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Here and There

The annual Foursquare Convention was held this year in Houston, Texas. Stan and Lisa Josephsen, our assistant pastors, came back from the Convention refreshed. They covered many bases as they told us their experiences. Perhaps the most significant was the account of a prominent Foursquare pastor whose wife committed suicide due to intense, incurable back pain (three ruptured disks). Stan applied this testimony in a practical manner—well worth listening to.

You can hear both sermons, as indicated below.

(8/8/2008) The following is an incident that actually took place. It is an episode from my book, Godwill Castle. I hope you will find it helpful. This is an experience I had in downtown Los Angeles, during the late 1940s

I don’t remember why I was in Los Angeles that morning, but I was looking for a place to eat breakfast.

A man approached me. He obviously was a tramp. He had a stick over his right shoulder with his possessions tied up in a bindle attached to the end of the stick. We don’t see bindles much any more, but they used to be carried by hobos.

He asked me for money so he could get breakfast. I said, “Walk with me. I will buy you breakfast.”

Pretty soon we came to a small café. I said, “Order what you want. I will pay for it.”

We got our trays of food, went over to a table and sat down.

I thought to myself, “I wonder if I am supposed to talk to this man about the Lord.”

You see, it was a Sunday morning. As I was walking and looking for a restaurant, I was pondering which church to go to. This happened before Audrey and I were married.

I had read in the paper the night before about two large churches. The pastor of one was Robert Shuler, the Trinity Methodist Church. I never had been in this church and I thought it would be interesting.

The other church was The Church of the Open Door. I heard about this church from the Navigators, and had visited it previously. I was wondering which church to go to.

I started to say something to the “bum,” and he interrupted me. I suddenly had the feeling I should be still and listen.

He said, “I will be walking down a country road. I will start singing, “Jesus is passing this way.” Why is this?”

He said some other things, but I don’t remember them.

Pretty soon he picked up his bindle from the chair where he had placed it, got up and went out the door.

I thought to myself, “I have entertained an angel here.”

I got up and went to the door. I looked up and down the street. It was as I expected—no bum!

I think I decided to go to The Church of the Open Door. I sat in the balcony. Then I realized what the “tramp” was saying to me. “Christ is a simple Man. He is at home with plain, ordinary people. We do not have to look for Him in a large church or elaborate surroundings.”

I have never forgotten that message—no, not to this very hour.

I think we American are drawn to what we call “hype.” An evangelist whips up enthusiasm and people think it is the Spirit of God. The first thing you know they have a huge auditorium, a television program, and are a household word among Christians.

They claim to be “apostles,” but are they? Does anyone go to the trouble to ask Jesus if this man or woman is representing Him? I think we believers are fooled easily by people who are seeking money and a large following.

But you know what? God in His goodness has kept my attention focused on people and on His Word—on that which is of eternal value. I am glad for that!

Hopefully some good has resulted from my having “passed this way,” carrying my cross behind the “Tramp.” To Christ be all the glory.


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