven held its ((music playing)) breath till the storm was moved for good. [singing] For the lamb ((music playing)) had conquered death and the devils from their tombs ((music playing)) and the angels stood in awe.

For the souls ((music playing)) of all would come to the father are restored and the church ((music playing)) of Christ was born and then the spirit in the flame. Now this ((music playing)) goel sh his blood ((music playing)) in his name in his freedom I am free for the love of Jesus Christ ((music playing)) and also lift ((music playing)) up the praise we praise We praise the Lord.

((music playing)) Oh, we praise the king ((music playing)) of God. ((music playing)) Must praise. ((music playing)) Oh, praise. We lift up praise. We lift up praise. We praise the ((music playing)) father. We praise the praise ((music playing)) ((music playing)) God. Praise ((music playing)) to the king of kings. Praise forever ((music playing)) to the King of Kings. Oh, what [singing] a savior. Oh, [singing] what a save. ((music playing)) Oh, [music and singing] what a s.

Oh, what a s. ((music playing)) And praise forever [singing] to the King of Kings. We'll praise forever to [music and singing] the King of Kings. Oh, praise forever to the King of Kings. ((music playing)) We'll praise [singing] forever to the King of Kings. Oh, when we look at you, we can't help but ((music playing)) say, "Oh, [singing] what a savior."

Here we are [singing] praising again. Here we are praising ((music playing)) again. Cuz you're so [singing] good. >> You're so merciful. I see. >> ((music playing)) >> Just lift up your own song. ((music playing)) Oh. ((music playing)) Oh. ((music playing)) Oh. ((music playing)) How wonderful. ((music playing)) How wonderful. >> ((music playing)) >> How wonderful. ((music playing)) How wonderful. Let's just sing. Praise the Father. [singing] Praise the Son.

Praise the Spirit. Three in one. Our God of ((music playing)) glory, [singing] majesty, praise ((music playing)) forever [singing] to the King of Kings. The splend ((music playing)) of a king clothe in majesty. Let all ((music playing)) the earth rejoice. All the earth rejoice. And he wraps ((music playing)) himself in light. And ((music playing)) darkness tries to hide and trembles ((music playing)) at [singing] his voice.

And trembles at his voice. And how great is our God simply how great is our God and all [music and singing] will see how great how great is our God and age to age. He stands and ((music playing)) time is in his hands. Beginning and the end. Beginning and the end. ((music playing)) The God three in one.

((music playing)) Oh, you're the father [singing] spirit and ((music playing)) son. The [singing] lion and the lamb. The lion ((music playing)) and the lamb. And how great is our ((music playing)) God. Sing with me. How great is our ((music playing)) God. And all will [singing] see. How great. How great is our God. How great ((music playing)) you are, Lord. How great is our God.

((music playing)) Sing with me. How great is our ((music playing)) God. And all will see how great, how ((music playing)) great is our God. ((music playing)) Oh, what a savior. ((music playing)) What a savior you are. We're so grateful, ((music playing)) Lord. Thank you, Lord. You're ((music playing)) the name above all [singing] names. You are ((music playing)) worthy of all praise. ((music playing)) And my [singing] heart will sing.

How great is ((music playing)) our God. You're the name of our ((music playing)) heart. You are [singing] worthy of all ((music playing)) praise. And my heart [singing] will sing. How great ((music playing)) is our God is wonderful. And you're the name above ((music playing)) all praise. You ((music playing)) are worthy of all praise. ((music playing)) And my heart will sing. How great is our God.

((music playing)) You are the name of our ((music playing)) you ((music playing)) will see he's ((music playing)) >> ((music playing)) >> is on your way. Sing with me. ((music playing)) Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. ((music playing)) Heat. Heat. ((music playing)) ((music playing)) ((music playing)) Heat. Heat. ((music playing)) ((music playing)) Heat. Heat. Heat. ((music playing)) You are ((music playing)) worthy of praise and my ((music playing)) heart is our God. ((music playing)) For how great, how great you are.

You never change. You never ((music playing)) change. You're always this good. How great is our ((music playing)) God. Sing with me. How [singing] great is our ((music playing)) God and all will see how great how great is [music and singing] our God. All will see and no more. How great ((music playing)) is our God. Sing with thee how great ((music playing)) is our God.

And all will see how great how great is [singing] our God. ((music playing)) Oh my god. All will see how great is our God. Let the nations ((music playing)) rejoice. All will see your goodness. All will see your mercy. All will sing your ((music playing)) justice. All will sing ((music playing)) how [singing] great is our God. Open our eyes to see you rightly tonight, Lord. to see you humbly in a manger.

((music playing)) To see you exalted on the throne. Open our eyes to see you rightly, Lord. Open our eyes to see you rightly, ((music playing)) Lord. I want to see ((music playing)) you. I want to see you. See you [music and singing] rightly, Jesus. I want to see you. Oh, I want to see you. See you rightly, Jesus.

I ((music playing)) want to see you. >> Oh, I want ((music playing)) to see you. See you rightly, Jesus. I ((music playing)) want to see you. I ((music playing)) want to see you cuz I know that your eyes are like ((music playing)) flames of fire. I know your head is white as wool. ((music playing)) I know that your voice it sounds like waters.

Jesus, you're beautiful. I know that your eyes are like flames [singing and music] of fire. Your head is warm. Your voice ((music playing)) sounds like Jesus, [singing] you're beautiful. I know that your eyes are like ((music playing)) flames [singing] of fire. I know your head is white as whole. And I know your voice, it ((music playing)) sounds like waters. >> Jesus, you're beautiful. >> And I know your eyes are like flames of fire.

I know your ((music playing)) head is white as [singing] snow. >> Oh Jesus, ((music playing)) you're beautiful. Oh Jesus, you're beautiful. Oh Jesus, you're ((music playing)) beautiful. Oh Jesus, you're beautiful. And I [music and singing] want to see you. Oh Jesus, you're beautiful. Jesus, you're ((music playing)) beautiful. Oh Jesus, you're beautiful. Lord, we want to see ((music playing)) tonight. Oh Jesus, [singing] you're beautiful.

Oh Jesus, you're ((music playing)) beautiful. Jesus, you're [singing] beautiful. And we want to see you. Oh Jesus, ((music playing)) you're beautiful. Jesus, you're beautiful. Jesus, ((music playing)) you're beautiful. Oh, and I want to see you. ((music playing)) Cuz there is no one like you in the heavens [singing] or on the earth. Well, there ((music playing)) is no one like you in the heavens or [singing] on the earth.

There is no one like you in the heavens ((music playing)) or [singing] on the earth. Well, there is no one like you in the heavens or on the earth. Well, there is no one like you in the on ((music playing)) the earth. There [singing] is no one like you in the heavens ((music playing)) or on the earth.

There is no one ((music playing)) like you in the heavens. Who else would harm you? Taking the form of a servant here in ((music playing)) the heavens or on the earth. There is no one like you in the heavens or on the earth. ((music playing)) There is no one like you in the ((music playing)) earth.

There is no like you. ((music playing)) Heat. Heat. Heat. ((music playing)) You are Jesus. You ((music playing)) Oh Jesus, you're beautiful. ((music playing)) ((music playing)) >> ((music playing)) ((music playing)) >> Jesus, you're beautiful. Yes, Jesus, ((music playing)) you're beautiful. >> Oh, Jesus, ((music playing)) you're beautiful. You came that we could see. ((music playing)) You came that we could see the father. Oh, and Jesus, ((music playing)) you're beautiful. Jesus, you're beautiful.

Let's make this confession one more time that there is there is no ((music playing)) one like there is Jesus, you're beautiful. >> ((music playing)) >> Oh holy night, [singing] the stars are brightly shining. ((music playing)) It is [singing] the night of our dear Savior's birth. Long ((music playing)) lay [singing] the world in sin and error piding [music and singing] till he appeared and the soul [singing] felt it ((music playing)) worth.

A thrill of ((music playing)) hope. The weery world rejoicees [music and singing] for yonder breaks. A new and glorious morning. [snorts] Fall ((music playing)) on your knees. ((music playing)) Oh, hear the angel ((music playing)) voicees. [singing] All night ((music playing)) divine. All [music and singing] night when Christ was ((music playing)) born. All night ((music playing)) divine. All night. All night ((music playing)) divine. Truly he taught [singing] us to love one another.

((music playing)) Father, His law [singing] is love and his gospel ((music playing)) is peace. Oh [music and singing] chains shall he break for the slave is our [music and singing] brother and in his name all oppression [music and singing] shall cease. Sweet hymns [music and singing] of joy in grateful chorus ((music playing)) raise we let [singing] all in us ((music playing)) praise his holy name. [singing] Christ ((music playing)) is the Lord.

Oh, praise his name forever. ((music playing)) His power ((music playing)) and glory ((music playing)) ((music playing)) all proclaim ((music playing)) his power and glory. Oh, more ((music playing)) ((music playing)) ((music playing)) ((music playing)) we praise his holy name. Oh, we praise ((music playing)) his holy name. Oh, ((music playing)) we praise [singing] his holy name. ((music playing)) We praise [singing] his holy name. ((music playing)) Wonderful. We praise his holy [music and singing] name. ((music playing)) We praise his holy name.

We ((music playing)) praise his holy name. ((music playing)) We praise his holy ((music playing)) name. ((music playing)) We praise his holy name. >> ((music playing)) >> Heat. Heat. ((music playing)) Heat. ((music playing)) ((music playing)) Heat. ((music playing)) Heat. Heat. ((music playing)) >> ((music playing)) ((music playing)) >> He is ((music playing)) ever [screaming] more. [singing] [crying] Ever more proclaim. Forever more proclaim. All blessing, all honor, all glory, all power, all wisdom, dominion, is yours God forever, all blessing, ((music playing)) all honor, all glory, all power, all wisdom, dominion.

It's your star ((music playing)) forever. Forever more we ((music playing)) praise his holy name. Forever more we praise your holy name. All glory, all ((music playing)) glory, all honor and all sing, ((music playing)) all power, all wisdom, dominion ((music playing)) is yours, God [singing] forever. All glory on earth ((music playing)) and all blessing. All power ((music playing)) is amazing. ((music playing)) All right. Always ((music playing)) forever.

