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CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE

GOD’S INTERVENTION IN THE LIFE OF THE AUTHOR

A personal testimony:

When I was a teenager, I considered myself a “nerd, first class.” I was tall, skinny, had many moles on my face, wore glasses, and I had buck teeth. My school grades were poor. I disliked sports, and my devotion in life was to live as a Christian. (Needless to say, my passion was not a popular pastime with most of my peers.) The few dates I managed to get ended in disaster. I viewed girls like a person views the lottery. A girlfriend would be wonderful but was a dream that I never expected to have come true. It was during these self-conscious years that I experienced the darkest days of my life. My father died. Due to his death, I quit school to operate the business he had left behind. I was so lonely! In my desperation of loneliness, I went out back of my father’s garage and knelt down by some old machinery. The sky was clear and the stars were shining brightly as I poured my heart’s desire out to God.

Shortly after this, I made a quick trip to Florida and returned by train. My mother asked the girl who I liked if she would accompany her to the train station. She was not interested, but her visiting cousin said, “I’ll go!” And so, when I exited the train, I was not only greeted by my mother but also by the answer to my prayer.

From that day to this, I have never ceased being thrilled. Arlean has never noticed that I was too tall, too slow, too religious, and didn’t like sports. She didn’t even seem to notice that I wore glasses and had buck teeth. For over 45 years, she has been my constant companion, my friend and lover, the mother of my children, and the encourager of my faith. I am convinced that I will go to my grave with a prayer of thanksgiving on my lips to the God of heaven who specializes in answering impossible prayers.

God’s gift to me of a beautiful, loving, devoted wife proves to me that God still intervenes in the affairs of man.

God has thrilled my life time after time as He continually answers my prayers.

In the 1960’s, I worked in a factory with a very negative person. I did not like being around this person, but I determined that I would live the Christian life, no matter how difficult it was sometimes to keep my focus. Eventually, I left that job and my family and I traveled half way across the continent where I attended a Bible school for two years. There were times we did not know where the next meal would be coming from. We prayed often for our daily bread. Time after time, God answered those prayers by sending us money through a person from back home. The money came from the one of whom I’d least expected it, the person that I did not like.

I struggled for a long time, in the early 1970’s, in my study of predestination. I just could not understand what God was trying to say. I lay on my back on the front pew of an empty church building and begged God to open my understanding. Lightening flashed; thunder rolled; and at that exact moment, an idea came to me from “out of nowhere.” -- Since God can see into the future, what we do in the future determines what God did in the past. Suddenly, I felt that I understood. The cobwebs were gone, and I had peace.

Years later, our son was receiving so many invitations to speak away from home that he finally decided to go full time into the traveling ministry. At one time, the finances were so low he had to use money from his little boy’s “piggy” bank to buy groceries. We did a lot of praying for him. A few days later, we received a check for him from an anonymous giver, through a third party, in the amount of $5,000.

In October, 1995, a heart specialist told me that my heart was nearly perfect. A few tests later revealed that I had six main arteries to my heart that needed bypasses immediately. Several hours after the operation, it was determined that the bleeding was not going to stop so I was taken back into surgery and reopened for evaluation. When I was taken off the respirator the second time, I was sure that I was going to die. My son found the only private place he could, in a bathroom stall beside the commode, and there he knelt down and poured out his heart to God for me. Many of my friends across the nation were also praying for me. The Elders of the Church of Christ in Springfield, IL, came to my bed, anointed my head with oil, and prayed. As I was starting to recover, a nurse told me that deep depression was to be expected after a heart operation, but I don’t think my feet touched the ground for six months. I was filled with awe because God was merciful enough to hear our prayers and extend my life.

During the time of my operation and recovery, I went for nearly two months without a cent of income and received a bill for over $85,000 to top it off. I wondered how I would ever see financial daylight again. We prayed a lot and praise God, all that debt has now been paid.

After working for six and a half years at a business where I almost never received a complaint about my work, I received four complaints within the space of less than two weeks. As I analyzed the situation, I began to realize that my hospital experience had raised the company’s insurance rates through the roof. I concluded that I was going to be forced out of my job one way or the other in order to reduce their insurance premiums. My faith was not as high as it should have been at that time, and I was sinking into a nervous exhaustion. In tears, I confessed to my son that I didn’t know what to do. He said, “Dad, you must quit your job for the sake of your health. I need you as my office manager, to print books, and to take my phone calls while I am away on preaching engagements.” But Sonny hardly had enough money to live on. Where would he get enough to support both of us? We prayed, and God answered another prayer. Several years have now passed since I drew my last pay check, and

I continue to eat every day. God is so good!

On July 29, 1998, we had only $17.00. A special contribution was taken up at church, and I gave $5.00. The next day we received a check back that we had sent to the hospital for $25. When we called them the next day, we explained that we owed them $125. The person at the hospital said, “No, your account has been paid in full and that is why we returned your $25. payment.”

On Wednesday, October 13, 1999, I was diagnosed with melanoma cancer. The doctor said, “With as many types of cancer as there are, this is the one that I would least want to have.” We were completely without cash. I had an appointment at the VA Hospital 119 miles from home. We needed money to purchase gas, $42 to pay for an earlier doctor’s appointment, and $42 for this one. After the mid-week Bible study, a dear friend walked up to us and handed us an envelope with $120 in it.

