Faith Walk / William Carroll
Faith Walk / William Carroll
Episode 26: Building Faith: Constructing a Church and Discovering God's Faithfulness
Ever found yourself facing the unknown, with only your belief to guide you? That's where we take you in our latest episode of Faith Walk, as we explore the essence of living a life of faith. I share a deeply personal narrative about how constructing a church from the ground up tested my faith and became a testament to God's faithfulness. Through this journey, we uncover the biblical definition of faith, drawing from Hebrews 11:1, and discuss how this unwavering trust in God can profoundly impact our lives, even amidst uncertainty.
This episode isn't just about sharing stories; it's an interactive guide to applying faith in everyday situations. From the power of praying with precision to the importance of aligning our desires with God's will, we take a hard look at the practicalities of living a faith-driven life. I recount a church member's unexpected answer to prayer for a car and a cautionary testimony about the lottery to dissect the true nature of God's blessings and our role in His economy. If you're seeking to deepen your faith or simply curious about how belief shapes our lives, join us for a conversation that promises to stir the soul and inspire the heart.
Well, good morning and welcome to Faith Walk podcast. I'm your host, william Carroll, here on Faith Walk. Listen, this is season two, episode two, coming at you this morning and here on Faith Walk, as you know, or if you're just a first time listener, go back and listen to some of the podcast. This is what we're talking about. God laid it on my heart to share the signs, wonders and miracles that he has done in my life, in the life of the others, by taking him out of the box. Religion puts God's in the box. Relationship takes God out of the box. So I took God out of the box in my relationship with him, believing what he says, believing in his word. I've had great men of faith, great men, fathers of faith that would taught me to stick on the word, to be just get ahold of the word and the word says it. Then God is able to do it. And see, that's what you've got to be able to believe. Listen, we got to quit playing church. You know the end is coming, christ is coming back and we've got a world that is lost and dying, especially here in America. America's trying to turn in the word of God into foolishness. Listen, they're taking the word of God out of context and they're trying to tell us all kinds of things. But on this podcast we're gonna get back to the word of God and I'm gonna share what I have learned that you too may learn. So God's no respecter of persons. What he's done for me, he'll do for you, what he'll use you like he used me, you know. Jesus said greater works shall you do, because I go to the Father and I'll send you a comforter, the Holy Spirit, and see, the greater works that we do are through the Holy Spirit. It's the works of Christ, it's the works of God. Jesus was here upon the earth. He had the measure of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit in his life was which allowed him, as a man, but as God, to do the things that he does. See, he couldn't just do it because he was confined to this natural body, but the Holy Spirit in his life empowered him to do the works of God. So he says look, if you don't believe in me, believe the works, because no man can do these works unless God be with him. Amen, all right, hey, I'm ready, I'm fired up.
William Carroll:This year I had to take a little break. Like I said last time. You know, I thought I had enough scheduled out to make it until I could get to some podcast and then last month, you know, I didn't even do one podcast last month. I try to stay ahead, you know, so I don't get in a bind, but just some physical things going on and some things that work.
William Carroll:But listen, on this, today I wanted to talk a little bit about faith. God laid it on my heart to talk about faith. What is faith? What is faith? Well, let's go to Hebrews, chapter one, verse one, and we're gonna talk about what faith is. All right now.
William Carroll:Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. So faith is the substance, it's the thing, it's the substance of things hoped for, but it's the evidence of things not seen. Now, listen, I used to struggle with this verse and I just had a hard time. I, you know, I kept thinking well, okay, so I understand. Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. See, I'm not moved by what a sea fill here, smell, taste. I'm not moved by the things of the body. I'm moved by faith and faith alone. Faith cometh by the word of God and hearing the word of God. Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. So faith cometh by hearing, all right. So we have to hear, but it has to be by the word of God, all right.
William Carroll:So one day we was building the church here, we was gonna build onto our church and build a new sanctuary, and and I saw the plans, and I looked at the plans and you know, I'm not a builder, I'm not a carpenter. I'm gotten a little better in my older age. First, first doghouse I ever built, man, I had great plans, it looked good, it started out good and it ended up being an A frame and it wasn't worth a Nothing. It wasn't worth nothing. Now I can build a doghouse now, but back then, you know, that was my Excuse, me, that was my carpentry work, all right, but thank God, I was gotten better at that. Well, listen, so faith is.
William Carroll:So one day we're we're over at the church, you know, and the pastor had called me and said, hey, we a man, you need to come by the church, you need to see, you need to see the church. And I'm thinking the church. Well, I know it hadn't been built yet. Well, I got there to the, to the yard, you know where we was gonna build on to the church, and there was a. There was a truck pulling up and it was a lumber truck, you know. And he pulled up and you know they dumped all the wood and the tin and the, the, everything that we needed, you know, to build the church, to start building the church. Well, you know what I saw there. I'm gonna tell you what I saw. I didn't see a church.
