28 Days To Trust And Obey - Day 6

FBC Seminole had been raising money to install a new children’s playground for several months a few years ago. When the playground was actually installed the project went over budget about $12,000. The church had nearly raised the initial costs but when the project went over budget the committee had no other choice but to go back to the church to ask for the additional money.  God had other plans.

I had been burdened for several weeks that not one time since I had been pastor there had I heard this matter of raising money for the playground brought before the Lord in prayer and asking Him to provide all that was needed. Several men donated their time, labor, and even crews from their own companies to assemble and install the playground. We still went over budget and the church corporately did not pray about this.

We changed that one Sunday morning in worship. We took some time and lifted up that need along with others. One man in particular prayed that God would supply all the money needed by the end of the day. I immediately agreed with that prayer in my spirit knowing the glory of God would be furthered.

We gathered later that evening for our scheduled business meeting and worship service. When the time came to report to the church on the progress of the playground and ask for help with the additional $12,000 needed to complete the project the chairwoman of that committee began to get misty eyed staring at the congregation. She then recounted that someone had driven to her house during the afternoon and given her a check for $13,000. Hallelujah!

Coincidence or Providence?

How many times have we felt we could do things on our own without asking the Father to help. We use our talents, ingenuity, and financial resources and in essence tell God we don’t need Him  on this one. We can handle it ourselves. God wants us to depend on Him and to seek Him. [Jer 29:11-13]. God stands ready to come to our aid but many times we never ask. We never ask Him to come to our rescue or to step in and make the way smooth. The world sees us working but rarely do they see or hear about what only God can do.

We submitted ourselves before the Lord that Sunday morning and asked Him for provision. God swooped in by moving someone to give the remaining amount of the money needed. We asked and God stepped in. He doesn’t always answer our prayers that quickly. In fact there are some prayers that take much longer. [Luke 18:1]

That is not the point though. The point is that we face endless trials, choices, and have needs that could be met more easily if we asked God for help more often. Stubborn pride arises and says we don’t need help. We are perfectly able to do it on our own. “… God is opposed the proud but gives grace to the Humble.” [I Pet 5:5b]

The world has seen what people can do in the church. They are ready to see what only God can do. A playground and $12,000 is not a big deal and barely a stepping stone to cross over. It is only a building block in our faith as we trust the Lord for more and more. $120,000 is no harder for God than $12,000 who has infinite resources. He has infinite wisdom, strength, and power to handle any situation that comes our way. Our God is able. Neither is $101,000.

The old evangelist, D.L. Moody, heard a message by a man named Henry Varely. Varley made a comment that challenged Moody; “The world has yet to see what God can do with and for and through and in a man who is fully and wholly consecrated to Him.” Moody began thinking to himself, “The world has yet to see! With and for and through and in! A man! Varley meant any man. Varley didn’t say he had to be educated, or brilliant, or anything else. Just a man! Well, by the Holy Spirit in him, he’d [Moody] be one of those men.” Moody won hundreds of thousands to Christ through His preaching.

God is looking for yielded men and women who will trust Him and be vessels to work through. God is looking for the same things in churches. He is looking for congregations who will believe Him for the impossible like taking the gospel to the whole world. [Matt 28:19-20] God is looking for a people who will trust Him for the impossible and improbable when He calls them to follow Him.

Henry Blackaby writes in his classic book Experiencing God, “Our world is not attracted to the Christ we serve, because they cannot see Him at work. Let the world see God at work and He will attract people to Himself. Let Christ be lifted up-not in words, but in life. Let them see the difference that a living Christ makes in life, a family, or a church; that will make a difference in how they respond. When the worlds sees things happening through God’s people that cannot be explained except that God Himself has done them, then the world will be drawn to the God they see.” pp.117-118.

Let us be a people who ask the Lord. Let us believe by faith in His ability to do anything as little and providing $12,000 to pay for a playground Oras big as eliminating $101,000 of debt, or any other need that might come our way. Let it never be said of us that we have not because we did not ask.