Mission: God Possible

This week’s entry relates to our church’s need to raise capital for two specific purposes. Portions of the script have been modified. The sermon can be heard in its entirety at the church website.

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Most people who have spent much time in a church recognize three aspects. First, the church will have some sort of worship service with a certain routine established. Second, at some point someone (e.g. the pastor) will ask for money. Third, most church business meetings are horrible.

Well, today, we are fulfilling the first aspect. In a few moments, I will ask for money fulfilling the second. So, let’s have a little fun at the expense of the third item for just a moment. Again, many church members loathe business meetings. But as I have said here before, and as I teach students each semester, we must realize that business meetings are biblical. The first thing the apostles did after Jesus ascended to heaven was call a meeting to replace Judas. And Acts 15 was more of a convention with Paul and Barnabas coming from Antioch for a meeting which shaped the church for years to come.

Some meetings are very helpful, and some churches do them very well. But not all. In fact, a recent blog provided a few examples where the meetings were a disaster. Let me share a few of the details.

Business Meeting (Mis)-Adventures*

• Dead body in dumpster. One church had a prolonged business meeting on whether or not to put a lock on their dumpster. There was no resolution. Within the week someone put a dead body in the dumpster. The church voted overwhelmingly and immediately to put the lock on.
• Donuts. A church once had a two-hour meeting discussing donuts.
• Lawnmower blades. One multi-hour church business meeting focused on what type of lawnmower blades to purchase.
• Record time for a business meeting. A world record may have been set at one church business meeting began at 7 pm and took a break at midnight to resume the next evening. The point of contention was the type of wheels to put on a people mover, standard or chrome.
• Vote to close closes. The congregation of a church called a business meeting for the singular purpose of voting to close the church. Due to lack of interest, not enough members showed up to have a quorum. I have no words.

* These five items were adapted from a blog by Thom Rainer. See the following blog for more items. http://thomrainer.com/2017/10/ten-really-strange-things-happened-church-business-meetings

So, we can be thankful that we are not subject to that – at least, not today. But today, we are officially kicking off our capital campaign. Why? Two reasons. First, we need to replace a chunk of the funds we have recently spent related to the heating/cooling and electrical issues. Second, in March, the church voted to approve some renovations to the sanctuary – which originates with the need to replace the carpet.

You may recall that we were going to begin this process at the end of August. In fact, on the last Sunday of August, I preached from 2 Samuel 24 as a precursor to set up this day (click here). During that message, I mentioned that God had spared us because we were set to vote immediately following the morning service to approve a contract to begin the renovations. Thankfully, we learned of the severity of our heating and cooling problem just a few days before and were able to forgo the vote, delay the capital campaign, and evaluate the overall situation.

Now, a little more than two months later, the time has come. The work on the HVAC and electrical systems is complete. The bills have been paid. The numbers are better known. And now is a time to act.

So, as we launch our capital campaign today, let me remind us that God has not changed, and because of that we must respond. To do that, we will spend a little time in Genesis, a little in Matthew, and finish in Hebrews 11. But we will start in Ephesians.

3P’s  (x2) and Our Response

God Had a Purpose (Ephesians 1.7-10)

In the beginning, God created… Why? We might literally spend all day uncovering this answer, but Ephesians 1 provides some insight. READ Ephesians 1.7-10. In short, God created the world for the sake of Christ, that we might know Him and that we, and all things, would be united through Him.

God Had a Plan (Genesis 1)

1 Corinthians 14 states that God is a God of order. Notice the creation accounts. First, God created light which is necessary for growth. Then He created water, which is necessary to live. Eventually, God created man and woman in His image so that we could be stewards of all He created. If God created man before He created water, we could not have survived…in fact around 60% of the human body is water, so we could not have even existed.

God Made a Promise (Genesis 3.15)

Ultimately, mankind did not live up to the charge we were given, so God made a way to fix our most serious problem – sin. A lot of debate exists on when God developed His plan to save us, but we know with certainty that the plan was only revealed after the man and woman partook of the fruit. We must realize that God was often with them (Genesis 3.8), but sin broke that relationship. God made a way for the relationship to continue – and it began with a promise.

