In this episode host, Helen Todd, talks with her 92-year-old father-in-law, an evangelist, pastor and a missionary who continues to travel and preach in spite of his age and stage four cancer. They explore the challenges and complexities of staying faithful, the human tendencies towards self-gratification, and the endurance required in a relationship with God. Dr. Cecil Todd shares five principles for fireproofing your faith in the face of the most difficult challenges and temptations. You will discover that a personal crisis doesn't have to turn into a spiritual one, that arguing with God is okay as long as we respect His final word, and how crises may pave the way for miracles. He also underlines the significance of generosity and how it can lead to secure provision. Save the date for our annual Greater Purpose Conference in Branson, Missouri, April 3,4 and 5, where we will delve deeper into these principles and much more. This episode is not just about sharing stories; it's about empowering you in your journey of faith.
Visit https://rfwma.org/greaterpurpose/ for more information.
Thanks for listening! Visit our website rfwma.org and follow us on Facebook and Instagram!
Help us make more inspiring episodes: https://rfwma.org/give-support-the-podcast/
In this episode host, Helen Todd, talks with her 92-year-old father-in-law, an evangelist, pastor and a missionary who continues to travel and preach in spite of his age and stage four cancer. They explore the challenges and complexities of staying faithful, the human tendencies towards self-gratification, and the endurance required in a relationship with God. Dr. Cecil Todd shares five principles for fireproofing your faith in the face of the most difficult challenges and temptations. You will discover that a personal crisis doesn't have to turn into a spiritual one, that arguing with God is okay as long as we respect His final word, and how crises may pave the way for miracles. He also underlines the significance of generosity and how it can lead to secure provision. Save the date for our annual Greater Purpose Conference in Branson, Missouri, April 3,4 and 5, where we will delve deeper into these principles and much more. This episode is not just about sharing stories; it's about empowering you in your journey of faith.
Visit https://rfwma.org/greaterpurpose/ for more information.
Thanks for listening! Visit our website rfwma.org and follow us on Facebook and Instagram!
Help us make more inspiring episodes: https://rfwma.org/give-support-the-podcast/
What if you had a guide who could tell you how to bridge a gap between who you are today and who you are destined to be? What if, each week, you could hear a story of someone who has tried and succeeded, or perhaps tried and failed but learned something in the process? Limitless Spirit is a weekly podcast where host Helen Todd interviews guests about topics and personal stories on defining life's purpose, pursuing personal growth and developing a deeper faith in Christ.
Speaker 2:Is your faith as strong and fresh today as it was the day you invited Christ into your heart. Welcome to another episode of the Limitless Spirit podcast, where we talk about growing in faith, prospering our souls and the opportunities to serve God with our gifts and talents. I'm your host, helen Todd, and today's conversation is about faithfulness and endurance in our walk with Christ. Let's face it our human nature is about self-gratification and self-centeredness. Remaining faithful, whether it is in human relationships or even in a relationship with God, is contrary to our nature. For this conversation, I invited a person who is very dear to my heart, my 92-year-old father-in-law, who has been faithful to the Lord for 77 years of his life, and 75 years of his life has served as an evangelist, pastor and missionary. A couple of years ago, I had him as a guest on this podcast and he talked about four people he would like to go to hell.
Speaker 2:Now, before you are angry and appalled at this statement, I encourage you to listen to this episode it's episode 77, and hear what he has to say. It's actually quite extraordinary. Today he is 92 years old he actually turned 92 a couple of weeks ago and though he has enjoyed great success in his life he has preached to some of the largest audiences in the United States and other nations. He hosted a nationwide television program that has featured celebrities and even presidents. He counseled two presidents, ronald Reagan and Gerald Ford, and was the only American evangelist who was allowed by the Russian government to preach the gospel on the Red Square in Moscow during the May Day Parade.
Speaker 2:But he has also faced tremendous challenges in life a failed marriage, burnout, loss of his youngest son and a battle with cancer. And so through these experiences he has gained wisdom and truly is an inspiration on how to be and remain a good and faithful servant through life struggles and challenges. At the end of this interview, I have summed up everything that he shares in five principles that will help you keep your faith and your relationship with Christ strong and fresh. Good morning, ciso. Welcome to the Limitless Spirit podcast. How are you today?