((music playing)) Heat. Heat. Heat. ((music playing)) >> ((music playing)) >> Christ Jesus. ((music playing)) >> ((music playing)) >> The true peace ((music playing)) come together. ((music playing)) Praise to the Lord. ((music playing)) Glory to Jesus Christ. Praise the Lord. ((music playing)) Oh, glory ((music playing)) to Jesus Christ. Oh, ((music playing)) glory to Jesus Christ. ((music playing)) Oh, glory to Jesus Christ. All glory to Jesus ((music playing)) Christ before him. ((music playing)) >> Give him [singing] the glory.

Come bow down before him and give him the ((music playing)) glory. Come bow down before him. Heaven's king, ((music playing)) give him the glory. Come bow down [singing] before him and give him the glory. Give him all glory, ((music playing)) all honor, all blessing and all power, all wisdom, dominion ((music playing)) is yours is yours forever.

Oh, we bow down before you. ((music playing)) All glory, all honor, all blessing, [music and singing] and all power, all wisdom, dominion [singing] is yours. ((music playing)) It will always be yours. Lord, all glory, all ((music playing)) honor, all blessing, and all power, ((music playing)) all wisdom, [singing] dominion. It's yours. ((music playing)) It's yours. It's yours. It's yours forever. ((music playing)) the nations here in ultim It belongs ((music playing)) to your glory.

((music playing)) It's yours ((music playing)) forever. ((music playing)) It's yours ((music playing)) forever. ((music playing)) It's yours forever. ((music playing)) It's yours. ((music playing)) ((music playing)) Come ((music playing)) worship Christ Jesus ((music playing)) our King. Come bow [singing] before the true prince of peace. Let heaven ((music playing)) and earth come together and sing. Praise to the Lord most high. All glory to Jesus Christ. Praise to the Lord most high.

All glory ((music playing)) to Jesus Christ. In Isaiah 9 ((music playing)) it says, "For unto us a child is born." But in the previous verses it says the people who walked in darkness have seen ((music playing)) a great light because unto us a child is born. Those who dwell in the land of the shadow of death upon them a light has shine.

And I'm playing a ((music playing)) little bit here with the words. But for unto us a child is born, unto us ((music playing)) a son is given. You know his majesty is not fragile. He brought light into the world. And he was through a child, a little baby boy. His majesty ((music playing)) is not fragile.

He's not that fragile. And he continues saying, "And the government will be upon his shoulder." Right here is connecting straight to the child. The government, it's upon ((music playing)) a child's shoulder. His ((music playing)) majesty is not fragile. And his name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father. Oh, but wait, we're talking about a child.

But his majesty is not ((music playing)) fragile at all. Prince of Peace. of the increase ((music playing)) of his government and peace there will be no end. What a great responsibility. What a maybe heavy responsibility ((music playing)) upon a child's shoulder. But his majesty is not fragile. upon the ((music playing)) throne of David and over his kingdom to order it and establish ((music playing)) it with judgment and justice.

From that time forward, even forever, the zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform ((music playing)) this. It started with a child, a little baby boy. His majesty ((music playing)) is not fragile. We saw that people they were in the land of the shadow ((music playing)) of death. It doesn't matter the place that we might be.

Even here in Ready, we're having some floods happening. I've just got a text that one of our ((music playing)) students, she lost everything. So I want to invest some time right now for us to pray for our city and to pray for the nations. ((music playing)) Some people they might be in a land that it might be challenging right now but his majesty is ((music playing)) not fragile. >> It is not.

So I want you if you can ((music playing)) to grab the the hand of the person next to you. I want us to to pray for our city right now, for ready, for people to be safe, but also for those who are might be in a ((music playing)) land or facing some challenges in their lives right now, Christmas um season, and you guys have this saying here in the US, he's the reason for the season. as an international ((music playing)) I can say this um but again his his majesty is not fragile ((music playing)) in a moment a relationship can be totally reconciled life ((music playing)) can come into somebody's lungs a ken ((music playing)) can disappeared like that because his majesty is not fragile so I want us all to pray in unity right now even if you're ((music playing)) joining us online [snorts] and start to pray for something that the Lord put in your heart right now.

So, let's start praying right now. Holy Spirit, ((music playing)) we thank you. We thank you because you're the King of Kings. You rule over all nations, over every single circumstance, and we pray right now for this flooding, God. Lord, we're thankful for the rain. We need it during the summer, but Lord, we pray for everybody to be ((music playing)) kept safe. in Jesus mighty name.

And Lord, for those who lost something, Lord, we pray for the reconciliation of heaven, the redemption of heaven to fall upon them, God. And we pray for unity to rise, unity to rise amongst the families as well, Lord. Lord, we thank you, God. We thank you because your majesty is not fragile at all.

Even being a baby, your majesty ((music playing)) is not fragile. Lord, we thank you. We thank you for the price that you paid on the cross. We thank you ((music playing)) because you carry healing in your wings. We thank you for the breath of heaven. We thank you for the ministry of reconciliation, reconciling ((music playing)) people to the perfect father and reconciling us to one another.

Lord, we pray for unity, a greater unity amongst the body of Christ and unity with you, ((music playing)) Lord. And for those who are here in this room, I want to I want to I want to give an opportunity if you're facing something that it might be challenging for you right now.

I I had this impression that some ((music playing)) people here in this room, you're facing some some challenges that you don't think you have faith and you kind of like you need to borrow some faith right now. That's the feeling that you might be having right now. ((music playing)) If you're facing something challenging, it can be in your health, it can be relationships, families, whatever it is.

I ((music playing)) want you to be brave and raise your hand if you can. For those who are around these people, I would ((music playing)) love for you to go around them and let's pray for them. Thank you, Lord. ((music playing)) Holy Spirit, we thank you, Jesus. You're wonderful. You're mighty God. You're prince of peace.

You're the King of Kings. You paid the price. You took our lives and you gave yours to us. Holy Spirit, I pray for the spirit of breakthrough right now to rush ((music playing)) in, to fall upon us, God, in the mighty name of Jesus. We speak healing right now. We speak reconciliation right now.

We bless ((music playing)) the finances God in Jesus name. I saw contracts being um um ((music playing)) being torn right now. I saw dabs being torn apart. So Holy Spirit, we thank you. ((music playing)) We thank you for the provision of heaven right now in the name of Jesus. We speak life and life abundantly God in Jesus mighty name. life and life abundantly in Jesus name.

Thank you Holy Spirit. Jesus ((music playing)) we thank you ((music playing)) for a child was born and a son was given to us. ((music playing)) This is a reason to rejoice. This is a season to rejoice and we rejoice with you, Father. Thank you Lord. Thank you Jesus. Thank you Jesus. Thank you God.

All glory, all honor, ((music playing)) all blessings, and all power be unto you, Lord. All glory, all honor, ((music playing)) all blessings, all powers, all wisdom, dominion. [snorts] Jesus, we ((music playing)) praise you. Wow. Jesus, we ((music playing)) praise you. Let's lift up a shout to the Lord. He's worthy. Jesus, you're worthy. ((applause)) Jesus, ((music playing)) you're wonderful. You are worthy, Lord.

We thank you that your majesty is not fragile, Lord. Let's give it up for the worship team. Thank you so much, guys. ((applause)) As you guys go back to your seat, let's welcome up Tori and Dom. >> Hello. Hello. How are we doing this afternoon, this evening? Are we doing well?

Merry Christmas, everybody. >> Merry Christmas. Wasn't worship incredible? Man, I love going to a church that doesn't just sing songs, but is led by the presence of God. And I feel like tonight, I mean, in the ministry time, I I was just an absolute mess. So, it's an honor to be here.

And maybe one more shout for the worship team and all they do. Thank you guys. >> We love you guys. >> It's incredible. Well, >> well, I we both have the privilege and the honor of welcoming our first time visitors. So, if this is your first time visiting with us, Bethl Church, would you go ahead and raise your hand?

We would love to know. We see you. Yes. Amazing. Yes, guys. Welcome. Where are you guys from? >> LA. Amaze. Welcome to Reading. Where are you from back there? >> Yes. Welcome. Welcome to Reading. We're so excited to have you. Our ushers are passing out a little pamphlet that has a discount off of our bookstore over here.

But on it, you can actually fill out all of your you can fill out your information so that we can get connected, get you plugged in, get you connected to different ministries that we have here, and we would love to get to know you a little bit more. >> Awesome.

I was just thinking too for your if it's your first time in here. I was thinking about my first time in this uh place and it would have been maybe 17 18 years ago. I came to a Jesus culture conference and um I was really young and the Lord met me and changed my life.

And so I'm just praying that um yeah, my life's never been the same honestly since that moment. And so I'm praying that even tonight on a Sunday night before Christmas, uh it's a it's a risky time to come out. We got flood warnings all over the place and you guys are here and so you're obviously hungry for something and I don't think it's uh by mistake either that Mr.

Dave Ward is speaking tonight and what he carries. But I just really want to encourage you if it's your first time um to believe that God uh is going to meet you in this place and that he does the impossible. Amen. >> Amen. Can we welcome up Clint? >> Okay.

Okay. [laughter] Hi guys. Well, I get to do the offering tonight. So, why don't you stand? Uh, [clears throat] I get to take your money, you know. Well, [snorts] I get to take your investment. Oh, not your giving. So, I want you to change your language tonight. You're not just giving, you are investing.

And every good investor knows that there's a return on what you invest. Uh, we're going to do offering reading number one. While they get it up, I I'll share a cool little testimony. So, uh, yesterday I was just driving home and I pulled into my driveway, uh, last night and I just had this thought, uh, a year ago, this wonderful woman who's a student of my wife's randomly [clears throat] just gave us a bunch of money uh, in our bank account.

And I, as I pulled into my driveway, I just remembered that and I was like, I was genuinely so thankful. Now, I've spent all that money. That was a year ago, long time ago. But I was just so thankful. I was like, man, God, I just remember that.

Like, thank you so much for doing that. That was awesome. Went to bed and I woke up in the morning and that same woman put money into my account again. Now, you could say that's a coincidence or you could say that's the power of thankfulness. And I was in a prayer meeting this morning at the 9:15 Twin View, which Dave leads.