God Has a Purpose (Ephesians 1.7-10)

God’s purpose began with Creation that the world might know Christ. That purpose has not changed. The word mystery which once was has now been made known (v. 9). The Old Testament gave hints and clues about Who was to come, but now we know – or, at least, can know. God’s purpose has not changed.

God Has a Plan (Matthew 16.18)

His original plan was to create, now it is to build. Jesus said, “I will build my church.” He has been doing so for nearly 2000 years and will continue to do so until He returns. This plan included Christ, who is the Purpose, coming to die, so that He might live, and can now build through us. Because we are made in His image, we can do what He wants done as the stewards we were originally called to be.

God Has a Promise (Matthew 28.20)

God spent time with the man and woman in the Garden. He promises to be with us always, if we will choose to be with Him. As we talked about last week, He desires to reform, conform, and transform us and will reward those who have faith. God’s promise to Adam and Eve was that He would make a way in the future. Jesus was, and is, that Way, and His promise is to be with us always.

So, God had a purpose and still has the same one. God had a plan and has added a new element – the church. God made a promise and has now made a new one because He already fulfilled the old one. So what is our response? And how does all of this fit with a need to raise capital for Fairfax Baptist Church?

Our Response To God’s Purpose Is To Make Disciples (Matthew 28.18-20)

Again, God had a purpose to make Christ known, and He still has the same purpose. Those who know Christ and follow Him (which is the obvious implication of being in Him (Ephesians 1.7) are called disciples. Jesus final words according to Matthew were to make disciples. How? By going, by baptizing, and by teaching others to observe all that He commanded His disciples. The same is true now for those who follow Jesus – we are to go, to baptize, and to teach others to observe because we are His disciples. God’s purpose is to make Jesus known – and our purpose is to make sure that happens by making disciples.

Our Response To God’s Plan Is To Be Effective Stewards (Matthew 16.19; 18.18-20)

Jesus said He would build His church, but He told Peter that the keys would be given to Him (this is why the Catholic Church has a pope – it all relates back to this verse). However, in Matthew 18, Jesus talks again about binding and loosing, but uses a plural “you” meaning all of the disciples.

Thus, it is the job of the entire church to steward what God has entrusted us. Just like Adam and Eve were entrusted to steward Creation, so have we been entrusted with the church – and for you and I that specifically means Fairfax Baptist Church. When we see something wrong, we need to address it – in unity. And that brings us to our final point.

Our Response To God’s Promise Is To Live By Faith (Hebrews 11)

God was in the Garden with His creation. Jesus promised to be with His followers forever. How do we respond? Let us look at some examples from Hebrews 11. What I want you to notice is that the people mentioned here DID something, and that is what faith requires. Faith is not simply thinking or believing something to be true, it is acting on what we believe. Consider:

• Abel – offered (v. 4)
• Noah – constructed (v. 7) 
• Abraham – obeyed and went (v. 8)
• Sarah – conceived (v. 11) 
• Abraham – offered (v. 17) 
• Isaac – blessed others (v. 20)
• Jacob – blessed others (v. 21)  
• Joseph – told of the future (v. 22)
• Moses – chose mistreatment over comfort (v. 25)
• Etc.

The point is that the great people of faith acted on their belief in God and thus their stories are worth telling. The question for Fairfax Baptist Church is will our story be worth telling in another 50, 75, or 100 years. And today, that story begins with a need to give.

A Call to Action

So, here is the crux of the matter for us today. God has a purpose and a plan and a promise. As we do our part, we grow as individuals, bond together as a church, and expand God’s kingdom (maybe in numbers, but certainly in influence). While the church is really the people, the building is our rallying place, and it needs new carpet. While the carpet is up, we can make a few modifications to the platform area. And if the carpet comes up, we need to have a plan for seating – to restore or to replace.

We also need to replenish a portion of the savings we recently spent. We have recently benefited from having a reserve on hand, and over time, it will be nice to rebuild all of that reserve, but for now, we simply need to replenish a portion and then complete the work that has already been approved by the church.

So, what does this mean and how does it relate to God’s promise?

First, the Finance Team has agreed to the following campaign which consists of two phases.

