God In My Life (Part 1)

[Robert Parker]

Some of you will know me from sites like The Great Controversy. That's where I met Vicki Hahn. I had listened to some of Pastor OFill's sermons on Audio Verse and was impressed. That, along with Vicki's invitation, has led me to join Revival Sermons. It sure is a pretty site, and also looks versatile and informative. Now, a little about myself.

I was born on April the 9th, 1925 in a little hospital at Woodville (as suburb of our capital City Adelaide, in South Australia. I was Christened Robert Henry Parker. My father called me Robert and my mother always called me Bob. Australians tend to call me Bob while most Europeans address me as Robert. I like Robert!

I turned 84 this year and that got me comntemplating. It struck me that 84 is 12X7. Twelve is God's kingdom number, and 7 is the number of perfection and completeness. I like to think that 12x7 indicates that the perfect God has accepted me into His kingdom through the precious spilled blood of my Savior Jesus Christ. So, 84 is significant to me. I have been blessed beyond description this year.

I was brought up a Methodist and My dear Mum (now passed on) made sure that I and my brothers and sisters attended Sunday School. I still remember those lovely Sunday School tickets we received with a memory verse and pretty flowers and animals etc. on them.

I went a bit wild as a teenager: smoking and drinking and gambling etc. Being in the Air Force during the war did not do much to change my ways but I always had a strong belief in God and a sharp conscience towards Him. I joined the Royal Australian Air Force when I was 18. In due course I was posted to remote radar station in Northern Australia. Something happened to me there that has made a big impact on life. Another man and I became lost in remote bush country without food or water for two days and three nights in scorching temperature by day and really cold at night. I will tell you the full story at a later time, but if it had not been for prayer and a miracle on the third night we would have perished for sure. That experience has stayed with me for the rest of my life.

In my twenties, I was lying on my bed one Sunday morning when my mother came into my room and said: "Are you coming to church with me Bob?" I declined and tried to doze off to sleep again when a voice distinctly said to me, "Get up and go now Bob." Without a moment's thought I got up and went. The sermon I have forgotten, but the preacher said that the leading Methodist evangelist in Australia would be preaching that night in the nearby city. I was curious and went to that service. Praise God as I cry in remembrance of that blessed night. I gave my heart to the Lord.

(Continued in part 2).

[Robert Parker]

As a Methodist, I was offered a position about 400 miles away driving a truck for the church. I was a live in resident at the church institution. On the first Sunday i was there I wanted to go to church but it was 7 miles away. The only way I had to get there was to walk. A friend set off walking with me. After we had walked a mile or two, a man came along in a small truck and gave us a lift. I was astonished to find that this man was scheduled to preach that very day in the church we were going to. We did not know the preacher's name then but we discovered it was Murray Stone. Murray drove us home from the church, and on the way we made arrangements for him to visit me. On his visits he we simply talked and he always had a prayer with me and left me with some written material such as the Signs of the Times. I was impressed with what I read but we did not around to discussing much about Seventh-day Adventists---I was still a dyed in the wool Methodist. But Murray's friendship played a significant part in my later conversion to the truths of Seventh-day Adventist Church (as you will shortly see). I became married to Pat and we moved back to my home town.

Once I was back in my home church, I went, one Sunday, to preach in a little country church some miles away. My wife, my mother, and my young brother accompanied me. On our way home we decided to visit my Aunt. After some conversation, my Aunt disappeared and returned with a little book called The Marked Bible, which she thought I might be interested in because previously I had tried to convert her to Christianity. How did she come by this book? The way God works to bring about His purpose absolutely astounds and thrills me. While I had been away my Aunt had had a fire in their home and much of their possessions was destroyed. The Seventh-day Adventist Church Dorcas Society were quick to take them food and clothing, and the little book The Marked Bible, I consented to take it home and read it because I remembered that nice Seventh-day Adventist man called Murray Stone who had been so kind to me. That night I read the book from cover to cover and next day (Friday) my wife and I went to see the SDA minister Rex Cobbin. i asked him some questions and he answered each one to my satisfaction. As my wife and I walked home that Friday evening and the sun  set in the West, we began observing our first Sabbath of over 52 years of more Sabbaths.