William Carroll:See, the pastor said hey, william, what do you think about our church? And he pointed to the pile of stuff. Well, in my mind I could not see the church, and that because I didn't know how that was ever gonna be the church. I didn't know how that Because I'm not a carpenter was ever gonna get to be to the church that I saw on the plans, couldn't see it, had no vision for it. You know, god says my people perish for lack of vision. Whoo, I mean, that's another subject right there. But I had no vision because I wasn't a carpenter, right?
William Carroll:But the pastor had faith. His faith was in the substance, the substance of the material on the ground, for the things that was hoped for, the things that was hoped for is gonna be the church, right, okay? So God began speaking to me and he began saying that's what faith is. Faith is the substance, the thing hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Well, it couldn't see the church, but the things hoped for the substance, that pile of material right there that was the church. And see it taught me that I have to have faith to believe for the things. Faith is the stusms think. Faith is what is gonna build the things or bring to part in this natural world the things that God wants to bring. And it's not going to be seen. All right, so let's go on. Let me kind of explain that a little bit. I hope I haven't confused you.
William Carroll:It says for by elders, hebrews 11, to for by the elders retained a good testimony by faith, we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God. The world were framed by the word of God so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible. Now listen, this goes back to creation, it said. God said let there be light, and there was light. You know, the spirit of God moves upon the darkness and there was a differential between light and darkness. So God created the earth. In the beginning, god created the heaven and earth. God spoke the heaven and earth into existence by faith. That's how God operates. That's how we're supposed to operate. By faith, god said let there be light, let there be water, let there be. He created it by speaking, by speaking. Okay, so God moves by faith, right? So what moves God? Faith, fear and doubt and unbelief does not move the hand of God. Fear, doubt and unbelief hinders the hand of God, because we're supposed to have faith and faith is that thing, the substance of the things that we hope for, even though we don't see it. All, right, man. Okay, so listen.
William Carroll:So I'm at church one day and this brother comes up to me and he, he says, he says William. He says I need you to pray for me. I need you to pray for me, man. We got to stand together, we got to stand in agreement. You know the Bible says that that want to put a thousand flea, two will put 10,000. The flea, see, it multiplies. He says, come on, I need you to believe with me. And I said, yes, sir, what do you need? He said, man, I need a car. He said I need a car. I got a job. I need a car. I need. I got to go back and forth to work. Would you believe with me that God would provide me a car? I said that's no problem, I sure will. What kind of car you want, he said I don't care, as long as it's dependable, I just need a car to go back and forth to work. He said man. He said I just need a car. I said, ok.
William Carroll:So we, we grabbed hands. You know, when we began to pray. Lord, you are our provider, you, you are, you are Jehovah's jire. We ask you to provide him a car, father, that he can go back and forth to work, that he can support his family, that he can keep this job, that he can put food on the table. Lord, we thank you that you're able to provide this car for him. In Jesus's name, amen, all right. So About two weeks later, you know, he came back to church and man, I see him.
William Carroll:He walks in and I said hey, man, how's he going? How about? Did we put? I said we prayed that you Got a car. Did you get a car? And he said, yes, I did. He said.
William Carroll:I said is it a dependable car? He said yes, it is. But he kind of looked down, tried, and he kind of looked like he was, you know, cutting, embarrassed, to say all right, all right. And I said what's wrong, brother? I said, man, god heard our prayers, yes, and God gave you a car that you needed and it's dependable. It's just what you wanted, it's just what you needed, he said. I said praise God. And he just kind of looked at me. He said yes, but it's a pinto. I Said a pinto, you know. And then pentose, for pentose, oh, they're ugly, I'm gonna tell you. They were ugly then. They're ugly now, if you see one, they're ugly. They were a ugly car, right, and he's.
William Carroll:I said is it dependable? He said yes. I Said you, you, you prayed for a dependable car. God provided a pen of car. He said, yeah, but it's a pinto. I Said, yeah, but you didn't ask for any kind of car. If you wanted a Chevrolet, you should have said Lord, please provide me a Chevrolet that's dependable. You should have asked what you said. You should have spoke into our prayer what you wanted. You wanted a dependable car. God gave you a dependable car and now you're thankful that you got a car, but you're upset because it's a pinto. I Said you need to ask.
William Carroll:See, our kids, when they come to us for Christmas and they ask us for something, they say, hey, I want to buy a sickle dad, I want a blue one, dad with green streamers, and I want a banana seat and I want to be able to shift gears and I Want to be able to climb them. You know whatever. Well, if you to get them anything less than what they they asked for, you know they're a little disappointed. Now, you may not get exactly what they want, you know, but you can get it close. You try to get it close. You try to get it as close as you can so that you can make them happy, because that's the heart of a father, that's the heart of a mother, and let me tell you something, that's the heart of God. God wants to bless his children. So people see it and they say he is blessed of God, she is blessed of God. All right man. So I'm telling you. So I told him, I said just be thankful with what you got. Next time, be more specific, be more specific when we pray. We need to pray a more specific prayer that that you will receive what you asked for. See, he did receive what he asked for.
