I  telephoned a friend the other morning. Someone answered and  I was told that my friend was away. I thanked the person and started to hang up when I remembered my friend told me of a guest visiting his home from overseas.  We talked of his invitation for a Conferance.  He shared plans to take a bus for an engagement near Oklahoma City on Sunday(if necessary). I was prompted to offer transportation if he did not get someone to drive him. (Many of the international visitors are not licensed to drive in America.) I told him I would meet him on Friday and we could work out any details..

After attending early morning prayer (6 to 7am) on Friday, I thought to call and set up the visit. After a 2 hour visit with  this minister, I again offered to drive him . From the discussion, I thought it was near Oklahoma City (100 miles from Tulsa). He was pleased and promised to cover the expenses he would have paid riding the bus. I left him cheerful and secured a rental car and “Googled” a map.  I suggested we could make the trip in one and a half hours each way and return before evening services. We would catch the first guest speaker.

To my surprise, as I looked up the  route on a map it was beyond Oklahoma City by as much as two and one half hours of travel time(approximately two hundred and seventy five miles).  I had given my word. I called to tell him of the differance. He told me the host was offering us a night of accommodations. By keeping my word, we met Saturday and started out. A short ways out of Tulsa it began to rain. Our trip took us through some very heavy August rain throughout that trip and we arrived about five hours later. (Our stop was a rural town barely on thr map about 50 miles from the Texas panhandle in Southwestern Oklahoma).

It was already dinner time so we called our host and were given direction to the motel. We checked in at the only motel in town and ate dinner across the parking lot from the motel.  Afterwards, it was dark. But,we decided to scout around and look for the church where he would be ministering the next morning. After passing by it several times, we drove to a location again and stopped and noticed a church cornerstone near the edge of this walkway.
That cornerstone had the markings that identified this particular corner for a church.  WE LOOKED AROUND IN THE NIGHT. The church stood in the background of this grassy lot. There was a building that was a little more than a converted business. I thought this must be the offices and the church could be at another location. I knew that we would find out more about it in the morning. 

So we returned to our room at the motor inn and thanked the Lord for a safe trip. We talked little as our minds were turned towards  the next days adventure. And I thought of the miles to return home. i could not begin to imagine what was circulating in his mind.

   I awakened earlier than we had planned. I could hear my friend praying. I glanced over at the direction of his bed. it was made and he walked the floor and interceeded for the town and ministry in this place. I read some scripture and prayed before getting  a shower. I dressed and was off too breakfast. We had promised the manager we would return at 7am.

With another hour before leaving for that spot to church so we returned to the room. I suggested we prepare ourselves by packing  the car with our things. Also a TV in the room allowed us to watch for weather reports. We heard of heavy flooding on the roads we had travelled while we sat and ate breakfast. The downpour had caused flooding and some of the roads were closed where we were expecting to travel. This meant I would have to search for another path.

At church,(That cornerstone marked the spot well.) we met with less than a dozen members of this family church. ( I was reminded of my grandfather’s church back in my hometown.) The Pastor had come over from the Pan handle of Texas, where he lived with his own family.  The missionary ministered as though there were hundreds in this rural congregation. It was his first trip to America. This Pastor had visited him in his country with a team of ministers and extended a welcome to his pulpit. We were offered dinner after the service and accepted. The only other place in town to eat was a Pizza parlor. We went with hungry stomachs. The people were friendly and sincere. We talked of the Lord as we filled ourselves on pizza and salad. After our goodbyes we left knowing it would be a fight finding our way through the flooding that had occurred.

Upon our return to Tulsa, I was glad that I had not allowed this brother to experience that trip alone. Also memories came across my mind of the churches I had visited through the years far from home with my wife and children. Some we were not given a place to stay over or a meal before returning hundreds of miles back home. Sometimes I had to dig deep in my pockets to come up with the cash to hold us over and keep my wife from being discouraged.

I realize that we are to live by F A I T H.  However those who request your ministry aren’t they expected to be responsible to show hospitality and appreciation. The just do walk by faith. It often is the town traveler who pays the price at rural churches feeding the flock.

Its a new year. We have come to a threshing place in the family of God. The church looks a lot like the world. The world is lifting its banners that there is no God, no Heaven or Hell. It appears that Christianity is becoming outlawed in America. Those things that can be shaken are being shakened. I hear a ringing in my ears that unless we strengthen our relationships, “No F L E S H  will be saved,” Jesus said. Knowledge has increased. The services are so polished in some church houses. I remember that Satan was the Angel that bought music and beauty to the throne of God. I hope we don’t lose the reason for our being here. I hope you are preparing yourself for the “Marriage Supper of The Lamb.”  HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Well as many of you who have or who are raising sons of God may appreciate this brief word. I am seeing all my sons (3) go out from the nest area and engage in adventures to make their mark on their generation. My prayer is for their decisions and travels to be enriched with  the  sovereign  God and His Blessings for them. I hope this is your will for your sons and that they know this of you.

In the words of a poet and dedicated to these young men.

If you can keep your head when all about

Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;

If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,

But make allowances for their doubting too;

If you can wait and not be tired of waiting,

Or, being lied about, don’t deal in lies,

Or, being hated, don’t give way to hating,

And you don’t look too good, nor talk too wise;

If you can dream-and not make dreams your master,

If you can think and not make thoughts your aim;

If you can meet with triumph and disaster

And treat those two imposters just the same;

If you can bear to hear the truth you”ve spoken

Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,

Or watch the things you gave your life to broken,

And stoop and build’em up with worn out tools;

If you can make one heap of all your winnings

And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,

And lose, and start again at your beginnings

And never breathe a word about your loss;

If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew

To serve your turn long after they are gone,

And so hold on when there is nothing in you

Except the will which says to them: “Hold On”;

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,

Or walk with kings-nor lose the common touch;

If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;

If all men count with you, but none too much;

If you can fill the unforgiving minute

With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run-

Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it,

And-which is more-you’ll be a man, my Son         Rudyard Kipling

As our Lord commanded, our work should start at home and than spread to the outer perimeters. (Acts of Apostles 1) It is our intent to mentor individuals and fellowships into reaching their peers, community and world for Jesus. We want to be an active witness daily for our Lord.

In Little Rock, I finished attending a leader’s conference when I felt disappointed that we had not won anyone to the Lord. We decided to go out to dinner before returning to out homes. In the serving line, I was prompted to ask the cashier if he loved Jesus. His answer was yes and that he began to attend a local church recently. With that I asked him if he was born again and he answered that was why he was going to church to get himself together.

I asked him to look down the serving line before he answered the next question I was going to ask. I told him that those in line had come in with me so my question was not going to disturb them (seeing they were chatting and enjoying themselves already). After he noticed, I asked, “Do you want to be born again that day”. He answered, “Yes.” I asked him to hold my hand and repeat this prayer. “I believe in my heart that Jesus died and rose again for me. I ask him to forgive me of my sin and I confess him to be Lord of my life. I thank him for coming into my heart”. He repeated that prayer and smiled.

At that point I knew a snapshot was taken in heaven. He was accepted into the family of God. This is our first mission field. We are to reach into all the world; however we start as close to home as we can. Update: The whole mission of the Church (Every Believer) is to carry the Good News of the Gospel of Jesus Christ (The Son of God) into the whole wide world. (Acts of the Apostles 1:8)