SAUL AND ANANIAS MET IN THIS CHAPTER * BY APPOINTMENT OF GOD; WORLD HISTORY CHANGED BY THIS MEETING

• Life is no accident - God's hand is still in control in spite of all that man can do spitefully
• Saul - on his way to harass Christians - Ananias, certain disciple, contact no accident -
• We have the gospel today because these two men met - & both were brought to submission to God.  What part in eternal history might you play if you let God lead you?  Try it and see!

I.- AN APPOINTMENT WITH DESTINY  Acts 9:1-20  But God still controls universe.
     It is strange how man has free will - we choose our own path - Heaven or Hell!

A. SAUL, MAN OF THE PHARISEE, WAS ABOUT HIS PRIME BUSINESS, ON HIS WAY TO DAMASCUS

• On the road to Damascus - he met a blinding light! waiting just for him - smote blind, helpless
• This is the most famous conversion of History! Would he have met the Lord had he not persecuted Him?
• Even though he answered right - 5,6 - he was left helpless v.8,9 - til another appointment

B. ANANIAS, A FRIGHTENED, BUT OBEDIENT DISCIPLE, WAS CALLED UPON TO KEEP AN APPOINTMENT - v.10

• When God spoke v.10- his answer "Here am I, Lord" showed he was ready for orders - 12,13
• He voiced his objection -13 - and God clarified the orders -15,16 and he obeyed and went.
• For the Jews - the laying on of hands preceded the Holy Spirit - & Paul's sight came back

C. THE RESULT OF THIS APPOINTMENT WAS IMMEDIATE, AND ALSO HAD LONG RANGE RESULTS

• Paul preached Christ at once - 20 - and turned to the Gentiles later - Acts 13:46
• It was Paul who carried the Gospel to Europe - Acts 16, and to Rome - 23:11

The unbroken chain of Gospel truth reaches across Europe to America - to us -

II. GOD HAD AN APPOINTMENT FOR THIS CHURCH
       We Baptists don't talk much about history - but the Trail of Blood reaches from Christ- to here

A. IT IS INTERESTING TO READ THE MATERIALS AVAILABLE ON THE FIRST 22 YEARS OF THIS CHURCH

May 6, 1933 - 12 people from Grace So Bapt. Church (where Temple Bapt) met to organize new church. Seven voted to form 1st Fundamental Baptist Church, Bro. Neal as pastor, Labor Temple - $4 week

July 5th- they adopted a Statement of Faith - & started constitution - (read the statement)

Sept. 22 the pastor resigned & told off the people - they had income of $24.34 for month

In 1934 they voted a $60 per month salary, 1935- to give 10% to missions

1936 rented Tabernacle (built from Capital Methodist) & in 1938 bought it for $500 - 10th N. of VanBuren

In 1939 - June 11 - a young man had an appointment with a Baptistry - Leland Barlow -

1943 Rev. Paul Green - interim Pastor - had Dr. Pettingill, Roy Zook Baptized (see letter)

1950 Omar Ritchie was called as pastor - let them to sell & relocated here on 19th Ave - pictures and advertisements on the bulletin board - Desert Inn Motel now on 10th -

1953 Church came into CB movement - Called Arthur Bjork as Pastor - he put tile in ceiling

1955 - Jan. Rev. John Hopkins came as Pastor (3 months), & July 17 - Called me! from Clifton

B. GOD HAS SENT MANY WONDERFUL PEOPLE TO AID THROUGH THIS CHURCH * LIVES CHANGED - ON TO SERVE

1955 - Alice Everts - now Mrs. Dr. David Hood;  1956 - Alyce Johnson came - met Dick Pitts - Teens

1957 - Leo Compson - built Compson Hall & died 1959 - Joan Brown now Mrs. Milt Davis - San Jose

1960 - I started Southwestern College to attract Ken Wilcoxson from Clifton - (50), met Sharon

1961 - Clerendon Bechtle brought John - & John went out, got education, & came back, -& Peggy

1962 - Don Berr came by- a builder - in time to put up C.E. Building, Oct 14- Carl Spacone -& look now.  Also Jerry Sloan came- & stayed 5 years, 3 more kids - now in charge of our Navajo Missions

2-8-63 Jerry Hansen received Christ - moved to Washington - came 64 Thanksgiving, went to Nam & was killed.

8-4-65 Dave Eymann came - & was immediately picked by a Darby Girl for a husband! -Married 72 - many others - Jim Saemens, Habib  Koury, Micki West, Ray Fousel, Rick Gray - licensed

3-8-66 George Bartlett staggered in drunk - met the Lord, life changed - moved NT - died-cancer no time to tell - Dave Huckabee, Steve Huska, Dave Hamner, Dave Wallace, Earl Davis- - all here

III. WHAT IS YOUR APPOINTMENT WITH GOD?
       You are here this morning because of your own choosing, but does God have a hand in it?

• GOD LOVES YOU AND HAS A WONDERFUL PLAN FOR YOUR LIFE - John 3:16 God so loved YOU  -
• YOU CAN'T FIND GOD'S PLAN THOUGH, BECAUSE YOU ARE IN A FOG FROM YOUR SIN -Rom 6:23a Wages -sin
• GOD'S ONLY PROVISION FOR YOUR SIN IS JESUS CHRIST - John 1:12 As many as received Him .... Who knows what the future holds for you, - but you can control the present - meet God now!

IF YOU ARE NOT BORN AGAIN * THIS IS YOUR DAMASCUS ROAD!  Look, see the Light -- come, meet Ananias.