Vol. 109-2 Earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.

— Jude 3

Jesus taught it.

The apostles lived it.
What are we doing with it?
© Subbotina | Dreamstime.com
 VIEWPOINT
IN A RECENT Portland sermon, the text was taken from Romans 1:16 where
Paul declared himself, “not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ.” Writing this
column on the anniversary of my March 17, 1974 conversion, the “unashamed”
aspect of that message remains on my mind.
Darrel D. Lee Upon invitation, I entered our Roseburg, Oregon church service forty-two
Superintendent years ago as an unchurched, unsaved, barely interested college student. The
General words “saved,” “salvation,” “born again,” and other terminology we routinely
use in our services were completely foreign to me. My reaction to hearing the
Gospel for the first time was fairly simple: These people believed what they were
declaring and expressed it in an unashamed manner.
Though I could not have imagined it when I walked into the church that
Sunday morning, that very night I experienced a dramatic conversion. For
several weeks afterward, I did not return to church, being away at college. During
that time, my learning

Unashamed of the Gospel was more spiritual than

academic. For one thing,
I dropped my human
sexuality class because the professor clearly was advocating behavior that con-
flicted with the encounter I had just experienced with God. I added a geography
class though I had already passed the same class the term before. However, the
grade given me was the result of cheating, so I confessed that and asked the pro-
fessor permission to retake the class in order to earn my grade.
Before ever hearing of the Bible doctrine of restitution, I began making past
wrongs right. Douglas County received my letter of restitution for taking their
road detour signs. The Roseburg U.S. Plywood personnel manager received my
apology letter and a check for safety gloves I had used and not paid for. After
writing that letter, I remembered I had taken a week off from my job at that mill
to attend a major league baseball playoff series, saying my grandmother had
died. So my second letter to the same man admitted my grandmothers had both
died before I was born, and that I had lied to obtain a week off.
Jesus changed my life. The examples above, and many more, took place before
returning to the Apostolic Faith Church and learning of “the faith” described in
this magazine. The church did not change me: the power of God did. Along with
Paul and many others, I am unashamed of the Gospel. Our prayer is that you
will read, embrace, and experience what is described in this issue of Higher Way,
and encounter the power of God that will leave you unashamed also.

Table of Contents
The Faith................................................. 3 Day to Day............. 9
A Witness of God’s Faithfulness..................6 Evidence............... 14
Petitioning Providence .............................. 11 Today’s Youth....... 17
Suddenly Obedient ................................. 16 Highlighting our
Voice Recognition .................................. 19 Heritage .............. 21

Higher Way (ISSN #1084-9807) is published quarterly by the Apostolic Faith Church, 6615 SE 52nd Avenue, Portland, Oregon
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April—June 2016

2  Higher Way
 Jesus taught it.
The apostles lived it. What
are we doing with it?

From a sermon by Darrel Lee

J
ude wrote to Early Church believers, “Beloved, when I gave
all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it
was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye
should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered
unto the saints” (Jude 1:3). What did Jude mean by “the faith”?
Typically when we consider faith, we think of believing—of trust,
assurance, and confidence in God. However, there is a difference
between “believing faith” and “the faith,” and it is important to
distinguish between the two.
In the Word of God we find numerous examples of believing
faith. We think of the Roman centurion whose servant at home
was grievously afflicted. The centurion came to the Lord, asking
Him to heal his servant, and Jesus responded that He would go to
the centurion’s home to do so. However, the centurion said that
was not necessary—Jesus could just speak the word right where
He was and the servant would be healed. When Jesus heard that,
He marveled, and said “Verily I say unto you, I have not found
so great faith, no, not in Israel” (Matthew 8:10). The centurion
believed and His servant was healed.
In Mark 2 we read of four men who came to Jesus bring-
ing one who was sick of the palsy. When the crowd around
the Lord prevented the four from reaching Him, they broke

