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Who is Standing at the Door??

Written by admin on . Posted in evangelism, Jesus, salvation, the lost. No Comments on Who is Standing at the Door??

My father sent this to me, and I thought I would post it…. It is powerful….

I stand by the door. I neither go too far in, nor stay too far out. The door is the most important door in the world – it is the door through which people walk when they find God. There’s no use for me to go way inside and stay there when so many are still outside, and they, as much as I, crave to know where the door is. And all that so many ever find is only the wall where a door ought to be. They creep along the wall like blind people, with outstretched, groping hands, feeling for a door, knowing there must be a door, yet they never find it … So I stand by the door.

The most tremendous thing in the world is for people to find that door – the door to God. The most important thing any person can do is to take hold of one of those blind, groping hands, and put it on the latch – the latch that only clicks and opens with the person’s own touch. People die outside that door, as starving beggars die on cold nights in cruel cities in the dead of winter – die for want of what is within their grasp. They live, on the other side of it – live because they have not found it. Nothing else matters compared to helping them find it, and open it, and walk in, and find Him … So I stand by the door.

Go in, great saints, go all the way in. Go way down into the cavernous cellars and way up into the spacious attics. It is a vast, roomy house, this house where God is. Go into the deepest of hidden casements, of withdrawal, of silence, of sainthood. Some must inhabit those inner rooms, and know the depths and heights of God, and call outside to the rest of us how wonderful it is. Sometimes I take a deeper look in, sometimes venture in a little farther; but my place seems closer to the opening … So I stand by the door.

There is another reason why I stand there. Some people get part way in and become afraid, lest God and the zeal of His house devour them, for God is so very great, and asks all of us. And these people feel a cosmic claustrophobia and want to get out. “Let me out!” they cry, and the people way inside only terrify them more. Somebody must be by the door to tell them that they are spoiled for the old life, they have seen too much: once taste God, and nothing but God will do any more. Somebody must be watching for the frightened, who seek to sneak out just where they came in, to tell them how much better it is inside. The people too far in do not see how near these are to leaving – preoccupied with the wonder of it all. Somebody must watch for those who have entered the door, but would like to run away. So for them, too, I stand by the door.

I admire the people who go way in, but I wish they would not forget how it was before they got in. Then they would be able to help the people who have not yet even found the door or the people who want to run away again from God. You can go in too deeply and stay in too long, and forget the people outside the door. As for me, I shall take my old accustomed place, near enough to God to hear Him, and know He is there, but not so far from people as not to hear them, and remember they are there, too. Where? Outside the door – thousands of them, millions of them. But, more important for me, one of them, two of them, ten of them, whose hands I am intended to put on the latch. So I shall stand by the door and wait for those who seek it. “I had rather be a door-keeper …” So I stand by the door.

Tony Award or Oscar Award?

Written by admin on . Posted in church members, evangelism, funeral. 1 Comment on Tony Award or Oscar Award?

Tony Janacito passed away this past week. He was 92 years of age. I visited with his wife, Jane, last night for a few minutes on the phone, while most of the world was watching the Oscars. People were engaged with interest, wondering who would garner the next golden Oscar statue, or gazing upon the style of clothing that the movie stars were wearing.

Meanwhile, I was chatting with Jane, who lost her husband, which was, indeed, a far greater concern to me. You see, it’s when you lose your husband, wife, or any loved one, that things take on an eternal perspective.

Many of you do not know Tony, but trust me, there are a LOT of people who DO know Tony… Because every Sunday of his life, with very few exceptions, Tony led someone down the aisles of our church to accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. In all my years of ministry, I have never met someone who so diligently led men and women to salvation. Every Sunday, I’d see Tony walking down the aisle… and to his side would be someone that he had befriended and led to the Lord, and now they were stepping forward to accept Jesus as Lord.

Talk about receiving a trophy!!! When Tony got to heaven, he received his heavenly reward. There are many people who are grateful to Tony for taking the time and the interest to be concerned with their eternal soul.

