Over the weekend of Sep 13 and 14, pastor Casey Treat brought a timely message to City Harvest Church.
CN PHOTO: Trudy Guo.
Casey Treat exercised his gift of encouragement to great effect during his time at City Harvest Church. The founder and pastor of Christian Faith Center in Seattle, Washingon, brought a message to remind the congregation to be who God created them to be.
He shared his testimony of how Christian Faith Center had been engaged in a legal battle for five years with their city government over a piece of land that the church wanted to build their sanctuary on. Though there were doubts whether this was indeed in line with the will of God, Treat was encouraged by a council member to “fight the good fight of faith”. Eventually, the church won the building permit to build.
Referencing Isaiah 49:1, Treat exhorted the congregation to be as who God created and called them to be. “John 1:12 (MSG) states that the real you is a child of God,” he said. “Be you! Be the child-of-God you. Don’t be the angry, inferior or insecure you. Don’t be the you on a bad day. Be the you on a good day! Be you, and you are on your way to what God has planned for you.”
In a prophetic moment, Treat shared from John 10:10 and Proverbs 6:31, two verses which he said he had received on the Saturday morning. “If you and I would stay on course by being the people God created us to be, then whatever the enemy brings to kill, steal and destroy will be returned to him sevenfold!” he said.
“Don’t let the world make you feel inferior or insecure,” Treat reminded the people. “God knew you and He called you by name, and He has a plan where you will make a difference in this world. Someone will be saved, helped and healed. Lives will be affected because of what you do, where you work, how you give, how you pray. In so many ways, God is using you!”
Treat shared with the congregation his personal testimony. He grew up in a non-Christian family, and as a teenager was addicted to alcohol and drugs. Through God’s divine intervention, at age 19, Treat entered the Washington Drug Rehabilitation Center, a Christian-based program founded by Julius Young, a repeated offender who got saved in prison and asked God to use him to help young men who were like him. It was there that Treat was born again and called into ministry.
“You can be the person that God wants you to be. That’s the start of your destiny, your ministry! It will take time, and study and renewal. Trying to be popular or trying to be what others want you to be may not get you to where God wants you to go.”
Treat then referenced Paul’s writing in Ephesians 1:3-6. “’God has blessed us with every spiritual blessing’ – not ‘going to bless’ or ‘might bless’ – He has already blessed us! We need to learn to enter into and walk in them. God is not holding back. He knew you, your personality, your craziness, and He chose you to be in His purpose and having influence.
Paul also prays in Ephesians 1:16-18 that you will know the hope of your calling. A calling is not just for pastors, but for your life and career and family. Hope is about vision and future, strength that comes when you know something good is about to happen! God is so big that He can turn the bad and negatives for your good. Just like how God used Goliath to propel and position David into his calling. Our Goliaths are our platforms that lift us in supernatural ways.”
Treat gave an example of how God makes all things work together for good. His wife Wendy, who was raised a Methodist, had received the baptism of the Holy Spirit with the help of her father, who had been excommunicated by the church he was serving in. She then enrolled into the same theological college as Treat. Though they came from vastly different backgrounds and entered Bible school under seemingly bad circumstances, they got married two years later, and founded Christian Faith Center together.
“Don’t lose the hope of your calling because God is moving you to a better place,” said Treat. “Ephesians 2:10 says you were created for good works, not easy works. Most things that are easy aren’t that good. Things that are good are usually not easy.”
Drawing from his experience of complete healing from Hepatitis C, Treat exhorted the congregation to remember the hope of their calling and stand victorious on the promises of God.
Treat’s message left an impact on Felicia Chia, 23, a graphic designer. “The sermon was really a timely reminder for me that God knew what He was doing when He created me, and the little gifts placed in my hands can become much when He uses me. It was also encouraged me greatly to stay steadfast in the vision that God has placed in our lives, to cling on the the hope of your calling come what may. Because God and the destiny He has placed in us is bigger than any trials!”
