God is able….REALLY HE IS. God is all that and a bag of chips. He truly is. When we forget that, we get in the way of that which He truly wants accomplished through us or others. It’s the others we find ourselves hindering by saying yes to the wrong things. I've told many young christians, especially the ones I was given the privilege to lead to the Lord. that the best word they can learn to use is the word NO.
You hear someone say “We don’t have enough Sunday school teachers”. ENEMY’s RESPONSE: Boy, if you don’t jump in there, you’re letting the church down. Did God call you to teach Sunday school? If not, sit down and put your hand down. When someone asks if you’re going to help with Sunday school, say NO.
Oh, but “We’re short on ushers”. ENEMY’s response: If you don’t do it, nobody else will. They need the help. Answer. God didn’t ask me to Ush, so sit down and put your hand down.
“We’re starting a men’s prayer breakfast/meeting every other Saturday”. ENEMY’s response: If you don’t go, they’ll wonder what’s wrong with you. After all, don’t you like to fellowship. Also, you’re one of the “strong” leaders in the church. You have to be there.
No I don’t. Saturdays I do things with my son, my daughter, or with others I’m acquainted with. Ya but, this is a church function. So, what I’m going to do is a relationship function. Well, if you’re not coming, I’m not sure we can trust you with this or that in the church. Well, praise God. Learn to say NO.
When we constantly think that we have to DO what is needed or requested by the church and church people, it just proves that we doubt God’s ability to work beyond us. We do have a part, but it’s the part God calls us to, not all the parts other voices try to talk us into. When you get so busy doing “things” for the church, you have no time for fellowship with the Father, your family, or your friends. Your ability to enjoy life and really hear him is stifled.
When you think you have to do all the things others might mention or insinuate from the pulpit, what you’re really saying is that God cannot be trusted to take care of those things. Really??? God has so many ways to get done what He wants to do. Remember, I’ve said in the past that God’s perfect will is almost never done, but God’s perfect plan is always done. Many people challenge that statement, but it's easy to prove. Just ask them if they do everything God asks them to do immediately. I'm very often in the "three timer" group. That means God has to ask me at least three times. Each time He asks it's more intense and more apparent I should have been in the "first time" group.
Some years back a friend of mine said he was quitting the usher team. When I asked him why, he smiled and said “I’m giving someone else the opportunity to serve”. I didn’t understand that then, but I sure do now. Besides, when you jump into a vacant need, you may be hindering someone else from entering into their calling. When we do that, we are trying to grab for ourselves, that which God has not given us or called us to.
Look what 2 Corinthians 9:8 says in the NAS. “And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed”. And here in Ephesians 3:20. “Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us”. That doesn’t sound like a God who is not able and who needs “your” help in every matter.
“If I don’t do this, it won’t get done. I’m the only one that can keep this church functioning”. Get over your bad self. Besides, when you have that mindset and are constantly doing things you’re not called to do, because you think you’re keeping the church from falling apart, what you really are doing is ignoring the things God is calling you to do.
Our biggest messes come when we try to do things that we think God is not able to get accomplished on His own without our help. Learning to live by trusting the Father is a very difficult thing to do, because our tendency is to get in there and work to “make sure it gets done, and done right”. That’s not trusting Him.
We'll stop here for now, but pick this back up in part 2 with a story in Genesis 16:21 about Hagar and Ishmael. Grace and Peace.
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