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Psalm 31

 
 
Praise you, Lord God, that I wake up each morning to your goodness. My experience last night of losing all my luggage, computer included, turned out to be a dream–but I didn’t know that while living it! And this gave me the chance in my dream to offer the sacrifice of thanksgiving and trust you in the midst of loss.
 
Praise you for all the times that you have protected the possessions you have given us, as well as allowing us at times to lose some. You, O Lord, are good and gracious and kind–even if I lose all and have only you, that will be far more than enough! “Whom have I in heaven but you, and earth has nothing I desire besides you!” Psalm 73:25
 
I thank you, Lord, for your care, your compassion, your constant presence. You are the One to be sought continually, to be thought about consistently, to be sought in prayer in every situation. “In the day of my trouble I call to you for you deliver me” (Ps. 86:7).
 
Psalm 31:2 “Turn your ear to me,”
 
[Thank you, Lord Jesus that you listen to us intently, that you have opened the way for us to cry to the Father and that our prayers are consistently heard. Praise you that you are the One who thought up prayer, who hears prayer and answers prayer.]
 
“come quickly to my rescue;”
 
[Praise be to you, Heavenly Father, that in answering prayer, you are never late, never miss the mark, never lose an opportunity. You know the best way to answer, which sometimes means leaving us in our desperation as long as it takes to produce the growth you know we need, the surrender that will open the way for deepening, and the maturing which will enable us to give you more glory.
 
Praise you that you answer out of your wisdom, your love, your grace and your goodness, rather than out of our impatience. Help us to rest in you rather than in getting our way.]
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Chapter 63

Chapter 63 A New Wave of Difficulties
 
As another new year rolled around, we expected more arrests, because at this time of the year the police had less to do. However, January came and went without an incident.
During my semester break in the last week of February, we took a trip to the south for a little vacation. We returned home late Saturday evening to the news that Barbara’s father had died.
The next morning, a Sunday, on the back page of a national newspaper was a long and negative article about Christians in general and me in particular, with a color picture of me, one Burt, the police spy, had taken several years back—he had even previously given me a copy of it. And my name was spelled correctly, very unusual anywhere, but as Burt was meticulous, he had given it accurately.
It was clear that the police had given the information to the newspaper so they could arrest us. We also knew that when a person was arrested, he could be kept for fifteen days without being charged and with no contact with anyone: no lawyer, no phone calls, no rights.
The article said I was corrupting the youth and was trying to get people to become Christians by offering them free English lessons or money or a foreign wife.
Monday morning, I went to the university to talk with my boss about going to Germany for my father-in-law’s funeral. Then I went and bought plane tickets for us all to leave that afternoon.
Shortly after I got home the doorbell rang. I opened it to find a policeman with an invitation for me to go with him to the National Police Headquarters.
In the van waiting for me outside were two other policemen with submachine guns. When we got to the headquarters and they were processing me in, I asked one of them if he had that submachine gun just for me. He smiled, but didn’t answer.
They took me into a large office and began to ask questions about the information in the newspaper. I told what I knew to be true and made clear what was false. I also told them about my father-in-law’s death and our plans to go to Germany for the funeral, showing them my ticket.
“Looks to me like you’re running away because this news article exposed your illegal actions,” said one policeman.
“I could not have planned either the article or my father-in-law’s death,” I said. “I can prove his death with the obituary notice if you want. I have no reason to run away. My home and my work are here.”
That didn’t sway them, and they intentionally kept me just long enough so I missed the plane.
Barbara and I had agreed that if I didn’t come back that she would continue with our plans and fly to Germany that afternoon. As it got closer to the time for her to leave, Barbara called one of our teammates and asked him to take her to the airport. Bless him that he was willing to do so. Most of our teammates understandably didn’t want to come near us since we were politically “hot,” and could possibly be under surveillance. But Richard was willing to be supportive of Barbara, even at risk to himself. It was a stressful time for all of us, and the stress manifested itself in Josh coming down with a fever during the flight.
The next day I went to my travel agent, got my ticket changed and flew off to Germany. We were glad to be together for this important time, and made plans to share some of the gospel with those who would come for the burial.
The funeral was a typical German affair, everyone dressed in black and very somber. Most German Protestants have no assurance of salvation, and rightly so, for they rely on the sacraments of the church to save them.
After a short ceremony in the graveyard chapel, the coffin was carried to the grave and lowered in. Then all the relatives and close friends each tossed three small scoops of earth on the coffin.
Normally at this point everyone leaves, but after we threw our scoops on the coffin, I stepped up and began to speak while Barbara translated.
We talked about how one could be saved and know it, explaining how all the rituals that Protestants normally rely on for grace (baptism as a baby, confirmation, being married in the church and buried by the pastor) were totally inadequate.
We briefly but carefully outlined the gospel and called people to accept the eternal life that Jesus offered.
Years later, some neighbors who came to Christ in their late forties, cited this talk as one factor in their coming to faith.
 
