Page 58 - Living Epistles

opinion first. But it was obvious that we all knew Daddy couldn’t quit the
ministry at any price. So he wrote Mr. Davis a letter, saying that he could
not take the job.

However, the finances were not coming in to meet the needs. Daddy would
walk around on our three acres, look up at the stars in the clear Oklahoma
sky and say: “Lord, I know you own the cattle on a thousand hills. I know
you have treasures untold. I know you have millionaires who can hear Your
voice and will give as you instruct them. I have no doubt as to your ability to
meet our needs. But my question is: why aren’t you? We lost our nice car,
and it looks like we may lose our little home, and I want to know why...? He
got no answer. One night in a meeting in the City, he was reading chapter
three of Hebrews about Israel becoming embittered at God during the 40
years in the wilderness. God spoke: “Son, that is where you are. You are
getting bitter against Me.” “Oh no, Lord,” Daddy protested, “I’m Your child,
I wouldn’t get bitter at You.” “Oh yes, but you are” the Lord replied. “You are
going through a wilderness just like Israel did. They knew I could do better
than bread and water. They knew I could feed them with quail if I wanted to.
They saw My power, and they knew I was able to take them into the
Promised Land in a few days. But I gave them bread and water for forty
years, and they became bitter. They could not understand My ways. You
know that I can meet all your needs, but I am not doing it. And you are
becoming bitter, just like Israel.” Right there in his seat, Daddy made an
altar. “Lord, if You forgive me, I promise I’ll never complain again,
regardless of my circumstances. If they take everything I own, I’ll be no
worse off than when You found me. I’ll take my wife and children by the
hand, and we’ll just walk down that old country road singing Your praises.”

There was forgiveness and deliverance. And from that hour the spirit of
poverty was broken. God began to meet the needs. One day, with a house
payment due and no food, Daddy just put the matter in God’s hands and
went squirrel hunting with the boys. When he got home Mother handed him
a letter that had arrived that morning. It was from Stanley H. Frodsham,
and it had a check in it for $150.00, a fortune at the time. The letter started
off with the Scripture: “The Lord is with thee, thou mighty man of valour!”
(Judges 6:12) What’s this? He must have sent the check to the wrong man!
There was Daddy’s name on the check. And from Stanley Frodsham. Talk
about a mighty man of God! It was a sign from God. As with Gideon, things
began to happen.