I mentioned under author’s bio, I was chairman of our Relocation Committee for a reason. My faith began growing when we added 42,000 sq. ft. to our old church. It was in 1988 and we were discussing a $1.7 million expansion; to us that was huge. Our average attendance at the time was 770. We were financially meeting our obligations but not much more.

As our attendance starting growing we needed more room. We had a choice to either build in stages or all at once. I believed we could only afford to do it in stages. There was no way to pay for it if we did it all at once. It would require weekly giving to double to maintain the building and pay the interest. As chairman of the board I was totally against doing the whole project at once. However, against my advice the board agreed to do everything at once.

The project was completed in 1989. The impossible became possible. By the time the expansion was completed our weekly giving had doubled. I learned from this experience it is not what we think we can do, but it’s what God wants us to do. This is when I really started believing in Christ’s promise found in Matthew 17:20. If we have faith as small as a mustard seed we could move mountains and nothing would be impossible for us.

By 1991 our attendance had grown to 1740 weekly. We were land locked and could no longer handle the parking situation and it was not possible to purchase additional property around us. We believed God gave us the vision to try and secure at least 80 acres of property south of our present site in Henderson. When we told the congregation of our plans it was like they had a “Red Sea Experience”. We sent out 12 spies to get people’s reaction and ten came back with negative responses.

We tried three different times to purchase property and three times we were turned down. Finally we were able to obtain property that had been a gravel pit. We offered $37,500 per acre. Across the freeway land was selling for $110,000 per acre.

Once we purchased the property the City of Henderson stated they had to have 24 acres of our land to build a major league sports complex for spring training. This was where we had intended to place our sports area and have additional parking.

While we were negotiating with the city we were hauling dirt onto our property. Because of the huge amounts of earth that had been taken from the property we had to bring in enough dirt to raise the property 13 feet. This required approximately 700,000 cu. yds. It had to be hauled in, graded and packed. The costs were extensive.

The City had to have our 24 acres and it seemed we had no choice. By that time, the value of an acre was $66,800 per acre. We agreed to sell the property if they would build a sports complex park to the north of us. We needed a five lane street north through the park with a four lane street going north east of the park. They agreed to help us build two bridges across the Duck Creek Wash between us. They also would allow a 40 foot street south of us on the edge of their property. The cost of bringing in the dirt and getting it ready for our building was almost exactly what the City paid us. By the way! It has been twelve years and the City still has done nothing with our previous property. They really didn’t need it. No sports complex was built. We call it a “God Thing!” Ever since, my family and I look for “God Things” to happen in our lives and then we share with each other. God does not let us down with signs to build our faith.

A number of years ago I heard a story about a flea that was put into a jar with a lid on top. The flea kept jumping trying to get out, but it would hit the lid with each jump. After a number of tries the flea quit trying, and you could remove the lid and the flea would remain in the jar.

We cannot explain how Satan’s forces influence our thinking, but I can imagine it’s a lot like the flea in the above illustration. Let me illustrate my point:

Before we accept Christ, we are inside of a box with a lid over us. Having committed sins of pride, greed, envy, anger, lust, gluttony and laziness (just to name some), our conscience tells us this is wrong and we feel guilty, unworthy and go through life weighed down. We have been hurt by our mistakes and possibly by what others have done to us. We take this heavy baggage with us everywhere which keeps many of us from thinking positive thoughts and willing to take risks. Just like the lid on the jar, Satan’s forces use this guilt to keep us from stepping outside the box and living as God has intended for us to live. The enemy’s goal is to keep control over us through fear, but Christ came to take the lid off the box!

When we first receive salvation, we rejoice and begin a new life with the lid off the box. As we mature spiritually, Christ keeps reaching His hand out to us trying to help us step outside the box to freedom. However, we are often like Peter who asked Christ to allow him to walk on water. Christ did, and Peter took a few steps and sank. Often our situation is very similar. We may take a step outside the box only to feel more secure getting back in. It isn’t easy living outside the box because more is expected of us. Satan’s forces often tell us living outside the box will require risk taking. Like Peter, we do not have the faith nor the trust to realize that outside the box is where God designed us to live. On the other hand, some willingly step outside the box, but under Satan’s control. He targets those that he can trust to serve his evil purpose. Some become wealthy, powerful and idolized. They may be politicians, actors, musicians, business people or religious fanatics. There are no limits as to who satanic forces may use to influence the world.