By the grace of God no trials or false doctrines will move me from our foundational truth.

Be thou faithful unto death!

God bless you.

Robert

[Tammy]

Thank you, Robert, for sharing your story.  It is so amazing how God works!

[newbie]

PTL Robert (Bob  ) for the miracles in our lives that have brought us to the truth.

[Larry Lyons]

Amen Robert. Welcome to the forum. I look forward to your continued participation.
Larry.

[Deborah Risinger]

Robert, hello, hello.........such a nice story...welcome to the neighborhood 


Welcome to all the new people.......

God is so Good,
Deborah

[Robert Parker]

Greetings Deborah! Actually I tried to delete and revise my story several times as it was poorly written and in haste. But I can't seem to get he new version posted. Did you read part 2?

Robert

[newbie]

Greetings Deborah! Actually I tried to delete and revise my story several times as it was poorly written and in haste. But I can't seem to get he new version posted. Did you read part 2?

Robert

Hi Robert.
Click on the little piece of paper and pencil to the right of your post.  It is a quick edit.  But don't wait too long before you do this........

[Robert Parker]

As a Methodist, I was offered a position about 400 miles away driving a truck for the church. I was a live in resident at the church institution. On the first Sunday i was there I wanted to go to church but it was 7 miles away. The only way I had to get there was to walk. A friend set off walking with me. After we had walked a mile or two, a man came along in a small truck and gave us a lift. I was astonished to find that this man was scheduled to preach that very day in the church we were going to. We did not know the preacher's name then but we discovered it was Murray Stone. Murray drove us home from the church, and on the way we made arrangements for him to visit me. On his visits he we simply talked and he always had a prayer with me and left me with some written material such as the Signs of the Times. I was impressed with what I read but we did not around to discussing much about Seventh-day Adventists---I was still a dyed in the wool Methodist. But Murray's friendship played a significant part in my later conversion to the truths of Seventh-day Adventist Church (as you will shortly see). I became married to Pat and we moved back to my home town.

Once I was back in my home church, I went, one Sunday, to preach in a little country church some miles away. My wife, my mother, and my young brother accompanied me. On our way home we decided to visit my Aunt. After some conversation, my Aunt disappeared and returned with a little book called The Marked Bible, which she thought I might be interested in because previously I had tried to convert her to Christianity. How did she come by this book? The way God works to bring about His purpose absolutely astounds and thrills me. While I had been away my Aunt had had a fire in their home and much of their possessions was destroyed. The Seventh-day Adventist Church Dorcas Society were quick to take them food and clothing, and the little book The Marked Bible, I consented to take it home and read it because I remembered that nice Seventh-day Adventist man called Murray Stone who had been so kind to me. That night I read the book from cover to cover and next day (Friday) my wife and I went to see the SDA minister Rex Cobbin. i asked him some questions and he answered each one to my satisfaction. As my wife and I walked home that Friday evening and the sun  set in the West, we began observing our first Sabbath of over 52 years of more Sabbaths.

By the grace of God no trials or false doctrines will move me from our foundational truth.

Be thou faithful unto death!

God bless you.

Robert

[newbie]

so you just re-posted.... hey that's okay too   

[Robert Parker]

Its about time I told you of another episode in my life where God has played the major role. My story goes back to when I was 19 in 1944. That was a long time ago and some of my memories have faded a bit. There are some things in this experience that you might find offensive but I feel obliged to tell you like it is.

I joined the Air Force in 1943 when I was 18. I was sent to various locations in Australia before finally being posted to an isolated radar station in the North of Western Australia. Each week a truck from the camp traveled 150 miles into the town of Broome to pick up supplies. On one of these occasions I was a passenger in the back of the truck. I was meant to be going to the doctor in Broome to have investigated suspected appendicitis. We carried a large cream can full of water, and a water bag with us.  As it was so hot in the tropical Northern Australian bush, we were dressed in only shorts, boots and a broad brimmed army hat. The road we had to traverse was narrow and consisted of fine red dust. It was flanked on each side by trees.

