It is a joy to be home for a couple of days after a busy season of meetings. Just a few days ago we conducted a Go Reach America Campaign in the Tri-Cities region. The Lord blessed in a wonderful way and we give Him the glory for it!

As I have had some time to reflect I wanted to share a few things the Lord did in my own life. He always works on both ends – saving souls and teaching us! Here are a few of the truths the Holy Spirit has impressed on my heart…

1. It is a privilege to labor with others for souls. Ecclesiastes 4:9 says, “Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour.” The Lord Jesus sent His disciples out two by two (Luke 10:1), and taught this same principle in relationship to agreement in prayer (Matthew 18:19). The apostles followed this pattern in the missionary journeys of the early church. This is the power of two! It was an honor to labor alongside my friend, Evangelist Byron Foxx, a team of evangelists, and 17 local pastors and their volunteers. Gospel work is to be a team effort.
2. There is nothing sweeter than unity among God’s people. “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity” (Psalm 133:1). There was such a sweet spirit in the meeting as God’s people came with one heart to seek the Lord and to seek souls. This is the open secret in the book of Acts: “one accord.” No one is to have their own agenda – we are to be on God’s program and looking out for His interests alone.
3. The greatest work is to lift up the Lord Jesus Christ. He promised, “And I, if I be lifted up from the earth,
   

   With Byron Foxx and our new brother in Christ, the Mayor of Johnson City, TN

   will draw all men unto me” (John 12:32). There is power in Jesus’ name! Not our stories. Not our sermons. Just Jesus. Only as the preaching glorifies Him is true fruit seen. Over the course of the weeks leading up to the meeting and during the week we saw dozens of people saved. Several were saved in the God Bless America Rally on the final night, including the mayor of Johnson City, Tennessee. One of the highlights of the week for me was the privilege to speak four times in a local high school and see 56 teenagers profess faith in Christ! The gospel is still the power of God unto salvation (Romans 1:16).

4. We must have the Holy Spirit’s touch. “Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts” (Zechariah 4:6). More and more I recognize that all of our efforts are vain apart from the enabling of the Spirit of God! My greatest need is to be filled with the Holy Spirit, to be in step with His purpose. When He moves, so do men.
5. Prayer makes all the difference. No wonder Paul requested, “Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you” (2 Thessalonians 3:1). You can always tell a difference when people have sought God. The opening night of the campaign began with a prayer meeting of more than 600 people crying out to God! For months leading up to the meeting people across the area were praying definitely for revival and the salvation of souls. God is answering their prayers. This is not the work of any evangelist – this is the work of God!
6. The work has only begun. “Go ye…” (Mark 16:15). No meeting is to be an end in itself. Our desire was to see something set in motion that would last far beyond those few days. Something eternal. The Go Reach America campaign was to stir and train believers to “go” with the gospel. Sponsoring churches have now launched “The Summer of the Gospel” in the Tri-Cities. We are praying for a great harvest of souls and look forward to hearing what God will do. Please join us in praying for fruit that remains!

Some planted. Some watered. God gave the increase. And we are trusting Him to continue to do so…

“Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord” (1 Corinthians 15:58).

(Special Note: Please pray with me for our friend and fellow laborer, Evangelist Byron Foxx. He will conduct the memorial service for his father-in-law and mentor this week.)