William Carroll:Now, listen, let's go over to Matthew, chapter 18. Right, quick, matthew 18. Now, matthew 18, he's talking about it. If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. And if he hears, you view gained a brother. But if he will not heal, you take one or two more, by the mouth of two or three Witnesses, let every word be established All right, listen, I use that, I like that scripture right there by the mouth of two or three witnesses.
William Carroll:Let every word be established. See, you could not be condemned to die Unless there was two or three witnesses that said the same thing. Every word had to be by established by two or three witnesses, right, okay, so we need to do that. And the word of God, if we take something in the word of God, listen, the word of God is a living document. No, it doesn't changes God, doesn't change the spirit, doesn't change God. The Bible, the word and the spirit always agree, all right, but listen, in the mouth of two or three witnesses. I use that with the scriptures that I use, that I believe in. Okay, I Quote you do a couple.
William Carroll:On the faith I said faith is the stuff and some things. Hope for the evidence of things undersea. Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. All right, all right. So listen, anyway, we're going to get on down here and invite. Matthew 1818 says Surely, I say unto you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven. Whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. Again, I say unto you, 1819, that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything they ask, all right, let me read that again, matthew 1819. Again, I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven, for where two or three are gathered together in my name, there I am in the midst. So if two or three of us agree as anything, it'll be done for us in heaven. Now, that's in prayer Now.
William Carroll:Now listen, I'm going to tell you something. Don't be saying. I'm saying name it and claim it, because I'm not naming it and I'm not claiming it. Yes, we called out and we prayed and we agreed for a car, a dependable car, and he got a car. Why, according to this word, if two or three people gather in their name and ask anything, that God will do it. Now listen, it has to be. Don't put words in my mouth. So I want you to know for sure. It has to be. It has to line up with the word of God.
William Carroll:I can't say, lord, give me a million dollars and have a friend agree with me. Lord, give me a million dollars. And if you believe that you're wrong, I didn't say that and that's not right. And listen, I'll tell you. If you want, if you want a million dollars, I'll tell you how to get it.
William Carroll:I had a pastor friend one time. He told me he said William, he said a little lady came to me and said hey, pastor, I want you to believe for me and pray with me that I that, that that I win the lottery and win a million dollars. In that way I can tie Lord to the church. And the pastor said Well, I can't do that. And faith, I can't do that. He said that. He said but I'll tell you what. I can tell you how I can tell you how you can have a million dollars. And she said How's that? He said you begin tithing like you have a million dollars and I guarantee you, god will give you that million dollars. He said so you start, start tithing like you have a million dollars and you'll have a million dollars because you can't out give God.
William Carroll:She left sad because, well, I just can't do that. I don't have the money, you know. And I thought to myself Pastor, pastor, you know she's never going to have the money because she's holding on to what she got and she won't give to God. So God gives us everything. He gives us everything. He asked us for 10% back so that he can protect that back. And he blesses us on the offerings and he blesses us on sowing into ministries and sowing into his kingdom and sowing into his work. And he blesses us back the more we sow, the more he gives, so that we can give more. Amen, oh, I wouldn't even go there today, but we went there. See, remember, I said it's me, it's me, it's Willie. See, I'm back. I'm back and I'm casting spiritual rocks. I'm throwing spiritual rocks at you and I hope one of those hits you. It won't hurt you, but it'll stir up your heart to believe in God, amen. Okay.
William Carroll:So I want to jump over to John, right, quick, john. Gospel of John, chapter 21. And we're going to go to verse. Uh, we're going to go to verse 20. All right, in the mouth of two or three witnesses, let every word be established. You said, william, I've never heard this before. I don't think that's right. I think you're taking it out of context. Well, let's go to another witness. Why don't we do that? Right, quick, huh, okay. So, john, oh man I, how did I go to acts?
William Carroll:I went to John, john, chapter 21, verse 20, and God is talking about the fig tree and and, and he's saying, oh, wait a minute, did I get in the wrong chapter? Hold on just a second, john, chapter 20. I bet it's chapter 20. I bet my dyslexia See, I'm not dyslexic, sometimes I think I am. Ah, come on, lord, you're going to have to show me where it is. I wrote it down wrong. Yes, I wrote it down, lord. I wrote it down wrong, but I'll get there. Oh Lord, hallelujah. Hmm, okay, so I wrote that scripture down wrong.