Higher Way  3

through the roof of the house where
Jesus was, and let down before Jesus
the bed on which the sick man lay.
When Jesus saw their faith, He healed
the man!
Mark 5 tells of a woman who had
an issue of blood for twelve years. She
pressed her way through the crowd
around Jesus and touched His gar-
ment, believing that “If I may touch
but his clothes, I shall be whole.” Jesus
turned and asked, “Who touched my
clothes?” The woman was fearful, but
Jesus told her, “Daughter, thy faith hath
made thee whole; go in peace, and be
whole of thy plague” (Mark 5:34). She
believed, and she was made whole!
In Matthew 17:20 we read that Jesus
told the disciples, “If ye have faith as
a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say
unto this mountain, Remove hence to
yonder place; and it shall remove; and
nothing shall be impossible unto you.”
There is power in believing faith!
While “the faith” certainly includes
believing faith, it is more encompass-
ing. “The faith” includes the entire
scope of Biblical doctrine—all the
teachings and practices given to the
Church through the inspiration of
the Holy Spirit. Some assume that
the word “doctrine” refers to salva-
tion, sanctification, being filled with
the Holy Ghost, restitution, marriage
for life, the second coming of Jesus,
tithing, and other similar teachings.
These are Bible doctrines, but the faith
includes much more. It encompasses
every teaching and practice that the
apostles and other writers of Scripture
were inspired to write and teach.
4  Higher Way
The faith is the Christian way of life
as distinguished from a non-Christian
way of life. Those in the faith take God
into account every moment of every
day. Those who are not in the faith
ignore God or merely give Him casual
notice; they rarely take Him
into account in any sit-
uation. Those in the
faith have the goal
of Heaven always
in view. Those
who are not in the
faith are focused
on things of this world.
There is a difference.
We come to the faith when we
get saved. In Acts 6:7 we read, “And
the word of God increased; and the
“The faith” includes
the entire scope of
Biblical doctrine—all
the teachings and
practices given to
the Church through
the inspiration of
the Holy Spirit.
number of the disciples multiplied in
Jerusalem greatly; and a great com-
pany of the priests were obedient to
the faith.” After salvation, we are to
continue in the faith (Acts 14:22). We
can be established in the faith (Acts
16:5), and are instructed to stand fast
in the faith (1 Corinthians 16:13).
After Paul’s conversion, the churches
in Judea marveled that he preached
the faith he had once sought to
destroy (see Galatians 1:23). However,
the apostle persevered, and at the end
of his life he declared, “I have fought a
good fight, I have finished my course,
I have kept the faith” (2 Timothy 4:7).
Scripture indicates that some are
weak in the faith (Romans 14:1), and
warns that it is possible to depart
from the faith (1 Timothy 4:1). Some
err or blunder concerning the faith
(1 Timothy 6:21), and others deny
the faith (1 Timothy 5:8). At times we
observe those who are reprobate, or
troublemakers, concerning the faith
(2 Timothy 3:8). Jude was aware of
these possibilities, and so he exhorted
the brethren to “earnestly contend for
the faith which was once delivered
unto the saints,” stressing the need for
the saints to defend continually and
uphold vigorously the truth which
had been given them.
Contending for the faith is neces-
sary because of the natural tendency
toward deterioration. If we neglect
our cars, our gardens, our lawns,
or our houses, their conditions will
worsen. That downward tendency
is like gravity—it is a natural law. If
we do not “earnestly contend for the
faith,” we will leave little for the next
generation to stand for.
Further along in this epistle, Jude
referred to the teachings and lifestyle
of the apostles, who were the del-
egates or ambassadors of the Gospel,
having been commissioned and sent
forth by God. In verse 17 we read,
“But, beloved, remember ye the
words which were spoken before of
the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
“The faith” that Jude admonished the
saints to contend for was what had
been expounded and practiced by the
apostles.
The name of our church, The Apos-
tolic Faith, refers to that same faith
which was expounded and practiced
by the apostles. Actually, the name
“The Apostolic Faith” was used before
Florence Crawford came to Portland
to establish this work, and even before
she arrived at the Azusa Street revival
where she experienced entire sancti-
fication and the baptism of the Holy
Spirit. It had been in use for a number
of years by religious groups who were
striving to experience and revive
teachings that reflected the faith of
the apostles. The phrase “apostolic
faith” was not initially intended to be
the name of a denomination; rather, it
referred to the doctrines and practices
taught in the Early Church.
In the early 1900s, groups of people
around the country who were saved
and sanctified wondered if God
would pour out His Spirit in the same
manner which they read about in the
Acts of the Apostles. They gathered
to tarry and pray for revival. God
answered those prayers, and people
began receiving the baptism of the
Holy Spirit, with the evidence of
speaking in tongues.
One of the largest Pentecostal reviv-
als in this country occurred in Los
Angeles in a building on Azusa Street.
When Florence Crawford went to
investigate what was happening there,
the name “Apostolic Faith” was being
used. The verse, “Earnestly contend
for the faith which was once delivered
unto the saints” had been taken as a
motto because it had been the motto
of the group in Houston, Texas, where
William Seymour, one of revival lead-
ers, had first come in contact with the
Latter Rain Gospel. That group had
used “Apostolic Faith” in their name.
So William Seymour and Florence
Crawford did not create the name.
Our church sprang from that
Azusa Street revival. In time, Florence
Crawford moved to Portland. When
legal requirements necessitated that
we organize and incorporate, “The
Apostolic Faith Mission of Portland,
Oregon” was adopted as the formal
name of our organization. We grasp
the importance of the phrase “apos-
tolic faith” when we understand what
it stands for.
We do not want to drift away from
the faith of the apostles—the apos-
tolic faith. That phrase challenges
us! None of us would boast of how
well we measure up to the faith of
the apostles, but we should not mind
being challenged to strive for it. May
God help us to embrace the challenge
and live up to the standard set forth by
those teachings. We do not want just
to come to the faith, but we want to
live according to the faith.
This challenge applies to every-
one. Contending for the faith is not
just for the ministry or church work-
ers who represent this organization;
the Bible is written to all of us! Once
God calls us and puts us in a place
where we represent the faith, we bear
a great deal of responsibility. People
have every right to examine our lives
and have certain expectations of us.
If we claim to be of the faith, we can
be expected to live according to the
faith. The Spirit of God goes through
a congregation searching hearts and
prompting us to measure up to the
faith we represent.
As we continue on in Jude’s epis-
tle, we see references to the doctrinal
teachings of the apostles; he wrote to
those who had been called (saved) and
sanctified (verse 1), and challenged
them to pray in the Holy Ghost (verse
20). He mentioned the coming of the
Lord, judgment upon the ungodly,
and rewards to the faithful (verses
14-15). He also alluded to obedience,
integrity, and contentment, and spoke
of order and subordination. These are
all part of the faith.
Jude also gave examples illustrating
the consequences for wrongdoing. In
None of us would
boast of how well
we measure up
to the faith of the
apostles, but we
should not mind
being challenged
to strive for it.
Jude 1:5-7 he referred to the Children
of Israel who were disobedient even
though they had been delivered from
bondage. We read, “I will therefore put
you in remembrance, though ye once
knew this, how that the Lord, having
saved the people out of the land of
Egypt, afterward destroyed them
that believed not.” He mentioned
the angels which “kept not their first
estate, but left their own habitation,”
relating that they were “reserved in
everlasting chains under darkness
unto the judgment of the great day”
(verse 6). He related that Sodom and
Gomorrah, and the cities about them
who gave themselves over to evil prac-
tices, were “suffering the vengeance of
eternal fire” (verse 7).
To be in the faith is not only being
obedient in seeking to be saved, but
also being obedient throughout life.
Jude mentioned some who chose to
disobey. In verses 11-12 we read that
Cain chose an alternative to sacrific-
ing in the way he knew God required.
He became jealous of his brother Abel,
whose sacrifice was accepted, and
killed him. Jude referred to Balaam,
who was covetous. He was willing to
sell out his integrity for economic
gain, and even threw stumbling blocks
in the way of the Children of Israel
whom he should have loved. Core
(Korah), who challenged God’s order
and refused to subordinate himself
to Moses, is named. All of these indi-
viduals suffered the consequences for
their decision to be disobedient.
Jude urged the saints of his day to
contend for the faith because certain
ungodly men had “crept in unawares”
and were subverting the apostolic doc-
trine by “denying the only Lord God,
and our Lord Jesus Christ” (verse 4).
He instructed the saints regarding how
to stay established in the faith, telling
them in Jude 1:20, “But ye, beloved,
building up yourselves on your most
holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost.”
The Lord meets with us when we pray!
Verse 21 continues, “Keep yourselves
in the love of God.” If we are deter-
mined to be kept, we will be kept. We
cannot go through life in a spiritually
lackadaisical manner and succeed. We
must “earnestly contend for the faith.”
We must fight to preserve it in our
own hearts, and also to preserve it
corporately as a body of believers.
When we do our part, God will help
us. In verse 24 we read that God “is
able to keep you from falling, and to
present you faultless before the pres-
ence of his glory with exceeding joy.”
The faith is a way of victory! Though
it is a challenging way, it is a way of joy
and contentment.
Have you embraced the faith that
was once delivered to the saints? Are
you contending for it? If you have
never come to the faith, come today.
Look Heaven’s way, and you will find
that God will hear from Heaven and
answer!
Darrel Lee is Superintendent General
of the Apostolic Faith work, and pastor
of the headquarters church in Portland,
Oregon.
Higher Way  5
 A Witness of God’s Faithfulness
Hooping Harbor, Newfoundland
A retired
Newfoundland pastor
describes how God’s
hand has been over
his life from his
earliest childhood.
By Rene Cassell
6  Higher Way
G
rowing up in the remote fishing village of Hooping Harbor,
Newfoundland, made for challenging times, particularly during the
winter. There was no transportation other than dog teams, no medical
assistance, and a shortage of certain foods. However, our family was blessed to
attend a small Apostolic Faith Church, which was heated by a wood-burning
stove and illuminated by oil lamps. Our entire family walked three quarters of a
mile twice each Sunday to attend.
My blessings began when I was just one month old, when my mother was
saved. Shortly after that, my dad was saved as well, so from my earliest remem-
brance, my upbringing was Christian oriented. Nevertheless, like every person,
I was born with a sinful nature. As I grew to the age of accountability, I began to
do things I knew were not right.
One night when I was eight years old, as I was sitting in a Gospel meeting, the
Lord began dealing with my heart. I did not know what the word “conviction”
meant, but I knew that a drawing force was urging me to pray. At the same time,
though, another voice said, “If you pray, the other boys will laugh at you.” This
created a war in my heart. When that service was over and I went outside, the
drawing force seemed to leave. I felt all right again, but that did not last long.
A few months later, a disease came upon my face, gradually spreading to other
parts of my head and hands. Eventually I had to be taken out of school and iso-
lated to a degree, because it was not certain whether or not my condition was
contagious. As time went by, the affliction grew worse. The only part of my face
that looked natural was my eyes.
On Christmas night, after I had been out of school for several weeks, my par-
ents wrapped me warmly and brought me to the church to be anointed and
prayed for. As I sat on a chair placed in the center aisle, the pastor anointed my
head with oil according to the instructions in the Word of God. As the people of
God gathered around and prayed for me, it was like they were taking me to Cal-
vary. And while they were praying, in a childlike way, I gave my heart to the Lord.
The next morning, instead of using medications, my mother said she would
use only clean water to wash my face. As I was washed, it became apparent that
the Lord had touched and healed me. After the Christmas recess, I was able to go
back to school, with my face clear of that disease, and it never came back.
 From then on, something registered in my heart that I the mayor of our community, operated a retail store, was
wanted to serve God. I knew what it was like to feel the president of a company, and chaired a roads committee. By
presence of the Lord, and my heart was blessed many times going to Portland I was able to leave all those aspects of my
during my school years. When I was eleven years old, I life behind and concentrate on seeking for the baptism of
was asked to play a twelve-bass piano accordion in church the Holy Ghost.
services. I had no knowledge of how to read music notes, As I spent time in prayer at the camp meeting, the Lord
but God gave me an ear for it. As time went by, playing the showed me what He required. He gave me a picture of
accordion led to playing an organ, and then to helping with an empty pulpit and the unsaved people of my commu-
the choir. nity, many of whom I recognized. On the other side of
The Lord helped me through high school and on to teach- the pulpit, He was holding out a white garment. The mes-
ing school for three years. At the age of twenty-one, I went sage was that to wear that garment, I had to be willing to
to the capital city of our province, St. John’s, to help with help those unsaved people. I knew He was calling me to
the music in the Apostolic Faith Church the ministry, and my first response was,
there, and began seeking employment. “I cannot do that.” I tried to bargain
One day, after putting resumes at vari- He gave me a with God, telling Him I would do a lot
ous locations, I received a call offering of other things in the church, but I did
me a job. However, when I went to the picture of an empty not want to be a minister. My job and
place, I found the position was with the
Newfoundland Board of Liquor
pulpit and the the benefits it brought were important
to me, and I loved the work I was doing.
Control. I refused the job because I unsaved people of However, I found that God would not
felt that it conflicted with my religious bargain with me.
principles. The man became upset and my community, The struggle that ensued went on for
told me he would place my name at the many of whom I over two years, and I did not make any
bottom of the list. Since there were about further progress in the Gospel. Some-
forty other people seeking employment, recognized. times I would seek earnestly and feel
it would be months before my name that I was close to receiving the baptism
would come up again. I just thanked him of the Holy Spirit. At times I said yes
for his help and left his office. I knew that God could still with my lips, but there were still reservations in my heart
provide employment for me. and God knew it. However, in October of 1980, my des-
I went back to the home where I was staying and prayed, peration grew to the point where I felt that whatever the
asking the Lord to provide employment for me if it were Lord required of me, I was willing to give. He showed me
His will for me to stay in St. John’s at that time. The next the same vision of the empty pulpit and the unsaved people
day the same gentleman called me back and said he had as He had shown me in Portland, and this time I said yes to
another job for me in a different department. However, God without reservation. My heart opened, and He poured
before I had an opportunity to accept, I had a call from an in His Spirit. It was about 9:30 that night when I went to
insurance company. They, too, were prepared to hire me. pray, and it was about 2:00 the next morning when we left
So as a result of refusing a position that was not of God, the church. When I realized what was happening, I was
the Lord provided two job offers for me within twenty-four praising God but not in my native language. The power of
hours! I ended up accepting the position as an insurance God that flooded through me had such effect that I was
adjuster, and I stayed in that field until God called me into incapable of driving my car home. Many times since then
the ministry. I have looked back on that night as a source of encourage-
God gave me a Christian wife and blessed us with three ment and strength as I have striven to fulfill God’s calling.
brilliant sons. The Gospel work was the main focal point I had not revealed to anyone the call that God had placed
in our home. I kept active in church duties, assisting with upon my life, but the following Wednesday, the District
the music and Sunday school. I really enjoyed salvation Overseer for our church asked me to come to her office.
and became somewhat relaxed about what I had spiritu- Having sensed that the Lord was calling me to the ministry,
ally. However, one night while attending special meetings she inquired if I had felt the call of God. I acknowledged
at our Birchy Bay church, my heart was stirred by a sermon, that I had, and she asked me to preach that Sunday night—
and I realized my need for the experience of sanctification. just one week after I had received my baptism.
I went forward to the altar of prayer with my three-year-old For the next couple of years, I assisted with the preaching
son sleeping in my arms, and as I consecrated my life to the in Bide Arm, and then I was asked to take on the pastor’s
Lord, He sanctified me. responsibilities there. My first response was that it would
This experience enhanced my Christian walk, but I failed take about six months for me to taper off from my job, but
to go on and seek for the baptism of the Holy Ghost until I found it to be otherwise. One week later, I felt the urge
1978 when I decided to attend the church’s annual camp to resign at once from my position. From that day to this,
meeting in Portland, Oregon—a trip that would take me I have had no more love for that job, nor any intention of
away from all the activities I was involved in. In addition going back. I want to continue doing what the Lord has
to my church responsibilities and a full time job, I was also called me to do.

