Page 28 - The Divine Quest

The Divine Quest Page 25

amazed at the house and the yard, for it was all very beautiful. As he spoke to the
realtor, the owners, and the bank, he 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 him 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.
He 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 a house and had provided this one for him?

This man 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 parking
lot, 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. He shared that he was tempted
to get in his car and drive away and leave behind the church, his calling as a pastor,
and his confession of God.

The next day this man 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 this pastor
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 this man failed
to trust God.

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 to God’s love and compassion
toward them 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 this man
as the one to lead His people into the plans He had for them, and it was not long
afterwards that God removed him.

Without faith it is impossible to please God. Those who come to God must believe
that He exists, and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him. What an important
matter is faith.