Speaker 3:Oh, I'm doing better, helen. Nice to see you, to hear you and to be able to greet you in the name of the Lord. How's my favorite daughter-in-law doing today?
Speaker 2:Oh, we won't share this with your other daughters-in-law, who are also favorite. Well, you know our listeners probably don't know that just a couple of weeks ago, we celebrated your 92nd birthday, which is a wonderful accomplishment. And in addition to that, over 75 years of these 92, you have been in the ministry. And how many years have you been a Christian?
Speaker 3:I've had three more years to that and I think we would be there. It's like 77 years, 77 years.
Speaker 3:A couple of months, 70s Walk down the aisle in that schoolhouse down in Neshoba, oklahoma, unheard of by most people, a wide spot in the road and with a pair of striped overalls and no shirt on. It was during the summer. In August I walked down the aisle and gave my heart to Jesus in a public way. But, helen, the best thing that I can tell you is that before I did that publicly, I did that privately, down in the thickets around my house. You've been the old Todd-owned place and those thickets provided my prayer altar for my getting acquainted with the Lord and an encounter with God that has stuck with me across almost 75 years.
Speaker 2:So this is a very impressive record. And, by the way, when I say you've been in the ministry for 75 years, there is no end to that because you never retired. You don't believe in retiring. You, just a Sunday ago, preached again a revival service at a church not far from here, so your ministry is still ongoing. But what I wanted to point out that this is a very impressive endurance record you know, what inspired me to have this conversation with you is, a couple of days ago I read this article about a pastor who was dismissed from his position as a pastor because he was addicted to prescription drugs and also accused of some embezzling funds from the church.
Speaker 2:But he made the statement being a pastor is the most awful existence. I would not recommend it to anyone, and especially not to my children. And you know there was a survey done by the Barna group that nearly four out of 10 pastors today are seriously considering leading full-time ministry. And if people in leadership are in that position, I wonder how much more is the body of Christ? And so I want us to talk about endurance. What does it take to have endurance in faith through all kinds of circumstances in life? What are your thoughts on that?
Speaker 3:Both these many years, helen, I have never been tempted to stop doing what I'm doing.
Speaker 3:It has been a call of God that I have cherished, that I have treasured and I have never wanted to quit, even though that average time that a preacher stays in the ministry is only five years, and that's hard to believe.
Speaker 3:And I tell people it's not the preaching that causes preachers to stop. It's what goes on between the Sundays, between the preaching, and that some preachers are not prepared to take the criticism, take the setbacks, take the battles that you fight in order to do what God has called you to do. That it is a call of God and I have treasured that call across these years, never wanted to stop it, and the thing that has kept me going has been when I started. I started as someone who was committed personally, because when I get to the end of life's little day and I call life a day when I get to the end of life's little day and I look back over what has happened, I want to be able to look and see that Cecil Todd was not doing what he did for money. He wasn't doing it for fame, he wasn't doing it for ego, but I was doing it because it was a call of God and that call stays on our life until we are not able to fulfill it.
Speaker 2:Temptation is one of the big things in a life of a Christian that could cause us to be unfaithful to our Lord and to faith, and this is the device of the enemy, and the enemy is never addressed. So that's something that happens in a Christian life and it's an ongoing challenge. I don't think we're ever free of temptation. So have you had these experiences in your life, when you were tempted, and what advice would you have to someone how to overcome the temptation?