Higher Way  7
 Throughout the years, the Holy Spirit has been my Fredericton, New Brunswick. The Lord laid the burden on
Helper. In addition to preaching in Newfoundland and me to do whatever possible to spread the Gospel westward
across Canada, I have been blessed to help share the Gospel across Canada. Today with the help of the ministry, prayers,
in some of the eastern and western states of the United and support of the saints and the leading of the Holy Spirit,
States, Norway, Nigeria, Zambia, South Africa, and the U.S. we now have churches in six of the ten Canadian provinces.
Virgin Islands. Despite the pressure and responsibility, it is Many times I have marveled at how the Lord helps. I realize
always rewarding to see people respond to the Gospel call. that I do not have the personal knowledge or wisdom to
In the midst of those blessings, there were also trying deal with many of the situations that arise in a work of this
times. Frequently the burdens as a pastor have not been size, but when we wait upon God, He supplies every need.
light, but the Lord has been there. Often God has been with me in personal chal-
my faith has been tested, but I am so lenges as well. After a busy 1993, which
thankful that God does not call us to Often my faith has included the fiftieth anniversary celebra-
work for Him and then forsake us. tion of the Roddickton church, special
One of my greatest trials began in been tested, but meetings at different locations, plus
1986 when my assistant minister became
ill. After only a few weeks, the Lord
I am so thankful the duties
developed a
of District
mental
Superintendent, I
tiredness. Dictating a
took her home. A short time later, our that God does not letter became a struggle; even hearing the
seven-year-old son was diagnosed phone ring bothered me. After preach-
with diabetes. Later that same year, my call us to work for ing one Sunday night, I knelt before God,
brother, who was a musician and Sunday Him and then feeling drained of any strength. Then
school teacher, was accidentally electro- my attention was drawn to a sister who
cuted while on the job. That night after forsake us. needed prayer because of a health prob-
sharing the sad news with his family and lem. In my weakness, I anointed her with
mine, I lay awake going over the incident oil as the saints gathered around to pray.
in my mind. The enemy tackled me with the thought that I With my eyes closed, it seemed I saw Jesus coming toward
should not have accepted the pastor role, but stayed in my us. After saying the words, “Sister, hold on, Jesus is coming!”
position as an insurance adjuster. For a few hours my ner- I became lost in prayer and was led by the Spirit to another
vous system was shattered. part of the sanctuary. Sometime later, I realized the Holy
The next morning at daybreak, I found myself on my Spirit was speaking through me in a language unknown to
knees in my study, but with no words to pray. I knew God me. The sister was moving around the church praising the
had promised never to give us more than we could bear, Lord—she had been healed of her infirmity. The next day I
and I felt I could not bear any more. I reached for my Bible felt up to whatever the challenge might be. God had healed
on the desk, and it fell open to Isaiah 40. The first word me as well. How I thank God for His faithfulness!
I saw was “comfort,” and I realized that I needed to read In the sixty years since my first encounter with Jesus, I
on. As I did so, strength began coming back into my body. have proven that He is the same, yesterday, today, and for-
When I came to the latter part of the chapter, it said, “He ever. Late in 2014, I was diagnosed with cancer. The news
giveth strength to the faint.” When reading the verse, “But brought me no concern or worry because my hope was in
they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength,” God. The best that could happen would be that I would die
Heaven opened and the Lord took my heavy load. and go to Heaven. Many years ago I consecrated everything
How grateful I am to the Lord for the many times to the Lord, including my future. The year of 2015 proved
He has helped our family. I recall one year when our to be a time of recalling that consecration, resting in God,
two-and-one-half-year-old son was supposed to do the wel- exercising patience, and taking the step of courage. Thank
come greeting in our church Christmas program. Two days God that I had the Prince of Peace living within! With the
before, he became very ill and was unable to get his breath. prayers and encouragement of saints far and near, support
We took him to the hospital at Roddickton, and they sent of my family, efforts of medical professionals, and the sup-
him by ambulance to a bigger hospital where he was put porting hand of God, I recently was told that I am presently
into the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). We were told later that cancer free. My heart is filled with gratitude and praise as I
the medical staff was unsure if he would pull through, but take one day at a time. I give Him
many people were praying. On the Sunday morning of the the honor, and I want to serve Him
program, after examining our son, the doctor marveled at the rest of my days.
the change that had occurred. He said to us, “You may take
him home. He is okay to perform in the program.” He was Rene Cassell is the retired Dis-
actually discharged directly from the ICU, which the doctor trict Superintendent of Canada for
told us they normally do not do. We took our son home, the Apostolic Faith work. He and
and that night he played his part in the Christmas program. his wife currently live in Bide Arm,
In 1988, when I was asked to assume the responsibility Newfoundland, where he assists on
of District Superintendent for Canada, we had just one the ministerial staff of the Apostolic
church in Eastern Canada outside of Newfoundland: in Faith Church.

