Our Divine Appointment

     Many of you have asked how my husband and I came to know Christ as our Lord and Savior.  So on this throwback Thursday, I am reposting our story that I originally published in April of 2011 with a few updates.  I pray you are blessed as you look back with us at our beginning appointment with God.


          Story telling is an art, but I believe that when you have lived the story it becomes even more powerful.  Our story (my husband's and mine) started on April 20, 1971.  This was the night that both of us had a divine appointment with the Lord.
     We had been raised attending Presbyterian churches in our respective communities.  Both of us had gone through catechism and confirmation as well, but neither of us were really believers.  We had head knowledge about Christ, but a full awakening to His call had not yet come into our lives.
     When we met, we were college students.  I was studying communications and English at a small college and he was studying engineering at a well known school.  In both of our lives, individually, we sensed an emptiness.  I tried different churches to find the answers and even went so far as to dabble with the occult never realizing any danger.  By God's grace, He protected me from all the

things I could have fallen into.
     For my husband's part, he found during his scientific studies that there was wonderful order in the universe.  He felt that God had to have put it all together, but he also found himself wishing that God would come back to earth to stop the injustice, crime and pain.  Both of us were looking for answers.
     We became engaged in 1970, and went on with our education.  He began professional studies and I started post graduate work at Ohio State University.  During that time, we had met a married couple that we developed a friendship with.  On one visit to their home, we came in on a conversation they were having with a fellow from Campus Crusade for Christ.  He was telling them about Jesus Christ and how one day He would return again to the earth.  This captured our attention.  We listened until he was finished, and wanting to hear more, we set up a date to meet with him.
     Knowing we were planning to be married, we had visited several area churches, but found no real answers there.  Now, we would have an opportunity to meet with someone who had intrigued us.  He had a real relationship with Christ which we found attractive.
     On the appointed evening, he shared his testimony with us.  Then, he went through "The Four Spiritual Laws" booklet with us as well.  Along the way, he explained to us what sin was and how we were separated from God.  He, then, told us how Christ had been the perfect sacrifice that took away our sins.  We both heard that inner voice in our hearts that called us to repent and receive the gift of salvation.  God had awakened us from our death sleep and quickened our hearts to know Him in full relationship.  As we prayed, there was no emotional jolt or giddy high.  It was a solemn commitment of our lives to the only One who could really give us both peace.
     As our new brother in Christ got ready to leave, he gave us Bibles with the date and time of our commitment written on the front page.  He also invited us to a college Bible study for new believers.  We agreed to attend because we did want to learn more, and thus, began our 43 year adventure with Jesus Christ.
     We were married three months after our commitment to the Lord.  With this foundation, our marriage is about to enjoy a 44th anniversary in a few more months.  God has brought us through good times, bad times, and all the in between.  We have home educated our four children and taught them to follow hard after the Lord in their lives.  Now, He has allowed us to be blessed with eight grandchildren, and we could not be more content to walk with Him.
     My husband and I were living examples of two people who were church members, had been through catechism classes and attended on a regular basis, but we were not Christians.  There are many out there like us just waiting for someone to introduce them to the Lord.  We never know when someone has a divine appointment with the Lord, but we are commanded to go and tell and leave the rest to God.
     Coming to a place in your life where you realize you have a need that nothing or no one can meet could be the turning point for you.  I encourage you to seek the Lord while He may be found, and He will never disappoint you.  Confession of your sins, sincere repentance of them and complete commitment of your life to Him will open the door to a whole new life.  You will be a new creation as my husband and I were on that night in April.  Do not tarry.  Make that decision to hear His voice when He calls to you.  We are so glad that we answered Him when He knocked on the door of our hearts.  Selah!

Excuses, Excuses

     Many years ago, a singing group came to our small town and offered some wonderful music and a great testimony for Christ.  I will never forget one of the songs they sang that has stayed in my mind through the years called "Excuses".  The chorus goes like this:  "Excuses, excuses, you'll hear them every day.  And the Devil he'll supply them, if from church you stay away.  When people come to know the Lord, the Devil always loses.  So to keep them folks away from church, he offers them excuses."  Its a catchy tune too which will stay in your head for a long time.  Of course, the point of this song is to show us how often we hide behind excuses when it comes to attending church, reading the Bible, or even obeying the Lord.
     Perhaps the best example comes from the book of Exodus.  Moses has ascended Mt. Sinai to receive from God His commandments.  The people had promised to obey God and remain faithful to Him, but this soon changed as Moses was gone for a period of 40 days.  Restless and impatient, the people came to Aaron (the brother of Moses and high priest of God).  They

