The final part of my notes from the Bill Johnson conference in Tunbridge:
· God is in charge but he's not in control. His will is not always done. He wants all to come to repentance but not all do.
· Some of his will comes to pass only if we will in it and persevere to see it happen.
· God hides things for us and not from us. He ensures that only the desperate people find them and take on the responsibility that is inherent in their discovery. God hides things out of mercy so that the right people find them.
· Prov 25:2 It is the glory of God to conceal things, but the glory of kings is to search things out.
· To think that God's will will always be done is irresponsible when it does also depend on us.
· The angelic realm in many countries has been bored for decades waiting for faithful pronouncements from God's people to send them on their assignments.
· Satan is the Lord of the flies and Demons are attracted to decay. The spirit world follows natural boundaries. Words of criticism and complaining have a smell and they attract flies. Conversely encouragement puts a mark on someone "God strike them with your favour".
· In John 15 Jesus says "ask", "I call you friends", "you will get what you ask for".
· As you grow in intimacy with God's he is more interested in your desires. I think that's what he said anyway and I kind of get it.
· Talking about the wedding where Jesus turned water into wine, Bill humorously noted that the wedding did not run out of wine until the disciples arrived!
· Mary knew who Jesus was and what he was capable of. "You can only ponder things in a heart for so long!" So she persuaded Jesus to start his miracle ministry early.
· Jesus said that his time had not yet come, therefore the time the father had appointed was not yet at hand, but the startling message of this story is that the a women on whom the favour of God rested succeeded in changing God's timing and plans.
· Bill imagined Jesus, after re-consulting the father on the matter, turning to Mary and saying "apparently we have had a change of plan".
· This should redefine sovereignty not undermine it.
· Servants focus on obedience. A friend's focus is the heart. Of course he is still obedience but his concern is the result of his actions on the heart of his friend and bringing joy to his master.
· God wants to transform cities but that only happens when they are full of transformed people.
· We want to create a peer pressure for righteousness.
Some very provoking statements here especially about the sovereignty of God. A crude picture in my head is of God's love and will being many layered. These layers are not on conflict as such rather they are notes making up chords and harmonies in God's sovereign will and purposes. That's a rather poetic way of saying I really don't understand it at all but I'm sure God is good and his thoughts, desires, and will are glorious! The fact that I don't understand must mean he is more wonderful than I can currently grasp not less. I've got a lot of work to do to try and understand some of these things a little better so that God is not misrepresented by my distortions of his word. I will start by reading God's greater glory by Bruce A Ware.
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