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God is amazing, but it surprises me how often he has to prove himself to us. In my years at Calvary I have seen powerful confirmations of his protection and provision for us as a church. Yet, we constantly deal with those who become discouraged and think we are not going to make it.
Just about the time people begin to whine and complain that God has forsaken us, he steps in and does another amazing thing for us. Sometimes it’s an act of provision for his purpose. Other times it’s simply as an act of his mercy and grace towards us. When will we get it that he will not give up on us and he will not forsake us?
What actually happens is we give up on God. Better yet, we give up on ourselves. I’ve been sketching together a message on doubt. In this message I present the fact that maybe we are not doubting God, but actually doubting ourselves. In the meantime, I still wonder why every time I tell our church that God is about to do something amazing, they won’t believe me. Then, when it comes to pass, they think that’s the end of it all. God’s miraculous provision never ends. His mercy is new every morning. Great is his faithfulness (just to remind ourselves of what the Scriptures say).
We need to recognize this fact and step out in faith more often. Too often we are planning and thinking the way the world does. While we are figuring out how to afford to build a bridge over the Red Sea, our God tells us to move forward and he will part the sea so we can walk through it.
Again, I have just seen this in one of the projects we doing here at Calvary. There seemed to be a lull in the provision of materials for these projects. In asking the Lord what that was all about and he told me to just get busy and use the material I already had. So Susan and I finished out the renovation of our food pantry. That is, except for the floor. We didn’t know what to do about it. We looked at several options, but much of what was available was just out of reach for our finances right now.
I went to prayer and the Lord actually asked me what I thought should come first. So with great thought I told him the floor in the food pantry would allow us to shift a lot of stuff into place and continue in other areas.
Susan and I took a trip to Piqua, Ohio to see if the Home Depot had something we could use. On the way there I told Susan that the Lord told me he would provide the tile, or carpet, or vinyl we needed. We just needed to start looking.
When we got home, that very day, I noticed a post from Pastor Aaron Rowe at Agape Assembly of God in Waterloo, Indiana. I called him and he gave us enough floor tile to do not only the food pantry, but our Sunday School rooms as well. It was commercial grade flooring like in schools and hospitals and in just the colors we needed. As we went to get it, he added with it enough floor tile to complete our entire church! Then on top of that, he gave us enough upscale vinyl tile to do our entire parsonage as well.
“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we
ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us,
to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus
throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
Ephesians 3:20, 21 NIV
That’s just the way God is. We keep trying to figure out what we are going to do, when all the while he is asking us to ask him!
I have seen this over and over again here at Calvary. I have also felt God saying, “When are my people going to believe me?” From the new roof, to the new sound equipment, to the new full-color digital signage, to the new prayer tower, to new windows, to the new parking lot, to an entire new upstairs, when will we get the fact that God has some amazing plans for this place?
When the Israelite exiles came back from Babylon, there were those who thought it would never be as great as it was in the past and mourned over what they saw. However, there was a new generation which was not hindered by the past and they had “a mind to work.” (Nehemiah 4:6) They rose up and trusted God to provide even in the midst of very difficult times. We too ought to be able to look past our circumstances and see God’s hand in all that we do.
“Let us not become weary in doing good,
for at the proper time we will reap a harvest
if we do not give up.”
Galatians 6:9 NIV
God is not asking us to seek the easy path to pleasure and comfort in our lives. He is asking us to rise up and possess the land. When we embrace his purpose he promises he will supply all our needs. We live in a war zone between heaven and hell. Our commander will not leave us without the resources to get the job done. No general of the army of God would withhold anything he thought was necessary for us fulfill our calling. Calvary is the church of the future of Union City. We ought to invest all our faith and resources into this vision and trust God to supply our needs.
“And my God will meet all your needs according
to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.”
Philippians 4:19 NIV
He’s done it before and he will do it again. Let us finish this race. Let us embrace the abundant supply God is pouring out on us to complete the rebuilding of a dynamic Pentecostal church in this community.
Open the sail of your spiritual vision and let the Spirit of God carry you along the path of destiny. Quit all the paddling and bailing like the boat is sinking and cast up your sail and catch the wind!
Pastor Brian Jenkins
Calvary Assemblies of God