Following Jesus — Hans R. Waldvogel

Following Jesus' Call and Forsaking Everything

I told you how for a whole year I cried and prayed and prayed and cried and cried and prayed and prayed and cried Till I had no more tears to shed because God was leading me. I didn't mean I didn't mean that I didn't like to follow him, but it meant to forsake everything on this earth everything that was dear to me.

Everything that didn't bother me one bit either. Good career in business. Two churches had been offered to me. I could have just sat in and had a salary offered me and acquire to direct and Sunday school to take care of and lots of people who loved me and To give all that up all those things did not bother me.

Sacrificing Family for God's Call

But to give up my father who was the dearest friend I had on earth and my mother and to break their hearts. That was one item that I could not enjoy and so for a whole Year, I cried and prayed because God made that way Before me so clear and I said God I will go but I can't I don't know how and Then the Lord opened the way for me In the marvelous way and he led me out of that church that I was in into a Pentecostal assembly a Pentecostal church and gave me a Pentecostal experience and a Pentecostal call that's 48 years ago Before you were born.

But anyway at that time God had given me that text that I often quote and I quote it again because today I happened to find a picture of all the men that I worked with in my shop and the bench I worked at.

Upon which I wrote that text. He shall bring it to pass and I held on to that because the way seemed so narrow and so rugged and so thorny and Everybody advised me against it and yet I knew it was the way that Jesus was Leading me and so when I got into the ministry I found out that also was a hard road to travel.

Entering the Ministry Through a Difficult Road

I didn't expect that I thought it would be all heaven but it wasn't it was harder than anything I ever been in before even in the Baptist Church and Then I came to a convention. Right after I got into the ministry a large church in the city of Milwaukee Where all the Pentecostal people came together and I was told that the church had dried up from the roots.

They told me that in two years time Nobody ever got the baptism in that church. But at any rate here they were and they were having a good program. About all close to ten ministers on the platform and of course, I was the tail end.

I was the youngest of all and I Reluctantly came along and sat at the end and the man in charge. Mr. Fokler Whose wife didn't live with him because she said I didn't marry a preacher. I married a builder and when he became a preacher she left him.

But for that convention she came to sing a duet with him that was an event that was interesting. I said the millennium must be at end when the lion and the lamb lie down together and They sang this hymn Jesus leaves.

It went to my heart. I knew Jesus had led me in a most marvelous way and when they were through All the preachers had spoken. He said want to hear from that young man down at the at the end there. So I got up and all I remember saying was well, Jesus really leave.

The Manifestation of God's Power in the Congregation

I must have said some more than that and then something happened that frightened me the power of God fell upon that place and the whole gang rose up and they lifted their hands and they began to shout and laugh and yell and Clap their hands and and stamp their feet and the power of God swept through that place.

I thought my goodness What did I do? I thought it sure made a fool of myself. Well, sir, the result was Phenomenal. God just did that somehow to give me a start to a Pentecostal ministry, I Saw that it was not by might or by power but by the Spirit of God and I hadn't done anything about it except to testify to the fact that Jesus really had led and Even though he led me through a dark valley here.

He led me to himself and You know, the strange thing was this that even sinners felt. There was a man that said to his wife after the meeting say you always talk about power. I felt it today unreal and Of course a lot of doors open preachers said I want I want that young man to come and be my assistant another one said I want him in my church and Mr. Finner was my boss.

He said nothing doing so nothing came of it but anyway, that was the beginning of a life of letting Jesus go before and The reason I speak of it is because I remember that day so well mind you just at the beginning of this long long stretch of road and today looking back over 48 years and Having this living testimony that Jesus Christ really led He really led and he's really leading and he will still bring it to pass Thank God.

Trusting Jesus as Guide and Pilot

I don't care how long eternity is. He'll be my guide. He'll be my pilot praise the Lord when the universe bends back on itself like Einstein says or not. I don't know whether we're going to slide down the Milky Way Sunday on skis.

I don't know but I know that he Will bring it to pass as long as I let him leave. And that's the privilege of every child of God. I will guide thee with mine eye, but it says don't be as the mule or as the horse.

How many of us are like mules and like horses and no matter how many blows we get? We'll still have our own these lessons. Thank God and I'm very very very happy and very very very thankful to God today to look back over 48 years and say he was better to me than all my hopes and Better than all my fears and he has fulfilled all The promises he made in such a marvelous way that I can recommend him to everybody.

Everybody these young boys here all these young people everybody I can recommend him. The wonderful thing about this guide is that he is within you. He is the pilot of this jet airliner. This body doesn't belong to me.

It belongs to him. This life is not mine. It's his it's his life. He's as interested in my life as he's in his own. Thank God. I told you how I became the co-pilot of mr. Uter and how he let me one day just get the feel of that High that wheel his eagles are the wheel, but he didn't see this wheel.

This was the wheel of an airliner and my what a wonderful thing for me to guide an airliner left and right and up and down and If and while he hadn't been in there, I might have turned a somersault. But I thought of her hanging from the ceiling that would never do but at any rate.

You know if I had continued that I wouldn't be here tonight. We sure had a crack up and if you continue guiding yourself, you'll have a crack up as sure as you live. But here is Jesus. I will guide him and he really done.

Putting on the Whole Armor of God

Surely the Lord Jesus is calling us to go forward. How many will he just call? How many will put on the whole armor of God that's been tailored to your time? By God himself the girl of right the helmet of salvation.

The shoes of the preparation of the gospel of peace the sword of the spirit and the shield. Who will be recruited today and you into the army of the great Champion of your salvation as sure as we've been sitting here in his presence.

Jesus Christ has been marching up and down in this place and looking at your heart and calling hearts and calling men and women after himself and boys and girls too because the Lamb is going to go through this earth with a Triumphant marches and they that are with him are the call and the chosen and the faithful.

And if he's called you you can make yourself chosen by getting up and putting on the whole armor of God. And hearkening diligently unto the voice of the spirit. He will never mislead you. He will still lead you out of darkness into light and lead you from glory to glory.

The Call to Obey God's Will

And that goes for everyone in this meeting full sign up tonight.

Jesus spoken out of high heaven so many times that every one of you could stay. And honestly.

Confess that you know the will of God and you know exactly what I want you to do. And you know exactly the way that I am leading you and don't you know that heaven and earth shall pass away. But he that doest the will of God abideth forever.

What are you waiting for? Come on put on the whole armor of God and Make the devil know that he is a defeated foe and that you are one of the overcomers because you're following the great champion of your salvation.

Praying to Fight the Good Fight of Faith

And we believe that you will enable us in a new way to fight the good side of faith more successfully.

We take the equipment that you give us Jesus. You take Lord Jesus that which you offer us tonight. And we do believe Lord that you add to that that you've already done.