A Desire To Give

Over the years, I have seen God work His wonders in so many ways.  The simple fact that we often sing: "God is so good!" is SO TRUE!!!!

A memory just came back to me that is PRECIOUS!  I'd like to share it with you.

Our thirteen years at the Oakland FMC in East Liverpool, Ohio were blessed in so many ways!  Our worship evolved during those years into something of spiritual significance!  We tuned in to the growth of the praise and worship movement and incorporated it into our weekly worship very effectively.  We had some push-back, but with gentle, loving persistence, we forged ahead and gained God's blessing.

But we also saw some significant financial miracles.

One year, our leaders sensed the call of God to raise $100,000 for missions! Now, you must understand that we had NEVER raised even ten percent of that amount before!  It was an unreachable goal!  Yet, by faith, we embraced it!

One of the vehicles we used to raise this goal was the principle of 'unexpected money'.  We encouraged our people to pray that God would send 'unexpected money' into their household with the promise that we would simply pass it along toward the missions goal!

An older couple in the church approached me about their desire to help the church meet this amazing goal. Harold and Una explained that they were now on a fixed income and would not be able to assist in any significant way. I responded by encouraging them to pray that God would send some 'unexpected money' into their household.  They agreed to do so.  Months passed...

Then, they came one Sunday with bright eyes full of tears!  Harold's mother had been a godly woman who had raised her family in the church and in the Lord.  She had passed many years earlier.  However, Harold and his brothers received a letter from the local bank indicating that an account in her name had surfaced!  It was to be evenly distributed among her heirs.  Harold and Una were enabled to participate in that miraculous giving event for the church with joy as a reward for their faith!

About three-quarters of the way through that year, some began to doubt that we would be able to fulfill our goal.  We were far short of $100,000.  About that time, Ellen stood up one Sunday and asked to speak. She had never done anything like this before!  She was a tiny woman and usually very quiet;  she was not a leader in the church.  This is the story she told us:  [as best I can recall]

I was watching the 700 Club this week in my living room.  It came time for Pat Robertson to pray over all of the letters that he had received that week. He laid his hands on the letters and began to pray.  In the middle of his prayer, he stopped and looked at the camera.  He said:  "I have a word from the Lord for a church out there that's trying to raise $100,000 for missions! I'm going to do it! Hold strong to your faith!"

Mouths dropped open all across the congregation!  We were shocked that God would use Ellen and Pat Robertson as a vehicle to speak encouragement to us! But, our faith was definitely bolstered!

We came through Christmas still needing $26,000.  Our leaders decided that we should have an evening of praise and worship on December 31, during which we would receive one final offering.  We had about 200 (of all ages) show up for an awesome evening of prayer, praise and worship!  We took our offering and when the ushers returned from counting it, we had reached our goal!  What a night to remember!

The World Missions Department of the Free Methodist Church had heard about our challenge and had contacted our church.  Simultaneously, a couple had felt a call to go as missionaries to Brazil.  The Missions Department needed $100,000 to get them there.  We had no other specific leading for the money, so turned it all over to the Missions Department with great joy and a wonderful sense of having been used by God!

Glory to God!