Post by Gill on Apr 30, 2019 at 11:00pm

Ron Johnson Funeral 4-19-19 Guthrie, Oklahoma

OBITUARY Ronald Keith Johnson was born September 4, 1938 in St. Helens, Oregon to Oren and Ruth Johnson. He had one brother who preceded him in death. Ron made his choice to serve God in a convention meeting at the age of 12. In 1964 he entered the ministry and was in Oregon for 6 years before going to Montana/Wyoming, where he stayed for 23 years. After a short time in Minnesota, he came to Oklahoma in 2000 and stayed 10 years. He spent his last active years in the work in Tennessee/Georgia, and came to Redbud Canyon September 7, 2016. Ron was very interested in his family genealogy and history, and wrote a book, “Panther Valley Pathways” about that. He was also an avid birdwatcher and was very knowledgeable about them. He is survived by his sister-in-law, Claudia Johnson Peterson of St. Helens, Oregon, 3 nephews, Terry, Randy, and Mark Johnson, and 1 niece, Lisa Soule.

The congregation sang 317 “Sweet is the Rest.” Andy Kuehn read the obituary and prayed.
ANDY KUEHN 2 Cor. 1:18 The Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us….was not yea and nay, but in him was yea. All of the promises of God are “yea.” Ron loved to preach the YES—all positive, we don’t need the negative. We are thankful for those that gave us messages through the Holy Spirit. YES we have a Savior and Redeemer; YES the mercy and grace of God is available. If you sat in Ron’s meetings, you wouldn’t have to wonder if it was possible, because of the YES and the positive message.

I knew Ron in high school, and he baptized me. Ron was my first companion. In our field we have contacts that ask about this Way. How do you put into words having a companion? You no longer have an apartment or car in your life. You lose all that, but one of the first things you receive is a companion. Before gospel meeting, we would kneel together beside the bed and pray. He was the only companion I did that with. We credited Jesus for His ministry

Ron told me, “Look at me, and follow my example.” Paul said, “Be ye followers of me, as I also am of Christ”. (I Cor. 11:1) Be a true example. After he served his own generation, and he fell asleep. He served in the harvest field. Think about serving our own generation in serving the Lord.

JON KNOCHENMUS My tho’ts were in Luke 12:42, when Jesus encouraged His disciples to be ready for His return. Who then is that faithful and wise steward whom his lord shall make ruler over his household to give them their portion of meat in due season? Blessed is that servant whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing….One of the characteristics of Ron was that he was a feeder of God’s people. It is the most positive message ever sent to mankind.

Ron came to be my co-worker. I was working in Europe and there were days I had been caring for an older co-worker, and I was alone. We got called that Ron could come. He was feeding my soul and sharing fellowship. We were glad to get acquainted. There came an experience in his life, and he said to take time off to get better acquainted with what would be his in eternity. Nobody knew what the future would hold, but he knew the One who did know.

“Be still and know that I am God.” Psalm 46:10 Unless we know God, we haven’t been still. Maybe those years when Ron wasn’t in the ministry, he was able to be still and understand that God was in control. There was the work of restoration and Ron came and joined our staff in Minnesota. We remember the things done and said and felt, because of the work of restoration.

We could think of things that should and shouldn’t be. But the work of restoration lets God do the work in our hearts. Four friendship continued and blossomed and we had fellowship thru the call of God. The soul is so continually refreshed. As the body brew weary and his health overcame with infirmities. One-and-a-half weeks ago we had a visit, and he was clearer than he had been in years. We got word that he was failing. We didn’t expect this day to come so quickly.

Psalm 19:7 The Law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul. The margin says, “The doctrine of the Lord is perfect, restoring the soul.” We are glad Ron was called to the ministry. He had two different times he wasn’t active in the work. He allowed the Law of God to work in his soul so his feelings and desires were changed.

We think of a faithful life finished, and those that helped in his latter days. We are thankful for a life spent serving God. He begged God to call him again. We can ask God to use us and we can understand the great work of encouraging others to have a true relationship in their walk with God. The workers sang 319 Tis not in Vain to Yield

CRAIG WINQUIST There is often a different feeling at the funeral of a worker. We don’t leave family behind—things we died to a long time ago. A worker’s life is focused on what is ahead. Someone has finished the race, finished their work. Eccles. 7:1 A good name is better than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of one’s birth. The day of birth is a wonderful experience, because of potential. God has planned that we begin, and that work is finished when we leave this earth.

Life really is a journey. John 1 He found Philip and said, “Follow me,” an invitation to follow Him. How do you follow? Someone said, “We will follow you in the car.” Ron knew where he came from and where he was going. John 8:23 “I am from above. Ye are of this world,I am not of this world.” That reality—our journey is from this world to that world.

Jesus was never confused where He was from and where He was going. John 13:36 “Thou shalt follow me afterwards.” Jesus’ purpose and intention were to bring people where He is going. We don’t know where that is going, we know who we are following.

“I leave the world and go to the Father”…Jesus knew where He came from and where He was going. Jesus came into this world that we could go to see the glory He had with the Father. We have heard about His ministry and His effect on others. I wasn’t with Ron very much, but we had a little time together. These last years he has been at Redbud Canyon, and then in decline. Phil. 4:11 I have learned in whatever state I am therewith to be content. He simply accepted whatever came his way. That positive life he lived—he wanted to learn the lessons. Whether it was easy or hard—in the work or out of the work. We want to simply go on and finish the race.

GEORGE PETERSON When I heard of Ron’s death, I tho’t it would be nice to be here. Ron and I grew up about 50 miles apart, but there was a river between us. In our teen-age years in Portland, and Boring, Oregon, and we were in training for the army. We both went in the work after the army. In 1999 Gaylen VanLoon and Ron cam to preach for convention. They went to Minnesota, and I was very surprised and elated to have Ron come to Oklahoma. Gaylen tho’t that Ron might stay until special meetings. But Taylor Wood said, “I think he should go immediately.”

Paul wrote to Timothy—2 Tim. 4:11 “Get Mark for he is profitable for me in our ministry.” Ron was profitable for us in the ministry. Some of my tho’ts have been expressed. He spoke what his first companion Howard Mooney told him to “Feed the flock.” John 21:21-22 Peter seeing him saith to Jesus, Lord, and what shall this man do? Jesus saith unto him, …What is that to thee? follow thou me. Jesus said, Feed my lambs” and “feed my sheep.” That was the primary motive of Ron—the guidance of the Spirit that the ministry might feed and lift up and encourage those in the ministry and those in their homes.

There are basic food groups; in the ministry there are different ways the bread is produced. There are different mannerisms, but it all comes from the Christ-life. He was profitable for the flock. It became evident that the disease in Ron was present in his body. It is a cruel disease. But he did his best to still fulfill a place in the kingdom, in spite of the limitation of the disease. The Spirit of God is still going to promote and prompt us to give ourselves to the will of God.

Today if he was to speak to us, he would say: Do it, live it! It is profitable. Now he sees those he has never seen. Someday this will be my service, and I will see things that I don’t see now. Be learning to give myself to the will of God, and let the life of Christ be indwelling in me. Becoming a child of God. “Into Thy hands I commit my spirit.” They will be able to go into the presence of God and we may continue to live as Jesus lived and, produce a resurrection. The power of His life is greater than death and will raise us up on that day, and we will forever be with Him.

404 “There is No Gain” Jon Knochenmus prayed.