I highly encourage you to come. It's awesome. Uh and in the prayer meeting, I was just sharing this testimony and one of the guys there was he said uh you know this crazy thing happened to him where one of his girls for Christmas said, "Hey, I want a Christmas ham."

And he's like, "I don't like ham." And and she was like, "No, I want a Christmas ham." And he was like, "Okay, we'll figure out a Christmas ham." And they wake up the next morning and a pig ran into their yard. Now, I don't know where you live in Reading where wild pigs come into your yard, but a pig came into his yard and he's like, "Well, do we eat it or do we name it?" you know.

Uh but just such a crazy story and then Lorianne was there as well, another lady, and she said they had this crazy thing last year where one of their kids was like, I want a cat for Christmas. And she's like, I don't like cats. And the daughter looked at her and said, God will give me a cat.

And they wake up the next morning and in their garage is a cat. So I had this funny thought. You know what happens if the blessing, the pig and the cat just walked into your house? And sometimes we fight so hard for things, but I pray that this would be a season where I'm using a pair of glasses.

That the pig would walk into your yard. That the cat would be in your garage. That you would wake up with the money in your account just from a thought. So why don't you take whatever you're going to pay with. I'm going to pray first and then we can do the offering reading.

So if it's your phone or money, just hold it in your hand. God, I bless this investment in Jesus mighty name. All right, let's let's uh read offering number one. As we receive today's offering, we are believing the Lord for jobs and better jobs, raises and bonuses, benefits, sales and commissions, favorable settlements in estates and inheritances, interests and income, rebates and return, checks in the mail, gifts and surprises, finding money, debts paid off, expenses decreased, blessings and increase.

Thank you, Lord, for meeting all of my financial needs that I may have more than enough to give into the kingdom of God and promote the gospel of Jesus Christ. Hallelujah. All right. Well, our ushers are going to pass the buckets. Uh we also have a QR code if you want to scan that.

While they do that, I have the wonderful privilege of introducing the guest speaker. This is his second time preaching at the the PM service. Um he is officially my boss. I I am a revival pastor the second year. This wonderful uh man leads the second year environment. But I just want to boast about him just for two seconds and then I'm going to call him up.

[clears throat] Um my wife had the privilege of doing third year with him. Uh and both me and my wife have also had the privilege of being delivered by Mr. Dave Ward. Uh, I was in an office up here and he just caught me on a corner with somebody else and he delivered me from an orphan spirit and I was on the floor for three hours.

I'd never had a deliverance to be honest. I was Christian. I didn't know I had any demons. Well, booha. There we go. I had them. Uh, and my wife, same thing. She was we were when we were in CO with the tent. She was outside and all of a sudden something started happening and Dave went over and started doing what he does and she got delivered from the spirit of religion and has she radically struggled with anxiety.

Has never struggled with anxiety since. So watch out. You might get delivered tonight as he speaks. Actually, it's I pray that you do in Jesus' name. But I want to say this is an amazing guy. I really really trust this man. I've had the privilege of being in his house many times.

I love the way he loves his family and his kids. And you're on for a treat tonight. So, if you would, won't you stand and welcome Mr. Ward? ((cheering)) ((applause)) >> That's amazing, Clinty, because I I really felt like I was supposed to cast out demons out of the No, I'm just messing with you.

Um, so good to to be with you all. I'm not I'm not speaking on uh deliverance tonight, as far as I know. Um, it's like biblical rain. How many of you Well done for making it. You're either desperate or hungry if you're in the room. Uh, but the Lord values both and will reward both.

If you're at home, you're wise and the Lord will bless you, too. How many of you got the text mid-service about like basically we're trapped. So, this could be a very, very long sermon tonight. We could be here. We might be here all night. Um, >> but uh it's a it's a gift to be with you.

Um, as Clinty said, my name is Dave. I have been in this environment now for 15 years, which is amazing. My wife and I, like so many of us, uh, came for one year and we got trapped. We got hooked. We got stuck. And we're very grateful about it.

And, um, we since had four redheaded Americans. I've got one of my, uh, my wingman, John, stand up. Say hi. Just give everybody a wave. This John. And, um, yeah, Reading's home. And as Clint said, I get to to lead the second year environment and also Twin View on a Sunday with my wife and uh it's a lot of fun.

So, I'm not speaking on deliverance tonight, but I I have a word that I I feel like on the heart of God. Um let me just pray and then we'll we'll jump right in. Jesus, thank you for the rain. I was saying [snorts] this morning, I remember we prayed in a drought for years and years for water, for rain, and uh so this is an answered prayer, but we do we do ask Lord that you'd keep those safe and you'd protect houses and valuable things.

And I I pray that this um this water, this rain would um bless Reading's land, bless Reading City, and protect us from fires in the summer. And everyone said, "Amen." Amen. So, um, tonight, if I had a title, I love I love a title. I can't help myself.

Uh, tonight, if there is a title, for anyone that makes notes, it would be this. Uh, walking with God. Walking with God. And I I kind of want to teach a little bit out of my life. Um, I'm definitely not preaching at you tonight. I'm very much speaking to my myself, too, as as I hope will become clear.

Um, but if I was going to set it up, it would be this. My my life, my life verse, Dave Ward's life first is John 17:3. And it says this, uh, this is eternal life that they might know him. And I think sometimes we get caught on that eternal.

So just think of it like this. This is life that you might know him. And uh that's crucial for me because I think we often think we're adding God to life. But if you look in scripture, there's this fresh um revelation in the new covenant that God himself is life and everything else is added to it.

If you think about this Psalm 103 as well, uh Bill often shares this verse. It says Moses was acquainted with the ways of God and the Israelites were acquainted with his works. It's this distinction in intimacy. And I hope you're like me when you hear that there's an option.

You can either be acquainted with God's works or actually know his ways. I hope all of us are like, "Oh, God, I want to know his ways." Anyone else with me on that front? Okay, good. I'm in the right place. This is what I've learned about myself when I pray those prayers and I really really mean them.

God, I really want to know your ways. I really want to know your ways. I've learned I mean it. But my prayer changes really quickly in trial and blessing. Trial and blessing. When I'm in trial, my prayer from I just want to know you very quickly moves to get me out.

Help. Help. And in blessing times it's like oh yeah um give me more. Give me more. And so tonight, I said the title was walking with God. I want to if I if I can teach us about the pace of God because God has a pace. And I've learned that his pace and my pace are not always the same.

And I've discovered this most in trial. Trial has a pace, if you will. And even blessing, which I hope to show tonight. Blessing has a pace. And if we're not careful, we can waste our trials. We can waste our blessings and miss the John 17:3 privilege of walking with him in every season.

Are you ready? Say yes, Dave. >> Okay. So, I'm I'm going to uh jump in. We're going to go for trials first. And if you've got your Bibles, turn to Psalm 23. And so I want to try and show you. I think this is the human condition. When I'm in trials, I'd love to tell you every time I'm in a trial, my first thought Dave Ward goes, "Oh, thank you Jesus for this wonderful trial.

Where are you? Hi." But more often than not, my first thought because trial means pain, discomfort, pressure. Are you alive? Do you know what I'm talking about? Trial for me. I'm not like, "Oh, thank you, Jesus. I just love pain and pressure. Yum. Yes, more Lord. Where are you?"

That's not my first thought. My first thought is, how on earth do I get out of here? I don't even think that's an illegal prayer. If you read through scripture, it's full of God delivering us. Uh, but I want to show you a sneaky secret, I believe, a key, if you will, to actually uh friendship with him.

[clears throat] And it's to do with his pace. So, if you're in your Bibles, turn to Psalm 23. And I want to tell you from the get-go, Psalm 23 is a trap. Okay, some of you, I'm about to show you how. You'll understand me in just a moment. Psalm 23 is a trap.

It starts off good. Lulls you into a false sense of security. Then boom. Okay, so here it is. So it's like, the Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want. Oh, I love you being my shepherd, Jesus. Isn't that lovely? In other translations, it says, I lack nothing.

I love lacking nothing. That sounds wonderful. Yes, Lord. What a lovely start to this psalm. Well done, David. And he goes on, he makes me He makes me lie down in green pastures. Oh, surrender. I surrender green pastures. I love green pastures. Think about this. You're a sheep.

So, what God is saying, he makes you, forces you, poor me, to lie down as a sheep in my food, in my delicious green food. I'm like, lovely. I can do that. Sounds good. Wonderful. Turn the page. Keep going. He leads me beside still waters. I love still waters.

This is amazing. Yes, Lord. You're a great leader. I love your lordship, Jesus. Oh, the still waters. He restores my soul. Wonderful. Love that, too. Restores my soul. So, I'm surrounded. I'm a sheep. Remember, you're all sheep right now. You're surrounded by green abundant pastures. So, food is everywhere.

You just sleep and you wake up and you eat and then there's quiet water. And while you're doing all that, this amazing shepherd is restoring your soul. Oh, Psalm 23. Go to the top of the list. That's my fave. This is wonderful. It says, "He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake."

Love that, too. It's often in these places, in these seasons where God, just following God, it's often like the start of your journey. It's just everything's magical. There's, you know, the heavenly angels are playing and blessings coming and everywhere you look, it's comfortable. You're like, "Oh, Jesus, I just love following you."

And uh you pray those prayers in this season. Lord, I follow you. I surrender. I give you my life. I give you everything. Where you go, I go. Where you go, I go what you got. You know that song. You just love singing that. I just give you my whole heart, God.

Take me wherever you want. But it's quite easy to secretly think that means green pastures and still water. Are you all more mature than me and spiritual? Would you? Yeah. Okay, great. Okay. So, Psalm 23. It's been going swimmingly so far. Scene change. The plot thickens. So you you've been, you know, walting through, skipping through the green meadows.

Even though I walk through the valley. The valley. I don't love valleys. Okay, keep going. Of the shadow of death. What? Reverse. Reverse. Back up. Back up to the green pastures and the still waters. This is a terrible plan. Back. Back. Back. Of course, the Lord's the shepherd.

So, you try backing up back to the nice comfortable place, [snorts] but the Lord keeps going. So then you find yourself walking through the Who wants to walk through the valley of the shadow of death? Run, sprint, hurry, haste. No, this this great king, this God that doesn't always make sense wants to walk through the valley of the shadow of death.

