Following God's Calling

Introduction

This past Friday marked four years since I came here to Victory Bible Church as Pastor

God Appoints our Location

Acts 17:26–28 NKJV

And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings, so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; for in Him we live and move and have our being, as also some of your own poets have said, ‘For we are also His offspring.’

In the late 1920 grandfather and family moved to New York State from Canada

In 1940 registered for the Draft (yet he was younger)

Met a guy at a square dance and that guy brought him back to his house where he met his future wife, my grandmother. The man he met was my grandma’s brother.

Born into a family out of wedlock, but a family that loved me and took me to church

Prayers of a mother and grandparents for their grandson

Calling to Repentance

The Apostle Paul gave his testimony of how he came to Jesus Christ in Acts 26

Acts 26:1–18 NKJV

Then Agrippa said to Paul, “You are permitted to speak for yourself.” So Paul stretched out his hand and answered for himself: “I think myself happy, King Agrippa, because today I shall answer for myself before you concerning all the things of which I am accused by the Jews, especially because you are expert in all customs and questions which have to do with the Jews. Therefore I beg you to hear me patiently. “My manner of life from my youth, which was spent from the beginning among my own nation at Jerusalem, all the Jews know. They knew me from the first, if they were willing to testify, that according to the strictest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee. And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made by God to our fathers. To this promise our twelve tribes, earnestly serving God night and day, hope to attain. For this hope’s sake, King Agrippa, I am accused by the Jews. Why should it be thought incredible by you that God raises the dead? “Indeed, I myself thought I must do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. This I also did in Jerusalem, and many of the saints I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I cast my vote against them. And I punished them often in every synagogue and compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly enraged against them, I persecuted them even to foreign cities. “While thus occupied, as I journeyed to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests, at midday, O king, along the road I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining around me and those who journeyed with me. And when we all had fallen to the ground, I heard a voice speaking to me and saying in the Hebrew language, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’ So I said, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ And He said, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But rise and stand on your feet; for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to make you a minister and a witness both of the things which you have seen and of the things which I will yet reveal to you. I will deliver you from the Jewish people, as well as from the Gentiles, to whom I now send you, to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.’

Tell my story

Faithful Men and Women

2 Timothy 2:2 NKJV

And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.

Not only my grandparents, but pastors, Sunday school teachers

Keith Knauss and Nellie (1950 / 1949)

Chris Wintermute

Ron and Elaine Park (1984)

John Terry (1986)

A Time of Rebellion / Time of Training

Hebrews 12:3–11 NKJV

For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls. You have not yet resisted to bloodshed, striving against sin. And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons: “My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, Nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him; For whom the Lord loves He chastens, And scourges every son whom He receives.” If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons. Furthermore, we have had human fathers who corrected us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much more readily be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live? For they indeed for a few days chastened us as seemed best to them, but He for our profit, that we may be partakers of His holiness. Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

Time in my life when I didn’t care to go to church, read the Bible

Later in 1999 - Left Behind series

Repentance

Brothers in Christ came beside me

Refocusing in God / Reading the Word

Moving from King James to NKJV

Preparing for Service

Visiting Practical Bible in February 22, 2001

Knowing I should attend there after High School

Youth Group

Missionary Committee

Preaching one Sunday at Scipio

More Training

Practical / Davis

West Corners Baptist

Adult Sunday School

VBS

Deacon

Trustee

Secretary

Treasurer

Pulpit Supply

In Class room and out of classroom

Papua New Guinea a time to be stretched

Camp Ministry 2001-2006

2018

Saturday, February 24, 2018 at 9:17 AM

Subject: Help

Hi Cory it is Chris Radtke (pastor Ron radtke wife..he is pastor of Victory Bible Church in Junedale).....when you get this

can you please call me asap at home 570 4547139 or my cell 570 582 4905..it is extremely important you call me as as

soon as you get this. Thank you Godbless

February 28, 2018 - Funeral

Time after

Prayer upstairs

Coming down for Palm Sunday and preaching on the Priestly Prayer

Rudy Holland the week after Resurrection Sunday and the call to Victory Bible.

The Journey these past four years

Ruth

Romans

Jonah

Now Daniel and soon the Gospels

Growing in Christ

My Story and Your Story is still being written

Let God continue to write our stories together as we serve Him. Be the faithful men and women to others. We have been placed here for such a time as this. Let us be faithful to the calling God has for each of us as we serve Him from this mission headquarters in Junedale, PA.