About half way into our journey, the truck got into a slide in the red dust and slewed across the road anD slammed into a tree. We   were stranded as the front axle and tail shaft were broken. There was no way we could fix it and we had no means of communication with anyone. What should we do? There was a Roman Catholic mission station (Beagle Bay) located several miles to the south of us, and the driver of the truck felt it best that we attempt to walk to the station. We filled the water bag and set off. The road ran in a wide ark to the mission, so it was decided we would take a short cut through the bush to save several miles of walking.

It was so hot that the water bag soon ran dry. There were four of us drinking from it. However, the driver said that there was a well along the way and we could replenish the water there. Eventually we reached the well and re filled the bag and continued on our way. At this point, the driver and one of the men walked on a hundred yards or so ahead of me and the other man (Jack King). The two that were ahead had the water bag with them. Jack and I were busy talking about things when, suddenly, we realized that the other two had gone out of our sight. We called out several times but there was no answer. We were not sure in which direction to head, so we just kept walking what we thought was straight ahead. Time passed and we seemed to be getting nowhere. We had the dreadful knowledge that we were lost without any food or water.

(Continued in Part 2)

[Robert Parker]

It was getting towards evening when we noticed some cows walking along a narrow track. We thought that they probably belonged to the mission and were going in to be milked and fed; so we followed them. Soon the track ended and the cows just wandered off into the bush and we lost sight of them. The sun went down and it grew dark, so we lay down under the trees to try and sleep as we dare not try and walk by night. It was so cold without proper clothing that my sleep was fitful and I was really frightened. Morning came and we started walking again. But where to? Nowhere it seemed. All was silent in the bush and we grew tired and weak without water and food. It makes me shed tears as I now think about it. All sorts of thoughts ran through my head: would I ever see my loved ones again? Again it grew dark and we were obliged to rest for the night.

Nightmares plagued me and I seemed to drift in and out of consciousness because of thirst and weakness. Daylight again; but a daylight of hopelessness. We were so weak that we could no longer walk and just lay there waiting for death. Somewhere about mid morning we heard the drone of an airplane approaching. I was a smoking Methodist in those days and I had ONE match in a match box. We desperately tried to gather some brush and wood together to try and light a fire. It was almost beyond our capability to get enough material to burn but eventually we did so. Jack took my one match and struck it alight. It flickered in the wind and almost went out but then it caught alight as I prayed. A short while later we heard the plane again and they saw our fire burning. I have to pause here for awhile as I cry in memory of what happened next; sorry brothers and sisters, but it moves me so much . . .

I am back but still disturbed as I relive the experience of 66 years ago. The plane dropped a sugar bag a short distance from where Jack and I were standing. We staggered toward it and looked inside the bag. What did we see? A box of matches, some acid drops and a packet of chewing gum, and a note from the pilot . The note said: "Stay where you are, black trackers along soon. Good luck. Blue." BUT NO WATER! Can you imagine our feelings? We learned later that they decided not to try and drop any water because they thought the container would burst as it hit the ground. You would have thought they would have at least tried wouldn't you?

As it turned out, the two who had been walking in front of Jack and me when they disappeared from sight made it to the mission station and sounded the alarm. The airplane and pilot were commissioned to search for us. Perhaps the fact that they originally located us gave us enough incentive to battle on. We waited for the black trackers to arrive.  After a time we heard a gun shot some distance away.and we started shouting as loud as we could in our weakened state. No answer! An hour or so later we heard another shot, closer this time, and we renewed our shouting. Again, SILENCE! And we heard nothing more. The black trackers had gone all around us but by some misfortune they missed us. I was almost resigned to my fate of death. I said to Jack that the only thing we could do was to pray. He replied that he did not believe in that stuff and so I silently prayed alone.