Speaker 3:There was a time, about 43 years ago, that I went through a deep valley, a difficult time, a challenging time, and I thought it would be best for the Lord if I stepped down and did something else beside preaching. I was going to do the Lord's work in a Christian ministry and I was ready to do it until the Lord saw that this was going to happen. And then he intervened and it was a personal thing with me and it challenged me deeply. I had gone through a divorce and I thought divorce is a stumbling block and people stumble over that and sometimes will not accept the man who's gone through it. And, of course, if they would have known the circumstances, some people have said they would have done it long before I did, and maybe I should have, but I don't give up easily. And so when the Lord intervened and he said I know you've been through a divorce because I was in the town of Tulsa with my son, Cecil Wayne, who's passed on, and finding a place to live, because I was going to be engaged in ministry in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in a religious organization, and the Lord started saying I want you to go back to Joplin. That's where the ministry headquarters were located at the time the Lord spoke to my heart, not with a voice, but I knew it was him. He said in his word my sheep know my voice. They will know when I'm talking to them, and I do. And so the Lord said I want you to go back to Joplin, Missouri, and before the sun sets today, I want you back in as the director of the Revival Fires Ministry. And I started arguing with God. I said I'll be a stumbling block. I don't want to be a stumbling block. And the Lord said I'll take care of that. And I argued some more, but the Lord said no, you have proven to me that you love me more than you love the Revival Fires Ministry. And because you have proven that you love me more than you love Revival Fires Ministry, I want you back in as director. Well, I didn't know that.
Speaker 3:The man who had taken over the director, a man by the name of Reggie Thomas. When I got back to Joplin and called a meeting of the trustees, the trustees jumped on it. They said this is thrilling, this is exciting, we want you back, even though the new director had only been there for 30 days. And so I was reinstalled as the director of the Revival Fires as the president of the ministry. And then the old director took me aside, Reggie Thomas, and he said I'm so glad you're back because we have a financial situation that we don't know how to get rid of. Said we have to come up with $50,000. And the banks won't loan us any money because they want your signature on it. And you were not director, and so we had to try to figure out what do we do. And he said now that you're back, you can take care of that. And I said this is no time to be borrowing money. Let's let the Lord provide it. And Reggie says with the chocolate, he said well, he said that's all right with me, you just do whatever you want to do. I'm ready to go and continue his ministry. Well, that was on a Thursday. On Monday night, God had provided not 50,000, but 55,000 above the regular giving. I said the Lord, you have confirmed that what you want me to do is from you, because that was a miracle to see $55,000 come into our offices and the loan paid off and the ministry not having any financial problems. And so that was God's way of showing and confirming to me what he had done. And so that's the one time in which that I stepped down.
Speaker 3:Some would say you quit. Maybe I did, I don't know. But God took the situation from where it was to where it needed to be, and that's been 43 years ago and he has proven to me over and over again. Before that time, Helen, I had seen a million souls come to the Lord. In the last 43 years, I've seen two million come to the Lord, Most of them from Russia, because we made over a hundred trips to Russia and I think that that was what God used to bring you into the Todd family, because you are a native of Russia and you had a heart for God and it just was something that God used to launch you into the ministry, along with a lot of others. Two million souls come to the Lord, new people coming to work for him, and it all came together because it was of God. It was enough me, Like I say, it was enough Todd, it was of God, and God has proven it over and over again that this is what he wanted.
Speaker 2:Amen. You know, another challenge that people face, you know, in their faithfulness and commitment to God, is doubts and questioning, and that happens when we face challenges, sometimes that are unexpected and greater than anything that we can resolve on our own, and I know that you have faced a number of challenges in your life, more recent one being your health situation, so can you share something from your experience of how were you able to overcome doubts and questions?
Speaker 3:Well, one of my favorite thoughts and things that I try to tell people in letters and in conversation and in ministry is this keep your eyes on the prize. The prize is eternal life With him. It is the call of God. Keep your eyes on the call of God. Keep your eyes on what God has called you to do. And each time I got hit with stage four cancer which is four times, and now I'm into the fifth time hit with stage four cancer while the temptation was there. And each time God used that cancer to touch someone's heart my doctor, the cancer doctor that I have, dr Verma. He is from India, a country that's very dear to my heart because we've had great ministry in India. And from the beginning I said, dr Verma, I think the only reason why I got cancer is because you need to hear about Jesus. Well, he chuckled at that. And then I took it a step further. I said if I went to your house, you wouldn't let me in to talk to you about Jesus. If I called you on the phone you've got caller ID you wouldn't pick up the phone. And I said the only way I had to talk to you was by having these appointments and having stage four cancer.