After a week in Germany, we flew back to our adopted country and I resumed my teaching. My students knew of the article in the newspaper and asked me if I were a missionary. That word in their language is a very negative term, indicating someone with a political agenda to undermine the country, carried out through religion. I tried to dispel their wrong thinking, but don’t think it was very effective. We could tell that our lives were moving into a more and more challenging situation, but our eyes were on God.
Picture: 47 year old Barbara at her father’s funeral
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Our Magnificent God

 
Praise you, Lord, for your undeserved goodness, poured on upon us daily, manifested in multiple ways, like giving us the gifts of sight, speech, hearing, smell, taste, and touch, things we take for granted, but miss much if we lose them.
 
Then there are the major, majestic, mighty ways you pour out your goodness on us: pardon from definitely deserved death, the gift of eternal life, the indwelling of the Spirit, the wonder of your Word, an intimate relationship with you, belonging in your family, guidance, meaning, purpose and protection in life. Plus help in every circumstance, membership in the Church Universal, and abundant grace at all times. There is no end to the wonderful flow of your goodness, just as there is no end to learning about your marvelous and magnificent character.
 
You are the Three-in-One God: the Father who plans, the Son who brings it to pass, the Holy Spirit who finishes it up. You are the perfect Person, the perfect Personality, the perfect Planner, the perfect Partner who invites us into your work.
 
You are Marvelous in your personality, Majestic in your judgments, Mighty in your redemption and Magnificent in your mercy. To you belongs all affection, all loyalty, all commitment, all awe, all reverence, all obedience, all honor–for in you there is no flaw, no imperfection, no error, no sin, no evil, no lack, no wrong. You are worthy of eternal, complete, wholehearted and total love.
 
So, I bow before you this morning, Lord God: I praise you, Heavenly Father, I honor you, Lord Jesus, I surrender to you, Holy, Spirit. May there be in my life what you continually deserve: exaltation, magnification, worship, obedience and glory. Amen.
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Psalm 31:1

Psalm 31 For the director of music. A Psalm of David.
 
“In you, O LORD, I have taken refuge;”
 
[Where else, O Lord, is there for safety? You only are my Rock, my Salvation, my High Tower. From you only comes my Rescue. You only are my Lord, my Shepherd, my God, my King.
 
You alone are the One in whom I can find refuge, for you are powerful beyond belief, wise beyond comprehension, good beyond hope, loving beyond expectations, faithful beyond understanding. You are the Glorious, Holy, Strong and Trustable One, the only true Stability in the universe. In you alone is there Hope.]
 
“let me never be put to shame;”
 
[taking refuge in you will lead to your glory and my safety. You will give me the honor of your love and protection, of your care and compassion, shielding me from the shame your enemies want to heap on me. “My salvation and my honor depend on God…” (Ps. 62:6). Grant me a token for good that those who hate me may see it and be ashamed instead.]
 
“deliver me in your righteousness.”
 
[Praise you that you are totally Right, completely Holy and always act out of your Pure character. I praise you that you are really Righteous in all that you do, totally Trustable, fully Faithful. I praise you that you will deliver me finally, first from fears, then from troubles (Psa. 34).]
 
