Newsflash #1: God doesn’t work the way we expect but it doesn’t mean He isn’t working.

Newsflash #2: God uses us in circumstances to make a point with others.

We hope that as you’ve been reading our posts that what is crystal clear is that what our ministry is doing is not about us and now about our efforts.

Our ministry is about being obedient to God as He guides and directs us and what we do glorifying Him.

We have shared our ministry’s successes, our challenges, and those times when God has chosen to close a door. A closed door; however, doesn’t mean that we’re going in the wrong direction or that we are being disobedient or even that God has changed His mind. Sometimes God closes a door because it’s not the hour He has chosen, sometimes God closes a door because He wants to make a bigger point.

Recently, a public meeting we were to be part of regarding Freedom Lake was abruptly dismissed. We were disappointed because we were looking forward to sharing what God was going to do with the property the ministry is seeking to acquire. However, we recognized that God was closing a door for a reason and fully believe that the two reasons above are why.

God brought us to this property and is where Freedom Lake is meant to be but His timing and our timing is not the same. There are bigger things at play than we know. Which speaks to the second point: God is proving a point. When we ponder what point God could be making two people come to mind – Elijah and Gideon.

At the time Elijah was one of the Lord’s prophets, the evil King Ahab was murdering the prophets of God until Elijah believed he was the only one left. God sent Elijah to confront the 450 of Baal’s prophets one morning to remove any and all doubt who is the One True God. Elijah told his opposing prophets the way to prove which prophets had the true God was to have each “team” have a bull, instructing to: “cut it in pieces and lay it on the wood, but put no fire to it. And I will prepare the other bull and lay it on the wood and put no fire to it.  And you call upon the name of your god, and I will call upon the name of the Lord, and the God who answers by fire, he is God.” And all the people answered, “It is well spoken.” 

The prophet of Baal went first, calling on Baal to bring down fire on their bull offering. And they called. And they danced. And they cried out. They even cut themselves but Baal did not answer. Ever.

When Elijah then took his turn, he built his stone altar, put wood on it, put the bull pieces on it, and then doused the offering with water not once but FOUR times. As it says in Scripture, Elijah the prophet came near and said, “O Lord, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that you are God in Israel, and that I am your servant, and that I have done all these things at your word.  Answer me, O Lord, answer me, that this people may know that you, O Lord, are God, and that you have turned their hearts back.”  Then the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt offering and the wood and the stones and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.

God left no doubt who the One True God is. He made His point and all who were there witnessed it. Elijah was his representative but did only what God had instructed him to do. God was responsible for the rest.

Then there’s Gideon who God sent with a specific mission and to make a specific point.

God sent an angel to tell Gideon that God was sending him to save Israel from the hand of Midian.”  God wants the Israelites – His chosen people – to realize his divine validity. Gideon amassed an army of 32,000 soldiers, ready to march to battle. But before the army embarked for that battle, God told Gideon to decrease his army from 32,000 to just 300 men to defeat the Midianites. Gideon was nervous about whether 300 men were enough to win the battle but trusted God and marched his men to battle the Midianites

Gideon commanded his 300 comrades to surround the Midian camp, making it seem the Midianites were greatly outnumbered, then blow their trumpets on every side and shout, “For the Lord and for Gideon!”  When the Midianites heard the trumpets and saw the torches surrounding their camp they cried out and fled, a triumphant victory for Gideon and the Israelites. And none could take credit for the victory except God for who would have ever thought that 300 men could defeat the Midianites? Gideon himself was doubtful, fearful, and insecure about what God was telling him to do but Gideon was faithful because he trusted God.

We believe that we are doing what God is telling us to do but that God is also using us and this situation to prove a point. When all is said and done and when the property acquisition process is complete that all will know that it is all God’s doing and no one else. We are merely His servants.

The reminder for us and the encouragement to you is that God will ask you to do things and – while you will be faithful in carrying out His instructions – He does not always work the way we expect Him to, His timing is not our timing, and when He closes a door, it is not because we are disobedient but is instead wanting others – believer and non-believer alike – to see that what is happening is His doing. Period.

We recognize that Freedom Lake is unlike any other ministry and that it may be easy to mistake that Tony and I ARE the ministry. The first part is absolutely true. The second part is not. Tony and I may be the faces that people associate with Freedom Lake but this ministry is the Lord’s and what He has in store for Freedom Lake is going to be powerful, life changing, and have an Eternal impact on countless lives. And the credit is all His.

Because He is Undeniably God.