God, this sucks. This psalm is this is going down the list. You know, I will fear no evil for you are with me. Your rod and your staff, they comfort me. Now, let me tell you, you know, you're in the valley of the shadow of death. Have you ever seen a rod or a staff like this bony sticks?

You know, often in scripture, one of the things it means is is discipline. So, you know, when you're going through the valley of the shadow of death, when this big like ornary stary stick, that's your comfort. That's another level. Anyhow, if you're lucky enough, you're blessed enough, you know, you're with God in it, and you make it through the valley of the shadow of death, you're mad at God because you were walking, and you could be running.

I don't like that pace of God. How many of you would love to, if you could choose, go, God, can we walk slowly through this valley, this trial, this shadow of death, or can we run as fast as we can? Most of us, I think, I'll take the running option.

How do I get out of here as quickly as possible? But anyway, let's say you've made it. We've made it through. Thank you, God. That was tough, but we did it. High five. Thank you. Well done. You're a great leader. We made it through. I would have preferred running, but I'll I'll I'll bless you for walking.

So, we go on. You prepare a table before me. Oh, thanks, God. We made it through that difficult season together, the valley of the shadow of death. I forgive you for walking. It's fine. But you're rewarding me with a table. That's so thoughtful of you. You prepare a table before me in the pre Oh, the presence.

I love your presence. Yes. in the presence of my enemies. What? Oh, it's got worse. Just a moment ago, we were walking through the valley of the shadow of death. Now, we're we're stopped. We're sitting in the presence of our enemies. This is awful. [snorts] You prepare a table.

I just imagine myself being like, "Prepare a table." What about an army? Prepare an army or uh weapons, escape route. I want you to imagine you're in the worst season of your life. Your enemies are all around you and you're like searching for a way out. Over here, help me, Lord.

Look, you look too You look over there. I look over here. And you turn around and he's just setting a table in what feels like the worst place in your life. God, have you gone bananas? Are you crazy? This is not a time This is not a time for fellowship.

Rescue me. I'll make a deal with you. How about How about you get me out of here and then we'll make a table. It'll be wonderful. I'll even cook for you. But God thinks different to us. I'm being slightly funny. I'm being slightly silly. But if we're honest, if I'm honest, my impulse, my desire in pain, in suffering, although my life verse is, oh God, every situation, I just want to know you.

I want to be with you. I just I want to discover more of you. Dave finds that when he gets into difficult, painful, confusing situations. My natural response is fight or flight. And yet I wonder in the kingdom if God's response is come sit, come sit. I want to show you something really precious here.

What if there's a table in my trial, in your trial right now? Now, what if there's a table that we're in such anxiety and urgency, such pace, rush, haste, trying to work our way out? What if God's deliverance, which sometimes does look like pulling out, that's clear in scripture.

What if God's deliverance actually in our situation right now looks like setting a table and sitting and slowing down? There's a pace in God. There's a pace in God. There's a a relational pace where he thinks differently to us. And [snorts] often trial and tribulation speeds us up and we become so quick [snorts] to try and remove ourselves perhaps from the very place he's looking to sit with us.

If you read on here, it's it's stunning to me. So in the presence of my enemies says, "You anoint my head with oil." It's interesting. Remember when we were back in the green pastures and the still waters? The anointing, the oil doesn't come there. It comes in the last place I would want it to.

It just gets better. My cup overflows. What does this speak of? This speaks of abundance, of the generosity, of the wealth, of the plenty of God. How often do I take long enough in my trial? What if the lack, the perceived lack of the season I'm in, the the the absence of answer, what if hidden in that very place?

If I just stop and sit at this table, what if there's a cup that overflows with abundance? What if wealth is hidden right in front of me? I want you to imagine you're sitting at the table with God. Th this is me adding to this, but I I wonder if as David turns his eyes from his enemies and surrenders to sitting at a table when everything inside him wants to work out how to get out, there's this moment of surrender.

You have to go, "Oh, [groaning] if God has prepared a table, oh Lord, I've got to trust you." I I turn away from my enemies and I sit and I just wonder as he's sitting, he starts to that urgency comes down. that anxiety comes down and he moves from how do I get out to hi Jesus, oh there you are.

And that urgency to remove himself from the situation starts to fade away in the beauty of God in the middle of his mess. And I wonder, it doesn't say this, but to me, as he sits, as he feasts with God, as God anoints him with oil, it's like in that flow we have with God, suddenly he makes these bold revelations, staggering.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever. I don't know if this makes sense to you but the very place I want to run from God. What if God has packed full packed full of treasure packed full of blessing?

Well, if I I I have this mindset, I'll get out and then we'll do it. And what happens if God is actually earmarking your trial as a place if only you and I will look for the table in my own life. I want to share kind of a season of experiences myself in my early 20s.

Uh it really started in my teenage years, but I suffered from uh just torment and anxiety at such an awful level. Um it came in waves just periods of my life. I did everything I knew, if you will, like the Psalm 23. I very much felt like I was walking in the shadow of death.

Definitely walking though I wanted to run. Felt like I was sitting in the presence of my enemies. And the harder I tried to fix myself, the worse it got. I was put on anti-depressants a few times, didn't work for me. Uh, I went to therapy a bunch of times, didn't work for me.

Somehow I became a therapist, which is a story for another day, which was strange and ironic. Um, that didn't work for me either. I read every self-help book I could. Um, I was just trying to find a way. How do I get out of this this awful space?

How do I free myself? How do I remove myself from this trial? I was at the time in this particular time a therapist myself. So every day I had to get on uh the underground London across London and just to get on the underground was panic attack inducing.

So I'd get on and just about make it all the way to work get there and I had on my list like oh five anxious and depressed people I'm counseling today and I can barely hold it together myself. But obviously I didn't tell them that. But I, you know, put on my best, you know, counselor's face and they're sitting there with me, you know, going through the awful things that they're going through.

When you're already really anxious and depressed, spending your working hours talking to people also really anxious and depressed. It's It's not a It's funny now. It wasn't then. And they're like, "You [snorts] have no idea what I'm going through." And I'm like, "You have no idea that actually I do have an idea."

But I can't tell them that as their counselor cuz then they'd really get hopeless. If you find out your counselor's depressed and anxious, you're like, I'm screwed. There's no hope for me. So, I'd get through one session and then I'd normally be a gap and I just break in my office just weep and weep.

I was so tormented in my mind. Uh the harder I tried to fix my mind, the worse it got. I know that there's a Bible verse that I'm sure is has deep revelation, but without the revelation, it nearly killed me. You know the verse uh that says um take every thought captive.

Man, that verse messed me up when I was under religion cuz I was like, if you've got a brain like mine trying to take your thoughts captive, I have 400 a moment. So, have you ever played that game Twister when it's like put your foot on right there and then your arm under here and then your leg?

That's how my mind felt. It's like take every thought captive. So, I wake up at 7:00 a.m. I'm like, "Okay, here we go. Go." 1 2 3 4 5, you know, and by like 7:30 I'm like, "I'm doomed. I'm screwed and I'm a terrible person." So if you have great revelation that's actually brought you life and freedom, tell me because I still haven't got it from that verse.

So the harder I tried to control my mind, the worse it got. I became more and more convinced there was just something wrong with me. And I was in my first year of marriage, it was so brutal. Every day I'd get home and just be a weeping mess.

And you know, I got all these ideas as a husband. I'm going to be this and I'm going to be that. And I'm just every day coming home just like, you know, it like so humiliating, just such a defeat. And because this was my third really episode or breakdown in a few years, I genuinely believed that this was my lot for the rest of my life.

So much so that people would sometimes prophesy over me and say, "Dave, you know, you're this, that, and they say, I just really see peace on your life." And I'd quietly think to myself, "Oh, it's a bad word. I'm I I'm many things, but peace is just something that is just not available to me.

Uh, I' had so many good people speak negative things over me. This is because your, you know, grandfather's, grand, you know, mother's sister's uncle's dog had anxiety. You're like, "Oh gosh, I'm screwed." You know, anyone else have that? You know, it goes all the way back. You're doomed.

Basically, and people meaning well, trying to give me a human mercy by basically labeling me and saying, "This is how you'll always be." I remember thinking I will only experience peace like when I'm, you know, 50 or 60 and wise and gray and like Gandalf, you know, or dead.

That was honestly, no joke. I was like, life is just one horrible survival. I get through one day. Oh, that was a good day. Thank God. Go to sleep, wake up, and off my mind goes again. And in this season, it got so bad many close to me said, "Dave, go back to the doctor. get back on more pills, more medication, uh do all the stuff that you know to do.

And yet I had my wife and a spiritual moment at the time saying, "Hey, you've tried everything, but you haven't actually trusted God. You haven't tried the voice of God yet." Now, I always say this um because there's no shame for me in the journey. All the anti-depressants, all the therapy, all that kind of stuff, all those things I think can be beautiful and God for many will actually lead you to that path.

So, please hear me. I'm not saying any of that stuff is not of God, but for me in that particular season, it was masking me trying everything to fix to get out of this messy situation. And I tried basically everything but the father himself. So, one particular night, I threw away my anti-depressants.

I threw away my self-help books. I was still a therapist. I couldn't quit that quite yet. Um, and I basically said, "Okay, God, it's you and me. I'm desperate. I don't have any faith that this is going to work. But I I've tried everything. I have tried to get out of this trial.

And the harder I try, the worse it gets. And uh I genuinely wasn't like, "Oh Lord, I want to know you here." I was like, "I don't want to know you here. I want to be rescued out of here. Get me out. Give me peace. Uh I'll pull this lever.

I'll do 100 press. I'll do whatever it takes. I want to know you to get me out of here. And through this strange journey, I won't go into all the details tonight, but um I had a leader in my life say, "Why don't you write down in a jour?"

She said, "Buy a journal." I wasn't a journaler. Buy a journal. I was like, "Here we go." And she said, "Write down D for Dave and tell God, say hi, God." And tell him how you're feeling. I was like, "That's that's going to have lots of rather spicy language."

She said, "What have you got to lose?" I said, "Fair enough." And she said, "At the end of what when you've written what you've written, which will be very depressing, which it was, write G for God and write back what he says to you." I said, "So that sounds so back then I didn't really believe in that."