Speaker 3:Today, dr Verma is a believer and I have to give God the glory and the praise for that, because he had no intentions of becoming a believer. But just a few days ago he said I no longer believe in medical science, I believe in the power of God. And when he told me a few days ago that the cancer had returned well, I wondered, lord, why? What's going on? Well, I don't know why, but he's yet to reveal himself. But the most important thing was that Dr Verma has taken this as something that God is in charge of and he's going to take care of it one way or another. He's going to take care of it. And when I tell him I'm praying for him, he says well, I'm praying for you too.
Speaker 3:I didn't think I'd ever hear that it's a miracle of God that he's a believer. And I brought him to the church where we attend. The people introduced him at one of the services. They gave him a standing ovation, they gathered around him at the service. They made him feel like some celebrity because of what he had done in his doing, and all of this has had its impact Now, when I told him at the beginning that the only reason why I got cancer is because he needed to hear about Jesus.
Speaker 3:I realized that this was my thinking, this was my conviction, not his, because that was the furthest thing from his mind that one of his patients was going to be bringing him to the foot of the cross. And I think that God works in mysterious ways, his wonders to perform, and he has done that. And the only reason why I got cancer was so that Dr Verma would come to know Jesus. It has worth it. All of the pain, all of the problems, all of the chemo, all of these things led to him finding his way to the foot of the cross. And I just tell you it blesses and thrills my heart to hear what he says now. We said the other day he said well, you've got cancer here, a limp node in your tummy, but it said it's small when God can take care of that.
Speaker 3:And when I told him that I didn't think I would take chemo. He said well, I agree with you on that. I said I don't know what that means, whether or not that I'm going to be healed or brought home. I said either way is fine with me. I said those are the only two options is healed or come home. And I said and he agreed. But the thing is that holding on to what God has put in your heart is so important in order to survive the onslaughts of Satan, because he specializes in doubt. He specializes in trying to get us off of the straight and narrow, get us out of the ministry, and he's been trying it ever since I came to him and made that commitment and said Lord, I know you call me, I'm going to stick with you. Whatever you want done, that's what I'm going to do and that is still my desire.
Speaker 2:Going through stage four cancer four times would be a roller coaster an emotional and spiritual roller coaster for anyone, and you shared with me that what keeps you going through all these challenges is embracing the future, whatever it may be. So let's talk about that. How did you develop that worldview, that philosophy, if you will, and what is it? In a nutshell? How can a person listening to us apply this to their life?
Speaker 3:Well, it is important. I wish I would have had someone that would have told me what to do at the beginning, because I had to go start at ground level and then work my way from there. And when I was at ground level and faced with the possibility of being brought home or the possibility of going on in his service, the Lord dealt with me about this. And when I saw all of the other doors because it was like I was in a room with 10 doors all shut and there was nine of those doors were locked and one of them was open and it was up to me to find out which door was open Well, I only had to try one and that was the one that was opened. And when I tried that door and it opened when I say open the opportunity of going forward, the opportunity of continuing his service, recognizing that if the Lord wanted to bring me home, I was ready for that too, and the Lord knew that.
Speaker 3:But that wasn't a part of God's plan. And I found it out because he kept confirming, kept confirming. Things kept happening that were positive. And when you see God at work in your own life, that says this is the way, this is what I want you to do. This is the door that you're to go through. God didn't always speak to my heart, but he did enough times that I knew what he wanted me to do, and I think it comes back to keep your eyes on the prize. That prize is eternal life. That prize is to walk with God. That prize is that heaven is your home. And don't ever give up on God, because he never gives up on us.
Speaker 2:That is a very, very wonderful perspective, because there are so many things in our life that we cannot control and we have to trust God that he has our best interest at heart. But as long as we keep moving forward and then doing what we can do, he's going to show us the way. And I think your story of walking through cancer and the fruit that came out of it in a form of touching your doctor, and so many others really who watched you walking through this trial, many people that you don't even know, who were witnesses of you dealing with this and conquering it and keeping moving forward when the diagnosis or prognosis was not so favorable that has touched an incredible number of lives and I think this is why you have so much favor from the Lord at the age of 92. You're still able to enjoy life, enjoy your family, enjoy your relationships and you continue to preach the gospel.
