Tributes

Not sure why I am feeling this way today?
But my mind wandered a bit this morning and I thought about men I respect and who have made an impact in my life.Three men, immediately come to mind.
You may never have heard of them, but that makes them no less worthy of tribute from me.
My heroes are not dependent upon your recognition, only the impact they have made on my life.Three men come to mind today, three faithful men.
Three Godly men. Three men who answered and followed the call of God despite advertsity, despite the wishes of others, and despite the size or scope of their callings.

Two were not called to large metropolises, not called to large, fertile fields where much grain and large harvests were evident. Two were not called to plant churches where large, thriving congregations would sprout up and national recognition and international opportunity would spring forth from their efforts. But it was where God called them, so they answered the call.
And they planted, and they tilled and toiled, and they built and they built and they built.
And today in each field stands a beautiful monument to God. A church.
One went to a large city and has toiled and built a solid, stable church.
Again not a recognized name among the masses, he didn't build for recognition, he built to answer the call.

Like Paul they toiled so they could build.
One was a school teacher, one a contractor, one a trim carpenter.
As is their character, they excelled at their toil, as they excelled in their ministry.
The school teacher was a department head, the carpenter a craftsman, the contractor, skilled and in great demand.

Quietly they labored in their toil, no fanfare, no advertising their greatness, just toilers. And they toiled. And God saw their faithfulness, and He called them.
And they answered the call of God. One has labored tirelessly in overseas teaching. Two have faithfully dug out, built and pastored the work God called them to. One has dug out, built , pastored, trained and turned over one work, salvaged, rebuilt, repaired breaches, and turned over two others. And he is beginning to feel the tug of God for another.

Three great men.
Three Elders.
Never held any office in the United Pentecostal Church.
Not names some would recognize, but they are heroes of mine.

Floyd Matthews.
Larry Neal.
Nick Seniour

Thank you for rendering faithful service to the Lord.
Thank you for being examples to me.