Page 44 - Evidence of Things Unseen

The Spirit led him to a beautiful house in a nice neighborhood. The house was a dream
home to him, far beyond what he had expected to find. I was myself amazed at the house
and the yard, for it was very scenic with ancient oaks on the property, and in a quiet
neighborhood. As he spoke to the realtor, the owners, and the bank, Steve found that he had
just enough money to close on the house and take possession of it. However, God had a test
for him before he was able to do so.
On the day before he was to meet with the bank and close on the house, the realtor
called Steve and told him that a mistake had been made on the paperwork, and he would
have to come up with several thousand more dollars than he had been told. Steve did not
have the money, having already pledged all that he had available. He was brought to a crisis
of faith. Would he be daunted by the obstacle that his senses were reporting to him, or
would he believe the witness of the Spirit, that God had called him to purchase this house
and would go before Him?
Steve was not accustomed to walking by faith, and his confidence in God’s love and
character were weak. He shared with me that he drove out to the church that evening, which
was out in the countryside, and he parked there and got out of his car and began to rail
against God. He accused God of deceiving him, of bringing him to a place of having his
hopes built up, only to dash them at the end. He shouted out many words of unbelief and
shook his fist at the heavens. Steve shared with me that he was tempted to get in his car and
drive away, leaving behind the church, his calling as a pastor, and his confession of God.
The next day Steve went to the closing at the appointed time, expecting to be given the
news that he could not take possession of the house. However, God worked it out where the
owners and realtor absorbed part of the extra cost, and Steve was able to sign the papers on
the house and move in. God had already determined how He would work things out and
fulfill His words to this pastor, yet he failed to trust God. As God does with His children,
time after time, He brought Steve to a test to reveal what was in his heart.
When I heard the account of what had happened I was reminded of the Israelites at
the Red Sea, and how they had brought a reproach against God by asking, “Did you bring
us out here to kill us because there were not enough graves in Egypt?” Great was God’s
displeasure over this pastor’s lack of faith in His character. The Spirit spoke to me and told
me that He had rejected Steve as the one to lead His people into the plans He had for them,
and it was not long afterwards that God removed him.
I felt much grief in my heart when I learned of Steve’s charges against God, and of his
great failure of faith. Such things do not happen in a moment of time, but they are the fruit
of a life that consistently fails to trust God in one matter after another. God will test all of
His children in the wilderness that He might see what is in their hearts.

Deuteronomy 8:2
You shall remember all the way which Yahweh your God has led you in the
wilderness these forty years, that He might humble you, testing you, to know what
was in your heart...

I lost track of Steve for a number of years after he left this church, though I had heard
that he had gotten a pastor’s position in another town and had eventually moved there. He
has since left there also, and about a year ago I ran into him again. Steve stopped by our
home one day, but not to visit, for he had no idea it was our house he was at. He had taken
a job selling home security systems, and he knocked on our door to see if he could sell us