Amazing Truths!

God “chose us in him [Christ] before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight.”

“In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will.” Ephesians 1:4,5,

Praise be to you, Father in Heaven,

for your perfect love,

your perfect interaction,

your perfect grace in our lives.

You chose us before the foundation of the world–meaning that you WANTED us to be your children and knew we would respond to your efforts to draw us to yourself.

You purchased us with the blood of the Lamb, paying a huge price to buy us back from the prince of darkness.

You predestinated us to the adoption of children through Jesus Christ—“according to the good pleasure of your will” (Eph. 1:5b).

It gave you pleasure to make sure that we became your children! It was your intense desire to adopt us!

And this adoption was “to the praise of the glory of your grace, in which we are accepted in the beloved” (Eph. 1:6), as the KJV says so poetically.

We are not just tolerated, we are fully, wonderfully, whole-heartedly EMBRACED AND ENJOYED  by you!

The most astounding thing about your love poured out on us, is that you did this when we were your enemies–bitter, rebellious, negative, destructive, hurtful foes.

Rightfully you could have immediately condemned us to hell, separating us from your presence for eternity.

“But because of your great love for us,” you, Lord God, who are rich in mercy,

“made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by your grace that we have been saved” (Eph. 2:3,4).

Thank you so much, Lord God for your illogical, contra-conditional, amazing love for us.

Help us to live in astoundment and joy every day for your undeserved and powerful love.

Picture: God’s love shining on us.

A true story.

“…put your trust in the Lord both now and forever more.” Psalm 131:3

We sat in the tiny crowded lounge of the Dushanbe airport in Tajikistan, waiting for our return flight home. I was reading in Psalm 131: “I do not concern myself with great matters, or things too wonderful for me.” My thoughts went back over this trip to Tajikistan and the many aspects of it that were out of our control, but not out of God’s.

The bus trip to a new airport 60 miles west of Ist.anbul was an example of this. We expected the bus to drop us off at the airport and were surprised when the driver pulled over to the side of the road at a junction and said, “This is your stop. Walk down that road and you’ll come to the airport.” There was nothing in sight: no house, no traffic, no airport, just a deserted road.

We gathered our luggage, got off the bus, prayed, “Well, thank you for this, Lord”, and set off down the cold, empty road, not knowing how far we had to walk with our heavy load. But, we hadn’t made it 20 yards, however, before a taxi came along and picked us up. This might seem like a normal thing to happen on a busy road to an airport, but not this one. We found later that only about five planes a week fly into it. The only reason the taxi driver happened to come by was that he had gone out to buy some cigarettes.

Things were so new at the airport that there were no services yet: no restaurants, no snacks, no newspapers, no tea, not even any cigarettes for the taxi drivers. While we were talking with some of the personnel, they mentioned that the shifts were changing and offered to give us a lift into town to get something to eat. Since it would be several hours before our flight left, we accepted.

After a bite to eat and a futile attempt to find some English language newspapers to take to our friends in Tajikistan, we started back. The weather had turned much colder by this time with a strong wind blowing. We asked a man on the street where we could get a bus back by the airport. He not only took us to the bus stop, but invited us into his shop, which was just around the corner, gave us tea and bought our tickets for us! We certainly were guided in asking the right person! A definite God sighting

The bus dropped us off at the same spot, and we began the hike to the airport, this time knowing it was about a mile and a half. However, we were not dressed warmly enough for the sudden drop in temperature and, with the wind chill factor, were freezing by the time we’d gone our 20 yards. I turned around to back into the wind and saw a small truck coming! The driver stopped and picked us up, dropping us off at the terminal!

An interesting coincidence, one might say. However, the whole time we were at the airport (several hours), we only saw five vehicles use that road, and two of them came along just at the time we needed help—and were willing to stop and pick us up! These matters, small as they are in the course of life, were too great and wonderful for me to orchestrate; these were God sightings, direct help from the hand of God.

More encouraging thoughts on suffering.