8  Higher Way

A tall security fence became a vivid
reminder to . . .
© tsach | fotolia.com
W
hen my daughter, Catey,
was in her second year of
college, she made plans to
spend four months of her junior year
in Mexico as an exchange student.
Though I had misgivings about her
living so far away from home, there
was comfort in knowing I could take
my concerns to God and He would go
with her. I told the Lord I was wor-
ried she would be placed with people
opposed to the Gospel, and that she
would not have a private place to pray.
In addition, I feared someone in the
household might try to harm her, or
that the house would not be secure from
intruders. Another concern was that she
would get homesick. I hoped some of
the food would be familiar to her.
On her first day in Mexico, Catey
called and told me about her new
accommodations. She had been placed
with a single woman who had con-
verted to Christianity three years ear-
lier, and she had been given her own
space—a bedroom and bathroom. In
addition, the house was surrounded by
a fence, and for her first breakfast, she
was served oatmeal, fruit, and eggs—
exactly what she ate at home!
I was so grateful to the Lord for
answering each of my concerns spe-
cifically. It showed just how much He
cares, and confirmed that He could be
Trust
God
By Jodie Hinkle
trusted with everything. I did not even
realize, though, to what extent the Lord
had answered until my trip to Mexico
to visit Catey. As we approached the
house where she was staying, the
fence caught my attention. I don’t
know what I was expecting—maybe a
picket fence or a four-foot-high chain
link fence, though my hope was for a
six-foot privacy fence. What I saw was
a nine-foot-high concrete wall topped
by steel bars, with an equally formi-
dable locked gate! We joked about it at
the time, but now in looking back, that
wall serves as a vivid reminder that we
can trust God. He is more than will-
ing and able to help with any situation
that causes us concern.
It is never easy, when we are anx-
ious about something, to forfeit con-
trol to another. However, whether our
concerns relate to our children or our
relationships, health problems or fear
for our safety, tight finances or an
uncertain future, we can safely place
our trust in God. In fact, there are
many reasons why it is best to do so.
Here are just a few.
God loves us. The Bible tells us in
1 Peter 5:7 to cast all our care upon
God, because He cares for us. How
much God cares can be seen in the life
of Christ Jesus, “who being in the form
of God,” voluntarily left the glories of
DAY TO DAY
Heaven and “took upon him the form
of a servant,” to live among us. Then
He, “being found in fashion as a man,
humbled himself, and became obedi-
ent unto death, even the death of the
cross” (Philippians 2:6-8).
Jesus spent the three years prior to
His crucifixion ministering to others.
He healed the sick, cast out devils,
raised the dead, and preached the
kingdom of Heaven. When news of
His miracles spread, and He was inun-
dated by large crowds, He never turned
anyone away. Instead, He continually
set aside His own needs to meet the
needs of every person who came to
Him. One time, when He went to a sol-
itary place to pray and received word
that “all men seek for thee,” He left
off praying in order to preach (Mark
1:35-37). Another time, when He went
“into a desert place apart” after the
death of John the Baptist, and a great
multitude followed, He turned and
healed their sick (Matthew 14:13-14).
Twice, when He “could not so much as
eat bread” for the multitude that had
gathered, it appears that He left off
eating to teach (Mark 3:20; 6:31).
How do we know it was love that
compelled Jesus to minister for three
years and then lay down His life for
us? Many times He was moved by
the plight of the people around Him.
Higher Way  9
When Martha cried at her brother’s
death, He groaned within Himself, and
upon approaching the tomb, He wept
(John 11:33, 35). At other times, He
sighed (Mark 7:34), and He had com-
passion (Matthew 9:36). In the case of
a leper who came beseeching Him, “If
thou wilt, thou canst make me clean,”
the Bible tells us Jesus was moved with
compassion and answered, “I will; be
thou clean” (Mark 1:40-42). Jesus did
not heal this man because He had to;
He did it because He wanted to.
It is clear that our Lord is compelled
by love. We can take every concern
to Him, having assurance that He
wants to hear our prayers and help us,
because He loves us.
God can see everything. Some of
my neighbors have become part of
the “prepper” movement. Collectively
they purchase food and survival sup-
plies in preparation for a catastrophic
disaster. I was invited to join them, but
declined, because years ago an experi-
ence taught me it is best to trust God
with an uncertain future.
When the year 2000 was approach-
ing, there was speculation that the
world’s computers would crash. When
newspapers began reporting that every-
thing from utility companies to banks
could shut down, I started stocking up
on canned goods, flashlights, and other
survival essentials. Then I took an
inventory and sat down to review my
progress. While going over the list, this
thought intruded: I hope you thought
of everything. I paused to consider this,
and realized that to rely on myself and
not on God, I would need to think of
everything. However, only God could
see into the future and know just what
would happen. I decided it would be
better to just trust Him.
When the New Year rolled in, none
of the anticipated disasters material-
ized. However, even with the required
Y2K patch, my own accounting soft-
ware crashed. Because clients were
waiting, I immediately began search-
ing for a replacement, but could only
find very expensive programs—all
missing one particular feature that I
wanted. I asked the Lord what to do
10  Higher Way
It is best to trust
our concerns about
the unknown to
God who can see
what lies ahead.
and felt a strong urge to return to a
store already visited. In the software
aisle, I put my head down, prayed, and
then opened my eyes to see a program
that had fallen to the bottom shelf. It
had the feature I was looking for, and a
price tag of only $20.00.
We can never fully plan for the
unexpected, so it is best to trust our
concerns about the unknown to God
who can see what lies ahead.
God can do anything. When my
son, Cameron, was eight years old, he
left his prized hand-held video game
player, a Gameboy, at the park during
Little League try-outs. When we dis-
covered it was missing, we went back
to the park and scoured the area, but
didn’t find it. Upon returning home,
Cameron told me he would pray and
ask God to bring his Gameboy back.
This seemed an impossible request
because his name was not on the
device and there had been several
hundred people at the try-outs. Even
if someone honest had picked up his
Gameboy, that person would not know
how to return it. However, Cameron’s
focus was not on the facts, but on the
One who could do the impossible. He
prayed, and two weeks later there was
a knock on our front door. When we
opened it, a man was standing there
holding out the Gameboy.
Many situations are beyond our
capabilities, so it is best to trust God
who has unlimited ability.
God is faithful. One time my hus-
band and I were hosting a large party
in our home and our son, who was
seven at the time, asked if he could go
outside and play. Permission was given,
but when it was time for him to come
in, he was nowhere to be found. Our
guests helped us search the yard, and
then the shed, the garage, the nearby
park, and once again in the house.
Then we went door-to-door, and the
neighbors came out to help. We can-
vassed the area, going up and down the
street, calling his name. I was not overly
worried as we searched, because there
was always one more place he might
be. Finally, though, we had exhausted
every possibility, and the reality set in
that he was really gone. My heart sank
and my knees buckled.
In that moment, my thoughts turned
to One who I knew could be trusted
with an urgent need because He had
been faithful in so many other situ-
ations. I looked to the only One who
could see everything, do anything, and
who loved my son even more than I
did. I prayed, “Lord, You know where
my son is. Show me so we can go get
him.” A name came to my mind, and
my husband went to make a phone
call. Thankfully, that person knew
where our son was and shortly we were
reunited with him.
In times of crisis, it is important
to be able to turn to a reliable source
quickly, so it is best to have our trust in
God who has an established record of
faithfulness.
We all face situations in life that
cause anxiety, and with each one, we
must decide to either trust God with
the matter or handle it ourselves. When
we choose to rely on our own means,
we soon find they are limited and fail
to fully alleviate worry. For real peace,
it is best to trust God. When concerns
arise about our future, we can remem-
ber that He sees what lies ahead of us;
in impossible situations, we have the
assurance that He is infinitely capable;
and in matters of urgency, we can look
back to His proven record.
God loves you, cares about your
needs, and wants to help. Won’t you
turn to Him today?
Jodie Hinkle is on the editorial staff at
the Apostolic Faith Headquarters office
in Portland, Oregon.
Petitioning
Providence
Notable Prayers
in God’s Word
By Ed Habre
Recently a series of Bible studies on notable prayers in the
Word of God was given by Ed Habre, who is on the ministerial
staff at the Apostolic Faith Church in Portland. Following are
brief excerpts from those sessions.
P
rayer is a subject that is woven throughout the Bible,
and as Christians, it is something we practice on a
daily basis. But why do we pray?
Our prayers are not just words that we utter routinely
because we think they will endear us to God. We do not
engage in regular prayer because praying is the religious
thing to do. Rather, we pray because we believe the One we
petition actually hears our words and will act upon them
according to His will.
We know prayer is effective from a purely observational
standpoint. We have seen answers in our own lives and in
the lives of others. As the Lord responds, often in miracu-
lous ways, we see how He answers our petitions, and we
gain confidence to continue praying.
Beyond what we have personally experienced, the
Word of God explicitly teaches that prayer has merit. A
well-known verse of Scripture concerning prayer is found
in James 5:16, “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous
man availeth much.” So our belief that prayer brings results
is based on Holy Scripture.
Finally, we pray because the Bible admonishes us to do
so. Jesus said in Luke 18:1 that we are always to pray and not
to faint—we are not to be discouraged or grow weary and
give up praying. Paul said in 1 Thessalonians 5:17, “Pray
without ceasing.” By this we learn that we should remain in
an attitude of ongoing communion with the Lord.
In this series of studies, we will look at ways of formulating
our prayers so they will be effective and beneficial not only
to us, but also to those for whom we pray. We will look at
examples in the Bible of those who had success through their
appeals to God, and examine the structure of their petitions.
© Hriana | Dreamstime.com
The Lord’s Prayer
In any assessment of notable prayers in the Scriptures,
certainly the crowning jewel is the one that we call “The
Lord’s Prayer,” found in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke.
In Luke 11:1 we read that after observing Jesus in prayer,
His disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray.” They
asked Him regarding the how of praying and received far
more than they expected. In response, Jesus not only taught
them how to pray but also why they should pray.
“Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed by thy name”
is the way Christ’s prayer begins. We should start our
prayers, as He did, with reverence and praise. “Hallowed be
thy name” means “I offer You praise. I give You glory.” It is
only fitting that we begin by recognizing who God is and
how wonderful He is.
“Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in
heaven.” Orbiting above us is the International Space Station.
From that lofty height, an astronaut sees our planet from a
different perspective than we do. Thinking about the world
from that vantage point, and considering all the events hap-
pening at any given moment with the billions of people on
this earth, we are reminded that God’s influence is vast. He
holds everything in His control! So we approach Him with
awe, understanding that He has dominion over all.
Then Jesus went on, “Give us this day our daily bread.”
The words “daily bread” do not refer only to physical nour-
ishment, but to God’s provision for all our needs. We could
make a long list of what “daily bread” includes, but the
important point is to acknowledge the Source: God is the
One who provides.
After we begin our prayers by honoring God, accept-
ing His dominion, and acknowledging that He meets our
needs, Jesus taught us to say: “And forgive us our debts,
as we forgive our debtors.” It is important to confess our
spiritual needs as well—to recognize that we all have spiri-
tual needs. Jesus went on, “Lead us not into temptation but
Higher Way  11
deliver us from evil.” In this manner, we admit the weakness
of our human condition. There will be times when we have
struggles, but we can go to God and ask Him to partner
with us so we can have victory over the enemy of our soul. In
1 Corinthians 10:12 we read, “Wherefore let him that thin-
keth he standeth take heed lest he fall.” Yes, we can be strong
in the Lord, but we do not want to think we are infallible. The
one who comes against us is wily and we need God’s deliver-
ance. If we acknowledge this by saying, “deliver us from evil”
and look to God, we will be victorious.
Jesus concluded His prayer with, “For thine is the king-
dom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.” We
acknowledge God’s never-ending, universal greatness and
the fact that He has power to accomplish anything. His is
the kingdom, His is the power, His is the glory forever. Noth-
ing we accomplish as Christians is for our own acclaim, but
always with the desire and intention that God’s glory would
be made manifest.
We are thankful for this practical example that our Lord
gave to His disciples, so that we also may properly petition
our Heavenly Father in prayer.
Hezekiah’s Prayer for Deliverance
A significant part of world history is an ongoing record
of wars and combats. Secular historians mark the rise and
fall of civilizations; God’s Word details battles between peo-
ples and nations; and we are experiencing hostilities in the
era we live in as well. The Middle East is currently a hotbed
of conflict. We hear graphic accounts of displaced peoples,
terror attacks, and horrific violence. It disturbs us, but it is
evidence that we are still living in tumultuous times.
Our topic today has to do with a conflict between
Assyrian armies, led by Sennacherib, and King Hezekiah
of Judah. Hezekiah made an impassioned plea to God for
national deliverance, and when we consider this account,
we can draw strength and courage from the fact that
God not only understands what His people are facing,
but that He will come to their aid when they call for His
intervention.
As demonstrated by both his public accomplishments
and his personal attributes, Hezekiah put himself in a
position to get a prayer through. When he became king,
he forbade the idolatrous worship which was occurring in
the “high places.” He proved his commitment to God by
eradicating from the land everything related to pagan wor-
ship, which prepared the people to worship the way God
had instructed. His godly leadership led to national revival.
Scripture also tells us about Hezekiah’s purpose and
character. We read in 2 Kings 18 that he “did that which was
right in the sight of the Lord” and that he “trusted in the
Lord God of Israel.” He “clave” or fastened onto the God of
Israel, and did not depart from following the Lord. When
decisions were needed, Hezekiah’s determination was to
always follow God. Finally, we read that he kept the Lord’s
commandments—that he was obedient.
When Sennacharib set his sights on Jerusalem, Hezekiah
sought counsel from Isaiah who was the prophet of God
in those times. Then he took the threatening letter which
12  Higher Way
detailed the coming assault on the city, laid it out on the
altar in the Temple, and petitioned the God of Heaven. His
prayer had the backing of a godly life behind it, and the
Lord God responded by giving Judah a tremendous victory.
We want to possess the righteous attributes of Hezekiah,
because we want our prayers to be as effective in times of
crisis as his were!
Nehemiah’s Prayer for Success
Often the Book of Nehemiah is viewed as a historical
account of a great building project that marked the end of
Israel’s captivity. However, what Nehemiah accomplished
was a project born of earnest prayer. The subject of prayer
is addressed in forty-six of the 406 verses of the Book of
Nehemiah—approximately eleven percent of the total!
Nehemiah prayed before he took action, and this becomes
a practical lesson for us.
In the first chapter, Nehemiah stated that it was during
Chisleu, the ninth month of the Jewish calendar, when he
received a report concerning the broken-down walls and
gates of Jerusalem. In the next chapter, he related that he
went before the king in the month of Nisan. This is an
important detail. In that four-month period between when
Nehemiah heard the troubling news and when he made an
impassioned appeal to the king regarding the matter, he
earnestly sought the Lord.
His prayer is recorded for us in Nehemiah 1:5-11. A
number of elements in it provide an example for us. There
was reverence toward God—a pattern we must adopt as we
approach the Lord. There was remorse for Israel’s lack of
fidelity. Then Nehemiah recalled God’s words, and began
reminding the Lord of what He had promised to those
who would return unto Him. As Nehemiah spent those
months in prayer, he concluded that he would need to get
personally involved if anything were to be done about the
situation. So his prayer led to a request—that God would
go before him as he approached the king for permission to
go to Jerusalem and begin rebuilding.
The king’s response was a miraculous answer to
Nehemiah’s prayer. In the rest of the book, we learn how
the task of rebuilding the gates and walls of Jerusalem
was accomplished. There were challenges along the way as
Nehemiah and his fellow laborers were opposed by those
who did not want to see the work of the Lord completed.
There will be opposition for those of us who are on a mis-
sion for God as well. However, we cannot let that deter us.
Like Nehemiah, we must pray for the will of the Lord and
step out in His time, knowing we are doing His will. Then
we must persevere until victory is won!
Hannah’s Prayers of Petition and Praise
In the Book of 1 Samuel, two prayers of Hannah are
recorded: a prayer of petition, and a prayer of praise. In
comparing the two, we notice that Hannah was short on
petition and long on praise. We can make our needs known
to God, but following Hannah’s example, we want to spend
more time thanking Him for what He accomplishes on our
behalf than in making our requests.
 Hannah was trapped in an endless cycle of humiliation
by a contrary member of her household. Despite reassur-
ances from her husband, she felt unfulfilled because she
was barren. Her prayer that God would intervene and make
it possible for her to have a child was brief, but all her hopes
and dreams were bundled up in that petition.
Her prayer was direct. She prayed specifically. We should
never be afraid to state our case before the Lord. Of course
we want His will and not ours, but we can be bold in our
approach! Hannah prayed out of desperation. When all
other options have proved hopeless, there is still a single,
present resource for our needs, and that is the Lord. Psalm
33:18 says, “Behold, the eye of the Lord is upon them that
fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy.” God has
not abandoned us. He is aware of our situation, and if we
remain totally dependent upon Him, He will always be
there for us.
In 1 Samuel 2, we find Hannah’s second prayer—her
psalm of praise. God had performed an incredible mira-
cle on behalf of this woman and had given her a child. He
reversed the circumstances that were impossible to change
in the natural, and she acknowledged that by giving Him
all the glory.
May God help us to face situations that seem impossible
in the way that Hannah did. We too can give Him an oppor-
tunity to show His greatness on our behalf by going to Him
with our petitions. He will come through in his own time
and in His own way; then like Hannah, we must respond
with heartfelt praise.
Elijah’s Prayer for God’s Glory to be Revealed
Elijah lived in a nation that had drifted far from God. By
daring to speak out against the people’s immoral choices,
he put himself in mortal danger. We live in troubling times
as well. Our society has perverted the word “acceptance,”
to the point where many are maligned or marginalized if
they dare to speak out against destructive life choices or
attempts to legitimize deviant behavior. Like Elijah, we
must stand for righteousness, and call people to turn back
to God.
Elijah knew that the people of Israel’s hearts were far
from God, and most were worshipping false gods. He asked
them, “How long halt ye between two opinions? if the Lord
be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him” (1 Kings
18:21). He proposed a contest in which both groups of fol-
lowers would prepare a sacrifice, and the true God would
be determined as the one who answered by fire.
The prophets of Baal agreed, and prepared their sacri-
fice. Their “prayer” was: “O Baal, hear us.” This was not
a request, but a terse demand. Furthermore, the focus of
their prayer was on themselves—they wanted an answer
for their own benefit. Their egos were on the line! So they
called out for hours, but to no avail. As time passed they
got very much in earnest and even tried to get their god’s
attention by cutting themselves with knives. What a scene
that must have been! They wanted to prove to the people
that they were legitimate, but all they did was make a
spectacle of themselves.
Then it was Elijah’s turn. He carefully repaired and pre-
pared the altar of the Lord. Then he began his prayer, “Lord
God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel . . .” reminding God
of His covenant relationship with His people. It is a good
thing when we pray to remind the Lord that we are His,
that He has redeemed us, and that we have a relationship
with Him.
Then Elijah stated the purpose of his prayer: “Let it be
known this day that thou art God in Israel, and that I am thy
servant, and that I have done all these things at thy word”
(1 Kings 18:36). Elijah wanted to reestablish God’s rightful
role in the lives of the people. In addition, he wanted it clear
that what would occur there was not about him, but about
God. That is the heart of a true servant of the Lord—one
who is not looking for personal acclaim, but simply wants
to point people to God.
In response to Elijah’s prayer, fire fell from Heaven. It not
only burned up the sacrifice upon the altar, but it dried up
the water Elijah had poured over it and even licked up the
stones! The fire consumed the altar so completely that there
could be no doubt whatsoever that it was sent down from
Heaven.
God answered Elijah’s prayer because he dared to trust
Him, was willing to be His mouthpiece, and prayed with
God’s interests ahead of his own. Let us purpose to follow
Elijah’s example, and make God’s glory our supreme goal.
Paul’s Prayers for the Church at Ephesus
Scripture records not only Paul’s travels and words of
exhortation, but also many of his prayers. The Book of Acts
recounts four prayers by Paul. We also find his prayers in
Romans, 2 Corinthians, Ephesians, Colossians, Hebrews,
and Philemon.
In the two prayers of Paul recorded in the book of
Ephesians, Paul was not praying for himself but for the
people at Ephesus. His sole purpose was that they would
benefit from his prayers. It is good for us to study this style
of prayer because doing so will help us understand how
we should pray for others. Yes, we can and we do pray for
ourselves. God wants to hear about our needs, but clearly
