billisaacs.org

These words of Jesus are well known and often quoted. What do they mean?

When Kathy and I pastored High Point, NC, we wanted to have music which was excellent and was integral to the worship environment of the progressive church we pastored. We were very controversial with some of the local pastors in the way we approached worship and by adding instruments and musicians we were “rocking the house” as they complained. There was one very obvious missing link…we did not have a bass player. No one in the church could play.

So, I taught myself to play the bass. I’d play tapes during the week and practice the instrument until my confidence was sufficient to play for church. But I’m not gifted to play and my investments were merely substitutionary. One day reading my Bible, I read these words “ask what you will and it shall be given unto you…” The promise was so simple.

So I did. Each morning in prayer I prayed “God send us a bass player.” Day after day I prayed a simple prayer. Week after week, I kept playing knowing we needed more.

One day a man pulled up in a truck. He introduced himself and told me he and his family were moving to our town and were members in a SC Church of God and he was up checking out the schools and looking for a church to move his family to. I showed him our educational plan and talked of our vision. We moved through the sanctuary as he told me of their activity in the former church. They were skilled in several areas which I recognized could help us. When we stepped onto the stage there lay the bass guitar leaning against the Pastor’s chair and he inquired…”do you play bass?” My reply was honest “no much but I do the best I can.” The next words exploded before me “well, I play and I asked God to help me find a church where I could play for him.”

Our bass player was standing in front of me…the answer to a simple prayer.

I still get chills when I tell the story to pastors who express needs for their church and I encourage them to ASK GOD!

“NOW UNTO HIM WHO IS ABLE TO DO EXCEEDING ABOVE ALL WE ASK OR THINK OF HIM…”

If you need something today…one word….ASK.