Great is Thy Faithfulness

It comes as no surprise that God has been faithful in putting people and resources in place for the local church plant.  Last week I did a one year budget for the church, however I specifically left one important line item out of the budget, "the favor of God."  The reason for this omission is so that I will always be able to recognize what it should/could have cost and taken to be successful, minus the favor factor.

Perhaps in the midst of this recession you've found yourself looking at your personal budget and the numbers just don't seem to add up on paper.  Just remember that the missing line item is "the favor factor."

LORD, great is Thy faithfulness.   

Not How? Who?

As I really avail myself for the necessary preparation involved with the local church plant, I find myself facing tough questions. The common denominator of most of the questions is the word "how." Over and over again I've come up with another question within my mind involving the word "how." As of this date I have nothing but a vision and an incredible call and burden that God has placed upon my heart to plant a local church in Maywoood, IL. I need the auditorium at our local high school as a worship facility, I need financial resources, musicians, and countless other individuals willing to serve. In addition to these needs, there's a possibility that I may have to step down from my job as CMO at my current church, which could significantly affect my family's budget. My prayer is that God allows me to maintain this position and salary until the new church is financially stable.

As I stare at this mountain of needs, which I feel inadequately equipped to scale, the question that looms is, "how?" How can I afford to bring this vision to fruition? How will I be able to obtain the resources needed? How, how, how?

But then again I realize that it's not "how?" It's "who?" Who will make it happen? Who will provide? If I can just throw 3 words back as a volley against every "how" in my head and heart, they would be:

God is Able!

"Now unto Him who is able to do immeasurably more than we can ask or think according to the power that works in us." Eph. 3:20 (paraphrase)