Praise you, Lord God–Father, Son and Holy Spirit–that you are constantly, consistently at work in our lives, bringing all the help, wisdom, protection, ordering and provision that we need. We are so weak, so small, so vulnerable, but you are so wonderfully wise, perfectly powerful, majestically mighty and utterly undefeatable. In you we can hide. In you we can rest. In you we are safe.
 
I am so thankful, Lord Jesus, for your powerful, effective, wonderful Salvation, bought at great personal price, giving us value, acceptance, meaning, family and a future–a great demonstration of your rich, merciful Love, which continues to flow into our lives every day.
 
Thank you for the challenges that come, the opportunities to trust you, the chances to rest in you and to listen to you rather than the strident, confusing voices of the world, of my own flesh and of the devil. I praise you, Lord God for how you will care for me today. May I live worthy of you, in thought, motive, word and action. Amen.
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Psalm 30:9-12

 
Psalm 30:9 “What gain is there in my destruction, in my going down into the pit? Will the dust praise you? Will it proclaim your faithfulness?”
 
[This is David’s desperate appeal for help as he faces the real threat of death; it was done in logic and in a desire to honor you, Lord; he desired to live for the magnificent purpose you have granted us: giving you glory. Help us to grasp, like David, the privilege of honoring you each moment of our lives—and to live that out.]
 
Psalm 30:10 Hear, O LORD, and be merciful to me; O LORD, be my help.”
 
[It is a wonderful truth that you, O Lord, do hear and are richly, powerfully merciful. You are our ready help, you will answer in the right way and at the right time. Therefore, I can give you praise in and for all, long before any answer comes.
 
I praise you now for how you are going to work in the situations and relationships that are in flux around me. I praise you for your wonderful help and guidance that flows freely and continually into my life. Praise be to you for your goodness, continually emanating from your perfect and beautiful character.]
 
Psalm 30:11 “You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy,”
 
[You answered David, you brought him through the dark valley, you delivered him from his fears, his enemies, his dangers. And for what purpose?]
 
Psalm 30:12 “that my heart may sing to you and not be silent.”
 
[You saved him so David might have the privilege of exalting you further, you who are worthy of worship, of love and obedience.]
 
“O LORD my God, I will give you thanks forever.”
 
[And you, Lord, ARE worthy of thanks forever and ever. May we daily live in the power of thanksgiving, of praise, of worship, so that, for the joy set before us, we can endure whatever cross you deem necessary, knowing that we will be set down in heaven with you at the wedding feast of the Lamb! What a hope, what a future, what a privilege to live with, for and in you Lord Jesus! May we do it well.]
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Stability

This entry was so good for me to read as I face a possible negative response from the zoning board here. It refocused me on the Lord, on the fact that this board is not my enemy, but Satan is, and this brought back some of my peace. Please pray with me for a good outcome.
 
Psalm 30:6,7 “When I felt secure, I said, ‘I will never be shaken.’ O LORD, when you favored me, you made my mountain stand firm;”
 
[When we are in a positive situation, when we are safe and see your blessings, it is easy to feel firm and stable. Such times are important for solidification and building up in truth–if we take advantage of them, diving into your Word, exalting in personal worship and basking in your love. But here is little opportunity in this secure situation to go by faith, to trust you as we can when all sense of security is gone, when all is in tumult and uncertainty.]
 
“but when you hid your face, I was dismayed.”
 
[When my feelings turn negative, when my situation goes downhill, when I am attacked, my health fails, my friends desert me, my financial situation goes bad, or my work does not prosper–then it is easy to be dismayed, to be discouraged, to flag in my strength.
 
But this is also the time to flee to you, Lord, to affirm my trust in you, to find shelter in your Word and in your presence. “In times of trouble you will keep me safe in your dwelling, you will hide me in the shelter of your tabernacle and set me high on a rock” (Psalm 27:5).]
 
Psalm 30:8 “To you, O LORD, I called; to the Lord I cried for mercy:”
 
[This is the proper response, to seek you and your mercy, to recognize my weakness and your strength, to trust you, not myself. I praise you, Lord God, for your goodness and graciousness and for how you answer us in such situations, first delivering us from all our fears, then strengthening us with strength in our souls, then saving us out of all our troubles, whether through deliverance or through giving endurance, or through death (Ps. 34:4-7).
 
