I am still thinking this one through, OK?
The quote or attempt at remembering the quote listed as the title to this blog is a statement I am checking out.
A few weeks ago while at a Tennessee conference, I was praying early one morning when I ran into a fear. The fear concerned money...not having enough of it to pay bills. During the following minutes I wrestled with fear and doubt. Fear of failure and doubt of God's involvement in this dilemma I have faced more in the last year than in many years or perhaps more than ever.
We launched The Basic Idea Ministries on this premise:
"When you know how much God truly loves you, it changes everything and frees you to love and be loved." Since "perfect love casts out all fear", as John so beautifully stated in I John 4:18 (New Testament of the Bible), my fears are totally unfounded, because I know I am loved.
Sometimes I forget how much and on that early morning occasion, I struggled with believing and feeling loved. I chose to believe or remind myself of my long-held conviction. My fears gave way to calm and my calm to trust. In the next few moments I finished my reading and prayer, then popped open my computer to check emails as I began my day as one of the presenters at the marriage conference. My eyes were drawn immediately to an email from our "merchant services" provider. In other words, when a donation is made on our website, the company handling these secure transactions sends me an email to notify me that a donation has been made. One had been! It was made about the same moment or close to it that I stopped fearing and began trusting. The amount was a generous donation, and it was the gentle reminder and precious gift from my Father that I so needed. I rejoiced not in the amount of the donation, but in the goodness and personal involvement of my God. But, He was not done!
In the next few moments I received an email (not a donation notification) from a good friend. The quote he sent was from the "Jesus Calling - Devotional" by Sarah Young. What a great daily dose of light from scripture and Sarah's experience with God! The idea my friend conveyed was that when you admit your need to God, His provision is set in motion like metal to a magnet. How did he know what I had been thinking? How did he know at that moment I needed encouragement and affirmation? His God and my God are the same. That same God put on a donor's heart to give at the precise moment I needed help and admitted it. Abba put on the heart of my friend that I needed encouragement; he sent the affirming, instructive email at that time and the timing was perfect.
We were in need of several thousand dollars last week...again. (Kind of comes around regularly these days.) Donations began to come in and within a 3 or 4 day period, just after Carol and I returned from the TN conference. The need was great and God's provision was greater.
We have chosen to obey God in our finances and not ask for money. We have seen God use resources from many people to help us keep "eating and living indoors". At times I feel badly because our living depends on God placing it on the hearts of people who believe in Him, in us, and in what we are doing. Those people must then decide whether or not to obey God or not. I praise God for sending provision to others and their willingness to help us in this endeavor to change the world a couple or family or church or community at a time. I thank so many of you for listening to God and obeying.
Our prayer and hope is that God will continue to bless you and exalt you at the proper time as you and we humbly obey His calling and directions.
Carol, Jeanne, and I thank you.
We now have had partial or whole paychecks for 9 pay periods and have not, this year, had to go any more deeply into the remaining retirement funds.
Lastly: Today a pastor in South Carolina asked,"So if I want you and Carol to take a few couples through the Intimate Encounters material so we can learn to help other pastors, how much do you charge?' I said, "Well, we don't charge." He was silent for a few seconds and I added, "We don't send bills. We trust God working through those we serve and those who know what we're doing to give as God directs." His statement was that he didn't want us to come for free and would do the best they could at taking care of travel expenses and some extra. What a miracle to see God provide for our financial needs in ways we can't predict.
What a greater miracle to watch Him change marriages right in front of our eyes and to produce fruit that remains. What even greater miracle to see Him take those folks and free them to teach others also.....and the beat goes on!
Almost forgot to tell you.....
This last time ( a few days ago) we had more needs(bills are really regular) arise and God provided about $4000 in a few days to help us make another payday this week. My friend Shad Williams, who has lived this faith life for 35 years, says, "I know the provision for our needs must come from God's warehouse, but I have no idea what truck line He is going to use to get it to us." I understand what Shad means! Praise God for His faithfulness to you and to me.
So, admit your need and see how God's provisions are then drawn to the needs. I don't think God wants to send only money or physical resources. I think He sends love and friends and help and His Holy Spirit to those who ask and who admit our need of Him. Maybe Jesus' words, "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs in the kingdom of heaven" have more to do with admitting our desperate need than we previously thought.
I truly believe that God allows us to be put in situations where we cannot change the outcome and dependence on Him is required. It teaches us to trust Him more, and rely not on our own understanding, but in all our ways acknowledge Him, and He then directs our paths.
ReplyDeleteI'm grateful that He continually shows me my need of Him. Otherwise, I get a big head and think I can do it on my own. But His way is so much better. There's a lot less heart ache involved when you're walking with Him. That's not to say that we don't have struggles when we walk with Him. But those who have been in situations where dependence on Christ is required, have the most faith and trust in Him to provide. They trust Him to be a lamp unto their feet and a light unto their path.