I'm like, "That sounds just like I'm going to be talking to myself pretending to be God. That just sounds really dumb. I don't believe that's going to be God and that's going to help me." And she said, "How's your life working out, Dave?" I like, "Very good point.

My life sucks. Yes, I'm falling apart." A very good point. She said, "I want you to suspend disbelief." I think she said for 6 weeks, 2 months. What else do you have to lose? And I can take you to where I was, suspend disbelief. What I mean by that is like put aside that you don't have any faith or belief.

Just what else do you have to lose? Do it. Even if it's you writing to yourself, what do you have to lose? I can take you to the place. Well, I can't now because someone else lives there and they call the police. But, uh, there's a space in London I could take you to.

On that first day, I wrote D for Dave. Hi God, I'm gonna talk to you. I think I'm really just talking to myself, but this wonderful person has told me to do it, so here we go. I'm really off. And then when I went to write for God, and I wish I could tell it happened every time at this, but it really was like the clouds parted and just the sun of his face came into the room and he took my pen and I started to write things as he responded. too kind, too funny, too soft, too gentle, too relaxed as he wrote over me.

And it just broke. It pierced through the shields that had surrounded my heart and mind. And it was like, I heard him for me. I heard him for me. [snorts] It wasn't like that every day. Many days I would write and I'd get to the end of it and think that could be me.

That could be God. But over those those few months something started to happen where I started to build confidence that I was actually meeting with him. And over time this wasn't a suddenly this was I I loved I love suddenly but most of my life and I think ours are made up of a million graduates.

And I actually love the god of the graduates. You have a great marriage. I love the suddenly in my marriage, but most of them it's the everyday moments that make up a beautiful marriage, a beautiful relationship. And so, as God started to slow me down, remember at the start, I'm just like, "Pull the lever.

Press the button. How do I get out of here?" And we started to talk, if you will, set a table. Set a table. In the place in me I hated most about myself, he started to father me there. I used to say it like this. I was chasing peace and I found a person.

All Dave Ward wanted was peace and he gave me friendship in what was my hell when I'd exhausted every escape route in my in my mind. Hello, rain. Maybe this is prophetic for tonight. We're trapped and we've got to turn this into a table. um in the presence of my enemies, he anointed my head with oil.

He tended to me and I started somehow even now when I remember it it almost feels impossible but I started to find treasure and abundance and intimacy and warmth the warmth of his affection in the last place I'd want to look. this strange thing I happened happened. I used to joke with him, you know, there's that phrase like two ships passing in the night.

I'd be like, "God, I want to meet with you." And I'd be like, "Get out of this horrible place. Get out, get out, get out, get out." And I'm, as I'm trying to get out, I'd see like God passing going in. I'm like, "Whoa, where are you going?"

He's like, "I'm going in." I'm like, "Don't go in there. It's hell in there. Don't No, no, no, no, no, no. Let's let's let's set a table out here. We can have a date." He's like, "Oh, sweetheart, I want to date you in here." I'm like, "But I hate this place.

I hate this place in me." He's like, "I know, but I love this place in you. And when you experience me in your trial, in your hell, when you experience me and I slow you down and I make you sit at my pace and we do relationship, something more wonderful than peace will happen to you."

And in the very place that I had literally I was tormented by I spent my whole life hating. God said to me once, Dave, the part of you you spent your whole life trying to conquer, trying to cut out, I just wanted to celebrate. And after I basically slowly through trial and error quit escaping or trying to, it was in the last place I wanted to look that I found my great treasure.

What if what if we resist the fight or flight in us when we're going through pressure, when we're going through hardship? What if instead we look for another way for the table? Oh God, I want to get out. Oh God, I want you to rescue me. All beautiful prayers.

I still pray them all the time. But God, as I'm looking for the escape route, help deliver me. I just I just want to check. Is there a table? Because although I'd love to feel safe out of danger. [snorts] Oh God, I really hope you're not in this danger, but if you are, oh, I'd rather I'd rather be in danger discovering what you're really like because then the bonus is freedom.

The bonus was peace and the reward actually was the thing that the relationship, the connection my my heart was was aching for. You guys okay? If you let him, God will take the worst in your life and make it the best. I call it the best worst. But it's better than just the worst.

I think God's sneaky. I think sometimes like Psalm 23, he starts in the easy place. He starts and we pray those prayers that we forget and the worship songs going and then in his kindness he leads us. He matures us. But there's a pace. There's a pace. And sometimes I think we hate the trial because we lost God in the trial because we're so urgently trying to get out.

Not knowing that often in a trial, God slows us down. Final thing on this before we move to blessing. When I'm my wife will tell you this, hopefully not my son, he's here, but my wife's not here. She's at a birth, but when um when I'm going through a hard time, I'm great at playing the violin.

Like self-pity. Anybody else struggle? I'm like I can play with the best of them. I self-pity is definitely a weakness of mine. I've definitely grown in a little. But I I can say all the right things. I've just had so many encounters with God where I'm having a real pity party and then I've looked to my left and he's playing the violin with me like so fun and just breaks my self-pity.

God's so funny. It's so surprising. There's other times where he's told me to repent. So I I want to be fair. But there's something about feasting in a trial surrounded by your enemies and it turns you from a victim into a victor. >> God is clever. He's a genius.

He's not scared of the shadow. He's not like, "Oh, the valley of the shadow of death. Run." He's God. He's perfectly relaxed. When we're setting the table in the presence, he's like, "Oh my goodness, your enemies are so big." He's so calm and relaxed. And something happens when we refuse the pace of the pressure, the pace, the the pace of the situation, the pace of the alarm and the pace of our enemies, and instead slow down, turn our backs, and start to be relational.

There's something that defies the enemy and makes it bow at the abundance of your relationship with God. I dare you to try it. One of my favorite stories is Chris Gore, who was a leader in this house for many years, amazing, amazing man, talks about when one of his daughters uh was going through a a lifethreatening surgery.

And I think if I'm right, the surgery at this point had not gone well at all. And he's literally seeing his daughter, I think it was an 8 hour hour surgery, just in so much pain. And I I can't even begin to tell you the details of the the intensity, the trial of that moment.

But he'd learned something from Psalm 23. And so he pulled up a chair and he said, "Devil, sit." And he turned on the worship music by his daughter's bed and he started to feast and dance and worship and enjoy God and defy the enemy. Defy the trial. Let that trial become treasure in your life and feed your walk with God.

So that's walking with God in trial. I want to talk now about walking with God in blessing. You guys alive? I know it's rainy. And if you got your Bibles, jump with me quickly to Luke 10. Remember, I'm not preaching at you. I'm preaching with you and to maybe I'm just preaching to me and you're listening.

Uh but it works. Luke 10 verse 38. It's the story of Mary and Martha. So there's a response in us in impulse when we hit trial, which is get me out. Like you can be someone that's I just want to know you God. And then I'm in trial.

I'm like, oh, forget that. We'll do the knowing you later. Get me out. In blessing, what I've found in me, it's not the get me out. It's the feels good. I want more of this. And again, is it wrong to desire blessing? No. Thank you. Is it wrong to desire?

Like he's a generous, generous father. But I want to show you something that I think can happen in blessing or at least happens to me. A different type of urgency that again can make me miss the actual joy. People get nervous online if I say this, but I love saying the magic of knowing God.

It's not like black witchcraft magic. Just, you know, life when it's just like magical wonder. Wonderful. That will make you feel more less nervous, but just the beauty, the magic, the wonder of knowing God. Um I want to show you it through blessing. So I'll read this to you and then again I I'll share a situation.

But um verse 38. Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. It's a famous story in this house. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to his teaching.

She had a sister called Mary who sat sitting again, you see, at the Lord's feet and listened to his teaching. But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she [snorts] went up to him and said, "Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone?

Tell her then to help me." But the Lord answered her, "Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion which will not be taken away from her." There's something profound to me that I want to show you in this story because in this story, the ambition, uh, the desire of Mary and Martha is exposed or revealed.

Now, Martha, she was satisfied. She was happy just getting Jesus in her house. Jesus came to her house. If you're Martha, this is biblical times. There's no Instagram, but it's the selfie. Hooray, Jesus, in my home, in my kitchen. Woohoo. You know, this is a big moment for her.

She's got favor. Jesus chose to come to her house. Wow, Jesus in my house. But what's revealed in the story is Martha is satisfied with proximity, but Mary desires actual intimacy. What's the point? Martha's like, "Get in my house. Get in my area of influence. This is this is my area of influence.

Come join my business. Uh, great. I've got God here. Sweet. Now we'll do what I want you to do. Mary Mary's ambition is deeper than just being near Jesus, being around Jesus. It says that he's speaking in the house. And so Mary goes, "If my teacher is speaking, why would I busy myself somewhere else?

I'm going to sit at the teacher's feet and watch as he's speaking." It's really interesting. You know, when you slightly missed the point, when you're telling God what to do and you're correcting him, that's normally I've done it many times. Um, Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone?

Tell her then to help me. Martha's ambition was satisfied by just getting Jesus in her area of influence. And then she set about telling him what she wanted him to do. We've never done that though, have we? No. Well, um it turns out I have like I think I hope all of us have that merry heart, that merry prayer.

Lord, I just want you. One thing is needed. Um one thing I'm after to seek your face to get, you know, all that kind of prayer. And I think that's right. And yet I am so often surprised by how much of Martha's in me. Anyone else got any good old Martha in you?

I love Martha. She makes me feel human. So I'll give you a situation. So, um, the last the last few, uh, last, this is my 13th year on staff, but the last 12, 13 years of being on staff, I have a salary. Thank you, Jesus. And, and so, I pray all these prayers.

Lord, make me a Mary. I just want to sit at your feet. I want to I'm going to sing that for you. I won't ruin that. And, uh, ruin that song forever. And that's just my heart, okay? And then something happened 18 months ago. My my gorgeous wife be, she started a business.

Hooray for business. And so when I had just a salary, there was no um I can work 100 hours, I can work 40 hours, it doesn't change anything. There's no doesn't matter. My ambition doesn't change anything. I can't build an empire with my Bethl pastor salary. Be starts this amazing business as a dueler, which for those you don't know helps is women helping women uh give birth before um anyway, it's wonderful.