The final report was that the operation was a success, and all cancer was removed.

On December 10, we saw a “Bag Lady” holding up a sign, “Need Food.” We gave her our last $5.

On December 11, we received a card in the mail just saying, “Thinking of you.” The card was not signed but enclosed was $90 in cash.

In June, 2000, Sonny’s old van was falling apart. He had received invitations to speak to five congregations in California. Stepping out on faith, he took out a loan, and he purchased a good used van for about $15,000.

On July 25, 2000, Sonny was leaving for California. He did not have the money for the trip, so he filled the tank and charged it to his credit card. He was leaving for California, even if he didn’t have any cash in his pocket. God had always taken care of him, and he knew He would now. Three hours before he was to leave, we received another check from an anonymous giver, through a third party, for $15,000.

September 8, 2000: My wife, Arlean, had been praying for a friend of ours who lived near Olney, Illinois. She prayed that he would be able to hire a driver for his truck so he could be at home to do his harvesting. At noon, the friend’s wife came by. She told us that her husband was trucking in Michigan and had called home. Her husband was all excited because a man just asked if he could be his driver.

September, 2000: I have never understood what Jesus taught in Matthew 24. It seemed to me he was answering three questions, but his answers were all mingled together. I wrestled with the passage for a long time. I considered it from every conceivable angle, and I begged God for an understanding. Suddenly, words came to my mind, “There will be no sign!” Ah, there are really just two questions. The first, “When will the temple and Jerusalem fall?” The second: “When will Jesus come back?” Jesus answered the second question many different ways but always with the same conclusion, “There will be no sign.” Wow, how wonderful to be able to ask the God of the universe for understanding and to receive a relief to your anxiety. I would caution the reader here to put all such new ideas to the test. If, indeed, they are from God, they will stand the test of comparing them to His Holy Word. If they don’t harmonize with the teaching of the Bible, they must be rejected. See Galatians. 1:6.

In October, 2004, we saw a woman in need. We borrowed $100 and gave it to her. About 12 hours later, a different woman handed me a small wad of money and said, “I want you to have this to help with your traveling expenses.” I had not mentioned that I was low on finances nor that I had given away $100. After I left this woman’s presence I counted the money. There was exactly $100.00.

On February 16, 2005, a car backed into me as I was backing out of the Wal-Mart parking lot. The woman suggested that she pay for her damages and I should pay for mine. I got an estimate of the cost to repair the damage and it was nearly $1,200. I learned that my deductible was $500. I felt that I would just have to drive around with my door caved in because I didn’t have the cash to get it fixed. I called the police station to see if I needed to fill out an accident report. They told me to come down to the station. I then gathered up my driver’s license, insurance papers, and – where was the owner’s card? I could only find last year’s card. I looked at my license plate and nearly died. I was to renew my plate last November, but we had never received a notice so I just had not thought about it. I remembered once that my son bought a trailer in Indiana with a one month’s temporary tag. He took the trailer to Arkansas, and before the month was over, he went in to get his tags. They informed him that Arkansas’ laws are different than Indiana’s and, therefore, he had to pay a daily fine for as many days that he had the trailer but did not have a permanent tag. I then thought of the amount of time I had driven without a proper license, and I became very concerned! I started praying for God’s mercy. At the station, the officer said, “Let’s go look at your car.” My heart jumped into my throat. He walked right up to the bumper and wrote down my license number, looked at the door and said, “Come on back into the station.” I could almost feel the hand cuffs! After asking a couple more questions he told me I could go. God is so good.

I headed straight for the place where I could purchase a new license plate sticker and I put it on. The next day, the lady’s insurance adjuster came by and informed me that his client was at fault, and he gave me a check for the full amount of the repair. God is so good! Then, he asked me if I had transportation while my car was being fixed. I told him I did not. He then said that his insurance company would rent a car for me to drive while my car was being repaired. GOD IS SO GOOD – ALL THE TIME!!!

God promised me that if I would keep his commandments, He would bless me, and He always does!

It is impossible for God to lie,”

Hebrews 6:18.

In our study together, we have seen that God has consistently left His tracks of intervention all the way from Adam’s house to the door step of our hearts, yours and mine.

God has always kept His promise to reward the righteous and bring sorrow on the unrighteous. God’s fantastic promise is as relevant and sure today as it was when He first gave it to the children of Israel.

There are certain things we need to fear, but knowing that God keeps His promises should set us free from our misdirected fears and give us peace.

God still honors those who honor Him.

When we are tempted to fall back under our old misguided fears, we need to remember Jonathan’s words, “Nothing can hinder the Lord from saving, whether by many or by few.” And we need to tell the Devil David’s words, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty.”

Continue to build your faith.

Watch for opportunities to expand your service to God.

Relax and live in the joy that God has provided for you.

We need to observe one thing more. When we see the sin in our country, many of us think of the curses God promised on those who do not obey Him. We need to be aware of the penalty for sin, but we also need to be reminded that events occurred all through history when it appeared that all was hopeless, then God intervened.

It should encourage all of us to remember that ever since the Pilgrims came to America, there has always been a great revival near the beginning of each new century.

Trust God. Relax in His love, and get ready for a national revival!