God Guides: (With His Word)

By Rev. Jack R. Baumgarn

Rev. Jack R. Baumgarn was a biblical preacher, teacher, evangelist, and counselor. He feels his help from God and his guidance with his Word will help pastors and laypeople in their walk with the Lord. He strongly believes that whatever happens to a person in life, God can and will guide a person in life.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Jul 30, 2021
• ISBN: 9781098098742

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God Guides

(With His Word)

Rev. Jack R. Baumgarn

Copyright © 2021 by Rev. Jack R. Baumgarn

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods without the prior written permission of the publisher. For permission requests, solicit the publisher via the address below.

Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.

832 Park Avenue

Meadville, PA 16335

www.christianfaithpublishing.com

Printed in the United States of America

Table of Contents

Chapter 1

Introduction

Iwas raised on a farm and became a pastor. Wow! Who am I? I am a sinner, but the Holy Spirit moved me to believe in Jesus Christ, who lived the perfect life for me, suffered and even died on the cross for me and then rose from the grave for me.

I am about to share with you parts of my life and how God guided me through my life, especially with His Word. Hopefully, it will help you in seeing how God can and will guide you also in your life.

Iwas born in the hospital at Worthington, Minnesota (located in Southwest Minnesota). I was baptized into the Christian faith at Trinity Lutheran Church in Sioux Valley, Minnesota. I believe, like with Jeremiah, God already had a purpose for me. My mother said that at the age of two, I got pneumonia and almost died.

God Guides: My parents did not believe in abortion but the life God gives. Sons are a heritage from the Lord, children a reward from him (Psalm 127:3). My parents also believed in the power of baptism. For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ (Galatians 3:27). As with Jeremiah, God had a purpose for me. Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart (Jeremiah 1:5).

In my first five years, my father and mother ran a general store called the Sioux Valley store. It was a general store that had food, clothing, gas, tires fixing, etc. It was very popular and was located across from the Trinity Lutheran Church, of which we were members. At about the age of three or four, I was playing with the pastor’s son, who was my same age. We got into my dad’s shed where there was paint. We started painting the inside of the shed (which really upset Dad). The two of us also got unto our Oliver tractor, started it up, and took off across the field. I still remember seeing a group of people running after us because the tractor was heading for a creek. But we shut the tractor off just in time. Again, Dad was really upset with me.

God Guides: It certainly showed my sinful condition. I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me (Psalm 51:5). All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23).

A sideline to my life is a story my dad told me later. He and the Lutheran pastor were close friends. My dad always enjoyed fishing and hunting. So one day, he took the pastor hunting. (My dad, by that time, was starting to drink alcohol.) Well, as the ducks were coming in, Dad was shooting the ducks down, and the pastor was not. (Dad was always a good shot.) After a few shots, Dad would take a drink of alcohol.

Finally, the pastor looked at Dad and said, Does that stuff [the alcohol] really help the shooting?

God Guides: It shows how people are looking at us for good or bad. Do not follow the crowd in doing wrong (Exodus 23:2). He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm (Proverbs 13:20).