She's amazing at it. I basically we went through birth. We both went through the same experience. Play safe. Get out, man. Get out of talking about birth. No, B and I both went through we had four amazing births. Our kids our kids are glorious and wonderful. Birth our children.

That's what I'm trying to say. Panic mayday help. And uh we both had the opposite reaction. I was It was wonderful. It was holy. It was magical. It was glorious. We got through our four births. I'm like amazing. I never ever want to do that again. I loved being at my own children's birth.

But you'll be pleased to know, dear women, Dave Wood does not want to be at your birth. How am I in this guy? Help. Get out of here. Bee, on the other hand, did her own birth and was like, I want to be at everybody's birth. I'm like, weird.

Thank god it was that way around, I guess. And um so, so be gets this business. It's her business, not even mine. And it exposed something in me again. What's my prayer, Lord? I just want to go at your pace. I just want to walk with you in the cool of the day.

And suddenly this thing I'm being slightly silly, but it was like we shall build a dueler empire and take over the world. Suddenly I'm I'm secretly an expert businessman. Is anybody else like that? And I've never had a business. I secretly think I'm an expert many things. I think the Bible calls that pride.

Um but I'm like I'm going to be amazing at this and I'm having all these ideas and this strategy and it's basically Martha. I'm like God come and join our business so I can be blessed, so I can make more money. we can do this amazing doula stuff that I'm not a part of.

Thank you, God. And it's like, oh wow, how quick am I to want God to be a part of my thing, my area of influence? But is my motivation, is my ambition really, oh God, is this just another area to discover what you're like? Tell me what you're like here.

We'll take the slow route. Or is my honest ambition like join me. Blessing, favor, awesome. Build, build up, up, up, faster, bigger, more powerful, more money. That sounds wonderful. Is anyone else sinful and awful like me? Are you all just really, really spiritual? Okay, good. I'm talking to some other human beings.

I think actually trial, finding God in trial is often easier than finding God in blessing. There's a pace to blessing. Let me say it like this. How many of you have desired a blessing and then it's happened and you're like, "Woohoo!" for a few weeks and then it's just normal life.

I think every blessing is just another place, another another promotion, favor, whatever you want to call it, it's just another arena that if we'll slow down and look for God in his pace, he'll make a table. And the reward again is the discovery, the adventure of hearing him, learning him, seeing him, and the bonus is the blessing. >> The thing is God will bless your life regardless because he's a good father.

But whether it's a car, a house, a relationship, you pray those prayers. Lord, just give me this and I'll never grow hungry again. I'll never pray another prayer. And then you you get it and you're like, "Yay, thank you." You are genuinely thankful. But after a while, it's just a thing because there's a longing, there's an aching, there's a a wound, an ache, a cry in our hearts, not just for the situation or the area of blessing, not just for God to come to our house, but actually to meet with God in the house.

Last year I I I was on a fast and um it was really annoying because on the fast he basically spent the whole time talking to me about two things, waiting and walking. I basically I spent these 40 days just discovering waiting and walking the pace of God, the relational pace of God.

I'm like, I get it. Oh, why would I ever want to build, you know, my own empire or advance the kingdom for God's glory? Obviously, [snorts] um there's something in us that drives sometimes uh at it. At best, it's just that human nature. At worst, it's just ambition to arrive somewhere, to get somewhere.

And I I'm convinced that if I'm not careful, I'll miss him along the way. It was so annoying because basically God's often on my wife's side, but I, you know, in the early days of the business, I'm like, "Baby, we could do this. We could do this." you know, armchair expert.

This will be amazing. And she'd just be like, I I don't know if I feel God on that. Like, darn it. Get behind me, Satan. No, I didn't. Uh, you know, just like and I'm like, what about this? But I was watching a friend of God. I was watching my wife.

I was watching a woman just simply trust. A bit like Mary. Her ambition was not to grow something big and high fast. Her ambition is to just obey him, walk with him, discover him, and out of trust, she knows he'll bless us because that's what he's like. And it was confronting because it exposed an urgency in my heart that wasn't in God's.

And I don't think in certainly it wasn't in bees. Am I saying desiring business is bad? Am I saying um you know, don't go for business or don't desire to be blessed? No. No, no, no. I But I do think we have to settle these things in our hearts so that the blessings God wants to give you, the business God wants to give you, the favor God wants to give you doesn't end up strangling intimacy along the way because we become more in love with the idea of the answer than the one that we started with.

I think so many of us are struggling because we either got lost, we've lost God in a trial or we've lost God in blessing. And what if it's just we're simply going at a pace that he's not going? Maybe it's a simple repentance to back up to the pace of God.

Oh, hi God. I know you're blessing me. I'm so thankful that you're blessing me. But I just want to check is is there something of you I haven't found yet. Is there a space where we could meet? Could could we sit together? Could we be together? Is there a relational space and place with your heart?

I know the blessing will be a bonus, but I don't want to miss out on the true meaning of life, which is just to walk. Walk as your friend. I want to show you maybe one more thing. Are you guys okay for a couple more minutes? Every preacher asks this.

It's very hard. If you say no, I'll burst into tears afterwards. Um, it's a very simple analogy, but I just sort this picture. Galatians 5 verse 16 it says, "But I say walk by the spirit." Say, "Walk >> and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh."

You jump to verse 25. If we live by the spirit, let us also keep in step. Say in step with the spirit. This is a really simple analogy, but have you ever tried imagining or actually walking in step with someone? I think when we first follow Jesus, like the shepherd in Psalm 23, we're the sheep and so we're following.

So I want you to imagine like God or someone in front of you when you're learning to walk in the spirit, walk in step. At first, the journey is incredibly [snorts] frustrating and clumsy. You literally, you know, you're having to watch their feet, you know, try and walk and step as you're following them.

Very annoying, you know, requires so much conversation. So clumsy. You're like, and they're like, "Oh, butterfly. Oh, bang." And you bump into him because he stopped. This is what it's like in the early days when you first follow God. It can feel learning his pace like clumsy and awkward and frustrating, but you follow him.

You follow him and you build trust with him. Now I think at some point he offers his hand and says, "Let's walk in step." But again, so now you've got his hand, but that's still kind of awkward at the start as well. Walk in step. Now you're holding his hand, but you still got to look.

You're trying to try imagine walking step with someone and learning their gate, learning their pace. It it doesn't come at first naturally. It's actually quite frustrating. It would be easy to think as you're learning this dance, you're learning this walk, you're learning this journey, oh, I'm just not cut out for this is too hard.

This is this is annoying. But I found in the early frustrating years when I was writing, you know, hello God, my name's Dave, I'm mad at you. And he was starting to respond back. It felt awkward. It felt stupid. It felt clumsy. But somewhere along the way of learning to walk in step, you don't need to look any longer because you spent so much time on the walk.

You know their gate. You can recognize in the hand when they're slowing down. You can feel when the pace is picking up. I think this is the holy invitation to me, the secret source of life. Uh, blessings have come and gone in my life. Trials have come and gone.

And I'm thankful particularly for the blessings. But the thing that moves me, it's like any great memory you and I have, we sit around our table often. We're like, "Ah, think about this amazing memory." I guarantee for most of us, almost every memory you have, if you think about it, it's actually not what you did, it's who you were with.

The warmth of the memory for most of us, you're not like I was at this amazing place on my own actually and then I went to this amazing beautiful place. Yeah, I was alone there too. For I mean for most of us the warmth, the affection, the tenderness, the memory you recall is simply that there was a table set in this beautiful place and it was who you were with.

I believe trial and blessing. It's the same with God. Every trial can become a place of warmth, of memory, of testimony, of ah I remember that treasure, that table you set for me. But even blessing too, if I can restrain my appetite for growth, if I can restrain my appetite just to go go go, instead check, hey Jesus, I want to go at your pace.

Are you going fast or slow? I want to add one caveat as we wrap up and then maybe we just um just invite I just want to take a moment at the end just for trial just to get our trials set right and our blessings set right before the Lord.

But I do want to say tonight I've been emphasizing God's pace. Hello rain. Uh God's pace and I've been emphasizing the slow and for me relationally God is often much slower than I'd like. It's like I often joke about this. God says, "We're going over here." And I'm like, "Awesome."

And then he walks that way and I'm like, "Okay, but you said and I don't realize that the road is long and windy and he's got all these encounters and moments of tenderness set along the way." And we end up there. He just had a much better way in mind.

I don't know if it's just our western culture or my Dave Ward brain, but I'm like fastest and quickest is the best. relationship with God and with anyone you really care about doesn't really work like that. In his mercy, in his mercy, I should say this. In his mercy, he frustrates your desire for speed.

It's his mercy. It's his kindness. When be was wanting to go slowly in her business and I'm like, "Come on, let's go." And I'm feeling frustrated. I start to learn as I repent to her pace, God's pace. Oh, thank you, God. But I would have got so caught up in building some big I probably couldn't have done but I would have at least I like to imagine in my head some big empty thing and I would have missed out on what my heart really aches for.

Thank you for frustrating me in your mercy to go at your pace to feel your hand to learn your gate. That's the secret joy of life. I want to just throw in one caveat just to show you I'm stealing from Michael Kulanos but he's a great person to steal from.

Um, if you go real quick to Acts, I just want to show you the pace of God because God can go very fast as well. Uh, I've lost Acts. Um, [snorts] oh, we're good. It's a really simple analogy and I could give you a couple if I have more time, but I just I just want to show you because I think I am wanting to emphasize for me.

How many of you feel like God usually goes most of the time slower than you like? Is there anywhere else? Are you all okay? He didn't pay. Okay. And then once in a while he goes really fast and then you're like, "Slow down." It's like he I'm never happy.

I'm like, "Come on, go faster." Then he goes faster. I'm like, "No, slow down." It's like I'm impossible. I'm just a grumbler. Um, so I just love this story because it's just such a simple I could share another one with you, but if you go to Acts 8 26, it's the story of Philillip and the Ethiopian unic.

It's a really simple treasure, but I just want to contrast what I've said tonight because I don't want us to all leave now thinking, "Oh, God's always just in slow-mo." The point is the listening ear. God, are you going fast? You going to slow? I just want to go at your pace.

