Randall Wallace's Speech - National Prayer Breakfast

Guys you have to watch this. It's so worth the minutes. Trust me. Profound, anointed, moving and inspiring.

New Confessions for 2011

Something I learned in 2011 is that a lot of simple confessions I have in my mind are not in line with God’s word. Even the realistic doubts enter out thoughts, if we’re not careful, can become pervading confessions that hinder God’s power from being released. This is because doubts are the opposite of faith. And faith releases power. One time I caught myself thinking, ‘What if the bible study doesn’t turn out ok?’ or ‘What if I don’t finish studying my masters?’ (Oh yeah I haven’t started yet but I’m already thinking of not finishing?!) There are a lot of others more subtle than these thoughts. Put it this way. Consider every negative expectation you have and ask yourself if it’s in line with God’s word. Oh yes, even the tiniest ones. If God’s will is to give you the fullest life you can have, why would he not BLESS YOU INDEED? Sometimes, we are the ones who limit our success. We think that God has not blessed us “as much.” But it is because we have doubted the blessing even before we had a chance to pray for it! When was the last time you reduced a prayer because you think ‘this one’ is just way too big? Super fail! If we want to see more of God, we have to start changing our confessions. Not because we’re worthy but because it is God’s desire to come in his glory. How he loves us and how he wants to bless us! So stop, just stop doubting his good, great, awesome, mind-blowing intentions for you life. Uh… preaching to me. Amen?

Laughter

Abraham’s faith, I think, is an awesome thing. But for Sarah, the promise — although spoken by God Himself, the un-created of the universe — could not but cause her to laugh silently, literally questioning the possibility of God’s promise being fulfilled and at the same time knowing that she cannot blatantly confess her doubt because she would be showing disrespect to the Almighty God.

So she laughed silently to herself and said, “How could a worn-out woman like me enjoy such pleasure, especially when my master — my husband– is also so old?” – Genesis 18:12, NLT

Many times we are like this, we think we understand that God is God, that He is Yahweh, that all things are possible with Him. We think we understand. But beneath our breathe, we are laughing silently or even unconsciously. We have the appearance of faith but inwardly we are losing our grip on God-dependence.

Sarah was afraid, so she denied it, saying, “I didn’t laugh.”

But the Lord said, “No, you did laugh.” – Genesis 18:14b, NLT

But take heart, God did not give up on Sarah! For exactly a year after she laughed, she laughed again. This time, an inward shift had changed the laughter that flows from her belly because after more than a decade of waiting, God had finally given her the promised son.

“God has brought me laughter. All who hear about this will laugh with me.” Genesis 21:6

This is Sarah saying, how could I have doubted God? Who would have thought this were possible? But God is God and I now understand that He is able. Until now, I did not understand. But by His grace, I see that He does love me enough to cause this miracle in my life.

But how much better it would be if we would just choose to have faith like Abraham? I am reminded of Jesus’ words to Thomas, “blessed are those who have not seen but believed” and the Bible’s words about Abraham, “Abram believed the Lord, and the Lord counted him as righteous because of his faith.” (Genesis 15:6)

Because as Jason Upton’s song puts it, “When the time comes, I will be the one asking why… Why did I ever doubt You?” (When the Time Comes)

For more blog entries, check my regularly updated blog: doubtproof.wordpress.com