• Phase 1: Replenish a portion of the savings used for the recent work
• Phase 2: Cover the cost of the renovations related to the carpet and seating

Second, I ask you to give. Remember faith requires action. We are a people of faith, and now we must act. The truth is that some here will not benefit greatly from what is to be done. But that was true of those who helped make this building possible in 1955 and we are the beneficiaries 60+ years later. Hebrews 11.13 gets straight to this point for those who live by their faith.

Now, let me get specific here based upon conversations with several people. Some general thoughts expressed are:

• Build Savings Quickly. Some of you want to get the savings built up quickly. That is why the Finance Team has made this the first priority – or Phase 1.
• Renovations Now. Some of you want to get moving on the renovations very quickly. That is why the goal for Phase 1 is quite modest.
• Avoid Debt. Most everyone wants to avoid debt to complete the renovation. I cannot say for certain what will or will not happen, but I do think that the church should authorize any loan before any loan documentation is signed.
• Impossible! Some of you think these numbers are impossible. And maybe they are for us, but we have a saying around here that comes straight from the Bible – “But God.”

Now, let me give you a few thoughts from myself and the Finance Team.

• Ministry Takes Precedence. Frankly, we tightened the budget for 2018 to help compensate for the added costs. But the ministry of this church has gradually expanded most every year since I came, and the goal is to continue to move forward, not backward. That is, we will seek to be strategic in what we do as a church, but this capital campaign cannot get in the way of what God calls us to do within and without the church walls.
• Above and Beyond. Given the first point, giving to this campaign needs to be above and beyond your normal giving. I certainly hope you give a regular offering and even a tithe or more perhaps. But some also give to Lottie Moon, Annie Armstrong, MMO, OCC shoeboxes, piki piki, etc. We all have a finite amount of money, and the church’s budget comes first, then extra missions, then the campaign. That said, if, on average, if we each gave $5 extra per week ($20 per month), we would have more than enough within 3 years. I can save $5 by not stopping at the C-Store once per week. So, I save money, the church is repaired, and I am healthier as well!
• How to Give. We realize that some of you have a preference. I mentioned this in the portion above. So, let me help us with the “How to Give.” We need to be united, and the campaign is designed to do that with the two phases. So, if you give to the campaign, the first set of money will go to the church’s savings until we reach the Phase 1 goal of $10,000. To give to the campaign, simply write on your check or envelope “Campaign” or “Capital Campaign” or “Mission: God Possible” or something similar.

Some of you will want your monies to go Savings. If so, simply write on your check or envelope “Savings” again understanding that all of the first monies collected with go there as well.

Finally, some of you want to see the renovations started yesterday. If so, you can give directly to that part of the fund by writing on your check or envelope “Remodel” or “Renovation.” We have the money to start the work on the platform and a portion of what is needed for the carpet, but we must determine what is possible regarding the overall timetable.

What is the timetable? Well, how big is your God? I just mentioned that with $5 extra per week per person (based upon 50 people), this is possible within 3 years. I know $5 per week is a lot for some, but that averages out to just $750 per person over 3 years. I think someone is going to give $750 this month. I think we will complete Phase 1 this year. I really do. And I think God wants to show us that “But God” is more than a couple or words, but a lifestyle in which we should engage. So, I have proposed and the Finance Team agreed, that the campaign will last no more than 18 months. That is, by the first Sunday in May 2019 (May 5), when I am completing my 8th year as your pastor, we will have raised all the money and then some. And, I truly believe we will have the funds even faster than that.

CONCLUSION

I began this message by discussing God’s purpose, plans, and promise. I then shared what our response must be in a very general way to each of those pieces. But in a very particular way, we must act on our faith now. And, specifically, that relates to raising funds for our church. The timeframe and the amount may be seem impossible, but not with God. Again, this is not  mission impossible, it is Mission: God Possible.

JOURNEY: Y – You

The JOURNEY letter for today is Y because You must respond in faith. Jesus still has a plan for this church, and His promise is to be with us. Each of us, that is, YOU must believe and respond.

NEXT STEP(S): Live: Our faith requires us to live, and this living is our partnering with God to do far more than we can ask or think or imagine. So begin by praying about your action in this campaign. We are truly counting on God to provide the necessary funds and we must all be willing to sacrifice a little or a lot. Whatever you decide to contribute, know that others will benefit from your giving just as you benefit now from those who have given in the past.