Tony, I want you to know that you are going to be missed in a mighty, mighty way. Our church will never be the same without you. You were a true soulwinner. God used you in ways most people only dream of. Thank you for always being concerned about the lost.

May you dwell in your heavenly home with your eternal rewards forever and ever and ever.

Pearl Harbor – 65 years ago

Written by admin on . Posted in evangelism, switching to Saturday night, war. 1 Comment on Pearl Harbor – 65 years ago



Sixty-five years ago today, in 1941, the United States naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, was attacked. The bombing killed 2,388 Americans, put much of the Pacific fleet out of commission, and came while the Japanese ambassador in Washington was preparing for a diplomatic appointment at the State Department. Among the losses was the battleship Arizona, which went down with nearly all hands on board. It is still there as a national shrine.

In President Roosevelt’s speech to Congress the next day asking for a declaration of war, he called Dec. 7 “a date which will live in infamy.” Congress responded promptly with a declaration of war against Japan. It followed up on Dec. 11 with retaliatory declarations of war against Germany and Italy. World War II was the last time the United States has declared war, though it has fought three major wars (Korea, Vietnam, Afghanistan-Iraq) and numerous minor ones. Not many Americans are old enough to remember the events of 65 years ago.

One of the best books ever written that explains the details of that day is a book entitled “At Dawn We Slept”. I purchased my copy when I visited Hawaii many years ago. The name of that book explains it all. We were sleeping when Japan initiated a surprise attack on that December day.

I’ve always felt that title “At Dawn We Slept” would be a good moniker for the Church. So many people lost and dying without Jesus and the Church just sleeps, not realizing that Satan is trying to destroy as many as possible. We need to wake up and rally the troops. All hands on deck. This is not a time to be asleep at the wheel. God has called the Church to sound the trumpet to reach a dying world with the saving message of Jesus Christ.

My question to you are as follows.

Have you ever led someone into a saving relationship with Jesus Christ?
When was the last time you shared your faith?
When was the last time you brought a visitor to church?
When was the last time you bought a Bible for an unsaved acquaintance?
When was the last time you parked in the off site area and rode the shuttle?
When was the last time you fasted for a lost friend?
When was the last time you gave a sermon CD to a fellow employee?
When was the last time you thought about moving to Saturday night to free up more room for visitors who usually attend on Sunday morning.
When was the last time you cried over someone being lost?
When was the last time you wept over a soul?
When was the last time you invited your neighbor to church?

If Jesus came today…
If Jesus came tonight…
If Jesus came in the morning…

Could they say of the church?
Could they say of you?
Could they say of me?

At Dawn We Slept.

CallonJesus.com goes GLOBAL

Written by admin on . Posted in evangelism, Letter of the Month, live video, www.callonjesus.com. No Comments on CallonJesus.com goes GLOBAL

Someone sent me this note and I thought that you might be blessed by it. Obviously it was a blessing to me. We are actually in the process of updating and creating a new look for our www.callonjesus.com website. It will have many of the same functions but I just wanted to remind you that anyone in the world with internet access can view our sermons on line.

Here is the letter I recieved.

Dear Pastor Dudley,

I wanted to tell you about somthing my wife and I started only by accident. We have some close friends that Live in Stockport, England. We visited them for the first time last year. During our visit we had showed them the church site and www.callonjesus.com….

To make a long story short , by us showing them the site, they are now faithful viewers of our church services @ www.callonjesus.com, and it doesn’t stop there.

Their home has now become somewhat of a gathering place on Sunday afternoon at 4:30 (8:30am PST) and the number of people has grown just through word of mouth sometimes and many at 10 or 12.

I am writing you to let you know how important the Streaming Video of our services has become to Gaynor Mayers, her family Tanya, Tasha and Dakota and friends that consider Shepherd their church family.

Thank you and God bless,

Isn’t that a great note? It thrills me to see how God works and moves all around the world. How about YOU???? Is there anything YOU can do to help lead others to a closer walk with Jesus? Why not start TODAY!