So, it says verse 26, "Now an angel of the Lord said to Philillip, rise and go toward the south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza. This is a desert place." And he rose and went. And there was an Ethiopian, a unic, a court official of Candice, Queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure.

He had come to Jerusalem to worship and was returning seated in his chariot. And he was reading the prophet Isaiah. Here it is. And the spirit said to Philillip, "Go over and join this chariot." So Philillip ran. Very simple. Did the spirit say to Philillip run? No. It says go over.

So Philip ran. What's the point? I love this. Philip ran. Michael Kanos puts it like this. Because Philillip ran to the Ethiopian unic because they had that encounter. The whole of uh Ethiopia, he's under the queen. Ethiopia gets the gospel for the first time because Philip ran. What's the point?

It doesn't actually say this, but what I love about this is this. Although God said go, he didn't say run. Michael makes the point. Philip knew the tone, knew the pace, knew the urgency, knew God, so he could hear the urgency in the voice of God. And so he knew, oh, God is saying go, but he means run.

And because he ran, he made it in time to the unic. And Ethiopia gets the gospel. >> That's awesome to me. So the desire is not that every time God speaks it's in slow motion. God can speak fast. God can speak slow. But the invitation is to know him.

And when you know a friend, you [snorts] you actually get to recognize recognize the urgency in the voice, the the calm in the voice. >> Can I give you one more real quick? What time do we need to be? We Okay. Okay. I'm going to go one more because it's just lovely.

And then we'll It's another quick one. Let's go to Mark 2 because I just think God is so funny and so different. Sorry. Mark 1 verse 16. I was reading the Bible a couple of years ago in my old house and this is exactly what happened to So I'll read it and I'll tell you what happened.

Passing alongside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew, the brother of Simon, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. And Jesus said to them, "Follow me, and I will make you become fishes of men." And immediately they left the nets and followed him.

And going on a little further, he saw James, the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who were in their boat mending the nets. And immediately he called them and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants and followed him. So I was reading this again.

Full disclosure, I'm wrong. When when you and God are having a difference in opinion, the short story is you're wrong. But I like to be real with God. Okay? So I read this a couple of years ago and I was offended. I was like, Jesus, that's so unpastoral of you.

I don't know if you thought about this. We get so acquainted with the story. These sons, it's probably, you know, fishermen generation after generation, grandfather, father, grandfather, grandfather comes down to these sons. They're helping their father mend the nets. They're in the middle of helping their father, you know, honor thy father, thy mother.

That was Jesus' idea as well. They're doing that and their whole trajectory is, you know, take over the family business. Jesus just rocks up. Hi guys, follow me. And he expects them to leave immediat leave their father in the lurch with the family business and just go again.

You may be far more spiritual than me, but this particular day I was reading this verse and I was like, Jesus, it's a little bit presumptuous. It's a little bit, you know, couldn't you have said, hey guys, I'm going to call you to follow me in a couple of weeks, but honor thy father and mother.

Yes, I wrote that, too. Um, so fix the nets with your father. Make sure that's all great. you know, give him time to find a replacement. Um, let your mom know that you're going to be heading out. Make sure everything's lined up. Look, you know, etc., etc. Jesus could have done that, yet he just walked up and was like, "Come now."

I was like, "Poor father." Like, "Boys, boys." Oh, you know. So, I was reading this and I had this conversation with God. I literally was like, "Wow, I'm pretty presump yikes. God, I love you. I know you're good, but that's kind of offensive to me. I love having these conversations with God.

He didn't say anything in response, so I was like, "Okay, great. We I carried on my merry way reading the scripture." A couple of minutes later, and this has only happened to me once or twice. Literally, I smiled as I like to be honest and grumble and complain like we have a sweet like I love honest with God.

He puts up with me. Um, so we've had the conversation. A couple of minutes later, I've moved on and Jesus walks into the room and he stands there and I don't know how to do this, right? But it was like the presence of God, the like life itself just stepped into my room.

No expectation, no planning. He just stands there and I'm like, [yawns] and I know he's responding to what I've just talked to him about. So I'm like, "Oh dear. and he walks past me and I'm like, "Am I going to get a rebuke?" Because he he walks past me, he stops, he smiles, and he walks out.

And just his presence walking into my space, I found myself going, "God, I give you everything. I leave the I leave my life. I leave my business. I leave my family. I whatever you do, I surrender. I give you my life. I just want to It was literally like something in me."

And I realized, oh wow, I've looked at it like earthy Jesus just appears on shore like, "Hi guys." And I forgot this is life. This is the alpha and omega appears at the shoreline. And these guys that have got this trajectory for their whole lives, suddenly life itself looks at them and speaks a word.

And everything inside them wakes up. And the only thing that makes sense is to immediately with pace follow God. So God can be slower than we like and he can be faster than we like. But I felt like what I was supposed to bring to you tonight was in trial and in blessing.

Don't waste them. Like you know like a flannel. Do you say flannel in America? You can ring out a flannel. It's like get your trial and ring it out for all the intimacy and treasure and secrets stored in there at the table. And when God wants to bless you and promote you in favor, don't waste it and just go, "Oh, yay.

Thanks. bonus. Ring out the blessing. Is God in the house? Not just in the house, in my proximity. God, do what I want. But what if God is there sitting and about to open his mouth? I don't want to miss him making sandwiches in the kitchen. I'd rather be sitting slowing down.

Oh, don't worry about the money and the blessing, God. I just I just want to look at you. I want to hear what's on your heart. What are you saying? What are you thinking? Something happens when I see him that arrests and corrects everything in me. I'll say this last thing.

I promise I'll stop talking. My experience is and I think this is true for most humans. You have these moments in God. Jesus walks through the room. You see, you behold the beauty of God and everything in you comes alive and you pray those prayers. I will never ever, you know, I will go this slow way for the rest of my life.

It's you and you alone and you mean it with your whole heart and it's right. Is anyone else like me that a day, a week, a month later, that moment doesn't have that same weight and you're back slightly doing the same thing again? Is anybody else like that?

Are you all just really Yeah. Okay, good. You can all lay hands on me at the end if you're all I used to sort of feel like I was failing and I now think, no, no, no, no, no. This is the privilege. It's not. It's a relational lifestyle of walking with God.

Every [snorts] time I see his beauty, I'm arrested. Everything comes into alignment. I'm like, whether it's in blessing or trial, I want you. I've got you. And I'm at your pace. And then life happens a little bit again. And I just need to see that beauty. I need to see that face again.

And for me, that's become the journey. It's no longer like, "Oh, I had that one encounter. Why am I struggling with pressure and pace again?" It's, "Oh, I've just got to see you again. Oh, I'm not complaining about that. I don't know where you'll be. I don't know if it'd be in trial or blessing.

I don't know how you'll come. Maybe like a little baby. Maybe like big scary. I don't know how you're gonna come. Oh, but God, I just need to see your beauty again. Guilty. Need to see your beauty again. Guilty. Oops, lost it again. Need to see your beauty.

I want the lifestyle of having being forced, funneled into needing to see the face of God. Why don't you stand for a moment, Pierre? Pete, I don't know if you're here. Just for a little tinkle on the keys. Um, we might as well go after encounter because we're all trapped.

We're marooned on the hill. No. Um I just I felt like um I'll tell Pete. Oh, no. He's not here. Boo. Wait. I um I I I felt like the Lord just wanted some of us it'll be a major correction and some of us it's just a little tweak.

Is there anyone in the room tonight? This is deeply prophetic that's in a trial. Wow. Um, and I hope there's some people in promotion and favor. And often we're in both. I hear the Lord says, "No, don't waste it. Don't waste it. The car will be lovely for 5 minutes.

The spouse hopefully that'll be lovely for a little longer. The house, the pray, the blessing, it will, but the warmth will leave that thing. Instead, I invite you into a deeper way to search a little deeper than just the pace of the trial, the pace of the bonus blessing.

What if just a little deeper, there's this big, beautiful God that's just waiting to be sat with? Like David in Psalm 23, I want to sit with you in the presence of my enemies. Like Mary, yes, you're in my area of influence. Boom. You're in my business. Oh, hooray.

But Lord, don't just come and bless me. Like, I I want to hear what you've got to say. I want to encounter. I want to discover you. I want to spend my lifetime discovering the secrets of your heart. Would you trust me again with more secrets? Pick a trial.

Pick a business. Pick a blessing. I don't care. Just don't let me leave without encountering you. So, just put out your hands. I just want to invite you feel free in your chair or you can uh find space if you want to. But don't leave tonight even if you're trapped.

Don't leave tonight without telling God, grab your moment. If this if you're in the middle of a trial and you've exhausted every escape route, what if if you just turned and you started hunting? What if this ((music playing)) almighty yet humble God has prepared a table and there's there's a tablecloth and there's knives and forks.

You can see he's got ((music playing)) an apron on and he's like, "I've cooked something wonderful. You're going to love him." What if hidden in the middle of the moment you don't want to be in is something that you've always wanted. And if you're in blessing ((music playing)) or you're in favor of promotion or a business, I do feel like something for business.

There's a there's a speed to business. ((music playing)) And sometimes it's godly ambition and sometimes we're calling it the advancement of the kingdom. ((music playing)) and without meaning to. Somewhere along the way, we've lost God and we're just building for our own ego, our own ambition. Oh Lord, would you slow us down?

Slow me down. ((music playing)) Thank you for frustratingly slowing me down in your mercy to the relational pace. So, I'm ((music playing)) just going to get Pete to sing a song. If this is for you, just in some way, just give God your heart, fresh surrender. and and then we'll we'll pray in a moment. >> I stand ((music playing)) before you all [singing] by your majesties.

Covered by your mercy. ((music playing)) Your blood has made me free. Draw ((music playing)) me [singing] to you and set ((music playing)) my [singing] heart on fire. I want to [singing] know you. You're my one desire. ((music playing)) I give you my [singing] worship. I give you my worship. All of my ((music playing)) passion I ((music playing)) give you my whole heart. All my [singing] devotion ((music playing)) I give you my worship.

((music playing)) Oh [music and singing] my passion. I give you [singing] my whole heart and all my devotion. ((music playing)) [singing] And here I ((music playing)) will bow down and say that [music and singing] I need you worship. [singing] Here I ((music playing)) will worship and say that I love you. Say that I love you. Say that I love you. Just that ((music playing)) simple. Just that easy.