You are the God who is there, you are the God who hears, you are the God who answers. “…the angel of the Lord encamps round about those who fear him and delivers them” (Ps. 34:8).]
 
Help me to utilize the times of security to deepen my walk with you, Lord Jesus; help me then to rejoice in the times of difficulty, offering the sacrifice of thanksgiving, finding my rest and hope in you, exalting you by living in Truth. And I thank you now for how you will answer this prayer.
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Motives

An entry from EDIFIED! the I especially liked.
 
“…let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.”
Hebrews 12:1
 
Growth involves motives. Knowing our motives is a significant and integral aspect of our walk with God, for then we can reject the negative and neutral motives, while affirming the positive ones. And one of our positive motives should be wanting to trust and please God.
 
This past week Romans 15:13 was my general prayer for all. It says,
 
“May the God of hope
fill you with all joy and peace
as you trust in him
so that your life may overflow with hope
by the power of the Holy Spirit.”
This verse emphasizes that our responsibility is to trust this God of goodness, wisdom, power, mercy and justice. He will then give us the joy and peace He has prepared for us, plus cause an overflowing abundance of hope in our lives.
Such hope, of course, is not just airy, wishful thinking, but a certainty of what was accomplished at the cross and of what God will bring to pass—protection, provision, power, patience and His presence, to name a few. These promises are guaranteed by the Holy Spirit’s indwelling in our lives.
While meditating on hope, other passages came up in my reading that show further how important it is. Colossians 1:5 speaks of the “faith and love that spring from the hope that is stored up for you in heaven….”
 
I’d never noticed so clearly that faith and love flow from our hope. Our faith is based on the certainty of God’s character and on what God has in store for us; then as we focus on our certain hope rather than on earthly things, His love flows from God through us to others.
 
In a further insight, 1 Thessalonians 1:3 shows how this trinity of faith, hope and love should be foundational motives in all we do, especially in our service of obedience to God’s leading. It says, “We continually remember…your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.” All we do should flow out of these three.
 
I’m sorry to say that faith, hope and love are many times not the motives I have; mine are more often the desire to feel good, the desire for significance, the desire for the approval and adulation of others. These verses, however, have clarified things as never before and have given a standard to measure my motives.
 
Contrary to the world’s message, the bottom line is not our performance; instead the bottom line is our hope in God, our solid trust in His powerfully faithful, gracious character—all else will flow from that.
 
We need to get to know better our certain hope and all it involves, to understand it and think in terms of it. This comes from knowing God Himself better: spending time in worship, in the study of His Word, in getting our eyes off the trivial distractions of this world and making prayer the foundation of all we do. In nurturing that trust we cooperate with the Holy Spirit to make us overflow with hope.
 
“May the God of hope
fill you with all joy and peace
as you trust in him
so that your life may overflow with hope
by the power of the Holy Spirit” (Rom. 15:13).
 
Prayer: “Lord, help me to pray this verse regularly for myself and for others. Help me to live it out, trusting you by obeying what I know to be true out of the motives of faith, hope and love. Help me to do this so that hope will overflow from my life to all those around me, bringing you more glory and them more grace. Amen.”
 
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Safe

You, Lord Jesus, are my serene Security, my superb Stability, my unshakable Surety, my supreme Savior. With all that swirls around us in life, we could not make it without you as our powerful Foundation, our strong Anchor, our great Shepherd, our powerful King.
 
Praise you that you are our impenetrable Shield, our impregnable Fortress, our intrepid Defender, our immense Stronghold.
 
In you and your protection there is no gap, no chink, no forgotten loophole for the enemy to come through. You are the great wall protecting us from evil, and you are the great and gracious gateway through which comes all that is profitable, helpful and positive.
 
Praise you that you protect and provide through your wide wisdom, your complete knowledge, your rich love and your perfect patience.
 