(Continued in Part 3)

[Robert Parker]

I am hesitant to tell you the next bit as it disgusts me, but I want you to know what desperation can do. I saw a wichity grub (as the aborigines call them ) crawling by and I kept my eye on it but could not bring myself to try eating it. What I did though was probably worse. I was so hot and distressed that I urinated into my hat and splashed it all over my face to try and cool down. Of course it did not help.

The trees were not very high and we tried to climb one to see what was around but all we could see was more trees and more trees. We could hear the sea pounding on the shore quite a few miles away and decided to try and reach the coast and we might know where we were. But that was useless as we were on our last legs and could not walk another step. The third night of darkness came and we virtually lay down to die. At some point in the night, I woke from a fitful trance like sleep. I staggered to my feet and said to Jack. "If we don't get out of here right now we are finished." He also staggered to his feet and I said to him that I was going to pray. This time he consented to pray with me. That says something doesn't it brothers and sisters? Are there any atheists when we are on our death beds? In my prayer I told God that, if he would save us I would serve him for the rest of my life. I was bargaining with God. I am convinced that this is not the right thing to do. We need to just cry our for God to be merciful to us as worthless sinners. He is merciful to us because He LOVES us, and not because we make bargains with Him. I did not keep my promise to the Lord I am ashamed to say.

Jack and I managed to find a stick of wood each for support and we started to walk. I am still utterly amazed at this; whereas we could hardly manage a step before our prayer' we now were given the strength to walk three or four miles. We had only gone about 100 yards and we struck the road. Once there, Jack recognized where we were---about three of four miles from the mission, and we headed for it with renewed hope. But it took us hours to struggle that far. At one point we saw what looked like a pool of water a few yards off the road. We ran toward it but it turned out to be nothing more than dried up mud. We kept waling and came to a gate. i could see a building just down the road and I went running madly to it calling our "water, water." Poor Jack could not go another step past the gate and collapsed there (he recovered later after attention). There were a lot of orphaned Chinese orphan girls in that building, and some of them came out with a big jug of water. I drank the whole jug full and it is a wonder it did not hurt me in some way. The medical orderly from our camp turned up and found that we had dozens of kangaroo tic buried under our skin. It took him ages to remove them. They are dangerous if they cause tic fever. We had been lying under the trees where kangaroos had been lying. We were then allowed to have a swim in a beautiful natural swimming pool they had there.

An ambulance was sent out from Broome and it took us to the hospital for a few days to recover. That was a Roman Catholic Mission station but they treated us as though they were angels. There are indeed some saints in Rome. May God bless these dear saints and orphan girls; I would love to meet them in heaven.

Just one or two more things to finish my story. We were told that an aborigine girl had been lost in the same area that we had been in. Tragically, she was not found alive but she had been attacked out there by dingoes and partly eaten.

Sixty years after this, my daughter went touring and visited Beagle Bay mission where she met a man who remembered that time. She also visited the spot where she thinks that we became lost. She was fascinated by it all.

Don't you just love my merciful Saviour? ALL OF US once were lost but now are found. Praise Him with all of your heart and soul.

END

Robert Parker
                                                                  

[Larry Lyons]

That is a great story Robert. Praise God that we do have a powerful and merciful God who answers the prayers of us wretched sinners.

I once read the account of the first expedition that managed to cross the Australian Continent and reach the shore on the other side. If I remember right, there were only one or two survivors.  And as I recall, the rescue expedition did not do so well either. I have a sense that it can be a very inhospitable place for the unprepared.

[Robert Parker]

That is a great story Robert. Praise God that we do have a powerful and merciful God who answers the prayers of us wretched sinners.

I once read the account of the first expedition that managed to cross the Australian Continent and reach the shore on the other side. If I remember right, there were only one or two survivors.  And as I recall, the rescue expedition did not do so well either. I have a sense that it can be a very inhospitable place for the unprepared.

Ye Larry, there are some desolate and inhospitable areas in Australia and many people have lost their lives through attempting to navigate the country without being prepared.

Vicki wanted to hear my story so I am doing it on Revival Sermons. I hope she sees it here.

God bless,

Robert