Say I love ((music playing)) you, Lord. I ((music playing)) want to know. >> This is it. This is the prayer. >> Let your spirit overwhelm me. ((music playing)) Let your presence overtake my heart. >> Sing this in the middle of your trial, in the middle of your blessing. >> And I want to know you.

Let your spirit ((music playing)) overwhelm me. Let your presence overtake my heart. Oh, I want to know you. [singing] Let your spirit overwhelm me, Lord, ((music playing)) cuz I want to know ((music playing)) you. Let your spirit [singing] overwhelm me. Let your presence overtake my heart. And I ((music playing)) want to know you. Let your spirit overwhelm me.

((music playing)) Let your presence overtake my heart. I want [singing] to know you. Let your spirit overwhelm me. Let your presence overtake my heart. I want to know you. Let your spirit ((music playing)) overwhelm me. Let your presence [singing] overtake my heart. >> Father, I I thank you that you you took the places in me that I hated.

You took ((music playing)) the places in me that I spent everything I knew trying to get out of. and you ((music playing)) didn't prepare an army. You didn't give me a great strategy. You you laid a table and you ((music playing)) wooed me and you dance with me and you love me there. And I found in the place of hate a secret treasure.

A secret treasure. ((music playing)) I found a friend in the place that I didn't want to be in. You made me feel like the wealthiest man alive because I found you. And I ((music playing)) pray for every heart in this room. Every every person that's stuck in a trial in a place that they hate, whether it's in themselves ((music playing)) or around them.

God, I ask tonight that they would see this wonderful, humble father laying a table with anticipation ((music playing)) and excitement. Sometimes we defeat our enemies by chopping ((music playing)) them down. Sometimes we defeat them by eating. And I really like eating. I prophesy to somebody's fight and ((music playing)) flight body response. And I prophesy something more wonderful.

Sit ((music playing)) and eat. No more fight or flight. It's time to sit and eat. I thank you, God, that the place I despise most about me, I'm now most thankful for because of who you've been to ((music playing)) me there. I thank you that my children get to walk in a peace because of a table you laid for me ((music playing)) in a Psalm 23 season.

I pray, Holy Spirit, I prophesy ((music playing)) encounters in the places we wouldn't normally go to look. I prophesy anointing, anointing oil. I prophesy a cup that overflows. Abundance. ((music playing)) Abundance hidden just under the surface. I prophesy great revelation. Surely his goodness and mercy will follow me. As the sheep follows the shepherd, so goodness and mercy ((music playing)) will follow me.

As I found God, the peace I'd spent my whole life chasing started to follow me. And I'll tell you this, people said, "Dave, how they say, Dave, how did you get out of it? What's your secret? How did you get out of it?" And I suddenly realized ((music playing)) I never got out.

I didn't get out. He got in. And I prophesy to some of you in the room that you won't get out. God will just cram his big self so far in. You'll forget that once was a trial, now is a just a big treasure ((music playing)) chest of beauty and wonder and wealth.

Oh ((music playing)) God, for those in the room that need a great big God to come and fill their trials, God, I'm asking tonight you do that. And then Lord, protect us in blessing. Lord, protect me in favor and promotion. Help me not fall in love with the gifts you're giving me and lose you along the way.

I don't want to build an empire and ((music playing)) stick kingdom on it. God, I want to discover you. And if we build something together, oh, how wonderful. I pray for every expert businessman, every armchair ((music playing)) CEO, Lord, where we are driven by a pace that isn't yours. Oh, in your mercy, frustrate us.

Awaken us to your pace, to your hand, to your gate, so that we would be truly rich, truly rich, and spend a life learning to walk ((music playing)) with you. And everyone said, "Amen." Amen. Bless you guys. Thank you for your time and travel home safely. ((applause)) I am profoundly moved.

I'm sure you are as well. Um, merry Christmas you'll miss you. See you in one week's time as we get ready to enter into our week's fast as we head into the new year. Um, can I leave you with a picture that I had as we were closing?

My hands were open and my heart was in between and in one hand the Lord was like, "Remember this. Remember trial in one hand, blessing in another hand, and in the middle, a heartbeat that walks at a pace that sounds a lot like a walking pace, and where intimacy flows from because I never want to forget this profound message tonight.

I hope that picture helps anchor it in for you, as I think the Lord did for me. Um, we love you online audience. We've enjoyed being with you tonight. Uh, go in peace and drive home safely, and we'll see you soon. Good night. ((applause)) >> Wow. Wow. Wow. That was incredible, wasn't it?

It >> was amazing. >> I feel I feel a little uh somber after that. I'm like, I just need to soak in that. >> Yeah. I uh some things that he said which I'm curious um what you're thinking but some some things that Dave highlighted of in Psalms 23 is that it starts off with uh he makes me lie down in green pastures and then he talks about how the table of the Lord is prepared and at a table you just need to sit and you just need to rest and you just need to dine >> and that when you're in the middle of trials that sometimes it can feel like the best path forward is to fight especially If you're like me, I'm like, I'm a fighter.

Like, I'm going to think of all the solutions, all the things to do. >> But the best path forward is to actually trust the rod and the staff that guide us. >> And I feel like that's that's for us. That's for me, that's for you, that's for you guys watching that sometimes the best path forward is to trust the rod and the staff and to just sit at the table and trust that the Lord is a good shepherd and that he has you. >> Yeah.

And I I would say even like in a feast, you wait. >> You wait. you wait like the waiter will come and ring sometimes he'll explain to you like what what is what kind of food you're about to eat >> and then he won't be coming to you like hey you're done because I have something else to bring >> he'll wait he'll wait for you and >> it's not good it's never good >> to eat in a rush >> it's true >> right especially when it's a feast >> that the Lord prepared for you >> it's true >> is the wrong choice to just eat in a rush. >> It's true. >> You know, like and and that's one of the things like when when you said that I kind I personally I felt the Lord like slowing me down especially like at the end of the year I was like Lord I want this year to be done like >> a lot of challenges already you know like I I want to speed up even like the final sprint >> in this this final part of the year >> and I felt the Lord just slowing me down like hey the year's not done.

Yeah. >> I'm still moving. >> I'm still working. Could you wait? >> It's good. >> And in those waiting moments, we discover him in a different way. Right. >> Yeah. Um the verse that keeps coming into mind is in Proverbs where it says, "The name of the Lord is a strong tower where the righteous run into and are made safe."

That sometimes the best place to run when we feel like, "Oh, I'm in the middle of the trial. I don't know what to do." The waiting game, it's actually to just run to the name of the Lord. that the name of the Lord is he's the provider, >> he's your healer, he's your shepherd, he's your protector, that he is everything that you need.

And where we need to go, the feast of the Lord is actually found in him. It is him alone. And >> it is. >> And the waiting game is like, oh, I'm actually just going to wait at my shepherd's feet and trust that his staff knows where I should go and I'm not going to try to figure it out on my own because when I figure it out on my own, I'm hustling and I'm wrestling.

Yeah. >> Yeah. And also if I if I'll be honest, I would say at least for me my journey, I think it was a lack of trust. >> Yeah. >> You know, like because when when we speed up, it's it's more comfortable to me to think that, oh, I'm going to get to the point that I need to be like sooner.

But to find the beauty of the process requires trust, requires longing for the one that is leading us, you know. I think all of us, we've been there or we will be. >> But he's an amazing leader. >> He's a good leader. We can trust his leadership. >> Oh, yeah. >> He's the best leader. >> We can. >> Yes, we can. >> Well, we would love to pray over you guys and and love to pray over the waiting that we may be in and the trials that you may be in.

And I before we pray, I just want to read uh Psalms 23 over you guys again. I know that we read it in there, but it's a good reminder. Scripture is a good reminder. So Psalms 23 says, "The Lord is my shepherd. I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures.

He leads me beside quiet waters. He refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right path for his name's sake. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil. For you are with me. Your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You've prepared a table before me in the presence of my enemies. and you anoint my head with o oil and my cup overflows.

Surely your goodness and love will follow me all of the days of my life and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. So Jesus, we thank you for the oil uh that is on our head. Jesus, I thank you that you fill our cups to overflow.

Jesus, I thank you for your rod and your staff that they are a comforter, that they are our guide. And Jesus, I thank you that you are a good leader and that we can trust your leadership. So Jesus, we pray for the online audience that those who are maybe in the waiting game, that those who are looking for the table, looking for the feast of the Lord.

Jesus, I I thank you that we can trust your leadership. Jesus, I thank you that we can trust your rod and your staff as they comfort, as they guide, as they lead us to the table. And Lord, I pray for those who are in the waiting game and that they're waiting for their breakthrough.

And God, we declare before the 1st of January that there will be a breakthrough over finances. I feel like there's even some people who are waiting for financial provision. Um that it's it's like make or break. You need this financial provision. And Jesus, I thank you that you are the provider and that we can trust you in the provision. >> Yeah.

And I if you need fresh hope, I just felt fresh hope. >> If you need fresh hope in this season right now, just type in the chat, >> Lord, we release fresh hope. >> Yes. >> Fresh hope. Not just the feeling, but the the the the personification of hope. >> Yes.

Jesus himself coming into the room and even when Dave he was sharing where he was reading the Bible and Jesus came into the room where everything kind of like stopped and he just felt that urgency to lay down everything. It was not something that came just like out of Dave.

It was a response to the fresh presence of the Lord coming into the room. So we want to speak fresh hope over you. Fresh hope over your family. Fresh hope um fresh hope over every every situation that might be trying to arise. But the the wave of hope will crush over you.

So we bless you in the mighty name of Jesus. Fresh hope. I see Cindy >> uh Cindy saying we need fresh hope. We bless you with fresh hope. Moses >> be free in the spirit. fresh hope over you as well in the mighty name of Jesus. >> He is the God of all hope and he is your God.

He is the God of all joy. He is the God God of all faith. We can trust him. We can trust his hope. So Jesus, we pray fresh hope. >> We pray fresh joy. >> Amen. >> That this Christmas would be a Christmas full of joy and full of hope. >> Yes.

We bless you guys. Have a merry merry Christmas. >> We bless you. Merry Christmas, guys. We love you. >> We