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This week on the podcast I’m going to be sharing from a preach I did a number of years ago in the Commonwealth Church in London. Amazing group of people, just so abundantly, creative and spirit filled. We had a wonderful time Larna and I fellowship there for several years under the pastorate of Rod and Julie Anderson. Again, magnificent man and woman of God. Deeply, deeply prayerful, honest people. And I shared there on the subject of quit hustling and start hearing. So what I’ve done this week is I’m going to be grabbing that preach and cutting it into bite size chunks for your enjoyment over the course of this week. So without further Ado, enjoy the message.

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I want to talk today. The title of my message is Quit hustling and start hearing. Quit hustling and start hearing. You know, there’s a lot of hustle goes on in London. A lot of hustle goes on everywhere. But London is like hustle with a capital H. Hustling means to force someone to move horridly. I would have quite liked to have been able to do that outside of Court Station this morning in the car, but there was none of that going on. So when you look at the speed things there’s 30 miles an hour and you just look and you think, if only it means to push one’s way or to bustle, to obtain illicitly or by forceful action to pressure someone into doing something. Anyone ever feel pressured into doing something? Yeah, we all do. Sometimes the pressure is internal. We want to either impress others. We want to kind of shape up. We want to look good. We want to conform in some manner. A state of great activity. My household is usually in a state of great activity of one kind or another. There’s rarely a time where there’s not some great activity happening.

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Father, I just want to thank you this morning that you do have a word for us. I really feel the Holy Ghost, actually, just now. Just as well. Hey, what a relief to hustle. Hustling for a dollar means to engage in prostitution. I didn’t make that up. That’s in the dictionary. How often do you think we prostitute ourselves to the ways of this world outside those doors? How many Christians and churches today are prostituting themselves to the ways of the world? This is actually one of my favourite verses ever. This was the first verse that I ever committed to memory. You have kind of those treasured verses that you carry with you throughout life that you can just keep coming back to. It’s like a watering hole that you can come and you can drink from again and again and again, and it never grows old. This is one of those watering holes for me. It’s in Ephesians, chapter 2 the verse 10 really? That’s the key verse for me. But it says, for by Grace that you save through faith that not of yourselves. It’s the gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast.

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This whole deal is not about how hard you can work. It’s not about how good you can be. It’s about the Grace of God that brings us into a place of completeness and fullness and satisfaction aside from our own activity. Honestly, it is a truly finished work that we’ve been called to step into, for we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works which God has before ordained, that we should walk in them. Just really let that sink in that God is before ordained. He has already gone before you. He’s already laid the path, he’s already removed the obstacles. And you are called today to walk in those works where God’s own handicap recreated in Christ Jesus born and knew that we may do good works, which God is predestined and planned beforehand. He has planned beforehand for us, taking paths that he has prepared ahead of time, that we should walk in them, living the good life which he has prearranged. Now, seriously, just let these words sink in that God has already prepared and planned and provided for every step that you will ever take. Every step. And you know, the longer I go on, the more I realise, man, I want to walk in those steps.

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I think I’ve been kind of a bit like, oh, yeah, I’m in. And then, oh, wow, what’s that over there, man? Look at how shiny Emmanuel shoes are. I’m going to follow him. Oh, wow, this Church is doing this thing. We’ve got to be part of that. Or whether it’s the cell group thing or whether it’s the revival in Pensacola thing or whether it’s whatever it is, we really do have a tendency to be so easily diverted from the path that God has set for us. Now, I’m not saying that these things are not good. I’m not saying what better, worse. What I’m saying is, man, let’s walk in that which God has prepared for us as a Church and as individuals. And it’s really surprising what those works might be. You might be very surprised at what God has in store for you. Now, I was under the impression that if you wanted to be in Ministry, you got to either, like sing. So that was out for me. You’ve got to play an instrument. I’m out. You got a pastor at Church. I tried it for like 20 years. I got really small feet, like, embarrassed.

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I could shop in the children section. It was like wearing shoes, like just one size too small. I could just about walk. I could pass as a pastor. But oh, man, that whole pastoring thing not for me. Now, maybe if God says, who knows what he’ll say? I’m ready to move, I’m ready. But hey, you’ll be surprised at what God has in store. Who’s guilty of trying too hard, who knows that Jesus is the most relaxed dude in the universe. Like I’m naturally kind of a stressy character come across like not too stressy, but behind the scenes. Come here. Is it true? There you go. See? Sit back down. Now. I did not even know that. Sit down. Apparently they call me the bear. What she means is cuddly furry. I’m really guilty, man of trying too hard, thinking that I can do it. Thinking if I just put in more hours. Work harder, hustle some more. I do business online. I’m like supposedly an entrepreneur and I’m like this. It’s just hustle. I’m learning that quit hustling and start hearing is a much better Avenue to take. It’s a much better option. It works and I’m really learning well, I’m striving towards ceasing from my own works and really focusing in and stepping in real comfortable into his works.

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We’re right on track and we want to step into that where he ceased from his works, where we cease from ours. And this, I think, is the key, really. So I think when we hear what he has already said and already done and we follow that leading, we can accomplish a lot more than if we just multiply what we do, I think we can actually do less and achieve more. I really do. I just believe with all my heart I can learn to do less and accomplish more. I’m not looking for some new productive life method. I’m not looking for how can I pack 72 hours into 24 hours? I want to strip it right back down to okay, son, this is what I want you to do today. Don’t be diverted. Don’t run off to you. Don’t run off there. Don’t freak out because there’s another ten things need to be done. Just concentrate on this one and we’ll be good.

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Thanks for listening to today’s episode. Hopefully it was a blessing to you. If it was do, please consider leaving a rating in a review on whatever platform you are listening on. I also would love to encourage you to cheque out my new book, faithful creative. We’ve got a package of resources designed specifically to encourage you in your Christian creative call. You can check that out at faithfulcreativebook.com and if you choose to pick it up, use the promo code podcast for 50% off so you’ll get it for half price. Have a great rest of your day and God bless Jesus first. Everything else follows.