St Giles Cathedral

did not know what had become of Moses so they asked Aaron to make gods for them (Exodus 32:1).  Aaron obliged them by calling for all the gold jewelry which the Israelites had taken from the Egyptians.  He melted the gold and formed a calf which he proclaimed was their god.  They built an altar and planned a feast for the next day (read the entire chapter for a detailed account).
     While the people played and danced around this idol of gold, God told Moses what was going on below.  The Lord burned with anger, but Moses interceded for them.  When he came down the mountain, he witnessed the children of Israel sinning against God.  He came to Aaron and this is the conversation they had in verses 21-24:  "And Moses said to Aaron, 'What did this people do to you that you have brought such a great sin upon them?'  And Aaron said, 'Let not the anger of my lord burn hot.  You know the people, that they are set on evil.  For they said to me, 'Make us gods who shall go before us.  As for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.'  So I said to them, 'Let any who have gold take it off.  So they gave it to me, and I threw it in the fire, and out came the calf.'"  What a conversation!  I am amazed that God allowed Aaron to continue in the priesthood after such poor leadership in the absence of Moses.  However, God worked all things together for good as He always does.
     If we look closely at this excuse that Aaron offered up, we can note several characteristics which we need to watch for in our own lives lest we also fall into sin.  First, Aaron laid the blame on others rather than owning up to his part in the act of rebellion.  He called the people evil, but wasn't he also one of those who participated?  Instead of putting the blame on the people, he should have acknowledged his failure to obey God and repent.  The Bible tells us clearly that "if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (I John 1:9).
     Secondly, he side stepped his responsibility to lead the people in the absence of Moses.  He was left in charge and served as the mouthpiece of Moses.  It is hard to know if he was afraid of the people or if he, himself, doubted God, but he definitely did not exercise good leadership.  A leader does not blame the people he cares for, but helps to guide them away from the danger of sin.
     Finally, the greatest excuse of all was given when Aaron tried to explain where the golden idol came from.  Instead of admitting his full, guilty partnership in these actions, Aaron said that he threw the gold jewelry into the fire and out came the calf.  This is beyond absurd to make such a claim!  Obviously, someone had to fashion this gold animal and proclaim a feast.  Since Aaron was set as the authority over the people, it is apparent that he was involved.
     From this story, we learn that nothing is ever hidden from God.  Our sins will always find us out.  We also see that there are consequences to our actions.  Many of the people (3,000 men) died by the sword.  Our excuses do not remove God's judgment for sin.
     One of the great blessings from reading the Word is that it serves as a mirror for us to look into daily.  God has placed these stories in the Bible to instruct us and turn us away from falling into the same temptation and feeble excuses.  Aaron tried to get around the issue that he fashioned that golden calf, but he made himself look silly...as though jewelry could jump into a fire and come out a calf.  This is how silly we appear before the Lord of heaven when we use excuses for disobedience to our duty to God as well as our duty to our neighbor.  We must remember that God delights in our obedience much more than any thing we can offer to Him.  Let us, therefore, strive to avoid excuses and live a life of holiness that will bring glory to God.  Selah!
   

The Richness of Fellowship

     Growing up in farm country, I always looked forward to Sunday gatherings.  After attending church service, we would go out to lunch with my grandparents to a local restaurant to enjoy family

fellowship. At other times, we would travel to the small community of Holgate, Ohio where my mother had grown up to visit relatives.  Of course, the most happy times were family reunions when many of the cousins would come and visit.  These were times of warm fellowship.
     Unfortunately, today, most families live separated from one another by many miles.  The Internet, television, cell phones and other electronic gadgets make the world seem smaller, but they are not the same as being together.  There is something special about sitting around a table and discussing the Lord or having a chance to pray for one another.  Not only is it stimulating, but it also is biblical.
     In talking about the church and believers, the Lord, Himself, stated "For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them."  When we think of church, we think of a building, a large congregation, and perhaps the worship service itself.  Yet, in the context of this verse, Jesus is saying that even when two or three are together gathered for fellowship and prayer, He is there among them.  This is the value of relationships in Christ.  We were never meant to be off by ourselves in isolation.  We not only need to be in Christ, but we also need one another.
     Hebrews 10:24-25 admonishes believers to come together for the purpose of edification:  "And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near."  Looking at the times in which we live, can any of us say we don't need to stick together or encourage one another?  Truly, the Day of the Lord is drawing near.  We do not know when, but we need to find ways to build each other up in Christ.
     When my husband and I came to the Lord through Campus Crusade for Christ, we went to a Bible study at the student union so we could learn more about the decision we had made.  During one of the meetings the leader gave the illustration of a camp fire in relation to our growth.  He said that when all the logs were together the fire burned brightly.  However, if a log was removed and put over to one side, it eventually went out.  He pointed out that in order to grow in our faith we needed regular fellowship to keep the fire of the Spirit burning.  There was strength, blessing and power when we met around the Word of God.  I have never forgotten that example, and our family has always sought ways to find time to worship both in church as well as with other Christians even in relaxed settings.
     A friend of ours gave us a sign once that said "Christ is the head of this home, the unseen Host at every meal".  It is good to remember this because fellowship is something that takes place every day both in the work place and in our homes.  Wouldn't it make a difference if we remembered that where two or three believers are gathered the Lord is there?  It might change our conversation and how we behave.
     There is deep warmth in Christian fellowship and in corporate worship.  To miss out on it is to deny ourselves the blessings that only the Body of Christ can provide.  As Paul pointed out in his letter to the Corinthian Church, one part of the body cannot say it does not need another.  We need all the parts in order to have the ability to function as Christ has commanded (I Cor. 12:19-26).  In the context of fellowship we find people who can cry with us or laugh with us.  We sharpen each other and encourage one another.  All of these things happen when believers come together.

     People today do not spend time together like they used to do.  No more Sunday afternoon drives to visit relatives and play games.  Instead, most of us boot up the computer and talk to friends on Facebook.  However, there is no substitute for the real thing.  Jesus knew that and encouraged us to spend time with one another.  He promised to be there in the middle of it when we prayed and studied His Word together.  How could we want to miss out on that?  Therefore, if we get an invitation to join in a small group, a church service or a home fellowship time, we should be quick to say yes!  It is our opportunity to keep our hearts burning for Christ just like the log on a campfire. Even more, we can encourage others in their growth as well.  Selah!