Speaker 3:Thank you, helen, and let me throw in another prong in this fork that I have laid before you, because one of the challenges that has been mine, linda and I, has been Helen. You know it's good for you and God to decide, but how do you do it financially? How do you pay your bills? You know, I have no guarantee. I have no church that says we'll guarantee that your bills will be paid. I have no individuals. How do you do that? And there are people that are not in ministry today because they said well, I don't know how I'm going to pay the bills because, you know, being the pastor of a church, you get the benefits of their Sunday offerings. But when you just don't have anything or any guarantee, how do you do it?
Speaker 3:And I think that, for the benefit of people that see a financial barrier to ministry like this, they need to know that God pays for what he calls for. If he calls you to do something, god will find a way to do it, and he's the creator of the universe. He's got, you know, silver, gold cattle on a thousand hills, and I've learned that, and it's a ministry of faith. Another key to it, though, is that I learned that if we will pay our tithes beyond the revival fire of ministry, that he blesses that. And then I realized that that a tithe was not enough to keep all of the outreaches going and I've always tried to help people that couldn't help me, because if, if you're trying to help somebody, that will help you, well, is that from God what we really don't know. But I just wanted to trust completely on the Lord, and so Lenin and I started giving above the tithe, and we operate on the basis that the tithe belongs to God. Pay your tithes is the way he puts it. You don't give them. There's no place in the Bible where it says give tithes as pay tithes. So we started increasing our giving and hellent, the more we increased our giving, the more the windows of heaven opened, the more bills were paid, our houses paid, our cars are paid, our insurances paid, our groceries are paid, and God has blessed us beyond measure.
Speaker 3:And I think it's because we went above that I'm going to say something here that I don't usually say, because I do not want to brag, because our boast. I want it known that anything and everything is because of God and not Todd, and that is that Linda and I are up to 40%. I'm thankful for that. 40% of whatever income comes in goes to things beyond ourselves, beyond what we can do or what God can do for us, and God has proven that the more we give, the more he gives back and that he is not limited in what he can do.
Speaker 3:I don't know where this will end. I know with some people they've gone up to 50, 60, 70. I've even known some go to 90%, live on 10%. I don't know how they do it, but I know that all of our bills are paid. I know that all of our things that we have to do ministry are paid and I know that we do not have to worry about our finances. If I could help ministries to have the funds they need to do the work God has called them to do, I would encourage them to increase their giving beyond themselves and especially in areas where that they would get a kickback.
Speaker 3:You know, I think God frowns on that. I think he wants to be the sole blesser of what we do where we go, and I've watched what he has done from the beginning and he's had to teach me some lessons, knock me to my knees, but that's not a bad position to be in when you need the Lord's help. Well, after all, I'm working for him. I'm one of his employees. He called me to it and I think it's wonderful that at this stage in my life that all of our bills are paid, money in the bank do whatever we've got calls us to do, and the ministry is flourishing. Linda and I are flourishing. We have so much to be thankful for.
Speaker 3:But it wasn't always that way. When I was struggling to pay a tithe of what God had provided for us, I was also struggling to do more than what he was telling me to do. That has been something that I learned the hard way. That is, that you've got to give in order to receive, and you pay your tithes and then, if you want those blessings to keep coming, keep increasing those giveings, and to where that? God is in charge of, not just your tithe money but in all of the funds that you give.
Speaker 3:Above that, god wants to bless us in mighty ways, and so I speak to the hearts of those of you that are concerned about the finances. God owns it all. He calls you to do it. He's going to bless you to do it and start with the tithe and give it to people that can't help you. That is not the way that some people look at it. Give it to people that can't help you and watch how the windows of heaven keep opening wide. I don't know where we're going to with this, but I jump at a chance to give because the blessings come. Do I give to get? Not really. I give because I enjoy giving.
Speaker 2:Amen. I think this is really. You know. What you're talking about is the scripture illustrates the scripture saying Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and all these things will be added unto you.