The Christian must realize that we too can live outside the box but, live by the guidance of the Holy Spirit and compete with those serving the forces of evil. The prince of darkness took control of the world when Adam and Eve relinquished the control God had given them prior to their sinning. It is easier for some people to have allegiance to the world than to God. The world is visible and can be seen and those who live by the rules of the world, many times receive greater material rewards and recognition than those who separate themselves from the world and live for God, who is not visible, and live according to His ways. What does it take as a Christian to grasp the hand of Christ and live outside the box? Scripture tells us we must be willing to give of our best, have faith and believe the promises of Christ. We are to also be obedient, persistent, develop a relationship with God and others and be willing to do good deeds with unconditional love. Negative fear comes from the devil and Christian love comes from God. We must allow Christ to change our lives to such an extent that we no longer allow negative fears to keep us from living as God meant that we live.

I John 2:15 – 16 – “Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world—the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does—comes not from the Father but from the world.”

Scripture defines the world as anyone who is opposed to God or has not accepted Jesus Christ as their Savior. It is when one lives a self-serving, (me-first) lifestyle and rejects Biblical guidelines for living.  We can be a true believer, believe in God and accept Jesus Christ and yet live as the world lives.  Our problem could be ignorance as to what the Word of God teaches.  The Apostle Paul calls worldly Christians babes in Christ lacking maturity. 

Most of us know how the world lives but how does Scripture advise us to live?  We are not to purchase a home we cannot afford, drive cars that are not paid for and liberally use credit cards. As we have recently learned during severe recessions there are too many things that can happen.  Many Christians have lost their jobs and have had their homes foreclosed.  The Bible advises that we should owe no one.  Yet, many Christians ignored better judgment and find they cannot live without having the very best of the world’s offerings.   Our level of spiritual maturity can adversely affect where we are financially.  

The Apostle John was warning the church that it was so easy to love the world and worldly things.  We are born into the world and live as the world lives until we accept Christ.  It is not easy for most to change habits and surrender to God’s leading.  Our carnal self-centered nature wants what others have regardless of what they have done to get them.  If we live as the world lives and put worldly things first in our lives what does it mean: “If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him?”

For many years I have been a financial advisor.  I have more than 250 Christian clients and more than 250 clients who are not Christians.  I find very little difference in how the majority of believers and non-believers live when it comes to finances.  Ask a client how much they are in debt and there is little difference between the Christian and non-Christian.  If you have ever wondered why normally only 25% of Christians tithe it may be because they are so far in debt that it is all they can do to pay their monthly bills. 

The average household within fifteen minutes of our church makes $63,000 annually according to local statistics.  If each family tithed $6,300 and there were 8000 givers you would receive $50,400,000 annually in tithes.  Since our church receives approximately $12,000,000 yearly from over more than 20,000 members that means not every family tithes.  How important is it to tithe?  God tells us we must!

How does living from pay check to pay check affect our spiritual health?  One of a family’s greatest problems at home is financially overextending and it’s causing many Christians to divorce.  We may be in a job we cannot tolerate but because of indebtedness we are unable to risk taking a job that would better fit our abilities.  We can end up stuck, unhappy and frustrated.  So how do we measure our spiritual maturity or spiritual health? 

Luke 10:27 – says we are to love God with all of our heart, strength, soul and mind and love your neighbor as yourself.  This is a great way to measure our spiritual maturity.  Do we love God enough to want to please Him and live by His commands?  Are we self-serving or God-serving?  Where is our commitment or how accountable are we to the Holy Spirit?  Do we have hate in our hearts?  Do we truly love others unconditionally?  The degree of our love for God and others measures our spiritual maturity.   John is talking about where our hearts are, is where our treasures will be.  What is our attitude toward material things?  Sinful man craves satisfying his or her physical and material desires and boasting about what he or she has done.  Spiritual man values self-control, he has a spirit of generosity and is committed to humble service. He or she is maturing spiritually!