How Big Is God? by Rick Sons

Voyager 1 is a space probe launched by NASA on September 5, 1977. Part of the Voyager program was to study the outer Solar System, Voyager 1 launched 16 days after its twin, Voyager 2. Having operated for 39 years, 11 months and 1 day (as of August 6, 2017), the spacecraft still communicates with the Deep Space Network to receive routine commands and return data.

Voyager 1

Voyager 1 is the first spacecraft to reach interstellar space. The spacecraft officially entered interstellar space in August 2012, almost 35 years after its voyage began. The discovery wasn’t made official until 2013. The spacecraft’s next big encounter will take place in 40,000 years, when Voyager 1 comes within 1.7 light-years of the star AC +79 3888. (The star itself is roughly 17.5 light-years from Earth.) However, Voyager 1’s falling power supply means it will stop transmitting data by about 2025, meaning no data will flow back from that distant location. 

As big as the universe is it is not bigger than God.
As vast as the universe is, it was still created by God. 

Genesis Chapter 1 begins “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. And God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light. God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness. God called the light ‘day,’ and the darkness he called ‘night.’ And there was evening, and there was morning—the first day.”

Now if this is too big a scale to grasp. Consider that 70 percent of the earth is ocean. The ocean is the lifeblood of Earth, covering more than 70 percent of the planet’s surface, driving weather, regulating temperature, and ultimately supporting all living organisms. Throughout history, the ocean has been a vital source of sustenance, transport, commerce, growth, and inspiration. Yet for all of our reliance on the ocean, 95 percent of this realm remains unexplored, unseen by human eyes. The Challenger Deep in the Mariana Trench is the deepest known point in Earth’s oceans. In 2010 the United States Center for Coastal & Ocean Mapping measured the depth of the Challenger Deep at 10,994 meters (36,070 feet) below sea level. If Mount Everest, the highest mountain on Earth, were placed at this location it would be covered by over one mile of water. As big as the ocean is it is not bigger than God.

Again, from Genesis we read (1:9). “God said, ‘Let the water under the sky be gathered to one place, and let dry ground appear.’ And it was so. God called the dry ground ‘land,’ and the gathered waters he called ‘seas.’ And God saw that it was good.:”

How Big Is God?

I want to talk to you today on this subject, HOW BIG IS GOD? Now when I ask the question, how big is God, don’t think that I’m going to try to answer that question because I can’t answer that question. The question is unanswerable, because God is immeasurable. God is infinite. God is limitless. For instance, when we speak of God’s peace we speak of the peace of God, that passes understanding. So, I want to tell you from the beginning you will never fathom God but you can find God. You can never fathom God because of his greatness but you can find God because of his grace.

Song titles try to tell us how big God is. Kids learn songs such as “God is Big”:
God is big God is big, God is very, very, very, very big God is big God is big God is very, very, very, very Very, very big! God is bigger than a lion stretched out from head to tail.

Or from Veggie Tales, Bob and Larry taught kids that “God is Bigger than the Boogie Man”:
God is bigger than the boogie man.
He’s bigger than Godzilla,
or the monsters on TV.
Oh, God is bigger than the boogie man.
And He’s watching out for you and me.

And many children have learned the song “He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands” which has many verses as they are listed here.
He’s got the whole world in His hands,
He’s got the whole world in His hands.
He’s got the sun and the rain in His hands,
He’s got the moon and the stars in His hands,
He’s got the wind and the clouds in His hands,
He’s got the whole world in His hands.

“How Big is God?” Another song writer, Doris Akers, asked and then attempted to answer that question in a song. Akers compared God’s bigness to the mightiest ocean, the tallest of trees, the broadest of rivers, the deepest of seas, and the highest of mountains. But it falls far short of telling how big God is.

How big was Israel’s God?

Israel thought they knew something about the bigness of God. They tried to make His bigness known by the names they used to speak of Him.

a. Yahweh (Jehovah) is the name they used for Him and like all Old Testament names, it has a meaning. It means: “He who is at one with the limitless, unbounded universe because He has created it.” This is the name that God gave to Moses when he said “I am who I am.”

b. One of the most beautiful names Israel used for God is ELSHADDAH; the literal meaning of which is simply “ALMIGHTY GOD.” Made from the two words EL, meaning the strong and mighty one and SHADDAH, or the breasted one. Clearly, to the mind of every Israelite God was a big God.