William Carroll:So let's go to 1st John. Let's go to 1st John, that's towards the back of the Bible, towards the back of the New Testament. 4th John we'll go to chapter 5 and we'll go to verse I. I believe it's gonna be 14. This is another scripture. This is another evidence of what I was speaking on. Okay, it says here, now, now, this is the comp, this is the confidence that we have in him, in who, in Christ, in Jesus, in God, that if we ask anything according to his will, if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And we know that if he hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we'll have the petitions that we have asked them. Now, in John, the chapter I was going to, and I'll have to look it up and get back to you because I'm not. I don't have time to do this Because I got to wrap up this program, but I want to tell you it said Jesus said, said they saw him curse the victory.
William Carroll:And he said if you will believe, if you will have faith in God, and you speak to the tree and say be removed, or or you speak to this mountain and say be removed and cast in the sea, and you believe in your heart and you doubt not that this mountain will be removed and be classed in the sea. Now Do you believe that? That's what Jesus said? Do you believe it? So see, we have to start speaking to our mountains, we have to start having faith that, whatever we say, but if it lines up with the word of God and if it lines up with the spirit of God that it will come true. We have to believe, not what we see by our eyes, and sometimes when we see people that are sick and we see in our eyes and our heart sinks because it looks like they're gonna die, we won't reach out and pray, we'll just say, well, lord, let it be thy will.
William Carroll:The Lord said in Exodus, chapter 15 and 26. He said I am the Lord that here. So by faith, you step out. You can't heal nobody, it's up to God, but by faith, I believe that God's a healer. I'm gonna lay hands on them and I'm gonna say, in the name of Jesus, rise up. In the name of Jesus, I believe, lord, you are the healer. Now, use the doctors, use anything, the medicine, whatever. Your will is Lord in that healing, let that healing flow. See, you can't be, you can't be moved by sight if you walk in by faith. Well, this is, my time is gone, man. I guess I killed too much time looking for the scripture I needed in John, but you got to speak to the fig tree. Jesus said be Drive up from the roots.
William Carroll:The next day was dried up from the roof because he had faith in his heart. He spoke the word and it happened. Since we're two or three of you are gathered there, I am in the midst and whatever you ask, it shall be done for them by my father in heaven. Listen, if you don't know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, you need to ask him into your heart. You need to believe. You need to.
William Carroll:You need to believe that Jesus is the son of God, that he paid the price for your sins Upon the cross and you got to confess him with your mouth. See, anytime I preach the word of God, I promise God that I draw a line in the saying I'd give opportunity of people to create him. How, how can we preach to people? How can we share the word of God? And we start drawing them and we start the God starts ministering to the heart. And then we said, okay, good, see you next week. No, sir, not me, I promise God.
William Carroll:So, if you believe, pray this prayer after me. Lord Jesus, I believe with my heart that you are the son of God, that you paid the price for my sins upon the cross. I Ask you, lord, to wash me. Cleanse me, lord, and, by the confession of my mouth, save me. And now, if you prayed that prayer and Jesus's name, you, you are saved. Now you need to start walking on your walk with salvation. You need to start learning of him, starting the book of John, the gospel of John, start reading about who Jesus is. He was the word, he, the word was God and the word was with God and Jesus is that word. Start believing in him, walking in him, and ask him, and ask the Holy Spirit to teach you all that you need to know Until next time.
William Carroll:If you need something, if you need something, get somebody that can agree with you in faith. If it's according to the word of God, you'll get it. Don't be naming anything, claiming it. I never said that. Don't say I did. Listen. God loves you. I love you and I'm so glad to be back. I'm excited to be back and share this podcast. Listen to your friends, it's everywhere. Spot of Spotify. Spotify yeah, spotify. Apple Podcast, google Podcast, alexa Intune, buzzsproutcom. Faithwalk, william Carroll, buzzsproutcom. Hey, listen wherever you listen. Hit the subscribe button, hit the little bell to be notified. Tell your friends, share it with your friends, send it to your friends. If it blesses you, it's going to bless somebody else out there.
William Carroll:I'm not doing this on my own. Instead, I'm doing it because God laid it on my heart to do it, because God wants to raise up a generation of people who walk in faith. Live in faith. The signs, wonders and miracles of God follow them. We see them every day around us and we don't even know them because we don't know our God.
William Carroll:We think our God is in church on Sunday. Amen, hallelujah, praise the Lord, brother, see you next week. And we go out and we live our life like we want to live us. That shouldn't be. We should be going out into the mission field. We got a sign on our church, on the drive when you pull out, it says you are leaving the church and going into the mission field. Amen, until next time, god bless you. Come back. If you want to donate, donate. I'm going to upgrade some equipment so I can present to you a better thing. If you don't, don't, so in the ministry, if you want. I don't care, you know, because I know God takes care of me and anything I ask he will provide. In Jesus's name, until next time, god bless you, amen.