Paul’s example teaches us that at times we need to shift our
focus away from ourselves and be more involved in praying
for others.
When we pray for others, we should pray in specifics.
Rather than simply praying in general terms, saying, “Lord,
bless this one” and “help that one,” we should express
what needs to be accomplished in that person’s life. That
was how Paul prayed, and it is a wonderful example for us
to emulate. For example, in Paul’s petition in Ephesians
1:15-23, he prayed that the saints would know God per-
sonally, would understand the hope of their calling, would
grasp the riches of their inheritance, and would compre-
hend the power, might, and dominion of God.
John 13:35 says, “By this shall all men know that ye are
my disciples, if you have love one to another.” This indicates
that love is the defining characteristic of Christians. Like
Paul, one way we can demonstrate our love is by praying
earnestly and specifically for one another.
Higher Way  13
 EVIDENCE
THIS IS MY FIRST opportunity to
publicly thank the Lord for everything
that He has brought us through in the
last couple of months. Our daughter
was very sick some weeks back; she
missed almost half a month of school.
She was in discomfort and pain, and
we kept taking her back to the doctor
and the hospital emergency room.
Each time the doctors would say, “Oh,
it’s just the stomach flu.” However, it
turned out to be a burst appendix, and
she was very, very sick. It was a scary
time.
The night after her surgery, my
husband stayed with her in the hos-
pital, and I went home to be with our
youngest child. I went to my room
and literally lay down on the floor and
cried out to God. I said, “I know Your
Word says You will not give us more
than we can handle, but this it for me.”
That same day our youngest daugh-
ter had been sent home with a double
ear infection, and it was like one thing
piling on top of another.
God did not take that mountain out
of the way instantly, but I am grateful
that He gave us the strength to climb
it and get to the other side. I am so
thankful for His strength and that His
mercies are new every morning.
I am also thankful that when I was
thirteen years old, I made the decision
to follow God. Even though I had been
raised in a Christian home, that did
not make me a Christian. I needed to
commit my life to Him personally and
I’m so glad that decision to serve Him
no matter what was planted firmly in
my heart that day. In the years since,
challenges have come along, but He
has done everything in my life that is
good, and I love Him today. — Christi
Larrachea
I WAS BORN just about a mile from
this church to a beautiful mother and
a handsome, hardworking father. My
14  Higher Way
father had been raised in the church
but as just a young man, he had left
and gone his own way. Still, we had a
wonderful home. I never saw my par-
ents drink and I never saw them fight,
but I never heard them pray.
That changed one day when my
father came back to the faith of his
childhood. Though my father had
never prayed, from then on he made
up for lost time. Every morning I was
awakened by his prayers, and they were
not quiet prayers. My older brother
and I moved clear to the opposite
end of the house, but we could still
hear him pray. Then my grandfather
moved in with us, and it was two of
them praying. My dad named every-
one he knew—everyone in his family
and everyone at church who needed
prayer. That had an effect on me.
Growing up, I wanted nothing more
than to serve God.
From time to time I heard mis-
sionaries come back from Africa and
I thought, Maybe someday I will go to
Africa as a missionary. I heard the ones
who came from Japan, and I would
think, Maybe I will go to Japan some-
day. Well, I was born just a mile from
here, and now, as a grandfather, I live
a mile and a half from here. I have not
gone anywhere, but I have been able to
serve the Lord and enjoyed it every day
of my life. — Del Barrett
THE LORD HAS helped me in so many
ways I cannot begin to name them all.
My parents were both saved just before
I was born. I had a great grandma who
also was quite an inspiration to me.
Any time I needed prayer I could call
her, no matter what time of the day or
night it was. When I had questions, I
could go to her and she would open
up the Bible for the answers. I am so
grateful for that heritage.
I am thankful I was raised in this
church and that I was saved when I
was only eight years old. God sancti-
fied me when I was fourteen, and filled
me with His Holy Spirit when I was
sixteen. I cannot say that I have made
all the right choices from then until
now, but God has been there to guide
me and gently show me which way to
go. He gave me a wonderful Christian
husband and we have four beautiful
girls who love the Lord.
When I was younger, the song
“Leaning on the Everlasting Arms”
was one of my favorites. I remem-
ber sitting at the piano in our house
and reading the words, and thinking,
That is what I want my life to be. At
that point I really had no idea what it
meant to lean on the Lord, but now,
looking back over my life, I see how He
taught me. My brother died by suicide
when I was fourteen years old, and his
death had a huge impact on my life.
That is when I found that I really could
lean on the Lord, and having Him as
my support was so important. Now I
am able to volunteer at a grief support
group, and when I see people who do
not have the Lord as they go through
loss, I am so thankful that I did. I did
not have a support group to go to, but
I would go into my room and cry out
to God, and He was there. He was my
real joy, even in the darkest days.
Serving God never grows old. It
just gets better and better, and I am
thankful for everything He has done
for me. I love Him with all my heart.
— Jennifer Worthington
I WAS ONLY SIX years old when the
Lord called after my heart, but I knew
it was Him, and I knew when He saved
me. There were people praying with
me, but nobody had to tell me what
happened; I knew when the Lord
made a change in my heart. I’m thank-
ful He speaks to children.
I’m also thankful for the family I
was born into. My mom has been in
 PERSONAL TESTIMONIES OF THE POWER OF GOD
Heaven for four years now. Her birth-
day would have been this week, so
I have been thinking a lot about her.
The love of God flowed so easily in her
life. She never needed to tell me to love
the saints of God, because our door
was always open to them. And any
mention of the church people in our
home was always positive. Without
even realizing it, she endeared them to
my heart. When it came time for me to
get married, she didn’t need to share
any words of wisdom; by loving my
dad, she had already showed me how
to treat my husband. When she was
diagnosed with cancer, I saw the natu-
ral fear come into her life. Then I saw
her fear turn to peace, and I knew she
had surrendered her will to the Lord.
In the end there was total peace when
she passed away.
Recently, a verse kept coming to me:
“Godliness with contentment is great
gain.” I searched the Scriptures to
find out a little more about what that
verse means. Then I went down on
my knees and asked the Lord to help
me be content wherever He puts me,
in whatever situation. He told me, as
He has so many times before, to keep
my heart surrendered and my eyes
on Him. It is so simple! It worked for
both my parents, it works for me, and
it works for my children. I want to be
faithful to the Lord and give Him my
all. — Cindie Baltzell
I AM THANKFUL that shortly before
I turned eighteen years old, the Lord
delivered me. I had been in a backslid-
den condition, pretending that I was a
Christian for way too long. It took just
a simple and honest prayer by my par-
ents’ bedside, and the Lord came down
and gave me real victory!
I’m thankful that the Lord leads and
guides me on a daily basis. This past
weekend I went out of town to pick up
a car, and I wanted a mechanic to check
it out. I was too far away from home to
have my regular mechanic look at it,
so I was unsure where to go. But when
you ask the Lord to give you guidance,
He does. I prayed about it, and then I
chose one of the two options available.
When I walked into the man’s shop,
he had Christian music playing, and I
knew I was in the right place.
I appreciate the little things the Lord
does to reassure me that He is watch-
ing out for me, and that when I ask
Him for guidance, He will give it. I
am thankful that God is real and He is
good to me and leading my life, and I
want to follow Him. — Caleb Copko
I HAVE SOMETHING to thank the
Lord for specifically. My wife and I
always tell our kids when we get in
the car that we need to pray and ask
for a safe trip. We did this on our way
to church last Friday night. When we
got to an intersection where I needed
to make a left-hand turn, another car
came across its lane and all of a sudden
I could see headlights coming straight
for us. I honked as loud as I could, but
the Lord had a hand in stopping that
vehicle. I was able to tell our kids, “See?
God takes care of us.”
WHAT MUST I DO TO BE SAVED?
Acknowledge “For all have
sinned, and come short of the
glory of God” (Romans 3:23).
“God be merciful to me a sinner”
(Luke 18:13).
Confess  “If we confess our sins,
he is faithful and just to forgive us
our sins, and to cleanse us from all
unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).
Repent  “I tell you, Nay: but,
except ye repent, ye shall all like-
wise perish” (Luke 13:3). “Repent
ye therefore, and be converted,
that your sins may be blotted out”
(Acts 3:19).
God does watch over us. I can point
back to many other examples. When
my wife and I first got married money
was tight. One year we went to camp
meeting not knowing how we would
pay for it, but we knew we needed
to go. When we got back, there was
a check in the mail from a school I
hadn’t taught at in nine months. The
letter that came with it said the school
did so well on standardized testing
that they were able to mail out bonus
checks. I didn’t know that bonus was
coming.
These last few months I have been
sick and not able to work. As the pay-
checks started to dry up, we had to
think about how we were going to pay
our bills. My wife and I talked about
times in the past when God helped
us, and we agreed God would come
through for us again. We told our kids,
“God will provide.”
Some time went by and Jillian said,
“I’m not sure we are going to make
the house payment this month.” Then,
just in time, a check came from a job
I did in the past. I wasn’t expecting it
for a couple of weeks. The Lord came
through again. I am so thankful that
we can count on Him in every situa-
tion and teach our children to do the
same. — Chris Luka
Forsake  “Let the wicked forsake
his way, and the unrighteous man
his thoughts: and let him return
unto the Lord, and he will have
mercy upon him . . . for he will
abundantly pardon” (Isaiah 55:7).
Believe  “For God so loved the
world, that he gave his only begot-
ten Son, that whosoever believeth
in him should not perish, but have
everlasting life” (John 3:16).
If you are a new Christian, write us
and request the tract entitled, “Start-
ing Out.”
www.apostolicfaith.org
Higher Way  15
 Suddenly Obedient
A simple Sunday school message
reached her heart and changed her life.
B
ack in the
year 1968,
I had the
wonderful privi-
lege of attending
Sunday school
in the Apostolic
Faith Church.
I was just nine
years old at the time and had been invited by my cousin,
the late Reverend Robert Omaretseye.
My parents were nominal Christians, and my cousin
came to our home often to see my dad, who was his uncle.
There were ten children in our family and it was stressful
raising all of us because we were very poor. Each time my
cousin came to our home, my mum would report our mis-
behavior to him. I am thankful that he encouraged my par-
ents to allow us to come to Sunday school. He said that if
we attended, our lives would be completely transformed by
God. They consented, and from then on my siblings and I
walked half a kilometer to the small Sunday school room at
the church in Sapele, Delta State, Nigeria.
My first impression of Sunday school was that there was
a lot of singing. We were taught Bible lessons by my cousin
Robert, who was the founder of the Sapele branch of the
Apostolic Faith Church. He told us that there was Heaven
to gain if we were saved, but hellfire awaited those who were
not saved. He showed us pictures of a saved soul with a
smiling face, an open Bible, and the Spirit of God inside the
heart. He also showed us a picture of a sinner with a heart
that was very dark and full of sin. At the time of prayer, he
taught us how to pray for salvation.
My siblings and I attended Sunday school for several
years. In July, 1970, I told God in my childlike way that
I didn’t want to go to hellfire; I wanted to go to Heaven.
He washed my sins away, and I knew that I was saved. Oh,
what joy and peace filled my heart! When I got home that
day, I was completely different. In a moment of time I had
become an obedient girl. I did my household chores with-
out complaining. The change was so real that my mum saw
the transformation in my behavior.
Later, the Lord sanctified me and I received the pre-
cious baptism of the Holy Ghost and fire. I loved to tes-
tify to others that Jesus had saved my soul, and to work
16  Higher Way
By Martell Olaleye
for the Lord in my local church. I became a member of
the Association of Visiting Secretaries—a group of young
people from our church who visited primary and second-
ary schools to share the message of salvation. In 1978, I was
made a Sunday school teacher. I was water baptized during
the camp meeting of 1980 in Anthony Village, Lagos.
God has been so good to me since I gave my heart to
Him. After my college education, my parents said they
could not afford to send me to further education, so they
decided to give me away in marriage. A young man from
Holland came to see my parents because his family in
Sapele had agreed with my parents for us to marry. I was
summoned to the family home to meet him and to set in
motion the arrangements for the engagement ceremony. By
God’s grace, I took my stand and told the young man that I
was not ready to marry him—that I wanted to further my
education, and besides, I would not marry anyone outside
the family of God. This act got me in trouble. My father
sent me out of the house for more than two weeks because
of my refusal to marry that man from abroad.
In 1980, God permitted me to receive a scholarship to
study French in the College of Education. He also pro-
vided financially for my university education, and in time,
I obtained a degree in French language education. In 1986
God gave me a wonderful Christian husband and blessed
us with two children: a son and a daughter.
After ten years of marriage, I became a young widow at
the age of forty, but thanks be to God, He saw me through
that time and cared for me and my little children. In times
of problems and difficulties, when there was no one to help,
Jesus stood by us and carried us through. In 2006, God
blessed me with my present husband.
How I praise God for the wonderful blessings I have
enjoyed since I gave my heart to Jesus! God has healed me
on several occasions. He has always provided for my needs,
and has been such a dear and close Companion to me.
Today, my heart’s desire is to be ready for His soon coming.
Pray for my strength in the Lord.
Martell Olaleye and her husband, Reverend James
Olaleye, serve the Lord together in the Apostolic Faith Church
in Lagos, Nigeria, where he serves as Director of Welfare
Services and Administration at the West and Central Africa
Headquarters.
Today’s Youth
Just
Do
Your
Part!
By Pete Sletmoe
R
ecently the question came to
me, If I could go back to when
I was a brand new Christian
and speak a word of encouragement
to my newly saved self, what would I
say? I concluded that I would probably
say the same thing my youth pastor
said to me back then. I would like to
share with you the advice he gave me,
because it did me a lot of good and I
believe it will help you as well.
First, you need some of the back
story. I was saved at age seventeen in
my bedroom. It was a Tuesday night, a
couple weeks after special meetings in
Portland, Oregon. Up to that point I
had been unstable spiritually, but that
night I prayed, “God I want You to do
something real in my life. I want You
to settle the Gospel so deep down in
my heart that I never have to wonder
again if I’m saved.” It was a simple
prayer, but the answer was definite.
God saved my soul and from that
day to this, I have been walking with
Him. Two nights later, God sanctified
me. A couple of weeks after that, at a
combined youth meeting in Chehalis,
Washington, God came down in a way
that defies description and filled me
with His Holy Spirit.
Your efforts may not look like
much, but they matter.
By camp meeting time that year,
I had been saved for about three
months. As camp progressed, God
began to call some deeper consecra-
tions from me. He talked to me about
my future, asking me if I would be
willing to serve Him in whatever
capacity He chose, and if I would do
it with my whole heart. To be honest,
I was scared by what God was asking
of me. I began to feel overwhelmed,
unsure of what to do about everything
God was bringing up and where it was
leading.
Feeling desperate, I told my youth
pastor what was going on. We were
sitting in the tabernacle before an eve-
ning service, and I will never forget
the advice he gave me. The essence of
it was this: “You’re not God. You don’t
have to do it all. Just do your part.” He
helped me see that the reason I was
feeling overwhelmed was because I
was thinking I had to do things that
only God can do. He explained to me
that I wasn’t the one who created the
universe and it wasn’t my job to figure
out how to keep it running. Nor did
I need to figure out how to make the
Gospel go forward, or how to make
all the pieces of my life fit together
© madpixblue | fotolia.com
perfectly. That is God’s job, not ours.
We only have to do our part.
This idea of “just do your part” is
fundamental to the Gospel; if you start
looking for examples in Scripture, the
list has no end. From cover to cover
the Bible is filled with stories of people
who could not do it all, but did their
parts, and it was enough because God
took care of the rest. One of the most
prominent examples is the feeding of
the five thousand, which is recorded in
all four of the Gospels. That day, Jesus
was in a wilderness area and a great
multitude went to see Him. He taught
the people all day long, and at evening
the disciples told Him that He should
send the people away so they could
eat. Jesus responded, “We don’t need
to send them away. You feed them.”
What a challenge! Phillip said,
“Lord, even if we had two hundred
pennies’ worth (about six months’
wages) of bread it wouldn’t be enough
to buy food for everyone.” The crowd
was huge—at least five thousand men,
plus women and children. Eventually
the disciples found a young boy who
had brought a lunch to the gather-
ing, but all he had was five loaves of
bread and two fishes. Andrew saw the
Higher Way  17
contents of his lunch and remarked,
“What is that among so many?”
That is often how we feel when we
contrast our abilities with the prob-
lems we encounter. When we evalu-
ate what we have to offer, we will see
that at best, it is ridiculously insignifi-
cant compared to the enormity of the
needs around us. However, we have
to remember: God doesn’t expect us
to do it all; He only expects us to do
our part. The boy who gave his lunch
did not go home to get more food or
find other recruits. He simply gave
what little he had and let God handle
the matter. The Bible tells us that Jesus
blessed what the boy offered, broke it,
and then used it to feed the multitude.
The power to do the miracle didn’t
come from the boy; it came from God.
Even though our part is small, it will
not necessarily be easy. In fact, some-
times our part, as insignificant as it
is, still seems impossible. For myself,
a declared introvert, standing up to
preach feels impossible! Yet God still
expects us to do our part, and if we
ask, He will give us the strength and
grace to do it. In that sense, He actu-
ally helps us with our part too. All
we need to offer is willing obedience.
And when we do that, He will do the
same thing with our lives that He did
with the boy’s lunch: He will bless it,
break it, and use it to meet the needs
of others. The Gospel will go forward
if you and I each do our part.
After that talk with my youth pastor,
a couple of months went by and then
one afternoon at a choir practice the
director said, “I need a volunteer to
stay after meeting and pick up song-
books.” Not a single hand raised. We
were all sitting there, young people
on fire for God, and we were think-
ing, C’mon. Give us a real job in the
Gospel. There are people dying in the
world; we want to do something that
actually matters. Nobody volunteered.
Then God started tapping me on the
shoulder and saying, “Don’t you want
a job in the Gospel? Take it or leave it.”
So I volunteered. I became the song-
book collector and I held that job
18  Higher Way
Songbooks
are not a big
thing, but
songbooks
changed my life.
for about two-and-a-half years, pick-
ing up songbooks and straightening
chairs every Sunday evening after the
youth meeting. And during that time,
my heart was knit to the Gospel by a
couple of hundred songbooks. While I
was doing my job, communication was
happening between the Lord and me.
God would say, “This is what you’re
supposed to be doing. I want your all
in the little things. The little things
make a difference.” I would respond,
saying, “God, I just want to do my part.
Even though it’s not much, I want to
do my part.” Songbooks are not a big
thing, but songbooks changed my life.
Spiritually, I am where I am today in
part because of them.
Songbooks are an example of how
“just doing your part” makes a dif-
ference. While they are not going to
independently cause people to come
to Jesus in repentance, they are a piece
of the big picture of the Gospel. Before
a church service can a happen, some-
one must clean the church, music is
prepared, prayers go up, songbooks
are set out, and many other small tasks
are done. Then, when a burdened soul
comes to a service and prays through
to victory, everyone who did his small
part shares in that success. That really
is how the Gospel works. Our part, in
the grand scheme of things, is insignif-
icant. But when you do your part and I
do my part, God does His part and the
Gospel goes forward.
Certainly, I don’t mean to suggest
that songbooks are the purpose of
anyone’s existence. Still, it highlights
the fact that most of the things that
must happen in order for the Gospel
to go forward are small tasks that
anyone who is saved could do. It’s
things like doing our devotions every
day, being in the prayer room before
service, and helping out where we can.
When an opportunity arises for you to
participate in the Lord’s work, apply
these basic principles: 1. Show up on
time; 2. Be faithful; 3. Have a smile on
your face; 4. Work hard while you’re
there; 5. Stay until the work is done. If
you can master these five points, you
can work for the Lord. That’s really all
you have to do.
Right now, you might be feeling the
way I did when I went to my youth
pastor with a heavy heart. Perhaps
you are carrying a burden that seems
overwhelming. Maybe your burden is
that you have not yet given your life
to God—if that is the case, you need
to be saved! The Gospel will change
your life and give you peace, hope, and
a purpose. The devil will tell you that
God won’t save you, and even if He
did, how would you ever keep it? How
could you live a new life in front of
your friends? How could you prove to
them that the Gospel works and that
you’re different? The list goes on and
on. Remember—you’re not God. You
don’t have to do it all. You don’t have
to figure out how God saves people, or
how God answers prayers, or how God
is ever going to keep you once you’re
saved. Just do your part. The Bible
says all you have to do for your part
is forsake that old life, turn to God in
repentance and faith, and He will save
you.
Whatever problem you might be
facing today, just remember that you’re
not God. You don’t have to do it all.
Just do your part. As we do our part,
God will take over and do the rest.
Peter Sletmoe is a minister at the
Apostolic Faith Church in Grants Pass,
Oregon.
 © santiago silver | fotolia.com

