Page 107 - Evidence of Things Unseen

calling us to, and as we were now in the first week of April I felt led to call my family to a
day of prayer and fasting. This was the first time our children had fasted, and it was a good
experience for them. We gathered several times during the day to pray and to ask the Father
to give us some direction.
No direction came that day, but two days later, as I was sitting at the table with my
daughter, I told her that I felt led to visit a non-denominational church whose members had
a year previously come out of a Mennonite congregation. My daughter was quite surprised
at this, for we had been outside of any organized group of believers for the past three years.
During our three year time of wilderness wanderings we missed the fellowship of the
saints very much, and on several occasions we sought to return to fellowship with some
group of believers. On each occasion, however, the Spirit let us know immediately that this
was not His will for us. In a way, I felt like Samuel when the seven sons of Jesse were
passing in front of him. Some of the churches we thought of visiting looked impressive, but
when we considered them we heard the Lord say,

I Samuel 16:7
"Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected
him; for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but
Yahweh looks at the heart."

At each church that we considered associating with, the Lord would say, “I have not
chosen this one either.” I must admit that in suggesting that we visit this recently formed
body of believers, part of me anticipated hearing the Lord say these words once again.
However, the Spirit never spoke these words to me, and I found a growing excitement
within me that God was about to fulfill that which He had me pray for since 1993. I had a
great hope that God would at this time raise up a people for His praise, and that this newly
formed body of believers were to be the ones He would begin this work through.
I had similar hopes at the last two churches we had been a part of, but my hopes were
unmet when both bodies failed to walk forward in faith when God asked them to do so.
They had been daunted by the giants in the land, and the strongholds and walled cities to
be conquered. I continued to look for a people who would not turn back from the challenges
and obstacles before them, and over the course of the next few weeks I had many reasons
for my hope to be reborn that I might see such a people raised up soon.
On April 6th, 2003 we visited this body of believers who were meeting in a warehouse
that belonged to a roofing company. The location was very rural. We were invited home to
share lunch with a family from this church, and as I spoke to them the man shared some
incredible stories of trust in God. Here was a man sharing with me that he had cast all over
onto God in a time of trial and he had seen God deliver him in a spectacular manner. He had
been tried in the fire, and had faced the loss of all he owned. He had chosen to lean upon
God alone to deliver him, and God had been faithful. How my heart was encouraged as I
listened. I had been yearning to find a people with a real, practical faith, and I was hearing
of just such a faith. Hours went by like minutes as I listened to this brother share of his own
tests and of his determination to demonstrate faith before God.
It was the practice of this body to have the men take turns bringing a devotion each
Sunday, and I was further encouraged by what I heard. The young men were included in
this time of sharing, and I heard some wonderful messages coming from young hearts that
yearned to experience a vital walk with God. I was impressed with the messages of faith I