For more information on Pastor Bob Nichols and Calvary Cathedral International check out www.calvarycathedral.org!
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Church History
William Carey (1761-1824)
As a newly ordained minister, William Carey stood up among his Baptist counterparts and made a case for the necessity of overseas missions. An older man immediately shut him down, saying that if God wanted to save the heathen, He could do it alone. Fortunately, William Carey did not listen.
Carey believed that the Great Commission of Matthew 28:18–20 was a binding command on every generation of Christians. Eventually, he took his family from England to India. There he began to evangelize the nation. Over time Carey translated the Bible into dozens of languages for the people of India. He and his colleagues founded a college whose primary goal was to train indigenous ministers. William Carey is widely hailed to be the father of modern missions.
Why is it essential to know church history? Because God has often used obscure people to do great things in His kingdom. These people often lacked connections, finances, and education, but God was able to use them to change lives. How will you let God use you?
Take God at His Word
“Faith is believing that God means what He said.”
7If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
John 15:7
3Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.
Jeremiah 33:3
Victory Action
I choose to act according to my belief that God’s Word lives in me and that He meant what He said.
Lacking Nothing
When I first started my church here in Fort Worth, I had an older couple in our church. The husband was known to be stingy and didn’t want to tithe. His wife secretly gave the tithe out of her grocery money and would always try and give something in the offering. In the early years of our church, offerings like hers sustained us because we didn’t have a large attendance and were needing to make payments for upgrading the structure we were in at the time.
Eventually the husband’s job took them over to Midland, Texas and so they left. Soon after we had a large need for lumber and supplies. I purchased the lumber and sheetrock on short term credit, trusting God would supply. It wasn’t but a couple days that a check came in from this lady with the exact amount we needed! It turns out that she had heard God tell her to sell her old used car and give the money to the church. You know, it wasn’t but a few days later that she received a call from a friend who wanted to gift her with a brand new car! This woman gave a significant seed out of obedience, and look what God provided for her!
Years later her daughter came to talk to me after her parents died. She was like her father, someone who complained about giving, but she made a comment to me that was profound. She said, “You know I would always tell mom that she was giving too much money away, but she never had any lack. I don’t know how it came in, but she always had enough.” Praise God! A seed planted in faith can produce a multiplied harvest that will leave you lacking nothing!
Draw Close to God
“Our actions reflect our relationship with God.”
1Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him. 2By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments. 3For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.
1 John 5:1-3
3 Here’s how we can be sure that we’ve truly come to know God: if we keep his commands.4 If someone claims, “I have come to know God by experience,” yet doesn’t keep God’s commands, he is a phony and the truth finds no place in him. 5 But the love of God will be perfected within the one who obeys God’s Word.
1 John 2:3-5 (TPT)
Therefore become imitators of God [copy Him and follow His example], as well-beloved children [imitate their father]; 2 and walk continually in love [that is, value one another—practice empathy and compassion, unselfishly seeking the best for others], just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and sacrifice to God [slain for you, so that it became] a sweet fragrance.
Ephesians 5:1-2 (AMP)
We become like those we spend time with. We can pick up mannerisms, habits and attitudes from people just by being with them over time. That is why our relationship with God is so important. When we spend time with Him we will start to display His character. Our faith will grow. Our words will change. Our lives will become a mirror image of Him and others will see Him in us. Who do people see when they look at you?
Victory Decision
I will grow my relationship with God by spending time with Him today. As I do I I believe my actions will reflect His love to those around me.