It is my belief that every person who came in contact with God in the Old Testament. Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Isaiah and so on must have felt that they were in the presence of a very big God. To these men God was very big.

But what I really want to ask you is, “How big is your God?”

How big is your God?

1. The real answer to that may lie in how big a role God plays in your life minute by minute, hour by hour, and day by day.

a. No matter whom you are, relationships are critical to your existence as human beings. Humans are social creatures. In our correctional system the death penalty is not the cruelest form of punishment, solitary confinement is – to be absent of all human contact. (Remember Tom Hanks in “Cast Away” and Wilson.) God created you to have relationships with others, and him. He wants to be connected to you through his Son Jesus. A relationship with your creator is to be known by God himself.

b. God wants us to know him.
The Bible says God is at work in everyone’s life. “So that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us.” (Acts 17:27)

2. If you can see God as big enough to make a universe, Surely He is also big enough to be worth offering Him your body as a living sacrifice.

a. Romans 12:1, Paul says, “I beseech you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God to present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, pleasing to God, which is your reasonable service.” Paul’s words to the believers in Rome were to sacrifice themselves to God, not as a sacrifice on the altar, as the Mosaic Law required the sacrifice of animals, but as a living sacrifice. The dictionary defines sacrifice as “anything consecrated and offered to God.” As believers, how do we consecrate and offer ourselves to God as a living sacrifice?

b. What does a living sacrifice look like in the practical sense? The following verse (Romans 12:2) helps us to understand. We are a living sacrifice for God by not being conformed to this world. The world is defined for us in 1 John 2:15-16 as the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life.

3. If you can see God as big enough to put the stars in place, is he not also big enough to save your lost loved ones?

a. There isn’t a person reading this post that doesn’t have someone who they love that is lost. It may be a spouse, a child, a parent, a sibling, or it may be a friend or some other relative, but there is someone you care deeply about that would be in Hell if they were to die today.

b. The Bible was given to man for the express purpose of revealing God to man. That is why I say that the Bible is proof positive that God has made efforts in the past to save those you love. Do you not owe it to God, to help see that others are saved?

4. If you can see God as big enough to lead Israel out of Egypt’s bondage, is He not also big enough to set you free from whatever it is that binds you and saps your victory?

a. We are Victors not Victims!  All too often we walk around with the poor me attitude. God way did he or she get that I am a better person than they are. (Who has not said this at least once in our life) 

b. Romans 12:2 says, “Let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think.” In Romans 4:17 we read “the God who gives life to the dead calls things into being which do not yet exist” Finally, in Romans 4:20- 21 we see the example of Abraham; “Yet with respect to the promises of God he did not waver in unbelief, but grew strong in faith giving God the Glory, being fully assured that what God had promised He was able also to perform.” Be encouraged!

5. If you can see God as big enough to fill you with the Holy Spirit then can you not also see Him as big enough to work His spiritual gifts through you?

a. The Bible says, “As the Spirit of the Lord works within us, we become more and more like him and reflect his glory even more.” (2 Corinthians 3:18)

b. Only the Holy Spirit has the power to make the changes God wants to make in our lives. The Bible says, “God is working in you, giving you the desire to obey him and the power to do what pleases him.” (Philippians 2:13) We see many people claiming to be Christians, walking around with religion but without the spirit.

6. If God is big enough to hear and accept the vows you made when he saved you and you joined His church; is he not also big enough to expect you to keep your vow?

a. There are about 30 biblical references to vows, most of which are from the Old Testament. The books of Leviticus and Numbers have several references to vows in relation to offerings and sacrifices. There were consequences for the Israelites who made and broke vows, especially vows to God.

b. The story of Jephthah illustrates the foolishness of making vows without understanding the consequences. Before leading the Israelites into battle against the Ammonites, Jephthah—described as a mighty man of valor—made a rash vow that he would give to the Lord whoever first came out of doors to meet him if he returned home as the victor. When the Lord granted him victory, the one who came out to meet him was his daughter. (Judges 11:29-40)

c. Perhaps this is why Jesus gave a new commandment concerning vows. “Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not break your oath, but keep the oaths you have made to the Lord.’ But I tell you, do not swear at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne; or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. Simply let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No ,’ ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one” (Matthew 5:33-37).