M
ost of us hear many voices in was at the old church at Sixth and
the course of a day. Some we Burnside here in Portland, and I was
recognize; some we do not. God speaks in many sitting with my mom. The preacher
said if there was sin in your heart, it
Back when I was young—before video
games, television, and air condition- ways, but if our would show on your face. I grabbed
ing—the kids in the neighborhood hearts are open, we my mom’s purse, took out her
would play on the corner lot until late mirror, and looked at my face. I knew
at night. As the evening progressed and will recognize I was not saved and I wanted to see if it
it became darker, I knew the time would
come when Mom would call us in. Even
His voice no matter showed. That was God’s voice!
In my teen years before I was
though she was quite a distance away, how it comes. saved, I was under conviction. Some-
when she called, I knew it was her voice. times I thought, If I could just party
There are many verses in the Bible From a sermon by twenty-four hours a day I wouldn’t
which reference God’s voice. For exam- Earl Phillips hear God speaking to my soul. Out at
ple, in Isaiah 30:21 we read, “And thine the race track, or when I was drinking
ears shall hear a word behind thee, beer and having a good time, I didn’t
saying, This is the way, walk ye in it.” Jesus said of the Good hear Him. But at three o’clock in the morning when I was
Shepherd, “And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he all alone, I could not escape the voice of God. The question
goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know would come to me, “Where are you going to spend eternity?”
his voice” (John 10:4). In Revelation 3:20, we find these I knew it was Him. It was the same voice I had heard when I
words: “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man was a child of three or four. I tried not to listen, but He still
hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him.” would talk to me.
How important it is to know God’s voice! God speaks in many ways. Elisha heard the voice of God
God speaks in many ways. He speaks through His Word, in a mantle that was cast over his shoulders by the prophet
the Bible. When we read it, He will communicate to us if Elijah. That call changed Elisha’s life. He left all he had and
we come with open hearts. He speaks to us in prayer if we followed after the prophet, and how God blessed him! If
will take time to listen for His voice when we pray. God we will just pay heed to the voice of God, it will change our
speaks to us through preaching. He speaks to us through lives as well—not just on the day we get saved, but it will
testimonies. He speaks to us through those He has placed in guide our lives until we step into eternity.
positions of spiritual authority. The Bible tells us that even Moses heard the voice of God from a burning bush. He
the heavens declare the glory of God! When you are outside could have just said, “Oh, there’s a bush on fire,” and kept
on a clear night and look up at the stars, you will hear the walking. However, he went to investigate. God told him to
Creator if you listen. take off his shoes because he was on holy ground. Moses
God speaks through the Gospel songs we sing in our obeyed, and God revealed His plan to lead the Children of
church services. I admit that sometimes I sing from habit, Israel out of bondage in Egypt by his hand.
because I know the words. But the second line of one hymn The prodigal son heard the voice of God in a hog’s pen.
says, “Hearing His voice in ev’ry line, Making each faith- He had left home, not thinking of anything but his own
ful saying mine.”1 We want our hearts to be open to God’s desires. He had friends as long as he had money, but when
voice whenever and however it comes, and to make “each the money was gone, so were the “friends.” In desperation,
faithful saying” our own. he took the worst job a Jewish boy could have: feeding
I remember the first time God spoke to my heart. I hogs. There in the hog’s pen, though, he heard the voice of
was probably between the ages of three and four. Do God. He made up his mind to go back to his father and say,
you think God speaks to little children? He did to me! It “Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, and

