I spoke yesterday about a story called "The Ring". As amazing as it is, realize that this is not just a fictional story but an actual account of something that truly happened. It all began about three years ago at our church...
Our pastor, Dr. Ronnie Floyd, had been impressed upon by God to expand the reach of the First Baptist Church of Springdale and the Church at Pinnacle Hills. Pastor conducts services at both campuses on Sunday mornings, first at FBC at 9:15am and then heads up to CPH for the 11am service. CPH had been meeting in a building that had been renovated as best they could into a more "church-like" facility located in an incredible area of Rogers known as Pinnacle Hills. It's literally a stone's throw from Interstate 540 and is in prime location to attract people as they travel up and down the highway.
FBC has an incredible childrens' ministry, reaching thousands of kids each year in kid-friendly ways of sharing the Good News about Jesus.
In his vision and relaying what God had revealed to him, after 40 days of prayer and intercession for direction and guidance from the Lord, Pastor revealed to the church the morning of February 15, 2004 the plan to build not only a brand new childrens' facility addition
to FBC Springdale but to also build an entire new church for the congregation at Pinnacle Hills.
He entitled this movement of God "Special Treasures." The pricetag was around $30 million and he knew that none of that money would be generated without a mighty movement from God.
A few weeks later, hundreds of people swarmed the stage at FBC to drop their pledge envelopes into a large treasure chest, committing themselves to providing the funding to make sure these projects were seen to completion.
During the next few days and weeks, Pastor Floyd began to meet privately with various people and small groups, getting more specific about the details of each project but still encouraging as many people to get involved and ask God to reveal how much they should give for this.
After one special meeting, Pastor's wife Jeana was approached by a tiny, frail woman who said she had something to give to Special Treasures. Her name was Glendora and what transpired next can only be described as a true "holy moment".
She told Mrs. Floyd that she felt led by the Lord to donate her most prized possession.
A ring.
This ring, compared by today's standards, is probably not even worth $15. It's a faded gold band with the tiny stone missing from it's mount. The age of the ring is unknown but probably something Glendora has had for a very long time. Perhaps it was a ring she got in high school...maybe it's a wedding or anniversary band. Whatever it is, by today's standards it probably isn't worth much.
But to that sweet precious lady, it meant the world to her.
And that's why she gave it to Ms. Jeana to give to Pastor for the Special Treasures.
For those who were there and saw the interaction between Glendora, Pastor and his wife, it was described simply as the modern day "widow's mite".
This parable is explained by Christ one day when He observed the Pharacees going into the temple to give their offerings in a most profound way. Yet behind all the pomp and circumstance of those men, a tiny elderly woman approached to give her offering. It paled in comparison to the lofty gifts of the Pharacees yet Christ observed this all and responded to His disciples that this woman's gift was worth far more than the Pharacees because she gave all she had willingly and from her heart while everyone else gave out of duty.
This was the kind of gift given by Glendora. It was all she had and the value of it, to her, because of it's sentimental reasons, was priceless. Yet, she gave it all willingly to the Lord for His purposes.
Pastor began to pray about it and asked God what should be done with the ring. He felt that God was about to do something miraculous with it but what?
He brought it to one of the meetings with a small group and he told the story of how Glendora gave it for Special Treasures. He gave the illustration of the biblical widow's mite and compared it to Glendora's gift and how priceless this ring was to God's kingdom. Pastor Floyd said he'd been led to offer the ring up for sale for the price of $10,000 but if the buyer wouldn't mine, would he give it back to the church?
Soon thereafter, that opening price for the ring was agreed upon by someone and the ring was given back because, as Pastor put it, he "didn't think God was finished with it yet."
A couple nights later, he took that ring to another small group meeting and explained the story of the ring, of Glendora and how someone had already purchased it for $10,000 but had given it back. So, being led of God, Pastor said the new sale price was $20,000, double the intial bid.
Yet again, another call and check came in, claiming the ring for $20,000 and yet again, the ring was given back to the church.
Something was beginning to brew here. In about 2 weeks, God had brought in $30,000 for this ring and each time, the ring was given back. Was there more to this ring than met the human eye or comprehension?
Another meeting took place and the price of the ring rose to $40,000. As if God Himself were in the audience of that group, that price was met and once again, the ring returned to the church.
Could it be the ring was intended to bring in $70,000, a miraculous amount already or perhaps...
was there more God wanted to do with it?
The ring was again listed for $80,000.
Bought...sold...and returned.
One more time the ring was being offered up to the church for $160,000. Surely, by this point, God had shown Himself as a mighty provider but there probably wouldn't be anyone who'd want to buy it for that price.
Oh, that's the amazing thing about God Almighty!! Only HE knows when He's completed His plan...and He wasn't!! The ring was bought, purchased and returned BACK to the church for an astonishing $160,000!!
Added to the already mind-blowing amount that'd already been given for the ring's purchase (around $170,000) this tiny ring, worth hardly anything to mankind but priceless in the eyes of God, had brought in over $350,000!!
But that little voice spoke up again and wondered aloud "would someone buy the ring again for $320,000, double the last price it was sold for?"
That number floated out there for someone to consider buying but no one ever did. Yet God was to be praised for what He had shown this body of believers through the example of this tiny lady's belief in Him.
Until...
I was blessed and extremely fortunate to be involved with telling this story to our church and people across the world in a DVD our media department had put together. It is still to this day one of my all-time favorite projects for me to have been a part of...not because of anything I had done to help out but because of the actual, real-life continuing story that was unfolding right before our very eyes.
As I finished reading a script telling about the grand total of over $350,000 being given to Special Treasures through this ring, I was humbled and in awe of God's faithfulness to His people. We finished up the DVD and it's story and prepared for Sunday's service. I believe it was late Thursday or Friday afternoon when I got a call to come up to the church quickly for an immediate revision of the story.
I raced up to the church's soundbooth to look the script over and was met by Anita Stewart, the assistant to our worship ministry and pastor, who told me there had been a huge development to the story of the Ring.
It hadn't sold for $360,000...
but it HAD sold for $1 million, 43-thousand dollars, bringing the grand total of the ring's contributions to over $1.3 million dollars.
I had an extremely hard time keeping the tears from my eyes and reading the script without blubbering but give HIM all the glory and praise...
He is faithful and true, He is mighty & righteous, He is holy and exalted, He is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords...and HE is worthy of all the praise!
God had yet again stepped in when it seemed His miracle had ended, only to show us He wasn't quite finished yet.
So, as we believe He's got bigger plans still in store, the ring is being listed at our church's office for $2.6 million in case you know of anyone who might be interested in buying a supernaturally gifted ring. And if you do, would you mind asking them if they'd please give the ring back because you never know...
God may not be through with it yet.