So How Big is God?

The book of Isaiah chapter 40 says:

1.    The Greatness of God’s Hands (v. 12). “Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand and marked off the heavens with a span, enclosed the dust of the earth in a measure and weighed the mountains in scales and the hills in a balance?”

• He can hold the entire oceans in His hand. (Recent estimates put the volume of the Earth’s oceans at 1.332 cubic kilometers. This is equivalent to around, or 352 quintillion, gallons of water.) (A Quintillion is a 1 followed by eighteen zeros)  God can measure the universe with the “span” (the distance between your thumb and the end of your middle finger) of His mighty hand.

• As if that was not enough, he can measure all the dust of the earth and weigh all of earth’s mountains and hills on His scale of balance.

2.    The Greatness of God’s Spirit (v. 13-14). “Who has measured the Spirit of the LORD, or what man shows him his counsel? Whom did he consult, and who made him understand? Who taught him the path of justice, and taught him knowledge, and showed him the way of understanding?”

• The Holy Spirit has never needed advice, counsel, or teaching. He was the one who moved all the forces of nature forward to commence creation.

• His intelligence is complete. There is no book to read or course He needs to take. He wrote the book on everything, period. That includes the Bible.

3.    The Greatness of God’s Perspective (v. 15-17). “Behold, the nations are like a drop from a bucket, and are accounted as the dust on the scales; behold, he takes up the coastlands like fine dust. Lebanon would not suffice for fuel, nor are its beasts enough for a burnt offering. All the nations are as nothing before him, they are accounted by him as less than nothing and emptiness.”

• The nations are like a “drop in the bucket” and like a few grains of dust on a scale. The nations are not just “nothing” but “less than nothing” before Him. Over history we have seen many nations claim to be the greatest. According to a recent study the top ten nations of the world were Italy, United Kingdom, United States, China, Greece, Egypt, Iraq, India, Iran, and Chad. Some of us may have a different order but to God the greatness of each is still not important.

• The inhabitants of earth are like grasshoppers to Him. The universe is merely His “tent.” Now that may refer to the universe and earth being round, or “circular” in shape. However it is important to understand that this is not the main meaning or purpose of these kinds of verses, but rather to again show the incredible greatness and glory of God.

4.    The Greatness of God’s Care (v. 26). “Lift up your eyes on high and see: who created these? He who brings out their host by number, calling them all by name; by the greatness of his might and because he is strong in power, not one is missing.”

• He numbers and calls every star by name. Research says, there are a “septillion” number of stars in the universe. This is a 1 with 24 zeroes behind it!  No computer needed, just His infinite care.

• He checks on every one to be sure they are not missing. If He cares about a single star billions of light years from here, why would He not notice you or your needs?

5.    The Greatness of God’s Strength (v. 29-31). “He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.”

• He never grows tired, weary, or faint. He will give that power to anyone who “waits” on Him. This word “wait” in Hebrew is not like waiting for a bus. It is actively seeking Him like a “waiter” in a restaurant. Yes you have to do some of the work. We have all gone out to eat someplace what do you look for in a great waiter.

• Faith insures a participation in His incredible strength. He will “renew” our strength. This words means to “change clothes.”  We have a new outfit of God’s power for every challenge we face! Each time we see circumstance or adversity he will give us new and fresh armor to face it. Gods Armor as we read in Ephesians chapter 6. As a history major, I have had the opportunity to study warriors and armies of the world. One thing I have seen is that how an army appears to the enemy is often part of the battle. This is why you see the clean sharp well-kept uniforms. God will see that you go into battle with a clean new uniform not an old a tattered one.

Larry Stockstill, teacher, speaker, and pastor of Bethany Church in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, asked: How big is your God? Are you looking at God through your circumstances or looking at your circumstances through God?

When we write, we use big G God for the Almighty God Jehovah the true living God, and little g god for all the other gods. When we are faced with circumstances and trial how often do we make our big G God into a little g god?

How big is your God? Big enough to intervene, Big enough to be trusted, Big enough to be held in awe and ultimate respect, Big enough to erase your worries and replace them with peace?

The more you know God, the bigger He becomes.