Higher Way  19
am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of
thy hired servants” (Luke 15: 18-19). When he went home,
what a welcome awaited him!
King Belshazzar of Babylon heard from God in the hand-
writing on the wall. However, that was not the first time
Belshazzar had heard God’s message. He knew how God
had raised up his grandfather Nebuchadnezzar after he
had lost his throne and lived in the fields like an animal.
God had restored the kingdom to Nebuchadnezzar when
he repented and “praised and honoured him that liveth for
ever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion” (Daniel
4:34). However, Belshazzar was young and arrogant—and
he was king! He could do what he wanted. One night he
threw a party, and as everyone was eating and drinking, he
called for the vessels from the Temple of Jerusalem to be
brought so he and his guests could drink from them while
praising the Babylonian gods. His demand was a deliberate
act of contempt to dishonor the God of the Israelites.
Then the handwriting appeared. Belshazzar knew whose
hand was writing on the wall, and his knees smote together.
Before those words ever were interpreted, he knew it was
the handwriting of God. People think, When I hear from
God, I’ll turn. But when Belshazzar heard from God, it was
too late. The message on the wall was, “Thou art weighed
in the balances, and art found wanting” (Daniel 5:27), and
that night, King Belshazzar went into eternity.
When I think of the voice of God, the late Everett Wayne
comes to mind. He would stand in our church services and
testify to the mercy of God. Everett had been a drunkard.
Many times he had staggered past our church at Sixth and
Burnside in Portland without coming in. Sin had robbed
him of his wife and daughter. Gambling had cursed his life.
His citizenship had been taken away, and he had been in
and out of jail. He said he had committed every kind of sin
except murder, and he had that in his heart.
One night in a card game, Everett heard a voice. It did not
quote a verse from the Bible. That voice spoke words even
a hardened sinner could understand: “Old feller, except you
do something, you’re a goner!” Everett said, “I knew the
Almighty was speaking to my heart.” He pushed the deck
of cards across the table for the last time, and left that place.
He remembered seeing the sign on our church building,
“Jesus, the Light of the World,” and made up his mind to
go there. He came into a Gospel meeting, and at the close,
he went down to the altar at the front and prayed as he had
never prayed in his life. The Lord heard Everett’s prayer and
changed his life. He took a filthy drunkard and made him
an upstanding citizen.
It took seventeen years of hard work for Everett to make
restitution and pay back what he had stolen. One time he
bought a new car. He had driven it for just a short time
when the thought came to him, How can I drive a new car
when I still owe people money? When a person listens to
the voice of God, a transformation takes place.
Some of the restitutions Everett made could have put
him behind prison bars for the rest of his life, and he knew
that. He had gone to a minster and told him, “I have to
face this.” They prayed and prayed, and then Everett set
20  Higher Way
out to straighten up his past. He testified, “I went to a rail-
road company here in Portland and confessed to robbing
their boxcars back in Idaho. I confessed to armed robbery
in Utah, and to forgery in Wyoming. I had even outlawed
myself with the government, having deserted both the
Army and the Navy. I confessed to the federal government
that I had stolen guns and clothing from them, and that I
was a deserter. I had lost my citizenship, but God restored
it, reinstated me, and gave me a new lease on life. I not only
have my citizenship papers today, but I am also a citizen of
Heaven.” What an amazing change, all because a hardened
old drunkard listened and responded to the voice of God.
Every time we come to a church service, we have an
opportunity to hear the voice of God. In our homes, or as
we drive to work, He stirs something inside. He points out
something He wants us to do, or a consecration we need to
make. He speaks to each one of us.
Back many years ago, my wife, Sylvia, and I were raising
four young children. For a time Sylvia felt kind of isolated
and sorry for herself because she had no grown-ups to talk
to and was home all the time. One day while she was vac-
uuming, God spoke to her heart and said, “I can be your
Friend.” That was a turning point in her life. Over a period
of time she found out how close the Lord would be to her
as she looked His way.
In the seventeen years we had been married at that time,
I had never told Sylvia that I was called to preach—but
I knew. When our children would get sick, I would pray
and tell the Lord, “I will do it,” but when they got well, I
would push the voice of God aside. One night, while we
were driving over the Burnside Bridge coming home from
a church service, Sylvia reached over and took my hand and
said, “Earl, are you called to preach?” I can remember that
moment like it was yesterday—it was like a dagger went
through me. I didn’t even answer her. She said, “The Lord
told me to get ready to be a minister’s wife and you’re the
only husband I’ve got.” God had showed her His call on my
life. I had heard His voice but had tried to ignore it. I urge
you, listen to the voice of God and obey!
Sometimes people say, “I can’t tell if it is the devil or God
talking to me.” Those two voices are as different as night and
day. The devil will scream in your ear, “You’re not saved!”
“You’re a failure!” “Even if you get saved, you will never be
able to stay saved!” Have you ever had him tell you some-
thing like that? He harasses and accuses. By contrast, God’s
voice may be just a still, small voice, but we can be sure that
however He speaks and whatever words He says, they will
be uttered in love and concern for our souls.
God speaks to our hearts when we are open and ready
to listen, and we have a golden opportunity today. God is
speaking to you. Are you listening?
Earl Philips is a retired pastor who is currently on the min-
isterial staff at the Apostolic Faith headquarters church in
Portland, Oregon.
1
“More About Jesus” by Eliza Edmunds Hewitt & John R. Sweney.
Public Domain.
Highlighting Our
Heritage
Found the Right Way to Live
M
y heart is full of praise to
God for this mighty salva-
tion, because I am sure that
I would not be alive today if the Lord
had not saved me.
In 1924, I was the first child born to
The victorious my parents. I was raised in a Christian
home on the family farm in the St.
testimonies he James community near Greensboro,
Florida.
heard in a church I learned about Jesus from my par-
service gripped his ents and also my grandparents. We
were only able to go to church once
heart. a month, so on the other Sundays
they held Sunday school in our home.
We also had prayer meetings in our
home, and the Bible was often read
to me. When I was very young, my
mother would gather my sisters and
By Everett W. Brooks me around her knees and tell us Bible
stories and read Gospel tracts to us.
My grandmother had never been to
school, but she could read the Bible.
She taught me verses such as, “Follow
peace with all men, and holiness,
without which no man shall see the
Lord” (Hebrews 12:14), and “Whoso-
ever is born of God doth not commit
sin” (1 John 3:9). I worked with my
grandfather on the farm, and the first
song I ever tried to sing was one I
learned from him: “The Blood Done
Sign My Name.” He often sang it
when we had family prayer meetings.
As I grew up, I strayed away from
the teachings of my parents and
grandparents. Many times I took a
walk just to get out of being in those
times of worship with the family. By
the time I was in my late teens, I had
gone out for the things of the world.
I had started smoking and drinking,
staying out late at night, and doing
all the things that go along with that
lifestyle. I even went to the bootleg-
gers, thinking I would make some
easy money. I purchased liquor and
started reselling it. Then, in order to
increase the profit, I poured water
into the liquor when everyone’s backs
were turned. I was looking for sat-
isfaction in cigarettes, alcohol, and
money, but there was none.
People would say to me, “You drink,
and yet you are the son of those sanc-
tified people.” I would tell them, “But
I am not sanctified!” Then I would
drink more. Yet, it bothered me to
Higher Way  21
 think of what I knew would happen he went to visit. After he returned, I
to me if I died. went with a few other family members
Sometimes I would stop alongside to revival meetings being held at the
the road and convince myself that I Apostolic Faith Church in Century,
was praying. Actu- Florida. As I sat in those church ser-
ally, I was only telling vices, I heard the people of God testify,
God what I would and and those testimonies really struck
would not do. Other me. The young people told how they
times, after coming lived for God day by day. I could not
home in the late hours live right for even one day, no matter
of the night, I would how hard I tried. What they said inter-
kneel down and make ested me. I had found what was miss-
all kinds of vows and ing in my life.
promises to God. At the end of one of the services, we
I prayed because I were invited to pray. I went forward
wanted Him to deliver because my mother told me to go—
me from my troubles. she thought it would be disrespectful
I thought if I threw not to. Two servicemen from Portland
away the cigarettes and were stationed in the area, and they
said I wouldn’t drink were also at that meeting. One of them
anymore, that would knelt to pray with me. He asked what
make a difference. I I was seeking and I did not know what
was helpless, though. he was talking about because I was not
I could never keep seeking anything. He told me just to
those vows. Very soon ask God to be merciful to me a sinner.
I would fall into the I knew my life was full of sin and I
same old sinful habits wanted God in my heart, so I prayed
again. I did not know those words. Tears streamed down
that I needed to repent and ask God my face. I had nothing to offer God,
Above: Everett Brooks to save me. but when I cried out to Him to have
studying the Word of God as a One day God let me come into con- mercy on me, something happened.
young minister. tact with the Apostolic Faith people. The Lord came into my life and rolled
My family received literature from the burden of sin away.
Below right: Brother Brooks the headquarters church in Portland, When I got up, I felt so different. The
giving his testimony. Oregon. When my father heard that drinking, the smoking, and the other
there was a branch church about sinful habits were gone. From that day
one hundred and fifty miles from us, to this, I have not been guilty of those