Speaker 2:And when we give to those who could never repay us, we're imitating God, because we could never repay God for anything that he gives us, and when we imitate God and seek His kingdom first and foremost, then he takes care of all of our necessities, and it's just the economy of heaven, and I think it is a very important word.
Speaker 2:I'm glad you brought this up because you know we live in the day and time where people sometimes struggle with why they should even give tithe to the church, you know, and a few churches emphasize the importance of tithing. But it is good to understand that, beyond tithe, our generosity is Christ-like, god-like, and if we want to be the imitators of Christ, we can't avoid that aspect of it. So I appreciate you bringing this up. I think, yes, all these words of wisdom are from you, are like golden nuggets, and I know that they're going to encourage and bless and maybe even transform the lives of some of those who are listening. Thank you so much for joining me and it's a treasure to talk to you and I wish you the very best as you continue to share the gospel and share the Lord with others.
Speaker 3:Well, thank you, helen. And let me add one PS to this. Too many times people do their paying, their tithing giving of offerings, and expect God to jump and do things for them. I have found that you cannot plant corn one day and have roast in the earth for lunch the next day. God has to see that you are sincere, that you mean what you're doing from the heart, and he has to have time for you to be seasoned.
Speaker 3:Because it didn't happen immediately when we started going beyond the tide. It didn't happen immediately. It happened down the road, maybe six months, maybe a year, maybe five years. I'm happy to say that it did happen when we just kept on being faithful. We knew that God promised he'd keep his promise, but I can tell you there was time when it was hard for us to pay ties, but not anymore, because we've learned you can't out give God, and so I wanted to be sure that people did not go out and say, well, I'm gonna give everything I've got. Well, the Lord didn't say that he wants you to be sensible about it, but he wants you to trust him to take care of you, and as his servants, I think God jumps at the opportunity to take care of us. I believe that and I'm thankful that he does.
Speaker 2:To sum up what you heard in this interview, I have jotted down five principles that Cecil outlined for us through this conversation, and these principles will help you fireproof your faith against various challenges. Principle number one a personal crisis does not have to lead to a spiritual crisis, as long as we keep our eyes on Jesus. In fact, it is an opportunity to grow our faith and deepen the intimacy of our relationship with Christ. Number two it is okay to argue with God In fact, we have some biblical examples of it as long as you're willing to let him God have the last word. When we disobey God, we miss opportunities and, in the end, we derail our life, but God always gives us confirmation of the direction he's leading us in. Principle number three is in the midst of a crisis, there is an opportunity for a miracle, and we are to expect it and we are to allow room for it. Principle number four while dealing with the present, keep your eyes on the big picture. Embrace the future, whatever it holds, as long as this future has Jesus in it. And finally, principle number five and what I call the divine economy of God's kingdom to experience secure provision, practice generosity, daily. This is not about. This is not has nothing to do with prosperity.
Speaker 2:Gospel you don't give to receive. You give because you want to be like Christ. You want to be like God, you want to practice this divine generosity and as you do it, you experience secure provision in your life, and this is how the kingdom of God works. If your life has been changed by Christ, you know that this was the most important thing that has ever happened to you, and there are so many people around the world today who have not heard the gospel, who have not found salvation and hope through Christ. This is why God gave us the great commission, and if you want to answer the call to missions and share Christ around the world through short-term missions opportunities, I encourage you to visit our website, rfwaorg, and see how you can get involved.
Speaker 2:In April of next year April 3rd, 4th and 5th we will host our annual conference Greater Purpose Conference in Branson, missouri, and I encourage you to find out more about it on our website. Again, it's rfwaorg. This is going to be an exciting event. We will be celebrating our 25th anniversary and Cecil Todd will be one of the speakers at this conference. Thank you for listening. Until next time. I'm Helen Todd.
Speaker 1:Limitless Spirit Podcast is produced by World Missions Alliance. We believe that changed lives change lives. If you want to see your life transformed by Christ's love, or if you want to help those who are hurting and hopeless and discover your greater purpose in serving Christ through short-term missionary work, check out our website, rfwaorg, and find out how to get involved.