“It is good to praise the Lord and make music to your name, O Most High.” (Psalms 92:1)
My wife and I share a common love for Southern Gospel music. In fact, we loved it so much that we once worked with our church to bring Southern Gospel artists to Griffin years ago. Besides the cost of our devotions ministry, we also sponsored four Southern Gospel concerts a year. Over a four-year period of time, we hosted the Speer Family, The Martins, The Ruppes, Brian Free and Assurance, Gold City, Kirk Talley, Greater Vision, Phil Cross and Poet Voices, the Specks, and several others.
We agree with William Congreve, the English dramatist, who once said, “Music has charms to soothe a savage beast, to soften rocks, or bend a knotted oak”. Indeed, we have seen God move at our concerts and have had the repeated pleasure to watch the Lord reach down from His throne to crown another citizen for His Kingdom.
But in spite of the salvation experiences and the thousands that we have seen blessed and encouraged by the Gospel music, I couldn’t help but to wonder if we were in the center of God’s will. Is there a better way to put His resources to work for His kingdom? After all, our charge as Christians is to win as many to Christ as we can. That’s exactly what Jesus meant when He said, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.” (Matthew 28:19)
So, I prayed and asked God to let me know if we were on the right track: “I don’t want to waste your money, Lord. You’ve done too much for me. Please let me know if this is what you want.”
Well, I asked Him and He responded as only God can! In fact, He gave me a very personal answer so I’d know that it was really me to whom He was speaking.
A week after I said that prayer, my sister, Debbie, telephoned me from her home in eastern North Carolina. “You’re not going to believe what I’m about to tell you about your brother,” she said. “The other night I went over to Ronnie’s house. When I walked in, he was sitting in the chair reading his Bible. I couldn’t help but to do a doubletake,” she told me.
“Ronnie,” she asked, “is that the Bible you’re reading”?
My brother then told her, “Debbie, if I had died two nights ago, I would have gone straight to hell. But, I’m not worried about that anymore. I know Jesus now like I’ve never known Him.”
My brother then told my sister all about his salvation experience. He had gone to a Gospel music concert. During the invitation, the pastor shared something that the Lord had told him about a man there. My brother knew that he was the man to whom the Lord had told the pastor to speak.
“I could feel the Holy Spirit,” he told my sister. “I knew what I had to do.” He found salvation at a Gospel music concert!
I had the occasion to tell that story to Brenda Ruppe, a Gospel music artist whose group, The Ruppes, was one of the hottest group in Southern Gospel music at the time.
“Did you get your answer”, she asked? “I did, indeed, Brenda.”
Next month is the twelfth anniversary of my brother’s death. More importantly, it’s the twelfth anniversary of his homegoing. But for the concert that night, I am not sure if my brother would have accepted Christ.
Since 2008, both of my brothers have gone to be with the Lord. Only my sister and I remain. But all my family: My dad, mom and both my brothers are in Heaven with the Lord.
Thank you, Jesus, for answering prayer as only You can.
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