22  Higher Way

old sins I committed in the past. I have
had no more appetite for sinful habits.
I had been a big liar and told lies with-
out reason. After that prayer meeting, I
was careful not to tell anything untrue
or say anything bad.
During those services, the Lord also
sanctified me. When I returned home,
some of my friends predicted I would
be back to the old life in six months.
However, that did not happen. And
when I was inducted into the United
States Navy, people told me, “You can’t
live a Christian life in the Navy; you
can’t keep your salvation there,” but
the Lord kept me. When I came out of
the service, I still had Christian victory
in my life.
God baptized me with the Holy
Ghost, and I thank Him for keeping
me through the years. Those who gave
me six months to live the Christian life
missed it by many years because I am
still serving Him! Praise God! I have
that salvation in my heart today and
I can recommend this glorious way of
life to anyone.
Everett Brooks’ passion was studying
God’s Word and sharing his personal
testimony. He fervently encouraged
others, “Ye must be born again!” He
never let an opportunity pass to tell
someone about salvation. He was
enthusiastic about bringing children to
Sunday school and church, and regu-
larly gave out Gospel literature. No job
was beneath him. He was frequently
seen mowing the lawn and cutting the
hedge around the church grounds
While many measure success by
money and material things, these were
not important to Brother Brooks. He
achieved success as measured in terms
of obedience and faithfulness to God.
Brother Brooks was ordained in
Houston, Texas. Shortly thereafter, in
1959, he accepted his first pastorate in
Eustis, Florida. While there, he oversaw
the building of the Eustis Apostolic Faith
Church. In 1970, he returned to Hous-
ton and became pastor of the church on
Reed Road. In 1976, he helped estab-
lish a second Apostolic Faith Church in
Houston, located on McGowen Avenue,
and served as pastor there until he
retired in 2009. He went to his reward
on December 7, 2015.
A Statement of Bible Doctrine
We believe in the divine inspiration of the Bible, and endorse all the
teachings contained in it. Following is a summary of our basic doctrines.
The Divine Trinity consists of Christ’s Millennial Reign will
three Persons: God the Father, be the 1000 years of peaceful
Jesus Christ the Son, and the Holy reign by Jesus on earth. Isaiah 11
Ghost, perfectly united as one. and 35; Revelation 20:1-6.
Matthew 3:16-17; 1 John 5:7. The Great White Throne
Repentance is a godly sorrow Judgment will be the final judg-
for and a renouncing of all sin. ment when all the wicked dead
Isaiah 55:7; Matthew 4:17. will stand before God. Revelation
Justification (salvation) is the 20:11-15.
act of God’s grace through which The New Heaven and The
we receive forgiveness for sins New Earth will replace the pres-
and stand before God as though ent heaven and earth, which
we had never sinned. Romans 5:1; will be destroyed after the Great
2 Corinthians 5:17. White Throne Judgment. 2 Peter
Entire Sanctification, the act 3:12-13; Revelation 21:1-3.
of God’s grace whereby we are Eternal Heaven and Eternal
made holy, is the second definite Hell are literal places of final
work and is subsequent to justi- and eternal destiny. Matthew
fication. John 17:15-21; Hebrews 25:41-46; Luke 16:22-28.
13:12. Marriage is a covenant between
The Baptism of the Holy one man and one woman that is
Ghost is the enduement of power binding before God for life. Neither
upon the sanctified life, and is person has a right to marry again
evidenced by speaking in tongues while the first companion lives. Mark
as the Spirit gives utterance. John 10:6-12; Romans 7:1-3.
14:16-17,26; Acts 1:5-8; 2:1-4. Restitution is necessary, where­
Divine Healing of sickness is in wrongs against others are
­
provided through the atonement. righted. Ezekiel 33:15; Matthew
James 5:14-16; 1 Peter 2:24. 5:23-24.
The Second Coming of Jesus Water Baptism is by one
will consist of two appearances. immersion “in the name of the
First, He will come to catch Father, and of the Son, and of the
away His waiting Bride. Matthew Holy Ghost.” Matthew 3:16; 28:19.
24:40-44; 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17. The Lord’s Supper is an insti­
Second, He will come to execute tution ordained by Jesus so that we
judgment upon the ungodly. might remember His death until
2 Thes­salonians 1:7-10; Jude 14-15. He returns. Matthew 26:26-29;
The Tribulation will occur 1 Corinthians 11:23-26.
between Christ’s coming for His Foot Washing is practiced
Bride and His return in judg- according to the example and
ment. Isaiah 26:20-21; Revelation commandment Jesus gave. John
9 and 16. 13:14-15.
You may obtain additional information about these doctrines, and learn
about our publications in foreign languages by writing to the Apostolic
Faith Church at 6615 SE 52nd Avenue, Portland, ­Oregon 97206, U.S.A. or
visiting our website at www.apostolicfaith.org.
Before these magazines are sent out, they are a­ lways prayed over for the
healing of the sick and the salvation of souls.
Higher Way  23
 Worship with us!
Our services are a time to worship God through
music, be encouraged by testimonies of God
working in lives today, and hear practical,
relevant, Bible-based sermons. Visit us at 5601
SE Duke Street in Portland, Oregon, or watch
our webcast at apostolicfaith.org. Sunday ser-
vices are at 11:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. Weeknight
services are held Tuesdays and Fridays at 7:30.

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