Humility is, I believe, the most important virtue, for it is the doorway through which grace flows into our lives: “God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble.” If we are grace recıevers we can be grace givers also!

Out of several definitions of humility, I like this one the best: “Trusting God more than I trust myself.” It is declaring my ignorance and His wisdom; my weakness and Hıs power; that He is my Lord, that it is right to submit to Him.

So in questions of life, like, “Why is there suffering for believers?” I must choose to trust Him in that knowing that He has a good plan and I can trust Hım ın ıt

And here’s another aspect of suffering. God promises to give us grace to carry us through. That is He gives the sufferer grace, enough grace to endure through, but He doesn’t promise that grace for those who watch the suffering. Instead He gives them faith to trust Him to do what is right!

This is an upside down thought for the world, because God’s thoughts are far above ours.

So when I see other believers suffering for Christ, I can trust God in what He’s doing, and pray for Him to supply the grace they need—and He will, for He is their Shepherd. I can trust Him more than I trust my own understanding—then He will give me grace also!

You, Lord Jesus are a magnificent  Savior, for, in addition to saving us from our sins,

You have filled our souls with hope,

you have given us a certain future,

a solid foundation,

a pure love

and a deep joy that continually washes away the vestiges of darkness as we walk with you in the light.

You are truely a marvelous Savior,

brilliant in your plan,

shining in your suffering,

radiant in your resurrection,

illuminating the way with your Word.

You are worthy of all worship and honor and praise,

the Savior of Light,

the Defeater of darkness,

the Son-shine in our souls.

“…shout for joy before the LORD, the King. Let the sea resound, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it” (Ps. 98:6b,7).

Yes! We rejoice in all that You are,

all that you have done,

Savior of the whole creation,

Un-twister of the crippled universe,

Redeemer of mankind,

Lover of Your enemies.

“May You be exalted and glorified in our lives today, Lord Jesus, as we walk with You in Your Light.”

What a day! A “sacrifice of thanksgiving” day!

Woke up to 0 degree temperatures, and we were out of propane for our heater and water heater–chance number 1 to offer thanks.

The propane guy came at 8:30, filled the tank, but none of our appliances would light–chance number 2.

A renter called, his furnace was not working and I had to go deal with that without solving my own problem–chance number 3.

Home to call a repairman for the renter’s furnace. Several calls, no help-chance number 4

Repairman came for my propane appliances. Still not lighting. He fiddled around and finally got two lit and left. I went to light the gas water heater, but the lighter no longer functioned and the compartment was sealed, so couldn’t use alternative lighting method–chance number 5.

Finally got ahold of a repair guy for the neighbor. When he came, he said the problem was frozen pipes. How to fix that?–chance number 6.

I did ask him to help me light my water heater and he did! Although he couldn’t get it back together–chance number 7.

Ran a big heater in the renter’s cellar and heated it up, pipes unfroze, but furnace still didn’t work!–chance number 8.

Called the repair guy again. The secretary said the boss would call me. Shortly thereafter the boss called but after 2 seconds my phone’s battery died! –chance number 9.

Then the rest of the verse began to kick in: “he who offers the sacrifice…opens the way that I may show him the salvation of the Lord.”

Went home, put the phone on charge and called again, the boss called back and said he’d be right down.

But just at that minute I had a zoom call scheduled–chance number 10–but the caller was willing to wait a few minutes.

Got back to the renter’s to meet the boss and he got all adjusted and the furnace is working fine! As are all my propane appliances.

Then back home to complete my zoom call and the caller was willing to give me my full hour even though we started late.

In one sense it was a day wasted, but in the true sense it was a great, productive day, for I had 10 frustrating, great opportunities to honor God before all the spiritual forces and some people. That is the most I could do. This is the purpose of my life!

Praise God for Psalm 50:23! which makes life much better: “He who offers the sacrifice of thanksgiving honors me and opens the way that I may show him the salvation of the Lord.