You are the One to be trusted, Lord God, Triune and Holy God. I praise you for what you will bring today in your wisdom and love, your purpose and plan. Help us to follow you well, joining you in what you desire to accomplish today–in, through and around us. May you be honored in all we do.
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Fall out

There was a lot of “fall-out” from this event of arrests. On one hand, Harry lost his job and Orin experienced increasing pressure at work. On the other hand, this event surprisingly opened the hearts of some who were previously closed to the Gospel. Terry, whose husband, Tom, may have been a believer, was really touched with pity for those arrested, and when we next visited them, she asked to see the Jesus film again.
 
Questions remained. What would those who denied the Lord do now? How would we handle our relationship with them? And as a fellowship, where should we go from here?
One part of the answer was in a report we workers commissioned from a top lawyer who did research into our legal rights and privileges as believers. The report turned out to be a powerful paper, stating what we believe, explaining the implications that stem from our beliefs, particularly emphasizing their non-political nature, and then giving a clear statement about what the law says concerning religious freedom here. At the end of the paper were answers to a number of specific questions.
 
The Lord used this document in several ways. First, it gave a clear statement of what a born-again Christian is and explained about the unity among believers.
 
Second, it sought to debunk the negative and mistaken ideas locals had about Christians. It laid this out clearly in everyday language that any person or official could understand. This document could be given to the police as a defense or as an aid to their investigation.
 
Third, it gave us a clear legal opinion on what our rights and limitations were. This helped the local believers to be confident in their beliefs and rights.
 
Fourth, it led to some significant changes, such as meeting more openly without the need to fear what the neighbors would think, or what the police could do to us. It made clear that we did not need permission from the police to meet, but could just inform the authorities where we were meeting and they had to allow that.
 
The report also pointed out that we workers could not be legally expelled for religious reasons. We are guaranteed a court case and if the reasons for expulsion are religious in nature, the law provided that we must be granted entry again and given another residence permit.
 
Precedents, such as the arrests that had just occurred, served to educate the authorities as well as the public about what the law says and to open the way for greater implementation. The Lord was not long in bringing us more such opportunities.
 

Psalm 30:4-5

 
 
Psalm 30:4 “Sing to the LORD, you saints of his; praise his holy name.”
 
[YES! This must be our response to you, Lord, singing and praising you for your marvelous character, which is displayed in your holy name, Yahweh. You are sinless, separate, and strong; you are glorious, gracious, and great; you are worthy of worship, worthy of praise, worthy of our surrender, love and obedience. To you be honor in song, glory in praise, exaltation in thanksgiving.]
 
Psalm 30:5 “For his anger lasts only a moment,”
 
[Praise you that you are angry with sin, that you move to justly judge and properly punish, that you don’t draw back from chastening us. And that your anger ends when your desire is accomplished.]
 
“but his favor lasts a lifetime;”
 
[You are the God of forgiveness, of grace and of goodness, pouring out your undeserved favor on us forever. As it says in Psalm 18:19, “He brought me out into a spacious place. He rescued me because he delighted in me.”
 
Praise be to you that you can delight in your redeemed but still crooked children. We rejoice in your favor, we exalt in your goodness, we revel in your love, we bask in your grace. You are wonderful, you are marvelous, you are incredibly, unbelievably, beyond-conception-good!]
 
“weeping may remain for a night,”
 
[You do take us through loss, disappointment, difficulty and heartbreak, but for good and wise reasons. Some of them are to mature us, to shape us, to deepen us that we may be more useful for you, share more in your glory and earn a greater reward in heaven.]
 
“but rejoicing comes in the morning.”
 
[Weeping in the night, especially the weeping of repentance, is followed by joy in the morning as we see what you have done, how you have forgiven, how you embrace, accept and love us. As we move out of the darkness of our limited understanding into the light of your deep and broad wisdom, we are able to comprehend more of your great and marvelous mind.
 
To you be glory, O Lord, to you be honor, to you be trust, praise and thanksgiving, for you are worthy of worship at all times, in all circumstances, in all outcomes. May you be honored today in my heart, my mind, my soul and my strength. Amen.
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