Grace and Faith Day 1

Last night, I was at the first evening of the Grace and Faith conference in the UK, and it was exceptionally powerful.

The service started with some very powerful worship led by Charlie and Jill LeBlanc, and it was so Christ focused.  I love the way they allow all their team to contribute and lead and how they keep the spirit of worship between the songs, leading us deeper into adoration of Jesus.  The worship was beautifully Christ centred, and I found it so refreshing.

Then Andrew Wommack shared what was possibly one of the most challenging messages I have ever heard.  I don’t believe I have ever heard a sermon on Daniel 4 before, about how Nebuchadnezzar turned wild and feral, and how his root problem was idolatry.  Andrew then spoke on pride and the need for us all to be humble.

We need to all reach a place in our lives where we decide God is God and we are not, that we will serve God not matter they say about us and no matter what they do to us.  We will not bow and we will not serve idols.

Andrew addressed the need to have an attitude that if the government tells us to stop serving Jesus we will stand up even if we have to go to jail.   We need a spine!  We need to be strong!

Many make an idol out of the crowd and therefore cannot serve God because they are scared of upsetting others.  Our job is to do what God wants, and serve Him above the crowd.

It was well received by many, but also some clearly did not expect that from the apostle of grace!  Grace is of course not a licence to sin, it is a licence to serve freely, and Andrew shared what he said so clesrly, not simply because of his glorious knowledge of the Word, but because he is authentically humble. I don’t know him well, but in all our personal interactions, he has always come across as totally humble and authentically obsessed with God’s will.  Andrew is an inspiration for everyone, if he isn’t to you he should be.

It was a very challenging message.  I have never heard it phrased that all non-tithers are idolaters, but as soon as Andrew said it, I could see it is true.  Anyone who finds an instruction in the Word or is told something by the Spirit and does not do it, is obeying self as an idol above Jesus.  Everything must come back to what Jesus is saying.

Recently, Amanda and I have been persecuted in ways we would never have expected from sources we would never have expected.   But we have not got down in the mud or compromised the gospel.  We have just kept serving God and putting out the Word, but that doesn’t mean that this kind of pressure doesn’t weary you a little.

We both found last night therapeutic, bringing us to a place of new zeal to go and do what the will of the Lord is no matter the consequences and maintain high standards for the Tree of Life, clinging to our God given vision.  We walked out of there with a deeper passion to just go and do God’s will, God’s way, no matter who or what comes against us.

Last night, I saw Jesus bigger than I ever have.  That is the essence of worship, fellowship, Biblical teaching.  That’s why we do what we do, it’s all about honouring Jesus. We will not bend or bow, we will seek first the kingdom.  I feel like I am having a whole new beginning of a brand new chapter.  I am so excited, so fresh and so ready to change the UK.