A story from Lester Sumrall:
I entered into the ministry with a kind of faith that perhaps many young men of my time did not possess. The day I walked out the front door of my father's house to become a preacher, I had just a few coins in my pocket, but I was not concerned. I knew only one thing: I was called by God to preach the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Many people would never enter into fulltime ministry with no resources at all; but to me it seemed the only thing to do, and I had no problem doing it. I had no negative thought about it; I just did it.
Three years later, I was in San Francisco, ready to set out around the world as a missionary. For three nights before boarding the ship, I preached in a very large church, for which I received no offering. I had to look to God as my Source.
When the pastor of that church took me to the boat, he proceeded to tell me how I would starve to death in China. In response I said that if I did, I wanted him to send a little tombstone to China that read, "Here lies Lester Sumrall, who starved to death trusting Jesus."
He said, "I won't do it!"
I said, "I won't need it!"
Those were my last words on mainland America. I boarded a ship and sailed away, headed for Australia and New Zealand to start preaching around the world.
Throughout my journey, God provided for me locally. I had no contacts in America, no churches contributing to my support. God supernaturally provided for my every need. I lived in a constant state of having to believe God for my next day's transportation. Sometimes when traveling long distances, such as across Siberia and Russia, we had to pay in advance. I always had the necessary money at the proper time.
For our trip to Tibet, which took three months on muleback, we had to hire a cook, an interpreter, and seventeen pack animals. A few nights before we were to leave, I had no funds to pay for the trip. The Lord provided the whole amount through one Chinese woman, a general's wife, to whom I had ministered healing from our Lord Jesus.
In the function and operation of faith, you do not scream and cry, "What am I going to do?" You must rely on God to meet your need. We just rejoiced in the Lord, and it came to pass!
Many people would never enter into fulltime ministry with no resources at all; but to me it seemed the only thing to do, and I had no problem doing it. I had no negative thought about it; I just did it.
Three years later, I was in San Francisco, ready to set out around the world as a missionary. For three nights before boarding the ship, I preached in a very large church, for which I received no offering. I had to look to God as my Source.
When the pastor of that church took me to the boat, he proceeded to tell me how I would starve to death in China. In response I said that if I did, I wanted him to send a little tombstone to China that read, "Here lies Lester Sumrall, who starved to death trusting Jesus."
He said, "I won't do it!"
I said, "I won't need it!"
Those were my last words on mainland America. I boarded a ship and sailed away, headed for Australia and New Zealand to start preaching around the world.
Throughout my journey, God provided for me locally. I had no contacts in America, no churches contributing to my support. God supernaturally provided for my every need. I lived in a constant state of having to believe God for my next day's transportation. Sometimes when traveling long distances, such as across Siberia and Russia, we had to pay in advance. I always had the necessary money at the proper time.
For our trip to Tibet, which took three months on muleback, we had to hire a cook, an interpreter, and seventeen pack animals. A few nights before we were to leave, I had no funds to pay for the trip. The Lord provided the whole amount through one Chinese woman, a general's wife, to whom I had ministered healing from our Lord Jesus.
In the function and operation of faith, you do not scream and cry, "What am I going to do?" You must rely on God to meet your need. We just rejoiced in the Lord, and it came to pass!